How is the ethereal experience of growing up conveyed through the photography of Sam Harris and Olivia Bee?

Growing up is often conveyed through media as whimsical and magical- whether it be through film, music or art- this portrayal of growing up is then often hit with harsh realities through adolescence and adulthood while media embraces the idea of staying connected to your childhood through nostalgia: Sam Harris creates emotionally rich documentary images which main purpose serve to capture memories of his two daughters growing up in rural India and Australia, intertwining the ethereal experience of childhood intertwining with nature (The Middle of Somewhere: Containing images from 2002-2006 -released 2015- of Harris himself, his wife and two daughters travelling in India and Australia), these images manage to apprehend the innocence and joy of childhood while also tackling seemingly brutal topics such as death and natural disaster. “‘The Middle of Somewhere” is from my ongoing visual family diary, which revolves around my two daughters growing up… My work is a celebration of childhood, family life, love and our simplistic lifestyle which intertwines with our environment. As I witness my daughters’ transformation—in what feels like the briefest of moments—I am compelled to preserve something of our time living together.”¹  Olivia Bee concentrates on capturing the oneiric and often ephemeral experience of adolescence, her photobook “Kids in Love” was created when Bee was merely 17, capturing moments as they happened and staging highly emotive, moving scenes with recurring themes of intimacy, exploration and naturally occurring beauty in everyday life- it is significantly hard to tell which images are staged and which are candid which adds to the beauty of Bee’s work. In Bee’s own words, she is “intrigued by the beauty of everyday life and how the beauty of memories (real or imagined) touches us.”² Containing images from between 2008 and 2013, Bee photographs her circle of friends while growing up in the natural, romantic landscape of Oregon USA. I plan to respond to these photographers by creating my own scrapbook-style photobook: aiming to capture childhood nostalgia, memories of now as a teenager and growing up enveloped in island nature- I will be doing this by focusing on natural landscapes and humans in natural landscapes including staged and documentary style images: focusing on a female perception of aesthetic, aiming to show the beauty of everyday life through a scrapbook and diary style photobook.  

Historically, the process of capturing memories through photographs was a very formal process- taking large inspiration from portraiture in paintings, to immortalise people through portrait photography during the Victorian ages, especially with the commercial process of carte-de-visit. This process was typically only accessible to wealthy families as photography was an expensive, complex process. It was not until photography became affordable and more accessible that scrapbook style and vernacular photography developed in response to 19th century studio portraiture showing grandly staged images. The aesthetics of snapshot developed within vernacular photography and became more popular in the general population- namely from the 1970s onwards where staged and candid images were mixed together due to the accessibility and nonchalance of photography at the time. It is this style that I am trying to capture with my photobook project. More inspirations for this project include various photography movements such as modernism- where photographers began to embrace social, political and aesthetic concerns from 1915 onwards: concentrating on the beauty of a subject instead of a harsh reality: experimenting with light, perspective, developing abstraction in a sub-context of surrealism. A renowned modernist photographer “André Kertész said, “I regard myself as an amateur today, and I hope that’s what I will stay until the end of my life. Because I’m forever a beginner who discovers the world again and again.” Kertész saw photography as a sort of visual diary that documented the way he felt about the world around him and insisted that emotion was the basis of all his work, rather than an artistic impulse.”³  Kertész created an image⁴ which inspired me to look into modernism as an inspiration for my photobook- this was further cemented by the quote from the article above where it was emphasized that emotion was the drive for his work. His images- much like many modernist photographers of the time- are a mixture of staged and documentary: capturing life as it happens in an abstract, unorthodox way, much like Sam Harris and Olivia Bee’s photography style.

