For my personal Study I have looked at two photographers, Micheil Peters and August Sander. Michiel Peters is distinctive for his aesthetic and expertly crafted composition of his visualisations of the Second World War. With Images depicting the Soldiers of the past, his work is unique for there elaborate mise-en-scene of locations converted to the past. Taken with original vehicles, such as: Tanks, boats, trucks, Jeeps, aircraft, etc he makes good use of these to tell the true story of what occurred within Europe. August Sander, known for his extensive portfolio of the German peoples portrait over half a century, has been implemented as a highly influential figure within the world of photography. Through a single image he is able to convey so much about his subject due to their appearances and surroundings, for this reason, Sander’s work is recognised as a perfect example of the ‘environmental portrait’.

Michiel Peters –

August Sander –

Further sources –

Some other artist influences include Henri Cartier-Bresson, known widely for his candid street shots, captures the decisive points in time when pictures are taken, These to me show the candid reality of people which I can try to replicate in my work. From a historical context, I have looked into the work of Robert Capa, who is arguably the most recognisable war photographer for such works as the ‘Falling soldier’ taken during Spanish civil war of the 1930s and mainly his images of Omaha Beach, taken in the early hours of the invasion of Normandy, June 6th, 1944. D-Day. These shots capture the frontline horrors many back home had not seen yet and gave an accurate representation of the brutal reality many had to deal with during the Second World War. This practice of close combat photography would not take of massively until much later in the 20th century such as with the Vietnam War. Further more, I have collected my own sources of pictures of Jersey’s occupation which I aim to implement alongside by own images. For the staged candid effect I may want to experiment with I have also looked into the work of Paul M Smith. From real experiences within the Army, Smith recreated staged images of army training/combat photos where every soldier was himself. From this I can explore the more personal aspects of the occupation and how much I can represent my passion for the subject.

‘Liberation of Paris’, August 1944 – Henri Cartier-Bresson.

‘Omaha Beach’, June 6th 1944, Robert Capa.

‘Artist Rifle’, 1997, Paul Smith.

Further into Paul Smiths Artist Rifle series can be seen here to see how he uses clones of himself to create some interesting story’s within his photographs.

Link – https://www.saatchigallery.com/artist/paul_smith

Personal Response from artist inspiration, Michiel Peters:

Interested in his work, I reached to the photographer to ask him 3 questions on his work relating to some ideas behind my project:

What inspired your to recreate these visualised images of the Second World War?

“I’ve always had a passion for photography and military history. As I live in Belgium I always went to the Ardennes to attend the battle of the bulge commemorations in December every year since I was a little boy. But at the same time I never had the feeling that the pictures I saw really brought the history to life in such a way that the horror of the war in all its aspects was represented so that people would know the horror these soldiers had endured. I wanted to bring more character In my pictures to relate to real soldiers during World War 2.”

Have you taken influence from any other photographers?

“I have not really been inspired by other photographers, when I started photographing re-enactment, this form of photography was only in its early days VS now where it has gotten a real boost in recent years. I see myself more of a pioneer by telling a story with my pictures, instead taking just a few shots here and there. I never take just 1 re-enactment photo, I always work based on a project which contains more pics to tell a story. I try to be more cinematic in my pictures, hence my inspiration comes more from movies and TV than other photographers, such as with Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan, the Longest Day, and some others.

“These photoshoots are most of the time in private shoots not open to the public, I can’t be limited by a public fence where I need to stand behind, for me, the only correct way to capture the re-enactors is when you are next to them in the mud, snow, rain, foxholes, tanks, etc. This is not possible from 100m, you need to be embedded with them or otherwise I cant get the character I want in my pictures I want. The only photographer I relate to in WW2 is Robert Capa with his famous quote… ‘If your pictures are not good enough, you are not close enough!'”.

Does retelling these soldiers lives make you feel more connected to them?

“I work with dedicated re-enactors, at the original historical accurate WW2 locations In Belgium, Normandy, etc. I aim to recreate these scenes as accurately as possible in their environment, using only authentic equipment. The only way I can pay tribute to our fallen heroes the best I can is to show them in this way to express my photographic mind as much as possible.”

Statement of intent:

Due to my strong interest into the Second World War, I feel as if my knowledge on the subject will make an interesting documentative personal study. Creating a recreated depiction of the men stationed at Corbiere, I will base my images through the personal accounts some of these soldiers gave from CIOS annual reviews. Having personal access to the Bunkers they where physically in, written accounts from the men themselves and uniforms they would have worn, I feel this is a good stepping stone into how this project can be creatively and effectively made. I would like to do this to explore our islands history and share it with others who either aren’t aware or want to know more about our islands history. By covering the Occupiers side, I aim to tell an often untold story about their emotions and lives amongst the trapped islanders.

