“Topographic” refers to the features of a surface, like mountains, valleys, rivers, and hills. It shows the shape, size and details of the land in a specific area, most of the time it’s done on an map but our goal when taking topographic photos is to capture features in there full detail.

New Topographics was a term created by William Jenkins in 1975 to describe a group of American photographers (such as Robert Adams, Hilla Becher and Lewis Baltz) whose pictures had a similar aesthetic.

The photographs were all images of non-idealized landscapes, a mundane American town and repetitive suburban areas, anonymous “strip” malls, one and two-story structures along highways, liminal urban areas each bearing witness to a potential social critique. 

Here are some image examples:

Here is a photo from Robert Adams titled “Enriched Emulsion”

Here is a photo by Lewis Baltz titled “Absence Of Style”

Here is a collection of photos by Hilla Becher titled “Preparation Plants”

New Topographics

New topographic was a term coined by William Jenkins in 1975 to describe a group of American photographers (such as Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz) whose pictures had a similar banal aesthetic, in that they were formal, mostly black and white prints of the urban landscape.

Many of the photographers associated with new topographics including Robert Adams Lewis Baltz, Nicholas Nixon and Bernd and Hiller Becher were inspired by the man-made, selecting subject matter that was matter-of-fact. Parking lots, suburban housing and warehouses were all depicted with a beautiful stark austerity, almost in the way early photographers documented the natural landscape. An exhibition at the International Museum of Photography in Rochester, New York featuring these photographers also revealed the growing unease about how the natural landscape was being eroded by industrial development.

What is new Topographics a reaction to?

The stark, beautifully printed images of the mundane but oddly fascinating topography was both a reflection of the increasingly suburbanised world around them, and a reaction to the tyranny of idealised landscape photography that elevated the natural and the elemental.

Historical context:

• Inflation and labor unrest. The country’s main economic concern in the immediate post-war years was inflation. …
• The baby boom and suburbia. Making up for lost time, millions of returning veterans soon married and started families…
• Isolation and splitting of the family unit, pharmaceuticals and mental health problems
• Vast distances, road networks and mobility

Common Themes and Concepts of New Topographics

Their photographs depicted the built environment, suburban sprawl, industrial structures, and the mundane aspects of daily life, that were taking place in the American landscape of the post- War 2, with a sense of objectivity and an almost scientific detachment.

ANSEL ADAMS

Ansel Adams was an American landscape photographer and environmentalist, widely known for his black and white images of the American West. He was a co-founder of Group f/64, an association of photographers advocating for “pure” photography. This approach emphasized sharp focus, a full tonal range, and precise attention to detail. To achieve this, Adams developed the Zone System, a technique designed to ensure all tonal values were represented in an image ; from pure black to pure white, with 11 shades of Gray in between.

Beyond his contributions to photography, Adams was a passionate advocate for environmental conservation. His work in national parks helped to highlight the beauty and power of nature, reinforcing the importance of preservation for future generations.

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His Photography

Ansel Adams’ photographic style is characterized by its sharp focus, exceptional detail, and dramatic use of light and shadow. He sought to capture the grandeur and beauty of the natural world, emphasizing the importance of preserving these pristine landscapes.

One of Adams’ key compositional techniques was to position the horizon about two-thirds up the frame. This choice placed emphasis on the landscape rather than the sky, enhancing the sense of scale and drama in his photographs.

Ansel Adams Photography Mood Board

Ansel Adams Photo analysis

The Tetons – Snake River

Technical Analysis

Lighting: The image features natural lighting, with strong contrasts between highlights and shadows. The light emphasizes the rugged texture of the mountains and the flowing river.

Aperture: Likely a small aperture (high f/stop), ensuring deep depth of field so that everything from the foreground to the distant mountains appears sharp and clear.

Shutter Speed: Given the clarity of the image, a fast shutter speed was likely used to prevent motion blur in the river and trees. likely above 1/200.

ISO: Likely low ISO to maintain fine detail and minimize grain, enhancing the crispness of the photograph. ( eg 100 iso)

White Balance: The black-and-white palette emphasizes tonal contrast rather than colour .

Visual Analysis

Colour & Tone: The monochrome scheme highlights the tonal range, from deep blacks in the trees to bright whites in the clouds. Which can be linked back to Ansel Adams zonal system.

