Landscape photography is generally focused around displaying the beautiful views of the world. Rural landscape photography focuses on demonstrating the beauty of the natural world. This can be from wide landscapes of mountains and rivers, to rural houses and trees.

Origin of Landscapes

Landscapes are not only depicted in photography. They have been around for centuries, the earliest findings of landscape art were from Ancient Greece. Although, landscape art wasn’t popular for a very long time as it was seen as something to put in the background of religious art rather than being its own category.

However, in the 16th century, Dutch artists did begin to see it as its own genre of painting, and painters like Gillis van Coninxloo began to paint the Dutch landscapes.

At the same time, the artistic movement of the renaissance was also taking place, and artists began to seek out new forms of expression in art. Because of this, landscape art began to take on a new form. It started to be about the beauty of the environment. This was how Classical Landscape was introduced.

Now that more European painters were interested in landscape art, the competition for quality began to rise, and better and better landscapes were being produced. This also meant that more and more real places were being painted. Additionally, framing became very important, and the positioning of objects in paintings were perfected.

Claude Lorrain was a French painter in the 16th century. In this painting, we see what appears to be the Italian city of Venice. Although this is not a rural landscape, it does show how painters of the time started to focus on the positioning and framing of their paintings. In this example, we can clearly see a main focus and subject, which is the boat in the middle of the painting. Additionally, there are detailed buildings placed on either side of the painting, as to not intrude our line of sight of the sky and the sunset in the background. We can also see people standing in the foreground of the image, which creates an environment in the image and makes the painting feel lively, and makes the viewer feel as if they are in the city at that moment.

After the renaissance period came the industrial revolution. Cities began to grow, factories became more complex and the quality of life of people living in big cities such as London rapidly decreased. Because of the increased population which followed the rise in mass production, the cities were crowded and cramped and they became even more unhygienic than they had been ever before. In opposition to this, some painters of the time began to paint landscapes to demonstrate the beauty of the natural world and how it was much better before the rise of the industrial revolution. This is also called ‘Romanticism’.

An example of a painter that was involved in the romanticism art movement is Edwin Deakin. Edwin Deakin usually painted buildings in cities, such as churches and cathedrals. With this experience, Edwin Deakin learnt how to frame and arrange his paintings, so when he decided to paint the Yosemite Valley he knew where to place the objects in the painting. This painting is a perfect example of this. There is a foreground, middle ground and a background. In each of these, the U-shape of the valley is clearly outlined by the trees and the clifftops. Additionally, the trees in the foreground move away from the viewer and lead the eye to the centre of the image. In the centre of the image, we see the vast cliffs of the Yosemite Valley, however we have nothing to scale the cliffs to, so its size is undetermined. This makes the cliff appear even larger in the painting, and gives the viewer a feeling of sublime.

Sublimity became a common feature of romantic landscape paintings, even through to the 19th century, when landscapes went from paintings to photography.

In the 1940s, Ansel Adams became one of the most notable landscape photographers of all time. His sublime depictions of the Yosemite Valley made waves through society. Adams knew exactly how to show the beauty of the Yosemite Valley. Take this photo for example. The positioning and framing of the trees and cliffs are set to perfection and blend perfectly with the sublime fog that covers the valley below. The cliffs stand on either side of the frame and meet far in the background where the valley opens up and we see a small glimpse of the vast mountains of the rest of the valley. In the foreground, we see the tops of the trees that stand below the hill that Adams stands on. We only see the tops of the trees in the foreground because it keeps all of the trees in the shot in the same consistency. The trees also lead the eye from the foreground to the middle ground, where the fog covers the entire valley. This fog adds mystery to the photo, and when paired with the sublime mountains and cliffs of Yosemite, evokes an even deeper feeling of sublime.

Summary

Overall, Rural landscape photography focuses on many things. The beauty of the landscape, the positioning and arrangement of objects in the frame, the great scale of mountains etc. However, the key element to rural landscape photography is nature. Nature must be the most prevalent aspect of a rural landscape photo.

Artist analysis

Martin Parr is a British photographer, born in 1952, who is mostly known for his work that focuses on consumerism and tourism. Through this work, he has developed a very unique style that often displays the strange mannerisms of human behaviour.

