Sander has been described as “the most important German portrait photographer of the early twentieth century”. His work includes landscape, nature, architecture, and street photography. however, he is best known for his portraits and his series ‘People of the 20th Century.’
The environmental factor of August Sander’s portrait meant that the subjects in his photos would always be surrounded by the environmental they work in, in the background of the full-body shot, so their occupation was clear to the viewers.
His photographs:
After photographing local farmers near Cologne, he was inspired to produce a series of portraits of German people of different lives. He was committed to ‘telling the truth’. His portraits were usually photographed straight on in natural light, with facts of the sitters’ class and profession alluded to through clothing, gesture, and backdrop. At the Cologne Art Society exhibition in 1927, Sander showed 60 photographs of “Man in the Twentieth Century,” and two years later he published ‘Face of Our Time’.
Sanders’ photographs are mostly black-and-white portraits of Germans from various social and economic backgrounds: aristocrats and gypsies, farmers and architects, bohemians and nuns. The portraits often include familiar signifiers to help the audience know who they were , but sometimes the visual clues to a subject’s “type” are not so obvious, leaving the title of the work and its placement in one of Sander’s categories to illuminate the subject’s role. Each photograph is a portrait of an individual, and at the same time an image of a type.
With this photo, you can easily see the leading lines which are the walking sticks, leading lines help direct your eyes to the main focus of the photo. in this photo there are three wealthy men standing next to each other with walking sticks and suits, this signifies that they are wealthy and posh compared to other people that August sander has photographed. the posture of the men also help to create the idea that they are smart men due to them standing up straight and not slouching. the men are also looking straight into the camera to help with the firm eye contact.
Who is in the photo?
– August Sander – Handlanger (Bricklayer) – 1928
how are they posed?
– formal (posed) with relaxed facial expression
how are they framed?
– Full body
– Deadpan angle
what is their gaze?
– Eye contact > engagement with the camera
Colour
– Black and white
Typologies
what is a typology?
Typology is a a term that we use in photography that, in simple terms, is the study of types. It can be used to see and represent similarities and differences in images.
An environmental portrait is a portrait executed in the subject’s usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject’s life and surroundings.
This is my contact sheet from all of the photos I’ve taken, with different people in their different environment, such as the canteen, offices, classrooms ect.
Final photos before and after editing.
with this photo, as I was using one of the new cameras i used the ‘P’ setting, therefore the photo didn’t come out as good as I expected. to edit this photo, I cropped round the main focus of the image which was Millie, then I made the background blurry, using the blur tool. I changed the photo to black and white and changed the contrast. I also edited the photo to make the background smaller.
With this photo, I also made the background blurry on photoshop. I made sure to keep the ‘cold drinks’ sign in the photo which helps the audience understand that she is a canteen lady.
I did the same with this photo, using the blurring tool on photoshop, to enhance the main focus. I cropped the image to get the unnecessary background out of the photo. again like the other photos I made it black and white so it would fit in with my theme of black and white photos.
My evaluation of my photos.
throughout this photoshoot, I personally took many photos up to standard however I think I could have explored with the ISO and aperture more to create better and more clear photos.
For my Photoshoot I tried to take a Variety of Photographs of people within their Environment. Some have arguable points that they are Portraits while others do not. I.e Motorcycle helmet photos.
I found a website going into detail about Portrait Photography as they said that Portraits are often more dramatic, are less smiley, etc. In portraiture subject often is looking away from the camera or is engaging in some kind of activity. Again, “portraits are more about telling a story”. Almost all of my Photos are telling a Story or engaging in an Activity.
To Back this up further Portrait photography is all about capturing the essence of a person, their personality, and emotions, regardless of what they’re wearing. Helmets can add an interesting element to the portrait, showing a different side of the person being photographed. So, a photograph of someone wearing a helmet can still be considered portrait photography because it’s about capturing the individual, their story, and their uniqueness.
Contact Sheet
Photographs Before VS After
Something that I have noticed with my Dirt Bike Photographs and a few other ones is that they are quite dull and monochromatic. Adjusting the Vibrancy option in Adobe Photoshop added the colour necessary to make my images stand out. These are the settings that I used to achieve this.
And these are the results that have been produced.
BeforeAfterBeforeAfterBeforeAfter
When I used the same Vibrancy for these Photographs it turned my Photographs into an orange colour, almost as if switching on a Thermal filter, which did not look as amazing as I had hoped.
So instead I used a different Vibrancy which produced a much more Eye catching result in my opinion.
And these are the results that have been produced.
BeforeAfterBeforeAfter
Not all my Images needed Editing as they stood out by themselves or I already Edited them before uploading them. Such as…..
An environmental portrait is a portrait taken in the subject’s usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject’s life and surroundings. The term is most frequently used of a genre of photography.
