William Eggleston

William Eggleston is an American photographer who was born in 1939 and drew attention as well as known for his colour photography in the 1970s. Eggleston`s first iconic exhibition was held at the Museum of Modern Art in 1976 which was titled “William Eggleston`s Guide”. This exhibition was one of the first huge exhibitions showing off colour photography in the creative community. Eggleston`s work was extremely influential as it challenged and was different to the traditional black and white (monochrome) images in the 1970s. William Eggleston is known for the way he goes about his photoshoots: Eggleston captures the beauty in anything, usual, everyday objects. For example, some of Eggleston`s images consist of a tricycle, a car or even a empty street which to anyone else seems like an ordinary setting/object however in his perspective each object is equally important and interesting and finds the connection with the usual objects and settings. There is a consistent theme shown throughout William Eggleston’s work which is the focus of landscapes, architecture, streets and the people in America, Eggleston’s photography also has a recurring theme of nostalgia and calmness, almost as if time had been frozen or slowed down, his captures show quietness and allows the viewer or audience to take in the image and focus on small details within the composition .In most of Eggleston`s images, you will find that his projects often highlight and have a strong use of artificial lighting, natural lighting and strong colour contrasts which is seen in the set of images below.

Eggleston`s use of colour is what he is mainly known for and is what is most effective in his images, many of his photographs are created using a process called The Dye Transfer Process. To create a dye transfer print, firstly the image is transferred to three different films, secondly the films get dipped into a dye bath consisting of these three colours: cyan, magenta and yellow. Once that is done then each film is hand pressed onto a specific type of paper. This technique creates a depth of colour that is cannot be created by any other print process.

Image Analysis

This image taken by William Eggleston, is one of my favourite photographs captured by Eggleston. This image consists of a natural setting, a small building by the road with a huge esso sign and a rusty car placed on the roof of the small building. Even though the setting is pretty basic and normal, Eggleston manages to create it a powerful image by making the audience/viewer to think about how things change over time. In my opinion the most interesting part of the image and the part which got my attention is the rusting car on top of the building. Cars usually are not on top of buildings and this being unusual immediately attracts the viewer and makes the viewer curious. The car being rusty gives the theme of decaying and abandonement and could also show that things which were once new in a nice setting can become leftovers of the past, the peeling paint on the building also adds to the theme of ageing and abandonment, which is seen consistently through William Eggleston`s work.

The image is also carefully framed, with the building creating horizontal and vertical lines as well as the wires and the “esso sign”. The esso sign being placed in the top left corner makes a sense of balance with the car on the roof which draws the viewers deeper into the Photograph. I think that William Eggleston`s focuses on every little detail, and every little detail that is seen in his work or images contribute to the story he is telling.

Another key aspect which is shown in this image is, Eggleston`s use of bright, vibrant colour. The vivid green building contrasts with the natural greenery of the grass, a difference between man-made and natural. The colour choices used in this image not only brings attention to the building but I think that it strongly highlights the car placed on top of the roof, as the car has the colours orange and brown contrasting with the fresh bright colours surrounding the building and the car. This is a strength of William Eggleston`s, as he is known for his powerful use of colour and transforming things we see every day into strong and visually appealing images which also tell a story.

For this photoshoot, I will be going to a bonfire since its that time of year. The plan is to show couples, planned and unplanned. For the tableaux photo, I will take photos of my friend with his girlfriend, acting out an argument, then forgetting about it when the fireworks start. For the documentary style photos, I will be trying to capture natural reactions to the fireworks. This may turn out badly because its a low light environment and I don’t have a tripod to use, meaning motions blur may become an issue.

Here are some of the images I used, including why I used them and how I edited them:

Here I captured this photo as a documentary style, trying to give a nostalgic look by editing the colour grading, adding greener shadows and bluer highlights. In this image everyone is walking away from the camera, giving it a sort of melancholy feel.

This is another documentary style image, with the subject looking towards the bonfire. I made everything black and white except the fire, drawing more attention to where the subject is looking. Since you cannot see the subject, it makes the viewer wonder who they are and why they are looking at this fire.