M19 Bunker, Corbiere – The Bunker some of these men where in, and is where the soldier, Engelbert Hoppe was in command of at the age of 19.

Circa 1980s – Engelbert Hoppe, re-visiting the old bunker he was in command of from 1943 – 1945, Corbiere.

Project ideas –

• Idea centred around war: more specifically Jersey and its occupation, with the lives of German soldiers within MG battalion 16, 2nd Company, E.g. Horst Herrmann and Engelbert Hoppe.

• Documentative style photography: Candid, natural, In the moment.
• Past, present future: Current conflict, based on culture, immigration, economics, ideologies, prejudices.
• Threat of isolation, stationed far away from Germany, family, what was the physiological impact. With no contact mainland Europe after D-Day what would their concerns, or hopes be? Liberation or fighting to the death?

Inspiration –

Imageworx:

This social media page recreates iconic and some lesser iconic events from the second world war, with modern editing, these images are given a dramatized aesthetic which use a vivid colour pallet to retell these moving stories. With photos taken often in natural lighting it creates that immersive feeling as if they are coloured from originals. As their photograph Marcel Bahnen states, they “Visualise” the Second World War, this to me creates an accurate and genuine insight to these people from past, which I feel when I look at original photographs.

Another group, Paralightworx, a German historical film company, recreate these sorts of images also:

Using colour grading as well as practical and digital effects, these to me can effectively be used to tell a visually appealing story. Used in their short films, it is applied very well. Paralightworx also make create use of colour schemes based on location which I would like to try and replicate. Basing of the tone of the area, I will try to do the same within my photographs.

Another photographer who explores this sub-genre of historical visualisation is Michiel Peters. With numerous images covering the conflict he specialises in portraying these men and women who fought as accurate as possible, even down to locations they fought at. With his photography’s aesthetic style, I would like to recreate the gritty, low-saturated colour scheme he uses. Using his idea of photographing in the exact locations soldiers where, I will replicate that through doing the same within the bunkers of Corbiere. With many of the bunkers restored to look how they did during the Second World War, this was add to the depictive value I aim to replicate.

Germans of 2nd Company, MG Battalion 16 and their stories:

CIOS Review NO.35

Engelbert Hoppe –

Born on the 18th August 1924, In the town of Eschweiler, six miles from Aachen. Engelbert was raised by family as a roman catholic. At age 11, Engelbert experienced the Nazi regimes take-over, and would be forced into his future career: “I wasn’t a member of the Hitler Youth and I was ‘arrested’ along with some friends for wearing the blue shirt of the catholic boy scouts whilst camping in the Eifel woods. Even here the Gestapo had traced us. We were locked up in a barn for the day and our two leaders were taken to Aachen Gestapo Headquarters for Questioning which lasted for two days. This was all terrifying”. Being well-educated, Engelbert was studying at boarding school, awaiting his call to university, this however was not case as his conscription papers arrived and he was forced to report in Aachen. Assigned to Stamm-Komp./G.E.B. 464 (Regulars company/Grenadier replacement Batallion 464), there barracks where situated in his hometown, marching past his parents house, they had not known he had been drafted.

In May of 1944, He was moved to St Malo to then be shipped to Jersey, here a stroke of luck would occur. Running into the commander of St Malo himself, Oberst Von Aulock, he was ordered to report to a Bunker in St Malo, on presenting his ticket to Jersey he was able to convince him to allow him passage to his ship. This would prove to be lucky as in the later months of that same year St Malo was laid waste to a siege by allied forces.

Serving in Jersey, apart of MG Battalion 16, 2nd Company he was put in charge of the M19 bunker complex. Reaching the Headquarters of MG battalion 16 the Feldwebel at the desk asked him from, replying Eschweiler, near Aachen, the Feldwebel in shock replied he was too, and a frequent guest to Engelbert’s parents café. To Engelbert, although being far from home, he felt somewhat closer with this first impression of the island. When reaching Corbiere he gave his first impressions “walking on, all of a sudden I was fascinated by a wonderful seascape – Corbiere lighthouse. This wonderful sight made me stop for a while and take a deep breathe, smelling and tasting the sea air, I saw the Corbiere tea room and 2 bunkers on my right spoiling the view of the lighthouse”.

living in the bunker with 6 other men he would come spend a lot of time with them, all aged around 40, they all could’ve been his father. Life on the island was static, to pass the time, Engelbert and his comrades played games, fished, sung. One of his Comrades, Gustav, singing, when asking the lyrics he told Engelbert not to bother as this was a political song in support of a left-wing political view, and ideology that he had been punished for in the past and went against the sentiments of the Nazis. When exploring the area, Engelbert became friends with some of the locals, Mr and Mrs Le Brocq, when dining in their tea room, Mrs Le Brocq said to him that she did not see him as an occupier but a new neighbour, like with the men of the bunker, he saw them as his grandparents, feeling again somewhat closer to home.

