Henry Mullins is one of the most prolific photographers represented in the Societe Jersiase Photo-Archive, producing in the 19th century. He captured 9,000 portraits of islanders from 1852 to 1873 at a time when the population was around 55,000, proceeding to place them in an order of levels of social class in albums. He began his career by working at 230 Regent Street in London in the 1840s, then moving to Jersey in July 1848, setting up a studio known as the Royal Saloon, at 7 Royal Square. Initially he engaged in a partnership with a Mr Millward yet very little is known about him. By the following year he was working alone and he continued to work out of the same studio for another 26 years.

Henry Mullins’ work of 19th century Jersey is highly politicised, taking images of Jersey political elite (E.g. The Bailiff, Lt Governor, Jurats, Deputies etc), mercantile families– involved in trade (Robin, Janvrin, Hemery, Nicolle etc.), military officers and professional classes such as doctors, bankers and advocates. He organised these images from the most powerful roles, to the lesser powerful.

Mood board of his work:

These images are only a small portion of the large amount of images he took, these images would then be placed into an album, presented as Cartes de visite:

Cartes de visite:

Defined as : ‘visiting card’ or a close-trimmed portrait photograph approximately 2¹/₄×3³/₄ in. intended as a substitute for a visiting card.

Mullins specialised in Cartes de visite, in which the photographic archive of La Société contains a large amount of these (online archive being 9600 images). The Cartes de visite small albumen print. This is described as the first commercial photographic print produced using egg whites to bind the photographic chemicals to the paper which is quite interesting as this is would be very rare to see now. Because the image emerges as a direct result of exposure to light, without the aid of a developing solution, an albumen print may be said to be a printed rather than a developed photograph. Usually, this consisted of a small thin photograph mounted onto a thicker piece of card, however Mullins placed is work into an album.

Many of these images contained the island’s most affluent and influential people, alongside officers of the Royal Militia Island of Jersey, for whom it was very popular to have portraits taken, as well as of their wives and children. The images of the officers document the change in generations as they do not look like the general person today, showing the fashion for long hair, whiskers and beards in the mid-1800s. Their appearance makes it difficult for the viewer to differentiate who is who as they were styled almost identically during this time.

Diamond Cameo:

This layout of final images is called a Diamond cameo due to the diamond-like shape produced by the placement of oval images. I do like this form of layout as it makes it more interesting rather than a regular image alone, or a regular layout of images side by side. It lets the viewer investigate the images more which is more engaging, also making it more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

I made a virtual gallery to showcase my final and best images. I placed them on the basis of which lighting was used so it made more sense and were with images similar to it. I did this by exporting my edited images from Lightroom into my documents, then importing them in Artsteps where I was able to add frames and place them on the wall.

I organised all of my Chiaroscuro images into one colour so I could easily see them all and figure out which ones had the best lighting.

MY FAVOURITE IMAGES:

I thought these 3 images were the best out of all the others. Although they are similar in the way that they are the same position and person, however I liked the way they went together. In the first image, as she is blonde this has reflected well off of the light and only lights up part of her face as she is turned away. In the second, the lighting has been completely split down either side of the subject’s face which I really liked. In the last image, I got her to close her eyes as this made the darker part of her face almost disappear which I thought was effective. They didn’t need much editing as the placement of the lighting along with the black curtain behind worked well together.

The original images:

These two images didn’t require any editing.

I colour-coded all my images so I could see which ones I preferred over the ones that were the worst and could easily see them.

MY FAVORITE IMAGES:

I like the way her hands are included in the image in a relaxed way as I feel it adds more to the image and fills up what would’ve been empty space. I like the way they are curved on top of each other and you can see her jewellery as I feel like this brings more life to her character. She has a very relaxed and neutral expression and is central. I cropped the background so that she was the main focal point of the image. The position she is sat in is quite powerful as she is straight on from the camera looking right into it which I really liked.

Original image:

MY SECOND IMAGE:

I really like the way she is looking to the left of the camera because a lot of my other images are looking directly forward and the light is bouncing off her face more. Her cheekbones have been darkened alongside the butterfly shape under the nose so I know this technique has been successful. I cropped the background so she would be more central to the image. Instead of a neutral expression she has a slight smile which I also really like as it is more natural instead of being neutral and lifeless.

The final images:

I colour-coded all my Rembrandt photos into one colour so they were clear to point out and to easily assess which ones were the best compared to the worst.

REMBRANDT EDITED IMAGES:

I created a virtual copy of the original image so that I could create a black & white version too. I cropped the background as there was a lot empty space surrounding the subject and I didn’t want this to make the viewer’s eyes wonder to the background. I really like the way the light has created a warm tone on one side of her face and given me that ideal triangle underneath the eye. I used a gold reflector to do this which I think has worked quite effectively.

Original image:

MY SECOND IMAGE:

I really like this pose as she looks very relaxed and calm leaning on her chair. I had similar photos to this but I found that this one was better because I liked the way her head was positioned more. The light has given her a warm tone and this lighting has worked very well. I also like the way she is not entirely central and more to the side as this makes it different from a standard image. There is a lot of light brought into her eyes as I got someone to hold a reflector for me to bounce the light onto her face.

