DEADLINE: Essay Introduction Draft MUST be handed in Thursday 18 Dec 2024
DEADLINE: Final Essay MUST be handed in Fri 31 Jan 2025
Copy this essay plan into your own blog post, titled: Essay Draft:
Literary sources: Go to this blog post here: Theory: Literary Sources and copy relevant key texts relating to the subject of your essay and list in alphabetical order in your bibliography. In addition, find your own key texts in relation to artists selected for in-depth analysis in your essay and list these too. These texts could be interviews with the artist, or reviews/ critique’s written by others. See useful online sites/ sources here .
Research and identify 3-5 literary sources from a variety of media such as books, journal/magazines, internet, Youtube/video that relates to your personal study and artists references .
Begin to read essay, texts and interviews with your chosen artists as well as commentary from critics, historians and others.
It’s important that you show evidence of reading and draw upon different pints of view – not only your own.
Take notes when you’re reading…key words, concepts, passages, page number to be used for in-text referencing etc.
Essay Question
Think of a hypothesis and list possible essay questions
Below is a list of possible essay questions that may help you to formulate your own.
Some examples of Personal Study essays from previous students:
Essay Plan Make a plan that lists what you are going to write about in each paragraph – essay structure
Essay question:
To what extend have Ansel Adams and Mark Power explored a sense of place in their work.
How have concepts of childhood, loss and memory been explored in the photo books of Mark Power and Ansel Adams?
“It means putting oneself into a certain relation to the world that feels like knowledge” (Sontag 1977:4)
Introduction (250-500 words): What is your area study? Which artists will you be analysing and why? How will you be responding to their work and essay question?
The areas I’m going to focus on for my personal study will be landscape and documentary photography. I will use the artists Ansel Adams and Mark Power to influence my images I am going to use for my photobook. Ansel Adams photography looks at still life images of plants and flowers and nature but most of his images are landscape images of trees or picturesque mountains. Whereas Mark Powers photography is about documenting certain moments or particular places that are important to people or a place that triggers a memory for them. I’m using these two photographers for my study because I’m going to restage images of my grandads favourite places when he came to visit jersey by using my dad in place of him in the images which is what Mark Powers photography focuses on. I’m also going to take images of the landscape from the location that I go to take the restaged images which is where Ansel Adams photography comes in, so I can lay one restaged image and one landscape photo next to each other in the photobook, to give contrast against both images.
Pg 1 (500 words): Historical/ theoretical context within art, photography and visual culture relevant to your area of study. Make links to art movements/ isms and some of the methods employed by critics and historian. The Historical context of the area I’m going to base my images off of is Romanticism in photography. What is Romanticism, it was a literary and artistic movement that included intense colours, shimmering light and animated brushstrokes in the images and showcased the beauty of landscapes and nature. Ansel Adams photography best portrays romanticism because he photographs the beauty and the innocence of the landscape and how it shows serenity and peacefulness in the image, which links to the photos that I’ve taken because it suggests reflection on his life. The movement of pictorialism links to Ansel Adams because he focused on the beauty of nature and capturing the special elements of the landscape he was photographing. However Mark Power was inspired by the nationalism movement which focused on political and sometimes military elements. What is the nationalism movement, the nationalism movement is a political, sometimes also military, struggle by a national group for statehood or for some measure of independence from or autonomy within a larger political association, such as another state or an empire. This relates to Mark Power because his work focuses on specific themes such as memories and showcasing important places for people.
Pg 2 (500 words): Analyse first artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses. – The first artist Ansel Adams aesthetics of natural beauty Yosemite NP and photographing the nature and the trees there.
Pg 3 (500 words): Analyse second artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses. – My second artist Mark Power looks at memory, what is memory, it can either be “the sum of everything retained by the mind” or “a particular recollection of an event or person” his work portrays this by images such as hospital waiting rooms which suggests that its a place that holds a lot of memories for someone or could trigger those memories about that specific place. Mark Power critiques the beauty in photography by creating very blunt images that don’t have beauty and tranquillity in them which juxtaposes against my first artist being Ansel Adams because his work is heavily based on the beauty of nature. Mark Power has created a sense of place in his work by photographing places that hold significant memories for people and photographing images of old abandoned houses where people might of lived in there childhood. My images showcase this sense of place because they hold the memories of my grandads favourite places and where he used to love when he came to the island. These images give a sense of place because they are special and important to me which makes them peaceful and calming places to be to remember him.