By photographing a person in their natural surroundings, it is thought that you will be able to better illuminate their character, and therefore portray the essence of their personality, rather than merely a likeness of their physical features. It is also thought that by photographing a person in their natural surroundings, the subject will be more at ease, and so be more conducive to expressing themselves, as opposed to in a studio, which can be a rather intimidating and artificial experience.
Mood Board of Environmental Portraiture
Common challenges when shooting environmental portraits
If you’re unable to get to the location before the shoot, perhaps the greatest challenge with this type of photography is working with and overcoming the unknown. Often with environmental portraits you don’t really know what you’re dealing with — who you’re photographing, what they look like, what they’ll be wearing, what the location is like or what sort of lighting there is. This means, as the photographer, you have to be able to think on your feet and overcome these challenges when you arrive.
Here are some of the common challenges summarised into these key points here.
Time – Perhaps the greatest challenge on any photoshoot is a lack of time. Often we only have a small window of time, but numerous obstacles to overcome. Even if you’ve researched the location prior to the shoot, you have to be prepared to think on your feet.
Photographing on location – When working on location you don’t know what you’ll be working with until you arrive. Locations may be cluttered, busy with people and generally just not what you expect. Be prepared for this and know that you might have to look for the right space or even rearrange items.
Lighting – Lighting on location is something that many photographers struggle with. In many cases it’s common that you’ll be working with mixed lighting as the available light alone may not be sufficient, while other instances may require purely studio lighting if there is no suitable ambient light, so make sure to be prepared with two or three lights and some modifiers that could work for a variety of scenarios.
Communicating with your subject –As with any portrait, building a connection with your subject is key if you want to get natural-looking results. The key thing here is to be confident as this will help put your subject at ease. Even if you don’t have a lot of time, take a moment to talk to your subject, explain what you’re doing and what you want to achieve. Talk them through the shoot to help them feel comfortable as this will make the experience more rewarding for everyone involved.
Arnold Newman (1918-2006) was an American photographer known for his pioneering work in environmental portraiture. He skillfully combined the subject’s personality and environment to create powerful and memorable portraits. His unique approach to portraiture forever changed the field and left a lasting impact on future generations of photographers.
Born in New York City in 1918, Arnold Newman grew up in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and later moved to Miami Beach, Florida. He initially studied painting at the University of Miami, but his artistic pursuits were interrupted by World War II. During the war, Newman worked in a photo studio specializing in passport and ID photographs. It was here that he began to develop his interest in photography.
After the war, Newman returned to New York City and started his career as a professional photographer. His breakthrough came in 1946 with a series of portraits of prominent artists and writers, including Piet Mondrian and Max Ernst. These photographs gained attention for their unique compositions, and Newman quickly became a sought-after portrait photographer.
Alfred Krupp Image Analysis
In 1963, Jewish photographer Arnold Newman was commissioned by Newsweek to take a portrait of Alfred Krupp, a convicted Nazi war criminal. At first, Newman refused, but eventually, he decided to take the assignment as a form of personal revenge.
Technical
Arnold Newman, known for his environmental portraits, often used a combination of lighting techniques to create depth and mood in his photographs. While specific settings for the photo of Alfried Krupp in 1963 may not be publicly documented, we can make educated guesses based on his style:
1. Lighting: Newman frequently used natural light supplemented with artificial sources. For this portrait, he might have used soft diffused light to highlight Krupp’s features without harsh shadows.
2. Aperture: A wider aperture (like f/2.8 or f/4) could have been used to create a shallow depth of field, focusing on Krupp while softly blurring the background.
3. Shutter Speed: A shutter speed of around 1/125 to 1/250 seconds would be typical to avoid motion blur, especially if there was any camera movement.
4. ISO: Given the era and the film used, an ISO of 100 to 400 would be reasonable, depending on the lighting conditions.
5. White Balance: Since this was shot in the 1960s, it would have been set based on the film stock, likely using daylight balance for natural light or tungsten for artificial light.
These settings reflect Newman’s approach to capturing the essence of his subjects through careful control of exposure and lighting.
Visual
In Arnold Newman’s 1963 photo of Alfried Krupp, several visual elements contribute to the overall impact of the image:
1. Colour: The photograph likely utilizes a muted colour palette, characteristic of Newman’s style, which often emphasizes the subject’s features and the mood of the scene rather than vibrant colours.
2. Tone: The tonal range in the image would create depth, with highlights and shadows enhancing the dimensionality of Krupp’s face and the surrounding environment.
3. Texture: The texture in the photograph is important; you can see the details in Krupp’s clothing and skin, which adds a sense of realism and intimacy to the portrait.
4. Shape: The shapes within the composition, such as Krupp’s face and the contours of his clothing, create a focal point that draws the viewer’s attention directly to him.
5. Form: The three-dimensionality of the subject is highlighted through the interplay of light and shadow, giving a sculptural quality to the portrait.
