Justine Kurland is an American fine art photographer, born in 1969, based in New York City. Kurland holds a BFA from the School of Visual Arts and an MFA in photography from Yale University. She is best known for photographing subjects in American wilderness landscapes, and her strongly narrative work is influenced by 19th century English picturesque landscapes and the utopian ideal as well as genre paintings, the photographs of Julia Margaret Cameron and Mathew Brady, and illustrations from fairy tales. She has travelled across the United States to create these staged photos, including to Virginia and California, but spent many months traveling through New Zealand as well. Her photos of utopian-esque communities in Virginia and California earned her solo shows in London and Vienna. Kurland is very in touch with nature and the primal impulses of humanity. While creating her narrative of a teenage runaway, she was particularly interested in photographing within small, fringe areas of wilderness that remained between suburban and urban areas. She then talks to them about the scenes and scenarios she would like them to respond to and interpret for the camera.
Her photographs are also on view in NMWA’s exhibition Live Dangerously (September 19–January 20, 2020).
Justine Kurland, Shipwrecked, 2000.
What did Justine Kurland do?
Justine Kurland’s art is a vital part of the efflorescence of the staged photograph that began in the late 1990s. She creates her photographic series during extended road trips through the American Northwest or South. Using volunteer models she meets during her travels, Kurland constructs scenes of people rambling through the wilderness landscape.
“I photographed on extended road trips across the US, scouting locations and finding girls along the way. The girls would collaborate in staging the scenes. The girls performed scenes of caretaking that became actual caretaking: feeding each other, brushing each other’s hair, walking arm in arm. It was also a time when photographers were encouraged to stay in their lane. It was the 1990s, and it was considered exploitative for a white photographer to photograph a Black subject. I look at these pictures now, more than two decades later, and see that I both shaped and captured the racialized dreams of young white girls. ‘Girl Pictures’ (1997–2002) depicts a dream landscape, and a world at large, where even imaginations of resistance are misshapen by white supremacy”.
The 1980s was a time when many American women artists and photographers realized that they could be both the creator and the subject of their work, after battling many issues with gender roles and representations of women. I believe that Kurland created her photographic series to challenge these stereotypes by getting her models to perform behaviours that have constructed opposing ideologies to these stereotypes. But as things changed around Kurland herself, she identifies the election of Donald Trump as a moment where the meaning of her work shifted a bit. She stopped wanting to make that performance. She has since started new work she said is “all about looking inward and thinking about what I was running from.” She states that she no longer feels an uncomplicated identification with her old yearning for the West. But that shift helped her see something new in the photographs, which depict teenage girls in natural or nondescript settings, casting them in the adventurous roles of runaways and fighters.
Image analysis:
This image taken by Kurland caught my attention and stood out in comparison to the rest of her work. This is because it tackles a different approach to the Girl Pictures experimentation, as it contrasts to her other images by portraying less feminine qualities. For example, the two young girls in the image are dressed in minimal ragged clothing which straight away gives the impression that they have ran away from home and resorted to living outdoors. This challenges typical women stereotypes because usually women and young girls have been associated with having nurturing qualities and compassion, whereas these girls contrast this idea as they appear to be independent, brave and courageous by living in nature. Which girls are usually not associated with. Furthermore, the use of the goggles on the girls head show that she is confident and takes enjoyment from exploring the outdoors. This creates a sense of sympathy from the viewer, as we can infer from the image that the girls are young and perhaps they do not live the typical life of a young child – instead they have to cope on their own with no relatives to guide them through their childhood. Moreover, the background in the image has cooler tones running through it, which makes me assume that there is a type of mist or fog in the air implying that the weather is bitterly cold. This differs from the foreground of the image, as the colour of the long grass is slightly more vibrant. From this, I can gather that it is dusk, and the sky is about to darken. Both girls being sat down comfortably in overgrown grass demonstrate that they find comfort in nature, although the expressions of them show misery and weariness. The dark leeches contrast sharply to the pale skin of the two which exerts the challenge of the outside world. Despite the clear discomfort presented by the two in the image, there is also a sense of resilience in their posture and facial expressions, as they look focused and concentrated. It appears that the girls may be fascinated and somewhat amused by the creatures attaching to them. Overall, this scene has an effective blend of innocence and the unpredicted, as it perfectly highlights the uncomfortable beauty of the outdoors.
Image analysis 2:
The second image that I chose from Kurland’s series immediately caught my eye. It shows two young girls in a candid and natural setting, showing they are exploring the wilderness. As the girl on the left is seated and focusing on tying her boots, this tells me that they are getting ready for an adventure.
