William Jenkins first used the word “new topographic” in 1975 to describe a group of American photographers (that is Lewis Baltz and Robert Adams) whose images had a simple style in that they were formal, mostly black and white photos of the urban landscape.
Many photographers linked with new topographic like Lewis Baltz, Nicholas Nixon, Hiller Becher, Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz were affected by the virtual world and chose to focus on daily subjects. Warehouses, car park and suburban houses were all photographed with simplicity that was similar to how early photographers photographed the world.
The New topographic was a reaction to the temptation of imagined landscape photography, which lifted up the natural, the basic and the increasing suburbanized reality. The new topographic represented leaving traditional landscape photography by focusing on urban landscape and man-made landscapes instead of romanticized natural landscapes. The new topographic movement changed how photographers would normally capture the city/town environment and the landscape.
The New Topographic exhibition aimed to change classic landscape photography by showing everyday places impacted by people. These photos were taken in a lot of different places where human impact had changed the landscape or area, this was locations such as: construction in suburban areas, urban areas and various locations which are seen everyday which have been changed by the humans. Robert Adams is a good example of a photographer who would capture the growth of housing and the construction of housing in the Western United States.
Technique and methods
Photographers who contributed to The new topographics usually took their images straight on, focusing on balance and framing, photographers taking the images straight on normally that the image has no emotion or a certain way to view the phtoo. In The New Topographics, the photographs are slightly edited and are normally edited to change features like esposure, brightness and contrast. The composition is normally clear, tidy display of the focal point/subject. The camera which would have mainly be used by photographers is large format cameras to get an image with alot of detail and clarity.
Large format camera
Robert Adams
Robert Adams is a well known american photographer who was mainly known his images of the changed environment in the western united states. Roberts Adams was born on the 8th of may, 1937 in New Jersey, around 1960 – 1970 he began his photography career, taking photos impacted landscapes. Most of his work focused on the development of suburban areas and the impact on the natural landscape made by people. Adams is known as one of the most important people in the New Topographics movement, he also raised awareness of environmental problems through photography which inspires other photographers to this day.Roberts Adams work stands out because it is so simple which makes the image easier to understand and view.