Take this photo for example. What is immediately apparent to the viewer is the arrangement of the two subjects, a male and a female, who seem to be a married couple. The male in the photo is standing awkwardly in the background of the photo and the female is sitting dominantly in the foreground. This is atypical of the masculine and feminine dynamic, as normally the roles would be reversed. This creates a big contrast between the male and the female in the photo, and it forces the viewer to assume that the traits of this couple are uncanny to regular masculine and feminine traits. Additionally, the name of the image implies the type of people that the subjects are being depicted as. These two characters that Martin Parr creates in this photo are a perfect example of how he uses comedy in his work. The styling of the image is also repeated in the other images found in this series. It is very representative of the typical British household at the time. The colour scheme is both very wide, but also quite bland and uninteresting, for example, it has some pink and green, but it is mostly brown, beige and off-white. The tone is very neutral, as the photo was taken on a cloudy English day, which makes the tone appear grey, in the middle of light and dark. This could have been intentional, because it looks as if they are both dressed for work, and so this image is meant to be a representation of what their daily life is like.

The lighting used for this photo is a combination of natural sunlight coming from the glass doors, and most likely a key light positioned behind and to the right of the camera to bring light to the underexposed areas that the sunlight doesn’t reach. Parr made this key light low intensity so that it blends with the sunlight, and so that the key lighting doesn’t overexpose part of the photo. By doing this, it makes the editing process a lot easier as the photo doesn’t need to be altered in terms of brightness or exposure. Everything inside the house is in focus, but the outside becomes blurry. This tells me a lot about the aperture. The depth of field is deep, therefore the aperture is in the mid-range, my guess is between ƒ5.6 and ƒ11. With this information, I can also justify that the time that the shutter was released was fairly long. Being that the photo was taken indoors, the image doesn’t appear very grainy, and the contrast is low, the ISO was most likely set between 200 and 400.

Along with the rest of the photos in this series, this photo has a strange aesthetic. The image looks like something you would find framed in your grandparent’s house. Additionally, the photo is like a time capsule. It could be that Martin Parr created the photo like this intentionally, because the name of the series is “Signs of the Times 1991”, which implies that this photo is demonstrating the behaviour of groups of people, specifically the working class, in 1991. In this photo, Parr uses these mannerisms in a comedic way, to make fun of how these people care so much about mundane things. This is also clear because of the name of the photo, which is meant to be a line of speech made by one of the subjects in the photo. As well as this, the warped masculine and feminine dynamic going on in the photo also could suggests that the men who behaved like this were typically not the more dominant people in a relationship, and they preferred to stay quiet and be in the background of things.

The context of the photo is fairly simple. The subjects are dressed for work, talking about their mundane commodities and appear to be waiting around. From this information, it is clear that this photo is meant to represent the morning life of the average working class couple, living in an estate in 1991. This perspective is interesting because it answers a lot of questions for the viewer, such as what these people are like, what they talk about and what they do in their daily life.

This is another example from Parr’s “Signs of the Times” series. Again, the first thing that the viewer recognises is the odd positioning of the subjects. In this case, the man stands oddly by the side of the bed and appears to be looking at the cameraman, whilst the woman sits on the bed facing the man. This arrangement says a lot. Firstly, this photo reflects what the true dynamic of a masculine and feminine relationship looks like. The man and the woman are both placed in the foreground, demonstrating that they are equal from a relationship standpoint. Secondly, having the man stand and the woman sit demonstrates the power dynamic in this relationship, as standing makes the man appear more powerful. Thirdly, where both subjects are looking tells us a lot as well. The woman is facing the man, which could be another example of the power dynamic in the relationship. Additionally, the man is facing the cameraman, which could mean that he is the one who is looking for the direction in the relationship. I think that this was completely intentional by Martin Parr because this positioning is very good for showing the viewer these people’s mannerisms, which plays perfectly with Parr’s style. As mentioned previously, the photos in this series all share the same aesthetic. In this case, the colour scheme is drab, it consists of a mix of off-whites that appear in the majority of English houses. Also, the subjects again appear to be heading off for work, as they are dressed in professional attire.

