“Explore the dichotomies of the characteristics between the day and the night.”
‘Photographs are perhaps the most mysterious of all the objects that make up, and thicken, the environment we recognize as modern. ‘(Sontag 1977:4)
During the day, the natural sunlight brings energy, clearness of the landscapes around and life to the world around us, however, at night the same landscapes/spaces give a sense of mysteriousness, loneliness and emptiness. These changes not only alter the location/setting itself but the emotional impact it has on those who experience it. The contrast between the day and night creates a powerful effect, one where the light and shadow shape the way we perceive the environment as well as the way we engage with it emotionally. My personal study focuses on the polarity between day and night, specifically how the shift from day to night creates different judgement of areas, time and emotion. To explore this theme, I have chosen to analyse the work of William Eggleston and Todd Hido, these two photographers approach the use of light, colour and the setting in unique ways. Eggleston`s photography captures the ordinary in extraordinary ways, differently Hido`s style of photography highlights isolation and mystery. In addition, I will include Pierre Putman, whose work compliments both artists by offering a different perspective on the play between light and shadow. Putman’s cinematic photographs focus on solitary dark urban settings, where artificial lighting and glowing lampposts create a dreamlike, interesting scenery, turning empty streets into powerful, emotional stories. I will respond to their work by featuring both daytime and night-time images, influenced by the work of these three artists, in my final photobook.
“Explore the Dichotomies of the Characteristics Between Day and Night”
Introduction(250 – 500 Words)
Opening quote, a opening quote which will grab the reader`s attention and make the reader question.
I can use a quote from Susan Sontag’s writing.
I will commence the introduction with a condensed explanation, mainly writing about how photography can show the hidden areas of normal locations, preparing the theme for the rest of the essay which is the dichotomies between the day and night.
In this Introductory paragraph I will introduce how natural and artificial lighting during the night and day alter settings, bringing out contrasting emotions, I also will write about the contrast of emotions, for example, daytime: clarity, life and energy and for nighttime: Mystery, emptiness and loneliness.
The second section within the introduction will introduce the artists and how they link with my project / theme.
William Eggleston : Known for his use of colour and capturing ordinary life in extraordinary ways.
Pierre Putman : His strong compositions showing off the blend of light and shadows in city settings, he creates a unreal, dreamlike mood with his images.
Todd Hido : Links with his thought provoking night photography, he also explores theme of isolation and mystery.
During this introduction, I will also explain why I have chosen this theme and my own personal attachment to this theme.
I will higlight my main goal of showcasing images during the day and night in my photobook to show the changes.
I will finalize my essay with my essay`s overall focus, which is to analise the work of these artists and how they link to my theme of the dichotomies between the day and the night.
The main focus for this initial paragraph is, the use of colour in photography and how it has changed and developed overtime, especially since the 1970s. I have specifically chosen the 1970s as this was when artists like William Eggleston changed how colour in photography was used and seen.
I will mention the history of colour photography and how in the past it was seen as less “artistic” in comparison to monochrome images.
I will mention how in the 1970s colour photography made a change and became an understood and appreciated art form, mainly influenced by the work of William Eggleston.
New TopographicsNew TopographicsNew Topographics
I will also discuss New Topographics and how that changed how viewers interpreted ordinary landscape images.
I may also carry on using Sontag`s extracts and other sources to support my statements and writing about how photography can change someones way of viewing and emotion.
Paragraph 2 – William Eggleston(500 Words)
William EgglestonWilliam EgglestonWilliam Eggleston
For this second paragraph I will focus on my artist of choice, William Eggleston. I will do an overview of his work, specifically focusing on his excellent use of colour.
I will also explore his development as an artist, looking at every piece of work from every time period and I will also discuss and explore his impact on the world of art.
A section of this paragraph will involve choosing an image from William Eggleston`s to analise, specifically from his first ever publish: William Eggleston`s Guide as that is what I have already been researching.
When analysing an image of his I will discuss technical, contextual, visual and conceptual aspects of the image. As well as this I will also explain how he relates to my theme / project.