Texture & Shape: The rough textures of the mountains contrast with the smooth curves of the river.

Pattern & Line: The winding Snake River creates a leading line, guiding the viewer’s eye through the landscape and into the mountains.

Composition: The river serves as a strong focal point, creating depth and movement in the image. The placement of the mountains follows the Rule of Thirds, while the sky and clouds add visual weight to the upper part of the image.

Contextual Analysis

Historical Context: Taken in 1942, this image is part of Adams’ work for the National Park Service, promoting conservation and appreciation of America’s natural beauty. It was also a period when photography was being used to document and preserve landscapes.

Personal Context: Ansel Adams was deeply committed to environmental conservation. His work played a role in shaping public perception of national parks, influencing conservation efforts.

Visual/Conceptual Contexts: This image aligns with the traditions of early landscape photography but elevates it through Adams’ mastery of composition and darkroom techniques. His use of the Zone System ensured precise control over contrast.

Cultural/Social/Political Contexts: The image embodies the American ideal of untouched wilderness, reinforcing the significance of national parks. At the time, the U.S. was involved in World War II, and Adams’ work offered a sense of peace and national pride.

Conceptual Analysis

Meaning & Idea: The photograph captures the scale and majesty of nature, emphasizing the power and beauty of the American landscape.

Theoretical Construct: Adams’ work is rooted in the philosophy of environmentalism and the idea that nature should be preserved and appreciated. His approach contrasts with the New Topographics movement, which documented human-altered landscapes in a more detached manner.

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Early Life

One of Adams’ earliest memories was witnessing the devastation of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. At just four years old, he was thrown face-first into a garden wall by an aftershock, leaving him with a broken nose that remained crooked for the rest of his life.

In 1907, his family moved to a home near Seacliff, just south of the Presidio Army Base, with a striking view of the Golden Gate and the Marin Headlands. As a child, Adams was hyperactive, frequently ill, and prone to hypochondria. He had few friends but found solace in nature. He spent much of his time exploring Lobos Creek, Baker Beach, and the rugged coastline of Lands End; an area notorious for shipwrecks and landslides. These early experiences in the natural world would later influence his lifelong passion for landscape photography and conservation.

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Comparison of Ansel Adams and Edward Weston

Ansel Adams and Edward Weston were both pioneers of American photography, yet their artistic approaches, techniques, and subject matter were distinctly different. The Photo Literacy Matrix provides insight into their contrasting styles through the uses of technique, composition, subject, and their philosophy.

Influence and Approach to Nature

Adams on Weston’s Influence:

“I can’t tell you how swell it was to return to the freshness, the simplicity and natural strength of your photography … I am convinced that the only real security lies with a certain communion with the things of the natural world.” -Letter from Edward Weston to Ansel Adams, 1936.

While both photographers were deeply inspired by nature, Weston’s approach was more intimate and abstract, focusing on form and texture. Adams, on the other hand, sought to capture vast landscapes with unparalleled precision. This letter reflects Adams’ appreciation for Weston’s minimalist style and direct relationship with nature.

Adams on His Own Technique (Zone System)

“I developed the Zone System as a way to create consistency and accuracy in the photographic process. It was about controlling exposure and development to produce the exact tonal range I wanted. I wanted the photographs to be as precise as possible.” -Ansel Adams

Adams’ Zone System was a highly technical method, allowing photographers to control exposure and tonal values with scientific precision. In contrast, Weston was more intuitive, relying on his eye and emotional response rather than strict technical guidelines.

Weston on Adams’ Work

“There is a grandeur in Adams’ work, an extraordinary definition, but it is more than that – it is the clarity with which he sees, the care with which he interprets, and the immense patience with which he waits for the perfect light.” – Edward Weston

Weston admired Adams’ meticulous craftsmanship, patience, and ability to capture nature’s grandeur. This highlights the contrast between Adams’ structured approach and Weston’s more spontaneous, emotional engagement with his subjects.

Critical Perspectives on Adams and Weston

“Ansel Adams captured the majesty of the American West with unparalleled clarity and precision, while Edward Weston’s work transcends documentary, transforming simple forms into complex works of art that explore the depths of human experience.” -Photography Critic

This comparison underscores Adams’ reputation for technical excellence and breath-taking landscapes, while Weston is celebrated for his abstract, intimate compositions that evoke deeper artistic and emotional responses.