As previously stated, Harris’ work was created purely to capture memories of his family- specifically his two young daughters growing up while they travelled around India and Australia. Harris’ images look pure, with a lack of editing and the natural lighting being taken advantage of to create interesting images which apprehend an almost naïve view of life which is drenched in bright blues, green and warm tones- creating an ethereal, seemingly other-worldly, nostalgic view. Similarly to modernist photography values images (such as the image below) are taken from an offbeat perspective- the two children framing the adults in the middle and the forest setting providing a backdrop. I find this image particularly alluring due to the blurriness- the imperfection- which adds to the feeling of time slipping away with the figures looking almost celestial but almost if they are fading away: however this image does look esoteric in the sense that it is a glimpse into a young family where Harris is trying to capture memories before they fade away (much like the figures). Furthermore on the composition of this image, the two children are framing the two adults- which is unusual as usually the parents would be protecting the children, while this composition gives a sense of the two adults letting their children be free- adding to Harris’ ethos of capturing memories as they happen showing the unpredictability of this travel and the children’s curiosity, the parents acting as a safe haven while the children explore. Harris himself is also in this image- an almost Christ-like figure in white raising his arms as if to welcome his children into a hug- this is also unorthodox as it brings up the conundrum of who is taking the image which furthermore asks if the image is staged or not. On the technical approaches of this image: the image looks amateurish, where a low shutter speed emphasises blurriness. Flash is also used, creating artificial lighting which highlights the colours in the image while a low aperture makes colours and scenery visible in what otherwise would be a very dark image as it was taken at night time/evening.

Priorly stated, Bee’s work is a mixture of staged and candid images however as contrary to Harris’ work, Bee takes pictures as seemingly an outsider looking in while Harris’ images are from an insider perspective. Bee’s photos- although they are of her friends and herself growing up in Oregon, USA- are very intimate and images like the one below⁶ are from the perspective of an outsider looking in to a relationship, while other images of Bee’s are more casual- documenting her friends actions and hobbies such as skateboarding. However the image below is staged, and although staged this image shows great emotive value- two young lovers intertwined in embrace, their body language only open to each other, fitting to the photobook name- “Kids in Love”- this image certainly depicts teenagers in love. This photo also represents uncertainty, a prevailing theme in a teenager’s life- curiosity and apprehension about the future- this can be shown massively through the water. Bodies of water are often unpredictable, humans have always had a fearful fascination about water with hundreds of fairy tales, myths and legends being revolved around wonders of the sea, whether it be shipwrecks or mermaids. A vignette around the corners of the image present an unease creeping in while the lovers embrace and find sanctuary in each other- the light concentrated on them giving an impression of hope in darkness. An important aspect of this image is also colour- the red streak in the girls hair shows rebellion while the contrast of the blue of the water shows serenity asking the question is the danger coming from teenage love, or from the unease of the future creeping in on them?

Bee and Harris both successfully create an identity for each subject- with images giving the viewer a sense of individualism for every subject- this is evident in Bee’s portraiture⁷ where direct eye contact with the camera makes the image feel personal and an intrusion on someone’s life yet exhibiting their nature- imploring you to judge by looks. Harris succeeds this by taking photographs for the sake of memories, capturing the raw natural emotions which a person is displaying. However even though both artists have similar aims and motivations for their images- they succeed them in different ways. Harris’ artistry being more truthful than Bee’s: with a lack of staged, highly controlled images and more a mixture of seemingly amateur “happy accidents” where blur, overexposure and unexpected angles create beautiful, resonant images. On the other hand, Bee’s work “Kids in Love” creates a rebellious aura around the subjects and establishes the real lifestyle behind adolescence existence- times of love, hatred, fear and the occasional cocky, overindulgent attitude- however in Bee’s work there is a sense of masking in the subject, where a subject is clearly letting the viewer judge by appearance but presenting an aura of complexity about them- letting the viewer know that this image is only peripheral through their facial expressions. Together, both artists display an ethereal idea of growing up- from childhood with Harris then adolescence with Bee. Attempting to respond to Bee and Harris’ work, I generated this image⁸, keeping to the main aesthetic of both photographers work: this image is edited very minimally, only the colours have been emphasised. This photograph is of some of my friends climbing up trees- the image is taken from the ground looking up. I feel as if this image encapsulates both photographers; the unusual perspective, the lack of editing, the imperfect of the blur, the fact that it was taken candidly- as just a snapshot in time to remember the night. Taken with flash at night and a high ISO and shutter speed- this image contains a lot of detail, down to each individual leaf which the light of the flash hits. The hectically abstract point of view along with almost an optical illusion concerning the tree structure where it appears to show people walking directly up the tree towards the sky creates a visually interesting image- although not similar to Bee and Harris’ usual subject matter and lacking subject interaction to the camera (backs turned away from the camera) this image does present Bee’s rebellion in essence, backs turned to the camera remaining in anonymity: teenage rebellion, as well as reflecting Harris’ idea of pure childlike curiosity: climbing trees towards the sky. I like this image because depending on how you look at it you can conjure up a meaning for it when in reality- much like Bee and Harris- the image purely captured memories, when growing up into an adult is right around the corner images like this show that you can still enjoy the experiences you did as a child- growing up is ethereal however childlike wonder and rebellion remains in us all.