By June 6th, 1944, the allied invasion had began. with the recapturing of Europe, Jersey was cut off, food imports stopped, hunger began. With allied planes over the island, the men where put on alert 24/7. With the food ration dwindling in the colder months, the local population began to starve. Within the cold concrete bunker, small stoves kept them warm. Food was gathered by ‘the poacher’ Karl heinen, hunting rabbits with his rifle, fishing was done by a West-Prussian, named Joszef Proehma who was skilled at the craft.

Being written a letter from home. Engelbert discovered his home town had been bombed, luckily his parents and sister had survived, His brother who also was in the war had lost his Bf109 over paris and was reassigned to a parachutist unit. With Germany bombed and Jersey not he was saddened at the unfortunate circumstances. With the arrival of the SS Vega in late December, the Le Brocqs had been given red cross parcels from Canada and New Zealand. Visiting them, Engelbert was given a small bundle of items such as chocolate, biscuits and butter. Brought to tears he had no way to thank them, spending time with them they used their secret wireless to listen to the BBC, the news gave him home that the war would end in a few months. Surviving the rest of the war Engelbert became one of many POWs (prisoners of wars) or as Engelbert named it POPs (Prisoners of peace), and was taken to England to then be sent back home.

Engelbert’s Poem:

An Die Nacht –

“Ewige Ruh liegt um mich her,

veträumt hör ich die wasser rauschen.

Ich sitz am weiten weltenmeer

und will den wellen lauschen.

Klar ist die Nacht der funkelnden Sterne,

Der goldne Mond spielt mit der Flut;

Komm, greif mich einsame Ferne,

Der Menschen Welt rings um mich ruht.

Leise erzählen die Wasser von Heimat,

Führen mich zu der Eltern Haus,

Bilder der Kindheit ziehn ans Gestad,

Steigen aus dunkeln tiefen heraus…

Stille Nacht, nun bist du gegangen,

Hab Dank für deine himmlische Macht.

All mein Gedanken hielst du umfangen

Und hast mach Jersey die Heimat Gebracht.”

– Im Juni/Juli 1944.

Translated to English –

To The Night –

“Eternal silence all around me,

Like in a dream I hear the waters rush.

Sitting by the ocean.

I listen to the waves.

Clear is this night of sparking stars,

The Golden moon is playing with the rising tide;

Come get me, distant loneliness,

The world of men around me is at rest.

The water murmurs of my homeland,

Leads me to my parents’ house,

Images of childhood come to shore,

Rising from the darkest depths…

Silent night, now you have gone,

I thank you for your divine power.

You engulfed my thoughts

And brought a piece of home to Jersey.”

In June/ July 1944.

CIOS Review NO.49

Horst Hermann –

Born, 8th March, 1925 In Berlin, Horst lived through a post-war capital, infested with hyper-inflation and political instability. Serving some time working for the state labour service, he built railways. At the age of 19 he was drafted in 1943. Being issued his uniform and an old helmet from the first world war, Horst saw this as a good Insurance policy however as due to its thicker steel it offered more protection. With 9 other Berliners, Horst spent some time fighting on the Eastern front. Due to his young age, he was not fit for fighting in such an active role so what ordered by a higher up that he would be sent to “some god-forsaken island off the French coast”. Travelling across Europe in Goods’ wagons he arrived at St Malo and was shipped off to Jersey in September of 1943. Alongside his fellow Berliners, they where all posted to 2nd Company of MG Battalion 16.

Stationed within various positions he mainly resided in the 10.5cm Canon, Jagerstand.

Observe, Seek, Challenge:

“The human desire to seek and explore the unknown has driven artists to look for fresh Inspiration throughout the centuries, compelling them to find diverse subject matter and experiment with new materials.”

• Historical influences remain at the core of what we create now – Cave paintings such as within the caves of Ajanta and Chauvet, influenced Pablo Picasso, upon visiting cave paintings at Altamira he went on to say ‘In 15,000 years we have invented nothing’. The way we create reactions to art, through an artists “Accuracy of Observation” shows how we find satisfaction in what we have. with famous painters such as Rembrandt, he mirrors reality with his hyper-realistic paintings.

Rembrandt, Self portrait, 1628.

Cave paintings of Ajanta, Illustrated well over 15,000 years ago.

Looking at the contemporary artist, Banksy, he explores the question on the irony and expense of erasing Graffiti, whilst prehistoric examples are preserved. At what point is graffiti considered worthy of protecting? and should art both “professional” like Rembrandts realist artworks and contemporary pieces such as Banksy, be held in the same regard.

