For this photoshoot, I wanted to experiment with something I had never tried before in photography: using a projector. To do this, I borrowed a projector from art and brought it down to the studio where I then placed it in front of the white wallpaper. I then turned off all the lights and chose some images off of the internet that I felt linked to the theme of identity. For example, I searched for words that describe women (as that is who I was photographing) and a quote saying ‘who am I?’ which is meant to convey the idea of people feeling lost about who they really are and how stereotypes are placed onto women about who they are supposed to be, often causing them to lose a sense of self as they try and mould themselves into societies expectations. I placed the model in front of the projector in order to the convey the idea that she encapsulates what’s being projected eg feeling like she doesn’t know who she is. To edit these images I used Lightroom where I adjusted the exposure, contrasts, white balance and more. I made sure to make the background fully black so that the attention of the viewer doesn’t go away from the centre.
I like how this photoshoot came out as it was simple but portrays an important message about it being okay to not know who you are exactly and potentially feeling lost and to embrace it instead of being embarrassed. However, next time I would like to experiment with different images being projected eg a dark room with a singular light where the model would stand in front of with her hands on her hand. This would further display the emotions one may feel in relation to figuring out their identity.
For my first photoshoot, I am going to be taking pictures that is inspired by Aneta Ivanova. I will do this by first going into the studio and taking pictures of a model. I will place the lighting in the studio in front of the model to ensure that she is fully visible and clear. I will aim to get photographs of the model in a variety of different positions typically seen in Aneta Ivaonva’s images. For example, the model holding her hands up to her chest and facing the the side looking upwards. I will then focus on the images seen inside the subject, which typically consists of a natural environment photograph. To make my photoshoot more personal and about identity, I will ask the subject some questions about where her favourite places in Jersey is and what things make her happy. I will then photograph different things based on her answer to these questions. Once I have my two sets of images, I will then use Photoshop to merge the two together as seen in Aneta Ivanova’s work. I chose this artist as I thought I could make my final outcome link to identity by using images that had personal meaning to the subject eg her favourite place in Jersey.
For my second photoshoot, I am going to be trying to replicate the work of Manny Robertson. In order to do this, I will go into the studio and take pictures using the studio lights to make the images and face well lit. I will focus on taking images where the head is the main feature of the image and show less of the body in the photographs as I want the attention to be on the face rather than anything else. I am going to get my model to pose in different ways as seen in Manny Robertson’s work eg looking up the side and her head tilted to the side. I will then upload these photos and use Photoshop to draw on the face in order to create the illusion of stitching on the face. I chose to replicate the work of this artist as I believe his pieces link to the theme of identity as you can see a mask like cut out being stitched to a face which to me portrays the idea of people constantly having a mask up around people and hiding who they truly are in order to fit in to society.
My next photoshoot will be inspired by Brno Del Zou and David Hockney. These artists create a fragmented image using boxes to distort the original image. I will do this by going into the studio and placing a light source directly in front of the model and getting her to stand quite close to the camera. This will allow me to pick up different details of her face eg her lips, eyes etc. I will take pictures of the model’s face from a variety of angles eg straight on and to the side. Then I will use photoshop to cut out different parts of the images to create a whole image of distorted facial parts. I decided to replicate the work of these artists as it links to the theme of identity as you cant see the person as a whole: they’re distorted. This represents how people often struggle with their identity and may feel like the final fragmented image as a result of it.
For my final photoshoot, I am going to replicate the work of Marcelo Monreal. I think this will be a good photoshoot to finish off my theme as it represents/ looks as if the persons true personality/ identity is blooming out of them as they accept who they are. I think this will create a meaningful and optimistic end to my photoshoots as it expresses to the viewer that its okay to be yourself and there’s beauty in embracing your unique identity. Additionally, the bright background colour contrasts with the other artist photoshoots where the background is just white, symbolising the colour coming back into ones life when they accept and embrace who they are. I will recreate this idea by going into the studio and taking photographs of a model that shows her face and shoulders in the image. I will make her sit looking to the side slightly. This will make it so I’m able to make a cut out of her face and drag it to the side slightly. I will then use images of flowers from google to add behind the face cut out. I will make my image more personal and about identity by making the flowers the colour of the flag where the person is from. This will mean my image links to the theme of identity as a person heritage is a part of their identity.
Which form you wish to present your study (photobook, film, prints etc)
In my photography project, I am going to delve into the complex and painful relationship people have with their identity, particularly the pressures that lead individuals to hide their true selves. I’ve decided to focus my project on young person as I’ve observed first hand how my peers often feel compelled to mask their identities in order to fit in with societal expectations/ friend groups, for example: adjusting behaviour, altering appearances (by using makeup etc), or hiding emotions. I feel like people fear of being judged, ridiculed, or rejected if their true self is revealed. This sense of concealment and the desire to conform is something that I want to explore in my project. In this project, I’m going to start by photographing the idea of disguise in identity. I will do this by taking photographs of different peers in the studio and then using the work of different artists to emphasise the idea of a fragmented identity. For example, I will be looking at the artists: Aneta Ivanova, Manny Robertson and Brno Del Zou/ David Hockney. Aneta Ivanova’s work links to the theme of disguise in identity as she often uses complex visual compositions and costumes to blur the line between reality and fantasy, creating characters that reflect the performative aspects of identity. Her use of masks highlights how identity can be distorted, challenging the viewer to question what is hidden beneath the surface. Additionally, Manny Robertson’s work also fits the theme as his portraits capture the tension between the external façade and the internal self. His work reflects the emotional and psychological layers of disguise and how individuals navigate the multiple versions of themselves that exist. Finally, Brno Del Zou uses digital manipulation to reconstruct facial features. This reflects the concept of identity as its constantly shifting and sometimes fragmented, representing people not being whole as they often hide their true selves.
