For my final exam, I will be creating images inspired by Cindy Sherman as well as Alicia Brodowicz. Both photographers base their work on the human body, Brodowicz captures the human body in relation to nature, capturing the similarity’s of textures, shapes and lines. Sherman focusses on the sexualisation of women in the media based of Hollywood Film and female stereotypes created by the white heterosexual male. My idea, is to capture images of women from a male and a female perspective, highlighting Laura Mulvey’s theory of ‘the male gaze’. I will be taking images similar to Sherman’s ‘untitled film stills’. Within my images, i want to keep the ‘old fashioned look’

TOBIAS ZIELONY

Tobias Zielony (born 1973) is a German photographer and filmmaker who bases his work in Berlin. His projects focus on marginalized communities and subcultures in young people in lesser known places, uncovering the activities teenagers get up in their spare time. Whilst studying documentary photography at the University of Wales, Newport, he became drawn to ‘anti-social’ youth culture in Britain, in particular the lives of those living on council estates, and produced his first few projects, including ‘Car Park’ (2000), a set of images taken in shady Bristol carparks that captured British youth in desolate, urban areas, and ‘Curfew’ (2001) a project exploring the lives of young Liverpudlians, showcasing the destructive boredom stemming from a youth spent in one of England’s poorest urban areas. Throughout both projects we are confronted with the effects of poverty that reflects on the teenagers hedonistic behaviours, yet captured in a way that seems almost liberating.

Zielony’s first two projects explore the same themes but are captured in two different ways – The images in Curfew are taken primarily during bleak, bright days, in open endless spaces such as fields and parks, with a dull colour scheme and often of idle, isolated subjects, whereas the images in Car Park are captured during the night, often of big groups in small areas using bold, colourful lighting to enhance the images appearance. These images share the similarity of being staged documentary and involve Zielonys subjects looking away from the camera, creating the atmosphere of a candid image. Taken without flash or tripod, the pictures are inspired by the aesthetics of music videos – and therefore by youth culture.. Zielony says he gains his subjects’ trust by not judging or moralising, by taking time and by not trying to ‘save’ anyone, keeping his subjects identities anonymous, which creates images shrouded in mystery.

Zielony continued with the theme of youth culture with his 2004 project ‘Behind the Block’ where he extended his research to four European cities to observe adolescents in public spaces often during night times, again photographing their social environment but also combining architecture into his project to provide backstory and further explore the areas these teenagers hung around in. The use of architecture in this project creates bold, defining images with elements of simplicity through the geometric shape of the buildings – this has inspired me for my simple vs. complex project as i feel it’s a unique touch to the work, and Zielony helps these images compliment each other by using similar lighting and colour to create an aesthetic in his work.

Continuing on in his career of documenting different social environments, he embarked on 3 year project titled ‘Manitoba.’ From 2009-2011, he travelled around Winnipeg, capturing the life of adolescent indigenous gang members in the capital of Manitoba province in Canada. In keeping with the tradition of classic photo journalism, Zielony makes use of various genres of photography; including portraits of gang members posing in front of the camera and views of the urban landscape in and outside Winnipeg. Unlike his past projects, these images are a complete change of culture which results in a set of fresh images that provide a unique perspective on life in Winnipeg.

Later on in his career, Zielony began to experiment more with different lighting and themes in his work – this reflects in his 2013 photobook ‘Jenny, Jenny’ where he photographed sex workers in Berlin. The photo series started with a chance encounter. A conversation with a young couple on a Berlin subway train led Zielony to suggest to photograph them – after discovering the couple were sex workers, Zielony was introduced to their co-workers and began following them around Berlin. The result is the 40 part documentary series “Jenny Jenny”. Zielony combines staged shots with dramatic, vivid colours and abstract architectural images to create an eye catching unique outlook of the lives of sex workers in Berlin. Of all his works i find ‘Jenny Jenny’ to be the most eye catching because of it’s colour scheme and use of vibrant lighting to enhance the image.

IMAGE ANALYSIS

Although this photo is not what i consider to be an aesthetic of photography i’m interested in, i chose to analyze it as i feel its one of Zielonys most eye-catching works. Simply titled ‘Laser’ this image depicts a single subject, stood in what appears to be a field at night. His surroundings are blurry and only dimly lit by the sky, and the subject is stood in the middle with his eyes shut. Bright green laser lights cover his face and body, highlighting his silhouette and making him the sole focus of the image, with a few orbs of light shining into the background of the photo. The stripes on his shirt contrast with the dots of the green and make for a unique photograph. The bold lighting stands out from the dark background and further illuminate the subject. The photo doesn’t appear to be taken with a tripod nor flash, but from a head-on perspective, positioned in front of the subject.