Original image:

MY THIRD IMAGE:

I really like this image as I didn’t have to do much editing, I really like the expression and where her hand is placed as I feel it makes her more connected to the viewer. I chose to put it in black and white because I felt that it just looked better. I also really liked the way she is looking up into the camera as its a more powerful way to use the eyes.

Original image:

MY FOURTH IMAGE:

I really liked this image because it has an element of Chiaroscuro lighting in it alongside Rembrandt due to the split lighting however there’s a clear triangle of light below the eye which I think has worked effectively. To improve this, I could use a reflector when taking the image to bring more light into her eyes as it is quite dark. The position she is in looks very relaxed and natural as she is resting on her hand.

Original image:

The final images:

CHIARUSCURO LIGHTING

‘Chiaroscuro’ is an Italian term for lightdark as this lighting technique creates a bold contrast between light and dark. This can also be defined as a high-contrast lighting technique that utilises a low-key lighting setup to achieve contrast between the subject and a dark background. This form actually originated in paintings during the 15th century in Italy and Holland (Flanders), yet this was truly developed a century later in Mannerism and Baroque art.

Today, it is prominently used in film-making due to the striking and dramatic images this technique produces. This form of lighting adds a sense of mystery to the characteristics of the subject, making their features become framed and draw attention to the viewers eye in places they would not normally see.

Caravaggio and Rembrandt used this in their paintings where dark subjects would be dramatically shined on by a shaft of light.

In film, this is typically referred to ‘film noir’ (French for black film). This was used to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation, lasting from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. This is associated to German Expressionist cinematography due to the low-key, black and white visual that it produces. The drama and mystery that the lighting unfolds reflected the aims of the Hollywood crime dramas.

THE SET UP:

In photography, these are produced by using one key light and a variation using a reflector that reflects light from the key light back onto the sitter. The reflectors colour can be changed to produce a different tone onto the subject.

Using flash, there are a range of possibilities as, depending on how you want the images produced, you can create images in low or high lighting scenarios through:

• flash “bouncing”
• fill-in flash
• TTL / speedlight flash
• remote / infra-red flash (studio lighting)
• fast + slow synch flash
• light painting c/w slow shutter speeds

For example, flash “bouncing” softens the effects and creates a larger fill area. This must be done on white walls or ceilings as the flash is directed either to the side or above the subject.

EXAMPLES:

BUTTERFLY LIGHTING

Butterfly lighting is another technique of lighting in portraiture. It gains its name from the dark shadows surrounding the cheekbones on the face alongside the butterfly-shaped shadow underneath the nose.  You may also hear it called ‘paramount lighting’ or ‘glamour lighting’ as this can be seen to be used within cinema or fashion magazines for example. This type of lighting is extremely flattering to the face, from the shadows underneath the cheekbones making the apples of the cheeks highlight and stand out more, which explains why it is used in these instances.

Used especially to photograph Hollywood classics, this technique can make the eyes look larger and the subject look slimmer.

The butterfly lighting was first used by Josef von Sternberg in the 1930s. He was a Hollywood director who is most known for his work with Marlene Dietrich. Sternberg used butterfly lighting to create a sense of mystery and allure around Dietrich’s character. This kick started butterfly lighting’s use in portraiture.

THE SET UP

Butterfly lighting requires a key light that can be a flash unit or continuous. If continuous, it can be artificial or natural. In other words, you can use strobes, speed lights, LEDs or even the sun so it is a very flexible form of lighting. As long as the light is coming from behind the photographer, above the subjects head then it will produce these results. The subject must be towards the light to capture this effect.

This technique can produce hard or soft light depending on how you want your results. To create soft light, you can use modifiers such as a beauty dish. This distributes the light evenly across the face and smooths the skin alongside any imperfections. Alternatives to this is a soft box or an umbrella. However, if you wish to create hard light you can either leave the light source as it is or even use grid spots to direct it to create different effects to make it even more creative.

Once you have decided what you are aiming for, you can use reflectors in order to bounce the light back up and soften the shadows under the chin/nose so they aren’t extremely harsh. By placing the reflector of your choice under the subjects face, you can identify whether the shadows are still too strong and move it closer, or further away if they are too weak and experiment with it.

The colour of the reflector will achieve different effects as it can change the tone of the subject’s face. For example, a white one will create a neutral tone whilst the gold one will give a warming overcast.

There are three main types of lighting: Rembrandt, Butterfly and Chiaruscuro. They each include different forms of direction, intensity and temperature of lighting which alters the size and shape onto the subject. Also, different toned reflectors can be used to change the temperature or direction of the light.

REMBRANDT LIGHTING

Rembrandt lighting is typically used in portrait photography and gained it’s name from Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, the great Dutch painter.

It consists of using one light and one reflector (or two lights), instantly creating shadows and contrast. This specific technique creates a triangular shape under the subjects eye which increases the emphasis of drama to the viewer. This draws them in because the eyes are the main focal point in portraiture and something that can take on many forms and show emotion.