Banksy, Cave Painting Removal, May 2008.

• Soviet Avant Grande, propaganda posters influencing modern graphic design. Furthermore, shows how art depicts ideological ideas/movements. This shows how art can seek involvement, and engagement through encouragement for a cause, which in this case is political. This is still used today through various mediums such as promotional graphics for day-to-day necessity’s.

G.Pavlov – CCSP Proletarian Brigade, Lenningrad, 1976.

• Art connects the minds of its creator to its outcome. Jackson Pollock for example uses body movements to create his surrealist paintings. “The Search to unravel the working of the Human psyche and understand the very nature of consciousness has often inspired artists”.

Jackson Pollock, ‘Blue Poles’ , 1952.

Another artist, Laura Splan, collaborated with scientists to create lace sculptures of accurate depictions of microscopic virus’s. This to me, shows their deeper connection with the world we observe, seek and challenge.

Laura Splan, Doilies (SARS, HIV, Influenza, Herpes, Hepadna), 2004.

• Documentative photographers often venture to dangerous locations to capture rare and often unseen images. These dangerous locations often include places such as war zones, where the heat of battle has only now become truly documented through modern advancements such as the camera. Artists such as Robert Capa, are well known for their photographic involvement in major historical events, observing them through a lens.

Robert Capa, D-Day – Omaha Beach, 1944.

• Artists can be experimental with their work, choosing to challenge the conventional ideals of what art can be defined as. Like Banksy, The Artist and Photographer, Ai Weiwei is a strong example of this through his contemporary work, often with a simple action but underlined with deeper meanings.

Ai Weiwei, Study of Perspective, 1999.

Intro:

From the start of my time at Hautlieu, I have experimented with recreating my own interpretations of the different photographers I have studied and their unique styles. Through numerous themes of photography, I have enjoyed documentative photography the most. With artists such as Ansel Adams and Henri Cartier Bresson, I believe they have served as my largest inspirations through my related work.

Past work:

Summer Project –

With the summer project I believe this shows my start into the documentative aspects of photography. Although recreating another artist, William Eggelston, I find his work is similar to that of Henri Cartier-Bresson. With Williamsons work however, I do find I enjoyed his naturalistic images, all an aesthetic into the vintage era of America.

William Eggelston –

My example –

With photos such as this I felt like I recreated this well during my stay in a second world war re-enactment weekend. Captured in the candid style, commonly used through documentative images, I would take this further when I would become inspired by Cartier-Bresson’s style.

Environmental portraits –

With our identity project I chose to continue with aspects of documentative photography through the study of portrait photographer, August Sander. Although not candid, these images to me still were documentative through their ability to show time through people of the past. Some other influences from this topic included Alec sloth and Vanessa Winship.

August Sander –

Alec Sloth –

Vanessa Whinship –

My Example –

Taking this further, I took what I had learnt from analysing August Sander’s and Alec Sloth’s photographs and made a larger piece of work in my own documentative style and aesthetic. Titled ‘A day in the life’, this project centred around my family’s business and how I documented it in a vintage newspaper style.

Anthropocene –

From this project, I feel as if I had a larger interest to try and explore this style of photography. With all the conceptual motives that can be applied to the style this would be explored later on in my work with the studying of other photographers such as some local examples, Thomas Sutton, Albert Smith and Francis Foot. Apart of my Anthropocene project, I looked into their varying photographic approaches, which each contain uniqueness in their outcomes. Sutton in his images often explores the anthropogenic elements of the Island, such as Jerseys recognisable coasts and historic structures, Smith on the other hand focuses more on photographing, at his time, the present environment which has since been changed over time, with his images we can see how far they’ve changed to now and get a look into out recognisable locations long before.

Francis Foot – Circa 1910’s, Local Islander.

My examples:

Using a historical basis of people, places and the past, I focused mine on German occupation of Jerseys recognisable structures such as Elizabeth Castle and famous tourist spots like Corbiere. I also explored the Anthropocene of war and that despite its circumstantial distances still contains similar elements of the past.

Street Photography –

With a documentative insight to people, places and time, these 3 photographers sparked my interest for their local significance and their ability to capture island life from the mind 19th century to early 20th. With an insight further into documentative photography, I would soon discover, Henri Cartier-Bretton, where I would study his work of street photography of European towns and other places in the mid 20th century and recreate his style myself within the walls of St Malo. Cartier-Bresson focuses on the conceptual idea ‘The decisive moment’, her he states that everything that occurs happens in a flow of events, In Cartier-Bresson’s eyes, there are moments within these events that contain a perfect arrangement within a frame. These moments are always spontaneous and often never repeat themselves, therefore making the photographer vigilant to be ready to capture that decisive moment.

