Genres I want to include:

• environmental photography
• documentary photography
• portrait photography
• street photography

Artist Studies : Environmental photographers

Arnold Newman

Who is Arnold Newman?

Arnold Abner Newman was an American photographer, noted for his “environmental portraits” of artists and politicians. He was also known for his carefully composed abstract still life images. In 2006, he was inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum.

What inspired Arnold Newman?

Arnold Newman was partially influenced by Flemish Painters. Flemish Painters focus on many different kinds of genres whether its still life paintings, environmental paintings or even portraits there are so many genres of art within this field of painting.

Who inspired Arnold Newman?

Along side Flemish painters He also mentioned that the work of the Cubists, including Picasso, influenced the way he structures a photograph. Picasso was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and stage designer considered one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century. Picasso is credited, along with Georges Braque, with the creation of Cubism.

Moodboard of Arnold Newman’s photography

Personal Opinion

What I like about Arnold Newman’s work is that he uses people within their natural environment therefore he captures people to their full capacity as people often feel the most comfortable in their own personal environment. Although they do know they are being photographed many of the images still turn out very natural as if the camera wasn’t there.

Arnold uses quite a lot of natural lighting in his images, whether they are taken outside or close to windows letting in the natural sunlight and lighting in from the outside. Although all of his images are manipulated and changed to black and white the natural lighting within each image is still very clear and noticeable.

All of Arnold Newman’s photographs have a warm light feel to them even whilst all the images are black and white you can still see the warm, soft lighting within the photographs.

Arnold Newman uses a wide range of different perspectives, shapes and points of view within his images, some are up close and very detailed while others show a bigger picture with less of a focal point.

Artist study two – Street photographers

Henri Cartier Bresson

Who is Henri cartier Bresson?

Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French artist and humanist photographer considered a master of candid photography, and an early user of 35mm film. He pioneered the genre of street photography, and viewed photography as capturing a decisive moment. Cartier-Bresson was one of the founding members of Magnum Photos in 1947.

Who inspired Henri Cartier Bresson?

Cartier-Bresson’s photographic vision was shaped by a blend of artistic, philosophical, and documentary influences, ranging from Surrealism and Pictorialism to painting and the revolutionary spirit of the 20th century. His unique style, which emphasized capturing the essence of life’s fleeting moments, was an amalgamation of these diverse inspirations.

some of the types of people who inspired him:

• The Pictorialists (Artistic Photography Movement)
• Garry Winogrand and Walker Evans
• The Surrealists
• Robert Capa
• Paul Strand and Edward Weston
• The Concept of “The Decisive Moment”
• Painting and Drawing

What was Henri Cartier Bresson’s most famous piece?

Henri Cartier Bresson’s most famous piece was the Place de l’Europe, Behind Gare Saint Lazare (1932)

Image Description:

Cartier-Bresson’s impulsive masterpiece picturing a man suspended in mid-air as he hops over a large puddle creates a sense of anticipation as he captures the dynamic movement of an unaware participant in the decisive moment: the instant before his heel hits the water.

Henri Cartier Bresson Moodboard

Henri Cartier Bresson famous Quotes

• “The decisive moment is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as the precise organization of forms which give that event its proper expression.”
• “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.”
• “I do not photograph nature, I photograph life.”
• “There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment.”

Personal Opinion

Henri Cartier Bresson’s work is really intriguing, I love how he captures very pure moments in time which show a story from a first look within the image but which also have a deeper meaning and story to each and every image.

The decisive moment definition – is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as of a precise organisation of forms which give that event its proper expression.

He inspires me as I am a very creative person who enjoys creating deeper meanings and stories behind images which may look so simple however they create such a inspiring story behind them.

Artist study three – portrait photography

Oliver Doran

who is Oliver Doran?

Oliver Doran is an internationally renowned portrait, editorial, and commercial photographer. Known for his ability to capture spontaneous, heartfelt moments with genuine emotions, his work has attracted clients from all over the world. After expanding his portfolio in the Middle East and returning to Jersey in 2020, Oliver now blends his global experience with a focus on capturing life’s most precious milestones.