6. Pattern: Any patterns present, whether in the background or in Krupp’s attire, serve to add interest without overwhelming the main subject.
7. Line: Lines can be seen in the way Krupp’s posture and the arrangement of elements direct the viewer’s gaze, often leading to his face as the focal point.
8. Space: The use of negative space around Krupp helps to isolate him, emphasizing his presence and the significance of the moment captured.
Newman’s composition is carefully arranged, likely employing the rule of thirds or a balanced layout that enhances the viewer’s engagement with Krupp’s character. The positioning of Krupp within the frame, alongside the elements surrounding him, creates a narrative that reflects his stature and personality.
These visual elements work together to create a powerful and evocative portrait that captures not just the likeness of Alfried Krupp but also the essence of his character and the context of his life.
Contextual
The contextual meaning behind Arnold Newman’s 1963 photo of Alfried Krupp can be understood through the historical and social backdrop of the time. Krupp was a significant figure in the industrial landscape of Germany, particularly known for his role in the armaments industry during World War II.
At the time Newman photographed him, Krupp had recently been released from prison after being convicted for war crimes. This context adds layers of complexity to the image, as it reflects not only Krupp’s personal narrative but also the broader implications of his actions during a tumultuous period in history.
The photograph captures a moment of introspection, possibly reflecting the weight of his past and the consequences of his legacy. Newman’s choice to portray Krupp in a stark, serious manner emphasizes the moral and ethical dilemmas surrounding industrial power and its impact on society.
In essence, the photo serves as a visual commentary on the intersection of personal identity and historical responsibility, prompting viewers to consider the implications of power and the legacies left behind by influential figures.
Conceptual
The conceptual meaning behind Arnold Newman’s 1963 photo of Alfried Krupp revolves around the complex interplay of power, legacy, and identity. Krupp was a prominent industrialist known for his role in the German steel and armaments industry, particularly during World War II.
In the photograph, Newman captures not just Krupp’s physical likeness but also the weight of his legacy. The somber expression and the way Krupp is framed suggest a man burdened by his past and the moral implications of his business decisions. The composition and tonal quality evoke a sense of seriousness, highlighting the gravity of his position in history.
Furthermore, Newman’s choice of lighting and focus may reflect the duality of Krupp’s identity as a successful businessman and as a controversial figure whose actions had significant consequences. The image invites viewers to contemplate the complexities of power and responsibility, urging a deeper reflection on how individual choices can shape history.
Overall, the photograph serves as a powerful commentary on the nature of authority and the moral dilemmas faced by those in positions of influence.
how you are going to produce the images (lighting / equipment etc)
Photoshoot 1
I photographed Connie in her garden as she loves gardening so this was her natural environment. I did the photoshoot mid day so the sun was out and there was good natural light.
These were all my photos I took 90 overall and I think overall it was very successful
In this snip you can see my favourite photos as I have highlighted them in green there is quite a few of them.
These are my favourite photos up close. There are 6 of them that I really like I am going to take them into Lightroom and do a bit of editing.
In this process I am rotating my photo so the background is straight and using the rule of thirds so she is sort of walking into the photograph.
This is how the photo ended up. I think it looks much better as the stairs in the back are straight and she is walking into the photo.
An environmental portrait is a portrait typically done in a usual environment of the subject, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject’s life and surroundings.
By photographing a person in their natural surroundings, it shows more of their character, and therefore portrays the essence of their personality, rather than merely a likeness of their physical features. Also, by photographing a person in their natural surroundings the subject will be more at ease, and so be more conducive to expressing themselves – as opposed to in a studio, which can be a rather intimidating and artificial experience.
Artist References/Case Studies
Arnold Newman (March 3, 1918 – June 6, 2006) was a Jewish American photographer credited with being the photographer who most contributed to the rise of the photographic style of environmental portraits. Some of his most famous portrait photographs include celebrities such as John F. Kennedy, Pablo Picasso and Marilyn Monroe.
A well known example of one of his portraits is of Igor Stravinsky in which the lid of his grand piano forms a musical note representative of the melodic structure of the composer’s work. Newman normally captured his subjects in their most familiar surroundings with representative visual elements showing their professions and personalities. A musician for instance might be photographed in their recording studio or on stage, a Senator or other politician in their office or a representative building.
Newman’s environmental portrait of Stravinsky, capturing him by his piano which highlights his profession as a musician
“I didn’t just want to make a photograph with some things in the background,” Newman once told American Photo magazine in an interview. “The surroundings had to add to the composition and the understanding of the person. No matter who the subject was, it had to be an interesting photograph. Just to simply do a portrait of a famous person doesn’t mean a thing.”