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ANSEL ADAMS PHOTOSHOOT

What are The New Topographics?

New topographics was a term created by William Jenkins in 1975 to describe a group of American photographers (such as Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz) whose pictures had a similar banal aesthetic, in that they were formal, mostly black and white prints of the urban landscape and could sometimes be used to show the contrast between nature and the urban landscape.

Key features of the new topographics

photographs depicted the built-up environment, suburban areas, industrial structures and the mundane aspects of daily life, that were taking place in the American landscape.

Key artists of the new topographics

Many of the photographers associated with new topographics including Robert Adams, Lewis Baltz, Nicholas Nixon and Bernd and Hiller Becher who were inspired by the man-made side of the world.

What was the new topographics a reaction to?

The new topographics were a reaction to the realized change from nature to urban landscapes and reflecting juxtaposition between them, they were shown as mundane but oddly fascinating images and was a reflection of the increasingly suburbanised world around them.

Case study – Stephan Shore

Who was he –

Technical –

– well lit, outside, natural lighting / outside

– shot on large format field camera

– sharp image overall while moving objects like cars are blurry

Visual –

– pavement used as line leading up to natural environment (mountains)

– Chevron signs pointing and leading to mountains

– colours shown in signs photographed represent America / American flag

– lots of different shapes, geometric

– space used with the sky taking up the majority of the image

Contextual –

– Artist in movement reflecting how new of a country is compared to old European ones

– Post world-war 2

– Taken in LA in 1975

Conceptual –

– Contrast between built up area and mountains in the background shows change in movements

In this Photoshoot I explored the movement of water at the beach, focusing on how it constantly shifts and changes. I looked at composition, using the flow of the waves and the patterns in the water to create dynamic images. Perspective and scale were important in showing the contrast between the vastness of the sea and the smaller details, like the way water moves around rocks.  

Light played a key role in my images, as I captured how it affected the colours, shadows, and tonal value of the water throughout my images. I also focused on texture capturing the the smooth and rough parts of the water. This photoshoot allowed me to explore the way water interacts with its surroundings, creating images that capture the movement of the water.

Contact Sheet

Long Exposure

Some of my long exposure images turned out like this one (blurred) but I quite like how the misty water erupts over the rocks, it creates a sense of eeriness but in a way it’s also peaceful.

Short Exposure

I took images of the same flow of water with a short exposure to contrast the long exposure images. Which allowed me present the movement of water in different ways.

I positioned the camera down low, pointing upwards towards the waterfall so the rocks are in focus which captures how the water bubbles and moves around them.

Editing Before and After

Here I adjusted the contrast, shadows, highlights and dehaze in order to dramatize the movement of the water.

Final Images- Presented in Art Steps

I chose these 3 Images as they include both long and short exposure and they are taken from various perspectives which represent my aim for this photoshoot, which was to explore the movement of water.

Landscape photography used to be about capturing nature at its most dramatic and untouched. But in 1975, a group of photographers took a different approach. Instead of photographing mountains and forests, they focused on suburbs, industrial sites, and parking lots, everyday places shaped by people. This style became known as New Topographics and changed the way we think about landscapes.

Where Did New Topographics Come From?

The term New Topographics came from a 1975 exhibition at the International Museum of Photography in Rochester, New York. Curated by William Jenkins, the show featured photographers like Robert Adams, Lewis Baltz, Bernd and Hilla Becher, and Nicholas Nixon, who all photographed human-altered landscapes in a neutral, documentary style.

Their images weren’t meant to be beautiful or dramatic. They were often black and white, simple, and straightforward, just showing the way things were, without adding emotion or judgment.

Robert adams

One of the most influential photographers in the New Topographics movement was Robert Adams. His work focused on the rapid urbanization of the American West, particularly in Colorado. Adams documented how new housing developments, roads, and industry transformed the once-open landscapes.

His photos often present stark contrasts between nature and human expansion. In images like Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1968, Adams captures rows of identical houses against vast, empty skies. The uniformity and repetition of these structures highlight the loss of individuality and natural beauty in the push for economic growth.