Conclusion (250-500 words): Draw parallels, explore differences/ similarities between artists/photographers and that of your own work that you have produced
Bibliography: List all relevant sources used
Photography and Family Family albums > childhood > memories
Anwandter, P. M. (26 April 2006), ‘Frames of Mind: Photography, Memory and Identity’. CUREJ – College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal (https://bpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/portfolio.newschool.edu/dist/2/14941/files/2017/06/FRAMESofMIDNSfulltext-1rxpsdp.pdf) [Accessed Date Accessed] – In Frames of Mind, I have sought to explore the themes concerning the dynamic construction of memory. What do we choose to remember and how do we reinforce it? Who are we in relationship to who we were? Working with a collection of over five hundred images accumulated throughout my life, I have reinvestigated the images and their interrelationship with one another.
Overview of Barthes book Camera Lucida in Photo Pedagogy The first half of this article talks about Barthes theory of a studium and punctum. The latter part about a photograph of his dead mother which allows him to think about memory. Commentary on Barthes book
Rereading: Camera Lucida by Roland Barthes Article by Brian Dillon in the Guardian, 26 March 2011 Grieving for his mother, Roland Barthes looked for her in old photos – and wrote a curious, moving book that became one of the most influential studies of photography
DEATH IN THE PHOTOGRAPH – critical article in response to Roland Barthes seminal book ‘Camera Lucida’ reflecting on photography.
DEADLINE: Essay Introduction Draft MUST be handed in Thursday 18 Dec 2024
DEADLINE: Final Essay MUST be handed in Fri 31 Jan 2025
Copy this essay plan into your own blog post, titled: Essay Draft:
Literary sources: Go to this blog post here: Theory: Literary Sources and copy relevant key texts relating to the subject of your essay and list in alphabetical order in your bibliography. In addition, find your own key texts in relation to artists selected for in-depth analysis in your essay and list these too. These texts could be interviews with the artist, or reviews/ critique’s written by others. See useful online sites/ sources here .
Research and identify 3-5 literary sources from a variety of media such as books, journal/magazines, internet, Youtube/video that relates to your personal study and artists references .
Begin to read essay, texts and interviews with your chosen artists as well as commentary from critics, historians and others.
It’s important that you show evidence of reading and draw upon different pints of view – not only your own.
Take notes when you’re reading…key words, concepts, passages, page number to be used for in-text referencing etc.
Essay Question
Think of a hypothesis and list possible essay questions
Below is a list of possible essay questions that may help you to formulate your own.
Some examples of Personal Study essays from previous students:
Essay Plan Make a plan that lists what you are going to write about in each paragraph – essay structure
Essay question:
What is the relationship between Henri Cartier-Bresson’s theory of the ‘decisive moment’ and subjectivity?
To What Extent Is An Insiders Point Of View Truthful In Documentary Photography?
How can photography bear witness to the ways of life and events of the world?
How can photography bear witness to the world ways of life and events of the world?
What is the relationship between Henri Cartier-Bresson’s theory of the ‘decisive moment’ and subjectivity?
faith fact and fiction reality vs staged
Opening quote
‘To collect photographs is to collect the world’ (Sontag 1977:3)
Introduction (250-500 words): What is your area study? Which artists will you be analysing and why? How will you be responding to their work and essay question?
Essayintroduction: convert draft introduction to final version.
Think about an opening that will draw your reader in e.g. you can use an opening quote that sets the scene. Or think more philosophically about the nature of photography and its feeble relationship with reality.
You should include in your introduction an outline of your intention of your study, e.g.
What are you going to investigate?
How does this area/ work interest you?
What are you trying to prove/challenge, argument/ counter-argument?
Whose work (artists/photographers) are you analysing and why?
What historical or theoretical context is the work situated within?
What links are there with your previous studies?
What have you explored or experimented with so far in your photography project?
How will your work develop.
What camera skills, techniques or digital processes have you used, or going to experiment with?
Below is link to a blog post which will provide you with helpful guidelines if you are struggling to structure your essay or writing paragraphs.
In exploring my faith, religion, and photography, Susan Sontag’s assertion that “To collect photographs is to collect the world” (1977:3) profoundly shapes my approach to this study. Photography, especially in its documentary style, allows us to capture the essence of human experience, offering a window into the diverse and intimate ways people express belief and spirituality. This approach aligns with my own work, where I draw inspiration from Henri Cartier-Bresson, whose work of the decisive moment in documentary photography influences my desire to capture fleeting but profound instances of faith and my journey. Much like Henri Cartier-Bresson’s ability to reveal the underlying truths of human life through spontaneous moments, I look to document the quiet, sacred expressions of my own faith, offering a visual narrative that reflects not just personal devotion, but also the universal experience of spirituality. Through documentary photography, I aim to present these sacred moments in a way that invites reflection on religion and belief, while showcasing the subtle, often unnoticed beauty of spiritual life. I chose documentary photography as I am trying to represent a story behind my photographs. I am going to be taking images showing the stages of how I went from the darkness of being confused, lonely and not knowing what to do in life and the journey of me slowly finding my way to God and starting my walk of faith as a Christian. I am going to represent this journey through various photoshoots that piece together my story in the style of documentary photography. One of my inspiration is Henri Cartier-Bresson and in this essay I will be investigating his theory of the ‘decisive moment’ and its influence on contemporary documentary photography. A second photographer I will be analysing in relation to the decisive moment is Konrad Hellfeuer who explore religion through a documentary approach to image-making. A third artist I will be looking at is Arnold Newman, a photographer who predominantly explores the subjects of geography, inequality, and the environment in his native region and in related places, using the aesthetics of black and white. He also uses documentary photography.