I want to explore fears, especially universal fears such as isolation and the dark. Imagery of insects is also a common fear which I think blends well with the dark. A lot of mine and others’ actions and decisions are dictated by fears. Fears of failing, being alone or potentially embarrassment but also, on a smaller scale: darkness. Darkness fuels fears as its essentially the unknown; you don’t know what’s in the room with you. This will be linking with the themes of ‘Observe, Seek and Challenge’ in a few ways such as making note of what’s associated with fears and linked themes and I will be finding locations and situations that would fit the theme.
To develop my project I will be taking photographs inspired by numerous artists: Todd Hido, Rut Blees Luxemburg, Raymond Meeks, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Jose Conceptes and in part even Cindy Sherman. These will be abstractions, urban liminal spaces and potentially even some framed photographs to somewhat resemble a scene from a horror film. A large part of the photographs will be overarching aesthetic choices across all the images such as being in black and white with main focuses being light and their subsequent shadows.
I would like to present final outcomes in a photobook so that I can create a narrative without set time limits that would be present in a film. I want to document the experience of walking into a dark, dingy house with the feelings of a spider on your back and something resembling a silhouette sat in the corner and interspace with photographs of urban spaces to disrupt and create uncertainty. I will start with images resembling film stills of someone entering a building and interacting with it. From there I will begin to explore more abstract imagery of feelings associated with such locations and any spaces that catch my attention.
Any photographs of people will have their identity obscured. Any pointers to identity such as the face or full body shots will be obscured or left out because it isn’t the identity of the people that matter as much as it the experience and feelings associated. For every place I photograph I will make sure that the light is the main interest. All objects, people and locations will need to be in some way abstracted or obscured to emphasise the uncertainty. I wont be taking any photographs in a studio. Instead I will be taking images on location both inside rooms and outside the buildings. Text wont be spaced throughout as a fear induced mentality is irrational and illogical. I might manipulate a few of the images and try some collage techniques. In terms of AI technology I might try it out since it can create nonsensical and dream like outcomes which I could use but I’m not entirely convinced it will work out. If I make use of photoshop to create manipulated images then I will need to create a more surreal/dream like sequence focused on the irrational aspect of fear. If I don’t and I create more candid looking outcomes then the project will be more about the fear inducing imagery and ideas as opposed to the headspace.
For my personal study, I am focusing on the different lives that we all live. I am aiming to portray different ages and lifestyles, capturing moments from different peoples lives. I will be focussing on the friends and family that I have. I will aim take photographs of:
Younger family
Parents at home in natural environment
Friends in school
Friends going out
I have chosen this area of photography because it feels natural and it portrays the message that everyone lives a different life, this is what I intend to depict in this project. Photographs like this by professionals are what I find most interesting and intriguing due to the possible stories that are being shown.
For this project of observe, seek and challenge, I am using previous personal experiences to inspire it. I will bring my camera out with me when in the right environments and capture photographs of moments I have observed and think would make for a good photo. I will also be going out of my way seeking out the lives of those around me to photograph parts of their life. This is similar to Andrew Kung’s work, where he captures moments of peoples lives, exploring the themes of family, intimacy etc. in the same style as I am aiming to do.
My photographs will be taken both indoors and outdoors, capturing different moments of life, also varying in the time of day. My images will be ‘windows’, so they will be taken documentary style, following the lives of those around me and simply observing and capturing scenarios. This is similar to the photographer Tom Wood who has inspired that aspect of my project.
Once my photoshoots are complete, I will edit my images in Lightroom and on Photoshop, adjusting the levels, curves, exposure, texture etc. To finish it off, I may make the final images black and white to empathise the meaning of the images and to keep the focus of the main subjects. However, I am going to wait until I have completed all of my photoshoots to assess whether or not I think this would be the best fit. I have taken inspiration from Andriana Nativio as her images are presented in black and white which I find to be very alluring, and it draws your attention to focus solely on the image presented and the emotions and meanings behind it.
My personal study will be presented in the form of a book, presented one image at a time.
For my project, I would like to explore my love of cars. Specifically, I want to investigate why I love cars and where that love comes from, by displaying the soul of my own car, the Ferrariesta, and other Fords that relate either directly to it, or that relate to me in where I have found my love of cars as I have grown up. I want to show where a car’s soul actually is, outside of the badge, the status symbol and the price. I want to show what I see in these cars where others simply see a metal box on wheels. I want to display how a car’s soul is fundamentally a reflection of its driver, through all of the intricacies that connect a person to a car, and ultimately question the true value of every car, by showing you what the Ferrariesta means to me.