Bibliography  

1. Sam Harris on The Middle of Somewhere: Lens Culture: https://www.lensculture.com/articles/sam-harris-the-middle-of-somewhere#slideshow: accessed 12/1/23). 

2. Olivia Bee interview on “Finding the right balance”: The Creative Independent https://thecreativeindependent.com/people/olivia-bee-on-finding-the-right-balance/: accessed 13/1/23 

3. The Poet of Modernism, André Kertész Retrospective: Aesthetic Magazine https://aestheticamagazine.com/the-poet-of-modernism-andre-kertesz-retrospective-the-hungarian-national-museum-budapest/: accessed 14/1/23 

4. Underwater Swimmer, Esztergom, Hungary; dated 1917; André Kertész

5. Sam Harris; untitled from the collection “The Middle of Somewhere”; year unknown

6. Olivia Bee; untitled from the collection “Kids in Love”; year unknown

7. Olivia Bee; untitled from the collection “Kids in Love”; year unknown

8. An image I am including in my photobook

PAGE DESIGNS

I have images from various museums which I am going to use in the photobook, I also am planning to paint or draw images directly into the book to add a more texturally rich look to the book.

My main inspiration for page design of my book will be Sam Harris- the drawings and pull outs created a texturally interesting book which played into an idea of a personalised book which was made for an intimate eye. When the book is finished I am going to put pressed flowers in it.

MOODBOARD

My images themselves I would like to be nature-orientated with a strong perspective of feminine aesthetic (stereotypically soft and delicate images.

PICTORIALISM

time period: 1880s-1920s

Key characteristics/influences/techniques: Made photography an artistic process by making photos look like paintings- by smearing Vaseline on the camera lens, altering the image in the dark room and scratching and putting chemicals onto the negative to make it look like a sketch. Heavily influenced by the allegorical paintings of the 18th century, images were dreamlike and usually staged.

Artists associated: Peter Henry Emerson, The Vienna Camera Club, Julia Margaret Cameron, Adolph De Meyer

Interesting works:

REALISM / STRAIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

Time period: 1920s-1950s

Key characteristics/influences/techniques: Images were not manipulated, shapes and abstract compositions were often concentrated on- including landscape images. Used photography as a direct viewpoint of how the world was at that exact moment in time- without manipulation.

Artists associated: Paul Strand, Walker Evans, Ansel Adams

Interesting works:

MODERNISM

Time period: 1920s- 1950s

Key characteristics/influences/techniques: Heavily influenced by the Bauhaus art movement, photographers began to embrace social, political and aesthetic potential, experimenting with light, perspective and developing, as well as new subjects and abstraction. Coupled with movements in painting, sculpture and architecture, these works became known as ‘modernist photography’.

Artists associated: Edward Steichen, Dora Maar, Alfred Stieglitz, Group  f.64, Otto Umbehr

Key works:

POST-MODERNISM

Time period: 1950s- 1970s

Key characteristics/influences/techniques: First and foremost, postmodernism builds on the themes and conceptual ideas that began during the modernist period. This type of photography also often features surrealism, expressionism or other similar themes. Postmodern paintings were often characterized by an abstract, or non-representational, approach; works often appeared to be random colours or scribbles without an overriding design or meaning. Postmodern photography takes the same approach

Artists associated: Cindy Sherman, Robyn Stacey, Yasumasa Morimura, Tracey Moffatt, Jacky Redgate

Key works:

SAM HARRIS

In a shared house in south London with his musician mates, Sam Harris turned his bedroom into a makeshift darkroom, gaffer taping the curtains to the wall. Throughout the Nineties he shot sleeve art and promo for major & indie record labels alike, and was a contributor for Dazed & Confused, The Sunday Times Magazine and Esquire, making images of Jarvis Cocker, Victoria Beckham, Portishead and many others as said in his website.