In this second paragraph I will also be stating how my work connects to his work, and how he has influenced my day time photography.
Paragraph 3 – Todd Hido (500 Words)
Todd HidoTodd Hido
For this third paragraph, I will follow a similar structure to the second paragraph commencing the paragraph with an overview of Todd Hido`s work, specifically highlighting the way he captures isolation, mystery and the surreal, film like quality of his images.
I will write about Todd Hido`s focus, which is suburban settings and artificial light in a suburban low light landscape.
Todd Hido`s images are great and I want to find out his influence behind his images.
Similarly to the second paragraph I will also analyse an image of his which includes artificial lighting in a dark setting.
Once again I will relate this to my Night time photography images, and explain how he inspired me to experiment / play around with artificial light, weather to turn a ordinary landscape into a emotional composition.
Conclusion (250 – 500 Words)
Finally to conclude essay, I will Summarise the main parts of my essay, repeat the focus of my essay and what i am exploring.
I will also recap how each artist had a part in my theme and helped me gain a better understanding and inspiration for this project.
I will mention any problems or anything i struggled with during the process of making the photobook
Finally I will compare and contrast photographers work to my own work and highlight any differences between my work work and the photographers work.
Essay Requirements
Key Words to Include Within The Essay:
Aesthetic
Formalism
Indexicality
Representation
Narrative
Literary sources: Go to this blog post here: Theory: Literary Sources and copy relevant key texts relating to the subject of your essay and list in alphabetical order in your bibliography. In addition, find your own key texts in relation to artists selected for in-depth analysis in your essay and list these too. These texts could be interviews with the artist, or reviews/ critique’s written by others. See useful online sites/ sources here .
Research and identify 3-5 literary sources from a variety of media such as books, journal/magazines, internet, Youtube/video that relates to your personal study and artists references .
Begin to read essay, texts and interviews with your chosen artists as well as commentary from critics, historians and others.
It’s important that you show evidence of reading and draw upon different pints of view – not only your own.
Take notes when you’re reading…key words, concepts, passages, page number to be used for in-text referencing etc.
Bibliography must be included – List all relevant sources used
For this first photoshoot, I visited La Collette during the night-time to capture the isolated streets illuminated by the artificial lighting (lampposts). I aimed to recreate the glowing effect, usually seen in Pierre Putman`s work, but the lack of mist and fog on the night of the shoot I was not able to strongly achieve this. Another challenge/problem which I encountered while taking these images is that my camera was on a low resolution setting, which impacted the overall quality of my images. I plan on going back to La Collette as it is a perfect location to get images similar to Pierre Putman`s another night, making sure that my camera settings are finely adjusted for high resolution images and hopefully capturing the glowing effect of the artificial lighting under more foggy conditions. This will allow me to produce even stronger and more effective images for my personal study
Image Comparison
When comparing this image with Pierre Putman`s image, there are some clear similarities, like the focus on the time of day (night-time) and capturing the lampposts to create mood in the photograph. Going to La Collette was a good idea, setting wise as Pierre Putman`s image is taken in a urban setting and when looking at my image and his, the area looks extremely similar, almost identical. Like Putman, my photograph focuses on the quietness and emptiness of a isolated street lit up by lamp-posts, highlighting the contrast of light and shadow. However there is a huge difference in my image and Putman`s image which is the weather. In most of Putman`s photographs the mist which he captures, intensifies the glow from the artificial light creating a cinematic glowing beam look. This is what makes Putman`s image stronger in comparison to mine as my photograph lacks mist and the glow from the artificial light, due to the clear conditions during this photoshoot. Another aspect of my image which I think makes it a weaker image is the car found on the left of the image, the cars being in the image takes away from the emptiness which I aim to capture with my photoshoot.