Mood board on Jaroslav Rossler’s work –

Above is a mood board which I created of images that Jaroslav Rossler produced throughout his career. I think that these images are a good representation of the abstraction of still life in different reflections/shadows of glasses/different kitchen objects. I really like how Rossler explores the darkness in is photography through different lighting and shadows as well as the colour and composition in different photos where he uses a variety of different objects which are different colours, but compliment each other well to create a vivid contrast within their colour. This makes me feel inspired within my own work because I was going to focus on the abstraction of different shadows through glassware within my work, but through exploring Russler’s work I have decided that I will also explore using different objects besides glasses to represent different kitchenware as it can create a deeper message.

Research on Jaroslav Rossler –

• Studied from 1917-20 under the photographer Frantisek Drtikol where he was a lab technician.
• By the age of 21, he began an art project with Karel Teige where he was able to create typographical layouts for magazines, this was where he was able to broaden his understanding on different photographical methods, e.g. photogram, photomontage, collage, carbon print process which was used to produce his still life’s etc.
• He experienced with isms such as Pictorialism, Cubism and Futurism, but also experimented with abstraction and Avant Garde.
• In 1925, he began working as a photographer in Prague/Paris with the magazine called ‘Pestry tyden’.
• In the 1950’s he created ‘prizmata’ (prisms) which were photos that are taken through a birefringent prism, as well as experimenting with solarisation and the Sabatier effect.

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3 Key quotes –

To gather further information on Rossler’s still life photography, I used this website for reference as well as this website. The first website provided me with an extra insight into the photographic techniques that Rossler used within his work to create his photographs within the field of advertising, and the second website was providing me with a different view towards Rossler’s work and this was from Allan Graubard, these opinions are what I will use further in my image analysis as well.

1.

“In the early 1920s he created several works which show minimal objects and forms that relish in abstraction like images”

This quote is used to discuss the early stages of Rossler’s career where he experimented a lot with different compositions of still life photography. This quote also discusses the abstract form that Rossler’s takes with his work, I really like this experimentation that I found when researching more in to his works through my mood boards.

2.

“He photographed simple objects against a backdrop of black and white cardboard paper; he gave spherical form to light through long exposures.”

This quote discusses the photographic process in which Rossler takes within his work to create the photographs that he has produced. This quote represents how it is a simple process with simple objects that he manipulates in to these complex forms through the use of long exposures. This can be seen in images where the light changes colour throughout the photos as Rossler has manipulated the colours. I really like this effect and will consider this within my photoshoots, remembering how simple and effective some objects can be due to the manipulation of camera settings.

3.

“he also used photo-grams, diagonal compositions, multiple negatives and lettering to create modern advertising.”

This quote discusses the different photographic techniques which Jaroslav Rossler uses within his work to create the images in which he does which relate towards modern advertising, which is a large area of photography he has worked within.

Image analysis –

 

I think that this image taken by Jaroslav Rossler called ‘Caron Acaiosa perfume bottle’ produced in 1929, is successful to an extent and this is because I like how there has been experimentation within the shadows that are found in the background of the image. This is because they are unusual in their shape as it has a bend within it as the lines meet one another. The shadow is also used within the photograph to highlight the bottle next to it as the shadow looks as if it is surrounding it, this can be used within modern advertising photography to highlight a certain product to the audience. Another element of this photograph take by Rossler which I like is the use of the reflections beneath the bottles, this is because they look as if they are connected to themselves below which can represent solidarity amongst women, as perfume can mainly be seen as a feminine product. If I were to give a critic of this photograph, I would say that I would look on improving the intensity of the shadows and how dark and bold they are, this is because the shadow gets lost within the background of the photo and I believe that the shadow could be more effective if the focus of the boldness of the shadow was more focussed on. This could also be focussed on within the perfume bottles as they could be used to create different shapes and the use of the liquid inside of the smaller perfume bottle on the right could be used to reflect on to the background that is being used as it can create unusual patterns. Within my own work, I will consider using different objects such as perfume bottles and the use of different shadows as well as focussing on the liquid inside of them and how it can be used to create different patterns.