In 2002, with one-way tickets to India Harris set off on what became four nomadic years between India & Australia shooting and living “The Routineless Routine”. “The Middle of Somewhere” was published in 2015 (Ceiba Editions) to international acclaim and was nominated for seven photobook awards, winning 3 including a coveted Lucie Award.

Known for an emotionally rich and playful eye Harris has exhibited internationally, notably at the Bibliotheque Nationale de Espana; Les Rencontres d’Arles, France; Benaki Museum, Athens; Delhi Photo Festival; Festival de la Luz, Buenos Aires; Encontros da Imagem, Portugal and Ragusa Foto, Italy. Living in WA with bases in Los Angeles and London he is an intimate insider, reflecting and capturing everyday authentic lives of community, friends, family and the talent he shoots.

OLIVIA BEE

Olivia Bee is a photographer and director living and homesteading in Eastern Oregon, whilst also traveling the globe for her work. She is intrigued by the beauty of everyday life and how the beauty of memories (real or imagined) touches us.

When she was 15, her work was “discovered” by Converse after they saw her photos on Flickr. She has since done editorial work for the New York Times, Harper’s, Der Speigel, Seventeen, and others. She’s done commissioned work for Katy Perry, MTV, YouTube Music, and others, and has been featured in both solo and group exhibitions.

In 2016, Aperture published her first book of photography, Kids in Love. It features an interview with Tavi Gevinson. In Bee’s own words, she is “intrigued by the beauty of everyday life and how the beauty of memories (real or imagined) touches us.” Here she discusses the difference between personal and commercial work, how to create the ideal studio, and the nature of healthy creative validation. Kids in Love will be my main influential work by Olivia Bee

ANALYSIS OF WORK

I find this image by Sam Harris particularly interesting- the image is taken with flash and features the blurriness of long grass in front of two young girls. One of the girls is looking straight at the camera, pulling the focus of the image to the middle as only one of her eyes are visible as the other is obscured by blurry grass- the other girl is looking to the right while a bright acrid yellow is above her, drawing further attention to the colours and tones of the image as the right side of the image is very dark while the right has more vibrant colours such as yellows, greens and pinks. This image seems to be staged but is just as likely to be candid- either way this image seems genuine and nostalgic.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO EXPLORE?

Through the theme of islandness, for my personal study I intend to explore how it feels to grow up on an island- specifically from the perspective of a teenage girl, concentrating on the beauty of everyday life.

WHY IT MATTERS TO YOU?

I have lived in Jersey for all of my life, through this I have realised there is a specific island mindset which covers the grounds of naivety, hedonistic characteristics and a love of being near the sea- I would also like to acknowledge the quieter aspects of island youth culture: including isolation which is especially prevalent on an island which is both separated by geography and mindset.

HOW DO YOU WISH TO DEVELOP THIS PROJECT?

I would like to develop this project through a photobook-I may make a film but my inexperience filming may prevent me from doing this- I would like this photobook to be in the style of a personal diary however I am still open to inspirations and interpretations which I am getting through Pinterest and personal research- I have also made decisions such as I would like to focus on colour images, using a mix of landscape images and portraits- I also may include many different types of medias in this diary making it a scrapbook-type style including cyanotypes, pressed flowers and stuck in items. I also like the idea of burning a CD with songs that I believe fit the theme of the photobook and decorating the cover with images from the photobook.

WHERE AND WHEN DO YOU INTEND TO BEGIN YOUR STUDY

I have started exploring the theme for this study by using Pinterest and creating a board which has various sections including page designs, texts I may include, artist inspirations (many of which are not professional artists or photographers. I am researching documentary/staged photographers to find an aesthetic I would like to convey.

BODY OF WORK: WASTE

“Waste” is a photobook by a past student from Hautlieu, as a task I will be assessing this piece of work- including it’s personal study essay (viewable in link)

The photobook concentrates on themes such as human’s impact on the environment and Anthropocene through abstract, close-up images of human rubbish such as lighters, discarded toys and even goes so far as to present microscopic images of plastics.

ESSAY QUESTION: IN WHAT WAY HAVE MANDY BARKER AND KEITH ARNATT EXPLORED THE CONCEPT OF ANTHROPOCENE IN THEIR WORK?

Does the essay address its hypothesis?