I am inspired by Justine Kurland’s artwork. Justine Kurland is a contemporary fine art photographer from New York born in 1969. When Kurland was 15 she left New York to live in Manhattan with her aunt and this is where she found her interest in art. Kurland has produced many projects throughout her life in which she has been inspired by her own past experiences and her present experiences of her adult life. However the one I have taken an interest in is her artwork called “Live Dangerously” in which she produced in 2020. Although she uses her past experiences to inspire her work, this project was based off things she did not get to experience growing up. This included rebelling as a teenager and having freedom to live however she wanted. She created this project to explore the lives of teenagers against the stereotypes and gender roles of society. These images include teenagers climbing trees, setting of smoke bombs, skinny dipping and other activities that she didn’t get to do. In this project she also looks into the female gaze and the connections that females have with each other. She looks at the protection and empowerment of woman that they can find within themselves and not males. Most of her images only include females which allow female viewers to connect with her work through the bond shown through the camera.
Justine Kurland is a contemporary fine art photographer from New York born in 1969. When Justine Kurland was 15 she ran away from home to Manhattan to live with her aunt, this is where she took an interest in art. Justine Kurland is inspired by both her past experiences of being a child and a teenager and also her current experiences of adult life. These experiences inspire her to recreate the memories she has. She spends a lot of her time searching for models and areas to set up her tableaux photoshoot.
Justine Kurland’s photoshoot called “live dangerously” is about revealing bold and dynamic ways that females inhabit nature. Justine Kurland’s photoshoots are of young females setting off smoke bombs, skinny dipping and climbing trees. This is a way to show how females are rebel against the patriarchal institutions.
What I did- For this topic of portraiture I used the studio in school to take my images. I experimented with three different types of lighting, which were;
Rembrandt
Chiaroscuro
Butterfly Lighting
I also experimented with different backgrounds (black and white) and I also experimented with editing (creating black and white copies and coloured copies). I also had my models do different poses, that I think looked best.
Rembrandt
Rembrandt lighting is used to create shadows and contrast, and the ‘triangle of light’, beneath someone’s eye. This causes an element of drama and psychological depth onto the individual, who’s photo is being taken. Rembrandt lighting is an effective device to draw the eye. It is widely used in promotional photographs of film stars showing them in a dramatic and eye-catching way. An example of these film stars is Marylin Monroe and Keanu Revees;
How I did it-
Light: Lighting styles are determined by the positioning of your light source. Rembrandt lighting is created by the single light source being at a 40 to 45-degree angle and higher than the subject. Use cans use both flashlights and continuous lights.
Lens: Use a 35mm or 50mm if space is at a premium, or if you’re looking at including more of the subject than just the head and shoulders. A 50mm works really nicely for portraits and will give a nice depth of field if you’re shooting at a shallow aperture. But a 35mm will give you a wider point of view and is great to fit more of the body in of your subject.
Butterfly Lighting
Butterfly lighting is a type of portrait lighting technique used primarily in a studio setting. Its name comes from the butterfly-shaped shadow that forms under the nose because the light comes from above the camera. You may also hear it called ‘paramount lighting’ or ‘glamour lighting’. Butterfly lighting is used for portraits, because it is a lighting that flatters almost everyone, as it can highlight cheekbones and create shadows under them, as well as under the neck, which makes the model look thinner. This makes it the most commonly used lighting setups. This lighting has also been used for famous stars, from classic Hollywood and that’s why it’s also called Paramount lighting.
How I did it-
Lighting: Butterfly lighting requires a key light that can be a flash unit or continuous. If continuous, it can be artificial or natural. In other words, you can use strobes, speed lights, LEDs or even the sun. A butterfly lighting effect refers to the setup and not to the quality of light – it can be soft or hard light depending on the effect you want. If you want to create a soft light, you’ll need to use modifiers. A beauty dish is perfect for glamour photography as it distributes the light evenly and smooths the skin. You can also use a softbox or an umbrella. Instead, if you want to have hard light, you can leave the light source as it is. Alternatively, you can use grid spots to direct it and create different effects.