Adams’ work isn’t entirely pessimistic, though. While his images show environmental change and urban sprawl, they also find quiet beauty in the ordinary. His compositions are carefully framed, making even mundane subjects, like highways or suburban fences, visually striking. His photography encourages us to look at familiar places differently, questioning how we shape and experience the world around us.

Image Analysis

Robert Adams’ Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1968:

Technical

• Camera and Film: Adams likely used a medium or large-format camera, which gives a lot of detail and depth to the image.
• Exposure and Lighting: The lighting looks natural, with soft shadows and clear highlights. It feels like it was taken in the late afternoon, with a balanced exposure showing both light and dark areas clearly.
• Composition: The photo is well thought out, with elements like the land, sky, and possibly some buildings placed carefully. The horizon line is low, making the sky feel vast.

Visual

• Tone and Contrast: Since it’s black-and-white, the contrasts between dark and light are important. The stark contrast gives the photo a clean, sharp look that adds to the feeling of openness.
• Subject Matter: The focus is on wide, open spaces, often with very little human presence. Any human-made structures are small, showing how nature dominates the scene.
• Space: There’s a lot of empty space, making it feel wide and open. This can give a sense of loneliness or isolation.

Contextual

• Historical Moment: The photo was taken in 1968, during a time when cities were rapidly growing, and suburban sprawl was taking over. This fits into Adams’ focus on how human development was starting to change the natural landscape.
• Environmental Impact: Adams is known for photographing the American West, especially focusing on how urbanization and development were affecting the environment.
• Adams’ Perspective: He loved the American West and wanted to capture it before it was changed forever. In the late ’60s, he started showing the effects of that change, highlighting the quiet, sometimes sad consequences of human growth.

Conceptual

• Nature vs. Civilization: The photo highlights the tension between the open land and the human structures that are slowly taking over it. It’s a reminder of how much nature is being altered by development.
• Solitude: The wide, empty spaces give a feeling of loneliness. The smallness of human figures or buildings in the scene makes you think about how we’re just one part of a much bigger, more powerful world.
• Critique of Development: Adams is kind of questioning the idea of constant growth and progress. The photo feels like a commentary on how human development might be coming at the cost of something beautiful.

What Was New Topographics a Reaction To?

Before this movement, landscape photography often romanticized nature, ignoring how people had changed the environment. New Topographics photographers challenged that idea, documenting the way human expansion had reshaped the landscape.

Historical Context

It was also a response to what was happening in post-war America. After World War II, there was a housing boom, highways expanded, and shopping malls took over open land. Cities grew fast, and suburbs spread further out. These photographers were capturing that shift.

At the same time, environmental issues were becoming more noticeable. Industrial development and urban sprawl were raising concerns about pollution and overdevelopment. While these photographers didn’t make direct political statements, their images highlighted the impact of human progress on the landscape.

Why It Matters

The 1970s was a time of big changes. The economy was shifting, inflation was rising, and protests for civil rights, women’s rights, and against the Vietnam War were shaping society. The landscapes captured by New Topographics photographers reflected this moment, a world where expansion, progress, and loss were happening all at once.

Their images still feel relevant today. Urban sprawl, industrialization, and environmental change haven’t slowed down. This style of photography makes us look at these spaces differently, not as background scenery but as part of the world we’ve built.

Stephen Shore, Beverly Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, California, June 21, 1975, chromogenic colour print

• Foreground vs background | Dominant features
• Composition | low horizon line | Square format
• Perspective and detail / cluttering
• Wide depth of field | Large Format Camera
• Colour | impact and relevance
• Nationalism vs mobility vs isolation
• Social commentary | The American Dream ?
• An appreciation of the formal elements : line, shape, form, texture, pattern, tone etc

Description:

Technical:

Stephen Shore’s photo of Beverly Boulevard and La Brea Avenue captures the harsh daylight of midday, where the sun is directly overhead, creating sharp shadows that give the scene a lot of depth and texture. The use of a large-format camera makes everything in the shot super detailed, from the cars on the street to the buildings and the trees. The chromogenic color print brings out the vivid colors, making even the smallest things stand out. The result is a super clear, almost crisp image that feels both real and slightly heightened, like you’re seeing the everyday world in a new way.

