mood board/ concept

contact sheet photo shoot 1

favourite images

frosted leaves/plants

Introduction

Can truth and realism be shown through photography? 

‘A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know.’ Diane Arbus, 1971. 

This quote captures photography’s power to tell a story but not the whole story, leaving some elements hidden. Photography is often seen as a way of capturing reality, but it raises a critical question which I will be addressing in this essay – can truth and reality be shown through photography? Truth is about accuracy in a specific moment or detail whereas reality includes the bigger picture. A photograph can capture a visual truth, or it may provoke thoughts as to what is really going on (the reality) or, more often, it can do both. 

The reason I chose this theme came about from my background research in photography and practical experimentation with techniques. Also, photography’s ability to capture reality has long been debated and as I’ve grown up as a digital native, I wanted to add my perspective to it. Photography is a powerful method to document the world visually, which in turn, is used to further enhance human understanding of the world. But the fact that it is a physical or digital photograph means that decisions have already been made along the way to either increase or decrease its truthfulness. These decisions include the way photographers choose to frame their subjects, how they choose to edit, and the stories they want to convey, all of which converge to influence how the truth is captured and preserved. I am fascinated by how closely photography can document reality and also how modern photography techniques and technologies can undercover further truths, often in unexpected and surprising ways.  

In this essay, I will explore the work of two influential photographers – Henri Cartier-Bresson and Jeff Wall. I will examine the context in which they worked and examine how each of them address the notion of truth and realism from their different positions of ‘spontaneous’ versus ‘staged’ images. I will demonstrate how their work influenced my work with my photograph series ‘Rise to Recovery’ showing an injured basketball player and how his truth can be accurately represented in staged photographs. By discussing the historical context of these photographers and by critically analysing their work, this essay will argue that whilst photography can preserve truth in an instant, it is still always ultimately shaped by the photographer’s own perspective and choices. The Guardian’s Points of View ad, (Guardian, 1986) demonstrates differing perspectives powerfully. A photograph cannot be as real as life itself, but is as close as it gets. Further, can it go beyond literal truths and provoke powerful emotional and deeper truths? Finally, this essay will discuss how photography in the digital age is assisting in uncovering previously unseen truths – adding a further perspective to the truth/reality debate.  

Historical/Theoretical context 

Photography, since its invention in the 1820s, was developed from scientific experimentation with early processes like the daguerreotype and the calotype. Once the ability to preserve long-lasting images was achieved, photography was viewed as the method to record real life with precision. Early photographers documented nature or scientific images, eg. the moon (Campbell, 2013), and soon photography evolved into an artistic method which reflected wider cultural movements. Realism of the 19^th century documented ordinary life, highlighting poverty and injustice aiming for social reform. Works by Jacob Riis (1890) documented New York’s social housing and improved their conditions. In the 20^th century, Modernism moved away from the gritty reality towards more subjective expression of life, and Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work is an example of this which will be examined in more detail later. By the mid 20^th century, Postmodernism began to challenge photography’s claim to documenting truth. My second photographer Jeff Wall, staged seemingly spontaneous scenes, including ‘Mimic,’(Wall, 1982) shown in Image 1. Demonstrating how photography can manipulate reality very cleverly, as Wall recreated a moment of racial prejudice that he witnessed in Vancouver.  

This is particularly relevant to my question of how photography can depict truth and reality, because a photograph simultaneously records reality whilst also constructing a perspective of it. It’s a juxtaposition which I find fascinating, and I feel no other medium is capable of doing this better. The other layer to discuss regarding truth is the Digital Age – the way the photograph is viewed nowadays is key. Whereas photographs were originally physical items, most photographs are now viewed digitally though a screen (Growcoot, 2023), adding levels of complexity. Originally the route was photograph to eyes, but is now photograph to screen to eyes. We also know from debates online, for example the blue/black dress optical illusion photograph (Pearson, 2015), that viewers can receive and interpret the same image very differently (see Image 2).

This means that whatever the photographer’s intention, there is no guarantee that their intension will be received the same. Similarly, we can now use science and special photography (x-rays, UV and infrared) to uncover hidden details in art and photography, as used by The Courtauld Institute in BBC’s Fake or Fortune programme. (BBC, n.d). Also, Metadata, can reveal the truth stored beneath a photograph to prove any manipulation. Truth therefore comes in layers – the immediate, the inferred and the uncovered. Truth and reality have many facets to explore, and in the next sections, will be analysed from two very different angles.

Henri Cartier-Bresson and the Decisive Moment.  

Henri Cartier-Bresson’s idea of the ‘decisive moment’ is a central theme to his photography, and he is considered a pioneer of Photojournalism. The decisive moment is the exact moment when everything in a scene comes perfectly together to create an image that tells a complete story (Cartier-Bresson, 1952). His famous photograph ‘Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare’ (1932) shown in Image 3.

Captures a man mid-leap over a puddle with his reflection mirrored below, in black and white with an image of a leaping man on a poster in the distance. Cartier-Bresson showed life as is, with no interference from the photographer. Using a small, portable Leica camera, often strapped to his wrist, he was able to take photos quickly, remain unnoticed, capturing moments in their natural state. Roland Barthes observed in Camera Lucida (Barthes, 1981) that photographs show what ‘has been’ and this fits well with Cartier-Bresson’s images. However, some critics argue that his decisive moment is not as ‘real’ as it seems. Susan Sontag wrote that ‘to photograph is to frame, and to frame is to exclude’ (Sontag, 2003) which applies to Cartier-Bresson’s work. Even though his images look spontaneous and truthful, they are the result of careful planning, framing and waiting for the perfect shot, so showing only a partial reality from his interpretation. He himself seems to agree with Sontag’s view, demonstrated in his quote ‘There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. This is the moment the photographer is creative.’ (Cartier-Bresson, 1957). Therefore, the creativity demonstrates that he knew his images are not real life but a carefully thought out decision of timing and framing. The photographer is deciding what part of the truth to capture and therefore it’s not objective reality.  