Experimentation: Once you have the key light set up, it’s time to fill the shadows. You can use a reflector to bounce the light back up and soften the shadow under the chin and the one from under the nose. To do so, position the reflector under the subject’s face. Start at waist level and see how it looks. If the shadows are still strong, move it closer to the face and so on. Experiment with different positions to achieve different effects. You can also change the colour of the reflector. A white one will give you a neutral tone, while a golden one gives a warming overcast. Once you’re happy with your butterfly lighting, direct the model to have a striking fashion pose or whatever the desired pose or expression you’re looking for. Just keep in mind that the subject’s face needs to be towards the light in order to have the butterfly shadow under the nose.
Chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro is a visual element of art, which is defined as a bold contrast between light and dark. It is called chiaroscuro, because it is an Italian word meaning light dark. A certain amount of chiaroscuro is the effect of light modelling in painting where 3-dimensional volume is suggested by highlights and shadows. It first appeared in 15th century painting in Italy and Flanders (Holland), but true chiaroscuro developed during the 16th century, in Mannerism and in Baroque art. Dark subjects were dramatically lighted by a shaft of light from a single constricted and often unseen source was a compositional device seen in the paintings of old masters such as Caravaggio and Rembrandt.
How I did it-
Chiaroscuro lighting uses one key light and a variation using a reflector that reflects light from the key light back onto the sitter.
My Images
Rembrandt
Butterfly Lighting
Chiaroscuro
Evaluation
What went well- I think these images came out really well, because I displayed the different types of lighting well and my models made the images more exciting by doing different poses. I also like the editing in these images, especially the black and white copies. I also really enjoyed taking these images, because I much prefer taking pictures of people, rather than landscapes for example.
Even Better If- Next time, I would want to experiment with more models and poses. I would also like to create more black and white copies of my images, because I much prefer black and white images over coloured images.
Environmental Portraiture
What I did- For this photoshoot, I took photographs of people in their natural environments eg. work and school.
How I did it- I visited shops through town, such as the market, Love Bird Pottery Shop, Next, Schuh etc. I visited these specific places, because this was where my friends were working, so I was able to get photos of them there. I also wanted to take photos of my friends, so that I could get them to pose, and not feel awkward about it. I also went round school and took photos of students and teachers in their natural environment.
Environmental portraits can reveal somebodies life, like where they work, or what their home is like, or what they do at home. These portraits can be used to have an insight on another’s life, or to have an insight on a profession. These portraits can also be called historical, as they may show jobs, which are no longer professions, or show how homes used to look and what people would do in their homes. The images also shows people not in the present. These environmental portraits help feel a connection between the photographer and the person getting their picture taken, unlike how it would be on a phone.
My Images
Evaluation
What went well- I really enjoyed this photoshoot, because I really enjoy taking images of people. However, this also allowed me to move around and take pictures in different places, with different scenery, which I also really enjoyed. I also enjoyed being able to pose my models how I wished, because this allowed me to make my images exactly how I want them. I also enjoyed editing these photos and making black and white copies.
Even better if- Next time, I would make sure to check my camera settings, because some of my images are slightly blurry. I would also create more black and white copies of my images. Another thing I would do differently is maybe photograph strangers, so I can get out my comfort zone, and I would go to other places than school and work. I may also try different places of work eg restaurants, offices etc. instead of just retail.
Femininity & Masculinity
What I did- For this photoshoot I explored what was meant by masculinity and femininity. I explored their different stereotypes and the meanings behind them.
How I did it- I took photoshoots in the studio, as well as outside. I used different poses and props to display the different stereotypes. For example, I made a boy pose with his muscles, because a stereotype is that men are strong. I also had girls pose with makeup and other girl related products to present the feminine stereotype. I also used different lighting (pink and blue) to portray the stereotypes.
My Images
Evaluation
What went well- I really enjoyed this topic, because it was something I was able to write a lot about and really dive into, because it really interested me and I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the freedom I had for my images, because I could display femininity and masculinity in any way I wanted. I also enjoyed how I was taking photos of people, because that is my favourite photographs to take, because I am able to have them pose the way I’d like and I just find the photos more interesting. I also enjoyed editing these images and creating black and white versions of these images. I also enjoyed the use of props in some of these images.
Even better if- Next time, I would try and experiment with masculinity slightly more, and I would work on my lighting technique slightly more, so I don’t create shadows on the background.
Anthropocene
What I did- For the Anthropocene topic, I explored three issues, which were; abandoned buildings, litter on the beach and industrialisation.
How I did it- For abandoned buildings, I took inspiration from John Divola, and I explored different abandoned buildings in Jersey, such as St Saviours Hospital and Bouley Bay Hotel. I took pictures of the rubble left there.