The essay displays a great knowledge of Anthropocene and how it is presented in art and photography using many examples from their chosen artist references- including images making the essay very visual so the inspirations for their work are accessible.

Is the essay well structured with a sense of an introduction, paragraphs and a conclusion?

The essay has a good sense of structure- including an introduction, a section on historical context, two paragraphs on chosen artists, a conclusion and a bibliography.

Use and flow of language, prose, punctuation, spelling?

Used, punctuation used correctly, spelling accurate, specific vocabulary and language used.

Use of specialist vocabulary relating to art and photography?

Used

Analysis of artist’s oeuvre (body of work) and key work(s)?

An analysis of the chosen artists’ work was present, with analysis’ of key inspirations which they then responded to.

Evidence of wider reading with reference to art history/ theory, political discourse and/or socio-economical context?

Evidence was presented in the form of a historical context paragraph.

Use of direct quotes, summary or commentary from others to make an informed and critical argument?

This was not present.

Use of referencing system (eg. Harvard) and a bibliography?

A referencing system has been used- including a bibliography, sources of images and a quote from Salvador Dali.

Use of illustrations with captions listing name of artist, title of work and year of production?

Used in all images present.

Make an assessment using the mark sheet and calculate a grade.

Overall I would give this essay 14/18, when marked by a member of the school the essay was given a 15/18.

ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAITS

I believe I thoroughly researched my inspirations and lead photoshoots with intention- collecting a vast array of images. If I could redo this project I would be more experimental with my photoshoots, looking back I’ve found some images to be quite interesting but others, plain and boring- I could also improve my image selection process.

IDENTITY

As the first main project we did, this is one of my favourite sets of images. I created a 3 sets of 3 images- each of which had its own photoshoot in different locations. I really liked this project and if I could redo it I would play with the use of colour, I feel like I was overusing black and white and it would have been interesting to play with colour.

ANTHROPOCENE

I struggled with this project as I found the subject matter quite uninteresting, I did enjoy conducting the photoshoots as they involved visiting abandoned buildings however the images generated from these photoshoots, although fitting to the theme of Anthropocene, were quite plain and uninspired.

MY ROCK

I did not really enjoy this project as I don’t really enjoy taking landscape images as I find them quite boring, all my images were in black and white which to me made them look quite dramatic however this project didn’t massively interest me so I feel like I was not trying as much to create good images.

ZINE

I believe my zine was very successful, as my first instance of experimenting with colour and abstract style images which were of rockpools. It was this project which enabled me to further practise using colour in images as previous to this my images were primarily black and white- with quite plain compositions- this project was very helpful within learning how to use natural light to my advantage and how to emphasis and arrange images with colour.

PERSONAL PHOTOBOOK PROJECT

My photobook project I believe was quite successful, using the skills I learnt when creating my Zine I concentrated on colour, light and abstract images except with a larger variety of main subjects in images (not just concentrating on still subjects) I believe this was successful as I used a variety of skills which I had learnt from my previous projects including using studio lighting (for images such as pressed flowers).

I had a lack of inspiration for my Zine, I created a Pinterest board displaying natural forms (containing images of rock pools, stone formations, plants growing) and I realised that colour is a major part of nature so I decided to highlight colour in simple abstract images of rock pools.

EDITING AND DESIGN

Following my photoshoot at Green Island, I went through my photos which were in my green category (images I have previously decided I like- process shown in this blog post) and edited them, separating more images into possibly final decisions for my Zine.

The editing I did for my images was minimal, I only wanted to highlight contrasts and accentuate colours to show a key theme of my Zine.

After editing my images I ended up with 46 images which I wanted to put in my zine -with some flexibility if I feel some do not fit with the theme.

On Adobe Indesign I created an A3 document with the measurements; width: 148mm, height: 210, pages: 16, orientation: portrait, columns:2, column gutter: 5mm, margins: top, bottom, inside, outside: 10mm, bleed: top, bottom, inside, outside: 3mm as to create my zine.

I started inserting my images by dragging my saved edited images from my ‘rockpools’ folder on my documents. I cropped and positioned my images on the page then made sure they fit the frame proportionally so the whole image was shown.

