Ralph Eugene Meatyard ( 1925 – 1972 ) was an American photographer from Normal, Illinois, U.S. Meatyard’s work spanned many genres and experimented with new means of expression, from dreamlike portraits – often set in abandoned places – to multiple exposures, motion-blur, and other methods of photographic abstraction. When he turned 18 during World War II, he joined the Navy, though he did not have the opportunity to serve overseas before the war ended. Meatyard purchased his first camera in 1950 to photograph his newborn first child, and worked primarily with a Rolleiflex medium-format camera. He took up membership of Lexington Camera club in 1954, and at the same time joined the Photographic Society of America. Much of his work was made in abandoned farmhouses in the central Kentucky bluegrass region during family weekend outings and in derelict spaces around Lexington.
ZEN TWIGS
In this series of photographs, Meatyard has experimented with the different aperture settings on his camera in order to create the blurry background whilst still keeping the main subject in focus. The harsh black and dark tones of the subject contrasts to the white and brighter range of colours that can be seen in the background. Meatyard has avoided photographing rough and straight lines, instead choosing to look at the naturally occurring shapes that appear in the trees. This gives the images a softer look and feel, even though the contrasting tones could suggest otherwise. The blurred branches present in the background also adds to this effect. The fact that the main subject of the photograph is the only thing which is in focus draws the viewer’s eye to it, creating a focal point. Additionally, most of the subjects appear to be in the centre of the image, creating an equal amount of space on all sides, therefore making the photograph more aesthetically pleasing to the viewer’s eye.
Ralph Eugene Meatyard (1925-1972) was an American photographer and made his living as an optician while creating an impressive and mysterious body of photographs. Meatyard’s photographs explored many genres and experimented with new means of expression, from dreamlike portraits; often set in abandoned places, to multiple exposures, motion-blur, and other methods of photographic abstraction. Meatyard has two series where he experiments with depth of field and focus, below is his work ‘No Focus’ where he has photographed figures without a specific focal point, creating a blurred effect.
‘No Focus’ Analysis
Meatyard’s series ‘No Focus’ is very abstract and ambiguous as you cannot tell what the blurred figures are. I really like this approach to photography as I believe it makes the observer think and be imaginative which their conception of the images. These photographs hold lots of dark, light and mid-tones which create a mysterious atmosphere and a sense of obscurity. The texture of these images is very soft and relaxed as the unfocused camera lens does not capture any sharp edges that may reside in the shot. Meatyard may have used a slower shutter speed, such as 1/2, to capture these unclear images so that more light could enter through the lens while it was open for a longer amount of time.
‘Zen Twigs’ Analysis
Meatyard also has a series called ‘Zen Twigs’ where has has experimented with the aperture settings on his camera. He has photographed twigs and tree branches in black and white, focusing clearly on specific points of the branch to create a shallow depth of field and a smaller focal point. For this series of photographs, Meatyard has most likely used a small aperture, such as F/2, to blur the background and areas surrounding the branch in order to create abstract images with depth. Meatyard’s work also consists of many harsh dark shadows which contrast with the bright highlights creating a range of tones and enhancing the silhouette-like outline of the branches. In these images we can see natural curved, jagged and straight lines in the foreground which form a rough texture, however the blurred shadowed branches in the background produce a softer texture as there are no defined lines drawing attention.
Contact Sheets
In my photo shoots I experimented with photographing natural forms such as leaves, twigs, flowers and trees. I was inspired by Meatyard’s ‘No Focus’ and ‘Zen Twigs’ series, therefore I used a range of aperture sizes and shutter speed lengths. I plan on editing my images to black and white in order to reflect Meatyard’s work, while also using my own experimentation with contrast and exposure.
Selected Edited Images
Final Images
I have chosen these 5 photos as my final images as I believe they explore the strong dynamics of depth of field and focus. In the first two images I was inspired by Meatyard’s ‘No Focus’ series. I experimented with a slower shutter speed, which allowed more light to enter my camera lens and created a blurred image. In the first image I used a low angle shot to capture a silhouette-like photograph. My highlights were in the background which enhanced the dramatic shadows of the subject in the foreground. I enjoy the ambiguity of this image as I believe the blurred black objects have no specific geometric shape, therefore it is up to the observer’s interpretation as to what the image is really of. Furthermore, I experimented with under exposing this image to add to its mysterious dark mood, I believe it created a more heavily shadowed image with harsh black tones contrasting greatly with the soft grey highlights in the background. I also really like how the second photo came out, I think the slow shutter speed produced an abstract image containing a motion blur and repetitive effect. In addition the image of a birdfeeder looks almost unrecognisable because of its echoed pattern overlapping the original subject which creates quick movement and rhythm in the photo.