Henri Cartier-Bretton examples:

My Examples:

With my Images I created here, I became more appreciative of the style of Street Photography and how it could be applied to documentative photography, with its intrusive, candid style of capturing peoples lives, this really inspired to create more like images like this.

St Malo Page spreads:

Harbour Project:

With our harbour project, we collected images for making paper books/Zines. Here I took from what I had learned from my previous project, and attempt to apply it locally and to my own style. Capturing the leisure and work aspects of the harbour my book was dedicated to documenting the characters and sites of St Helier Harbour.

Harbour Booklet/Zine:

Mirrors and windows –

With a look into the mini-project, ‘Mirrors and Windows’, this stems from the theory of John Szarkowski, who states photography falls into 2 categories of either being Mirrors or Windows. As Szarkowski states “The distance between in terms of their conceptions of what a photograph is: it is a mirror, reflecting a portrait of the artist who made it, or a window, through which one might better know the world?”. To explain it simply, when creating a photograph, does it capture/represent you as an artist, either abstractly or normal (Mirror). Or does it show the exterior world, with all its natural elements (Window). With my past interests into documentative photography, I was more interested in the Window aspect. Looking at the Artist, Robert Frank, who was inspired by Cartier-Bresson, this inspired me to create my own outcomes to the concept of ‘Window’ photography.

Robert Franks work:

My examples:

With the documentative photography style, heavily implemented into my work I believe I have created various aesthetical and contemporary pieces of work which I can use to influence me in my final project outcome.

Mirrors and Windows Photoshoot:

Inspired by Artists Henri Cartier-Bretton, Ansel Adams and Robert Frank, I have created a small photoshoot into the response of Mirrors and windows. Capturing both elements I aimed to envision my own concepts of the 2 In my own mini-project I will title: ‘People In Places’. Through this I will aimed to capture people I find in areas I choose to travel too. With locations being well known Jersey places, these will be recognisable to those that find interest in my work.

Project –

For my project, I captured the area of L’Etaq, Battery Moltke and Corbiere. Here I aimed to capture the naturalistic landscapes and people of the areas, As well as reflect my self as someone who is connected to these locations through family residing there or passions/hobbys.

L’Etaq –

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Intro-

With the emergence of the Camera in the early 19th century, two photographic processes were developed: the Calotype and Daguerreotype. produced by Henry Fox Talbot, in 1841, the calotype, used paper, coated with silver iodide. Exposed to light in a camera obscura, these areas hit by light would become darker and develop a negative image, using other chemicals this could begin to ‘develop’ an image on the paper. This developing process permitted a much shorter exposure time in the camera from one hour to one minute.

The Daguerreotype, made by Louis Daguerre in around 1839, was produced by silver-platted copper that had been cleaned and polished to a mirror-like surface which would then be sensitized in a closed box until it became a yellow/rose colour. from this it would then be placed within a camera and once exposed to light, developed over hot mercury until an image appeared, to fix the image it would be immersed in a solution of sodium thiosulfate or salt and then finally toned with gold chloride.

“The basic material of photographs is not intrinsically beautiful. It’s not like ivory or tapestry or bronze or oil on canvas. You’re not supposed to look at the thing, you’re supposed to look through it. It’s a window.” ¹

– John Szarkowski

“In the past decade a new generation of photographers has directed the documentary approach toward more personal ends. Their aim has been not to reform life, but to know it.” ²

– John Szarkowski

With Calotypes, being more easily transportable than the Daguerreotype, though its historical usage, It is more commonly used with John Szarkowski’s thesis, of window photography. Using the natural occurrence of camera obscura too, this relied on the natural light of outside. Daguerreotypes on the other hand, with its more complex process off transporting its sheets of photographed copper, these where widely used with portrait photography, with the focus being more-so around Daguerre this can be seen as more reflective of him as an artist, fitting into Szarkowski’s category of mirror photography.

Para 1 –

‘Suzanne on her bed’, 1983, Nan Goldin.

This Image to me conveys Szarkowski’s conceptional thesis of mirror photography. Although not being an image of the artist herself, through the context of the photograph and general assumption of the shoot location we as an audience can deduce that this is someone she knows and is conveying details of her own life. I know that from the artist herself she is quoted to say that when first producing these images, the audience consisted “entirely of the people in the slide show, my lovers and friends.”³ for this reason I believe that with this staged image, it is used to convey Goldin’s life through a individual and characteristic medium. Another quote to support my argument can be found where Goldin goes onto say that her photographs aimed to capture “fragments of life as it was being lived.”⁴.