The lighting used for this photo is a mix of room/artificial lighting and most likely a key light situated behind the camera again. Given that both of these photos appear to have been taken at the same angle, I can also assume that the photo was taken on a tripod. This also makes sense because artificial lighting isn’t ideal for a camera, as it slows the shutter speed, which without a tripod, would make the photos come out blurry and unfocused. Once again, the key light is used to fill in those underexposed areas, but it could also be used to bring up the lighting in the room. This also aids the camera, as bringing up the light intensity will allow more light into the lens, therefore the camera can reduce its shutter speed. The aperture for this photo was most likely the same as the one previously, between ƒ5.6 and ƒ11, as we can see that everything indoors is in focus, however, the objects outside the window come out blurry. As mentioned previously, the shutter speed will be long, due to the photo being taken indoors, however the key light most likely brings the shutter speed down. Indoor photos usually need a higher ISO so that the camera is more sensitive to the light, but the image doesn’t appear extremely grainy, so it is probably in the range of 400 and 1600.

The concept and the context of this photo are mostly akin to the previous photo, however in this photo the subjects are slightly older. This could have been done intentionally by Martin Parr to show the different demographics that existed in 1991 throughout this series. This can also be inferred by the room that they are in. It is even commented on in the title/ line of speech, saying that it is like a hotel room.

Ideas

I used these photos by Martin Parr because I think that they portray a lot about masculinity and femininity. They demonstrate very clearly the dynamics of the relationships in the photos, but they also give a lot of insight into the people around the photo, such as what they do for a living. There is a lot of context in these photos, but it is not political or historical, rather it is a personal context or cultural context.

I want to replicate the portrayal that Martin Parr gives of masculinity and femininity in these photos. I could do this in many ways, but I must stick to a clear framework:

• man and woman
• positioned on either side of the photo
• demonstrating some kind of dynamic

I have a few locations in mind, however I don’t want to recreate the images like Martin Parr. Instead, I want to take the photos outdoors, rather than indoors like how Parr had done. This is because I think it will force the focus to be about the dynamic between masculinity and femininity, rather than personal context, such as what the subject does for a living.

I could demonstrate the dynamic in many different ways. I could experiment with the position of either subject, where they are looking, their stance, and their clothing. I can also use my surroundings to create a deeper meaning.

For example, I have one idea in mind where the background plays in with the positioning of the subjects. I could have the woman sit next to a wall while the man stands with the sky behind him. I believe that this demonstrates a masculine/feminine dynamic very well.

Contact Sheet

These photos were taken at Plemont, a small beach in St. Ouen. I experimented widely with the area, using as many different angles and poses as possible.

Image Selection

From this wide range of photos, I selected a few that I think properly replicate the style that I was going for

In this selection, I took photos that represent the masculine/feminine dynamic I was going for. Within this group are a few photos I am very happy with.

This photo I believe is the best from the selection. I put a few of my ideas to use. One was that the background plays a part in the message that the photo presents. In this photo, the cliffs of Jersey’s north coast are visible in the background behind the female subject, whereas behind the male subject, there is only the vastness of the sea and the infiniteness of the horizon. Another idea I had was to position either subject so that the female was below the male. In this photo, I used the slope of the hill to create this effect. All of this plays a part in the portrayal of masculinity and femininity that I am heading for.

This is another photo from the selection. In this photo, I focused less on the values that masculinity and femininity portray, rather I decided to look more at the mannerisms of either gender. In the photo, the male subject is sitting casually on a wall, whereas the female is wedged in the doorway uncannily. This is a demonstration of the difference in expression between masculinity and femininity. In masculinity, expression is limited, and it tends to be that the masculine man doesn’t express himself by experimenting with things such as clothing. In femininity, expression is a key factor in defining the femininity of a woman. It is more feminine to express your femininity in areas such as clothing, hairstyles, and many other things in the modern day such as makeup.

In this photo, I focused more on the dynamic of masculinity and femininity in terms of a relationship. The male subject in the photo sits coldly, similarly to how he was in the previous photo to demonstrate the lack of expression that comes with masculinity, and watches the sunset. The female subject is lying on the wall, to demonstrate the expressive side of femininity, and is also watching the sunset. I believe that this positioning in the photo displays masculinity as the protective and strong half of a relationship, and femininity as the elegant half of a relationship.

Editing

Going into the editing process, I have a few ideas in mind.