What kind of photos does oliver doran take?

Oliver Doran takes a wide range of different portrait images of people in various different angles, he has taken portrait images for magazine covers, family shoots for memories and various other styles of portraits for many different occasions.

website quote – “At Oliver Doran Studios, we craft stunning, timeless, and iconic visual stories that rival the elegance of high-end magazine covers—capturing your true essence in every shot.”

Who and what has Oliver Doran worked with?

Based in Jersey, Oliver travels internationally for both private and commercial commissions. His work has taken him to cities like London, Paris, Malaga, and Dubai, where he collaborates with luxury brands such as Cartier and Dior. He’s also worked with major publications like GQ, Esquire, and Cosmopolitan, and photographed celebrities including Robert De Niro, Lewis Hamilton, and Colin Firth.

Here are all the brands and companies he has worked with:

Oliver Doran moodboard

Intention

My intention with this photoshoot is to explore the female identity and my own identity through this photoshoot as well, just how Justine Kurland found her own identity through her work. I am going to explore the female identity and present all different female identities through my work. I want to present that the female identity isn’t just what is stereotyped, but it can be whatever you want it to be. In ‘Girl Pictures,’ Justine Kurland states that, ‘Cowboys, sailors, pirates, hitchhikers, hobos, train hoppers, explorers, catchers in the rye, lords of the flies- you name it…’ She is stating that the girls in her book were all these things. She has done this, so that she can present to the viewers that they too can be whatever identity they wish to be, no matter how different or not socially acceptable it may be. I also want to present this in my work, so that I can portray to my viewers that identity is just what you make it, instead of it being what makes you.

Through this work I also want to investigate into different stereotypes and present images that oppose these stereotypical ‘norms.’ Justine Kurland presented these girls ‘in the dominion of boys’ and ‘they were trying on a version of themselves that the world has thus far shown them was boy.’ She did this, so that she could combat against female stereotypes, so that she could present to the viewers that these stereotypical ‘norms’ aren’t just what we should be allowed to be and do, but instead girls should also be able to do anything a boy can do and act in a way that a boy would. I think this is a really important message and I want to display this message well in my work, by presenting the young girls in a more rambunctious, ‘boy like’ manor, combating these stereotypical ‘norms.’

However, I want to make a twist on Justine Kurland’s work, for my own work, and I intend on doing this, by showing a larger spectrum of stereotypes, and showing stereotypes, that are not being combated. For example, I want to display these young girls following these female stereotypical norms, just how Cindy Sherman presented these stereotypical norms, because I want to display to the viewers, and to all other young girls that may see these images, that your identity can be anything you make it, and you don’t have to feel like you have to oppose these stereotypical ‘norms’, if that is who you truly are and what your identity truly is.

I always want to explore youth through my work, just like Justine Kurland did in her ‘Girl Pictures.’ As I said I also wanted to explore my identity through this project, so to explore these two things I am going to be looking back into my youth, or my ‘Girlhood’ and replicating some of the activities I used to do in my teenage years. This will help me explore youth, especially my youth and it will help me explore my identity, to see what stereotypical ‘norms’ I followed, or didn’t when I was younger. This will also help me compare my identity back then, to it now. I think youth is also a really important aspect to explore, because Justine Kurland’s whole book was based off this idea of youth and ‘girlhood,’ so to also put a twist on her work, I am making my work more internal to me, by making it relative to my youth, ‘girlhood’ and my life. I also think that youth is a very important development stage, which helps to build your identity, so I also think it would be interesting to compare my youth, to the youth shown in Justine Kurland’s book, ‘Girl Pictures.’