“It is the realist view that the world exists independent of human attention, that it contains discoverable patterns of intrinsic meaning, and that by discerning these patterns, and forming models or symbols of them with the material of his art, the artist is joined to a larger intelligence.” ⁵ Through this quote, Szarkowski suggest that by taking what is known in the world such as with window photography, artists like Goldin, re-invent their existing meanings and reflect themselves more to the world through their photographs, like a mirror. Despite being staged, her work captures that “anthropocentric” nature of preserving humanity’s past as an artform. As Jed Perl states about Szarkowski’s thesis, “The very technology of photography contains an admission that the “world exists independent of human attention” —a photograph is, after all, a record of nature, of the world’s lights and shadows. A photograph provides, to use Szarkowski’s word, an “autobiographical” response to a realist situation.”⁶ from this it can be seen that Jed and Szarkowski’s idea’s both can be found in Goldin’s work, documenting life, subjectively it shows her own perceptions through visual illustrations of life. Through this example it also shows how both elements of mirror and window photography can co-exist with one an other within an image. It can be asked however being staged images, does this over-exaggerate that period of time? like with the Romanticism era of art, which portrayed an idealistic depiction of the countryside, does Goldin’s portrayal of life in the late 80’s do the same? this is what proposed Szarkowski’s thesis, which divides photography with photos either being a ‘Mirror’ or ‘Window’.

Para 2 –

‘Brussels’, 1932, Henri Cartier-Bresson.

This Image to me is applicable to Szarkowski’s thesis of mirror photography. Within this Image and many more of his work, Cartier-Bresson’s aim was to capture the world and its people candidly through time. From my own knowledge I know that Cartier-Bresson’s’ photos are based around his expressional concept of the ‘decisive moment’. Capturing day-to-day people and places at a perfect point in time, Cartier-Bresson’s photography can be seen to transfer them into captivating artworks of a documentative aesthetic. Unaltered in their contents, Cartier-Bresson can be quoted to say “Of all the means of expression, photography is the only one that fixes a precise moment in time.” ⁷. How I find this is related to mirror photography can found with the argument that his snap-shots, Photographing the world of the past, connotes to me the sentiments behind mirror photography of showing the world we live in. Visualising the world in the notion of realism, this to me is being conveyed in Cartier-Bresson’s work. Although his work is acknowledged by Szarkowski, the idea of the ‘decisive moment’ is not something that Szarkowski seems entirely fond off.

“The photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson tried to indicate the importance of choosing the visually correct instant to make an exposure by referring to it as the “decisive moment.” Is the picture of a steeple falling from a burning church the same as the picture of the burnt remains?” here Szarkowski implies that, despite his contributions to window photography, he believes that Cartier-Bresson’s images create an impact from its artistic timing, and less so from its intended documentative purpose. Szarkowski states that “Viewers should also ask themselves how an image would be historically different if it had been taken earlier or later.” “stopped it creates a slice of time, a picture rather than a whole story.” ⁸ To me this suggests that Szarkowski wishes to convey a larger narrative within his photos, however due to the nature of photography is limited in that respect to documenting a single point in time, with the photographer being in control of when the picture is taken, this may suggest Szarkowski is saying that within window photography, aspects of its opposite, ‘mirror’, seep in through the artists own creative choice. taking Inspiration by the images produced by Cartier-Bresson, Szarkowski names another American photographer who with his work, ‘The Americans’, 1958, displays an accurate example of his thesis of how photography can be a ‘window’. As he states: Robert Frank’s (The artist) work “characterizes opposite modes of the new photography, with its divergence between those who believe that art is a mirror, reflecting a portrait of the artist who made it, and those who see it as a window, through which one may better know the world.”⁹

– John Szarkowski

‘Democratic National Convention‘, 1956, Robert Frank.

As Jed Perl’s describes Szarkowski’s opinion of Robert Frank’s work, he states that he moves “toward an introverted “realism,” involved with the “exploration” of a private “window” on the world.” ¹⁰ Despite not believing in Cartier-Bresson’s conception of the decisive moment it can seen in comparison that Frank has taken inspiration from this idea.

Acting as a ‘window’ into our world, both of these artists captured and documented the world around us, with Frank taking influence on Cartier-Bresson’s style, It can be said that his photographs mimic the aesthetic of Cartier-Bresson’s. Reflective of his style, This can contribute to some aspects of Mirror photography, as artists recognisable for their own style, show some sign of individualism with their style. Here it can also be said that this shows that some aspects of ‘mirror’ photography can exist within a documentative ‘window’ photographer.