Raymond Meeks (Ohio, 1963) has been recognized for his photographs and photo books centered on family and place. Meeks is an American photographer and it was stated that “Much of his work focuses on memory and place, and captures daily life with his family.” He has published a number of books including Pretty Girls Wander (2011) which “chronicles his daughter’s journey from adolescence to adulthood”; and Ciprian Honey Cathedral (2020), which contains symbolic, figurative photographs taken in and around a new house, and of his partner just before waking from sleep.

Meeks stated once that “I’ll work for a while making pictures, most often within walking distance of my backyard—observations and occurrences that make up the fabric of daily life, so that I make work where I find myself wanting to spend time with a person or a subject, oftentimes dictated by the type of experiences that I want to have in the world.”

He shoots in color and black-and-white, working primarily with a film-based camera, hand printing from negatives in his own darkroom, and often binding his prints together into handcrafted books.

Photobook – Halfstory Halflife

Within Meeks photobook, he observed the energy and atmosphere over the course of three years coming from the presence of a group of kids jumping from a cliff into a waterfall below; the spectacle of the wait, the anticipation of the climb and the final leap into darkness, where time comes to a standstill as bodies are frozen in motion. These everyday experiences and rituals, simple and carefree in their nature, gain a weight and significance through the lens, as the bodies fall somewhere beyond the threshold of youth and into adulthood.

In a presentation from Chose Commune, they make the statement of “Meeks ventured the few miles from his rural home in the Catskill Mountain region of New York, to a single-lane bridge spanning the tributaries of Bowery and Catskill Creeks. Beneath the bridge, a waterfall drops sixty-feet over moss-covered limestone toward a forbidding pond.”

“The local youth have come here from time immemorial, congregating near outcroppings and around a concrete altar – a remnant of an earlier stone bridge. Most allow themselves a brief running start before launching their pale bodies into the void, where tentative suggestions of flight mark the response to gravity. Taken collectively, their gestures allude to ritual, a prayerful response to the exigencies of budding sexuality and a future rife with uncertainty.”

“Halfstory Halflife is a distillation of the photographs made in the shadows of these falls, marked each summer by the emergence of young adults perched at a precipice both in space and in their lives.”

In an interview with Raymond Meeks and Sophie Wright, Meeks highlights the story behind the book and how he was able to take these photos produced within it.

Meeks stated about his book: “The more I got to know the kids there, the more they wanted to give me something and perform. What I ended up deferring to was less engagement. I would do just enough to let them know this is who I am, this is what I’m doing and then offering prints in exchange. A lot of the kids would do stunts. I knew that’s what they wanted to do, so I would photograph them, go home, make a digital print, and give them the prints of it. Then I would just have to tell them, “Thank you for that. That’s not what I wanted. Do what you do.”

Meeks went on to make a statement about his experience with allowing the photos to distill: “It was ritual. I was raised Catholic, so these rock outcroppings to me were like altars. These bodies leaping into the dark void almost became like this sacrament. I feel like each generation has to pay for the sins of the previous generation. They were almost offering up their bodies and it’s the process of evolving by way of ritual—that process of coming of age, something that’s been going on at this specific place for as long as people can remember.”

Image analysis

I have decided to analyse this image as I particularly enjoy the aesthetic it is portraying and just the overall layout to the image itself. I like how complex the image looks with the several varieties of plants that are scattered all over the photograph as they provide different patterns that create a complicated yet eye-catching image. The contrast between rural and urban areas really was what intrigued me as the two don’t mix as one is natural and one is man made. The two contrasting areas of both rural and urban photography together, creates a good juxtaposition for the image.

I believe that this image fits mainly within the theme of complex due to so much going on with the vast variety of plants and objects. There are many different textures and details that are expressed through the huge array of greenery that is displayed within the photograph. I also believe that by the image being in black and white, it is able to showcase the textures more prominently as they’re dramatically enhanced rather than colliding with each other with colour.

For this photoshoot/these photoshoots, I would like to take object/still life images of objects I have collected from the woodlands in a similar style to the images created by Anna Atkins, Karl Blossfeldt and Henry Fox Talbots images (specifically Talbot’s fern images in his book Pencil of Nature). To create the plain background, I will use a piece of foam board to create a studio to put focus on the object I’m photographing.

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What?

I will take images of objects (flowers, rocks, twigs, leaves, bark, etc.) I have taken from woodland areas in a style similar to a formal portrait. My main source of inspiration is Blossfeldt’s work, however I would like to implement colour in these images, as well as create black and white versions in Lightroom after. Blossfeldt’s images also contain the details of each object, while images by Atkins or Talbot are silhouettes of the object, I could explore both during the editing process as well.

Where?