Photoshoot #1 Retaken:
I went back to the same location and retook these images. here is how they turned out:
For my initial photoshoot in my personal study, I plan to go out during the night and create a night-time photoshoot mainly inspired by the work of Pierre Putman. Taking inspiration from his creative use of artificial light and weather to create a moody setting, I will explore areas in St Helier and La Collette in the evening where it is dark however it is lit up and illuminated by street lamps, neon signs and other different light sources. La Collette is an industrial area, meaning that the background of my images will be industrial, I can take advantage of this as La Collette being mainly industrial it has perfect mix of light and shadow. My goal is to capture the setting with a cinematic, dream-like feeling the night offers, focusing on isolated, quiet areas to get the theme of mystery, loneliness and reflection just like Pierre Putman`s style of photography. The aim for this photoshoot is to get images almost replicating the collection of images below.
For my project, I would like to explore Night Photography, I’ve always been interested in how different lighting and weather gives new perspectives that change how we see the world, especially during the night. The aesthetic of the night, where the normal becomes abnormal, the change that happens at night is mysterious and gives off this feeling of loneliness which has always had me fascinated.
My personal study will focus on the dichotomies of the characteristics between the day and the night. During the day, the natural sunlight brings elements such as energy, clearness of the landscapes around and life to the world around us, however, at night the same landscapes/spaces give a sense of mysteriousness, loneliness and emptiness. These changes not only alter the location/setting itself but the emotional impact it has on those who experience it.
There are a variety of photographers/artists which I will take inspiration from within this project, such as William Eggleston, Todd Hido and Pierre Putman. William Eggleston`s mainly known for his powerful use of colour within his images, this will guide my approach to capturing the colour which is brought by the sun during the day or artificial lighting during the night.
To successfully create this project, I will use a variety of equipment including: DSLR Camera, tripod, Shutter release, Artificial Lighting (Torch and LEDS) and coloured gels. As I go on with the project, I will experiment different ideas and possibly use different equipment to the equipment I had listed earlier however that is my initial plan of equipment to use
Finally, I will present my personal study project as a photobook so that I can showcase my images and also tell a story through the way I lay out these photographs. I originally had planned to put the book in a chronological order, with the front of the book consisting of images taken during the day and the end of the book having night photography images, like the cycle of the day. However I have decided to take a different approach and will mix the book, so it will start with a night photoshoot then a photoshoot taken during the day and then keep that pattern going on throughout the whole photobook.
Pierre Putman is a Belgian Photographer who was born in 1974 and is based in Ghent, a city in Belgium which is a university town and a cultural hub, Putman is known for his film-like and dream-like images. His work mainly consists of shadows, and memorable imagery that gives off a strong feeling of isolation, emptiness and mysteriousness. Putman perfectly uses artificial light and high contrast settings/compositions to change isolated landscapes, empty streets and scattered lampposts into powerful, strong captures which tell a story. The photographs which Pierre Putman takes is usually capturing the eerie aspects of the night, with glowing lampposts and dark shadowed settings which plays a key role in making a mysterious and sombre atmosphere and feeling. Putman has a unique eye for photography, his photographs are quite unique and not many photographers can execute this style of photography as well as he can, Pierre Putman`s images could possibly appeal to more introverted people and people who have gone through struggles throughout their life, as the images he takes tells stories of isolation, mystery and quietness.
In my personal study, my photobook will consist of images both taken during the day and taken during the night, for my night photography photographs they will be heavily influenced by the work of Pierre Putman. Just like Pierre Putman does, my target with my project is to capture the mysteriousness of night-time settings, settings where the shadowing and both the artificial and natural lighting creates isolated and dream-like atmospheres. I will also focus on the presence of things such as: lampposts, fog and minimalist settings which will help to acquire the theme of loneliness and mysteriousness I am trying to achieve.
Image Analysis
This image taken by Pierre Putman, is one of my favourite images of his. This photograph captures a setting during the night which is lit up by a warm glowing light from what looks like a lampost or a similar source of lighting. The light pokes through the trees surrounding the lampost, creating beams which hit the foggy/misty air. On both sides of the image there is greenery, bushes and grass which frames the image nicely, and also gives the image dark shadows on the outer part of the image contrasting to the brightly lit pathway in the centre of the composition. The path is almost not visible and this leads the viewers eye around the image and allows the viewer to engage deeper with the image. The main focus of the photograph is the artificial light, the way it pierces through the trees and the mist creating the light a soft flowing beam adding mystical aura to the composition. The strong contrast between the light and shadow creates a strong emotional impact, putting the viewer in a paticular mood or feeling.