As my project develops, I want to shift the focus towards exploring the beauty and strength in embracing one’s true identity, despite the risks of vulnerability or rejection. By the end of the project, I hope to portray a journey of self-acceptance, showing how people can learn to take off their masks and be unapologetically themselves. Through this progression, I aim to demonstrate that the courage to embrace one’s true self is both empowering and liberating, and ultimately leads to a deeper sense of fulfilment and connection with others. To depict this, I will be taking inspiration from Marcelo Monreal. I feel his work covers the theme of embracing identity as he incorporates flowers and natural elements which evokes the idea that identity is a process of continuous growth and transformation. Flowers, which bloom, wither, and regenerate, mirror the way human identity can change over time, influenced by experiences, emotions, and external factors.
I am planning to present my project in a photobook format followed by a series of prints. I am going to use Photoshop to create photomontages and use AI technology to show how easy it is for people hide who they truly are online now days due to the easy access people have to these tools which are able to blur the lines between reality and imagination. I hope my images will be able to represent the internal struggles people face when embracing who they really are and to encourage them to not hide their true selves just to fit into society and individuality is what makes everyone unique and special.
I am going to be taking mainly tableaux images as I will carefully construct pieces that are able to tell a story of the journey of identity. I want to reassure the people who look at my work that discovering who you are isn’t necessarily a straight path and that its okay to want to hide sometimes but ultimately, I hope my project will inspire people to embrace themselves for who they are and to be unapologetically themselves.
The word observe means to notice or perceive (something) and register it as being significant. Photography is an art of observation. It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them. In photography, observation takes on a deeper meaning, going beyond merely looking at subjects to truly seeing and understanding them. This can be understood in terms of the standard process of a scientific inquiry using observation. Firstly, there is the fieldwork (which is where you have to capture the object of your inquiry and collect the data). In photography, this is the shooting part. Photography here is taken as a method, partly incorporated into the camera and partly implemented by the photographer. Secondly, you have to analyse and interpret the data. This translates into photography as shown: How do we read photographs? What do we see (or fail to see) in them? Lastly, you have to write about your findings, a doctoral thesis or a scientific article to be published in a well-ranked journal. Scientists using photography do exactly that. Artists show their work in exhibitions or publish books, trying to please their audiences or otherwise offer them an interesting experience.
The word seek means to attempt to find something. Similarly, it also means attempt or desire to obtain or achieve. Seeking in photography is about exploring deeper layers of meaning, expression, and connection through the lens. It involves experimenting with different styles, techniques, and subjects to uncover a unique perspective, while engaging with both the technical and emotional aspects of the medium. By reflecting on your work, studying the work of others, and pushing boundaries, you can discover new ways to express ideas and capture moments that resonate with you. Ultimately, seeking in photography is a continuous journey of self-discovery and creative growth.
The word challenge is a call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or fight to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength or to dispute the truth or validity of something. Challenge in photography is an opportunity for people to address a question, tell a story, or convey meaning through an image they have created.
The theme observe, seek and challenge refers to humankind’s desire to seek and explore the unknown, driving artists to constantly seek new inspirations and materials to use. For example, artists used to create cave paintings which is now translated into graffiti. However, graffiti is actively looked down upon and covered up whereas cave paintings are seen as sacred and preserved, despite the two being closely related. This theme also involves peoples desire to unravel the working of the human psyche and understand the nature of consciousness, resulting in the creation of challenging and contentious images. Other artists are often inspired by the actual physicality of the human body, such as the South African artist Walter Oltmann whose piece Bleeder explores the body’s myriad networks of blood vessels. The diversity, complexity and geometry of nature also inspires artists and designers. For example, Richard Diebenkorn’s aerial inspired landscapes explore the macro world of colours and forms, created when nature is manipulated by agriculture and industry. Artists have also challenged the ideologies and conventions of their respective times through their work. Many revolutionary movements have generated specific, politically motivated artwork, primarily for propaganda purposes. Communist posters from the beginning of the 20th century, used imagery that championed notions of equality and working-class power. These illustrations generated a potent archive that continues to inspire contemporary graphic illustration. Producing art that questions the authority of kings, dictators, religions and political ideologies is a risky endeavour. Artists frequently use metaphors in their work to disguise the messages; some of these are blatant, others are obscure. Artists may also undertake hazardous journeys to capture the imagery of exotic and unusual locations. Some documentary photographers continually place themselves in dangerous situations, such as war zones, to record and capture the reality of these conflicts. For example, the work of photographers Tim Page and Dick Halstead has completely dispelled the myth of the glory of battle. In contrast, wildlife photographers have often captured the struggle of life and death that surrounds us on a daily basis.