For the litter theme, I went to Harve Des Pas beach, and I walked along the beach looking for litter and cigarette butts and I took photos of all the litter I saw. Then, I used the litter I had found and collected on the beach to make patterned photos out of it in the studio, in response to Barry Rosenthal.
Finally, I took photos of industrialisation, especially in town.
My Images
Evaluation
What went well- I really enjoyed taking pictures of the abandoned buildings, which is different for me, because I much prefer portraiture. I think I enjoyed this because I enjoyed exploring these abandoned buildings. I also enjoyed editing these images in colour and black and white. I also experimented with photoshop for this topic, which I thought went really well. I used things such as AI.
BeforeAfter
Even Better if- However, I didn’t enjoy taking photos of litter and industrialisation as much, because I found it quite boring, because I was quite uninterested, so I would not want to do this again.
St Malo
What I did- I took street photographs, which are candid shots of people going about their day to day lives.
How I did it-I observed the people around me and waited for the decisive moment (Henri Cartier-Breson).
My Images
Evaluation
What went well- I really enjoyed this trip to St Malo, and I really enjoyed taking these street photography images, because I much prefer taking images of people. I also captured lots of good images, using head shots and hip shots, so I could try and go undetected. I also experimented with photoshop at lot in this topic, more than any other topic. I experimented with motion blurring, colour selecting, and lots of different ways to crop my images. I also enjoyed making this zine, but usually I do not enjoy making them.
Even better if- If I were to do this again, I would try get a few more closer up shots, while still trying to be undetected, and I would try to get more photographs with peoples faces in, rather than their backs.
Jersey Harbours
What I did- I visited the harbour, as well as the fisheries in it and the maritime museum. I also visited the fish shop, where they sold all the fish. I took photos of anything that I saw that related to what I had been researching, such as the cod fisheries in the maritime museum. I also took images of people, boats, the harbour, fish, graffiti, information, maps and anything else I found interesting.
How I did it- I started at one end of the harbour, at the maritime museum and made my way down, making sure I took pictures of everything. I also asked people if I could take portraits of them.
My Images
Evaluation
What went well- I really enjoyed taking pictures of the fish, because I thought they came out really well, and I enjoyed being able to visit the fisheries with all the alive shellfish still inside. I also enjoyed visiting the maritime museum, but I didn’t enjoy taking photos in there and none of them came out very well. I also enjoyed editing these images. I also asked people if I could take portraits of them. I enjoyed taking these portraits, because it was a lot more fun that taking images of the harbour and I much prefer taking images of people.
Even better if- Next time, I wouldn’t visit the maritime museum, because the photos weren’t very good. I also wouldn’t want to walk round the whole harbour again, as I found it very boring. I only enjoyed taking images of the fish, rather than the boats and the rest of the harbour.
What are the differences between photographs that are WINDOWS and MIRRORS?
“The two creative motives that have been contrasted here are not discrete. Ultimately each of the pictures in this book is part of a single, complex, plastic tradition. Since the early days of that tradition, an interior debate has contested issues parallel to those illustrated here. The prejudices and inclinations expressed by the pictures in this book suggest positions that are familiar from older disputes. In terms of the best photography of a half-century ago, one might say that Alfred Stieglitz is the patron of the first half of this book and Eugène Atget of the second. In either case, what artist could want a more distinguished sponsor? The distance between them is to be measured not in terms of the relative force or originality of their work, but in terms of their conceptions of what a photograph is: is it a mirror, reflecting a portrait of the artist who made it, or a window, through which one might better know the world?” — John Szarkowski, 1978
Photographs used as “windows” provide an overview into the world, culture, or experience of another person, serving as an open doorway that allows the spectator to learn more about something they are not familiar with. The viewer’s awareness of different lives, habits or locations is broadened by these photographs, which frequently depict situations, people, or settings that are outside of their own world. In this sense, “window” photos provide the audience a chance to see something different and give them an idea of parts of the world that they might not normally see, frequently with a feeling of curiosity or indifference.
On the other hand, “mirror” photos create a feeling of familiarity and connection by reflecting the viewer’s own identity, experiences, or feelings. These pictures create an emotional connection with the audience, frequently bringing out aspects of their own surroundings, culture, or emotions. A snapshot that serves as a mirror strengthens the viewer’s sense of self and helps them comprehend their own identity or experiences on a deeper level. “Mirrors” reflect the familiar, giving the observer a sense of being seen or understood, whereas “windows” provide new perspectives beyond oneself.