Firstly, I want the colouring to not be like the colouring that Martin Parr uses in his photos. Instead, I want to bring colour to the image. This is because the images are a representation of the dynamic between masculinity and femininity in a relationship, therefore having more visually appealing colours introduces the aspect of beauty to the relationship.

Secondly, I want to emphasise the split between masculinity and femininity more. I could do this by splitting the image in half and changing the colouring of either half. I could also do this by just cutting out the subjects and making adjustments to the colour of those. I will have to experiment with this a bit.

Here is the development process of the first photo. Here, you can see I started just by going through exposure, temperature, highlights and shadows and simply trying to make the image look better. Once I was done with this, I decided that the image was underexposed, and that the ground was not as clear as I wanted it to be.

In the second image, I fixed this by bringing up the exposure and the white balance so that the ground was more visible. This did make my photo more exposed, but I did think it was too bright, meaning it was overexposed.

To fix this in the third image, I brought down the exposure and brought up the contrast so that the colour in the photo was more defined. I also brought up the vibrancy and saturation a small amount just so that the golden hue in the sky is more clear too.

Here is the development process of the second image. To start with, I went through and brought up the exposure, shadows and vibrancy, and brought down the highlights to emphasise the colour.

I found that this photo was too colourful. So in the second image I decided bring down the contrast and bring the highlights back up. As well as this, I took down the saturation to take away some of the colour.

In the third image, I decided that I had taken out the colour too much, so I took down the whites and the contrast and brought the highlights up. This worked very well. It brought up the colouring in the sky, and the colouring of the building is not too yellow like it was previously.

For this image, I started by bringing up the exposure as the photo was previously underexposed. I then brought down the highlights and the whites and brought up the vibrancy just to alter the colouring.

I wanted to bring up the colouring a little bit, so in the second photo I brought the contrast up and also took up the saturation, which resulted in a yellow hue covering the photo.

I was unhappy with this, and so in the third version, I decided to take out some saturation and instead bring down the highlights. This worked well, as it lowered the yellow hue to the point where it isn’t ruining the photo, and I am happy with the final result.

I also went through and cropped the images just so that the subjects share equal space in the photos.

Final images

I think that these images are the best representation of the style I was going for. In reference to Martin Parr, this is exactly what I had in mind when analysing his images and creating my own ideas. I made sure that I followed the criteria I made for myself when mapping my ideas.

Comparison and critique

Here is one of my images and one of Martin Parr’s images. This image is the closest I got to recreating the style of Martin Parr. You can see that the male and female subject both stand on either side of the frame. I did try to find some kind of pose for masculinity and femininity, however in the location I was not able to do anything that fit. Personally, I think I could have done much better. To me, this photo doesn’t really say anything, there is no statement. You could infer some things, such as the male/female hierarchy implied in the slope of the hill, however that’s really all I see in this photo.

In this photo, I think the positioning of both subjects works well. Additionally, the mannerisms of femininity and masculinity are also visible in this photo. In inspiration of Martin Parr, I once again split masculinity and femininity to either side of the frame. However, I also think I could improve on this photo as well. Once again, there is not much to say about the photo, and it isn’t obvious that the photo is about the dynamic between masculinity and femininity. In my opinion, I don’t think there is much to infer about the image. You could say that the masculinity and femininity are both on the same level, however that is not immediately obvious.

Once again in this photo, I have split the frame so that masculinity is on one side and femininity is on the other. This time, I am demonstrating the difference in expression between masculinity and femininity. I think, in this image, the message is more obvious. However, there is not much meaning in the photo. Additionally, the photo doesn’t look interesting or intriguing.

Virtual Gallery

Photoshoot 1

For this photoshoot, I want to explore the binary opposites of masculinity and femininity, inspired by the works of Martin Parr.

In this photo, both subjects are positioned either side of the frame, implicating a difference between the two. This will be the general theme of the photoshoot, that both subjects will stand on both sides of the picture. To further experiment with the difference between masculinity and femininity, I will make changes to either subject to further emphasise their masculinity/femininity.

This photo is a perfect example of the type of contrast I will be attempting in this photoshoot. In the photo, the woman is dressed flamboyantly, to impress, but the man is only wearing speedos and a hat, as that is all that he needs.