Visual:

The composition is all about the urban environment. You see a long stretch of road and low buildings, and there’s a sense of space that feels wide and open. The way the elements of the photo are arranged follows the rule of thirds to some degree, but it’s not strict. There’s a flow to the image, with the street and the buildings pulling your eye toward the horizon. The lines of the road and the edges of the buildings lead you into the distance, creating a sense of depth. The square format of the photo makes everything feel balanced, and the whole scene seems a bit compressed, like it’s all being funneled toward one point, adding to the feeling of space in the image.

Contextual:

This photo was taken in Los Angeles in 1975, a time when the city was all about cars and expansion. The image shows the effects of urbanization, with lots of streets, billboards, and cars, symbols of a rapidly industrializing America. The bright colors, reds, blues, and whites, could be nods to the American flag and what those colors represent in terms of national identity. The scene is a bit isolating, even though it’s a busy street, you don’t see much interaction between people. Instead, it’s all about the car culture and consumerism that defined the time. It feels like Shore is commenting on how progress and technology shape our lives, for better or worse, and how that can sometimes disconnect us from nature.

Conceptual:

The image is more than just a snapshot of Los Angeles, it’s a reflection on what America was going through at the time. The street seems to go on forever, pointing toward a future that’s all about roads and infrastructure. There’s this pull between the ideal of the open road and the reality of urban sprawl. The photo isn’t romanticizing the city but is more about observing it as it is, big, fast, and sometimes a little isolating. The cars and the billboards show the busy, consumer-driven culture, but the image also makes you think about where all this progress is taking us. It’s like the road stretches out, but does it lead to something meaningful or just more of the same?

What is a New Topographic?

Image from the Hautlieu creative blog

”New Topographics: photographs of man altered landscape” this was an exhibition of contemporary landscape photography held at George Eastman House’s international museum of photography ( October 1975 – February 1976 ) the show was made by William Jenkins which had a lasting effects on aesthetic and conceptual approaches to landscape photography.

This images documentaries built landscape and the natural landscape in America often showing tension between natural scenery compared to the structures of post-war America. The photos often had a documentary feel to them and are devoid of human presence, which give the image a whole new feel of emotion.

Examples of New Topographics

Images from google.

this images help to also see the vision of the “ growing unease about how the natural landscape is ruined by industrial development – This could link to the romanticism movement.

Have a look at this link or my previous post about romanticism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanticism

Historical context:

Post-war America struggled with economy and the great rise in inflation. As well as after the war ended all the veterans returned home and to make up for lost time got married and started families. However due to the war there were a lot of mental and physical health problems and issues with pharmaceuticals.

Lewis Baltz

An American visual artist and photographer. Was best known for his monochrome images of suburban landscapes and industrial parks which commented on the American dream.

Lewis Baltz was born September 12, 1945 in California. Baltz work focused on trying to find the beauty in the destruction to the natural environment, His pictures can be seen as a reflection show the control and power over human beings. More specifically his work and exhibitions of his ” topographic” work such as “The New Industrial Parks” show the crisis of technology on humans as well as his work titled “Candlestick Point” consisted of 84 photographs which showed a public space taken over by humans leaving things such as debris and litter next to a national park.

During 1980s Baltz moved himself and his work to Europe and this is when his work started to change and turn into large colour prints. In 2002 Baltz became a professor in the European Graduate school in Saas-Fee Switzerland and lived his last years through Paris and Venice but passed in 2014 following illness.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Baltz

Baltz analysis

Stephen Shore

Stephen Shore analysis

Stephen Shore, Beverly Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, California, June 21, 1975, chromogenic colour print

Photoshoot plan

What is new Topographic?

“New topographic was a term coined by William Jenkins in 1975 to describe a group of American photographers (such as Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz) whose pictures had a similar banal aesthetic, in that they were formal, mostly black and white prints of the urban landscape”

New topographic focus on the man made elements of our environment and how they have effected the aesthetic or health of the planet.

• https://www.artspace.com/magazine/art_101/book_report/phaidon-art-in-time-new-topographics-54444

Many believe or view topographic photography as dull and boring , entering a realm of realism in contrast to romanticism a more in depth perspective is shown on the link above

Foreground vs background | Dominant features

• In the foreground of the photo there is a blue retro looking car almost like a mustang , fitting the aesthetic of the 70s
• Further enhancing the appearance of the 70s is a 7 eleven with the old structure
• Arguably the car is the most dominant feature as it is centre stage and takes up a large amount of the image

Nationalism vs mobility vs isolation

• This image explores the feeling of isolation and being excluded from other places of society, this is done through the lack of other cars , people and any signs of activity within the photo.