Mood board Analysis:

For my mood board, I decided to incorporate photos where women look strong and powerful, but also where women are showing their emotions, exploring different types of relationships and friendships. I also wanted to include female emotion and how emotion is a cast aside and stereotypical topic around women and how the word ‘Feminist‘ has a particular stigma surrounding it. Creating these moodboards has helped me to generate ideas with what type of work I would like to produce and what message I would like to convey.

I chose images that are all different.

Black and White.

Happy and Sad.

Feminine and Masculine.

Edited and Non Edited.

Staged and Candid.

Group and Single.

Head- Shot and Full Body Shot.

This mood board helped me to decide on the fact I would like to focus on girlhood. Particularly older teenagers at the age of 17-19 and the struggles of moving from adolescence to adulthood and the hardships young women face. I like this topic as it is a current topic which is faced globally and I feel It is a topic which I will enjoy expressing my opinion on and It is an important topic which needs embracing by young people especially.

Feminists.

The stigma around feminism I would like to explore is of negative stereotypes of feminists the idea that feminists are all lesbians, man-hating, antifamily, selfish, radical, unusually angry, assertive, ugly, bra-burning, and humourless.

This moodboard represents some of the types of poses I would like to encorporate in my photoshoots and final work.

Women’s Suffrage

Women’s suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Several instances occurred in recent centuries where women were selectively given, then stripped of, the right to vote. Finally in 1918, Parliament passed an act granting the vote to women over the age of 30 who were householders, the wives of householders, occupiers of property with an annual rent of £5, and graduates of British universities. About 8.4 million women gained the vote. The Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted women the right to vote. This right—known as women’s suffrage—was ratified on August 18, 1920: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of gender.

Reproductive Rights

Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health that vary amongst countries around the world.  The World Health Organisation  defines reproductive rights as follows:

1. Rights to reproductive and sexual health include the right to life, liberty and the security of the person.

2. The right to health care and information.

3. The right to non-discrimination in the allocation of resources to health services and in their availability and accessibility.

Being able to make decisions about how to express our sexuality, including our sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as about our bodies, our personal relationships, the form and shape of one’s family and the destination of one’s life path, among other things, is essential to our bodily autonomy and dignity. However, across the world, millions of people, particularly members of marginalized and stigmatized communities and those living in poverty, are prevented from making free and informed decisions about their bodies. In many countries this happens because governments try to dictate how people form intimate relationships, or express desire, as well as whether and when to have children. This affects women, girls and LGBTI people in particular, but it’s not just about individuals, it impacts whole communities.

Sexual and reproductive rights – Amnesty International

HOW ARE WOMEN’S RIGHTS BEING VIOLATED?

Today, gender bias continues to create huge barriers for many women. Ongoing struggles include ensuring equal economic opportunities, educational equity, and an end to gender-based violence.

But across the globe many women and girls still face discrimination on the basis of sex and gender. Gender inequality underpins many problems which disproportionately affect women and girls, such as domestic and sexual violence, lower pay, lack of access to education, and inadequate HealthCare.

Examples of gender discrimination include but are not limited to: Mis gendering or mispronouncing (purposefully using the wrong gender identity or pronouns to address someone) Having limited access to all-gender restrooms. Disfavouring someone based on gender.

NAME IDEA- THE FEMALE GAZE. – I like the idea of this name for my personal and independent study name as it juxtaposes THE MALE GAZE and shows how actually the power is in the women’s favour and that they are in fact control, and control the gave that is put upon them.

The female ‘gaze’ creates the perspective of being “in” rather than overlooking the character’s experiences, allowing the audience to understand the character’s inner thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

The idea of the ‘female’ gaze is that the female gaze embraces the spectator, character, and the directors of these works and sets out to represent women as people who are capable of the same things men are.

Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman is an American Photographer, who was born January 19th 1954, in New Jersey.