Documentary photography, as a medium, has been known for capturing the complexities of human existence, where it often frames social and cultural narratives within specific historical contexts. This approach of photography seeks to engage with reality, capturing moments in real time, moments that can only be captured once creating all sorts of stories and representing them through images. In the theme of faith and religion, documentary photography can serve as a powerful means to explore personal and collective spiritual experiences.
For my personal study, I’m focusing on the work of photographer Henri-Cartier Bresson and documentary photography. I will also look at his ability to represent a deeper meaning and story through different contrasts, shapes, angles, shadows as prescribed in his theory the decisive moment. According to Cartier-Bresson the decisive moment is ‘the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as the precise organization of forms which gives that event its proper expression.’ (Cartier-Bresson 1952). My interpretation of his theory is that he makes photographs of situations and people in that moment in time, creating images that would never be able to be replicated.
my image compared to Henri-Carter Bresson –
my image
Henri-Cartier Bressons image
When comparing his work to my own images, I can see how I try to create a similar sense of emotion and storytelling like he does, though I tend to focus more on natural light and environments using the weather and location as it is without manipulating anything whatsoever.
In my first shoots, I experimented with capturing moments of genuine expression and emotions of how I was feeling in those moments which I believe aligns with Henri-Cartier Bresson’s goal of showing vulnerability and authenticity. Looking at both his work and my own, I realize how important it is to connect with the subject and take images in certain locations in order to really capture what I am looking for within my theme of faith and religion.
The second photographer I’m looking at is Arnold Newman, whose street photography captured everyday moments with a raw, storytelling and emotional feel. His use of positioning and angles really gives it a free feeling of being able to take images and capture real life images that can only be lived once, which is something I’ve tried to experiment with in my own work.
My image compared to Arnolds –
For example, in my second photoshoot, I focused on shooting people in the environment and just capturing people without them noticing, just like both Henri and Arnold did, as they both focus on in the moment circumstances where you can see peoples real emotions within those moments.
More of my images from the second shoot and evaluation
When I compare Arnolds approach to mine, I can see how I still have a lot to learn in terms of capturing that perfect moment of spontaneity. While Arnolds’ work often feels like he was in the right place at the right time, I sometimes feel like I’m more deliberate with my shots as I have tried to replicate a story and the emotions that come with it, of how both myself and someone else would feel when finding their path in faith.
Bate, David (2016) ‘The Art of the Document’ in Art Photography. London: Tate Galleries. – A text about how documentary photography now is considered within a fine-art context
Cartier-Bresson, H. (1952). The Decisive Moment. Gottingen: Steidl
Sontag, S. (1977) ‘In Plato’s cave’ in On Photography. London: Penguin Books.
Astres Noirs by Sarker Protick and Katrin Koenning.
1. Research a photo-book and describe the story it is communicating with reference to subject-matter, genre and approach to image-making.
This photobook shows a collection of black and white photographs where the photographs have taken the ordinary and blown it up into dramatic images. Every photograph was taken on a phone and matched to its neighbour through overall shape and contrast. Each page is folded with a handful hiding additional images behind. The images were cumulated by an exchange between the two photographers. Like letters the two would send each other images and bounce off one another’s ideas. One photographer is from India and one from Australia. The pockets hide images and the word ‘disappear’. The book and sentence ‘all colours…within black’ makes somewhat sense but with the additional ‘disappear’ and hidden images, it creates a fuller and more well rounded overall narrative. The book is also a reflection of phone photography. The images were all taken from their own social media pages and the shine reflects the bright screens of the devices.
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.)
Sarker Protick is an Indian photographer who overexposes and ‘looses’ colour in his black and white images. Katrin Koenning is an Australian photographer with a focus on the emotional connection with the environment.
3. Deconstruct the narrative, concept and design of the book and apply theory above when considering:
Paper and ink: use of different paper/ textures/ colour or B&W or both.
Since every page is folded they feel much thicker then they actually are. The pages are black and make use of a metallic white ink to make it shine under the light.
Format, size and orientation: portraiture/ landscape/ square/ A5, A4, A3 / number of pages.