Alfred Krupp by Arnold Newman, 1963
The image captures a sinister looking man (Alfred Krupp) framed in the bottom centre of the image, with eerie artificial lighting along the top creating leading lines that draw viewer attention towards trains in the background
Image Analysis
Initial Emotional Response – Krupp comes off as sinister and villainous due to his facial expression, pose and placement in the image creating an uncomfortable atmosphere, with Krupp having somewhat of a look of superiority to him.
Technical – Dim, artificial lighting creates a cold mood to the image further reinforcing the serious tone of the image initially introduced by Krupp and his sinister appearance. A cold colour scheme is present throughout the image which emphasises this uncomfortable atmosphere, contrasting with the trains in the background which are the only real warm-toned objects present in the image which lead to them standing out to viewers of the image (which has been done intentionally, linking to context). Finally, a shallow depth of field has been used to maintain most of the image’s focus on Krupp to highlight his importance and appearance of superiority.
Visual – There is clearly use of texture in the image, primarily in Krupp himself with a subtle emphasis on the wrinkles seen in his face and hands, showing how he experience with life itself which when combined with his egotistical and superior manner implies he has used this against those he deems inferior to him. Moreover, the pattern of the lights on the ceiling as well as the leading lines they create which bring attention inevitably towards Krupp once more creates a sense of ever looming dread and no escape (linking to the context of past of the photographer and his people, especially what they have suffered).
Contextual – Arnold Newman (a Jewish photographer) was commissioned by Newsweek to take a portrait of Alfred Krupp, who was a convicted Nazi war criminal. Initially, Newman refused, but eventually he decided to take the assignment as a form of personal revenge.
Conceptual – The idea behind the image was a form of personal revenge on Krupp for his crimes against Jews during WW2, exploiting them and working them until death, which Newman has done with his presentation of Krupp as sinister and evil. After seeing the photograph, Krupp was outraged, but Newman was satisfied saying after the photograph was taken he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
Photoshoot Plan
Subjects: Family (mum dad and sister), Katie, friends.
Environments: Around home, hobbies, outside environments (places that I associate with them).
Poses: Natural/relaxed, central/on a third of the image with a neutral position, clothes and objects in image relate to person. Trying to capture them like they are doing their normal activities in their usual environments.
Home environments: Sister in her bedroom/living room.
Gaze: Directly at camera to create relation between viewer and image, although I will experiment with subject not facing camera to create a more authentic effect.
Composition: I will try use a central framing to highlight my subject, but I will also try use rule of thirds to try and have more focus on elements of the background showing personality and life of the person being photographed.
Framing/orientation: I will take full body images, and in editing avoid over cropping to keep the subject and their environment in full view to tell a story. I will also take images in landscape to show more of the subject’s environment.
Initial ideas: Sister in fancy dress in bedroom with dolls, friends in typical environments etc.
Camera settings: High f/stop to capture more of the background in focus since the environments will play a significant part in the intention behind my images and help to tell a story about the person, adjust ISO according to lighting (e.g. outside/inside images).
My Photoshoot
My full environmental portrait contact sheet
After importing my photos into Lightroom, I went through them all and flagged them as either an X (ones I wasn’t pleased with and wasn’t going to use) or a yes (photos I was satisfied with and would go over further to see if I would use them for my finals). Once I had filtered images by the unsuccessful and successful ones, I went through the ones flagged as good and colour coded them (yellow being good images but with improvements that could be made with editing, and green being images I found really successful and I will consider editing for my final images) – finally, I star rated each colour coded image to show what I thought of each one, giving yellow ones 3 stars and green ones 4 or 5 stars.
Selected Final Photos
I chose this image as one of my finals because I really like the composition and how so much of the environment has been captured which tells more of a story about the subject. Furthermore, I am pleased with the lighting since it helps illuminate the environment making it seem more vibrant which reflects the subject’s bubbly personality.
I chose this image as one of my finals because I found the rule of thirds to be really effective as it still clearly highlights the subject whilst still allowing the viewer to explore the natural background and environment she is placed in. Moreover, I have used leading lines which direct the viewer’s gaze from the environment back down to the subject which I find to be very effective.
I decided to choose this one as one of my finals because I like how although the environment is different the subject is in a similar pose to the previous image so I can juxtapose the two images’ environments by displaying them side by side in my final presentation, and I also found the colour contrast between the subject’s clothing and the surrounding environment to be extremely effective since it creates a clear contrast while still keeping both as focus points – however, I feel like there is too much negative space near the bottom so when editing I will adjust the composition by cropping out some of the bottom.
I selected this image for my final because I was experimenting with natural lighting and found it really effective since it creates more of a cooler colour scheme which I find really suits the environment and the clothing of the subject. I also like the use of rule of thirds again since it allows the viewer to explore more of the environment without the subject being the full focus of the image due to them being off centre.