Conclusion –

In conclusion, I find that these two images are perfect examples into how to differentiate Szarkowski’s theory of ‘Mirrors’ and ‘Windows’. To understand how both ‘mirror’ and ‘window’ photographs can exist within the world of photography, a study into these images show how. With Goldin’s romanticised and unique images, this shows her interpretation of life through a reflective recreation of art. In a similar way Cartier-Bresson displays his interpretation of life, through a documentative and more naturalistic approach. Although different in terms of aesthetic, both are representative of the lifestyle of the human being, and how we perceive it. Upon a singular examination into one of the two photographs, it is evident upon analysis on how they differ: with Goldin’s staged images, analytical into her own personal life, this is far more expressive of her own thoughts and impressions of herself as an artist. With Cartier-Bresson on the other hand, his work is much more public, being outside, his images show realism through the unknown people captured within his photographs. Unlike Goldin, he doesn’t explain who these people are and for this reason is much more documentative of the people, but is limited with its lack of description of who he captures. As Szarkowski states “From his photographs [the photographer] learned that the appearance of the world was richer and less simple than his mind would have guessed. He discovered that his pictures could reveal not only the clarity but the obscurity of these things, and that these mysterious and evasive images could also, in their own terms, seem ordered and meaningful.”¹¹ here Szarkowski implies that despite the idea of two forms of photography with their own conceptual definitions, both generate the same outcome of depicting the world in all its naturalisms and ambiguous meanings. As Jed Perl states “The possibilities of photography, like the possibilities of any art, are as great or as small as the visions of artists.”¹² Through this quote it is fair to assume that what makes an image either a window or a mirror is entirely up to how the photographer interprets.

1. https://photoquotes.com/author/john-szarkowski ↩︎
2. https://photoquotes.com/quote/in-the-past-decade-a-new-generation-of-photographe ↩︎
3. https://www.moma.org/artists/7532 ↩︎
4. https://www.moma.org/artists/7532 ↩︎
5. https://www.moma.org/documents/moma_catalogue_2347_300062558.pdf?_ga=2.54789417.324587201.1678794436-79728838.1664367708 ↩︎
6. https://archive.aperture.org/article/1978/2/2/mirrors-and-windows-messages-from-moma ↩︎
7. https://shuttermuse.com/inspirational-henri-cartier-bresson-quotes/ ↩︎
8. https://photoquotes.com/quote/the-thing-itself–br—what-the-photographer-takin ↩︎
9. https://www.moma.org/documents/moma_catalogue_2347_300062558.pdf?_ga=2.54789417.324587201.1678794436-79728838.1664367708 ↩︎
10. https://archive.aperture.org/article/1978/2/2/mirrors-and-windows-messages-from-moma ↩︎
11. https://photoquotes.com/author/john-szarkowski ↩︎
12. https://archive.aperture.org/article/1978/2/2/mirrors-and-windows-messages-from-moma ↩︎

What are the differences between photographs that are mirrors or windows?

According to John Szarkowski, Photography falls into 2 categories of either being Mirrors or Windows. As Szarkowski states “The distance between in terms of their conceptions of what a photograph is: it is a mirror, reflecting a portrait of the artist who made it, or a window, through which one might better know the world?”. To explain it simply, when creating a photograph, does it capture/represent you as an artist, either abstractly or normal (Mirror). Or does it show the exterior world, with all its natural elements (Window).

Other words that can be used to describe Mirror photography include:

• Subjective
• Reflective
• Interpretation
• Personal
• Characteristic
• Individual
• Unique
• Staged
• Non-Candid
• Aesthetic
• Tableaux
• Romantacism
• Fiction
• Manipulated

Other words that can be used to describe Window photography include:

• Documentative
• Non-fiction
• Realism
• Candid
• Aesthetic
• Naturalisltic
• Unaltered
• Genuine
• Objective
• Straight
• Optical
• Views

Artists that include Mirrors and Windows:

Henri Cartier Bresson –

Henri Cartier-Bresson, previously studied for his use of the decisive moment when taking photographs, can be said to be create windows within his work. With many of his images taken on the street, with candid shots of the everyday passer-by, Cartier-Bresson can be said to show the world around us within his work, with no images of himself within his projects, this shows his aim is not to explore his own identity as an artist but the others around him. His photobook ‘Europeans’ is a good example as this collection documents aesthetically people all other Europe in the years from 1930 -1980.

Nan Goldin –

Representative of her own life, Goldin first displayed her work within Bars and nightclubs in the 80’s and 90’s to audiences, for her photos her subjects consisted of “entirely of the people in the slide show, my lovers and friends.” as Goldin states. Through photographing these people close to her this contributes to the mirror aspects of Szarkowski’s photography concept.

Final outcome – Zine:

Cropping down the original image, which previously had a lot of space around it this creates a much larger focal point on the tone and detail of the statue, with a blurred background this makes the sailors silhouette stand out and for that reason, was why I found it perfect for the front cover.

