Photography is capturing an image from a brief point in time, through light.

Photography’s Functions:

Because photography is quick, cameras are portable and images are easily distributed, photography has had many functions. There are instances where photography is used to document, this could be for things such as science, news and evidence to name a few. Another function could be capturing memories or events that a person experiences throughout their life, this is becoming even easier to do with the use of smartphones and social media. The use of cameras and social media has allowed for even greater communication methods, with people being able to send images of what they are experiencing to others.

Photography as an Art-Form

Whether or not photography is a true ‘art’ has been debated on for centuries. Personally, I think that photography is its own unique type of art that can be experienced by anyone at anytime. Photography captures a scene in a similar way painting or drawing a picture does, the only difference being the process which some argue is the reason for photography not being an art form. As photography has multiple layers of complexity, style and personality within them, I think that photography is a great way to create art. Another thing to mention could be that photography is almost always ‘honest’ – an unedited image cannot change the way reality looks, giving photography a more natural look than some other forms of art.

Photography as a Science

As photography is Greek for ‘Light Writing’, it would make sense that in order to be able to do photography, you would require some forms of physics and chemistry to make a camera work. One of the first scientific uses of the camera was by Eadweard Muybridge where he used around 20 cameras that were lined up and recorded a horse running past them, as the horse went past a camera, the camera would take a picture, giving Eadweard multiple images. Eadweard used these to prove the idea that horses lift all of their feet up when galloping. After this he would go on to document several animals on how they moved. Since then, photography has been used for other scientific uses such as documentation to learn even more about how the world works.

The Difference between the ‘Study’ and ‘Practice’ of Photography

Study:

The ‘Study’ of photography is the scientific and developmental aspects of photography. As mentioned before, the use of physics and chemistry is vital in photography, without them, it simply wouldn’t be possible. New developments of photography occur often and after each development, something new may be possible.

Practice:

The ‘Practice’ of photography is the artistic side. Photographers practice their artistic techniques, learn new ones and hone their ideas or create new ones as a way of creating something unique as a sort of journey or career. As photography is a rapidly growing interest, many new ideas and techniques are being shown to the public so that they can be developed more by other people.

History

Hamptonne was previously used by 15th century farmers and royals as a farm and housing complex with several buildings from different time periods. It’s name comes one of it’s previous owners “Laurens Hamptonne” who was given permission to rebuild the ‘Colombier’ – a Dovecote – by King Charles II. King Charles also gifted Hamptonne multiple grants for its aid to him during the English Civil War.

Information

Hamptonne today is a museum which provides an insight into the lives of 15th Century farmers and the culture of Jersey at the time, live performers/actors portray the lives and activities of those people, providing an immersive and informative experience. The ‘Hampton Cider Festival’ is an annual event which takes place at the old farm, where people can watch its cider press at work, enjoy traditional food and music, as well as Cider Testing from local and foreign sources. Hamptonne is a Jersey Heritage site, meaning is also used as a wedding venue, as well as tours and trails, giving the old farm life and meaning on the small island. There is also a Cider apple orchard to visit, a local bakery, a children’s playground and an animal farm so all ages can experience the site.

Below is a Link to the Jersey Heritage Website, on the page detailing Hamptonne:

https://www.jerseyheritage.org/explore/find-a-place-to-visit/hamptonne-country-life-museum/

The Characters

At Hamptonne, multiple performers often act as people who lived in the times of Hamptonne’s use as a farm/house. These include characters such as Spinning ladies, Goodwife, Blacksmith and other ancient depictions.

Methods of Recording History – Tom Kennedy

Tom Kennedy is a local Jersey photographer who has documented Jersey’s Heritage sites with his wife Annigna Kennedy. Their works capture what life would have been like in Jersey’s older times through their respective skills. When documenting Jersey’s Heritage sites, Kennedy prefers to use natural light from windows, candles, etc… to make the image as believable and immersive as possible.