The cover uses pure black card with the tile indentented.
Title: literal or poetic / relevant or intriguing.
The title is poetic. In English it translated to black stars. Black holes could be seen as more relevant however the use of stars relates to the brightness of the white and the metallic used for printing ink.
Narrative: what is the story/ subject-matter. How is it told?
There isn’t much of a story to the images. The images document an interaction between the two photographers.
Structure and architecture: how design/ repeating motifs/ or specific features develops a concept or construct a narrative.
Every set of unfolded pages have the same layout. The pictures are squares in the top corners of the pages.
Design and layout: image size on pages/ single page, double-spread/ images/ grid, fold- outs/ inserts.
Each image takes up part of one page. The book makes use of folded pages. The pages would have been folded in half and bound through the centre like normal pages. This makes the pages openable from the bottom corners.
Editing and sequencing: selection of images/ juxtaposition of photographs/ editing process.
The images are put together mostly in pairs. each pair are related in some way be it general shape or related themes.
This pair uses the same shape of a triangular shape with the figure and the dirt specs.
This pair have related themes. The astronaut is falling through space and seemingly away from the square on the left which is reminiscent of a star/ship/etc. Had the context of the square been different it wouldn’t seem foreign/alien.
Images and text: are they linked? Introduction/ essay/ statement by artists or others. Use of captions (if any.)
The book doesn’t use many words. In the beginning there is the phrase ‘all colours disappear within black’ which relates to the images being black and white but also the hidden nature of the folded images. There are no captions with the images as these images are abstract and strung together in a narrative that wouldn’t make sense with added context.
Marcelo Monreal is a Brazilian visual artist and photographer known for his unique approach to digital art and photography. He combines elements of portrait photography with surreal and sometimes abstract digital manipulation. Monreal often incorporates nature, architecture, and surrealist imagery, blending human faces with intricate designs, textures, and natural elements like plants or animals, creating visually striking and thought-provoking compositions. His work tends to challenge traditional boundaries in portrait photography, making him a distinctive figure in contemporary visual art.
Marcelo Monreal’s floral portraits are a captivating series where he merges human faces with vibrant, intricate floral elements, creating surreal and symbolic images. The portraits typically feature human subjects with portions of their faces or features replaced or integrated with flowers, leaves, and other organic elements.
How he links to identity
Marcelo Monreal’s floral portraits deeply explore the theme of identity by merging human faces with organic elements like flowers, leaves, and plants. This fusion reflects the fluid and multifaceted nature of identity, suggesting that it is not fixed or singular but rather something that evolves, grows, and changes—much like nature itself.
1. Transformation and Growth: By incorporating flowers and natural elements, Monreal evokes the idea that identity is a process of continuous growth and transformation. Flowers, which bloom, wither, and regenerate, mirror the way human identity can change over time, influenced by experiences, emotions, and external factors.
2. Connection to Nature: The integration of nature into human features hints at the interconnectedness between people and the world around them. It suggests that identity is not just individual but shaped by the environment, culture, and the broader ecosystem in which one exists. This can be seen as a commentary on how identity is shaped by external influences, both personal and societal.
3. Fragmentation and Wholeness: In many of Monreal’s floral portraits, parts of the face are replaced with flowers or plants, symbolising the fragmented yet cohesive aspects of identity. The way the flowers fill in or replace human features may imply that we are never wholly one thing, but rather a mixture of different elements—some visible, some hidden—that contribute to our sense of self.
4. Symbolism and Emotions: Different flowers carry symbolic meanings, such as roses for love, lilies for purity, or sunflowers for vitality. By associating these flowers with human faces, Monreal invites viewers to consider how identity is influenced by emotions, memories, and personal stories. The flowers may represent facets of a person’s inner life or emotional state, suggesting that identity is not just physical but also emotional and psychological.
In summary, Marcelo Monreal’s floral portraits use nature as a metaphor for the evolving, interconnected, and multifaceted nature of identity. By blending the human form with organic, ever-changing elements, Monreal captures the complexity and fluidity of what it means to be human.
What Marcelo Monreal has said about his project
Marcelo Monreal has shared insights into his floral portraits project, expressing that it is an exploration of the relationship between the human being and nature. In interviews and statements, he has emphasized how these portraits reflect his fascination with the fluidity of identity and the interconnectedness of humanity with the natural world. He views the human face as a symbol of identity, and by incorporating elements like flowers and plants, he aims to redefine traditional portraiture by highlighting the organic and evolving nature of who we are. He sees flowers as metaphors for human emotions, growth, and the cycles of life, and uses them to convey how identity can be shaped by both internal and external forces.