In my own work, I was inspired by Cartier-Bresson’s focus on storytelling and composition, though I used staging not spontaneity. My photograph ‘Hoops, Shattered Dreams’ shown in image 4.

As part of my project ‘Rise to Recovery,’ shows an injured basketball player sitting alone under an unused hoop. I placed him deliberately against a dark wall emphasising his physical and emotional separation from the game. His head is bowed, a column of light highlights his body and his cast, covering his injured wrist. Whilst my scene is staged, it followed interviews with the subject to understand his story, and the photograph aims to reflect his emotional reality of isolation and frustration – still wanting to participate and feel included by wearing his team kit. This is much like the ‘decisive moment’ which captures the emotional core of a fleeting event, and like him, I used composition to focus the viewer’s attention and create a story within my chosen frame. Further inspired by Cartier-Bresson’s black and white imagery, I used Photoshop to turn my image black and white, darkening the edges and removing windows/light to increase the emotional impact. The resultant image ‘Isolation’ (Image 5).

Evokes increased bleakness, further emphasising emotional truth rather than purely literal truth, confirming that there are levels of truth in photography. I will now explore a different approach to truth via my second photographer.

Jeff Wall and Staged Realism 

Jeff Wall’s photography challenges traditional ideas of truth by meticulously staging scenes that feel real. He was known for large-scale images which often resembled cinematic stills or famous paintings, designed to create a deliberate tension between reality and construction. A famous example is ‘The Destroyed Room’ (Wall, 1978) shown in Image 6.

Which depicts a chaotic room with furniture overturned, ripped walls, as if a terrible event has occurred. But absolutely everything is staged, raising questions about whether constructed images can convey truth or not. Wall himself stated ‘What I am interested in is making images that remain truthful to the spirit of the time, even if they are invented’ (American Suburb X, 2020). This highlights his belief that truth can be emotional or conceptual, not just literal. He deliberately hid some items from view, for example behind the upturned mattress, encouraging the viewer to wonder what lies beneath.

A supporter of Wall, Art Historian Michael Fried argued in his book that Wall’s work ‘achieved a sense of realism…that conveys truth and realism through its detailed composition’ (Fried, 2008). Critics though, challenge the idea that staged photography can represent truth at all. John Berger noted ‘Every image embodies a way of seeing’ (Berger, 1972, p.10) suggesting that Wall’s images reflect his personal interpretation of reality rather than an objective view, therefore agreeing with Cartier-Bresson’s view earlier. Further, in an interview with Michael Schwander (Wall, 1994), Jeff Wall stated ‘In photography, there is always an actual moment – the moment the shutter is released. Photography is based in that sense of instantaneous.’ This view acknowledges that even in staged scenes, there is a finite moment when the button is pressed, which connects to the ‘decisive moment’ by Cartier-Bresson. Both acknowledge then that whether a scene is constructed or not, they are both linked by recording a real moment in time – a truth. Wall’s quote also implies like Cartier-Bresson did, that the specific truth captured is still dependent on photographer’s choice. So although this might distance his work from traditional documentary photography, we have already seen earlier how even this doesn’t show objective truth due to photographer’s choice and so it can be argued that Wall’s approach is still valid for reality.

Wall’s use of colour further enhances the emotional impact of his work. In ‘The Destroyed Room’ vibrant red tones dominate the scene to amplify the drama of destruction and draws the viewer’s eye across the chaotic scene. Wall’s strategic use of colour, with bright red in the middle, inspired me to experiment with strategic colour too. I was also reminded of the ‘Girl in the red dress’ from Schindler’s List, (2012) in Image 7.

So, using the same red to depict pain, both emotional and physical, would be worth trying and this is shown in my Image 8, ‘Pain’.

Like Wall, I used staging to explore emotional truths, layered over literal truths. Whilst his work often represents larger dramatic scenes, mine focused on the personal struggles of a single subject. I was inspired by Wall’s decision to hide elements and so my subject’s face and cast are deliberately hidden, masking his physical and emotional pain. Wall’s ability to combine meticulous construction with emotional depth has shaped my understanding of photography as a medium to go beyond documentation to reveal truths about human experiences. Like Wall, I aim to create images that feel authentic in their emotional content, even though they are constructed. The next section examines technological advances adding and uncovering truth in photography in ways that have never been achieved before.  

The Digital Age 

The rise of digital photography, editing tools and metadata has further transformed the relationship between truth and realism. Photography is no longer limited to capturing only what is in front of the camera, as tools like Photoshop and Lightroom allow photographers to manipulate images as they decide. This has given rise to questions about how authentic certain images are (Bardis, 2004).  

In my own work, digital editing played a key role in enhancing the emotional impact of my photographs and I tried multiple approaches – the red cast, use of shadows, brightness, contrast and black and white versions. At one point, I accidentally inverted one of my images during editing, which suddenly revealed a new perspective (Image 8).

It showed unexpected details, such as the logo on the player’s jersey. This happy accident called ‘Inverted’ added depth to the image and became an integral part of my project, demonstrating how digital tools can uncover hidden layers of meaning, even with unintended consequences. My subject recovered from his injury and I took inspiration from Cartier-Bresson’s ‘Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare’ (1932) by photographing my subject mid-leap rising to the hoop. I combined this with the Inverted filter to achieve my resulting image ‘Hoops, Ascend’ (Image 10) set alongside Image 3 for comparison.  

However, just as digital tools can unveil truth, the ease of digital manipulation challenges the viewer’s trust in photography overall. As Sontag noted, (Sontag, 1997) photography’s power lies in its perceived connection to reality, but digital editing blurs the line between truth and lies. Metadata (Image 11).

Which records details about how an image was captured and edited, offers one way to maintain transparency in digital photography. Therefore, truth can be challenged but with metadata, it can be confirmed.  

I played with the idea of obvious untruths in ‘Twelve, Back,’ (Image 12).

Which combined elements of both photographers’ work. I staged an outdoor scene, with a tripod stood at the top of the court, to capture multiple action shots of him in various positions. Like Cartier-Bresson’s photography experience, I am also an experienced basketball player so I used this to my advantage by anticipating the ‘decisive moment’ shot. Using Photoshop, I then layered multiple cutouts of him over one image, increasing the brightness of his number 12 jerseys and creating shadows underneath to increase the realism. This photograph is a definite record of his emotional and physical truth, but as it’s clearly the same subject in five different positions, it can’t possibly be real. Even so, it may not be real in the image, but it demonstrates that to him, it’s his reality, and he’s back.  

Conclusion 

During my investigation, I set out to determine whether truth and reality can be shown in photography. My hypothesis was that while photography can show and preserve truth in an instant, it is ultimately shaped by the photographer’s own choices and perspective so cannot capture reality. After research and analysis of two prominent photographers Henri Cartier-Bresson and Jeff Wall, I found that whilst photography can capture the truth, it can never be objective, which confirms my hypothesis. In Cartier-Bresson’s decisive moment approach seen in Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare, this image feels very real and authentic due to its unposed spontaneity. Yet, he still chose what to frame, exclude and include, and when to press, confirmed by his own thoughts on photographer creativity. Jeff Wall’s approach whilst different, by planning, staging and recreating scenes, challenged the idea of reality yet his images still feel true. He also acknowledged photographer choice and the finite moment of pressing the shutter, in agreement with Cartier-Bresson.  

My perspective changed throughout my study, as I initially believed only spontaneous shots were truthful. I now realise that staged photography also shows realism, sharing many similarities with the spontaneous approach, as both are still subjective, therefore one method is not more ‘real’ than the other. I also discovered much more, including that truth and reality has layers. I initially believed photography could only show literal truth but I demonstrated that photographs can convey deep, emotional truths and like my injured player, can capture his reality, even if staged. Therefore photography can show reality, just not the literal reality I originally expected. I was influenced to try new techniques, from colourisation (Image 8).

To digital editing to increase the emotional truth of a scene effectively (Image 12).

Through to my favourite image, ‘Inverted’ in Image 9.

Which reveals hidden elements. Image 8 didn’t work as well as I wanted so I will experiment further with the red colour/shading. My images were mainly focused on the subject, I’d like to try shots from what he sees eg. looking up through the hoop. I discovered metadata stored in digital photographs to prove or disprove its truth, and together with modern scientific techniques, is helping to uncover factual truths.

I only analysed two photographers and so there are more photographers and techniques to consider for future studies. There is also the angle of the viewer and social media – I touched on it in this essay regarding the modern screen-use, potentially changing what each viewer sees, interprets and shares and this could be investigated further to determine if viewers receive what the photographer intended.  

Finally, whether through spontaneous moments, staged scenes, or through digitally-enhanced images, photography has the power to tell a story and get as close to the truth and reality as any medium. Diane Arbus’ quote at the start suggested that photography’s secrets lie not just in what it shows, but in what it leaves hidden, and this essay proved this to be the case, with photographer creativity always making that choice.  

Images

Image 1.
‘Mimic (1982)’ Jeff Wall.

Image 2.
‘Photo finally solves the black and blue/white and gold dress debate (2015)’ Nick Pearson.

Image 3.
‘Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare (1932)‘ Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Image 4.
‘Hoops, Shattered Dreams (2024)’ Tommy Little.

Image 5.
‘Isolation (2024)’ Tommy Little.

Image 6.
‘The Destroyed Room (1978)’ Jeff Wall.

Image 7.
‘Girl in Red Symbolism (2012)’ Schindler’s List.

Image 8.
‘Pain (2024)’ Tommy Little.

Image 9.
‘Inverted (2025)’ Tommy Little.

Image 3&10.
‘Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare (1932)‘ Henri Cartier-Bresson.
‘Hoops, Ascend (2025)’ Tommy Little.

Image 11.
‘Metadata Forensics (2024)’ Ironhack Blog.

Image 12.
‘Twelve, Back (2025)’ Tommy Little

Bibliography 

amer4127 (2020) Evocations of the everyday: The street pictures of jeff wall (2009), AMERICAN SUBURB X. Available at: https://americansuburbx.com/2016/06/evocations-of-the-everyday-the-street-pictures-of-jeff-wall-2009.html (Accessed: 27 January 2025).

Arbus, D. (1971), quoted in Smithsonian Magazine (2018) A Window into the World of Diane Arbus. Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/window-world-diane-arbus-180968861/ (Accessed: 25 January 2025). 

Bardis, A. (2004) ‘Digital photography and the question of realism’, Journal of Visual Art Practice, 3(3), pp. 209–218. doi: 10.1386/jvap.3.3.209/0.   

Barthes, R. (1981) Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography. Translated by R. Howard. New York: Hill and Wang, p. 85. 

BBC One. (no date) Fake or fortune?, could a painting described as ‘in the style of sir Joshua Reynolds’ have something murkier lurking beneath the paint? (no date) BBC One. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0gj6sh3 (Accessed: 25 January 2025). 

Berger, J. (1972) Ways of Seeing. London: BBC and Penguin Books, p.10

Campbell, E.F. (2013) The first photograph of the Moon, Time. Available at: https://time.com/3805947/the-first-photograph-of-the-moon/ (Accessed: 29 January 2025).  

Cartier-Bresson, H. (1952) The Decisive Moment. New York: Simon & Schuster. 

Cartier-Bresson, H. (1957) ‘Photography is not like painting’, The Washington Post, 10 November.

Fried, M. (2008) Why Photography Matters as Art as Never Before. New Haven: Yale University Press. 

Growcoot, M. (2023) Almost all photos are now taken on smartphones, according to study, PetaPixel. Available at: https://petapixel.com/2023/06/20/almost-all-photos-are-now-taken-on-smartphones-according-to-study/ (Accessed: 23 January 2025). 

Guardian ad 1986 – Points of View advert – YouTube.
YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SsccRkLLzU (Accessed: 25 January 2025). 

Henri Cartier-Bresson. behind the Gare St. Lazare. 1932 | moma. Available at: https://www.moma.org/collection/works/98333 (Accessed: 25 January 2025). 

Jeff Wall, ‘Jeff Wall interviewed by Martin Schwander’, Jeff Wall, Restoration [Kunstmuseam Luzern and. Kunsthalle Dusseldorf, 1994]. 22-30.

Jeff Wall,
Mimic. (1982)
Transparency in Lightbox. 198x229cm [78x90in].
Collection, Odessa Hendeles Art Foundation, Toronto.

Metadata forensics: Uncovering hidden truths in digital files (2024) Metadata Forensics: Uncovering Hidden Truths in Digital Files | Ironhack Blog. Available at: https://www.ironhack.com/us/blog/metadata-forensics-when-files-can-speak-and-reveal-the-truth (Accessed: 25 January 2025). 

Modern classics: Jeff Wall – the destroyed room, 1978 (2021) artlead. Available at: https://artlead.net/journal/modern-classics-jeff-wall-destroyed-room-1978/ (Accessed: 25 January 2025). 

Pearson, N. (2015) Photo finally solves the black and blue/white and gold dress debate, 9News. Available at: https://www.9news.com.au/world/photo-finally-solves-the-black-and-blue-white-and-gold-dress-debate/15465485-dad8-45d2-8da0-8d20558b5013 (Accessed: 25 January 2025). 

Riis, J. (1890) How the other half lives, by Jacob Riis (1890) How The Other Half Lives, by Jacob Riis: Available at: https://www.historyonthenet.com/authentichistory/1898-1913/2-progressivism/2-riis/index.html (Accessed: 23 January 2025).

Scharf, A. Henri Cartier-Bresson, Encyclopœdia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henri-Cartier-Bresson (Accessed: 24 January 2025).

Sontag, S. (2003) Regarding the Pain of Others. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, p. 46. 

Sontag, S. (1997) On Photography. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

The girl in red symbolism (2012) Schindler’s List. Available at: https://schindlerslisteight.wordpress.com/character-analysis/the-girl-in-red-symbolism/ (Accessed: 25 January 2025). 

1. Research a photo-book and describe the story it is communicating  with reference to subject-matter, genre and approach to image-making.

Jim Goldberg – raised by wolves

This book is about shedding light on kids without giving them labels like ” victims of abuse” or “drug addicts”, by people trying to classify them into neat groups. This book follows two “main” figures, Echo and Tweedy Dave, where there story is told without being “edited” or “manipulated” to fit with what the readers want. It contains mostly archives of Goldberg’s polaroid’s, and a few pages with interviews by the figures in the books, as well as notes and comments from Goldberg.

“when I thought of youth, I thought of my own teenagehood and childhood, and other people I knew who were often scapegoated, not appreciated, or not given a chance. The end result was trouble for them. I wanted to look at those people who were outsiders, like I felt I was.”

The photos are taken around the California streets, from Hollywood up to San Francisco and back. Many of the figures in the books start out fairly well, but as the book progresses, they slowly determinate and fall into bad habits. There is a lot of drugs and prostitution making it a very emotional book as it shows the difficulties of youth homelessness.

For the image making, he often took a abstract approach, with blurred and B&W images, or close ups of certain people, places or object that help add emotion or explain the story.

2. Who is the photographer? Why did he/she make it? (intentions/ reasons) Who is it for? (audience) How was it received? (any press, reviews, awards, legacy etc.)

Jim Goldberg’s reasons for creating this was to tell a story of kids in various Californian areas over a 11 year period of interviews and photos. It’s also partial, rearranged, taken out of context, romanticized, subjective, and, therefore is as much about Goldberg’s making of the project as it is about the kids. I think the main audience is for other photographers and people who have the money to spend on a book like this.

ZHodl and the other subjects of “Raised by Wolves” are deep in their subcultural world, and Goldberg is, too. Indeed, he’s a most original photo documentarian. He immersed himself in a work of teenage runaways, getting them to write in there own hand writing, and gets up and personal to the subject.

It has a 4.71/5 star rating on good reads, and has been received very positively by the press

3. Deconstruct the narrative, concept and design of the book and apply theory above when considering:

• Book in hand: how does it feel?

The book has a heavy weight to it, as well as feeling flimsy and a need to be looked after.

• Paper and ink: use of different paper/ textures/ colour or B&W or both.

The whole book is the same texture, but printed like its a personal diary, with fake texture added to the pages. There’s also a lot of colour and and B&W areas creating a contrast through the book.

• Format, size and orientation: portraiture/ landscape/ square/ A5, A4, A3 / number of pages.

The format is portrait, size 23 x 30 cm and 314 pages. So it is quite a big book, which makes since considering how much is in it, and how much is needed to tell stories of lots of youths.

• Title: literal or poetic / relevant or intriguing.

The title ‘raised by wolves’ suggests that they are growing up in there own way and that they don’t fit what’s expected upon them by society. People often use the term ‘you’ve been raised by a wolf’ to suggest they are acting in a wild and uncivilised manner with a lack of basic manners or social norms.

• Structure and architecture: how design/ repeating motifs/ or specific features develops a concept or construct a narrative.

Its structured with mostly Images, some interviews with fake textures added, and the real handwriting of the people inside the book.

• Design and layout: image size on pages/ single page, double-spread/ images/ grid, fold- outs/ inserts.

This can vary a lot, including almost every kind of design and layout. I think this was done to make it seem handcrafted like a diary.

• Editing and sequencing: selection of images/ juxtaposition of photographs/ editing process.

The editing seems limited, but the way the images are shot can be very abstract. I saw a few Juxtaposition of Images as well.

• Images and text: are they linked? Introduction/ essay/ statement by artists or others.  Use of captions (if any.)

The images and texts are linked very closely. The Images are usually there to explain some text or add more detail that can be difficult to explain through text, e.g. showing a subject, where they like to go, ext.

This is my third photoshoot for this project. In this shoot, I have focussed on capturing images of my friends, a group of teenage girls socialising. To take these images, I observed as we did the usual things we would do but I would exclude myself and take photographs. My goal was to take images of what was happening in front of me, making sure my friends could ignore the camera to ensure authentically aesthetic shots.

After looking over the final photographs, I decided to make the images black and white. I have now decided, after experimenting with the first few photoshoots, that my project will be presented with all of the images in black and white.

Some final images:

This was the initial contact sheet of every photo, for this photoshoot I went out in the early morning to capture the morning fog, as I want to explore how the mist/fog creates a dreamlike, unreal setting which alters the general landscape. When I went to capture this photoshoot, I had arrived at the originally planned location just as it was starting to become light outside, capturing the indistinct changes in how the location looked under the elegant smog. The morning fog not only dispersed the light, but also created this interesting beam effect around the lampposts within frame, making this the focal point in the majority of the images captured during this photoshoot. The beam of light poking through the fog added an unearthly quality to the setting, highlighting the sense of mystery and the transformation. The sense of loneliness is also found in this photoshoot, as I purposefully chose a time when few people would be out. the photographs show the empty, quiet landscapes with no signs of life which added to the feeling of abandonment and solitude, both being the emotional impacts I intended to showcase in my project. This photoshoot was shot handheld, using a high ISO to keep a faster shutter speed in the low light, I did this as a long shutter speed would often capture a moving car or people, taking away from the sense of solitude I was trying to convey. Even though using a high ISO meant that grain would be seen in my images, I find that the grain improves and highlights the overall mood I was intending for. The slight grain found within the images compliments the foggy, dreamlike sense of the morning as well as the contrast between the warm light and the cool fog. Overall I took 139 photographs during this photoshoot.

From the 139 photographs I captured during this early morning photoshoot, I selected 13 final images which I find best fits and showcases the themes and mood I am aiming for with this project. The process I went through to select these images, required me to review each image and focus on the ones that caught the interplay of light, setting and the feeling of loneliness I am aiming to acquire. I chose the photographs which highlighted the misty, unreal quality of the fog, the beam coming from the lampposts and the quietness which reflect the sense of isolation. These final images I have chosen show the emotional value and mood I hope to send throughout my photobook.

Final Image Selection – Unedited

These images showcased above are the 13 final photos in their raw, unedited state. These raw photographs show the contrasts, textures and the overall mood created by the darkness and the cloudy mist. Even though the photos already show off the emptiness, loneliness and the surreal, dreamlike effect that I intended on, the next task i will do is subtle editing to these images, improving the tones, changing the exposure and just perfect the overall mood of the collection of photographs. Editing these images will ensure that they fit in with the overall theme/story of my photobook.

Final Image Selection – Edited

Once the 13 images were carefully chosen, I started editing them in order to enhance the overall mood and theme I am aiming for. My main target when editing was to highlight and show off the dreamlike qualities of the foggy morning whilst also improving the theme/mood of isolation. By altering the contrasts and highlights, I managed to find the perfect balance between the warm lamppost lights and the soft tones of the fog. Whilst editing I also brought out some miniscule details which might have gone unnoticed. These photographs below are the final, fully edited images for this photoshoot.

Final Image Selection – Before & After

As You can see for these images, I only did subtle adjustments to them. My goal when editing was not to dramatically change the raw photos, but to slightly improve them and to refine the overall mood of the images. Every edit had a high focus on perfecting the contrast, highlights and tweaking the shadows and whites, with most of the photographs, I increased the contrast to emphasize the quality of the fog. The purpose of altering the whites, blacks and shadows to bring out smaller details which were hidden behind darker areas. Overall, my choices when editing were done to keep the natural sense of the foggy night whilst also intensifying the feeling of solitude that the images show.

Favourite photographs from this photoshoot

This image shows a long, desolate road being lit up by a warm glow from a row lampposts. The contrast between the left of the image being dark and the right side of the image having an intense amount of light, draws the viewers attention towards and through the road and pavement, almost like leading them into the unknown. My favourite aspect of this image is how it captures the sense of solitude, the empty road in this frame could suggest abandonment, however the working lamposts give an idea of life, fitting perfectly with my theme. This photo will be a main piece inside my photobook, as it clearly portrays the mysterious, lonely mood outlining the dichotomy between the day and the night.

This photograph displays an urban landscape filled with mist, allowing the lampposts to scatter freely. The soft light turns into a warm glow which is complimented by the mist surrounding the lampposts, the leading lines on the road and the lights slowly fading into the distance, it entices the viewer to follow the path into the unknown, similarly to my other favourite image. In my opinion this image is the definition of the normal becoming abnormal, the emptiness of the urban setting mixed with the glow of the artificial lighting, creates a quiet narrative of walking through a place which feels both safe and uncomfortable at the same time. This photograph will also play a key role in my photobook as it reflects my theme clearly, showing how landscapes during the night become abnormal.

Pictures From Home – Larry Sultan – Deconstructed and Explained

Pictures from Home – Larry Sultan

Published in 1992 this book was an interesting combination of memories and current day scenes. An insight into an American lifestyle, originally based around the families political views however it became a passion project of sorts looking at how he saw his family, how his family saw themselves. Sultan himself said ‘I wanted to puncture this mythology of the family and to show what happens when we are driven by images of success. And I was willing to use my family to prove a point.’ Woven into the book are old family photos and stills from home videos. The current photos he took are of his parents enjoying their ‘American dream’ retired living how they would like to.

Why?

Sultan produced this photobook to show an American dream. -The “American Dream” is a phrase referring to a purported national ethos of the United States: that every person has the freedom and opportunity to succeed and attain a better life- the one of his parents and how they chose to live it, when retired. Sultan started the project with the idea of explaining politics or at least exploring his parents conservative views. However over the ten year production period it became focused on his family, old photos and videos. A desperate attempt to stop time in it’s place, capturing details forgotten over a day and details forgotten over years. It was received as such, with phrases like ‘One of the most incredible things about Pictures from Home is how vulnerable Sultan allows himself to be in the text, in which he confronts insecurities about himself and his work, brilliantly deconstructing the project and the challenges of making it.‘ and ‘Larry Sultan’s images and words were his reconciliation with the oedipal mess of the American Dream.‘  and ‘one of the most moving and indelible family portraits I’ve ever read‘. The book, moved people, a relatable attempt to store memories and explain ones life. It is an intense family portrait sublimated with snippets of conversation, tension and love, flaws and all is featured within this book.

Larry Sultan

Larry Sultan a widely known photographer. Having grown up in California this quickly became the main inspiration source for many of his projects. He has published books and photographs, combining documentary and staged photos to create his desired effect of heavy, psychological photos, depicting family life and everything around it. His most known project is ‘Pictures from Home’ published in 1992 having spent a decade creating and capturing photos and recordings. Sultan went onto create more photos and photo books all mainly in the same California setting, never straying to far from home.

How Sultan took the photos

Sultan took these photos by visiting his parents every few months armed with his camera gear. Spending a few days executing ideas while recording notes and conversations, completely confusing his parents. This was reflected upon within the book, in which his parents voiced their confusion and almost annoyance for the project, not understanding the purpose. One shot in particular had Sultan sneaking in while his mother was asleep and taking photos. This describes his approach to photography well, he uses the concept literally, trying to stop time in moments others might not notice and would be forgotten about.

The Book Itself

The book has a slightly rough feel, with a textured hardback cover and a smooth added photo onto both sides of the cover adding a preview into the book itself. There is indented text, the title in small on the cover and spine, simply stating the title and photographer. Within the book the photos themselves have been printed onto two types of paper, thick glossy photopaper for the bulk of the photos. But for the old family photos and video stills they are printed onto softer, non-glossy paper. A mixture of colour and black and white have been used, the black and white being old family photos taken in black and white originally. Sizing is important when it comes to producing books, as this one has many orientations of photos the book is 23x27cm a size similar to a4 but squarer. This allows different photos to fit while keeping the book portrait. Overall the book has 192 pages with 140 of these being black and white. The cover itself is a hardcover with a photo stuck placed in the upper half, giving the appearance it was stuck on, like a family photo album would have on the cover. The title is on the cover, ‘pictures from home’ a literal title describing the book. The story was originally based upon political views before switching to a documentation of a retired couple living their ‘American Dream’ and how the photographer is related, his views and relationship with the subjects, his parents. He tells the story through a series of documentary and posed photos of his parents in their home and enjoying their lives. Often using a deadpan approach. There is no specific layout, using double pages or full spreads for some and putting multiple photos on the next page. Creating an interesting, relatable, unpredictable family dynamic. Each photo is carefully selecting, relating to the text beside it or following on from the previous section of photos, by editing the photos in a, true to life, colour scheme. Using the bright, bold colours to keep a theme throughout the book, reminiscent of the time period in which the book was created. It appears Sultan has done the book in chronological order of his parents day, slotting in shots and conversations when it added to that part of the story.

My best images:

In conclusion, my third photoshoot for my personal study went successfully. I believe I carried out a similar approach to Kurland very well, and I think it will be easy for the viewer to interpret who my artist inspiration was. Each of my final outcomes were carefully chosen when I was editing, for the purpose of expressing different emotions and connections between the girls. I chose the ones that I think resembled Kurland’s series best, and highlight the overall themes of my project.

What I think went well:

• Location of my photoshoot was good – different from the first shoot I executed inspired by Kurland
• Lighting of my shoot – due to the time of day I took my photos, the overall lighting in all the images is perfect for my editing process.
• Subjects – they presented their roles and the relationships between them very well, similar to Kurland. For example, contact with each other and helping each other

What I think I could improve on:

• Although the setting of this shoot was effective, I should have experimented with different scenery. For example, big empty roads to show that the girls are exploring alone
• Camera settings – I did not adjust the shutter speed of the camera effectively, meaning some of my outcomes were not in full focus due to a moving subject

This photoshoot consists of images of my brother and family. I have images of my brother alone, with his dad and images of my mum. These photographs were taken both inside, the house, and outside, on the street and outside of his school.

My images before and after editing:

Before:

After:

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After:

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After:

In this photoshoot, I wanted to add an under-exposed aesthetic to my images as I have began thinking about the sequencing of my photobook as this is a key aspect in making sure the narrative is consistent. These images are related to those I took during my second photoshoot, however they are taken at differing times of day and weather.

My intentions with these photos is to sequence them with relevant archived family images which I have experimented with in Photoshop, for example pairing the images relevant to football with images of my brother from when he was younger.

I wanted to use a darker tone in my images this time through the use of the time of day and weather type because it will enable me to show the other side of reminiscing on childhood memories – this being the more negative side where I reflect on the implications my brother has faced due to his diagnosis and add a tone of solitude into the images instead of a happier composition where it connotes ideas of remembrance and hope.

I took this photoshoot at FB football fields as this is where my brothers passion and talent for football began and where I used to go and watch him play matches to support him. Since he became unwell, he hasn’t really continued with his football as he hasn’t really had the motivation to go, so in this photoshoot I wanted to represent how he gave up his love for football, alongside the idea of having childhood memories stuck here.

During my editing, I wanted to ensure that the image was still kept dark to represent emotions of grief, however I wanted to highlight the objects in the image to show small hints of my brothers memory. I did this by using the object masking tool and increasing the highlights or exposure of that particular item to make it stand out from the background and prevent it from blending in.

I also added a vignette to a majority of my best images just to reinforce the idea of seclusion and solitude as it darkens the edges so that not only the overall image appears sombre, but because it will create a more dramatic effect where the objects can be highlighted. This means that the viewer can really reflect on the comparison of the family image compared to these images as they become binary opposites being happy to sad.

Final Images:

For this image, I shot with a low exposure in order to create this dark contrast. As it wasn’t great weather, the different tones of grey in the storm cloud can be seen to once again represent that fluidity of emotion that I as aiming to show in order to keep the narrative consistent on the various differing emotions surrounding my brothers mental health. I shot this from a low angle so that I could get the net of the goal to look similar to a cross-hatching pattern which I think has worked really well because this allows me to take images of sections of the landscape using formalism. Also, the more distinct straight lines add structure to the image in a more dramatic way which can connote feelings of seriousness and solemnity. The lock on the goal could be interpreted as if my brothers illness has locked away his passion and these certain memories that he may struggle to reflect on, restricting him from becoming the person he once was or growing from these experiences. The image didn’t require much editing as the natural sunlight was concealed by a cloud which meant that I could add a gloomy effect to really represent the morose tone in the atmosphere.

In this image, I placed down an image of me, my brother and my cousin from when we were in the UK at a photobooth. I noticed that the pitches had marks on them from the groundskeeper, so I used this as leading lines central to the image to symbolise how my brothers illness caused him to walk away from football. I wanted to add the image in as if he had left himself behind when his illness didn’t allow him to play football anymore because I thought that this would add a stronger emotive factor. I added a vignette because this helped me reinforce the feelings of desolation as it makes the edges of the image darker which denotes negative feelings. I took this image at a relatively low angle and pointed in diagonally so that the background of the image appeared smaller than the foreground. I feel that this enabled me to portray feelings of isolation and loneliness as there is nothing else in the image so that the viewer solely focuses on the concept behind the image rather than the technical aspects, making it more ambiguous. Also, the alternating directions and shades of the grass make the image look more chaotic as it adds movement and texture, which could be linked to the contradicting feelings that my brother feels about his ending of football.

With these two images, I wanted to show the football left in the goal, untouched, as if it was representing the last time my brother played football. Instead of using a normal sized football, I used a smaller one as I wanted to show how young my brother started playing football and how this ended so abruptly when he reached the age of around 17 years old. I used a really small ball to add irony to the image through the dramatic difference in size between the ball and goal itself to make a implicit comparison to now, where the goal is now larger to resonate with how my brother has grown up, however the ball still remains small as his passion for football did not continue, hence why it has not increased in size.

In this image, I used the same angle as I did before however I bent down closer to the ground so I could get a more detailed image. I feel that there is a high contrast between the grass and the bar of the goal due to the vibrancy that works really well when using a low exposure because it adds drama to the image as the line is so defined. The way that the white of the bar is off-coloured, I feel that this could represent how my brothers main concern at the time was how well he played in a football match, something so innocent and pure, whereas now his priority is trying to get better from his bipolar which is a more difficult process, hence all of the marks on the goal. I used a vignette on this image to emphasize the dark tonal range which then meant that the ball looked brighter and would contribute to it being the focal point of the image. I used an angle that was diagonal to the goal which has created a straight line across the image to section it which adds structure and a more formatted aesthetic. The goal net itself does this too, however the curves of the lines create movement and shape.

I used a similar approach in the image, however I put the camera on its side just about touching the grass which has meant that a lot of pieces are blurred in the foreground and look enlarged. I feel that this image looks like a combination of the previous images as this incorporates the stormy weather in the background to evoke feelings of gloom and despair, however this image uses a lot of lines such as the grass spiking up against the goal which may symbolise spikes in my brothers mental health in critical periods. The image was quite bright due to the weather being a large part of the image so I used a vignette on this image too as it allows me to darken the edges of the image, however I wanted to do this to emphasize the shadows made by the grass in the foreground as darkness evokes negativity which is relevant to my brothers emotions about this topic.

In my photobook, I am going to pair these images together as I feel the sequencing of them will be really effective. I took this image outside of the football changing rooms where I would always wait for my brother after his football matches as I was very young and would be ecstatic to congratulate him. For the first image, I stood quite far back and zoomed out the camera so that the objects looked far away, but could still be seen. I then moved closer, zoomed back in and bent down at a lower angle so that I could centralise the objects and take an image that was specifically looking into what they were. In my editing, I put the images side by side so that I could ensure both images had the same tonal range and looked as if they were exactly the same. I also used the object masking tool in order to brighten and highlight just the toys in a subtle way without altering the overall lighting because this meant that the objects wouldn’t disappear and blend into the background when they are the main focal point. I set them up on this bench as if they were waiting for somebody to collect them, as if they had been lost, in order to represent how I would sit and wait for my brother. I also think that this is effective due to the way the changing rooms look so dull and lifeless when paired with the muted greenery as the entire image looks depressing and lonely due to it being so empty. I think that this has portrayed how segments of both mine and my brothers childhood is left here as if it is left unsolved or unfinished as times changed so quickly once my brother became unwell.

I decided to make a mood board for this photoshoot in order to gather ideas and inspiration for the type of images I would like to create. I wanted this photoshoot to be for the middle portion of my photo book and be for the promotion of products such as perfumes, makeup and clothing. I will be imitating different companies such as Mac, GUCCI and Charlotte Tilbury. I wanted to include lots of flowers in my photoshoot to demonstrate stereotypical female traits. I used 3 models for this photoshoot and focused on varying images from zoomed in, zoomed out or portrait and landscape to create images of different types. I wanted to include lots of flowers, makeup and stereotypical female colours such as red and pink which portrays an idealistic view of a women from the male gaze. I really like this mood board as it is eye-catching, girly and would draw in teens and women as it is an ideological aesthetic lifestyle they may want to relate to or aspire to live.

ALL PHOTOS:

This is the contact sheet of all my images= 400 images. I feel 400 images Is a successful amount for me to categorise and edit in Lightroom to pick the strongest images to edit and use in my final photobook. I feel this is one of the most successful photoshoots I have done in this personal study project as I really liked the lighting and accessories and objects used to convey the subject I wanted to interpret. I liked how although the images were taken in the photography studio, they are still interesting and relevant however, more interesting and colourful backgrounds could’ve helped to escalate these images. However, I could also edit these images in Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom in order to make the background colourful or patterned. Although, I also believe that these flowers I used have helped to make my images more eye-catching and interesting. I feel there are many pictures to work with and edit to create advertisement style images. I feel what went well in this photoshoots are the lighting and camera settings to help my images look high-quality and detailed. My lighting has also helped to create a slight spotlight effect on my images to show that the model is the focal point of the images alongside the products. I also feel my models’ positioning and posing was something that was successful in this photoshoot as they are doing the correct facial expressions and body language to ‘sell products’. This consists of straight faces, laughing, smiling and looking directly at the reader in order for the viewer to feel targeted and draw them into purchasing the product being promoted. However, In this photoshoot I feel that the although the lighting is good as it is mysterious and interesting, some of the photos have come out dark, although this can be fixed in Adobe Lightroom by increasing the exposure and increasing the whites and contrast in settings.

My Best Photographs:

I first decided to experiment with flowers to demonstrate stereotypical femininity and flowers often symbolise grace, gentleness, and happiness which demonstrates an idealistic way that can interest females and make them look at an images and read about a product which encourages them to purchase it. I feel this aspect has also added to my photos as the flowers are bright and eye-catching. The expressions of happiness also capture ‘joyful moments’ which makes the viewer associate the feeling of happiness being created when this product is bought. By having creative and highly visual aspects such as bright colours and striking images, makes the images stand out to the viewer. The product I would like to ‘pretend to promote’ is a perfume named ‘Gucci bloom’ which is a range of perfumes by Gucci which represent floral smells and bright coloured flowery packaging which is a stereotypical product which expects women to want as they need to smell girly and like flowers in order to ‘be womanly’.

These are my best photographs from this photoshoot. I feel these are the photos with the best lighting and quality. I have edited these on Adobe Lightroom. These images are to be displayed in the middle portion of my photobook which displays a magazine from the modern day which consists of celebrity gossip, product promotion, advertisements and content for teens and young adults. This is to promote products such as perfumes, makeup products, lip products etc. I wanted to make a range of images displaying photographs for my second segment of my photobook. These images consist of images of my models holding the products, the products being displayed and my models posing for a photoshoot, to promote the product. This means that I can group these images together for different segments of this chapter of the book. There is also images of my model on their own which I wanted to photograph for any extra pages where my book may need pages filled with relevant photographs.

I feel this photoshoot was very successful as my models are young adults who are the target model age for my work and their clothing and settings match the aesthetic and message I would like to portray. I like the colours of my images and chose to add a coloured gel over my light in order to create hues of reds, purples and pink. For example.

I feel like this small change in the image makes it look more high quality and also makes the image more interesting as the product is more eye catching and the model looks more bright which helps the image to stand out and look less flat. I feel this was a good decision to make in my photoshoot and Is something I wish I had included throughout the shoot and not just towards the end. I also believe I may need to do one more photoshoot for images for my photobook, however, I also feel that around 3-4 photoshoots have captured the types of images I wanted, however, I think that a wider range of images Is more reliable when choosing images for my photobook, but this means more products, logos and editing on Photoshop is needed to add these into the middle section of my photobook which may be time-consuming and difficult within my time frame.