I chose this image for my final presentation because I find the composition really effective, showing the subject on one half of the image and the environment in the background on the other split clearly in the middle by the white concrete wall. I also like how the environment colour contrasts with the subject and his surroundings, telling more of a story to the viewer about the subject’s personality and interests. For editing, I will experiment with slightly cropping out the left part of the image since I think there is an excess of negative space and I want to create more of a focus on the subject.
Finally, I have selected this image because I like how in contrast to the other images the subject fills up more of the frame so I can juxtapose it to other photos. I also found the subject’s gaze towards the camera really effective since it creates a clear sense of connection between the viewer and the photo and I think the clothes of the subject match really well with the environment she’s placed in which tells more of a story of her character.
Editing/Experimentation
I decided to keep editing for this image simple since I like the original iteration, so I cropped the image to remove distracting negative space on the right and frame the subject more towards the left third which draws more attention from the view towards them as well as still displaying lots of items in the background which tells a story about her personality and hobbies. I also adjusted the colours and toning of the image since I felt the lighting was significantly warmer than I wanted it to be which was distracting since the vibrant colours of the walls would immediately draw attention of the viewer.
For this image, I cropped a bit off the top to remove excess negative space I found took focus away from the subject’s environment and adjusted the colours and tones to be slightly colder since the lighting was too warm. I think this edit really improved the image overall since initially there were too many distractions taking away focus from the subject, but now with less negative space and slightly less vibrant colours it allows other techniques such as the leading lines going from the top of the photo down to the subject to maintain her as the focal point of the image whilst still having the surrounding environment be colourful and full enough to showcase parts of her personality and life.
For this photo, I first cropped out the bottom to remove excess negative space to direct more focus onto the subject as well as the surrounding environment – I then adjusted the colour and brightness slightly since I found the lighting in the original image to be too warm which contrasted poorly with the colder natural lighting coming in from the skylight, and I think this edit was very successful because now there’s less distractions which direct more focus towards the subject and the environment whilst again still clearly telling a story about her personality and hobbies with the toys shown in the background.
I decided to not experiment too much with this image since I thought the original iteration was already very effective with the subject positioned on the right third allowing focus to be distributed between her as well as the environment and the natural lighting not being too warm meaning there was little distractions – however, I did crop the image slightly to remove some negative space which again helps to clear unintentional distractions and improve the photo overall. I will experiment more with colours and different compositions in my second edit but if that doesn’t help highlight the subject or the surroundings better then I will use this photo as one of my finals since I am pleased with how it is simple but still clearly shows a lot about the subject and her daily environments/activities.
For my edits of this image, I cropped to remove the sign in the top left which stood out in the negative space behind the subject which was distracting and made the image split in half, with one half showing the subject and the other colour contrasting and showing his usual environments. I also decreased brightness and increased highlights to reduce the strength of the natural lighting coming from the top right so more details are visible in the surroundings, which helps to paint a clearer picture of the subject’s typical hobbies and surroundings and overall creates more focus and intrigue from the viewer towards the subject.
For this image, I cropped it so the subject is perfectly centred which combined with the subject’s gaze directly towards the camera creates a personal connection between her and the viewer. I also increased highlights so more details are visible in the surroundings which when combined with the subject’s clothes being appropriate for the environment she is pictured in starts telling a story about her hobbies and usual environments – furthermore, I adjusted tone and colour to ensure the colours used are colder which goes well with the surroundings and overall helps create a clearer sense of the background the subject is placed in and why she’s been pictured there.
Final Images and Evaluation
Overall, I think my photoshoot was very successful since each photo clearly meets my intention of capturing people in their usual environments as well as telling stories about them and their personality/hobbies with details and objects in the surrounding environment – I did minimal editing for each one because I felt each photo was already effective and just needed small tweaks to reduce distractions and improve composition to highlight the subject further. I also found each image makes great use of formal elements and other techniques, with every image making effective use of lines, colour, space and composition techniques such as rule of thirds to highlight/contrast certain aspects of the photos to help tell more of a story about each individual subject and their respective environments.
Presentation of Final Images
My final images presented in artsteps – I decided to arrange from warmer colours/tones and indoor environments on the left leading to cooler colours/tones and outdoor environments on the right since I like how there is a clear contrast between the first half and the second half of the images, whilst still making each one catch attention from the viewer.
with this photos so far u can see using the rule of third and how she is in 2/3 of the photo
with this photos iv edited the brightness and contrast, and also took away the deep shadows on the eyes to eyes are a obvious view point. and with most of my photos with my sister in will be edited like this innless in different area.
and similar sort of editing with these people
with this person there is a quite High contrast and the dodge tool has been used.