Through this project, Monreal invites viewers to question the boundaries between the human form and nature, suggesting that identity is not static but rather a dynamic process, constantly influenced by both our inner world and the external environment. The blending of the face with nature is also, for Monreal, a way of challenging conventional notions of beauty and exploring the fragility and strength inherent in both humans and the natural world. Overall, Monreal’s floral portraits are a reflection of his desire to capture the complexity of human identity through the lens of nature, symbolizing growth, transformation, and the transient yet interconnected aspects of life.
For these images I was unsure whether to set them in Black and white to match the other images so far or keep them in colour as how they would be seen.
I wanted to remove some of the advertisements from the lift. I used photoshop to generative fill the colourful sheet with some generic writing. The colour looked off however so I masked the sheet and added a tinted layer to create the same yellowing effect.
Overall I think this photoshoot 3 really good images:
Lifts can be quite frightening for some people for their small space triggering claustrophobia and getting stuck if they break. The lift I photographed broke on me twice with the doors refusing to open and the suspensions jittering which made me really want to photograph it for this photoshoot. The sofa for me showed a liminal space. The yellow walls and past evidence of a person looks odd and fake which I think turned out quite well. I also liked the image with 3 doors pen because it also seems like it could resemble a liminal space. I was torn between this image and another one where the end light was on but the lack of light is more ominous.
For this part in my project, I decided to experiment with AI which is something I hadn’t explored yet. I came across this idea accidentally when I was trying to change the facial expressions on my models face and noticed that every time it would alter her complete face, making her into a different person essentially instead of just changing a specific facial feature. The AI generation tool made 3 completely different, unique faces from the same model.
I decided to do this idea of experimenting with AI as I felt it linked with my project on identity. Through using the AI generation tool on photoshop, I was able to create completely different people just by adding simple sentences such “make it so that the model is smiling” to which it then completely changed the face as well. This highlighted to me the idea that people can easily hide behind a façade these days as they have access to these easy to use tools that drastically change one’s appearance. Additionally, it emphasised to me the fact that you can’t trust what people really look like online as there are so many filters/ edits people use in order to make themselves come off in a different way: whether that be making themselves look more attractive or wealthier, we are constantly exposed to fake versions of people which then causes unrealistic expectations to be formed about how people should look. I think this shows how easily identity is doctored in the present day and how people often lose their own sense of identity due to the tools that distort who they really are. I like how this idea came out as I think it highlights how social media is often filled with fake versions of people who alter themselves in order to fit in with societal expectations.
In what way have Helmuth Newton and Cindy Sherman portrayed women?
‘Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at. This determines not only most relations between men and women but also the relation of women to themselves.’ John Berger, The Ways of Seeing, 1972
INTRODUCTION
The representation of gender roles and stereotypes have been interpreted in multiple ways and in many different forms throughout history. As a society, the world has begun to slowly adjust its ways and modernise values upon women into an equal balance between genders. However, along the way artists and photographers have shone light onto areas of society and media which demoralize and objectify the female gender for others’ gratification. Traditional gender stereotypes have been criticized and modified as individuals fight for attention to their true and deeper self instead of reducing them to mere physical appearances. By exploring how women are portrayed in art by different photographers throughout time, I am able to shine light on different views and interpretations from artists, both past and present. ‘Photographs alter and enlarge our notions of what is worth looking at and what we have the right to observe.’1This quote portrays the purpose of exploring human perception of theworld and highlighting the beauty in appreciating the smaller details that are essential to be exposed otherwise might go unnoticed by us as a society. This quote relates to my work as I am focusing on an area of the world which raises ethical and philosophical questions around the topics of overstepping a boundary and distorting female identities and worth to fit narrow beauty standards. The photographers I will be exploring are Cindy Sherman and Helmut Newton and how their work relates, differs and what message they create for the audience. I will be responding to their work by producing images with a similar style and message but with a modern-day twist on how photographs with the same underlying message are continued today even after a revolution of women’s movements.
Movie still from the film “Jailhouse Rock” 1957, by Bettmann.
THE MALE GAZE
The idea of the ‘male gaze’ was introduced by Laura Mulvey who explored this concept of the way ‘straight, white men’ see women in TV, cinema and print work. Throughout time, movements such as 1st and 2nd wave feminism protested for men and women to be treated as rational beings and women have the rights to social and political rights. Sexism and misogyny are continuous stigmas between women and men. However, the Women’s Liberation Movement introduced the process of “consciousness raising” in which they highlighted and opposed the systematic ways in which boys and girls are brought up with the assumption that the male is always superior to the female. By raising movements such as these, groups such as the Suffragettes announced their beliefs on equality and succeeded in raising awareness as feminist critical thinking became much more prominent and pronounced during the counter cultural movements of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Laura Mulvey’s work on ‘the male gaze’ in cinema and TV contributes to my work as photographers such as Helmut Newton, focus on this target audience of a ‘straight white man’ in order to increase sales and engagement. The concept of “scopophilia” and “narcissism” perfectly portrays Newton’s work and its purpose, which is to give a patriarchal audience the opportunity to view images disguised as fashion promotion in a normalised voyeuristic manner. The quote‘Cinematic codes create a gaze, a world, and an object, thereby producing an illusion cut to the measure of desire.’2 applies to my view as I believe that small elements such as lighting, angles and editing all contribute to an audience’s perception of this particular repeated narrative of voyeurism and female objectification to satisfy the heterosexual male viewers. By researching such a popular and oppositional photographer I have been able to gain awareness on both viewpoints and how they have both faulted, excelled and how their rise to fame has altered the opinions and stereotypes that still maintain to this day.