Like in this example, I want to try and create a contrast between the masculinity and the femininity by demonstrating the difference between the two with a hidden message. This could be, in the context of clothing, that the man is wearing the essentials and the woman prefers to accentuate her taste in fashion.

Photoshoot 2

For this photoshoot, I want to explore the theme of identity, inspired by the works of Claude Cahun.

In this photo, everything but the hands and arms of the subject are visible. This introduces a sense of ambiguity to the identity of the subject. This is the type of ambiguity I want to experiment with in this photoshoot.

This is an example of what I can do to the photos in photoshop. I could attempt to recreate this effect with multiple different photos.

Photoshoots

The following photos consist of three different studio lighting techniques, Chiaroscuro, Butterfly and Rembrandt.

Edits

For this rembrandt photo I chose to bring up the exposure and add some warmth to it too. This made the photo look a lot more clearer. I also changed the vibrance and saturation a small bit just to emphasise that warmth and to bring in brighter colours to the photo instead of the dark greys that are present in the original photo.

In this butterfly lighting photo, I chose to make the temperature colder. This changed the background from grey to light blue, which overall changes the atmosphere of the photo and makes it look a lot more interesting by adding slightly more vibrant colours.

For this chiaroscuro photo, I decided to bring up the contrast so that the difference between both sides of the subjects face is more defined. Also, I rose the clarity so that there is more texture in the photo. Overall, this makes the photo a lot deeper and slightly more dark, while the added clarity highlights the subjects face a lot better than before.

For all the photos below, the camera was set to:

ISO 100

ƒ16

1/160 sec

Best photos

Jimmy Nelson is an environmental photographer who has travelled the world photographing a variety of different personalities, from places such as Afghanistan, El Salvador and Nigeria.

This is a photo taken by Jimmy Nelson in Mongolia, displaying the Kazakh people and the beautiful environment that they inhabit.

The photo is taken at about sunset, and Jimmy Nelson has positioned himself facing away from the sun, which creates a shaded effect on the vast mountains in the background of the shot. He has also used a wide aperture to capture the mountains. The photo looks like it was originally under exposed, meaning the shutter speed was too fast, but this could have been done on purpose so that, when editing the photo, Jimmy Nelson could turn the exposure up. The ISO could also have been in a higher range as well to compensate for the low lighting level.

This photo also has a distinct grey colour scheme, which gives the photo both a light and a dark tone, as the foreground is more dark and the background is more light. In the foreground, there is a rocky surface below the horse, which adds to the texture of the photo, and gives context as to how difficult the terrain is to traverse. The two men behind the main man who is the focus point of the shot, give the photo a nice pattern too. Generally, the composition of the shot is very well done.

In the photo, you can see there are three men on horses, each with a bird resting on their arms. These men are Kazakhs, living in the mountains in Mongolia, a place infamous for how difficult it is to traverse. Even in this photo you can see how rough and mountainous the landscape is. Clearly, these men have travelled far up to the top of the mountain that they stand on, which gives the photo power and mystery, it is almost like a demonstration of strength. Although, this is what day to day life is like for these men, and this photo is a very good example of environmental portraiture because it is a demonstration of how different their lives are to ours.

The work that Jimmy Nelson has created would have been a very difficult task. He would’ve had to hike up the mountain with the group of men who most likely don’t speak the same language as him. It is incredulous that Jimmy Nelson had willingly put himself through such an arduous trek just to capture the day to day life of the Kazakhs. It also might have been that this photo was not an idea, but more of a photo that is in the moment, a photo that was not planned but taken on the spot as Jimmy Nelson saw it.

This is a photo of a Maasai warrior in Tanzania, a country in the south east of Africa.

Once again, Jimmy Nelson is facing away from the sun and towards the shadows of the hills, except this time it is to capture the vast emptiness of the landscape behind the warrior. It is not clear what time of day this photo was taken, presumably around sunset. The image looks a little bit under exposed, which again could have been done so that Jimmy Nelson could manipulate the photo in photoshop. Also, Jimmy Nelson uses a wide aperture so that the baron landscape behind the man could be captured. The shutter speed would have been fast so that he could capture the warrior while he is walking, which could have been why the image looks slightly underexposed. The ISO on this photo would have been regular because the frame isn’t that dark and is quite bright in colour. The photo is both warm and cold, the warmth comes from the yellow colours coming from the clouds or the desert, but the coldness comes from the dullness and lack of vibrance in the shot.