In the last three photos I experimented with aperture, similar to Meatyard’s ‘Zen Twigs’ series. The first twig image has a clear focal point in the foreground as the twig is sharp and is the only focused element of the photograph. Additionally, I really like the strong highlights in the background of this image as I believe they enhance the focus on the twig by surrounding it with bright light and drawing the observer’s attention to its rough texture. In the second twig image the focal point is not central, but a little to the bottom right. This creates an abstract photo as moments of the foreground are unfocused which again draws focus to the clear branch. The image also contains many repeated natural shapes, such as leaves, which add to the busy texture and composition of the piece. Personally, I believe this benefits the photo as it shows the frequent power of nature and the natural world as it is untouched. The final image holds lots of natural repetition and has a strong central focal point. I enjoy its subtle highlights and shadows, which mixed with the soft texture created by the blur, creates a balanced calm image. Finally, I love the shallow depth of field created by the short aperture size in all of these final three images as it creates a dramatic focal point for the observer and reflects the abstract nature of Meatyard’s work.
Abstract photography – Abstract photography is the method of depicting a visual image that does not have an immediate association with the object world and that has been created, it often takes a second glance to recognise the object being photographed.
Ralph Eugene Meatyard:
Part of “Zen” series – Ralph Eugene Meatyard (1960)
Born in Illinois, in 1925, Ralph Eugene Meatyard used a multitude of methods to achieve his experimental, expressionist photographs. These include multiple exposures, motion-blur, and other methods of photographic abstraction. Meatyard derived inspiration from poets he adored and his fellow members of the Lexington Camera Club, combined with his own creative flare and the influence of others Meatyard successfully formed his career in photography with his own form of expression. He took these unique photos where he lived in Lexington, Kentucky, before he later passed away in 1972.
Analysis of Ralph Eugene Meatyard’s work:
“Zen number 7” – Ralph Eugene Meatyard (1959)
Light- The natural lighting of this image softly illuminates the focal point of the image, that being the twig in the foreground of the image. There are no harsh shadows in this image as the lighting is soft.
Line- The thin, jagged lines of the branches lead your eyes towards the middle of the image, and then to the right-side edge.
Repetition- The repetition of line is present in this photo, as the pattern of irregular lines in the foreground direct your eyes along the screen, from left to right.
Shape- The organic shape of the branches are unorganised and random, therefore they have little relation to each other in terms of shape and regularity.
Space: There is a very narrow depth of field in this photograph. The branches in the foreground of the image are in focus, whereas the background is blurred out. I believe the photo was taken with an aperture of f4 or below.
Texture- The spiked branches in the image give the photograph a rough texture, as the lines in the image are ridged and sharp.
Value/Tone- There is a varied tone to the image, as the background to foreground fades from dark to light. The branches in focus are highlighted amongst the background, which makes them the focal point for the viewer. The branches are lightest part of the image and they are contrasted against the dull background.
Colour- The muted, monochromatic tone of the image accentuates the contrast between light and dark. There is a cold hue to the image, which highlights the juxtaposition of light and dark further.
Composition- The image has a very unorganised composition, the shapes are organic which makes it harder to understand the composition. There is also regularity to the image, which makes the composition more complicated and uneven.
My response to Ralph Eugene Meatyard’s work:
I believe the images highlighted in green are my most successful photographs for this shoot. I think this because they either relate to the artist’s theme of contrasting light and dark the best, or they use the artist’s method of blurring the image with change in shutter speed.
I think the images highlighted in red are my least successful images purely because they have the least relevance to the artist I have studied, or because the light in the photographs is too over-exposed.
To take the ‘Out of Focus’ images, I used an ISO of 400, and changed the shutter speed settings on my camera to achieve a ghost-like effect.
Photoshop Development:
Original PhotographAfter – Using cropping and black and white filter.Original PhotographAfter – Using black and white filter.Original PhotographAfter – Using cropping and black and white filter.