HELMUT NEWTON.
Helmut Newton was a photographer who was deeply significant amongst the fashion industry and its photography throughout the 1970s/80s. I think that his work is the perfect comparison for the world of fashion and modelling that I would like to similarly replicate and explore in my work. This is because I have a particular interest in the black and white style, elegant and high fashion black and white images that he created throughout his prime, and the definitive style and aesthetic that is displayed throughout each one of his images. The sophisticated and graceful style with high-fashion styling, empowered presence and timeless beauty reels in the viewer to never forget an era of high heels, flowing gowns and chic modern, complex elegance. As Helmut Newton was a very powerful and significant individual in the fashion industry, I feel he is an imperative element I must include in my work as a tool to examine the topic of representation of women in the media industries. The idea of how his beautiful yet underneath explicit content and objectification creates more of an impact than what meets the eye, was a key element of his work that I feel displays how media products are disguised as a confident and powerful female perspective yet reinforce women as an object of desire. Something that makes me fascinated with his work is the fact that Newton’s distinct style often featured strong, dominant women in exaggerated, sculptured poses and striking settings. His images were characterized by a high contrast, stark lighting, and a sense of voyeurism.
Helmut Newton; Thierry Mugler (Monaco 1998) – Helmut Newton Estate
The lighting in this photo is a black and white dark toned image which has a high contrast which creates a striking atmosphere. The shadows are harsh and strong with the highlights being white and brighter. This creates a high contrast and bold impression. In this photograph the two women are highlighted as the focal point in the image due to the sharp shadows and dark dresses which have a strong and powerful style to them. This image includes a sense of symmetry and geometric framing. This is due to the way the two women are stood in a specific place which is known as deliberate positioning. This creates an easy way for the audience to immediately look at the subjects instead of the background. Shadows also accompany the focal point of the women by emphasising their bodies and in this image, possibly promoting the outfits the women are wearing. The female form is a main part of Newton’s work, and it is displayed in this image as there is emphasis on the shape of these women’s bodies and they display an idealistic and stereotypical body to please the male audience. The lighting of this images highlights the bodies of the women and their sculptural beauty. I like how cinematic thus image is as it looks like a quick shot taken out of a movie, as the women are mid motion, this creates a cinematic and narrative impression. The main contextual element to Helmut Newton’s work is exploring gender roles and sexuality. Helmut’s work has been previously critiqued for objectifying women, however, in my chosen image, I believe the women are shown as being dominant and in control. I like how his work challenges social norms and how he sees his photography as an opportunity to push himself to the extremes in order to convey his message. During the time this image was made, political and social issues were being faced globally. Women were fighting back for rights and equality and feminists were also challenging the patriarchal gaze. In this image, I believe the two women are challenging the idea that women should only be seen as passive objects of male desire. As Helmut Newton is also a fashion photographer, people, predominantly women, were used to promote outfits by creating a specific mood and impression though a story by the model and location. In this image, the women are in high- quality, high-fashion outfits, whilst portraying their strength and confidence through art. In Helmut Newton’s work, he focuses on the exploration of power, and gender, however, this message is executed in multiple ways that differ him from other fashion photographers. Helmut Newton orientated much of his work around nudity of women. This was to challenge traditional women forms and exploration of desire, dominance, and control. In this image, the concept and meaning behind it, explores ‘the perfect woman’ as both women are young, confident and beautiful and uses boldness to highlight their power over a traditional angelic woman. This image is an example of Helmut Newton, “pushing boundaries” and makes the viewer question whether the women are being celebrated or objectified. Helmut Newton’s work also complicates the male gaze as the women are not submissive and vulnerable, but powerful and in control, which contrasts the traditional male gaze, as the woman are aware and complying with it. This has sparked debates about whether Newton’s photography reinforces the male gaze or offers a more nuanced representation of female sexuality.