Richard long – A Line Made By Walking, England, 1967
A Line Made by Walking downplays the artist’s physical appearance while hinting at Long’s previous involvement in performance art. It demonstrates the duration of time it took for him to develop a visual way to express his enduring concerns about reality, movement, and impermanence.
Bill Brandt – Nude East Sussex, 1968
This picture, following his previous wide-angle nude works, positions the naked figure at the front with her body stretching into the background. The camera is positioned near the model’s face, causing the viewer to feel unsettled as they are aware that the nude is the focal point of the photo and must see the scene from the nude’s perspective. We are observers of the image while also being the focus of it.
Eugene Atget – Street Musician, 1898
This change in how Atget’s work was seen started towards the end of his life, when he became acquainted with Berenice Abbott, a young American photographer working in Paris for Man Ray. Following his passing, Abbott acquired his archive’s remains and started to advocate for his work. She was captivated by the unfamiliarity present in Atget’s photographs, finding within them a Surrealist element along with a steadfast commitment to accuracy and a genuine affection towards the subject itself.
This photograph is included in a collection Abbott printed and released to honour Atget’s centennial birth anniversary. An edition consisting of 100 sets, each numbered, was released.
Robert Rauscheneberg – Windward, Oil And Silkscreen In On Canvas, 1963
Robert Heinecken – Figure Sections (Multiple Solution Puzzle), 1966
Nan Goldin – Nan And Brian In Bed, NYC, 1983, Cibachrome
Goldin’s art is inspired by her personal life, and this image deeply captures the emotional intensity of her own love story. The artist reclines on a bed, looking at Brian – her lover – with a blend of desire and acceptance while he looks away from her. A gentle yellow glow envelops the setting, evoking the fading warmth of a setting sun and a declining bond. “The Ballad of Sexual Dependency, a collection of over seven hundred colour slides accompanied by a soundtrack, features Nan and Brian in Bed, New York City as part of Goldin’s significant work.” The slideshow, lasting forty-five minutes, is named after a song from The Threepenny Opera by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht, providing a close, emotional look at a marginal group in 1980s downtown Manhattan. Goldin has characterized The Ballad as “the diary I share with others”; the casual snapshot approach of her photos gives their personal narratives a strong feeling of being in the moment. Although the work depicts the collective experience of a generation affected by drug abuse and AIDS, its main focus is on the passion and intensity found in romantic relationships – both the peaks and valleys.
Garry Winogrand – Los Angeles, 1969, Gelatin – Silver Print
This photograph, similar to many of Winogrand’s finest pieces, is extremely unsettling. The photographer utilized a wide-angle lens to capture the people and their surroundings in great detail, and added another level of distortion by tilting the camera. The primary focus of the image is three women casting a brief glance at a man seated in a wheelchair with a begging cup in his lap. The bending of light in the middle of the picture highlights the outlines of the women’s legs, creating lengthy shadows. The contrast between the woman’s sexuality, youth, and mobility is juxtaposed with the man’s poverty and lack of mobility. The camera’s placement makes the viewer feel like they are on the street, adding a sense of urgency to the scene.
William Eggleston – From Memphis, Tennessee, Dye Transfer Print, Early 1970s
Born in 1975, Shannon Taggart is an American photographer known for her compelling and thought-provoking work which focuses on the themes of Spiritualism, the supernatural and the paranormal.
Spiritualism is a religious movement that emerged in the 19th century. This movement believes in the possibility of communicating with spirits, mainly the deceased.
Taggart had first became aware of Spiritualism as a teenager when her cousin received a message from a medium that gave details about her grandfather’s death. In 2001, she began taking photos in Lily Dale, New York, where her cousin had received the message. Lily Dale is home to the world’s largest Spiritualist community. Taggart was inspired by Spiritualism’s processes, earnest practitioners, and neglected photographic history. This project evolved into an 16 year journey that ended up taking her around the world in search of ‘ectoplasm‘.
Ectoplasm, in occultism, is a mysterious, usually light-coloured, viscous substance that is said to exude from the body of a spiritualist medium in trance and may then take the shape of a face, a hand, or a complete body. It is normally visible only in the darkened atmosphere of a séance.
Taggart’s work is not only artistic but also ethnographic. She immerses herself in the communities she photographs by participating in their rituals and gaining the trust of her subjects. This allows her to document spiritualist practices with both sensitivity and insight.