Environmental Portrait photography is the art of taking pictures that will be used to tell a persons story via its connection to a certain place. In this type of photography the person should be in their natural environment like their work, house, city,… this is a way of telling the persons story without words. In environmental portrait the person is posing to the photo surrounded by their natural environment.
analysis- key features
The lighting in the picture is natural , from the side the picture is taken indoors. The environment is her house especially her living room, she looks like a typical lower-middle class person, in the picture her personal items are used like pens, cards her jewellery… The framing in the picture is half-body and deadpan. Her pose is neutral and has a natural face expression. She is making eye contact with the camera and engaging with the camera. Standard lens were used , the depth of field is narrow. I think the aperture used was f/22 because the background is clear. The ISO used was probably 100 because it was taken at in the day with lots of light coming in.
August Sander
“August Sander was a German photographer whose work documented the society he lived in. Lauded as one the most-important portrait photographers of the early 20th century, Sander focused his gaze on bricklayers, farmers, bakers, and other members of the community. Born in Herdorf, Germany on November 17, 1876, Sanders learned photography during his military service in the city of Trier. By 1910, he had moved to a suburb of Cologne, spending his days biking along the roads to find people to photograph. By the time the Nazi regime rose to power in the 1930s, Sander was considered an authority on photography and recognized for his book Face of Our Time(1929). Today, the artist’s works are held in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne, among others”.Information taken from art net.
August Sander photographed people from diverse nationalities, genders, classes and professions in his ” people of the 20th century” project, He collected this pictures with the goal ‘ to provide a true phycology of our time and of our people’. His plan was to produce between 500 and 600 pictures. In my opinion his photography really transmits what the people feel without any words, In some pictures the people are with a straight face and in some they are smiling, I think that maybe he wanted to show how the people felt in their environment and how they like it or dislike it, how wealthy or poor, how tired, they are or feel.
Analysis
I think the light is natural coming from maybe a window ( soft light) and coming from the side . The environment is most likely her house or the place she works at. Shows social class with the chosen clothes and the broom. The framing is half body,dead pan her pose is formal and her face expression is neutral. She is making eye contact with the camera. I think the lens used was standard lens. The depth of field is narrow. I think the aperture used was f/22 because the background is clear. The ISO used was probably 100 because it was taken at in the day with lots of light coming in.
typology
Typology is a set or images made with a common subject or idea, then repeated through the set. This can include every thing for example different doors in different places, different cars,… The term ” Typology” was first used to Describe the style of photography when Bernard and Hilla Becher began documenting old German industrial architecture in 1959. Typology is a powerful method of photography that can be used to change the way we see the world around us. Typology has roots of August
Photoshoot plan
I would like to photograph people either at work/school or their houses because that’s the 2 places where a person spends more time in. Also I think it would be a good idea to photograph my friends when we are out I think that would be fun too. I mostly like these type of pictures in black and white. I would also ask the person that I am photographing to show on their face how they feel when they are in that environment so for example if they like being in that environment I would ask them to smile, if they don’t like it I would ask them to keep a straight face.
First step: find people who would like to participate, like friends and family, people in town working.
second step: ask them about what they do and speak about my ideas and about their story. e.i where they work, what are their hobbies, what they do that makes them happy,…
third step: Find a time and a day that we are are free and have time. Maybe the weekend because that’s when most people are off if photographing friends and family, for people working I would do during the week because thetas when most businesses are slower.
forth step: Photograph, I would like to use natural light in my pictures because I think it feels more natural, depending on where I’m photographing I would take some pictures half-body and some full- body. I will also use the persons personal items or items they make and work with.
first photoshoot at school
these were the pictures that I took at school I asked staff to take pictures of them and at look at the camera.
I started by labelling them either red, yellow or green.
From all the pictures I took at school these were the ones that I think are the best, also like how every person is doing a different pose, some are looking directly at the camera and some are actually focusing on something else.
editing my favourite pictures:
home photography
I took picture of my brother and my dad I photographed my dad in our garden and photographer my brother while playing video games.
these were my 2 favourite images edited.
this is my favourite picture I think the quality is really good and how I took the picture, I decided to edit the picture in black and white because I think the picture looks better in the terms of quality and ambiance.
from this photoshoot I only got one which was good since my friend was a bit award in front of the camera, however the picture that I choose I think its really good because it was taken in her house and it really shows her personality.
I edited the image making it warmer because since I photographed her at her house I wanted to bring the comfort of her house to the picture and I decided to do that through editing , I edited most on the tone and moving them around until I liked how it looked.
I took 2 pictures of a women that was working at a donut stand, when there weren’t many people around so she wouldn’t get uncomfortable or shy while being photographed.
this was my favourite between the two because the other image there is her co-worker behind her also this one is more closed up which I like she also looks happy and positive and the colour are very vibrant with makes the viewer focus on her rather than the background.
Editing
I kept the photographed in colour and I tried making the image more vibrant
I used photoshop to edit the donuts from the other picture into this one that I like more.