JOHN BERGER
John Berger’s contributes to Laura Mulvey’s idea of the male gaze and believes that, ‘men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at. This determines not only most relations between men and women but also the relation of women to themselves.’ 3this quote relates to my work as it explores how women are automatically deemed to cater to a male audience and do not view themselves through their own eyes, but instead through the eyes of men. This concept displays how gender roles continue in modern advertising today and mirrors how women must incorporate how a man is going to view her in day-to-day life, instead of focusing on a style or image she would prefer to have of herself. Berger also introduced the concept of the “surveyor” and the “surveyed” which simplifies the different viewpoints a woman has of herself. The woman becomes the surveyor, somebody who watches herself as an object, and she will also become the surveyed, who is being looked at. This split displays the “normality” of women being objects of vision and a form of “self-surveillance” is enforced to constantly monitor the different ways they may be perceived. His exploration on female nudes and how they are positioned to be admired, highlights how they are often gazing outward as if inviting the viewer’s attention, instead of focusing on their own self-love and value and not seeking validation from others. John Berger ties into my project, and my exploration on Laura Mulvey, but slightly differs with his views as he explores more critiques of the male gaze in historical art and advertising, whereas, Laura Mulvey examines the concept in the context of film and psychoanalysis. This means that, their main concepts of the “surveyed” and the “male gaze” relate to one another but their main arguments of women are conditioned to view themselves through a male perspective, and Hollywood films reinforce patriarchal power through visual pleasure, both investigate female gender roles in society and therefore, relate to my project of female gender stereotypes and representation.
CINDY SHERMAN
Cindy Sherman is an independent photographer who took photographs predominantly in the 1970’s. Something I find particularly admiring, is how she took her camera and pointed it at herself, instead of photographing someone else. I find this very unique and actually brings more meaning and creativity to the photos she created. This gesture then became her signature style and showed her strong views on gender and the construction of identity through key times when opinions and personalities were particularly changing in history. She also made many different characters that she would act as, in her images, in order to create a character in her photos by experimenting with makeup, hairstyles and costume to demonstrate these characters’ roles and status in life. The quote, ‘I feel I’m anonymous in my work. When I look at the pictures, I never see myself; they aren’t self-portraits. Sometimes I disappear’4 supports this as Cindy Sherman explains how she is transported into another persona, when becoming a different character. I feel that the subject of femininity and women in today’s age as it is a subject that I, myself live through and endure, and I have chosen Cindy Sherman’s work to convey my message from a strong feminist perspective. Analysing Cindy Sherman has aided the idea of how women are portrayed in the media as she, herself has worked on how women can be interpreted in different ways and all the multiple narratives they can fit in advertisements. Cindy Sherman’s work which was her most famous, was her Untitled Film Stills which are small black and white photos where Cindy has impersonated different female characters through glamourous and meaningful images. Throughout these film stills, Cindy Sherman imitated different lifestyles and character stereotypes which shows how women and women’s bodies are perceived by the mass media and by the male gender. Whilst moving to New York, Cindy Sherman continued to role play in disguises and characters and photographed her imitations as the Untitled Film Stills. Although she took many of her own photographs, some photos were shot by family and friends. The voyeuristic perspective of Cindy’s work creates an imposing feeling on the viewer, as if you are secretly observing the character and she is always the subject of the controlling male gaze instead of the object of masculine desire.
Untitled Film Still No. 35- Cindy Sherman. (1979)
The soft and naturalistic lighting in this photograph demonstrates that it is a photo from the past and is meant to display the time of the late 1970s. Which explains the low quality and slightly pixelated camera settings that are not very focused. I think that high contrast lighting, with a wide difference between highlights and shadows, brings a sense of intensity and depth to an image with dramatic qualities, which is what Cindy Sherman has done with a large amount of her work. The aperture is also slightly blurred and has a higher sensitivity ISO which causes a grainier image with a lighter grey monochrome tone rather than cool colours. This black and white tonal structure has a colder impression which displays a sense of loneliness and emptiness in the image. The use of shadow and light in the Untitled Film Stills heightens mood and tension, which isolates the subject within the frame. This dramatic lighting also helps to portray a specific genre of film such as drama, mystery or even horror. After establishing her outfit and role, the viewer is able to create an assumption on what the woman’s purpose is and it is then established that this is a small section of a much larger story. Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills includes contextual layers that address essential historical issues of gender, identity, and media representation. She created these photographs throughout 1977-80s; however, they are based on the 1950/60s. During this period of the 70s, second-wave feminism was arising, and women were beginning to challenge gender roles and opinions on women in media products were being raised as women began to question and challenge their portrayal and how they were being objectified and seen as an object to please the male gender. The “male gaze” refers to the way women are depicted in visual culture for males, Cindy Sherman chose to display her cultural and social concerns about the roles and representations of women in tv, cinema and media products. This work is technically ‘mocking’ the media as the series of images contains a female subject that is both the object and the creator of her image. The roles she portrays are characters which may demonstrate a victim, an innocent woman or a seductress. This creates a way for Cindy Sherman to control the portrayal of female objectification as the turning the camera on herself to expose the true meaning behind these roles. In this image her portrayal of a working-class woman can be seen by her outfit and demonstrates the period this photo is alluding to and women’s’ role during this time. This photo explores the male gaze. As number 80 film stills, became iconic. Chose herself for the model. Washerwoman maid in a feminist move way to redirect the male gaze to show she was in charge. Her angry expression by looking over her shoulder at us to show she is done and wants to find an escape from her current position as a housewife or domestic worker and move onto bigger dreams. She is standing slightly hunched and is wearing an apron and a blouse which shows the viewer that she is lower class and is ‘insignificant’. She is mid-movement and has a slightly distracted expression on her face whilst not making direct eye-contact with the camera which demonstrates her vulnerability and distraction. The message from Cindy Sherman portrays the reality of a “happy housewife” who is safe and content at home when in reality, they are lonely and struggling mentally. The lack of context for this image causes the reader to assume and create their own interpretations on the photo. The vulnerability, beauty and individuality of the character makes the audience feel a sense of guilt for the woman and feel a sense of reflection and remorse for women during this period.