In 1972, Sherman enrolled in the visual arts department at Buffalo State University, where she majored in painting. During this time, she began to explore the ideas which became a hallmark of her work. She dressed herself as different characters, wearing thrift store clothing. Frustrated with what she saw as the limitations of painting as a medium of art, she abandoned it and took up photography. ‘There was nothing more to say through painting’, she recalled. ‘I was meticulously copying other art, and then I realized I could just use a camera and put my time into an idea instead.’ Sherman has said about this time. She spent the remainder of her college course focussed on photography. Though Sherman had failed a required photography class as a freshman, she repeated the course with Barbara Jo Revelle, who she credited with introducing her to conceptual art and other contemporary forms. At college she met Robert Longo, a fellow artist who encouraged her to record her process of dolling up for parties. This was the beginning of her Untitled Film Stills series.

Sherman was always interested in experimenting with different identities. As she has explained, ‘I wish I could treat every day as Halloween, and get dressed up and go out into the world as some eccentric character.’

About Untitled Film Stills

Cindy Sherman created a set of images called film stills comprising of over seventy black and white photographs made between 1977 and 1980. Her images were called film stills, because her images in untitled film stills resemble publicity pictures made on movie sets, adopted from female roles in magazines, advertisements and especially movies.

Cindy Sherman explored identity through her untitled film stills and some of her later work, as it was always her behind the camera, yet these images are never really self-portraits. Sherman uses photography as a tool to deceive, and evades her own personality by taking on different identities. She used vintage clothing, wigs and make-up, so she could create an entire range of personalities. Sherman takes on many roles , such as being behind the camera, the photographer, director, hairdresser, set designer and stylist. In conducting herself to working with only her own body, she is capable to explore the endless possibilities of this seemingly limited subject. The different personas Sherman depicts are stereotypes that represent a series of clichés, such as career girl, bombshell, fashion victim, schoolgirl, society lady, etc. and all these characters are deeply embedded in our cultural history. All Sherman’s personas in ‘Untitled Film Stills’ project the constructed idea of the women’s image, pointing out the arbitrariness of the female stereotypes.

Cindy Sherman displayed these images of female stereotypes, so that she could present the seductive and often oppressive influence of mass-media over our individual and collective identities. She also wanted to present the different ways culture defines a ‘women.’ Her art plays on the feminist idea that gender arises exclusively within culture and deconstructs dominant gender ideologies, representing the underside of popular culture’s definition of ‘women.’

Her Images

Analysis of one Image

This photograph of Cindy Sherman, that she also took using equipment such as a timer, looks into the topic of femininity and masculinity, as she is producing many different female stereotypes. Sherman dresses up as many different common stereotypes, like she has in this photo. She has dressed up as a housewife, because a common stereotype is that women should be mothers and housewives. This photo also suggests the idea that she is a mother, because she is looking over her shoulder into the distance, which could suggests she is watching a child, while trying to cook dinner or lunch. We are given the impression she is cooking, from the props, which include salt, dish soap, the handle of a cooking pan etc. This suggests that she is in the kitchen, because this is where all these props are commonly found. Sherman also looks more feminine in this photo, because another stereotype of women is that they should look more feminine, because this is what society deems correct. Sherman presents all these different stereotypes to show that she can be anyone, as she has dressed up and been all of these ‘characters’ and stereotypes. This shows that no one knows the real Cindy Sherman, just like no one knows people beneath their stereotypes.

The lighting used in this image was artificial lighting, as the photo was taken inside. This image also has high levels of control, because it is a tableaux image, which Cindy Sherman has had control over her positioning and location, as she was able to manipulate everything in this image, from her looking over her shoulder, to the pots and pans in frame.

This image is a black and white image, with lots of light and dark tones. The layout and composition of this image was organised, so that the pot handle was in the foreground, the salt in the middle ground and Cindy Sherman in the background, so that there was a leading line to her as she was the main viewpoint. This image also has high contrast, due to it being in black and white.

The Importance of Her Work

Cindy Sherman’s work is of great importance, because she displays women, how the media also displays women, so that she can make all the viewers aware of how the media and culture define women. She presented these different stereotypes, so that when her images were viewed the viewers would realise this is not the only identities of women and there is so many more past these stereotypes. She also presented herself as all these different stereotypes, so she could present that identity could be anything and she displayed this by becoming a range of different identities in her work.