Colour | impact and relevance

• Whilst the image itself includes colour the hues are mainly dull and faded for example yes the sky is blue but its somewhat grey. The impact here is that it gives off an impression of gloominess within its isolation

Perspective and detail / cluttering

• In this image whilst there is cluttering its kept contained to the centre line of the photo mainly appearing bare on the top and bottom outskirts

Composition | low horizon line | Square format

• This image is a demonstration of the use of the low horizon line , beginning at the bottom third of the photo enhancing the look of it being isolated as it greats a bare void within the image

Robert Adams

“his subject has been the American west: its vastness, its sparse beauty and its ecological fragility…What he has photographed constantly – in varying shades of grey – is what has been lost and what remains” and that “his work’s other great subtext” is silence…

Critic Sean O’Hagan, writing in The Guardian, 

Robert Adams produced a seminal book names The New West originally published in 1974

A photographic essay addressing the disappearing American West

 “Robert Adams has documented a representative sampling of the whole suburban Southwest.”

Adams took a sequence of 5 images of the Colorado Rocky mountains to help show the environment being blanketed by man made structures.

“all land, no matter what has happened to it, has over it a grace, an absolutely persistent beauty,”

Robert Adams

“Robert Adams’ The New West signalled a paradigm shift in the photographic representation of American landscapes”

New Topographics– Photographs of a Man-Altered Landscape

New Topographics was created in 1975 by William Jenkins to describe a group of American photographers ( such as Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz) whose pictures had a similar banal aesthetic, in that they were formal, mostly black and white prints. This movement, known as the New Topographics, represented a significant shift in the way we view the world around us. It is the idea of photographing man altered landscapes. They trained their cameras on the by-products of post-war suburban expansion: freeways, gas stations, industrial parks, and tract homes.

What was the New Topographics a reaction to?

The New Topographics reacts to the ‘old’ idea of landscapes which every bit of the image captures nature without any influence by humans, meanwhile the new concept of landscapes is the idea of man made and nature combined how humans have the need to expand taking away the natural land.

Historical Context : Post-war America struggle

The late 1960s and the early 1970s were a turbulent time for the US economy. President Johnson’s Great Society brought about major spending programs across a broad array of social initiatives at a time when the US fiscal situation was already being strained by the Vietnam War. These growing fiscal imbalances complicated monetary policy.

Months after World War II ended more babies were born thatn ever before 3.4 million, 20 percent more than in 1945. This was the beginning of the so-called “baby boom.” In 1947, another 3.8 million babies were born; 3.9 million were born in 1952; and more than 4 million were born every year from 1954 until 1964, when the boom finally tapered off. By then, there were 76.4 million “baby boomers” in the United States. They made up almost 40 percent of the nation’s population.

https://www.history.com/articles/baby-boomers-1

In the 1970s, there was a much bigger stigma surrounding mental health than there is today. In an article written by Wulf Rossler titled, “The Stigma of Mental Health,” Rossler talks about the rise of this stigma surrounding mental health. He discusses the negative impacts of this stigma and how it has affected the way people view mental health. He writes, “A scientific concept on the stigma of mental disorders was first developed in the middle of the 20th century, first theoretically and eventually empirically in the 1970s.” This explains when the stigma was adopted. The time period it comes from was a time period where mental health was not addressed in schools. He continues to say, “Overall, the 1960s and 1970s were full of an anti‐psychiatry attitude, blaming psychiatry for being repressive, coercive and more damaging than helpful to patients.” This portrays the idea that mental health wasn’t important and something that shouldn’t be discussed back in the 1970s.

https://commons.trincoll.edu/edreform/author/acataldo

All these issues in the 1970s inspired the photographers then, they were showing through their photography the main issues in America at that time.