I like the idea of using black and white in the image.I like the idea of having a lot of items to create a busy background. I like the idea that the background is quite blurred and he is the main focus.
I like the idea that him and the saxophone are the clear subjects.I like the simplicity of this image while its still clear what is going on.I like the idea that it looks like a very natural photo.
I like the idea that the image is taken in black and white.I like the idea that the image is of the subject in a natural position.I like the idea that the subject is engaging with the camera for the image.
What is environmental portraiture
An environmental portrait is an image take of one or more person / people in there natural environment doing things like there job, a hobby or there lifestyle. It is represented through the background of the image or items shown in the image that have something to do with their lifestyle.
Example environmental portrait with evaluation
Associação Comercial da Bahia
Lighting –
– Lighting used is artificial
– Shining from above him
– Possibly studio lights used
Environment –
– At a reception desk
– Most likely his job
– African American Ethnicity
– Taken in Brazil
– Male
– Most likely in his 60’s
Framing –
– Half-body angle used
– Dead pan
Approach –
– Neutral pose
Gaze –
– Eye contact
– Engagement with camera
Camera settings –
– Wide lens
– Mid-range F-stop
– No Tripod
– Medium shutter speed
– Medium shutter speed
Image info –
In this photo we can see the gold picture frame placed above the subject in the image, we can tell that he is in a place with money, this was most likely done by the photographer to fully capture this mans life style and give us incite into his place of work. This photo was taken in Brazil but there was no date for when it was taken, we can interpret that he works in a reception because of the two phones on his desk and the clean desk which is what you would expect at a front entrance for a more appealing look. I believe the idea behind this image was to capture an everyday person doing there job to capture there mood and lifestyle. With the visual elements of this photograph we can see that colour has been used with the gold frame for insight into the mans life, texture is also represented in this image along with Form (3D) with the curtain behind them.
August Sander
His life – August Sander (17 November 1876 – 20 April 1964), was a German portrait photographer, he wasn’t born into a family of photographer but found it through working in a local mine which was his full time job. His images consisted of a variety of different ages, religions, ethnicities and genders helping to shape environmental portraiture for years to come. He created some notable pieces of work such as, ‘The Farmer’, ‘The Skilled Tradesman’, ‘The Woman’, ‘Classes and Professions’, ‘The Artists’, ‘The City’ and ‘The Last People’.
His technique –
August Sander liked to use Shallow depth of field. generally full body shots to create an idea of model’s job and to include more of background in shot. As we can see in the images below he liked to take pictures of his subjects in a natural position representing there job and/or lifestyle.
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“I never made a person look bad.” – August Sander
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Examples of his work –
Who is in the photo?
– August Sander – Master Mason – 1926
how are they posed?
– neutral pose and facial expression
how are they framed?
– Full length body
– Deadpan angle
what is their gaze?
– Eye contact > engagement with the camera
Colour
– Black and white
Who is in the photo?
– August Sander – Handlanger (Bricklayer) – 1928
how are they posed?
– formal (posed) with relaxed facial expression
how are they framed?
– Full body
– Deadpan angle
what is their gaze?
– Eye contact > engagement with the camera
Colour
– Black and white
What is typology?
———–
Typology is a a term that we use in photography that, in simple terms, is the study of types. It can be used to see and represent similarities and differences in images.
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Here are some examples –
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Analysis of Arnold Newman Photography
Image of Arnold Newman
His life – Arnold Newman (3 March 1918 – 6 June 2006), was an American portrait photographer, in his early life he studied art in school, however, later in life he opened a business and stared a freelance photography business, most likely getting his creativity from art in school. He created some notable pieces of work such as, ‘Pablo Picasso, Spanish Painter and Sculptor’, ‘Max Ernst, German Painter and Sculptor’, ‘Marc Chagall, Russian/French Painter’, ‘Isamu Noguchi, Japanese American Artist and Landscape Architect’, ‘Man Ray, American Surrealist Painter’ and ‘Josef Albers, German-American Painter’.
His technique –
Arnold Newman liked to use a variety of different lighting such as natural light, as well as studio lighting setups generally half body shots to have more focus on the background of the image. He also liked to take pictures of the subjects of the image in there natural environment to capture their lifestyle.
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“The photographer must be a part of the picture.” – Arnold Newman
—————-=
Examples of his work –
Who is in the photo?
– Pablo Picasso, Spanish Painter and Sculptor, 1954
how are they posed?
– Formal pose and facial expression
how are they framed?
– Half body
– Deadpan angle
what is their gaze?
– Eye contact > engagement with the camera
Colour
– Black and white
Who is in the photo?
– Isamu Noguchi, Japanese American Artist and Landscape Architect, 1947
how are they posed?
– formal (posed) with relaxed facial expression
how are they framed?
– half body
– Canted angle
what is their gaze?