The texture of the shot is mostly sandy and rocky, which is another representation of the difficulty of traversing these landscapes that Jimmy Nelson captures. The photo is very 3 dimensional as the wide depth of field displayed the vastness of the desert in the background and how far is goes. There is a very clear line between the sky and the land, which also demonstrates how far the land goes as well.

The photo was taken in 2010, although it is generally a timeless photo as tribes like the Maasai have been around for thousands of years and continue the same traditions as they did all those years ago. Even the weapons, such as the spear that the warrior wields, and the shield as well, most likely have been around for centuries. The man is wearing very traditional Maasai clothes and are very unusual and unlike the clothes generally worn in western culture. He is also wearing what appears to be a lions mane around his head, which is a very powerful statement and could be a sign of strength among the Maasai people.

Once again, this most likely was an in the moment shot, which is emphasised by the warriors lack of gaze at the camera and that he is in motion as the photo is being taken. This perfectly encapsulates the essence of environmental photography, to portray a persons life in one shot, and having the warrior unaware of the shot gives the photo a natural feel.

Overall, Jimmy Nelson is an incredible environmental photographer who goes through thick and thin to capture the beauty of the different cultures he finds himself in and the vast landscapes that they inhabit.

This is all of the photos that I have taken so far in my study of still life. I have utilised the techniques that Still Life photographers and painters used, such as using objects like books to symbolise knowledge and wealth. The majority of the photos are singular objects where I have experimented with lighting and the positioning of the object in the frame. I used a variety of lighting to give different tones and tints to the photo and to add warmth or coldness to the picture. I also used a variety of backgrounds, such as an infinity curve and a flat background. Throughout all of the photoshoots, I kept the depth of field wide on all of the photos as I found through my study of Still Life that having every object in focus is a key element to Still Life photography. Some of these photos are a bit experimental, adding different and contrasting objects that usually would not be seen together, such as the wooden block and the painted cutlery.

Here are what I believe to be the best photos. Most of these are singular objects, with some experimental photos in there as well. There are a couple Walker Evans inspired photos in the bottom right. I have used lots of different backgrounds such as an infinity curve or just a flat white background. Not much editing was done to these photos, only slight changes to bring up the exposure of the image. I did this because the lack of colour in a photo generally gives it a very solid, still feeling.

This photo depicts what appears to be some kind of kitchen appliance like a meat grinder. It was taken using an infinity curve, which works well in this case as it looks as if there is no background at all. The photo lacks colour, which emphasises the aspects of still life as colour generally tends to bring a sense of movement, like something is going on in the photo, whereas here it is a still object. This photo was taken with a slow shutter as well, which further implies the stillness of the photo as a slow shutter means that the object cannot move. Older still life paintings used to depict flowers, books or skulls as metaphors for happiness, knowledge or death, but nothing significant derives from the kitchen appliance in this photo, which coupled with the drab colour scheme, puts further emphases on the stillness of the object.

In this photo, there is an object that appears to be some kind of flat tool which was used a very long time ago. This adds mystery to the photo immediately as it gives uncertainty to what the object actually is, where it has come from, what it does. This lack of context is prevalent in most still life photographs as still life is not about the context of the photo, but the content. Also, the object has a slight tilt, which adds another layer of uncertainty because it looks as if it will fall, but it doesn’t and remains still. The shutter on this photo was also slow, which applies further emphasis on the stillness of the object. The tool is rusted everywhere there is metal, which adds texture to the photo and also aids the photo in keeping a brown colour scheme. Although there is more colour in this photo compared to the previous one, the colours are still dull, which again depletes the photo of movement.

This photo was one of the more experimental ones out of all of the photoshoots, and it is the odd one out of all the selected photos because it features warm lighting, a few colours and has a shadow. I also wanted to include this photo because I felt that I needed to show how shadows can be used in still life. In this example, the shadow is used to stretch the object across the photo so that the frame doesn’t appear empty. The texture that appears on the wooden block also adds to the photo as it adds roughness to the otherwise smooth background. The painted cutlery also adds an interesting element as it removes the smoothness that would be on the spoon and replaces it with a gritty, unclean texture that, again, adds roughness to the smooth background.