The studio I will use will be at my home, using the natural lighting from windows or even directly outside. I could also try using flashlights or something similar to create a different effect with the lighting (during the day time or otherwise).

When?

As I aim to use natural lighting, I will take the images when the natural lighting is at it’s brightest, so likely midday on a sunny day, or as the sun is setting (which positions the sun to be within the line of sight of the object through the windows).

Why?

I think this style of object photography offers a large contrast to my other photoshoot, with this photoshoot focusing on a formal aesthetic with a blank background.

How?

I will position my camera so that it is facing straight down towards the object, which will create a shadow on the board. Another way I could try this is to prop the object up and place the white background a distance away so the backdrop is still there, but with no shadow. If I attempt the latter, I could try positioning the camera in a way that makes it look like I am looking upwards at the object, to give it a sense of scale.

For my first (and likely other) photoshoots, I would like to respond to Chrystel Lebas’ work by taking landscape images within a woodland setting. For this project I would like to explore areas I have not photographed previously, as this will help me focus on this current project. I will photograph the valley near my home, which has an abundance of woodland, streams, etc. and would be a good location for this photoshoot (below are some images from google maps of this location):

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What?

I will take images of the forest setting that depict a sense of danger in their composition, lighting and atmosphere. My images will mainly conclude trees, leaves, twigs/rocks/dirt on the ground, water and maybe animals. I will aim to make my images simultaneously appear dark, yet have a sublime/romantic tone, in a style similar to Chrystel Lebas.

Where?

I will start my photoshoot in the valley, which contains a large amount of woodland and would provide a suitable spot to take images akin to Lebas’ images.

When?

I aim to take the images around the golden/blue hour, this is so I can get scenes similar to a romantic/sublime painting with bright sunset lighting, but also the darker, dangerous aesthetic. These times will also allow for my images to be more aesthetically pleasing due to the lighting at both the golden and blue hour changing the tone of the image, as well as how shadows are affected by the light.

Why?

My main theme for this project is the sublime, taking pictures under my interpretation of the sublime in nature, I think the valley is large enough and contains what I need for my idea of the sublime. Specifically, my idea of the sublime is a grand landscape with vibrant colours, with an almost divine aesthetic, very similar to how classical painters interpreted the concept.

How?

I will take close up shots showing the smaller details of objects/scenes within the woods, as well as wider shots showing the larger scale of nature. I will use a tripod as the lighting will be darker, which will allow a slower shutter speed.

The Golden Rule (or Ratio) is a mathematical, scientific and artistic term which is represented by the Greek letter φ (phi) and equals 1.618 (rounded to a thousandth). Put simply, the rule represents a sequence where a number in the sequence is equal to the sum of the last two numbers that came before it. This can be visualised mathematically as:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89… (indefinitely)

This rule is seen throughout the creation or design of everything natural, with humans taking inspiration from it within various art forms. Here it is visualised simply in a diagram:

In the spiral, the size of each sector is summed by the addition of the last two sectors, creating a spiral which grows as a result of this rule. These are examples of the Golden Rule within nature:

It has been theorised that artists throughout time have used this rule to create visually pleasing paintings, drawings and architecture:

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The Golden mean may also refer to the philosophy between the deficient, middle and excess. The theory tells us that the middle ground between a deficit and excess is the most desirable. For example, a virtuous trait such as courage is only virtuous when it is kept in check (as courage), if it is taken to an excessive regard, it becomes recklessness, and a deficit of it becomes cowardice, the latter two clearly being the least desirable. This theory was acknowledged by Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle, as well as others throughout western and eastern culture. A Greek story which clearly demonstrates this concept would be Icarus: Where Icarus and his father Daedalus escape imprisonment by King Mino using wings Daedalus made for himself and his son. Daedalus instructed Icarus to not fly too low to the sea or too high (the excesses), Icarus disobeyed his father and flew too close to the sun, with the wax holding his wings together melting, causing Icarus to fall into the sea and drown.

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In my AI generated images, I will attempt to incorporate the golden rule by entering prompts such as ‘Fibonacci sequence’, ‘Fibonacci spiral’, ‘golden mean’, etc. to see how the AI software interprets this concept. I could also use a diagram of the golden mean spiral which will aid the software in creating it’s likeness.

Within my exam project, I would like to explore the idea of gender roles and how complex they can be even in simple contexts as I think it’s intriguing how an individuals life can be influenced by their gender both in positive and negative ways. The way that a man and a woman can have the same ambitions, qualifications and training yet will be treated differently by both society and employers due to how they present themselves is something that I take interest in, especially now that the gender is no longer considered binary by various groups of people, which has led to more open debates about gender identity and exploration.