– Eye contact > engagement with the camera
Colour
– Black and white
Photoshoot plan
I plan to take photos inside and outside of school and take inspiration from August Sander in doing so. I plan to use props in all of my images to give a greater insight into the persons lifestyle or profession.
Photo Shoots
Contact sheet –
Selection process –
as you can see above I used P and X to flag my images to filter out the bad ones from the ok and good ones, next I rated these images 4 or 5 stars as 4 being ok ones and 5 being good ones, finally I gave them the colour yellow or green, green being the best and yellow being good. I will now edit these images that I selected and present them bellowalong with the raw images.
Editing
As you can see above I have used cropping to make the image a little smaller, I have done this so the subject is just a little bit closer to the camera in the image to make it more obvious that she is the main subject of the image.
As you can see above I have used two masks to sperate the subject from the background of the image, the reason I did this is because I wanted to have a slight but visible discrepancy between the two to make it even more obvious what the subject of the image is.
Adding to this I decided to keep this image in colour as to me it looked better but I did change one of my edited images to black and white.
Final images And evaluation
Who –
– The person in the image is Beth – 2024
Lighting –
– Taken indoors
– Artificial light used which is shining down from above
Environment –
– The location is her house in jersey channel islands
– They live a middle class life style
– Female, from Jersey and family history of Jersey, 17 years old
– Books used as props to represent her hobby
Framing –
– Full body
– Canted angle
Approach –
– Neutral pose and facial expression
Gaze –
– Eye contact and engagement with camera
Technical –
– ISO 200, 27mm , f / 4.0, 1/13 sec SS and no tripod used
B&W or colour –
– Colour
Who –
– The person in the image is Beth – 2024
Lighting –
– Taken indoors
– Artificial light used which is shining down from above
Environment –
– The location is her house in jersey channel islands
– They live a middle class life style
– Female, from Jersey and family history of Jersey, 17 years old
– Books and saxophone used as props to represent her hobby
Framing –
– Full body
– Deadpan angle
Approach –
– Neutral pose and facial expression
Gaze –
– Eye contact and engagement with camera
Technical –
– ISO 200, 30mm , f / 4.5, 1/13 sec SS and no tripod used
B&W or colour –
– B&W
Who –
– The person in the image is Beth – 2024
Lighting –
– Taken indoors
– Artificial light used which is shining down from above
Environment –
– The location is her house in jersey channel islands
– They live a middle class life style
– Female, from Jersey and family history of Jersey, 17 years old
– Books and saxophone used as props to represent her hobby
Framing –
– Full body
– Deadpan angle
Approach –
– Neutral pose and facial expression
Gaze –
– Eye contact and engagement with camera
Technical –
– ISO 200, 30mm , f / 4.5, 1/13 sec SS and no tripod used
B&W or colour –
– Colour
Who –
– The person in the image is Beth – 2024
Lighting –
– Taken indoors
– Artificial light used which is shining down from above
Environment –
– The location is her house in jersey channel islands
– They live a middle class life style
– Female, from Jersey and family history of Jersey, 17 years old
– Books used as props to represent her hobby
Framing –
– Full body
– Deadpan angle
Approach –
– Neutral pose and facial expression
Gaze –
– Eye contact and engagement with camera
Technical –
– ISO 200, 32mm , f / 4.5, 1/13 sec SS and no tripod used
B&W or colour –
– Colour
Who –
– The person in the image is Mr Cole – 2024
Lighting –
– Taken indoors
– Artificial light used which is shining down from above
Environment –
– The location is Hautlieu school in jersey channel islands
– Male, Work as a teacher in Hautlieu school, not sure how old
– Camera used as prop in the image to represent his profession
Framing –
– Half body
– Deadpan angle
Approach –
– Formal pose and facial expression
Gaze –
– Eye contact and engagement with camera
Technical –
– ISO 400, 55mm , f / 5.6, 1/40 sec SS and no tripod used
B&W or colour –
– Colour
Who –
– The person in the image is Mr Cole – 2024
Lighting –
– Taken indoors
– Artificial light used which is shining down from above
Environment –
– The location is Hautlieu school in jersey channel islands
– Male, Work as a teacher in Hautlieu school, not sure how old
– Camera used as prop in the image to represent his profession
Framing –
– Half body
– Deadpan angle
Approach –
– Formal pose and facial expression
Gaze –
– Eye contact and engagement with camera
Technical –
– ISO 400, 55mm , f / 5.6, 1/40 sec SS and no tripod used
B&W or colour –
– Colour
Overall evaluation –
In these images I planned for it to be simple while using props such as the saxophone and the camera used in the different photos taken. With these images I took inspiration from August Sander taking ideas such as the props and the simplicity of the images, he also frequently used black and white in his image so I decided to do the same with one of mine to get a greater idea of what my images could look like. I will now represent these 6 images in art steps as a typology.