The light is warm orange and yellow toned and this light dominates the image and is the focal point within the composition. The tone of the light almost looks like a light from heaven as its coming from above or the light coming from the sun however it is not, it is an artificial warm toned light, the warmth of the light makes image more inviting however it also makes it look eerie. A mix between comfort and mysteriousness.
This image above is a landscape image and looks like it has been taken on a tripod, or on a flat surface. The light source is slightly off center and is coming more from above and the main composition of the image is framed by the arching trees. The pathway in the center of the image works as a leading line, attracting the viewers sight into the distance and provoking curiosity about what is behind the beaming light. Overall the image has a dream-like element to it as well as a sense of comfort and mystery. The glowing light in the center of the composition could suggest safety, heaven, energy and the sun, all positive things. However, the dark shadows and mist give a feeling and sense of the unknown and mystery, The setting is quiet,deserted and dark which enhances the feeling of isolation and loneliness in this image.
William Eggleston is an American photographer who was born in 1939 and drew attention as well as known for his colour photography in the 1970s. Eggleston`s first iconic exhibition was held at the Museum of Modern Art in 1976 which was titled “William Eggleston`s Guide”. This exhibition was one of the first huge exhibitions showing off colour photography in the creative community. Eggleston`s work was extremely influential as it challenged and was different to the traditional black and white (monochrome) images in the 1970s. William Eggleston is known for the way he goes about his photoshoots: Eggleston captures the beauty in anything, usual, everyday objects. For example, some of Eggleston`s images consist of a tricycle, a car or even a empty street which to anyone else seems like an ordinary setting/object however in his perspective each object is equally important and interesting and finds the connection with the usual objects and settings. There is a consistent theme shown throughout William Eggleston’s work which is the focus of landscapes, architecture, streets and the people in America, Eggleston’s photography also has a recurring theme of nostalgia and calmness, almost as if time had been frozen or slowed down, his captures show quietness and allows the viewer or audience to take in the image and focus on small details within the composition .In most of Eggleston`s images, you will find that his projects often highlight and have a strong use of artificial lighting, natural lighting and strong colour contrasts which is seen in the set of images below.
Eggleston`s use of colour is what he is mainly known for and is what is most effective in his images, many of his photographs are created using a process called The Dye Transfer Process. To create a dye transfer print, firstly the image is transferred to three different films, secondly the films get dipped into a dye bath consisting of these three colours: cyan, magenta and yellow. Once that is done then each film is hand pressed onto a specific type of paper. This technique creates a depth of colour that is cannot be created by any other print process.
Image Analysis
This image taken by William Eggleston, is one of my favourite photographs captured by Eggleston. This image consists of a natural setting, a small building by the road with a huge esso sign and a rusty car placed on the roof of the small building. Even though the setting is pretty basic and normal, Eggleston manages to create it a powerful image by making the audience/viewer to think about how things change over time. In my opinion the most interesting part of the image and the part which got my attention is the rusting car on top of the building. Cars usually are not on top of buildings and this being unusual immediately attracts the viewer and makes the viewer curious. The car being rusty gives the theme of decaying and abandonement and could also show that things which were once new in a nice setting can become leftovers of the past, the peeling paint on the building also adds to the theme of ageing and abandonment, which is seen consistently through William Eggleston`s work.
The image is also carefully framed, with the building creating horizontal and vertical lines as well as the wires and the “esso sign”. The esso sign being placed in the top left corner makes a sense of balance with the car on the roof which draws the viewers deeper into the Photograph. I think that William Eggleston`s focuses on every little detail, and every little detail that is seen in his work or images contribute to the story he is telling.