Here I again tried to create a nostalgic feel with this tableaux style photo. I asked my friends to pose in front of the fireworks, making a well composed image, with the couple looking up to the fireworks.

Here are 2 images that I quite like, with one having the phone in focus and one with the fireworks, this documentary photo could show how people cant enjoy something without needing to take a photo or video of it. Its also a little bit ironic because I was also taking photos so I wasn’t really in the moment as well.

Here is another image I like, its a tableaux image of my friend group. I like the composition as almost every space in the image is filled with someone.

Anthropocene-

Anthropocene-

The idea of the current time period and how its very human-influenced

I focused on overpopulation and showing the busy streets of town .Although I do like how this photoshoot came out in the end I didn’t take much enjoyment out of it nor do I think its some of my stronger work.

Landscapes-

Landscapes-

The idea of taking photos of an area of land which is often seen as having an aesthetic appeal

I quite liked this photoshoot I found myself experimenting a lot more with this photoshoot than I do with most. I think I have got some good work within this topic but I don’t think its my best work.

Femininity vs Masculinity-

Lauren Withrow inspired-

I really enjoyed this photoshoot I found that taking photos of a model in more of a nature environment is something I enjoy because I can incorporate parts of the landscape within the photo. I think I could do a lot more with this idea and expand on it.

Robert Mapplethorpe inspired-

I really enjoyed this photoshoot I also think it was very successful. I enjoyed being in the studio with the model and trying out different techniques and doing slightly more abstract photos rather than normal portraits.

Portraits

Lighting-

Similarly I really enjoyed being in the studio and playing around with different lighting techniques. I think some of the photos came out really well whereas some other not as much but i still think it was a successful shoot.

Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, in 1954. Sherman majored in painting and graduated from the state university of New York buffalo and very quickly rose to fame with her work in art. During her major, she began to explore the ideas which became a hallmark of her work: She dressed herself as different characters, cobbled together from thrift-store clothing. She was frustrated with the limitations that painting offered her and quickly realised the advantages of photography and noticed that this was something she preferred and had a talent for.

 “I was meticulously copying other art, and then I realized I could just use a camera and put my time into an idea instead.”

Cindy Sherman’s photography is very clearly focussed on the topic of female stereotypes. She regularly alters her appearance beyond recognition through makeup, prosthetics, and costumes. To create her images, she assumes the multiple roles of photographer, model, makeup artist, hairdresser, and stylist. She becomes the character in the story she is attempting to portray through her images.

 Sherman said, “I never thought I was acting. When I became involved with close-ups I needed more information in the expression. I couldn’t depend on background or atmosphere. I wanted the story to come from the face. Somehow the acting just happened.”

Many people have perceived Sherman’s photography to be uncomfortable creepy, or even terrifying since we see the depicted woman in a vulnerable position. a few of her photos show herself with her back to the camera which can also be an example of vulnerability as it could be seen as someone watching her and she doesn’t know.

What impact did she cause to photography or society?

Cindy Sherman’s photography is important because of the way it depicted how women are viewed in society. The exploration of identity, gender, and representation have inspired countless artists and photographers to up level and push boundaries when nit came to their own artwork.

In this photo, I could be interpreted by the viewer that Sherman is impersonating a stereotypical house wife from the late 1950s or early 1960s. This can be clear by the objects she adds to the image to subtly create this thought. the use of the pan and soap bottle suggest to the viewer that she could be pictured in a kitchen. as well as this, she is also wearing an apron.

The construction of the picture hints at a number of possible narratives and is open to a range of analyses. One analysis a viewer could make is a negative event occurring. The black and white can cause an ominous feeling or sense of tension and the tone of the image makes it feels like a dark and scary moment for the woman. she can be seen to be looking over her shoulder and the viewer can interpret that to what they like but it was usually be a negative thing she may be looking at as her eyes look concentrated on something that could be making her scared. Sherman is also seen holding her stomach which could be a usual comfort for a woman so this could further suggest something to make her uncomfortable is going on and further shows how she depicts the theme of vulnerability in her photos.