This photo is one of the two out of the selection that is inspired by Walker Evans. It depicts a saw on a flat background. Nothing is happening in the photo, which makes it a perfect example of still life. There is no colour, the saw is only grey and black and the background is just flat white. The texture that appears on the saw gives the photo a rough feeling, but it also shows that this tool has been used a lot. This allows the viewer to question the context, despite there not being any context at all, it is just a saw on a flat background.

This photo depicts a wooden block used to hold scissors. This type of object usually appears in a classroom, which adds an element of nostalgia to the photo. Also, the texture of the wooden block, with the random splodges of paint and wear to the wood adds a worn element to the photo. Unlike the other photos taken with an infinity curve, this photo actually has a lot of colour. Despite this, the object continues to appear very still and solid. Also, the lighting is almost warm, which emphasises the brown colour of the wood and gives the photo a bit of vibrancy compared to the other ones.

This photo is the other example of a Walker Evans inspired photo. It features three paint brushes on a flat white background. In this case, the shape of the paintbrushes and the pattern that they are arranged give the photo an interesting quality. As well as this, the paintbrushes have clearly been used a lot as there is lots of remnants of dried paint on them. This also adds texture to the photo, as without it the paintbrushes would look new, which is counterintuitive to the still life photos that were taken by Walker Evans, as they tend to feature used tools with obvious marks or dents that clearly show signs of wear.

The works of both Walker Evans and Darren Harvey-Regan are both important pieces of art in the field of Still Life, and both artists bring interesting qualities to still life that were not done before. However, both photographers use similar techniques in their work.

As you can see, both of these photos feature similar qualities. Both photos are in black and white, which adds a quality of stillness to the photos. Both feature a flat white background that isolates the subjects in both photos. Also, in both of these photos a triangle is featured. Geometric shapes like triangles and squares are something that is commonly found in both Darren Harvey-Regan’s and Walker Evans’s work.

To delve further into my study, I have aligned these 3 photos from Darren Harvey-Regan to analyse what is common in each of these photos. Immediately what strikes the viewer is the use of the geometric shapes carved out of the rocks that align with the edges of the box. This adds a very unique aspect to the photos and makes them very visually appealing. As well as this, the shapes create a very large contrast between the rocky surfaces and the sharp edges of the shapes. Also, the objects in the photos seem to have been carefully balanced. A good example of this is the photo in the middle, which looks like something that you would find in nature, maybe on a beach as a broken away piece of cliff. The sharp surface on the object also works perfectly with the edge on the box below it, which emphasises how each of these photos have to be to perfectly aligned so that the shapes align with the edges on the box. Overall, Darren Harvey-Regan utilises this idea very well throughout his still life photography.

These are 3 still life photos from Walker Evans. Each depict a tool, an adjustable wrench on the top, a kind of double sided blade in the middle and some sort of warped blade knife at the bottom. Clearly, Walker Evans likes to use tools as the subjects in his still life photography, and he utilises them in very interesting ways. Firstly, all of the tools are elevated from the background, hung from a string. This is an interesting idea because it detaches the object from the background. This allows Walker Evans to use aperture to blur the background and completely separate the subject from it. Secondly, all of the tools are metallic, which provides an interesting texture to each of the photos that is different in each. The wrench seems quite solid, thick and put together. The double sided blade looks quite messy and thin, and the knife on the bottom appears quite shiny and sharp. With the addition of the objects being elevated, this allows Walker Evans to use lighting in different ways to make the objects appear in different textures. It also helps that there is no shadow created from the object.

Putting all of the images that I have analysed together demonstrates that both photographers give unique ideas, perspectives and inspirations to Still Life and overall they both provide perfect examples of Still Life photography that outline exactly what a Still Life image is, a still object with little to no context, just something that looks visually appealing.

Formalism is the visual aspects of a photo, that considers everything, such as light, designs, textures, and the general composition of the photo. A formalist photo will usually be more about the content rather than the context. They usually include still objects, arranged in either a chaotic or simple pattern, and utilise the shadows that the objects cast. This can be done in black and white, as when the colour is removed from the photo, the objects appear more still.