Throughout my time doing A level Photography, I have learnt lots of new skills and techniques in photography such as how to setup and use a camera based on different environments you may be in and the history behind photography. I have also come to realise that photography is more than just taking pictures: there’s a story behind each image. Whether that be someone trying to capture a memory in time which they can then look back on or discussing an issue in the world. This has made me have a greater appreciation for photography and helped to make my own images be more meaningful than just simply capturing what I see.
Still life
The first topic we covered in photography was still life. Still life is a painting/ drawing of an arrangement of objects. These typically include fruits and flowers and other objects that contrast with those textures e.g. bowls and glassware. Still life pictures are often rich with symbolic depth and meaning. It first emerged as an independent genre in the early 1600s in Dutch and Northern European paintings.
I found the still life section of photography quite interesting as I learnt about still life photography’s deep history and the symbolic meanings behind certain objects seen in images. I also enjoyed finding objects that had personal meaning to me and being able to capture them in different types of lighting eg cool and warm, and seeing how this effected the tone of the image. For example, the warmer lighting gave a warm, cosy feeling to my images that is representative of the objects seen in the image. However, I didn’t enjoy this section a lot as I felt there wasn’t much creatively I could do with these images, making them quite uninteresting to look at as a final piece. Therefore, I will probably not be using a lot of still life photography images in my personal study as it doesn’t stimulate me creatively as much as other topics.
Environmental Portraits
An environmental portrait is a portrait executed in the subject’s usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject’s life and surroundings. These surroundings often help us to get an insight into that person’s life, culture and status. In most environmental portraits, the subject is staring directly into the camera creating a more personal and intimate image between the viewer and the model.
Arnold Newman was an American photographer who was well known for his environmental portraits of artists and politicians. He was also known for his abstract still life images. I enjoyed looking at Arnold Newman’s work as I felt as if I almost had been able to make up a whole backstory about each person purely based off of their facial expressions and environment they were in, which is what a successful environmental portrait should be able to do. I also like the fact that there is no one in the background of the pictures even in places that you would normally expect to be busy. This made my attention be purely on the subject being photographed. Finally, I like how even when Arnold Newman’s pictures are in black and white, they still manage to captivate his audience and allow for such free creativity as you try and guess what the person in the photo’s life is like.
I enjoyed the environmental portraits section of my A level photography course as I got to explore the outside world and take pictures of people from a variety of different settings and backgrounds. Although this section was a bit more challenging than the still life part as I had to ask strangers if I could take pictures of them, I found the images to be a lot more captivating to look at as you start to realise how different every person is and wonder what their stories are. I think the idea of photographing people in their work/natural environment leads to interesting pictures and I will therefore incorporate this idea into my personal study.
Studio Lighting
Rembrandt lighting is a technique utilising one light and one reflector or two separate lights. It’s a popular technique because it creates images that look both dramatic yet natural. It’s predominantly characterised by a lit-up triangle underneath the subject’s eye on the less illuminated area of the face (fill side). One side of the face is lit well from the main light source while the other side of the face uses the interaction of shadows and light, also known as chiaroscuro, to create this geometric form on the face. The triangle should be no longer than the nose and no wider than the eye. This technique may be achieved subtly or very dramatically by altering the distance between subject and lights and relative strengths of main and fill lights.
2. Butterfly lighting is a portrait lighting pattern where the key light is placed above and directly centred with a subject’s face. This creates a shadow under the nose that resembles a butterfly. Butterfly lighting is often used in portrait photography, especially in headshots. Butterfly lighting is commonly used to photograph famous stars from classic Hollywood.
3. Chiaroscuro is a high-contrast lighting technique that utilises a low-key lighting setup to achieve contrast between the subject and a dark background. Chiaroscuro creates three-dimensionality on a two-dimensional plane, darkening the background and highlighting the subject in the foreground, drawing the viewer’s focus and attention.
Throughout the lighting techniques module, I learnt a lot of different lighting techniques which I will hopefully be able to use in my personal study where I will be taking pictures of people. I liked this section as I find it more interesting to photograph people rather than objects as you can move them into certain poses that you want etc which you cant do with most objects and then edit these images in a variety of ways.
Femininity and masculinity
Femininity is described as: qualities or attributes regarded as characteristic of women or girls. Traits traditionally cited as feminine include gracefulness, gentleness, empathy, humility and sensitivity, though traits associated with femininity vary across societies and individuals, and are influenced by a variety of social and cultural factors.
One of the artists I looked at for this project is Claude Cahun. She was a French surrealist photographer, sculptor, and writer. She is best known today for her surreal self-portrait photographs which show her dressed as different characters. Cahun staged images of herself that challenged the idea of the politics of gender which can be seen throughout her work.
I also looked at Cindy Sherman who was born in 1952 and is an American artist who’s work consists primarily of photographic self portraits, depicting herself in many different contexts and as various imagined characters. Sherman was always interested in experimenting with different identities and has continued to transform herself, displaying the diversity of human types and stereotypes in her images. Sherman works in series, typically photographing herself in a range of costumes. To create her photographs, Sherman shoots alone in her studio, assuming multiple roles as author, director, make-up artist, hairstylist, wardrobe mistress, and model.
This was one of my favourite sections in photography as I got to cover a real issue in society through my photographs. I found it fascinating learning about the ways women have been presented in the media throughout history and also challenging these stereotypes of males and females. This has lead me to choosing identity as the theme of my personal study as I feel I could cover the idea of femininity, masculinity and stereotypes whilst also experimenting with different things associated with identity eg your heritage and the idea of people feeling as though they need to disguise who they really are (which I didn’t get to do in this section).
Landscape Photography
Landscape photographs typically capture the presence of nature but can also focus on human-made features or disturbances of landscapes. Many landscape photographs show little or no human activity and are created in the pursuit of a pure, unsullied depiction of nature, devoid of human influence—instead featuring subjects such as strongly defined landforms, weather, and ambient light. landscape photography is a broad genre which may include rural or urban settings, industrial areas or nature photography.
For this project, I looked at Ansel Adams who was an American photographer and was the most important landscape photographer of the 20th century. Adams’s most important work was devoted to what was or appeared to be the country’s remaining fragments of untouched wilderness, especially in national parks and other protected areas of the American West. He was also a vigorous and outspoken leader of the conservation movement.
I also looked into Robert Adams who is an American photographer who focused on the changing landscape of the American West. Robert Adams was born in Orange, New Jersey, in 1937. His refined black-and-white photographs document scenes of the American West of the past four decades, revealing the impact of human activity on the last vestiges of wilderness and open space. Although often devoid of human subjects, or sparsely populated, Adams’s photographs capture the physical traces of human life: a garbage-strewn roadside, a clear-cut forest, a half-built house. An underlying tension in Adams’s body of work is the contradiction between landscapes visibly transformed or scarred by human presence and the inherent beauty of light and land rendered by the camera. his work also conveys hope that change can be effected, and it speaks with joy of what remains glorious in the West.
I found this project to be more interesting than I initially thought as I got to explore different places around Jersey and see the vast amount of different environments all around me which I would normally take no notice to. However I found the editing process of this project to be quite boring and repetitive as I was only making the images either black and white or adjusting different settings on Lightroom.
Anthropocene
The Anthropocene defines Earth’s most recent geologic time period as being human-influenced, or anthropogenic, based on overwhelming global evidence that atmospheric, geologic, hydrologic, biospheric and other earth system processes are now altered by humans. The word combines the root “anthropo”, meaning “human” with the root “-cene”, the standard suffix for “epoch” in geologic time. In simple terms, it describes the time during which humans have had a substantial impact on our planet.
For this photoshoot, I decided to photograph central London as it is a very heavily built area which I think successfully shows how human kind have expanded and built on the Earth, destroying it of its natural beauty- that has to be ruined in order to make room for these masses of buildings. I focused on photographing areas with lots of buildings joined next to one another
For this photoshoot, I decided to get to higher level grounds and take images of the view I saw before me. I noticed that everywhere I looked was very urbanized and there was a severe lack of natural landscape, highlighting to me the idea of how humans have negatively impacted the Earth by constantly expanding on it and not embracing the beauty we already had.
For this photoshoot, I visited different zoos and took pictures of the various animals which are trapped there. This photoshoot was inspired by Zed Nelson who is often seen taking pictures of animals in zoos and highlighting this idea of a false landscape being created in order to mimic the animals’ actual habitats. The problem with this being that we are destroying these animals’ actual habitats in order to replace them with manmade ones which are evidently too small for them.
I really enjoyed this project as a whole as I got to photograph buildings in London, which were much more advanced and grander than the buildings seen in Jersey, and different animals in the zoo which is something I hadn’t got the chance to photograph yet. I also found it interesting to learn about how much humans as a species have expanded on the Earth, leaving us with hardly any natural landscapes for animals to live in left.
The decisive moment
Henri Cartier-Bresson described the decisive moment as the exact instance when a unique event is captured by the photographer – when something that may never happen again is frozen in the frame. The concept of the decisive moment implies that in the constant flow of events, there are moments in which the arrangement of everything within the frame is perfect. These moments are always spontaneous, so a photographer must be ready to click right away. As part of capturing the decisive moment, Henri took photographs of people who weren’t aware they were being photographed in order to capture their real behaviour instead of them becoming aware of the camera and changing what they’re doing/ how they are posing.
Like with the other projects involving photographing people, I enjoyed this section of the course as I got to photograph people being their natural self and not putting on a façade as they’re aware their being photographed and have to come off in a certain light. I also got to be very creative with my edits in this project which produced images I really like. I think this idea of the decisive moment would be a good idea to use in my personal study on identity as in these images people aren’t putting on the front they would if they knew they were getting photographed.
St Helier Harbour
Saint Helier Harbour is the main harbour on the Channel Island of Jersey. It is on the south coast of the island, occupying most of the coast of the main town of St Helier. It is operated by Ports of Jersey, a company wholly owned by the Government of Jersey. For this photoshoot, I walked around St Helier Harbour: exploring both the old and new aspects of it.
Overall, I found this part of the course not as interesting as other parts as I didn’t find much interest in learning about cod and the history of fishing in Jersey. However, I did become more enthusiastic when taking photographs as I got to see parts of the harbour I hadn’t seen yet and got to photograph some people who worked around the area where I got to get a sense of what life was like for these people.
Mirrors and Windows
A mirror photograph reflects a portrait of the artist who made it. Its a “romantic expression of the photographers sensibility as it projects itself on the things and sights of the world”. Some words that are associated with mirror photographs are: subjective and naturalistic. In mirror images, the artist expresses themselves and focuses on exploring themselves as a person rather than the exterior world (as seen in windows). On the other hand, window photography is where an artist explores the exterior world through photography in all its “presence and reality”. These images help those who are looking at it to understand the world further.
I found the idea of mirror and window images interesting as I came to realise the idea of images being not just one of the two but both. For example, I could use this knowledge in my personal study as I could take an image of an object which has personal meaning to someone making it a mirror image but also a window image as the photograph itself is just of an object which is objective as first glance and looks as if it has no trace of humankind in the image but as you look deeper into the reasoning behind the photograph, you can see aspects of a mirror image too.
Bill Henson is an influential Australian photographer known for his evocative and atmospheric images that often explore themes of youth, identity, and the passage of time. His work typically features moody, dreamlike compositions with a distinctive use of light and shadow, creating a sense of intimacy and emotional depth. Henson often incorporates elements of the surreal and the sublime, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. His subjects frequently include young people in ambiguous settings, prompting viewers to reflect on the complexities of adolescence and the human experience.
Bill Henson’s images can also be analysed through the lens of the male gaze (which refers to the way visual arts are often constructed from a masculine perspective, objectifying women and presenting them for male pleasure). In Henson’s work, the representation of young subjects, particularly adolescents, often invites scrutiny regarding their portrayal. While his images are celebrated for their beauty and emotional depth, they can also evoke discomfort due to their sexualised undertones and the ambiguity of the relationships depicted. The focus on youth and vulnerability may reinforce traditional gender dynamics, prompting questions about power, agency, and the viewer’s role in interpreting these images. However, Henson’s approach also complicates the male gaze by imbuing his subjects with a sense of complexity and introspection, often portraying them in contemplative, ambiguous situations. This can challenge viewers to reflect on their own perceptions and assumptions, rather than simply consuming the images in a passive manner. Thus, while his work may engage with the male gaze, it simultaneously subverts and critiques it, inviting a deeper examination of the relationships between artist, subject, and audience.
photoshoot Plan:
For this photoshoot, we decided to go into the studio, turn off the main lights and decided to rely on the smaller dim lights to get a darker, moody tone to our images as seen in Bill Henson’s images. The model also wore revealing clothes eg a skirt as the girls depicted in his images often wore short dresses. This helped to bring a sense of vulnerability to our images. We then experimented with different complex, abstract positions such as laying over a chair etc and different angles eg a Birds Eye view, straight on etc. We decided to keep the models face covered for the majority of the images to convey the idea of male gaze in which men tend to objectify women and look at them as objects instead of real people. By having her face covered, you are more drawn to her body which represents the idea of the male gaze.
we also wanted to incorporate the idea of a distorted reality by taking some images of the model lying on top of a chair. Then, once we had the images uploaded onto the computer we then used photoshop to remove the chair in order to give the effect of the person floating. I did this by using the remove tool. However, due to the white floor in the studio, it ruined the idea as in Bill’s images it looks like they’re in the middle of the air but in our you can still see the cut between the floor and background, destroying the illusion of floatation.
Once I had removed the stool legs from the image, I then wanted to try and fix the floor issue. So, I went onto google and looked for images of fairy lights with a background. I did this as in his images, you can see small dots of light around the model. When I had found an image, I then copied and pasted it into photoshop and dragged into on top of my original image. Next, I used the eraser tool to get rid of the part of the image which was covering up the girl behind. I then used the blur tool to try and make the contrast between the two images move smoother but it still looks quite obvious. If I were to do this photoshoot again, I would try and get a black floor instead of white so that it actually looks like she’s floating and have fairy lights already in the image instead of transporting a photograph from google which then makes it look clearly edited. I think this was a good first experimentation but has a lot of improvements to be made.
This is the image by Bill Henson that inspired my idea.
These are my final attempts of recreating his original idea.
For these next images, I decided to experiment with my own ideas. I wanted to add an image into the mirror seen beside the model so I searched up empty dark streets on google and picked an image which I thought linked to the aesthetic of Bill Hensons images. I then copied and pasted it into photoshop and put it in a layer below the mirror layer. I then used the eraser tool once again and made a hole in the mirror so that the bottom layer would show through it. Finally, I wanted to make the line between the two layers more smoother so used the blend tool to do this. I then experimented with turning the top layer black and white to add further to creepy vibe of the image. Overall, I like how this experimentation came out although it doesn’t directly link to any of Bill’s pieces.
In these last four images, you can see yellow and black tape in the background. I didn’t like this as it was distracting and took the focus away from the model. If I were to improve these images, I would get rid of yellow lines in background.
Improvement:
Here, I decided to go back to this photoshoot and corrected this by using the remove tool on photoshop. This got rid of the black and yellow line and made the background all one colour which means the attention is now on the model only.
Windows photoshoot
These are 3 examples of window images that I have taken. They show the exterior world and are objective and real. I took the photograph without making any adjustments to the landscapes; they’re all natural.
Read two texts above (John Szarkowski’s introduction and review by Jed Pearl) and select 2 quotes form each that is relevant to your essay.
John Szarkowski quotes: “reflecting a portrait of the artist who made it” and “the exterior world is explored in all its presence and reality”.
Jed Pearl quotes: “potential toward either self-expression or exploration in the unique sensibility of each photographer” and “a photograph is not a window; it is a mirror”.
Select two images, one that represent a mirror and another that represents a window as examples to use in your essay.
Use some of the key words that you listed above to describe what the mirrors and windows suggest.
Essay plan Introduction (250 words): Reflect on the origin of photography and describe in your own words the difference between the two photographic processes, Daguerreotype and Calotype. Consider how they could be viewed as either a mirror or a window of the world according to John Szarkowski’s thesis. Choose one quote from Szarkowski’s text and comment if you agree or disagree.
The origins of photography can be first seen through the lens of the camera obscura. This was where a small hole was made in a dark room allowing the light from outside to travel through it which then produced an upside down image of the outside world onto the wall opposite the hole. This then lead to further ways of developing photographs onto surfaces. The first example of this is the daguerreotype, invented by Louis Daguerre. This process allowed for images seen inside the camera obscura to be preserved as an object. In this process, a highly detailed image is produced on a sheet of copper with a thin layer of silver. This process is very delicate, and the sheet of copper and layer of silver must be cleaned before you start the process and must look like a mirror. The daguerreotype produces positives meaning it is a one off and cannot be copied. I think that the daguerreotype can be perceived as both window and mirror due to its documentative style and personal relation to Louis Daguerre. This is because the images often capture a variety of different people from a different period of time where this was the only way of making images into an object. So in a sense, the images are a document of how images used to be produced. On the other hand, the daguerreotype is also a mirror as the people seen on these images had personal relations to Louis. This means his images are giving people a personal insight into his life and his family/ friends, which is a key concept of mirror photography. Similarly, the images could be seen as subjective as the viewer has to try and figure out how the person in the image is related to Louis. Additionally, in the images of his family members/ friends, they are staged as they are purposefully posing for the picture. Therefore it can be seen more as a mirror image than window image which are typically naturalistic. Shortly after the Daguerreotype, the calotype was invented by Henry Fox Talbot. In this process, the sheet of paper needs to be iodised by applying solutions of silver nitrate and potassium iodide under candlelight. The same surface needs to be sensitised using a “Gallo-nitrate of silver” solution. Lastly, the piece of paper needs to be dried and loaded onto the camera obscura. This type of photography produced negatives (which means copies can be made). Calotypes made by Henry often depict photographs of windows there meaning that his images are window instead of mirror as it is not manipulated in any way and is a way of exploring the exterior world instead of things personal to him.
Paragraph 1 (250 words): Choose an image that in your view is a mirror and analyse how it is a subjective expression and staged approach to image-making. Choose one quote from Szarkowski’s thesis and another from Jed Pearl’s review which either supports of opposes Szarkowski’s original point of view. Make sure you comment to advance argumentation in providing a critical perspective.
This image by Cindy Sherman is a mirror image. In the image, you can see a stereotypically attractive woman in the right side of the image who is glammed up and put together. However, on the other side of the image you can see pots, pans, dishes etc which implies the woman is in a kitchen. This feeds into the stereotypes at the time where woman were ‘destined’ to be housewives and to cook and clean for men. Szarkowski stated in his book about mirrors and windows that a mirror is “reflecting a portrait of the artist who made it”. This relates to Cindy’s image as she explores what it was like at the time to be a woman in society as she was. She shows a clear contrast to how women want to be perceived and treated though the use of makeup, clothes and hair compared to how men actually view them (as merely servants) through the use of objects and environment the woman is placed in. Jed Pearl also states a similar thing about mirror images saying its a “potential toward either self-expression or exploration in the unique sensibility of each photographer” in which Cindy clearly displays self-expression as she reveals her opinions and thoughts on how women are viewed at the time. Additionally, this image clearly takes a staged approach as Cindy Sherman deliberately chose the environment in which the model is in (a kitchen) and the pose of the model. The idea that her head is facing away from the pans and dishes could be Cindy Sherman’s way of rejecting societies perception of what a woman is and trying to separate the idea of women being seen as workers rather than real people.
Similarly, this image made by Shirin Neshat is also a mirror image with a similar concept behind it. In this photograph, you can see a woman with a hijab and a riffle going up the middle of her face. To me, this could be highly provocative to the country in which she is from and ones with similar morals. This is because in these countries eg Iraq, women are often seen as inferior to men and weak so it will come as a shock to see a women from that sort of place pictured with a riffle in front of her, implying she now has equal power to men. However, this piece could also be referring to the stereotypes society has on Muslim people. By having a riffle up to her face, it combines the idea of people associating Muslims with terrorism and how harmful these connotations can be to innocent people. This evidently shows how subjective the image is as it can be interpreted in multiple ways therefore meaning it is a mirror image. Similarly to the other image by Cindy Sherman, this image was evidently staged in a way to cause a reaction in the person that views it (which is another feature of a mirror image). Paragraph 2 (250 words): Choose an image that in your view is a window and analyse how it is an objective expression rooted in a sense of realism. Choose one quote from Szarkowski’s thesis and another from Jed Pearl’s review and follow similar procedure as above ie. two opposing points of view and commentary to provide a critical perspective.
This image by Ansel Adams is an example of a window image. His work serves as a window into the natural world, revealing the beauty and majesty of landscapes which are untouched by humankind. This is a window image as its objective and a display of reality rather than something that has been manipulated (which you would typically see in a mirror image). There is no trace of humankind or any specific objects that might link the artist to this image; it’s simply showing off the beautiful scenery. This therefore supports John Szarkowski’s idea that a window image is where “the exterior world is explored in all its presence and reality”, as Ansel Adams has just captured what he’s seen in-front of him without altering anything or adding anything which would connect himself to the images. However, Jed Pearl opposes this idea by suggesting that “a photograph is not a window; it is a mirror”. This can also be seen in Ansel Adams image as there is clearly a specific reason he choses to photograph the landscapes he does; suggesting there’s a personal relationship between his images and himself, therefore making his images potentially mirror images instead of window as they give the viewer an insight into his passions and thoughts. For example, Ansel Adams photographs these natural, scenic places in order to bring awareness to how these beautiful places exist and we could actually see them with our own eye but due to our constant expansion and destruction of nature as a species, these places are going to become non-existent if we carry on at the rate we are. Therefore, the images he takes actually have a more personal meaning than what is initially thought.
Conclusion (250 words): Refer back to the essay question and write a conclusion where you summarise Szarkowski’s theory and Pearl’s review of his thesis. Describe differences and similarities between the two images above and their opposing concepts of objectivity and subjectivity, realism and romanticism, factual and fiction, public and private.
In conclusion, I believe that an image can be both a mirror and a window contrary to John Szarkowski’s theory where he suggested that a photograph is either a mirror or a window. This can be seen in his book on window and mirror images where he described mirror images as “reflecting portrait of the artist who made it” and “a romantic expression of the photographer’s sensibility as it projects itself on the things and sights of this world”. Whereas he described window images as a way “one might better know the world” and “through which the exterior world is explored in all its presence and reality”. John Szarkowski believes that artists find themselves somewhere along a “continuous axis” from romantic to realist. In contrast, Jed Perl critiques Szarkowski’s thesis by stating ‘Szarkowski is fond of creating categories’ at the start of his review, suggesting he doesn’t agree. He goes onto say that a photograph is not just a transparent window but rather a mirror that reflects the photographer’s own perspective, emotions, and interpretations. Perl argues that photographs are inherently subjective and can distort reality, inviting viewers to consider the personal context behind the image rather than seeing it as a straightforward representation of the world. This clearly shows Jed doesn’t agree with the idea that an image is either a mirror or window. Instead, he believes that the two can exist simultaneously in the same image.
The images I chose to illustrate the idea window and mirror images have a lot of similarities and differences, the main difference being one is a window image and the other a mirror image. However, depending on the way you interpret the images, this can be proven to be false. This is because Ansel Adam’s image of the mountains could be seen as a mirror instead of window as he has a personal interest in photographing these places, making the image a reflection of his passions as a person rather than a photograph just exploring the exterior world. This highlights to me that idea that a photograph can be both a mirror and window image, depending on how one interpreted it. Another similarity between these two images is that they are both in black and white. However, Ansel Adams dramatizes the different shades of grey in his images to create a romanticised image. Another difference between the two images is that the mirror images made by Cindy Sherman and Shirin Neshat are subjective whereas Ansel Adams images are objective. This is because his images just consist of different landscapes. This leaves no/ minimal room for interpretation from the viewer. On the other hand, the mirror images can be interpreted in many ways. For example, some people may view Cindy Sherman’s images as her displaying the ‘perfect wife’ (attractive and doing the dishes) whereas others may interpret as her bringing awareness to the ridiculous standards set for women in society. Overall, although the two images are majorly different at the first look, as you look closer and understand the image more, you find there are more similarities between the two than you would expect. This may explain why John Szarkowski suggested that an image is either a window or mirror as he hadn’t properly inspected each image first and figured out how close they actually are to each other.
What is the difference between photographs that are mirrors and windows?
A mirror photograph reflects a portrait of the artist who made it. Its a “romantic expression of the photographers sensibility as it projects itself on the things and sights of the world”. Some words that are associated with mirror photographs are: subjective and naturalistic. In mirror images, the artist expresses themselves and focuses on exploring themselves as a person rather than the exterior world (as seen in windows).
On the other hand, window photography is where an artist explores the exterior world through photography in all its “presence and reality”. These images help those who are looking at it to understand the world further.
Szarkowski pointed out that most people and photographs will not fall perfectly into one of these sides but fall somewhere in between
A photographer who has produced both documentary (window) work and deeply personal work (mirror) is Nan Goldin. Goldin’s work is a reflection and document of her own life from the 1980s. The journey that is documented takes the viewer through key events in history but seen through the eyes of Goldin. The window part of her work has grown over years and now we can see the documentary side of the work and the extra historical meaning related to the work. However at the time when the work was being shown as slideshows within nightclubs in the 1980s, all people saw was the mirror at the photographs projecting Nan Goldin’s love and feelings towards the subjects. Goldin even named one of her exhibitions “I’ll be your mirror”, a retrospective of Goldin’s work to date held in 1996. Goldin has taken self portraits during an abusive relationship and of friends/ lovers, which is clear evidence of a mirror photograph.
The photography of the window has been taken to the extreme by photographers such as William Eggleston. Eggleston is a photographer that takes pictures of the world as he sees it, without any context or explanation. The pictures are deadpan and snapshots. Unlike Goldin, who took pictures for herself first and foremost. He photographs without a hierarchy within his photographs. There is not a part or subject of the picture that is more important than the other. There is no narrative to the works, Eggleston presses the shutter and moves on. The photographs form a straight document of the subject, almost scientific in nature.