My plan for my personal study is to look at people’s fashion in the streets and how everyone is dressed differently. I’m not sure if I’m going to make my images staged or I’m just going to go round town and try to identify people with unusual styles that catch my eye. My plan If my images will be staged: I would quite like to get a model or a selection of models to wear some of their favourite clothes but to make it more fancy and less formal so that they stand out from the crowd. If I have a selection of models with me I would rather do one model at a time in the shoot so that there isn’t too much going on, or I could have a few of the models in the background and see a few of them on the sides so that the main focus isn’t completely gone from the main model in the image. I could also get the models to wear bright colours and position themselves around town and photograph that. The way for me to get a good set of images is to try and get a few ideas of a photoshoot so that at least one will be successful. If my images were not staged: I would go round town and try and capture anyone who has a unusual style as they are walking towards me, I would try and have my camera at waist level to try and recreate Vivian Maier’s photography, the aim would be to get them to look at me and not the camera so that they are distracted his would be an image of what I see in the moment of what I’ve captured, having all of their focus on the camera and stopping what they were doing. I would see what type of style is most recognised and try and find an opposite theme of clothing to photograph, I would quite like for the background to be filled with people to be able to notice the difference of clothing between the model and normal people walking around. 

For my first photoshoot I would quite like to try and get some un staged images to see if that works well, if that doesn’t work well and I can’t find anyone wearing different types of clothing I will use models to recreate the images. I would need to try and take photos of things like Vivian Maier’s and William Klein as I am inspired to try and recreate similar images that these artists had worked on. I’ve done my research on many photographers and identified how they have produced their images and what they did to make them as good as they can. I really like the street photography element, but it would be quite bland and it’s a broad topic, therefore I tried to find things I can incorporate in my images. I’ve looked at staged and candid photography and I feel like I might try and include both styles of photography in my work. For example, when looking at the artist William Klein, his photos were staged, and he dressed his models into really high classed modern clothing to make them stand out. William would use the streets as his studio and make his images more unique and inspiring to him. Whereas the artist Vivian Maier looks at people on the streets, she takes candid images and doesn’t let people know that she is photographing them, she holds her camera at waist level so that her camera is more discreet. Both those artists have very different styles of photography, but I feel like a mixture of both the styles could mix really well and it would help me to make a great set of images. 

I think the way I’m going to do my photoshoots will be inspired by William Klein where I am focused on peoples styles, most likely make my image staged and get some of my friends to help out, I would do through town or a busy scenery and get the model to stand in the middle or walk around as if they are part of everyone else except they stand out a lot more. To include Vivian Maier’s work into my project, I’m going to make most of my images waist length and tell the model not to look in the direction of the camera, this is just an experiment to see what works best for me, if this photoshoot doesn’t go to plan I can always try again but improve my plan and focus more on one artists than the other and still incorporate both artists ideas but change it and make it more original to me. I think it would be quite difficult for me to recreate as I don’t live in a big city and live in a small island which makes it more difficult, I won’t be able to find big signs and have a busy surrounding, this could help me make it more original to me and towards and beach and go somewhere near a lake, something that is more personalised to Jersey.

Although Vivian Maier’s and William Klein’s work are very different from each other and have completely different styles of photography as one uses waist length to capture the perfect image whereas the other one doesn’t quite use birds eye view but uses a higher angle to capture every detail around the model, I do like how both artists use a black and white effect on their images, it helps to make them more modern and less tacky, all of the colours in the background aren’t taking the attention away from the model and what they are doing . Most of the images here have models looking in the direction of the camera which makes the image look more mysterious and also makes them realise that their surroundings are different from usual. I would also like to make my images into a vogue magazine and help make them look slightly different to the artists and make it more personal to me. I will have a look at Anna Wintour, the vogue editor and see how she edits her images and why it makes them stand out. 

Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of the American vogue is widely regarded as the most influential figure in fashion since 1988.  She has greatly influenced fashion trends, elevated the status of fashion journalism, and shaped the careers of numerous designers. She eventually moved to New York City with her then-partner and continued to climb the editorial ladder at a number of publications. In 1988 she was offered the position at US Vogue, which she now holds “indefinitely” — as Condé Naste stated several years ago amidst a flurry of retirement rumours. The original US edition of Vogue was first published in 1892, with the British edition coming next in 1916. Currently, there are over 28 international editions of Vogue magazine. The expansion of the brand has shaped the global fashion scene.  Wintour’s editorial decisions have played a role in how the magazines operate in their respective countries. 

I would like to use the vogue symbol in my work as it will make it look more unique and special to me. I feel like making a magazine as my project can help me put meaning into my work. I would quite like to add the concept that people stand out some more than others and it’s identified differently. Each photo i remake could symbolise how each person stands out from the rest and why I am focusing on them and them only. Some of the models in my images will be dressed different on purpose to recreate the images inspired by William Klein and Vivian Maier, although the aim is to prove and show that everyone is unique and stand out differently whether my photos are staged or not, it makes the image look different from the rest and makes the viewer question why they are dressed differently and what is going through their minds to be able to attract attention. 

https://www.dw.com/en/the-endless-reign-of-vogue-editor-anna-wintour/a-70632960

Observe : A verb- notice or perceive (something) and register it as being significant.

Seek : A verb- attempt to find (something), attempt or desire to obtain or achieve (something).

Challenge : A noun- a call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or fight to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength, a call to prove or justify something.

Mind map-

Mood board-

Ideas –

M19 Bunker, Corbiere – The Bunker some of these men where in, and is where the soldier, Engelbert Hoppe was in command of at the age of 19.

Circa 1980s – Engelbert Hoppe, re-visiting the old bunker he was in command of from 1943 – 1945, Corbiere.

Project ideas –

• Idea centred around war: more specifically Jersey and its occupation, with the lives of German soldiers within MG battalion 16, 2nd Company, E.g. Horst Herrmann and Engelbert Hoppe.

• Documentative style photography: Candid, natural, In the moment.
• Past, present future: Current conflict, based on culture, immigration, economics, ideologies, prejudices.
• Threat of isolation, stationed far away from Germany, family, what was the physiological impact. With no contact mainland Europe after D-Day what would their concerns, or hopes be? Liberation or fighting to the death?

Inspiration –

Imageworx:

This social media page recreates iconic and some lesser iconic events from the second world war, with modern editing, these images are given a dramatized aesthetic which use a vivid colour pallet to retell these moving stories. With photos taken often in natural lighting it creates that immersive feeling as if they are coloured from originals. As their photograph Marcel Bahnen states, they “Visualise” the Second World War, this to me creates an accurate and genuine insight to these people from past, which I feel when I look at original photographs.

Another group, Paralightworx, a German historical film company, recreate these sorts of images also:

Using colour grading as well as practical and digital effects, these to me can effectively be used to tell a visually appealing story. Used in their short films, it is applied very well. Paralightworx also make create use of colour schemes based on location which I would like to try and replicate. Basing of the tone of the area, I will try to do the same within my photographs.

Another photographer who explores this sub-genre of historical visualisation is Michiel Peters. With numerous images covering the conflict he specialises in portraying these men and women who fought as accurate as possible, even down to locations they fought at. With his photography’s aesthetic style, I would like to recreate the gritty, low-saturated colour scheme he uses. Using his idea of photographing in the exact locations soldiers where, I will replicate that through doing the same within the bunkers of Corbiere. With many of the bunkers restored to look how they did during the Second World War, this was add to the depictive value I aim to replicate.