Her work is of great importance to women and myself, as she made a stand against how the media defines a women and against the stereotypes they identify women as. This is of importance, because it has allowed future women, like myself to find my own identity and not have to follow these social norms that were set by society with these stereotypes.

How I am taking Inspiration from her work

I am using Cindy Sherman’s work for inspiration, because I like how she explores and presents female stereotypes, instead of presenting images that oppose the female stereotypes. In my work I not only want to present opposing female stereotypes, but I also want to present female stereotypes, so that I can present to the viewers that you do not have to comply with social norms, but if that is your identity and what you want to be that is okay as well. I will also take inspiration from the stereotypes that Cindy Sherman has used in some of her images, for example;

• Housewife
• Cleaning
• Cooking
• Crying
• Wearing an apron
• Looking in the mirror
• Rich Lady Smoking
• career girl
• bombshell
• fashion victim
• schoolgirl
• society lady

For my photos I am also creating tableaux images, that look like candid shots. For my images I am going to manipulate the positions, pose, distance, narrative and more, just like Cindy Sherman did. However, I am not going to be taking images of myself like Sherman did, but instead I am going to be taking images of a group of girls (my friends). I am also not really going to have them dress up in all these different outfits, like Cindy Sherman does, but I may do for the odd photo.

Photoshoot 1:

I want this photoshoot to be of houses like how Todd Hido takes his night time urban photographs. Similar to his approach, there will not be any people in these photographs and the houses will be quiet. The houses will be detached with at least one set of lights on. Ideally I will be taking these photographs through fog too so that the light will look soft and distant. I want to take these at blue hour. Since detached houses will likely be further out from town, they should also be quieter and the buildings are more unique and picturesque. To take these images I will be trying out different shutter speeds but I expect to need a low shutter speed to compensate for the dark.

Photoshoot 2:

This photoshoot will set up like Raymond Meeks by following a person/s however instead of the woods this one will be through a building and how they interact with the bannisters, doors etc. I would like to try 2 approaches to lighting. The first will make use of natural light when its still daytime around windows and the second will use artificial lights through doorways to create a leading path. I will be taking these images in an older house with deep stairs and a basement. These pictures will be used for the narrative as they’re less abstract and much easier to identify. An idea I’ve had was using a really low shutter speed so that the person was more of a trail but this is something I was going to experiment with.

Photoshoot 3/4:

These photoshoots will be abstractions of objects/locations that can be linked to fears such as a spiders web or the nails holding a carpet. While the subject is the focus of these images, the lighting is just as important. I aim to create dramatic shadows over the subjects with varying light sources. I will be taking these images both in focus and out of focus. The out of focus ones will still be enough to see the subject but like Hiroshi Sugimoto’s architecture wont be crisp. I will also take some in focus image incase I need them later for an experiment.

Within my personal study project I would like to explore two definite themes The first being Anthropocene, which is seen as a period in time. The period of the great acceleration, for example the rapid increase in climate change on our planet. This has a very significant impact, and I want to use anthropocene as a diss at humans. Using imagery to explore how it is our fault, and also as an urge for help, to get people to at least try to slow down its effects. I want to take images that observe how it is already too late and we cannot reverse what we have done but merely try to slow it down. One of my exemplar artists for this is Naomi White¹ and her observation and challenging of plastic bags, taking something so ordinary and dramatising it. My other theme will be Masculinity vs Femininity. I really enjoyed exploring this during class, and I think my personal study will be a good way to represent my passion for this theme. Photographers have a lot of things to untangle when attempting to take non-binary images. Your own bias perception of gender can be seen within the imagery you take, and I want to provide my ideology of how men have it easier than women. But I also want to portray some stereotypical views of teenage male anger vs teenage female anger and how they are released in two very different ways. One example artist for this theme is Claude Cahun ²known for her gender fluidity in her art. I have also looked at Danny Evans³ skateboarding images on Instagram when he did an exhibition over here.