This image is a portrait of Alfred Krupp, taken by Arnold Newman

Visual

In this image the colour palette is primarily made up of greens and browns, this, paired with the models facial expression, helps give the image an industrial and almost sinister look. I think the image uses light very effectively in the sense that, while you can see the main light source used, a lot of the image remains fairly dark. The texture of the surfaces look metallic, giving the image a rougher look. The shapes in this image are mainly angular, such as squares/rectangles, and are 3D, which gives the image a sense of depth. In addition, the use of line has given the image a similar effect, as well as a more industrial look. Leading lines have been used effectively in this image, the multiple windows, gradually getting smaller the greater the distance, point towards the focal point in the center. This image does not follow the rule of thirds as the focal point, the model’s face, is in the center of the image.

Technical

There is little to no blur in this image, this is likely a result of a fast shutter speed. This could have been done to give the factory a vastness that seems intimidating to the viewers. The lighting in this image seems fully natural, with its source being the windows on the ceiling. The lighting used is just enough to make the model, as well as the majority of the factory, fully visible. This image possibly uses a darker aperture of around f/11, I think this because the image has a fairly large depth of field and because the image is darker in some areas. I think the shutter speed would have been quick, maybe around 1/500 as the image is fairly sharp all around with little to no blurs.

Contextual

The model of this image is Alfred Krupp, a German steel manufacturer who was born in 1812. He was the largest arms manufacturer at the time. Krupp considered employment as being something like a patriarchy, expecting obedience from all his workers, this could also be a reason for the composition of the image. As Krupp was a post-industrial-revolution steel manufacturer, he was likely making a lot of money from the steel he distributed, likely giving him more power control over his workers.

Conceptual

I think the concept behind this image is to say something about how business owners at the time got the majority of the money earned, thus making it appropriate to give the well-dressed and seated boss a sinister gaze, whereas the workers would get a far smaller portion, even with the intense physical labor they would have endured. As Krupp was a arms manufacturer, it could also be saying that wars and the people who start them are malicious instead of just.

About the museum

Hamptonne Country Life Museum gives the visitor a unique insight into the rural life carried on in Jersey for centuries. Dating back to the 15th Century the house and farm are perfect for discovering the rural history of Jersey.  Explore the different houses which make up Hamptonne, find out more about Jersey’s history of cider making in the cider barn and wander through the cider apple orchard and meet the Hamptonne calves, lambs, chickens and piglets in the traditional farmstead. 

The Hamptonne name

The Hamptonne farm complex takes its name from Laurens Hamptonne, who purchased it in 1633. The property is also known as ‘La Patente’, as is the name of one of the roads that passes it, after the Grants by Letters Patent received by its owner Richard Langlois in 1445, and by King Charles II to Laurens Hamptonne in 1649. 

Hamptonne’s support of the struggling and exiled King Charles II resulted in 2 grants – One preserved the integrity of the property in perpetuity – it could not be broken up into parts (partages) and split among family members, but would be inherited by the eldest child. Another permitted Hamptonne to rebuild the ruined Colombier (dovecote) originally granted to Richard Langlois. In normal circumstances, such buildings could only be built by Jersey Seigneurs (Lords or holders of a fief.). The Colombier is located to the south-east, slightly beyond the current boundaries of the Museum. This may not have been a source of local popularity for Hamptonne.

The houses and courtyards of Hamptonne

The Hamptonne site’s shape is square. It has many different buildings and houses constructed in different periods. The farm has medieval origins, but as the centuries have continued, owners have made improvements of the living quarters. The main buildings are therefore named after the Langlois, Hamptonne and Syvret families, who lived here between 15th and 19th centuries.