Another key aspect which is shown in this image is, Eggleston`s use of bright, vibrant colour. The vivid green building contrasts with the natural greenery of the grass, a difference between man-made and natural. The colour choices used in this image not only brings attention to the building but I think that it strongly highlights the car placed on top of the roof, as the car has the colours orange and brown contrasting with the fresh bright colours surrounding the building and the car. This is a strength of William Eggleston`s, as he is known for his powerful use of colour and transforming things we see every day into strong and visually appealing images which also tell a story.
For My Personal Study, called “Normal Becomes Abnormal,” I originally created this mind map above focusing on a variety of themes which I have a particular interest in, to get a overall idea of my project and to gather ideas. I chose to focus on Family & Background, Lost Jersey and Architecture & Street. Whilst diving into these themes, thinking about possible photoshoots and artists who I can take inspiration from, I realised that I have an interest in how lighting, specifically low lighting and the lighting given to us during the night can change our judgement of familiar areas and places. This Mind Map helped me solidify my overall plan and theme for this project.
The Mind map Below is more specific to my final personal study project concept. This mind map focuses on things such as: Night Photography, the dichotomy of day vs night, locations, image ideas and inspirations for this project. This Final Mind Map gives me a strong and detailed plan for my project.
Mood Board
This selection of images highlights the transformation of the nighttime low lighting. The images which are relatively low light, show eerie/mysterious deserted streets, artificial lights/lamposts and empty urban and rural settings. These photographs powerfully show the difference between day and night, creating feelings of loneliness, mystery and surreal. For my project I can use this mood board to take inspiration for images and replicate the images to then tell a story with these images through the layout of my photobook
In this Blog post I will be reviewing and reflecting old blog posts and projects to get inspiration for my personal study. I will dive into projects and photoshoots which I enjoyed and had some good final outcomes in as well as different photographers/artists whose work I like and therefore could be used as inspiration.
Landscape Photoshoots
The images above show a collection of my favourite photos from my landscape photoshoots. I really enjoyed the Landscape photoshoots as i thought the outcomes were very strong and i got to capture the beauty of nature through my lens. This work was inspired by Ansel Adams, his work emphasizes highlights, light, shadow and texture. In this photoshoot I aimed to bring similar depth and emotional impact to my images.
Anthropocene
Ideas
These Images captured by John Divola Zuma showcase the aftermath of people abandoning things (Human Abandonment,) making these images a strong reflection of Anthropocene. Divola taking images of decaying cars and vandalized spaces, highlights the humans last impact and the nature slowly coming back. I really liked these two images as they have a big emotional impact on the viewer and provokes the viewer to think about urban decay and their eco footprint.
My Response
These two images are photos which i thought turned out really well. My initial idea was to get images like John Divula zuma however in jersey there is not many decaying urban areas, even though jersey doesnt have many decaying areas, i still went out and found areas which almost replicated Divola`s images above. Overall I liked this photoshoot as I think the images are clearly inspired by John Divola Zuma and also have a strong emotional impact on the viewer.
St Malo – Street Photography
This set of images above is my favourite images from my St Malo trip, where i focused on capturing the culture of the town through street photography, I focused on people who live in st malo and have a different style. For this photoshoot i was inspired by Henri Cartier Bresson`s approach to photography, imitating the decisive moment which is where he captured spontaneous moments to reveal a real story. In St Malo my target was to document everyday life there, from the bustling streets to the quiet streets and interactions people have with others, all whilst highlighting the character of people. I think this photoshoot turned out really well, I also think that the editing technique with colour splash was very strong and made my images more effective.
For my photoshoot, I plan on focusing on the mirror element (John Szarkowksi) to dive into personal identity. The shoot will be staged (tableau photography,) it will be set in his own room, which is a space which reflects personality and his personal life. The photoshoot being set in his room, plays a huge role in telling a story of his personal life with objects and his surroundings giving clues about his life and emotions. With this photoshoot I aim to create images which feel intimate and close to the model, inviting the viewer to connect with the model on a deeper level