This makes a more appealing image as it has a creative side to it – it isn’t just general light on the face and exposes the features of the face more.

I identified my best images out of my photoshoot and colour coded them on the basis of which ones I was definite on using and the ones I was unsure about. When I had similar images that I struggled to decide between, I compared them closely and then flagged the one I believed had more detail and had a more aesthetic composition.

This was my favourite image. It looks very candid and natural as she is mid-laugh which tells a lot about her character. I had many photos similar to this image but I felt the way her hair was blowing looked best like this. She is holding books in her hand which tells us she is still in education, and the smile suggests she is enjoying her time. I wanted to photograph her like this as it is a place she comes to everyday to spend time with her friends at school which is an important aspect of her life. I put this image into black and white because I think it looks a lot better this way.

Similarly, I like this image for the same reasons, but I increased the saturation to enhance the colours around her as I feel that the bright green compliments her hair and the environment around her. I used natural lighting as this was outside on a bright day as I thought it would look best. I used my mobile phone to take these images as it was in the moment.

The leaves all coming together and overlooking her and in a twisted way behind her adds more to the image and fills up the background which I really like. Because she is wearing black, the colour of the nature brings more life into the image. I feel that this makes her stand out more because she is the only part of the image that is more dulled down, showing contrast. The bench she’s sitting on has a lot of texture due to the brown paint being rubbed off which shows how many other people sit here on a day-to-day basis, maybe even with her.

This image has a relaxed expression and posture, she almost seems bored. I think this reflects her outlook onto school as a place she finds boring as she would rather be out with her friends instead. I really like the way she is sat on the stairs and leaning over because it’s quite unique. The background has been blurred as she is the focal point of the image. The blue that she is wearing stands out from the neutral and plain colours as it is contrasted.

I took this image of a science teacher at school. She’s smiling which tells me that she really enjoys taking part in experiments but also teaching younger people who may aspire to have a job like her in the future. She has set out test tubes and beakers with different colours inside for her students to learn as she demonstrates the experiment in the image. I wanted to photograph her because she is in an environment which could inspire people of younger ages to have a job like this in the future.

You can see the colourful posters on the wall which she uses to engage her students in her lessons. As she is wearing a lab coat, this gives the image authority and tells us that she knows what she is doing. The equipment spread across the table gives the image texture and details to search around the image with, jumping out from the off-white walls which makes them appear more.

I used vignette on the corners of the image as I felt that this will point her out more to the viewer. I like the way she is towards the side of the image as we get a large perspective on the view of the classroom.

I really like these three images I took of a family member at work. She is an occupational health worker where each day, she has people of all backgrounds, lifestyles and jobs come and see her. She analyses whether they are fit for work or not, checking their hearing, lungs, blood pressure, etc. She works very hard to make sure people feel comfortable during this regardless of who they are. When she is not doing these tests, she is on the computer in meetings, setting up clinics or emailing.

I wanted to photograph her because I feel like she plays a very important role in other peoples lives which goes unnoticed, so I wanted to capture that.

The way she is wearing a mask, gloves and a plastic apron shows that she is experienced in this and is prepared, knowing exactly what she is doing. The shifted keyboard on the desk behind her tells me that she has been busy typing, organising all the appointments. I also feel that in the 2nd image, the use of the yellow disposal tub makes the photo more interesting because we can see exactly what it is she does when she is mid-preparation. You can see in the background there are many cabinets and file cupboards in dull cupboards which don’t look enticing at all, suggesting that is the worst part of the work as they have all colour taken out of them in comparison to the rest of the room which is more saturated.

August Sander became invested in environmental portraiture during the 20th century. He lived in a large town in Germany and strived to complete a goal of taking images of every person who lived there. Although this is an almost impossible task due to the huge population, he managed to captured hundreds of people from different backgrounds, social status and occupations. This documented the German society’s ways of life in-between the two World Wars, revealing how each person had a different story to tell whilst living in a Nazi-powered country.

In a society where social status was crucial, he took images of upper class, middle and working class – this showed the relationship that each had with one another and the comparisons/differences they shared. He categorised each image in order of class and profession in typological studies. His work inspired many other photographers after him notably Bernd and Hills Becher.

Typology:

A Typology is:

 a set of images made with a common subject or idea in mind, repeated through out the set. 

August Sander had roots in this form in 1929 with his series of portraits ‘The Face of Our Time’. This was later continued by Bernd and Hills Becher who had been heavily influenced by Sander. They began documenting German industrial architecture in 1959. The couple described their subjects as ‘buildings where anonymity is accepted to be the style’.

Each image had been replicated as it was shot from the exact same angle and distance from the same building, documenting how the building would change over time going unnoticed. This not only makes the viewer become more considerate of their surroundings, but question the subject’s reasoning/place in the world.

August Sander’s work:

August Sander’s environmental portraiture was usually containing the subject’s full body and portrayed in black and white. The subject usually had a neutral expression in their workplace, people such as farmers, architects, nuns, gypsies and plenty more. This shown all sides of the German society where he lived.

Analysis of his work: