Environmental Portraiture

Environmental Portraits depict people in their working environments or environments they are associated with.

They are portraits which are taken in the subjects natural surroundings, such as their home or workplace, that illuminates the subjects life and surroundings.

Arnold Newman

 Pioneer of environmental portrait, while also being known for his still life and abstract photography. He is considered as one of the most influential photographers in the 20th century. Newman’s environmental approach to portraiture was greatly influenced by impressionism and symbolism, which attracts the viewer no matter how well we know what the focus is.

Environmental Portraiture

Chiaroscuro

Chiaroscuro is a high contrast lighting technique, creating contrast between the subject and a dark background. Chiaroscuro portraits first came about during the 15th century, then continued to develop during the 16th century. The dark subjects were lighted by a small source of light, that illuminated parts of the subject, which overall achieved the contrast between light and dark. To create this effect a single light is used to create the brighter effect on the subject, but also stands out from the contrasting dark background.

The New Topographics

Beginning in the 1970s, a group of photographers including Robert Adams, Lewis Baltz and Nickolas Nixon were associated with the 1975 exhibition New Topographic; this was Photographs of man- altered landscapes. The exhibition displayed their work, it showed how they focused on different kind of landscapes rather than those found naturally or at national parks. They showed landscape photography in a new way, focusing on urban landscape areas around America post-war, such as suburban areas like freeways, gas stations, or industrial parks. This was a new reflection to the suburban world around them, as they began to explore different and new ways of capturing landscapes.

Robert Adams:

Henri Cartier Bresson & The Decisive Moment

When shooting his photos, he captured people as they were relying on his eye to capture the perfect moment, while staying virtually unseen and in the background enabling him to capture the right candid photo . This became effective, as shooting from the background using a smaller lensed camera meant he was unnoticeable. Capturing the perfect composition of the decisive moment was very important. Henri Cartier Bresson viewed his work as a ‘sensual pleasure’ to see shapes and geometry, as these elements were arranged along with human subjects. When taking his photos, he looked for specific details other than the subject in the perfect moment, such as lines, triangles, squares, shadows, curves and shapes.

My Response in St Malo:

List of possible photographers of interest to research

• rutbleesluxemburg -commonsensual
• Robert Adams -Summer Nights, Walking
• Kevin Fletcher -Avenue of Roses
• Edo Zollo -In the Dark of Night: London past bedtime
• Jason D.Page -light painting

-Mood board-

Below is a mood board of photography/photos which interests me and can give me paths to go down for my personal study.

I feel like these images relate to the beauty within females in our society. They reflect confidence and power, showing women that we are strong and beautiful. Out of the 100 photos we took I managed to narrow it down to two images that are my favourite. This is because its pin pointing the beauty of this particular female.

These images are just the start of showing female and feminist poses to attract attention and

https://www.martintoft.com/becque-barbe

Martin Toft explores themes of suppression and silence with abstract representations of Jèrriais speakers using black and white portraits beside places of special interest in Jersey’s landscape.

In Mathinnyi by Kit Ashton, he records various generations and supporters of the language discussing thoughts on the revival of Jèrriais. He uses old footage of his father on a fishing boat in the introduction, and in-between the various locations has artistic shots of the island.

https://littleriverpictures.com/films

Jim Goldberg

Moodboard

Overview

Method’s-

A key method that Jim Goldberg uses is street photography. He takes images that are mostly candid and images of street names and many different signs to signify different key concepts.

Style-

Jim Goldbergs photographic style is very warm toned, mainly black and white photos that give off a dark wintery feel.

Approach-

Jim Goldberg mainly uses documentary photography, to capture real-life events, people, and places in an honest and objective manner.

Subject Matter-

Urban/Architecture: Focuses on man-made structures like buildings, streets, or cityscapes. Social and Political Issues: This subject matter explores societal, cultural, or political topics, often with a goal of raising awareness or documenting significant moments in history.

Key Image

The reason I have chosen this image as my key image is because I love how the backdrop is so minimal. It’s such a simple image that connotates all the themes of my book. My main theme is youth culture, this skateboard heavily connotates a teenagers use. I like how the skateboard has clearly been used and battered around, explaining how teenagers have a certain anger within them that they need to unleash.

The technical analysis of this image would be how it is clearly taken using a light box, and a flash. This is to exemplify all the things the skateboard has been trough.

The main visual element of this is of course the skateboard in itself, I like how its visual elements will be very different from all my other images. My other images are going to include people and life which just makes this image even more special.

A contextual element of this would be how teenagers tend to skateboard, and how there was a massive debate over whether it was a hobby or a sport, but I think that it makes people realize that no one really cares either way, it’s not a sort of competition it’s clearly a form of anger release.

My conceptual element would yet again be how it is a form of anger release. This is a sort of therapy for struggling teens.

Tom Wood

Moodboard

Overview-

Method’s-

He mainly uses candid and unposed photography, his street photography is marked by the ability to capture raw, authentic expressions of people, often in public settings like streets, markets, or at social gatherings.

Style-

He uses street photography, a style that involves capturing spontaneous moments of everyday life in public spaces. His images document ordinary people in their natural environments, focusing on unguarded, candid expressions.

Approach-

Wood often captures environmental portraits, where the subject is shown in their natural surroundings, adding context and depth to the photograph. The environment plays a significant role in telling the subject’s story. Environmental portraits provide insight into the subject’s life or background, making the setting just as important as the person. Wood’s careful use of location reveals socio-economic backgrounds, emotional states, and the relationship between the person and their environment.

Subject Matter-

Everyday people and candid moments, Tom Wood’s photography is deeply rooted in the depiction of ordinary people- often captured in candid, unposed moment’s. His subjects range from strangers in the street to close acquaintances in social settings.

Key Image

The reason I have chosen this image as my key image is because I think that it is so conceptual, it unlocks so much through a simple landscape image. It connotates the theme of my book because I want y book to be very minimal, I want to leave a lot for people to consider and connotated themselves, creating a very subjective vibe.

My technical analysis of this image is that its taken using daylight, creating a nice blend between the colouring., The bright blue sky blends in with the shine on the buildings.

My visual analysis of this image is a good use of third’s. By having a main object in the foreground, background and the middle it creates a nice blend between the objects. It doesn’t specifically pull you in and focus on one, allowing for wider viewing.

My contextual analysis is that it creates a deeper meaning of the working population, like working teens or teens in school and how they’re generally disregarded, people always say children are so expensive but what about teens, is that when we are just meant to fend for ourselves?

My conceptual analysis of this image is the notion of working people and public spaces. I want to focus on public shared places, because a place that could be so special to us may also be the core memories’ of others, and that’s what we don’t realise. We all think that we have individual experiences, when in reality we all live on the same earth, with the same shared places, so really how much of you can be individual?

Jersey Legends – Erren Michaels

Siân Davey – Martha

‘No matter what era you grow up in, the awkwardness of being a teenager never really changes. You’re an adult and a child in the same body, trying to make sense of who you are and your place in the world. For all the drama and self-righteousness that involves, most of us are keen to escape the cringe as soon as possible, leaving few witnesses.’ Spanning two years, the images in ‘Martha‘ capture teenage life in rural Devon, along the UK’s south coast. There are hangovers and haircuts, topless swimming and tears over the telephone. But there are also developmental shifts on either side of the camera, often reflected in Martha’s gaze. Some feel raw and innocent, some knowing and weary. And as much as they provide an intimate insight into a complex time in life, it says just as much about the relationship between step-mother and daughter.

Sian Davey is known for her deeply emotive and personal approach at photography. She explores themes of identity, family, societal norms and vulnerability. Davey takes a careful and reflective approach to observing her subjects, allowing moments to unfold naturally. she captures subtle gestures, expressions, and interactions. She also seeks to uncover the more complicated layers of her subjects lives, searching for moments that convey their inner emotions and experiences. Davey challanges societal stereotypes and conventions, especially regarding themes of disability, mental health and family dynamics.

Mood Board

Sian Davey’s Martha is a good shoot to study because it combines emotional depth, thoughtful composition, and a nuanced exploration of identity. This is what I wanted to focus on for my shoot, as I’m looking into teenage lifestyle, and see if the stereotypes fir the reality. Her shoot challenges stereotypes and encourages a deeper, more empathetic understanding of individuals who are often marginalized, making it a powerful example of how photography can tell stories that go beyond surface appearances and provoke thought about representation and human connection. Davey’s ‘Martha‘ photoshoot exemplifies the “Observe, Seek, and Challenge” approach in photography by deeply engaging with her subject, Martha, through intimate and reflective portraits that capture both vulnerability and strength. Davey observes Martha’s natural state and environment, seeking to understand her personal narrative beyond surface-level imagery. By challenging conventional beauty standards and representations of difference, Davey highlights Martha’s individuality and complexities, encouraging viewers to rethink societal norms and embrace diversity in its rawest form, showing more in to teenage life than the stereotypes. The photographs create a powerful, emotional connection, challenging viewers to engage with the subject in a more empathetic and refined way.

Image analysis

This image is called prom. The depth of field used in this image is eye catching as although it focuses on the girls doing their makeup in the background, the girl at the front is blurred, creating a sort of pictorialism feel to the image. I also feel like this image resonates with my friends because we love getting ready together and helping each other get ready. This image also gives me inspiration for my own photoshoots because although this activity is just a day to day activity, it is very intimate and requires the trust of others to alter your appearance and enhance your beauty. I also like this image as its showing exactly what i want to shoot.

 Quotes and comments from Sian Davey

“She was separating from us, becoming her own person. But what I hadn’t seen was that she was worried I was losing interest in her. Her question felt like a request to be seen.”

“She allowed me into parties and gatherings in the park, she let me come along to lazy afternoon swims in the river. I’d meet them all in the early hours of the morning, spilling out of a club or a takeaway place in Plymouth or Torquay…”

I knew I had to gain their trust and I did it by taking extremely small, incremental steps,”

Mind Map

Mood Board

Observe

To observe in photography means to engage deeply with the world around you, noticing details, understanding the context of a scene, and making thoughtful decisions about how to capture that moment visually. It involves both an acute sense of visual perception and an intuitive connection to the subject, allowing the photographer to create images that are more than just technical reproductions, but meaningful, expressive interpretations of the world.

Seek

To seek in photography is the active, intentional process of searching for compelling subjects, moments, compositions, or emotions to capture. It involves exploring, discovering, and engaging with the world around you to find and frame the elements that align with your artistic or documentary goals. Seeking is about pursuing what inspires you—whether that’s the perfect light, an emotional moment, a story, or a new creative challenge—and it’s a critical part of the photographic process that drives a photographer to actively engage with the world rather than simply document it.

Challenge

A “challenge” in photography refers to any factor—whether technical, creative, environmental, or personal—that makes capturing an image more difficult or requires the photographer to adapt, experiment, or overcome obstacles. Challenges in photography are inherent to the medium, and they often provide opportunities for photographers to grow, innovate, and refine their craft. A great photographer is often defined not just by their ability to take good photos, but by their resilience and skill in overcoming these various challenges.

Binary Opposites

Binary opposition is the system of language and/or thought by which two theoretical opposites are strictly defined and set off against one another. It is the contrast between two mutually exclusive terms, such as on and off, up and down, left and right.

According to French philosopher, Jacques Derrida, meaning is often defined in terms of binary oppositions, where “one of the two terms governs the other.”. An example would be the white/ black binary opposition in the United States, the African American is defined as a devalued other. An example of a binary opposition is the male-female dichotomy, where male is the dominant gender and women are subservient.