Topographic Photographers:

Robert Adams

Robert Adams was born in 1937 in Orange, New Jersey. After earning a PhD in English literature and teaching the subject for several years at Colorado College, he became a photographer in the mid-1960s. Adams has published more than 40 books of photographs, with the changing landscape of the American West as his primary subject;

“I think if you placed me almost anywhere and gave me a camera you could return the next day to find me photographing. It helps me, more than anything I know, to find home.”

Stephen Shore

Stephen Shore was a photographer. Born in New York City in 1947, he learned about and practiced photography from the age of six. In 1958, Shore was given a copy of Walker Evans’ book American Photographs introducing him to a descriptive visual language of place. At the age of fourteen, his work was bought by Edward Steichen for the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. From 1965 through 1967, Shore worked in Andy Warhol’s studio, the Factory, a formative experience that allowed him to experiment with combining documentary and conceptual modes later images. In 1971, at the age of twenty-four, Shore had a solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the first accorded a living American photographer.
Shore emerged in the 1970s as one of the major exponents of colour photography, shooting bleak yet lyrical scenes of the North American landscape. Documenting everyday settings and objects, from hotel swimming pools and televisions to parking lots, gas stations, and deserted roads, Shore exhibited an ability to transform commonplace surroundings into compelling works of art, 

https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/stephen-shore?all/all/all/all/0

Analysis

CASE STUDY: Stephen Shore, Beverly Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, California, June 21, 1975, chromogenic colour print

Technical :

• The light on this image is very bright because of the natural sunny day, Stephen is using a 8×10 camera on a tripod to capture as much detail as possible

Visual:

• The colour in this image is very vibrant the predominate colours being blue white and red with might represent the American flag.
• The image is very busy with cars, signs, petrol station, lights,…
• the mountain can be seen in the background with is the only part of the image that is not altered by men.
• The sign of the petrol station is pointing at the mountain.

Conceptual:

• This image was taken in 1975 in America and different from most countries around the world at this time America looked quite modern, every building built had a propose and nature quite disappeared. What I find interesting in this image is how the big sign of the petrol station was pointing at the mounting.
• “In the 1970s was a period with both high inflation and uneven economic growth. High budget deficits, lower interest rates, the oil embargo, and the collapse of managed currency rates contributed to stagflation.”
• America is only about 500 years old so all the architecture is very modern compared to Europe which there are still a lot of building with old structures.

What is Meant by a topographic?

Relating to the arrangement of the physical features of an area. “a topographic map of the site” Anything topographic has to do with the surface of the earth, including every valley and hill. A topographic map includes lines that show the elevation of the land.

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What is meant by the term New topographics in relation to photography during the industrial revolution?

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“New topographics ” was a term created by William Jenkins ( An Art Critic.) in 1975 to describe a group of American photographers (such as Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz) , New topographics can be seen as another way to describe landscapes: how they are structured visually/physically and composed. For this era of photography it was used as a label to generalise a style of photography which included pictures that had a similar banal ( lacking originality, freshness) aesthetic, in that they were formal, mostly monochrome ( black and white) prints of the urban landscape.

Photographers associated with the New topographics.

Overall, Most The Photographers Associated with new topographics including Robert Adams, Lewis Baltz, Nicholas Nixon, Joe Deal, Frank Gohlke, Bernd and Hilla Becher, and Stephen Shorer, Where clearly inspired by the man made , selecting subject matter , that was matter-of-fact. This included urban structures like parking lots, suburban housing and warehouses were all depicted with a unique stark austerity ( sternness or severity of manner or attitude) , Almost in the way early photographers documented the natural landscape.

An exhibition at the international museum of photography located in Rochester, New York featuring these photographers also revealing a story of a growing unease about how the natural landscapes where being eroded by industrial development.

The new topographics also had a decisive influence on later photographer including those artists who became known as the Düsseldorf school of photography.

What Was the New Topographics a Reaction To?

The New Topographics was a response to the romanticized and dramatic landscape photography that dominated earlier styles, particularly in the works of Ansel Adams and the American West tradition.

This movement emerged in reaction to the rapid industrialization and suburban expansion of the 20th century, shifting the focus from untouched nature to human-altered landscapes. Instead of capturing spacious wilderness, these photographers documented the everyday, man-made environment, portraying the stark reality of urban society, industrial sites, and suburban developments.

Characteristics of the New topographics style Photography.