Overall, I think the biggest similarity between Ralph Eugene Meatyard’s and my own work is the use of juxtaposing black and white tones that create a contrast against each other. However, I think to improve my photos in the style of Ralph Eugene Meatyard, I need to change aperture settings, etc on my camera so that the lens focuses on the twigs and branches rather than the area around them.
Ann Hamilton
From “Face to Face” series – Ann Hamilton (2001)
Born in 1956, Ann Hamilton is an American artist best known for her large-scale multimedia instillations. Hamilton received a BFA in textile design from the University of Kansas in 1979, and then lived in many states in Canada, before deciding to achieve an MFA in sculpture at Yale in 1983. Ann Hamilton then produced several series of works between 1984-2018, but her work in the 1980’s is what brought the artist to light. While teaching at UC Santa Barbara, Hamilton began experimenting with photography, which she would often combine with other elements involving her current work with textiles. This began her work in photography and helped to evolve her successful career.
Analysis of Ann Hamilton’s work:
From “Face to Face” series – Ann Hamilton (2001)
Light: The soft, natural lighting gently illuminates the actual photograph, however harsh lighting could have been used around the image to create the
Line: The curved lines around the edges of the image act as a border to the photograph, these can be seen as leading lines that lead to the figure in the middle third of the photograph. The lines start of thicker at the corners of the image but begin to thin out as they reach the middle.
Repetition: There is little repetition in the photograph as the image focuses on the aspect of portrait rather than patterns and repetition. On the other hand, there is a slight echo with the use of shutter speed, which gives the figure a ghost-like affect.
Shape: The shapes in the image are organic and natural, because of this they have little relation to each other, the image is not artificially set up therefore it is hard to find comparable shapes.
Space: I believe there is a narrow depth of field in this image as the background is slightly more blurry than the foreground. However even the foreground is slightly blurry due to the use of slow shutter speed.
Texture: The image has a rough texture because of the jagged edges around the border and the wrinkly features of the face on the figure.
Value/Tone: There is a range of tones in the image, due to use of soft lighting which creates the contrasting shadows and highlights. The darkest part of the photograph is the shadows cast under the trees. The lightest part of the image are the illuminated features of the lady.
Colour: The photograph has a monochromatic filter to exaggerate the echo affect from the slow shutter speed.
Composition: The composition of the image is natural and not artificially set up, therefore it is difficult to superimpose geometrical shapes onto the image in order to understand the composition better.
Comparison of Ann Hamilton and Ralph Eugene Meatyard’s work:
Ann Hamilton and Ralph Eugene Meatyard both focus on the use of depth of field in different ways. Meatyard uses a narrow depth of field in order to draw the viewers eyes onto the focal point. Hamilton uses a slightly wider depth of field in order to keep more of the image in focus, but keeps the foreground as the main focal point. However Hamilton uses a slower shutter speed in order to achieve an echoed affect.
Both photographers use a monochromatic theme in these photos in order to accentuate the beauty of light and dark rather than colour. Hamilton and Meatyard use softer, natural lighting in these photos so the shadows and highlights are less harsh.
Although both Hamilton and Meatyard use the theme of focusing in their style of photography, they almost use them in an opposite way, which exemplifies the contrast in shutter speed photography.
Ralph Eugene Meatyard was born in Normal, Illinois on May 15, 1925. He is an American photograph and optician. Ralph Eugene Meatyard purchased his first camera from the optometry shop where he worked in Lexington Kentucky in 1950; he soon became a very serious amateur photographer .He spent three months looking through an unfocused camera in order to learn to see No-Focus. Meatyard’s early photographs contain : blurred images, fabricated scenarios, masks and dolls, and a pervading dark humor.
Saul Leiter
Saul Leiter was born the December 3, 1923 in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania United States. He was an American artist .He moved to New York to become an artist. He took black and white pictures with a 35 mm Leica, In 1948, he started taking color photographs. He worked as a fashion photographer through the 1970s.
MY IMAGES
Their Ideas but in my own Style
I chose to inspire me from the two artists . Ralph Eugene Meatyard’s has kinda dark style wish I like (he puts scary maks…) . I enjoy Saul Leiter photographies because they are everyday photos and I really like the colors.
What I did
I wanted to represent a teenager in her daily life in a blury way ( watch a magazine or listen to music …) For the teenager I wanted her to look weird without it being very dramatic so I decided to hide her face with her hair kinda like in a mysterious way
My favourite images
Final images
I chose this two images because they represente what I wanted , what I was looking for , the ideas of the two artists and especially my style.