The reason that these matter to me is because I think that the hardship of being a teenager is often overlooked. Parents don’t realise how much different it is to be a teenager in a jilted generation compared to their teenage atmosphere. Being a teenager in a generation which is so involved around technology has led to an anxious generation⁴. Growing up obsessed with looks, how many likes we have online and popularity obsession has led to every teenager now being so extra wary of how they move and what they do. There is no freedom anymore. Man is born free but everywhere is in chains.⁵ I want to observe how this creates a gang of copies, every teen similar to the next, but I want to challenge how they all have a deeper meaning, they all have their own personality somewhere hidden within them.

I will develop my project to portray this by looking at some inspiration that matchers my ideas. The first artist that I looked at was Jim Goldberg⁶, he uses street photography and many candid images with signage to portray how everything is so similar nowadays. By using warm tones and portraying things in a documentary style and objective matter he allows the viewer themselves to use nostalgia to connotate feelings, comparing their own teenage-hood and observing whether thier’s was better or not. The key image of his I looked at was one of a skateboard. ⁷ My reasoning for being so entangled with this image is that it represents teenage culture, I like how the skateboard has clearly been used and battered around, explaining how teenagers have a certain anger within them that they need to unleash. Another key artist I looked into was Tom Wood⁸. He mainly uses candid and unposed photography, his street photography is marked by the ability to capture raw, authentic expressions of people, often in public settings like streets, markets, or at social gatherings. Wood often captures environmental portraits, where the subject is shown in their natural surroundings, adding context and depth to the photograph. My favorite image of his was a landscape⁹, I loved how it explained your environment can massively impact how you live your life and what you turn out to be. I will use a documentary style of imagery to further develop my ideas, and also use tableaux, meaning a group of people all in one image, this will portray many different personalities’ and extract how different we all are exempt from the obsession of looks.

I intend to use some old photographs I have already taken to put in my book, and then I want to build on them by creating new images that have a similar sense and style to them. I already have some images that I really like from the Masculinity vs Femininity theme we did in lesson. I want to include a lot of landscape and environmental portraiture, I will do this by going to the edge of the island or places up high in town and just capturing the natural scenery around me. I also want to incorporate some candid photography by just taking photos when out with friends, catching authentic personality’s. One last image I want to create is one of a skateboard on a light box, which I can do at school.

1. https://www.naomiwhite.com/about ↩︎
2. https://www.jerseyheritage.org/history/claude-cahun-and-jersey/ ↩︎
3. https://www.gallery.je/features/skateboarders-by-danny-evans/ ↩︎
4. https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/ ↩︎
5. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jul/15/rousseau-shows-us-way-break-chains ↩︎
6. https://jimgoldberg.com/ ↩︎
7. https://images.fotomat.io/prod/c0a2cfd4-9bee-4d2b-9993-3b3cf0741393/d1446ae8-d86e-4a0e-88f0-c52b45f2a00c.jpg?s=M ↩︎
8. https://tomwoodarchive.com/ ↩︎
9. https://www.lensculture.com/projects/5350-landscapes ↩︎

Essay plan:
Introduction (250 words): Reflect on the origin of photography and describe in your own words the difference between the two photographic processes, Daguerreotype and Calotype. Consider how they could be viewed as either a mirror or a window of the world according to John Szarkowski’s thesis. Choose one quote from Szarkowski’s text and comment if you agree or disagree.

Paragraph 1 (250 words): Choose an image that in your view is a mirror and analyse how it is a subjective expression and staged approach to image-making. Choose one quote from Szarkowski’s thesis and another from Jed Pearl’s review which either supports of opposes Szarkowski’s original point of view. Make sure you comment to advance argumentation in providing a critical perspective.