As my main concentration in my Zine was colour shown through abstract images, I decided to have a gradient theme running through my zine where the tones in the images go from warm to cold. Quite quickly I realised I had too many images for a 16 page zine so I added 4 more pages. Throughout my zine I played with designs such as full page spreads, single images and grids- I kept these experimentations as they provide some visual interest through slight irregularity.

I struggled with deciding a title for my Zine, after trying various names such as “Tidal Pools” and “Heaven is a rockpool” I decided to put a haiku on the front and back as to make clear the Zine can be read from either cover as it displays a gradient of colours which display the day changing and the colours in the rockpool becoming colder (or warmer)

EVALUATION

I am pleased with the outcome of my zine, my images carry an abstract theme where colour is a major part of the flow of the zine, the colours go from warm to cold however as I have a “title” on both sides of the zine the zine can be viewed from front-to-back or back-to-front, this was meant display the change of the colours throughout the day. Within the way my images were displayed there is regularity including grids, one page spreads and double page spreads- a lot of this was to be able to fit all my images in my zine as I had around 47 images overall I think this aspect worked as it shows transitions of colour. I decided to put contrasting haikus on the front and back page- on the warmer starting page the final line of the haiku is “scarlet sun rises” while on the colder page the final line is “midnight’s darkness awaits” this once against presents the transition throughout the day of colour and light.

FINAL IMAGES

The official Cambridge definition of an archive is “A collection of historical records relating to a place, organization or family,” an archive can be as simple of a collection of photographs on a mobile phone however traditionally an archive contains historical records in all forms of media: such as photographs, documents, scientific findings, and items of the past: These records are then categorised into separate classifications whether that be type of media, era/year, or a certain subject. For example, Jersey Archive has a section for the collection of seaweed specimens collected in Jersey during the years 1859 and 1860 by Mrs J. W. H. Harris- records like this can help scientific research and show Jersey’s development environmentally as well as technologically, showing local access to technologies such as cameras to create the images themselves.

Archives give a vast insight into the history of an area: The Societe Jersiase Photographic Archive is an example of this, it aims to produce and facilitate research on the Island’s history, culture, language, and environment; and to share that knowledge with the widest possible audience for the benefit of the island community. This is done through a volunteers opportunities, an online archive, community outreach and collaboration with local and international heritage partners. The Société specialises in various fields of study, from archaeology to zoology with the help of volunteers, modern information and research is inputted to enhance and continue producing the raw data and research which make long-term studies possible- The Société started in 1873 and holds extensive bibliographic, cartographic, photographic and research collections ranging from modern times to the 1800s, these act as a long-term memory for island history, these collections provide a vital resource informing contemporary study and value for the community through a greater understanding of Jersey’s shared heritage, identity and environment. 

An interesting piece of work in the Societe Jersiase Photographic Archive is the Roger and Margaret Long Collection; this collection (which is available online to view) represents a tiny fraction of the 28,000 colour transparencies in the original collection. The images were produced between the late 1960s and early 2000s and cover the subjects of entomology, ornithology and botany, though items of social history interest appear between species, giving a personal touch to a scientific collection. The slides are hand numbered with handwritten indexes, identifying specimens, subjects and dates.  

Although amateur, The Roger and Margaret Long Collection has beautiful skill in the composition of the images as well as colour balances- see in the image below the main point of concentration is the butterfly while the yellow flowers surrounding it are unfocused showing that the focus of the image is to preserve the memory of the butterfly possibly for scientific view. This image taken in Le Coin, St Ouen in 1976 would have been developed specifically to be viewed on a projection screen using a slide projector as it is a positive image with a transparent base, once again this could have been done for scientific view or just to show memories of a beautiful butterfly. 

Images from the past can serve as reminders of history; they show culture, beauty, advances in technology, and insights into how society has grown. For my photography work I plan to use images from the Societe Jersaise as inspiration- including The Robert and Margaret Long Collection and the botanical collection of seaweed specimens by Mrs J. W. H. Harris as these images serve as a basis for an insight into what an archive is- showing personal memories and passions through compilation where the devotion is seen throughout the careful processes the creators went through to compile a selection of subjects. Jersey Archive has been widely used by students, teachers, scientists, politicians, and members of the public to learn more about Jersey’s vast and rich history- this loyalty will continue as history is always being created, meaning generations of the future will be able to look back at the current age to learn and prosper.