Story through photograph inspiration –

Germans of 2nd Company, MG Battalion 16 and their stories:

CIOS Review NO.35

Engelbert Hoppe –

Born on the 18th August 1924, In the town of Eschweiler, six miles from Aachen. Engelbert was raised by family as a roman catholic. At age 11, Engelbert experienced the Nazi regimes take-over, and would be forced into his future career: “I wasn’t a member of the Hitler Youth and I was ‘arrested’ along with some friends for wearing the blue shirt of the catholic boy scouts whilst camping in the Eifel woods. Even here the Gestapo had traced us. We were locked up in a barn for the day and our two leaders were taken to Aachen Gestapo Headquarters for Questioning which lasted for two days. This was all terrifying”. Being well-educated, Engelbert was studying at boarding school, awaiting his call to university, this however was not case as his conscription papers arrived and he was forced to report in Aachen. Assigned to Stamm-Komp./G.E.B. 464 (Regulars company/Grenadier replacement Batallion 464), there barracks where situated in his hometown, marching past his parents house, they had not known he had been drafted.

In May of 1944, He was moved to St Malo to then be shipped to Jersey, here a stroke of luck would occur. Running into the commander of St Malo himself, Oberst Von Aulock, he was ordered to report to a Bunker in St Malo, on presenting his ticket to Jersey he was able to convince him to allow him passage to his ship. This would prove to be lucky as in the later months of that same year St Malo was laid waste to a siege by allied forces.

Serving in Jersey, apart of MG Battalion 16, 2nd Company he was put in charge of the M19 bunker complex. Reaching the Headquarters of MG battalion 16 the Feldwebel at the desk asked him from, replying Eschweiler, near Aachen, the Feldwebel in shock replied he was too, and a frequent guest to Engelbert’s parents café. To Engelbert, although being far from home, he felt somewhat closer with this first impression of the island. When reaching Corbiere he gave his first impressions “walking on, all of a sudden I was fascinated by a wonderful seascape – Corbiere lighthouse. This wonderful sight made me stop for a while and take a deep breathe, smelling and tasting the sea air, I saw the Corbiere tea room and 2 bunkers on my right spoiling the view of the lighthouse”.

living in the bunker with 6 other men he would come spend a lot of time with them, all aged around 40, they all could’ve been his father. Life on the island was static, to pass the time, Engelbert and his comrades played games, fished, sung. One of his Comrades, Gustav, singing, when asking the lyrics he told Engelbert not to bother as this was a political song in support of a left-wing political view, and ideology that he had been punished for in the past and went against the sentiments of the Nazis. When exploring the area, Engelbert became friends with some of the locals, Mr and Mrs Le Brocq, when dining in their tea room, Mrs Le Brocq said to him that she did not see him as an occupier but a new neighbour, like with the men of the bunker, he saw them as his grandparents, feeling again somewhat closer to home.

By June 6th, 1944, the allied invasion had began. with the recapturing of Europe, Jersey was cut off, food imports stopped, hunger began. With allied planes over the island, the men where put on alert 24/7. With the food ration dwindling in the colder months, the local population began to starve. Within the cold concrete bunker, small stoves kept them warm. Food was gathered by ‘the poacher’ Karl heinen, hunting rabbits with his rifle, fishing was done by a West-Prussian, named Joszef Proehma who was skilled at the craft.

Being written a letter from home. Engelbert discovered his home town had been bombed, luckily his parents and sister had survived, His brother who also was in the war had lost his Bf109 over paris and was reassigned to a parachutist unit. With Germany bombed and Jersey not he was saddened at the unfortunate circumstances. With the arrival of the SS Vega in late December, the Le Brocqs had been given red cross parcels from Canada and New Zealand. Visiting them, Engelbert was given a small bundle of items such as chocolate, biscuits and butter. Brought to tears he had no way to thank them, spending time with them they used their secret wireless to listen to the BBC, the news gave him home that the war would end in a few months. Surviving the rest of the war Engelbert became one of many POWs (prisoners of wars) or as Engelbert named it POPs (Prisoners of peace), and was taken to England to then be sent back home.

Engelbert’s Poem:

An Die Nacht –

“Ewige Ruh liegt um mich her,

veträumt hör ich die wasser rauschen.

Ich sitz am weiten weltenmeer

und will den wellen lauschen.

Klar ist die Nacht der funkelnden Sterne,

Der goldne Mond spielt mit der Flut;

Komm, greif mich einsame Ferne,

Der Menschen Welt rings um mich ruht.

Leise erzählen die Wasser von Heimat,

Führen mich zu der Eltern Haus,

Bilder der Kindheit ziehn ans Gestad,

Steigen aus dunkeln tiefen heraus…

Stille Nacht, nun bist du gegangen,

Hab Dank für deine himmlische Macht.

All mein Gedanken hielst du umfangen

Und hast mach Jersey die Heimat Gebracht.”

– Im Juni/Juli 1944.

Translated to English –

To The Night –

“Eternal silence all around me,

Like in a dream I hear the waters rush.

Sitting by the ocean.

I listen to the waves.

Clear is this night of sparking stars,

The Golden moon is playing with the rising tide;

Come get me, distant loneliness,

The world of men around me is at rest.

The water murmurs of my homeland,

Leads me to my parents’ house,

Images of childhood come to shore,

Rising from the darkest depths…

Silent night, now you have gone,

I thank you for your divine power.

You engulfed my thoughts

And brought a piece of home to Jersey.”

In June/ July 1944.

CIOS Review NO.49

Horst Hermann –

Born, 8th March, 1925 In Berlin, Horst lived through a post-war capital, infested with hyper-inflation and political instability. Serving some time working for the state labour service, he built railways. At the age of 19 he was drafted in 1943. Being issued his uniform and an old helmet from the first world war, Horst saw this as a good Insurance policy however as due to its thicker steel it offered more protection. With 9 other Berliners, Horst spent some time fighting on the Eastern front. Due to his young age, he was not fit for fighting in such an active role so what ordered by a higher up that he would be sent to “some god-forsaken island off the French coast”. Travelling across Europe in Goods’ wagons he arrived at St Malo and was shipped off to Jersey in September of 1943. Alongside his fellow Berliners, they where all posted to 2nd Company of MG Battalion 16.

Stationed within various positions he mainly resided in the K2,Jagerstand. A Bunker within strongpoint Corbiere that housed a First World War, French canon. Living amongst ‘Country Bumpkins’ as he called them, him and his friends from Berlin found it difficult to converse due to their accents, these men were seasoned members of MG Battalion 16 as they where from the place in Germany where it was established. Whilst in the K2, Horst almost face court martial twice: With the first instance, Horst was given the chance to fire the gun, how it functioned was through the pulling of a lanyard, when instructed to fire, Horsts nerves got the better of him and it slipped through his fingers. The bunker commander, Feldwebel Werner Hentrich, assumed it was a misfire, to assure the safety of the men he ordered them to evacuate the room, after confessing his mistake he was not well liked and was threatened with a potential court martial. His second run-in with potentially getting a court martial, was due to accidently setting of a line of trip-flares. Putting everyone on alert, more specifically, the naval personal in the MP2 tower nearby who lodged a complaint about the “fireworks display”. On another occasion he kept quiet, whilst aiming the gun, he flinched prematurely at the firing of the gun, instead of hitting a designated rock close to La Rocco Tower it ricocheted and hit one of the southern machicolations of the tower, as smoke rose above it, he kept this a secret until revisiting the island in the island. If the shell had been a high explosive, the damage caused to the tower would be too severe, which they where ordered not destroy due to its historical significance.

Serving as Static Infantry, Horst was also trained as a machine gunner on the MG34. Training in the dunes, his lanky figure helped reduce the weight of the 12kg machine gun. The downside however, came with cleaning it after. Due to its complex German engineering removing sand from the working parts consumed a lot of Horsts free time. 2 pets lived in the bunker, a cat and dog which they adopted as mascots, as the war progressed however food supplies dwindled and the cat was unfortunately eaten, on recalling this story Horst would always have a tear in his eye.

After the war, Horst revisited the Island many times, in the years 1980, 1985, 1991 and 2005, until in March of 2007 the news was sadly given that he had passed away, aged 82.