Claude Levi Strauss

Levi Strauss, a French anthropologist in the 1900s, proposed a theory of ‘binary opposites’ which entails that the majority of narratives in media forms such as books and film contain opposing main characters. These binary opposites help to thicken the plot and further the narrative; and introduce contrast. Claude Lévi-Strauss was interested in the structures that stories use to create meaning. He analysed
traditional myths and legends in an attempt to uncover the essential ingredients, or universal laws, of
story structure. Lévi-Strauss concluded that all stories need some level of conflict in order to produce
meaning. He also came to the conclusion that the conflicts covered in stories tell audiences something
about the kinds of ideas and beliefs society ought to adopt. Strauss called these conflicts ‘binary oppositions’.
At their simplest, binary oppositions give us stories in which good battles evil, but there are countless other formulations of conflict found in media products: humanity versus technology, age versus youth, brawn versus intelligence. Importantly, Lévi-Strauss tells us that binary oppositions also construct ideological positioning. Ideology, in this sense, refers to how stories reflect the values and beliefs of society. The conflicts presented in Star Wars, for instance, tell us that the greed and exploitation of Darth Vader are bad, whilst Skywalker’s bravery and team working skills are positive traits.

These are a few of my best topics that I did. I mainly thought my portraits were my best, or at least any of the topics that involved people, I also enjoyed taking these photos the most because I can be creative with it and it shows my skills to the best ability. My topics were, portraits, street photography, environmental photography, and masculine and feminity, I don’t think my outcomes were actually the best to masculinity and feminity but I did feel like I could express it more and do it better, and enjoyed it.

I have learnt a lot throughout my whole time in photography like camera skills, and artists, or how to edit using photoshop and Lightroom. But I think my main skills or skills I learnt the best and want to develop into more things came from, Portraits, environmental portraits, street photography and masculinity and feminity.

Portraits

In portraits we learnt about all different lighting, like Rembrandt lighting, this is a small triangle of light on the subject cheeks opposite the light source, creating a dramatic and shadowy effect. Its often used in portrait photography to add depth and dimension to the subjects face. We also learnt about Butterfly lighting which is the main light source directly in front of the subject and slightly above their eye level. this creates a small, butterfly- shaped shadow under their nose. We then learnt about chiaroscuro lighting which uses a strong contrast between light and dark arears to create dramatic effects. This is how we started Portraits and headshots in the studio attempting these different lightings, we then added different colours lights and different poses.

Here are some of my best from this topic;

Environmental portraits

I think a lot of the reason I enjoyed environmental portraits is because I enjoyed portraits and it was adding more to it, finding a way to make my portraits a little more creative. This topic also taught me a lot and advanced my learning and photography skills, it taught me what an environmental portrait is, An environmental portrait is a photograph that depicts a person within their natural or chosen surroundings. Also learnt How and why to use environmental portraits, Environmental portraits are often used in magazines, newspapers, and documentaries to accompany articles or stories. They help to bring the subject’s experiences and surroundings to life, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative, Environmental portraits are frequently used in corporate settings to showcase employees, executives, or professionals in their work environment. They can be used for company websites, marketing materials, or professional profiles, providing a more personal and relatable representation of individuals within their professional context.

Here are some of my best from this topic;

Street Photography

I loved this topic because it was adventurous and different and left a lot more to imagination. In this topic we learnt about the deceive moment. It refers to the brief, fleeting moment when all the elements of a scene come together to create a powerful and meaningful image. For Cartier-Bresson, the decisive moment was not just about capturing a specific event or action, but rather about capturing the essence of the human experience. He believed that this moment was often a combination of several factors, including:

1. Timing: The ability to capture the exact moment when something significant was happening.
2. Composition: The way the elements of the scene were arranged to create a harmonious and balanced composition.
3. Light: The quality and direction of the light, which could add mood and atmosphere to the image.
4. Storytelling: The ability to tell a story or convey a sense of narrative through the image.

Here are some of my best from this topic;

Masculinity and Feminity

In masc and fem we learnt about qualities or attributes regarded as characteristic of women or girls. Qualities or attributes regarded as characteristic of men or boys, femininity and masculinity are binary opposites which means it is a pair of related terms or concepts that are opposite in meaning.

Here are some of my best from this topic;

Jersey Legends- Erren Michaels