Ethnographic is a method of research and a style of study that involves observing, describing and analysing the cultural practices, behaviours, beliefs and interactions of a particular group of people.
Her book “SÉANCE” (2019) is a visual journey through spiritualist practices, specifically in Lily Dale. The book includes a mix of both black-and-white and colour photographs. She captured mediums in trance, spiritual gatherings and ghost apparitions.
Lieko Shiga
Born in 1980, Lieko Shiga is a Japanese contemporary photographer known for her surreal, poetic and haunting imagery. She has studied photography in London at the Chelsea College of Art and Design, as well as at the Royal College of Art. She is well known for her “Rasen Kaigan” Series and is recognised by a blur between documentary and staged photography which results in her personal, unique style.
Shiga’s work explores the themes of memory, trauma and the passage of time especially in relation to local communities. Her projects are often based in places she lives in and the people she encounters. She often immerses herself in rural Japanese communities where she collaborates with the local residents.
Shiga’s “Rasen Kaigan” series was created while she was living in Kitakama. It explores the themes of disaster, loss and the resilience of the human spirit, originally it focused on reflecting the dreams, lives and traditions of the villages in Kitakama, however, this project was impacted by the aftermath of the Tōhoku 2011 earthquake and tsunami which destroyed a large majority of her previous work, however it helped to reshape her artistic vision. Her work seen in this series often features distorted human figures, eerie landscapes and a strong sense of narrative.
Shiga is inspired by numerous subjects, one of them being Japanese Folklore and Mythology. Because of this her work often evokes a sense of the supernatural and blends reality with this. She views photography as both a way to capture moments but to also tell stories that transcend time and space which draws on the mythic and spiritual dimensions of the human experience.
Ralph Eugene Meatyard
“Creative pictures must be felt in a similar way as one listens to music, emotionally, without expecting a story, information or facts.”
Ralph Eugene Meatyard
Born in 1925, Ralph Eugene Meatyard was an American photographer known for his enigmatic, surreal and haunting black-and-white images. His work is often associated with the Southern Gothic tradition as well as elements of avant-garde and experimental photography.
Because Meatyard grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, he was influenced by the Southern Gothic Tradition which captured a sense of decay, mystery and the macabre.
Meatyard was deeply influenced by his interest in philosophy, literature and the arts. His interest in photography began in the early 1950s after purchasing a camera to photograph his newborn son. He is known for his surreal, dreamlike work which often features family members and friends in staged scenes.
Meatyard’s work featured a frequent use of masks, dolls and props which created images that were both unsettling and poetic. Because his subjects wore masks they ended up looking like ghostly anonymous figures. He often took photographs in abandoned buildings, overgrown woods and rural settings, these helped to add to the already eerie atmosphere to his work. His work often evokes the uncanny which creates a sense of discomfort and challenges his viewers to question the nature of reality and perception.
The uncanny was a concept popularised by Sigmund Freud which describes something both familiar and alien.
Short Statement of Intent
I have chosen to study all three of these photographers, especially Shannon Taggart, because I believe that their work shows strong elements of my own intentions and what I want to achieve with my own project.
Taggart’s work focuses on the themes of Spiritualism, the supernatural and the paranormal which are some of the themes I would like to focus on within my project. Elements of her style, such as her lighting techniques and editing, are something I would like to incorporate into my work as it creates a sense of mystery and makes the viewer question what they are looking at.
My inspiration comes from my own struggles with mental health so I’ve decided to base my project on creating a narrative about someone who is stuck in the worst parts of their life and feel lost, because their mental health has been severely declining, they start to believe they are seeing and getting signs from some supernatural beings as a way of coping. They believe that these beings are the only way they can escape their reality. They start to respond to these beings by preforming rituals and giving them everything they ask, this then leads to them becoming very unstable. I’ve chosen to go with this idea because I find the supernatural very interesting and fascinating as well as my own experience with slowly becoming like the protagonist in the narrative.
Keith Dotson is a black and white, fine art photographer. Beginning his career in Texas, after graduating collage in Austin and spending many years as a professional art director. Then going onto teach art and design at a community collage. This gave him a strong background into his current role as a professional fine art photographer. Outside of his photography, he describes himself as, …a parent, an environmentalist, an observer, a foodie, an art lover… He is now based in Nashville, filled with new exciting areas and surroundings, he captures landscapes, cityscapes and other interesting things he sees. In particular I like his abandoned car project. Although he is based in Nashville he often travels, mainly around America wherever the gloomy days and interesting subjects are!