Robert Adams, Lewis Baltz, Nicholas Nixon, Joe Deal, Frank Gohlke, Bernd and Hilla Becher, and Stephen Shore ; shared a common aesthetic:

Banal Subject Matter: They depicted ordinary, functional landscapes such as suburban housing developments, highways, warehouses, and industrial zones.

Matter-of-Fact Presentation: Their images were often formal, detached, and devoid of overt emotional or political statements.

Monochrome & Colour Photography: Many photographers used black-and-white photography, reinforcing a documentary-like objectivity, while others, like Stephen Shore, explored the potential of colour.

Stark Composition : The compositions were often simple, symmetrical, and methodically structured, emphasizing repetition and geometry.

Minimalist Aesthetic: The photographs had a clinical, neutral tone, rejecting romantic standards set by the romanticism era.

The Influence of New Topographics

The movement significantly influenced later photographers, particularly those of the Düsseldorf School, including Andreas Gursky and Thomas Struth. Their approach to large-scale, detailed images of contemporary urban life echoes the conceptual and aesthetic principles established by the New Topographics.

CASE STUDY: Stephen Shore, Beverly Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, California, June 21, 1975, chromogenic colour print

Technical Analysis

Lighting: The image is illuminated by natural daylight, casting strong shadows and enhancing contrast. The even lighting ensures all elements remain visible and well-defined. The bright, clear sky provides a solid backdrop for the man-made structures in the foreground.

Aperture: The deep depth of field keeps every element sharp, from the Chevron sign in the foreground to the mountains in the distance.

Shutter Speed: The presence of motion blur in the orange and yellow cars in the foreground suggests a slightly slower shutter speed, emphasizing movement in contrast to the stillness of the signage and architecture.

ISO: The fine grain and sharp detail indicate a low ISO, maintaining clarity in both bright and shadow areas.

White Balance: The cool blue sky contrasts with the warmer tones of the signage and pavement, reinforcing the separation between natural and man-made elements.

Visual Analysis

The foreground is heavily cluttered with signs, traffic lights, and fuel station, while the background is an open, expansive sky with distant mountains. This juxtaposition emphasizes how even though urbanization occurred , natural landscapes are always in part present and not forever lost, however very much dominated and overwhelmed by the man-made structures

Colour:

The dominant red, white, and blue in the Chevron sign echo American nationalism, reinforcing the idea that corporate branding is deeply embedded in American identity.

Tone:

The photograph balances light and dark tones, using contrast to define structures. The solid blue sky acts as negative space, making the signs stand out prominently.

Texture:

The smooth, reflective surfaces of signs and vehicles contrast with the rough pavement

Shape & Form:

The strong geometric composition features rectangles, vertical lines, and directional signage, creating leading lines which help your eyes through the image.

Pattern & Repetition:

The repetition of corporate signage (Chevron, Texaco) and road signs emphasizes the omnipresence of consumer culture.

Line & Space:

The road acts as a leading line, guiding the viewer’s eye toward the mountains.

The Chevron sign’s arrows direct the gaze further into the scene

The low horizon line places emphasis on the sky while anchoring the cluttered urban environment below.

Contextual Analysis

Historical Context:

The low fuel prices indicate a time when gasoline was significantly cheaper, reflecting an era of car dependency.

The 1970s American Dream was heavily associated with freedom, travel, and consumerism, all fuelled by the oil industry.

Personal Context

Stephen Shore, a key figure in the New Topographics movement, deliberately photographed mundane, everyday American scenes to challenge traditional ideas of beauty in photography.

Cultural/Social/Political Contexts:

The signage pollution symbolizes corporate intrusion into public spaces.

The American car culture and oil industry are central themes fuel companies profited from the nation’s reliance on cars , influencing infrastructure and lifestyle choices.

Wider Connections:

The tension between national pride (symbolized by American colors) and corporate dominance raises questions about whether commercialism has overtaken cultural identity.

Conceptual Analysis

The Chevron sign is a dominant signifier, larger and more prominent than any natural elements in the frame, symbolizing corporate power.

The use of red, white, and blue in the Chevron sign mirrors the American flag, blending corporate branding with national identity.

The large-format camera allows for a vast depth of field, ensuring every detail is crisp and visible. This enhances the documentary nature of the image, making the viewer engage with all elements rather than focusing on a singular subject.