I wish to explore this topic thoroughly, despite knowing that I won’t be able to cover everything due to how vast the subject is, through the use of performative photography. I plan on taking various self-portraits dressed in different ways – some more exaggerated than others – and in different locations that I feel like are meaningful to the conversation/topic. I hope that as my project develops, I’ll have the confidence to create various images that explore the different aspects of gender in depth.

Photoshoot 1:

For my first photoshoot I’d like to compare the different aspects of gender and how they’re often portrayed in media – specifically looking at stereotypes and trying to exaggerate them. I also plan to use props/poses to contrast these stereotypes later on, playing with the ideas we typically assign to the opposite gender.

Photoshoot 2:

For my second photoshoot I’d like to try and take some images with exaggerated colour and makeup choices. I’d like to do this in order to point out how people have assigned things such as colours, shoes etc to each sex despite how they’re all made of the same things.

Photoshoot 3:

For my third photoshoot, I’d like to take a series of self-portraits inspired by Sharn O’Donnell’s work. I’d like to take inspiration from their use of suits and veils/heels to represent different parts of their identity but put my own twist on it. I’m planning to have this photoshoot around my house, exploring different aspects of gender within the typical household, using different types of props to help connect me to the scenery, elevating each photo.

Michael Schmidt was a German photographer and his subjects of interest were Berlin and “the weight of German identity in modern history.” Schmidt began photographing the streets, buildings and people of West Berlin in a semi-documentary approach. He went on to make a series of “ambitious projects” there, all in black and white and becoming more impressionistic, until his death in 2014.

Five months after the German surrender ended World War II in Europe. His family crossed to West Berlin before the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. He began photographing in 1965 when he was 20 years old.

Berlin-Wedding (1976–78), Berlin nach 1945 (Berlin after 1945) (1980), Waffenruhe (Ceasefire) (1985–87), and Ein-heit (U-ni-ty) (1991–94), demonstrate not only his sustained interest in Berlin as a subject but also his engagement with the weight of German identity in modern history. Ein-heit, his most ambitious project, was made in response to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the subsequent reunification of East and West Germany. It comprises 163 images: some were taken by Schmidt in a factual, descriptive style, and others he re-photographed from newspapers, propaganda journals, history books, and other communication and mass media sources. He combined contemporary and archival pictures of mass demonstrations, historic sites, emblems, monuments, and both anonymous and notorious people into a poignant study of German society in the aftermath of World War II. 

Waffenruhe – Photobook

Here is one of Michael Schmidt’s photobooks called “Waffenruhe”. It focuses on areas within Berlin and showcases a variety of images that link to the before and after effects of the country and its monuments, especially presenting the Berlin Wall after effects.

“In contrast to the consciously sober – but far from clinical images of his earlier series, Schmidt uses atmosphere-laden details with high-contrast black-and-white images of cityscapes, details in nature, and portraits in Waffenruhe to create a subjective, leaden picture of a still-divided city.” – Walther Koenig

“He no longer deploys the techniques of pure documentation, but brings together surprising combinations of images to express a generationʼs dystopian sense of life shortly before the fall of the Wall. Schmidt evokes a world of ruptures and absences that eschews a confident, comprehensive point of view.”

Berlin Wedding – Photobook

Another one of Michael Schmidt’s photo books that I particularly like for my area of study is one that’s named “Berlin Wedding”.

Michael Schmidt devoted his project “Wedding” to the West Berlin district of that name, portraying grey urban landscapes where public space is a stage for projecting memories. His perspective on the urban fabric shows how the old and the new meet – ruins as identifiable traces of the war alongside new concrete structures as hostile human habitats.

Inside of the photobook:

Image analysis

Here is an image I have chosen to analyse from Michael Schmidt’s photobook “Berlin Wedding”. I particularly like this image as it is able to capture the urban landscape of the city way after the events of WWII. It is able to capture a nice simplistic yet quite complex photograph as there are quite a few objects within the image, displaying the slight sense of complexity due to there being so much to look at. Although it’s quite complex looking due to there being so much going on, it also has quite a simple basis to it due to everything having quite a clean shape such as squares and triangles and not overly complicated patterns or arrangements. The placement of everything as well can come off as being quite neatly placed which may fall under the theme of simplicity.

I particularly like this image as I feel it fits within the theme of simple and complex rather than one of the other. It displays characters from both themes and I overall think it is a particularly aesthetically pleasing image to look at.