Paragraph 2 (250 words): Choose an image that in your view is a window and analyse how it is an objective expression rooted in the notion of realism. Choose one quote from Szarkowski’s thesis and another from Jed Pearl’s review and follow similar procedure as above ie. two opposing points of view and commentary to provide a critical perspective.

Conclusion (250 words): Refer back to the essay question and write a conclusion where you summarise Szarkowski’s theory and Pearl’s review of his thesis. Describe differences and similarities between the two images above and their opposing concepts of objectivity and subjectivity, realism and romanticism, factual and fiction, public and private.

Szarkowski, J. (1960). Mirrors and Windows. New York: Museum Of Modern Art.

Essay:

The discovery of two key ideas marked the beginning of photography’s history. The first is camera obscura image protection. The second was realisation that exposure to light can change particular substances in observable ways. Before the 18th Century, no artefacts or documentation exist that suggest an effort to take pictures using light-sensitive materials. Joseph Nicephore Niepce and Louis Daguerre are considered the inventors of photography with cameras. the former started out experimenting with silver chloride and silver halide photography, but could not figure out how to prevent them from darkening when exposed to light. in 1826, Niepce succeeded in taking the first true camera photograph. He used a sheet of pewter coated with bitumen, which required an exposure time of at lest 8 hours. the subject of this photograph hit close to come home from Niecpe; the view from his workroom in Saint Loup-De-Varennas, France. Painter Louis Jaques Mande Daguerre decided to partner up with Niecpe. Daguerre continued to develop, refine and tinker with the process by using silver-plated copper sheets and mercury vapor. As he continued to develop this process, Daguerre was able vastly reduce the exposure time.

“Mirrors and Windows: American Photography Since 1960” was one of the most significant exhibitions that was seen. It was curated and introduced by John Szarkowski and featured 200 pieces by 100 American photographers. From 1962 to 1991, he oversaw photography at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Szarkowski organised the show’s pictures into two categories. The purpose of “mirrors” was to reflect the photographer’s personal aesthetic. “Mirrors” is described as a photo captures a moment, a scene, or a subject in the real world, providing a glimpse into an external reality unrelated to the photographer’s thoughts. It provides insight into lives, environments, or events that are outside our direct experience. Through the metaphorical “window,” we can see the world in a way that might be impossible to experience first hand, whether it’s a place we will never visit or a fleeting moment that will never happen again. It was also photographs created to serve as a window through which the observer might see a largely accurate image that was not influenced by the photographer’s personal preferences. Remember that Szarkowski emphasised that this was not an open boundary.

Szarkowski said “I consider photography to be the art of the visible. It is an investigation of the outside world since it deals with the world as it seems to us. However, it also serves as a vehicle for the photographer’s own vision and a means of self-expression. Szarkowski’s claim highlights the dual nature of photography. He recognises that the medium can both serve as a “window” into the outside world, providing an unbiased, unvarnished depiction of reality, and reflect the world via the subjective perception of the photographer (the “mirror”). This dual function highlights the paradox at the core of photography, which is that it is both a documentation of the outside world and a personal, introspective act.

Jed Perl gives a critical response to Szarkowski’s concepts in his review, highlighting a conflict in photography between the universal and the particular. He writes, “Szarkowski’s notion of photography as a mirror to the self often falls short of acknowledging the way in which photographs, even at their most intimate, transcend individual expression and speak to broader truths about the human experience.” According to Perl’s assessment, images frequently transcend being a mere mirror of the photographer’s inner world, challenging Szarkowski’s dualism. Perl worries that Szarkowski’s emphasis on the “self”—the individual vision—can mask the larger, shared human experience. According to Perl, photography has the ability to discover universal truths even though it may start with a subjective point of view.