With the line of boats, I found this images composition creative in its sporadic array of objects within the tight frame. With the railings and rooftops of the boats, this creates a visual ladder which pulls your eyes to the top of the image. The docking and actual ladder in the top left adds some contrast to fill the negative space.

I found that this image came out really well in not only detail and composition but its ability to tell a story. Waiting for the decisive moment to snap the 2 sailors as they crossed straight through the middle of my lens, the other brighter boats around them contrasts well to their darkened silhouettes on the grey toned sea. With this candid shot, it creates a narrative to me that they are going about their daily lives living around the seaside.

I think out of the 2 shoots, these are some of the best images I took and am very happy with their outcomes. With good use of natural light, short depth of focus and positioning these created an overall good Mise En Scene.

With these images, I feel like these contribute well to the aim of creating a story/narrative within this zine. Through both a candid and non-candid shot, they work well together to show a person how they would appear in a conversation VS in their day to day environment.

I like how with this photo, although not containing much about what’s in frame, it can make you construct your own idea about the person who is shown through their belongings. With the fisherman’s waders, to me it creates a rough idea of the types of jobs they may do around the harbour.

With these 2 paired together, they have an interesting composition, which to me comes from their relatability of the harbour theme. With Captain Brian Nibs, formerly being a harbour master, it is quite fitting for him to be placed alongside this image as it shows the harbour he’s become so associated with.

As a full page spread, this image continues on the narrative of the previous with showing Captain Brian Nibs in his maritime environment. With the title of this zine ‘Docked Lives’ this is a polysemous name I chose for the overall aims of the project. To create a narrative of peoples lives around the harbour, with boats oared up this meant they have ‘Docked Lives’, being a documentative style of photography, I played off the title to match this as ‘Docked’ can be interpreted as ‘documented’.

Through some good angles, I find the overall mise-en-scene of these images, matching well into the aesthetic, with the rules of thirds applied I find that these images are well positioned to make an interesting photograph.

Like the images from the rowing club, I think this is another favourite of mine, With a captivating motion blur effect, this to me is a really detailed photograph which captures something outside the working element of the harbour and focuses on parts of its recreational usage too.

Finishing on this image, its dead centre positioning of the boat creates one final attention grab to levels of detail within the photo. with the shadow line crossing half the boat and water to the sun light waves on other side, this to me created a unique composition.

Design & Layout:

Practice –

Making a paper mock-up this allowed for me to create a rough idea on how and where my images should be positioned, As well as an idea of creative a story/narrative with my photographs in my shoots.

(Rough paper mock-up of Zine).

Altering around their positions, spacing and size, I was able to create an idea of how my images could be arranged, choosing to stick similar images taken around the same spot or same subject together, this to me showed an early example on how I can create my narratives.

Layout on InDesign.

Selecting my final images, I began the process of creating my final zine. Using the rectangular tool and font styles I was able to create an interesting minimalistic aesthetic for my front cover.

Taking Inspiration from Henri Cartier-Bresson’s Photobook ‘Europeans’, I Based some of my page layout designs on his work. Featuring images covering 2 pages as well as some fulling almost 1, this inspired me with some of the placement of images in my work.

(Some page examples of ‘Europeans’ By Henri Cartier-Bresson).

STORY: 

What is your story?
Describe in:

• 3 words – Industry, History and Normality.
• A sentence – Within St Helier Harbour the Fishing industry prepares and sells the fish, History of the harbour is shared from the locals and sites and Normality is experienced by those living in amongst the boats.
• A paragraph – In the busy area of Jersey’s Harbour, much goes on within small section of Jersey. With Men and Women working hard to provide for the island their work can be seen from within the Jersey’s fishing industry, managing shipping and keeping our harbour areas clean. With such a rich history, Jersey’s past has much to offer, within the harbour this can be seen clearly with the old harbours of long before, reminiscent of events and stories of the past. With places and people such as the Maritime Museum and Captain Brian Nibs, they are here to tell this story of what has come to be of Jersey’s harbour. All though the harbour is busy with its large ships, such as the condors or shipping vessels, the harbour also has some recreational use with the varying personal vessels docked in the harbours many marinas.

NARRATIVE:

 How will you tell your story?

• Images > New St Helier Harbour photographs
• Archives > Old photographs of St Helier Harbour from SJ photo-archive or JEP Photographic Archive
• Texts > Write a short introduction or statement about your picture story, image captions
• Typography > creative uses of words, letters, font-types, sizes

Add a selection of your final 10-16 images as a moodboard/ gallery to the blog post too, including any archive material too.

Some Images I may use:

Some archive Imagery I may include:

Albert Smith’s Photography –

Unknown –

During the Second World War: