Edgar Martins is a Portuguese photographer and author who resides in the UK, best known for his documentary work on conflict, war and testimony. However, many of Edgar Martins work also represents personal, internal conflicts within himself and stories told from his life through using staged fictional depictions.

Edgar Martins work is represented internationally at numerous renowned museums as well as many other collections such as:

• PS1 MoMA,
• MOPA,
• MACRO,
• MAAT, 
• CIAJG,
• The Gallery of Photography Dublin,
• The National Media Museum,

Martins has also become the recipient of many awards such as:

• RCA Society Book Art Prize (2002),
• The Jerwood Photography Award (2003), 
• The New York Photography Award (2008),
• The BES Photo Prize (2008),
• The IPA (Fine Art— Abstract category, 2010), 
• The SONY World Photography Awards (2018),

Some of Edgar Martins work:

Martins work has a lot of abstract concepts within it, for example the first image that I have displayed shows two sides to the same photo, with the image on the left initially making the viewer believe that some sort of mirror is being held over a persons face, however when this shape is removed it reveals a man holding a chain into his mouth as if he is swallowing it. This consists of a lot of deception towards the viewer and tends to make them ‘think about the bigger picture’, really getting them to question it conceptually rather than just seeing the composition alone face on for what is within the frame. I really like this idea especially through the topic of ‘mirrors of the world’ because it portrays this subjectivity and storytelling nature, full of fictional components that transform an image into a visual piece of art.

In this image, the first thing that draws my eye is the leading lines down the centre of the image leading to the two subjects in the centre. With their identities concealed, I think that this image makes the viewer question who they are and what their backstories are – the fact that they are holding hands connoting themes of community, relationships and togetherness. However, the desolate streets they are standing on looks off-putting and almost wrong, as if it shouldn’t be occurring in this way as it is so odd and uncanny. This weird composition is very obscure and intends to make the viewer feel uncomfortable so that they really acknowledge the personal reflection that is being shown here. Once again, the draining off of colour from the image makes it appear more sincere and serious as that level of vibrancy is gone, making the image speak for itself without any colour to try to evoke or support the emotion being portrayed. The boarded-up windows placed on each house gives the image a sense of danger and a need to be cautious because we don’t know what is being hidden here or what has occured in order for the past events to be covered up. The plainness of the image, for example the sky only having few electric lines spanned across or the one street light stemmed in the far background, ensures that the two people in the foreground are the focal point of the image and highlights to the viewer that there is a story here that needs to be heard as it is so unusual.

Similarly, the leading lines that oppose the practically blank sky makes the image appear uncanny and abnormal, leading off into a darkness concealed by trees to highlight that area of mystery and suspense. On the left is a elongated wall of purely bricks, opposing an entire block of vegetation. This gives a visual version of a binary opposite, man-made versus natural, bordered by a pathway. I think this works really well as this could be used as a concept for the way that humans are consistently wanting to use these harsh man-made techniques in order to develop society instead of sustainable sources. The subject leaning against the wall creating dynamic shapes with his leg, connotes emotions of anger and distress. Because he is turned away from the greenery that is appearing to reach out towards him, suggests that he may feel shame due to his conscious or unconscious contribution to polluting and ultimately destroying the world.

In this image, the figure looks almost translucent which suggests that this is the result of a double exposure edit on photoshop, for example. The emptiness of the room emphasises the dirt and decay that’s spread around the room, adding emotions of loneliness and isolation. The parallel lines placed in the centre of the room lead the viewers eyes to opposing ends of the room so that they focus on the entire image instead of just the brightened area. The exposure of the room is quite low, however its bright enough to ensure that the viewer can see the stains arranged on both the ceiling and the floor in-between the patterns of leaves. The ghostly aura this image inhabits stems from the project Anton’s Hand is Made of Guilt, tributing to his late friend Anton Hammerl. The way that he figure in the room is the only thing that is brightened gives them a sense of purity and cleanliness especially due to the gown that they are wearing. Aesthetica Magazine interviewed Martins on the backgrounding concepts behind this image:

“In 2011 my close friend, South-African photojournalist Anton Hammerl, travelled to Libya with three colleagues to cover the conflict between pro-regime and anti-Gaddafi forces. On 5 April 2011, a few days after arriving in the country, they were forcefully abducted by government backed militia on the front line, around the city of Brega. When Anton’s 3 colleagues were finally set free two months later, we discovered that he had been shot dead on the day of their capture and his body left in the desert. He’s mortal remains are missing to this day. Over the past 10 years Anton’s family and friends have lobbied the UK, Austrian, South African and Libyan governments, as well as the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions to launch an inquiry into his disappearance. Frustrated by the lack of progress, I decided to travel to Libya in 2019.“

Because of the many similar tones in this image, the model almost goes undetected when the viewer initially looks at the image but as it is further inspected, the subject begins to appear. While the patterns are similar, the small contrasting differences add depth and dimension to the image making the composition visually appealing.

For my images reflecting ‘mirrors of the world’, I like the way that Edgar Martins uses the concealment of identity as well as graphic design because this turns the image into a question on who the person is in the image and what their backstory is. Some of his work is incredibly moving and documentary for activism purposes, such as war in poor countries, however some of his images are also taken in an interpretive way as his own reflection of the world which intrigues me.

Edgar Martins uses a lot of form in his work, for example the leading lines down a path or different kinds of shapes placed in sudden places which is something I would like to incorporate into my own photoshoot as this adds a sense of direction and structure into my work so that the composition settles positively. I would like to recreate the graphic design that Martins has used on his piece entitled “Disrupted Identity”. To do this, I will be getting models to dress up as different identities to resemble these old drama stills, then putting them in black and white with a warm tone to give the appearance of archived images. Then, I will be using Photoshop to create graphic shapes to place over certain parts of the models face in order to conceal their identity a little bit as I think this will be very effective due to the contrast in vibrancy – going from bold, neon colours to then layer over a monotone image. I think this idea of deception and mystery will be something that I can portray in my work in a bold and powerful way. As my final selection will only be 3 images, it is important that I guarantee each image is as striking as the other so that they can individually tell a story.

Beyond the Dock is a photo zine I created in Adobe InDesign, dedicated to capturing the raw beauty and unique character of St. Helier Harbour. This project is more than mere documentation. It is an experience that invites viewers to explore the often-overlooked details and hidden stories found around the harbour’s edge. Each page is designed to take the reader on a visual walk through the harbour’s diverse features as mentioned previously, from its working boats and rustic fisheries to the daily rhythms of life along the docks.

The design of Beyond the Dock reflects the layered textures and rich atmosphere of the harbour. My selection of photographs highlights different facets of the harbour, from up-close shots of weathered equipment to sweeping views of the marina. I wanted every image to echo the essence of this place which is a blend of timelessness and fishery/ vessel activity.

To enrich the narrative, I included both contemporary shots and archival materials, placing the past and present side-by-side. The captions are purposefully short and poetic, guiding the viewer without overwhelming the images, letting the harbour’s character speak for itself. In essence, Beyond the Dock is a personal homage to St. Helier, celebrating its complexity while inviting others to see beyond the ordinary shoreline.

I’ve been able to create a visual story that feels both cohesive and authentic to the location. Seeing it laid out in InDesign has shown that the zine achieves the atmosphere I aimed for, blending the present in a way that feels timeless.

I am satisfied with the final outcome as it captures exactly what I set out to achieve which is a layered narrative that invites viewers to experience the harbour from the perspective of an observer wandering its edges.

In terms of the layout I creating a 16 page photo zine/guide book which has displayed the photos around the St Helier Harbour. Each page captures an aspect of the harbour, offering viewers a virtual tour of its boats, fisheries, boardwalks, and shoreline scenery. By displaying these photos in a structured layout, the zine becomes more than just a collection of images—it’s a story that readers can explore and experience as if they’re walking through the harbour itself. In order to produce the display we present it through the app InDesign and add specific measurements and adjustments to see in a 2D format whereas to a 3D real life photo zine.

InDesign supports high resolution images and allows for precise color control, I can ensure that each photo in the zine will look sharp as well as true to life. This quality is essential for a project like this, where capturing the details and textures of St Helier Harbour is key.

Below I have shown some examples of the tools being put into place and shifted around:

The final zine will have 16 pages with a mix of full-page images, collages, and paired text. Each page or spread has been planned to better the experience of moving through the harbour, and using the software InDesign, I can visualize how the final printed piece will look and feel, ensuring that the reader’s journey through Beyond the Dock is immersive and captivating.

I created my first virtual gallery using an empty gallery image from online. I then imported it into Adobe Photoshop. I then imported 5 images that I felt were relevant to each other and would look effective on a wall together. I decided this was the best arrangement for my photos and I carefully put them in a good order and add a drop shadow and changed the ‘skew’ and ‘perspective’ necessary to make it look 3D.

For this virtual gallery I attempted to put 7 images in one virtual gallery. This was possibly a less effective idea as the wall looks very cramped and too ‘busy’ in my opinion. I then tried two different arrangement in order to see which one looks best. However, next time I would do two separate empty gallery images to import m images, this will make these virtual galleries more high quality and effectively convey the message I am trying to create.

For my photoshoot in response to documentary and tableaux photography, I think it would be really beneficial for me to research many different artists, both images with windows and mirrors, in order to get a broad spectrum to choose from that I feel most drawn to and also ensure that I completely understand the concepts and motives behind the images I am going to shoot.

Mood Board:

Many of these photographers have really deep intentional meaning behind them whilst others explore the world in both abstract and documentary ways. If I do decide to use a photographer with images that have controversial or deep personal meaning behind them, I need to ensure that I carry out my own photoshoots in a respectful and considerate way in order to be aware of the concepts, purposes and symbolisation behind what the photographer intended with their own images.

Mirrors:

For this photoshoot on mirrors, I will make my images reflect myself, I will aim to take photographs of myself, potentially of people close to me and objects which would reflect me that are personal. The images will be staged and I will experiment with different image types, whether it be portrait, or candid-looking photos. I will portray myself in these images of how I see myself and how I’d express myself. The intent will be similar to Cindy Sherman’s work and how she uses herself in images, portraying the view on her, and women.

Windows:

For the second half of this photoshoot ,the images I will produce will be ‘windows’. I will take photographs of places around Jersey, as a window to show of the island. However, I am not going to just take typical landscape images, I also want to show off more specific parts of the island such as a building or different entities of the island, rather than only scenic views.

Intro-

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

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

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

– John Szarkowski

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

– John Szarkowski

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

Para 1 –

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

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

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

Para 2 –

‘Brussels’, 1932, Henri Cartier-Bresson.

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

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

– John Szarkowski

‘Democratic National Convention‘, 1956, Robert Frank.

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

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

Conclusion –

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

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

What 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

Key words associated with mirrors and windows

MIRRORS: tableaux, subjective, romanticism, fiction, staged, personal, reflective, manipulated.

WINDOWS: documentary, objective, realism, candid, public, straight, optical, views.

Examples

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.

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

Window

Definition: Window photography focuses on observation and perspective. It captures external subjects from a specific vantage point, often suggesting a barrier between the viewer and the subject.

Purpose: This approach allows the audience to observe life as if peering through a window, fostering a sense of distance and sometimes curiosity about the lives being depicted.

Examples:

• Street photography capturing candid moments of everyday life.
• Images taken through windows, highlighting the separation between the viewer and the outside world.

Techniques:

• Framing compositions that emphasize the window or barrier.
• Utilizing depth of field to draw attention to subjects outside the frame.
• Incorporating reflections of the photographer or environment in the glass.

Words to describe window photography:

• authentic
• objective
• public
• visually restrictive
• single perspective

Mirror

Definition: Mirror photography emphasizes reflection and self-examination. It often involves capturing images that serve as a mirror to the viewer, reflecting their experiences, emotions, or societal issues.

Purpose: This style invites viewers to see themselves in the image. It can provoke introspection or prompt them to consider their own identities and circumstances.

Examples:

• Self-portraits where the photographer is both the subject and the observer.
• Images that depict universal themes of struggle, identity, or emotion.

Techniques:

• Use of reflections in mirrors, water, or glass.
• Close-up shots that capture personal details or intimate moments.
• Contrast and light manipulation to enhance emotional depth.

Words to describe window photography:

• self expression
• romanticism
• subjective
• candid
• naturalistic

Conclusion:

Mirror and window photography are vital concepts in understanding how images can communicate complex ideas about identity, society, and perspective. Whether used individually or in combination, they offer rich avenues for exploration and expression in the art of photography.

Both styles can overlap. A photograph can function as both a mirror and a window, reflecting personal experience while also observing the outside world.

Both approaches can serve as powerful tools for commentary on societal issues, identity, and the human condition.

In storytelling, mirror photography often explores the internal landscape of characters, while window photography may depict their external circumstances.

(insert writing/description)

(insert writing/description)

(insert writing/description)

(insert writing/description)