Formalism is the visual aspects of a photo, that considers everything, such as light, designs, textures, and the general composition of the photo. A formalist photo will usually be more about the content rather than the context. They usually include still objects, arranged in either a chaotic or simple pattern, and utilise the shadows that the objects cast. This can be done in black and white, as when the colour is removed from the photo, the objects appear more still.

This is a photo by Alexander Rodchenko, an early 1900s photographer from Russia. The photo, which is in black and white, depicts a stack of mechanical objects. This gives the photo a very rigid, still feel, because the objects are metal and have a hard and solid texture. Also, the teeth on the gears form a pattern of lines that is visually appealing, and is the highlight of the shot. The use of lighting to cast deep shadows and to create contrast between the grooves also emphasises the pattern and adds a unique and mesmerising quality to the photo. Also, because of the height of the objects and the downwards angle that the camera is facing, it is easy for the viewers eyes to get lost in the pattern. This is a common trait that appears in other formalist photos too.

This is a photo of the Shuckov Radio Tower, also in Russia. Immediately what strikes the viewer is the pattern that the tower forms. This is also very easy to get lost in and is quite mesmerising too. The photo is also in black and white, which may not have been a choice considering when this photo was taken, but still the lack of colours makes the photo easier to look at and makes it easier to focus on the subject of the photo. The use of the shadows that follow the perimeter of the shot also make it feel like the photo has been taken from a void, a place covered in darkness.

This is another photo from Alexander Rodchenko. It depicts the intricate pattern of lines that appears on a building somewhere in Russia. Once again, this pattern is visually appealing. The picture also feels big, because the building stretches out of frame. However, in this photo, a lamp post is depicted as the subject of the photo. The lamp post juts out in the photo because it is dissimilar to the main line pattern that appears on the building. This brings an interesting quality to the photo, and could be linked to ‘wabi-sabi’, finding beauty in imperfection.

Overview

There are many similar features that are utilised in the photos shown here. All feature a complex, easy to look at, mesmerising pattern that takes up the majority of the shot. All are taken in black and white and even though it is not by choice, it makes the photos feel empty and still, devoid of emotion. There is more focus on what the content of the photo is and how it looks, rather than the context of the photo, where it was taken, what emotions the viewer feels. Each photo gives a high level of stillness, there is no movement. Nothing really is out of place, even when there is an object that doesn’t fit the criteria of the pattern around it. In general, formalism is the expression of still, a moment in time, not the time before or after, but in the moment.