Szarkowski’s thoughts that photography is both a “window” and a “mirror” provides a convincing framework, but Perl’s criticism draws attention to a crucial omission: the possibility that images can convey a collective cultural or historical narrative in addition to the subjective experience of the individual photographer. Perl contends that pictures might go beyond Szarkowski’s emphasis on the photographer’s own vision to become a part of a larger conversation about the human condition. As a result, images may be viewed as bridges connecting universal and personal realities, rather than merely mirrors reflecting a person’s mind or windows reflecting the outside world. In this way, Perl advocates for a broader perspective that takes into consideration photography’s capacity to interact with broader, more global audiences, even as Szarkowski portrays the ambiguity and complexity of the medium. Implying that a photo can showcase someone’s personal perspective while also addressing common societal or historical truths. The conflict between the individual and the general may hold the answer to how photos can function as both reflections and portals to the world.

Dorothea Lange’s iconic photograph Migrant Mother (1936)

An influential instance of a photo acting as a “window” to reality is Dorothea Lange’s famous image Migrant Mother (1936). This photo, captured during the time of the Great Depression, has become a representation of the challenges faced by migrant laborers in the United States and is frequently referenced as a prime instance of documentary photography. Let’s examine how this photo acts as a portal to the outside world and mirrors an unbiased truth based on the concept of realism. Lange’s Migrant Mother shows Florence Owens Thompson, a poor migrant worker, with her kids crowded around her, gazing sideways or off in the distance. Thompson’s worn face displays the marks of difficulties, her eyes are faraway and reveal a blend of concern and resolute resilience. The kids, while not as easily seen, seem tinier and clustered together, emphasizing the family’s fragility. Acting as a “portal,” Lange’s image provides a clear look at a particular, difficult instance in the experiences of actual individuals. It offers a peek into the everyday life of migrant families in the Great Depression, as they dealt with severe poverty, displacement, and uncertainty. The picture portrays human suffering and strength in a candid and unidealized way, without staging or idealizing the subject. Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother demonstrates how a photograph can act as a “window” into the world, providing a raw glimpse into the reality of a particular moment in time and location. The picture depicts the hardships faced by migrant workers during the Great Depression in a realistic way, avoiding idealization or emotional manipulation. It focuses on the actual experiences of Florence Owens Thompson and her children, representing the broader societal situation. The photo provides a direct, factual glimpse into a key, albeit distressing, part of American history.

Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Still #21 (1978)

Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Still #21 (1978) can be seen as a reflection in a photograph. This image, similar to many of Sherman’s pieces, serves as a “reflection” of her personal journey in examining identity, gender, and self-formation. Using staged photography, Sherman allows the viewer to explore the intricate relationship between the artist’s personal expression and how societal norms influence our sense of self. Cindy Sherman is seen in Untitled Film Still #21 wearing a stylish, vintage attire while standing in a public area, such as a park or street corner. Her eyes are averted from the camera as she displays a gentle yet distant look, with her body language and the background suggesting a cinematic or storytelling environment, as if she is a character in a movie scene. The picture is intentionally arranged, capturing a moment that appears rehearsed and uncertain, hinting at a story but lacking a definite plot or conclusion. When we label this picture as a “mirror,” we are discussing how it mirrors Cindy Sherman’s personal investigation of identity and how people interact with societal and cultural roles. The photo enables Sherman to explore the concept of identity as a performance by showcasing her personal interpretation and connection to how we form our self-image based on societal expectations. Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Still #21 illustrates how a photo can serve as a reflection of the artist’s personal feelings. Through the use of staged elements, costumes, and performative identity, Sherman examines the societal expectations placed on women and contemplates the shifting, constructed aspect of self-identity. The photo encourages viewers to think about how identity is influenced by factors like media, culture, and gender norms, in addition to internal factors. Using a deliberate and planned method, Sherman employs photography to reflect on oneself and show how we all act out different roles in our lives.

In the end, photographs hold a special place between the subjective and objective, functioning as both mirrors and windows reflecting the world. Just like mirrors, they mirror the photographer’s inner thoughts, feelings, and perspective. Like windows, they provide a peek into the outside world, frequently seizing a moment of universal importance. Photography’s ability to operate on different levels, providing personal introspection as well as unbiased record-keeping of reality, stems from its dual nature.