Work
Keith Dotson, works in high contrast black and white images. To create these he uses overcast days that may photographers don’t enjoy, this allows the subject to shine in it’s own light, capturing deeper details and tone in the photo. Dotson references the spirit of the land, he aims to capture how the landscape has been shaped by the weather, geography, history etc. He doesn’t have a niche on what he photographs specifically but instead focuses on the aesthetic of his work, it tone, impact and effectiveness.
His work has been displayed in films, tv series, to finance companies, hotels and just about everywhere else. He has exhibited his work but mostly his work is used by others from wall art or stage backdrops. The versatilely of his work is immense, from his own powerful series of photos to clients using them for a range of things, his work is well loved throughout the world.
Image Analysis
“The Ghost” Junked Antique Truck – Black and White Photograph (KD10763X)
This photo I think is a great representation of Dotson’s style and aesthetic, one I am inspired by for my own project. The photo is part of a collection of six images of cars in an abandoned junk yard, shot on film. The camera used was a medium format Cinestill Double-X BwXX black and white film using a vintage Hasselblad camera. This film has been cut and repackaged from classic Kodak Eastman Double X motion picture film. This film is known for its tonality and sharpness, all important to Dotson’s style. Looking at this photo, the composition is straight on, eyelevel shot, showing the harshness of the light coloured truck in comparison to the background. All the moss and years of grime are shown through the high contrast, harsh black and white. He has captured the lines in the photo, from the curves of the bonnet, he has had to make sure that even with the harsh lighting the cars curves remain clear and don’t blend into the background. The truck takes up most of the frame, forcing the viewer to focus on it, the age and the details due to years of abandonment. On the right of the frame there is a glance of another car, enforcing the ideas about the environment being an abandoned junk yard. While Dotson used an 80mm lens it has a wide angle feeling to the photo, partly due to the cars shape, I do think Dotson enhanced this by being closer to the car and using it as the subject, hence the little foreground, which is also a contributing factor in the wide angle feel. It is a strong image, thought provoking and forceful in what it, it wants you to see due to the composition and harsh contrast. Overall it is a very strong image and goes well in the collection, giving a small insight into the abandoned junk yard, picking up the details in a bold way.
I want to explore and tackle teenage stereotypes. I want to capture ideas of what people paint teenagers out to be, but also how they can be in reality. Exploring teenage stereotypes is valuable because it helps challenge oversimplified or inaccurate perceptions of adolescence, fostering a more in depth understanding of teens’ diverse experiences. By examining these stereotypes (such as the rebellious, irresponsible, and overly technology obsessed teens) we can uncover how society’s expectations shape both adult views of teenagers themselves. This exploration promotes empathy, encourages more accurate portrayals in media, and empowers teens to define their own identities rather than being confined to labels. Ultimately, it fosters a better understanding of development and the cultural forces that influence how teens are perceived and treated.
Why it matters to you?
Exploring this theme matters to me as personally, I have quite a large friend group. A lot of he time we are perceived as troublemakers and up to no good. In reality, we are just a group of teenagers/young adults who are enjoying themselves and are having fun. Stereotypes about teenagers are common because they simplify the complex and often unpredictable nature of childhood, a time of rapid change and emotional intensity. Society tends to categorise teens based on behaviour patterns, media portrayals, and generalizations about this stage of life, which can be seen as rebellious, experimental, or technology obsessed. These stereotypes are reinforced by popular culture, where teens are often depicted in extreme or exaggerated ways, making it easier for adults to understand or relate or even judge to them without recognising their individuality or the deeper challenges they face.
How you wish to develop your project?
To develop my project, I am going to meet up with my friends and capture moments of us just hanging out. i wont be setting anything up, just capturing the moments naturally. I am going to look at both my artist references and recreate images like theirs, but in my own way. I will be using the style of windows, an observational technique reflecting my friends and I’s lives, leaving an aesthetic approach to my images.
Which form you wish to present your study (photobook, film, prints etc)
I want to present my work in a photobook. I would like to do this as I believe it is the most artistic way of presenting my work. I like how you can search picture for as long as you want and admire them. I also like how you can flick through the pages. What inspired me to do this was previous photobooks I have looked at from ex-students who have already produced one. I will include objects and props to help show the stereotypes, but ill leave out anything that makes my pictures look fake and staged.
When and where you intend to begin your study?
I want to begin my study as soon as possible so I have time to get it perfect, and change anything I want to change. I will begin by going out with my friends wherever we go, inside and outside and capture these shots.
