essay question
DEADLINE: Essay Introduction Draft MUST be handed in Thursday 18 Dec 2024
DEADLINE: Final Essay MUST be handed in Fri 31 Jan 2025
Copy this essay plan into your own blog post, titled: Essay Draft:
Literary sources: Go to this blog post here: Theory: Literary Sources and copy relevant key texts relating to the subject of your essay and list in alphabetical order in your bibliography. In addition, find your own key texts in relation to artists selected for in-depth analysis in your essay and list these too. These texts could be interviews with the artist, or reviews/ critique’s written by others. See useful online sites/ sources here .
- Research and identify 3-5 literary sources from a variety of media such as books, journal/magazines, internet, Youtube/video that relates to your personal study and artists references .
- Begin to read essay, texts and interviews with your chosen artists as well as commentary from critics, historians and others.
- It’s important that you show evidence of reading and draw upon different pints of view – not only your own.
- Take notes when you’re reading…key words, concepts, passages, page number to be used for in-text referencing etc.
Essay Question
- Think of a hypothesis and list possible essay questions
- Below is a list of possible essay questions that may help you to formulate your own.
possible-essay-questions-to-investigate
Some examples of Personal Study essays from previous students:
Essay Plan
Make a plan that lists what you are going to write about in each paragraph – essay structure
- Essay question:
- Opening quote
- Introduction (250-500 words): What is your area study? Which artists will you be analysing and why? How will you be responding to their work and essay question?
- Pg 1 (500 words): Historical/ theoretical context within art, photography and visual culture relevant to your area of study. Make links to art movements/ isms and some of the methods employed by critics and historian.
- Pg 2 (500 words): Analyse first artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
- Pg 3 (500 words): Analyse second artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
- Conclusion (250-500 words): Draw parallels, explore differences/ similarities between artists/photographers and that of your own work that you have produced
- Bibliography: List all relevant sources used
Essay writing: Here is a link to another blog post which will provide you with guideline about how to structure each paragraph in your essay.
“Available light is any damn light that is available!” – W. Eugene Smith
When we talk about his work, it’s very hard to present his pictures in a complete way. He typically shot what we would today call a photo essay: when he was assigned to cover a story, he would bring tens of thousands pictures to support the it. So even though I know it is not possible to cover every event in his life I have picked some assignments that I think will demonstrate his photography.
https://aboutphotography.blog/blog/william-eugene-smith-master-of-the-editorial-photo-essay
- Essay question: How has W Eugene Smith developed the modern photo essay?
- Opening quote ‘Photographed images do not seem to be statements about the world so much as pieces of it’ (Sontag 1977:4)
- Introduction (250-500 words): What is your area study? Which artists will you be analysing and why? How will you be responding to their work and essay question?
- Pg 1 (500 words): Historical/ theoretical context within art, photography and visual culture relevant to your area of study. Make links to art movements/ isms and some of the methods employed by critics and historian.
- Pg 2 (500 words): Analyse first artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
- Pg 3 (500 words): Analyse second artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
- Conclusion (250-500 words): Draw parallels, explore differences/ similarities between artists/photographers and that of your own work that you have produced
- Bibliography: List all relevant sources used
Bibliography
Sontag S. (1997) ‘In Plato’s Cave’ in On Photography London: Penguin Books
Landwer-Johan, K. W. Eugene Smith – Master of the Photo Essay. [online] https://www.kevinlj.com/w-eugene-smith-master-of-the-photo-essay/ [accessed 7th Jan 2025]
W Eugene Smith was the fundamental photographer when it came to the creation of the modern photo essay. It first became apparent after his ‘Country Doctor’ project, he spent 23 days photographing a local doctor in charge of caring for the entire ranching town. Smith created one of the most known photo essays to exist even in modern day, having done this he quickly became associated with the modern day photo essay format. Show cased within his work is sheer depth, looking into everyone element of life, forcing the viewers to acknowledge all the good but more over the less documented raw reality of some of the subjects, from war and all it’s atrocities to the bleak reality of a country town doctor pushed to him limits, in an isolated area. Unlike previous photo essay structures Smith left no rock unturned taking photo journalism to a new level, showcasing a new photo essay style in which he pushed to the limits to get a true account, unlike previous styles that simply took some good technical photos and left it at that, providing biased, unrealistic images.
Para 2 -Smith’s dedication to his craft – summary of work, style spent 4 days photographing doctor without film first
W. Eugene Smith made a dramatic impact on the photo essay model as he took his projects to hear, rather than looking at it like a job, he involved himself in every part of the process possible. This gave a whole new light to photographers, re-inventing the job, not just the photo essay format. When creating his most prominent photo essay Smith spent four days following the doctor, shooting without film, allowing the doctor to relax in front of the lens. Advising future photographers to not only document but work to document reality, the true reality which often involves more work than expected. This completely contrasted the previous style of photo essay, produced within photojournalism, going from biased, small glances to raw, full insights into the reality of others.
Para 3 – link to own work, how I have responded documentary style
Para 3 – country doctor, info on project, style, how many photos he took, how it was displayed, why this was a change to previous, look at single shots + analysis and photos
Para 4 – further projects, new projects inspired by Smith, how eye opening his work is, a little about how much he gave up/dedicated to create the new style of photo essay, why other photographers hadn’t already done it – didn’t want to give up what Smith did
Para 5 – conclusion – completely changed style, for the better, showed photographers it’s not a job so much as you need to delve deep into the subject. Only had maybe one photo he was happy with, add photo, but still creating world changing pieces of photography. He was the first to truly explore every element and show the brutal reality of many things others hadn’t. Aimed to capture emotion, not good technical photos.
Bibliography
Landwer-Johan, K. W. Eugene Smith – Master of the Photo Essay. [online] https://www.kevinlj.com/w-eugene-smith-master-of-the-photo-essay/ [accessed 7th Jan 2025]
Kaninsky, M. Eugene Smith -Country Doctor A Photo Essay By W. Eugene Smith [online] https://aboutphotography.blog/blog/2019/8/7/country-doctor-a-photo-essay-by-w-eugene-smith [accessed 9th Jan 2025]
Khan, N W. Eugene Smith: HOW MINAMATA REDEFINED PHOTOJOURNALISM WITH A MORAL PURPOSE. [online] https://www.thephoblographer.com/2024/08/16/w-eugene-smith-how-minamata-redefined-photojournalism-with-a-moral-purpose/ [08/16/2024]