Although this image appears to be a window image at first as it just looks like a photograph of the exterior world, as you look closer, you can see there is a line going down the centre of the image. This line could be from a football pitch or from grass that has been rundown due to people walking over it. In reality, the artist Richard Long purposefully created the line by walking on that piece of grass. Therefore, this image could be seen as a mirror image too as its a reflection of his art style.
This image is a window image as it appears the photographer has simply opened up his fridge and photographed it how it was (no manipulation made to the setup of the foods). Therefore, this is more of a documentative image, meaning the image is more of a window image rather than mirror.
This image is also a window image as it it exploring the exterior world with no manipulation to the setting. However, you could argue that there is a sense of mirror photography in this image as Ansel Adams (the photographer of this piece) chose to take this picture for some reason. This may suggest he has a personal reason for choosing this place therefore giving a bit of insight into him as a person.
Overall, I like how my zine turned out. I thought the contrast between the only images pages and writing pages made it more enjoyable to look at and made it look more finished than if there were to have been blank spaces. I like how I conveyed the idea of the Harbour throughout time, going from only black and white images to ending up with fully coloured, vibrant pictures. Additionally, I found it interesting experimenting with different background designs and adding different shapes and layouts. I kept my writing font consistent throughout as to make it look seamless. However, one improvement I would make to my zine is by adding some images of people to it as my images are mainly just boats and wide angle shots. I think this would’ve been an interesting concept and created a better mixture of images in my zine instead of having them all look quite similar. Also, next time I would like to try and create a zine where there’s letter writing and different backgrounds so you can really focus on the images rather than the presentation.
To create this zine, I first created a page with specific things. For example, a width of 148 mm, height of 210mm, 16 pages, 2 columns with a gutter of 5mm. Then for margins, I selected 10mm for each subcategory. Finally, I made a bleed of 3mm. Once I had this blank page created, I then created a box using the rectangle frame tool. I then chose an image to put in the box which would go on my first page. I decided to use a Jersey Archive photograph as the idea of my zine is the harbour through time so I wanted to start with the oldest image I had. I decided to make this image fill up almost the whole page as it is the title page. To do this, I made the box I created initially larger then right clicked the middle of the photograph and selected fit frame proportionally. I then added a boarder to this image and made the background a grey colour to make the colour scheme of the image. Finally, I added a title to the top of the page. I decided to call it ‘St Helier Harbour through time’. Finally, I experimented with different fonts. I ultimately decided on ‘Modern No. 20’.
For my first double page, I decided to create 4 boxes where I would input 4 of my landscape images from my harbour photoshoot. At first, I made the images a bit smaller and left a lot of room for text but as I added the text I realised that I wanted to show more of the images rather than text as it looked cluttered. In the end, I made the images of the right side longer and cut down on the amount of text I had. Next, I added boarders around my images and created a background using a rectangle shape then changing the colour of the shapes to make them grey like the images. Finally, I added a drop shadow to the shapes in order to give my page some more depth.
The next page I decided to make more simpler as the last page was very full of text. So, I made one big box covering both sides of the page then added one of my landscape photographs. I then finished up this page by adding a boarder to the image and using the rectangle shape tool to create more shapes in the background (adding a drop shadow to these too).
On this page, I made two boxes, one filling up each page. I then added portrait images I had taken. This time, I decided to use the circle shape tool instead to create some contrast in my backgrounds. I layered these on top of each other, making the smaller circles darker. Finally, I made a boarder around the two images.
On this next page, I decided to add some text as I hadn’t in a while and wanted to experiment more with my layout. However, this time I decided to make one page just filled with one big image to ensure it wouldn’t look messy. On the right page. I created two rectangular boxes in the corner of each side. Then, I added text into the empty space which talked about the history of St Helier Harbour. Once I had added boarders to the images, I then used the rectangle shape tool once again to make rectangles going horizontally across the page, making each rectangle smaller and darker. Finally I added drop shadows to each of the rectangles.
This next page changed drastically to what I originally had planned. Initially, I intended to add a whole page of writing on the right page but ultimately decided against it as it was becoming overwhelming with text. So, I instead decided to use some more images from the Jersey archives such as maps and old pictures of Jersey Harbour. Also, I had first added a background of the sea but then decided to change it for just plain shapes as the vast amount of pictures and texture in the sea made it look clutter and not nice to look at.
Similarly to earlier, for this page I just added two big images to either side of the page. However, this time I made the images go right to the end of the page with no boarders on the pictures. I felt this helped to create a contrast between the writing pages previously.
In this next page, I wanted to experiment further with my layout and so I decided to create a polaroid like shape around one of my images then added a text box below it. Finally, I added rectangles going down the pages and added a boarder to the left image.
When I first added images to my zine, I put this one in but as I went through again, I decided to delete this page as I felt the image didn’t fit in with the colour scheme of the other images as the others were very blue and vibrant but this one was more dull and brown and looked out of place. This also meant I had 20 pages instead of 22 which was required for printing.
Again, this page consisted of two big images on either side. I then elevated the page by adding shapes in the background.
For my final double page, I decided to fill it up completely with one image that covered it entirely.
Finally, to finish off my zine, I added a grey background to the final page which matched the colour of the background in the first page of the zine to give it a seamless effect. I did this by adding to rectangle shapes to my blank page then using the pipette tool to get the exact colour as seen on the first page.
