Hold The Line Siegfried Hansen
1. Research a photo-book and describe the story it is communicating with reference to subject-matter, genre and approach to image-making.
Siegfried Hansen takes pictured intuitively, using this ability to anticipate unusual situations, transforming them into multi-facetted images.
Hansen traces visual compositions from graphics and colours creating his unique style of ‘street photography,’ without showing faces or bodies. Instead he focuses on graphical ways and formalism elements. It shows both aesthetics and his coincidence within public spaces, as you never know what to expect next.
When I open up the book I see vivid blocks of colour defined through a compositional structure of a street or wall, revealing this in-depth approach as intricate details, texture, and shadows or reflections are revealed. The sharp photos makes us see things differently, altering our perspective as we are presented things from abstract and unusual angles. Closely linking to ‘formalism’. I love the unique layout, as the theme of ‘formalism’ is further expressed throughout. The photographs aren’t always displayed on the pages, they are broken up by plain coloured pages linking into the the previous photograph. I want to further experiment with this concept. We are faced with various and different subjects in each photo, further making us see things differently.
The title ‘Hold the line,’ is further expressed throughout as he photo shows this unique formation of lines, curves, and shapes.
2. Who is the photographer? Why did he/she make it? (intentions/ reasons) Who is it for? (audience) How was it received? (any press, reviews, awards, legacy etc.)
Seigfried Hansen – Hold the Line, Kettle, 2015, Dortmand
About
Street photography
Hardcover, signed
Street photography exists as a genre in incredibly many facets (any aspect that makes up the subject) and manifestations (object or action that clearly shows something abstract or theoretical). It is always about the right time to release the shutter, at the moment of capturing and how accurately to react to the subject. For Siegfried Hansen, street photography is not so much in the nature of reportage and documentation. What he is interested in is graphic elements, shapes, interwoven lines and structures that, when harmoniously related to one another, present an abstract image. Whereas in the photographs of key role model: Henri Cartier-Bresson and André Kertész, people play a major role. No more is shown than is needed to create an interesting and balanced combination of people and objects.“
3. Deconstruct the narrative, concept and design of the book and apply theory above when considering:
- Book in hand: how does it feel? Smell, sniff the paper.
- Paper and ink: use of different paper/ textures/ colour or B&W or both.
- Format, size and orientation: portraiture/ landscape/ square/ A5, A4, A3 / number of pages
Pages: 56
Place: Dortmund
Year: 2015
Publisher: Kettler
Size: 20 x 27 cm (approx.)
https://josefchladek.com/book/siegfried_hansen_-_hold_the_line
There is a mix between layouts, portraiture and landscape
- Binding, soft/hard cover. image wrap/dust jacket. saddle stitch/swiss binding/ Japanese stab-binding/ leperello
- Cover: linen/ card. graphic/ printed image. embossed/ debossed. letterpress/ silkscreen/hot-stamping.
Exposed board cover, solid colour pages, thick matte paper, full bleed images, and a mix of portrait (one page for image, followed by a colour) and landscape pages (a double page spread) complement the graphic content.
There is no text throughout as noexplanation is needed, making it a very visual and open for interpretation book.
“this is not about a particular city, but the graphic presence of the city. Through his attentive eye and smart design, Hansen has created a mini city symphony of line, shape and color.” Colin Pental
https://blog.photoeye.com/2016/01/book-review-hold-line.html
- Title: literal or poetic / relevant or intriguing.
‘Hold the line,’ straight away draws us in as we
We are first presented with a landscape photo for both front and blurb. From the abstract angle and geometric print of clearly defined lines and formations of colour, straight away creates these intense leading lines. Followed by someone’s legs in the top-right-hand corner, who we may guess could be the subject/ focus. I like the fact they’re unrevealed. This simple yet effective front page makes us question the narrative and concept behind the book as we yet to figure this out, as no title is presented.
As you turn the page, we are presented with the metaphor (title) ‘Hold the line.’ We straight away question what is meant by this. This perhaps changes our perspective of a ‘line’ as we question what is truly meant by this. The title sticks with us throughout the book as we notice this more and more, experimenting with how the lines can be further expressed. Features that relate to this complement one another, colour, shadow, space and shape.
- Narrative: what is the story/ subject-matter. How is it told?
Hold The Line, doesn’t present an obvious narrative. However the subject of geometric, abstract and unusual compositions of street photography never fails to engage/ immerse you into the book, as you never know what to expect next. I feel Hansen’s unique approach/ style opens us up to a different style of street photography, one that we don’t typically see. Therefore this creates a different narrative, one that is open for the viewer to interpret. For me i like this different approach, seeing how colours are presented and complemented through shapes, shadows, and interesting compositions. This presentes this story of
- Structure and architecture: how design/ repeating motifs/ or specific features develops a concept or construct a narrative.
Matt paper, hard back, full bleed,
When you flick through you see the unique structure that is expressed throughout, closely linking to the theme ‘formalism.’ Some double pages are broken up by full colour pages that complement the photo next to it, this is done through different ways. We can see the connection, as for some photos he is revealing a detail/ structural element through his choice in colour revealing this interesting and connecting concept. I feel to have a full colour page to break up certain images, with it having a close connection to the photograph expresses this uniqueness and difference as it reveals
- Design and layout: image size on pages/ single page, double-spread/ images/ grid, fold- outs/ inserts.
Their is a unique layout displayed, with a mix between double pages spreads and singles pages. In a way the single pages are actually double pages, as full coloured complementary page colours that break this up up by full colour pages which complement the photo next to it. I find this effect interesting as we can see the connection, as for some photos he is revealing an intricate detail, ( strip of colour) or structural element through this effect, others it’s just a complementary colour.
We can see the connection, as for some photos he is revealing a detail/ structural element through his choice in colour creating this interesting concept.
- Editing and sequencing: selection of images/ juxtaposition of photographs/ editing process.
- Images and text: are they linked? Introduction/ essay/ statement by artists or others. Use of captions (if any.)
MATT PAPER
UNDERSTANDING PHOTOBOOKS:
NARRATIVE, EDITING, SEQUENCING, DESIGN, FORM, FUNCTION
Earlier in the academic year we looked at narrative in photography. Let’s refresh our memory and revisit some of the theories around visual storytelling.
Good textual analysis. Add a few images from the book itself, page spreads and/ or individual images to make blog post more visual.