When you exit the shop, you enter the North Courtyard along the side of which runs the Northern Range – a row of 19th century farm buildings constructed to meet the specifications of the agriculture industry, its vehicles and horses. It include a Labourers Cottage, Coach House, Bake House & Laundry, and Stables. Facing the Stables is a glazed barn in which important farming devices and implements are displayed. There is a walled vegetable and herb garden to the east, beyond which is the Hamptonne Playground and Cider Apple Orchard.

Further on, to the south there is Langlois House. This building is comprised of a barn, with cows, and stables on the lower level. Above the animal barn there is a parlour and also a bedroom. In the south west corner there’s an arched stone gateway that allows access to the road.

To the west is the Cider making house or ‘presser’ with a granite apple press and crusher. This is where cider is made every October, a key part of Hamptonne’s heritage. To the south end of this row is Syvret house. This house is presented as the home of a tenant farmer in 1948, with many interactive stories in certain areas of the house. It consists of a kitchen, parlour, two bedrooms, and a small cabinet.

Cider Apple Orchard

To the east of the farm buildings is the orchard. Within this orchard there are many cider apple trees, which are renowned for their sweet, bitter and sharp flavours to use within cider making. There is then footpath that guides you through the orchard, towards a small wooded area. Within the farm’s fully working era, the wooded area would have provided an important resource for collecting wood. This would have been crucial for fuel as well as building materials, as well as wildlife. The path then continues to the grazing meadow, where sheep or cows often reside. Every year, there is a cider festival at Hamptonne farm, remembering the ancient way of making the drink, with Jersey’s heritage at its heart.

The Goodwyf and other characters

The goodwyf, during the 16th century, was the housekeeper of Hamptonne house. She looked after the house of her master, Monsieur Laurens Hamptonne. duties included cleaning, cooking, and tending to the fire. She makes soap, herbal remedies and makeup and candles.She was very respectful of her employer, as he was a well educated and respected man. She is captured in pictures with a sullen facial expression as in the era of her employment women posed for hours in neutral facial expressions.

Furthermore, the characters of two ladies working on the spinning wheel and loom recreate the ancient art of spinning wool on a loom. They speak about Jersey’s involvement with the exportation of stockings during the Tudor era, the laws imposed around it at the time, and how it helped Jersey’s economy.

Tom Kennedy

Tom Kennedy is a Jersey photographer, who is influenced by the Dutch Masters paintings of the 17th century, including Rembrandt and Vermeer.

His work with living history characters focuses on the use of natural soft lighting, sometimes with the help of a little artificial lighting. He uses subtle light to create beautiful soft shadows on his subjects’ faces, capturing them in their natural environments from the time period of the characters.

This image taken in 1936 known as “Migrant Mother”, became one of the most iconic photos in history as it came to symbolise the poverty and hunger endured by American’s during the Great Depression.

The image was taken in a migrant camp and appeared in the pages of a newspaper in March 1936, the face of the mother surrounded by her children with the anxious yet resilient expression on her face portrays just how many American’s suffered during the great depression. The lack of colour in the photograph also adds to the depressing mood of the photo. Viewers of the photo feel nothing but sympathy for the mother and her children, creating a powerful effect.

Photography is the art of capturing and processing light using a sensor or film. The action of photography itself is capable of changing people’s perceptions of people and the world. A photo can have a deeper meaning and tell thousand important stories.

Photography as an art

From the moment Photography was invented in 1839 to the middle of the last century, had raged a heated debate on whether it is a form of art, or simply a way of using an optical-mechanical contraption to document reality.

Photography can be described as a language which documents words as pictures, which can be used artistically just as languages from around the globe can.

Photography as an art form came from advancements in technology which allowed photographers to manipulate their images to fit their artistic expression. Many techniques were used by photographers to make their photos surprise or shock their viewers.

Photography as a science

Through photography, students can learn about the science of light and lenses and relate that to how the eye works.  They can also learn the science of shutter speed and how that affects images. They can study photographs that show things we cannot see, things like the surface of a planet and even a strand of DNA.

The development of film was also only made possible by science, without the chemicals used in film development, it would have never been possible.

PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ART, APPLICATION, AND PRACTICE OF CREATING DURABLE IMAGES BY RECORDING LIGHT, EITHER ELECTRONICALLY BY MEANS OF AN IMAGE SENSOR, OR CHEMICALLY BY MEANS OF A LIGHT-SENSITIVE MATERIAL SUCH AS PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM.

Photography is often used to capture moments throughout time, save a memory, and can also tell stories. Whether the photo taken is of a person, place, or object the photo will be stored and saved unless deleted or forgotten. When you take a photograph and share it with others, you’re showing a moment that was frozen through a picture. This moment can tell someone many things, from the environment to what people are doing.

When taking a photo, you need to think about specific angles, lighting, whether the camera is in focus, how far you zoom in or out, and if you are capturing the moment in landscape or portrait.

There are seven different types of photography which you can learn and practice to build a strong foundation for your photography career. These different types are, sports photography, photojournalism, still life photography, fashion photography, editorial photography, portrait photography and architectural photography.

Photography is many things, mainly it is capturing a moment in a still image. photography can be used to document, remember and generally symbolise meaning, emotion and change.

Many factors come together in order to create a successful image such as, lighting and balance. Changes in important photography factors can completly transform a photo from one image to another. These factors vary depending on the location and scene of the image.

photography has altered the way the world works, from sharing basic pictures on social media, to heart wrenching images from a battlefield, photography has changed the way we see, understand and feel about things.

Hamptonne Country Life Museum is a unique insight into the rural life carried on in Jersey for centuries. Hamptonne was originally a completely working farm from 1663, it gained its name from the original owner,  Laurens Hamptonne. Through Hamptonnes buildings, you can find 2 different time periods, the farm area being based around the medieval times and the courtyard being based around 19th century.

Hamptonne is well known in jersey for its cider production and also annual cider festival ‘La Fais’se de Cidre’. They make their cider the ‘old-fashioned’ way with a horse pulling the machine.

Hamptonnes history is lived through the actors who work there. The actors get into the clothes of people from the time, in the outfits they would’ve worn to do their jobs. Two of the actors were dressed as traditional wool spinners, we were spoken through some of the history of jersey and wool products production which used to be a big market in jersey.

during our visit to Hamptonne, we looked around the farm and took pictures as we went a long. this taught me to adjust my ISO to be able to capture the correct lighting. we also met with a photographer called Tom Kennedy. Tom is a freelance photographer who is highly involved with Jersey Heritage he also runs a production company ‘Little River Pictures’. Tom talked us through information about lighting, placement and many other things about producing a successful photoshoot. We communicated with the lady we were photographing and also experimenting with different heights and angles. Tom also introduced us to a portable light reflector, which helps control the lighting when outside of a studio.

We were introduced to the art of cyanotypes, one of the earliest forms of photography. We began by gathering sticks, feathers and other random natural objects that we found across Hamptonne. Producing the cyanotypes was a very exciting experience as we had to work quickly and plan what we were going to do before hand.

Photography, at its core, is a still image that captured a moment in time. Whether it’s a place, person or an object, photography freezes whatever is in front of it’s lens and stores it away until it’s either deleted or viewed by the eyes of many.

It’s often used to preserve moments in time, ensuring they won’t be forgotten and often portrays the world in a certain light, withholding information when necessary in order to present a message.

In order to do this successfully, a variety of elements have to come together and balance each other out such as lighting, angles, if the photo taken in portrait or landscape, whether the photo is blurry or not, how zoomed in the photo is etc. However, how these elements are used can vary depending on the type of photo being taken i.e.: Concert photography is less likely use high angles compared to still life photography.

There are many different types of photography including, but not limited to: portraiture, landscape, street, documentary, fashion, sports, architectural. Each sub-genre of photography make us see the world in a different light due to their diverse topics despite them all being the same at their core [photos].