CONCLUSION
My own interpretation of Helmut Newtons work
This photograph is an example of my work in response to Helmut Newton and the topic of female stereotypes from the viewpoint of a successful fashion photographer. I wanted the feeling of confidence and authority to radiate in my work as Helmut Newton’s wok gives off a feeling of power and control. The soft and naturalistic lighting in this photograph demonstrates that it is meant to be an image that has not been taken in the modern day. This image also relates to Helmut Newton’s work as it demonstrates high contrast images with bold lighting, which is a particular style of contrast that Helmut specialises in. I feel this lighting incorporated with a black and white filter has heightened the quality and the sense of mystery and allure to my work which helps to relate to Helmut Newton’s. I also believe that these images revolve round a strong and powerful feminine energy of strength, which elevates the clothing promoted in a magazine as an audience will feel encouraged to purchase the clothing through the display of self-assured and confident models. An impression of elegance, aggression, sass and glamouris a message I was attempting to share in my photoshoot as it opposes traditional depictions of female models in the fashion photography industry. I also wanted my model’s hair, makeup, accessories and outfits to be high fashion, quality and portray an expensive aesthetic. This is to give the impression that these are top fashion designer clothing which would be displayed in magazines such as Vogue, a magazine that Helmut Newton has worked closely with throughout his years.
My own interpretation of Cindy Sherman’s work
This image is a photograph inspired by Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills, I particularly chose to focus on elevated glamour and more extravagant clothing to relate to her work on different characters of social classes in her images. I feel that this style differs from Helmut Newton’s as it shows a more stereotypical viewpoint of women and although it still incorporates the idea of glamour and luxury, the image is displaying more of a storyline about the women, instead of the clothing she is wearing. Whilst analysing her work I noticed that many of her images contain a dramatized and over-the-top pose, so I decided to capture the dramatic aspect in my own photographs to accompany my models’ facial expressions to convey a message within each photograph. I feel like the costume really helped with showing the period which these were meant to be set in, and what type of lifestyle this woman in the image may live. I think this has worked well whilst maintaining my own style but taking inspiration and referring back to Cindy’s Untitled Film Stills poses, lighting and costume. I found that using Cindy’s work as inspiration and incorporating her style of lighting and framing has helped to make my photographs look more authentic and realistic as if they could be similar to her work on her Untitled Film Stills.
By researching two different theorists who have different, strong views on feminism and women through time, whilst also relating them to two different artists through time which oppose in views, I have gained the ability to highlight, similarities and differences in Helmut Newton’s fashion photography and Cindy Sherman’s self portraits. This knowledge has helped me to merge their work into my final photobook and display the different forms of feminism and how they are critiqued and celebrated. Although Helmut Newton can be seen to portray women occasionally in a morally wrong light, I have grown to view his work in a more positive light as he also focuses on women and how they can in, fact be strong and independent compared to an idealised view of being helpless and dependent on men. I would like to incorporate this specific positive side to my project because although a stigma of negativity towards women is continued in the modern day, positive changes are progressing for us as a collective.
REFERENCES.
Sontag,S. (1977) ‘In Plato’s Cave’ in On Photography. London: Penguin Books. ↩︎
Mulvey, L. (1975) ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’, Screen, 16(3), pp. 6–18. ↩︎
Berger, J. (1972) Ways of Seeing. London: BBC and Penguin, p. 47. ↩︎
Sherman, C. (1990) Interview with The New York Times. ↩︎