This is a photo by Alexander Rodchenko, an early 1900s photographer from Russia. The photo, which is in black and white, depicts a stack of mechanical objects. This gives the photo a very rigid, still feel, because the objects are metal and have a hard and solid texture. Also, the teeth on the gears form a pattern of lines that is visually appealing, and is the highlight of the shot. The use of lighting to cast deep shadows and to create contrast between the grooves also emphasises the pattern and adds a unique and mesmerising quality to the photo. Also, because of the height of the objects and the downwards angle that the camera is facing, it is easy for the viewers eyes to get lost in the pattern. This is a common trait that appears in other formalist photos too.

This is a photo of the Shuckov Radio Tower, also in Russia. Immediately what strikes the viewer is the pattern that the tower forms. This is also very easy to get lost in and is quite mesmerising too. The photo is also in black and white, which may not have been a choice considering when this photo was taken, but still the lack of colours makes the photo easier to look at and makes it easier to focus on the subject of the photo. The use of the shadows that follow the perimeter of the shot also make it feel like the photo has been taken from a void, a place covered in darkness.

This is another photo from Alexander Rodchenko. It depicts the intricate pattern of lines that appears on a building somewhere in Russia. Once again, this pattern is visually appealing. The picture also feels big, because the building stretches out of frame. However, in this photo, a lamp post is depicted as the subject of the photo. The lamp post juts out in the photo because it is dissimilar to the main line pattern that appears on the building. This brings an interesting quality to the photo, and could be linked to ‘wabi-sabi’, finding beauty in imperfection.

Overview

There are many similar features that are utilised in the photos shown here. All feature a complex, easy to look at, mesmerising pattern that takes up the majority of the shot. All are taken in black and white and even though it is not by choice, it makes the photos feel empty and still, devoid of emotion. There is more focus on what the content of the photo is and how it looks, rather than the context of the photo, where it was taken, what emotions the viewer feels. Each photo gives a high level of stillness, there is no movement. Nothing really is out of place, even when there is an object that doesn’t fit the criteria of the pattern around it. In general, formalism is the expression of still, a moment in time, not the time before or after, but in the moment.

What is still life?

Still life is a genre of art that depicts inanimate objects in a still frame. This usually comes with deeper context or meaning behind the objects that have been placed there. For example, skulls are used to symbolise death, exotic foods like fruit are used to demonstrate wealth, and books are used for knowledge.

Still Life started in the 16^th century, with Dutch painters like Pieter Aertsen, who pictured objects like expensive cheese, exotic fruit and various luxury items. This was done to show off the wealth of the painter and of his country.

Still Life Timeline

16th century painting by Pieter Aertsen from the Netherlands

17th century painting by Willem Kalf from the Netherlands

18th century painting by Anne Vallayer-Coster from France

19th century painting by Vincent Van Gogh from the Netherlands

20th century painting by Salvadore Dali from Spain

Still life photographers

The photos in this post all come from a 21st century photographer who is called Paulette Tavormina. She is a modern American artist that mainly focuses on replicating the essence of Still Life images. She uses similar techniques to the originators of the genre, in this photo using meats, bronze pots and other items that were considered “luxury” for the time. This also links to colonialism at the time as well, as exotic items usually came from far away countries that were colonised by countries like the Netherlands, France or England. Also in this photo, there is a sense of emptiness. There is no background. This is an example of Vanitas, the essence of emptiness. She uses this frequently in her Still Life photos.

The objects depicted in still life photos are used either to depict metaphors or because they visually have a nice shape and reflect well with light. For example, the apples and cherries in the photo above have a nice reflection that compliment their round shape and smooth texture.

This is another example of Still Life, from a Dutch painter named Willem Kalf. In the photo, there are gold items, exotic fruits and various other items that could be seen as wealth, such as the rug that sits scrunched up and almost neglected underneath all of the items. This could be to show that the owner of these items, either the painter or a wealthy person of the time, has enough money to neglect these luxurious objects.

Still Life metaphors:

Skulls/bones – used to depict death, the marching of time. This is usually made with the use of memento mori, the reminder of death

Flowers – romantic values, beauty

Food – fruits are used to depict wealth, meat is used to depict strength or integrity

Books – used to depict knowledge and high intelligence

Valuables – items like golden necklaces or rings, any item that looks expensive, is used to demonstrate power and wealth