A panoramic photo captures a wide, sweeping view that extends far beyond the typical aspect ratio or field of view in a standard photograph.
To achieve a Panoramic Photograph you need to overlap your photos by about half, so each photo has about half of the scene the last photo had in it. As long as there is a decent overlap, the computer will stitch them together successfully. Shoot a bit wider than you think you will need. It is better to crop in afterward on your panorama, than to not have enough.
Joiner Photos
Joiner photography is a photographic technique wherein multiple pictures are assembled into one. There are two types of joiner photography, photographic collages and Polaroid collages.
Photographic Collages
A photographic collage is an artwork made by assembling different photographs together.
Polaroid Collages
A Polaroid collage is a photographic collage made using Polaroid photographs.
Typology is a term which was first used to describe a style of photography when Bernd and Hillia Becher decided to begin documenting the ruins of German industrial architecture in 1959. Each photograph taken from them was captured at the same angle at approximately the same distance from the buildings. Their aim for their photographs were to capture the landscape that they saw changing and disappearing. typologies does not only record a moment in time but it also prompts the viewers to consider a subjects place in the world.
Bechers Concept Of Typology
The Bechers first met in Düsseldorf while working at a advertising industry, they both had studied paintings but soon they discovered their shared interest with the industrial architecture located in the Ruhr Region, Bernd had a fascination with industrial architecture especially in the Ruhr Region which is where grew up as child so the couple then began to collaborate and photograph the industrial sites that Bernd knew from his childhood.
The Bechers described the subject of typology as a method of capturing and documenting the architectural structures and the comparisons that can be made from the past to the present. Instead of having context behind the image, they created it in a way that only the shapes, materials and construction techniques are highlighted and are seen as the main focus point in the image in order to get the viewers more engaged and to help make the image look more enticing to the viewers. they presented the images in grids which would then encourage viewers to notice the different patterns and variations within these images.
The Bechers inspiration for their typology images would be from the artist August Sander who was a German photographer who was well known for his typological portraits of people from different social classes. Bechers used Sanders techniques of using a documentary style and grouping the photographs in different visual categories but instead of people they used their photographs of buildings.
The legacy of the Bechers and the work they produced resulted in the change of the way people now viewed industrial architecture, it also encouraged people who wanted to get into photography to explore wide ranges of ideas and make their photos more conceptual. The Bechers mentored influential contemporary photographers Andreas Gursky, Thomas Ruff, Thomas Struth and Candida Hofer. These artists would then inherit the Bechers approach of Typologies and would then later expand it into colour and large-scale formats. These artists success would then further influence artists about the Bechers work.
Artist Reference
Kevin Bauman
Kevin Bauman is a photographer who focuses on Typologies and the landscape, some of his photos are similar to the Becher’s although it is not known if he was directly inspired by them.
Early life
Kevin was born in 1972 in Detroit, Michigan. He was raised by an artist and an architect, Kevin was introduced to art and creativity at a young age. When entering high school he developed a great interest in ceramics which in a few years resulted into him winning several awards and even being offered an art scholarship to collage. After college he put art on hold for a year or two as he had found a real job in sales which did not last long, the stress and pressure of sales ended up into him going back to doing art. In 1996 Kevin discovered photography and has been working with photography ever since.
Typologies
Most of the photos he takes are primarily of buildings ranging from abandoned houses to industrial buildings, Kevin focuses on these buildings as his subject as he grew up with a father who was a architect, both of his parents were heavily interested in architecture so it lead him into wanting to use architecture in a creative way which resulted into him using his passion for photography to express his interest in architecture.
The photo series that ended up gaining him the most recognition for his work is called 100 Abandoned Houses, as the name suggests Kevin Bauman went around forgotten parts of Detroit City and began documenting and photographing all the abandoned houses. All the houses were different shapes and sizes which made his photos stand out a lot more when put side by side.
Image Analysis
Technical
The image appears to use a natural source of light as it has been taken outside, the image also appears to use a wide angle lens as the house and scenery in the background are all in focus and the details are clearly visible like the brick texture or the length of the grass. The image also appears to use a high exposure as the image is mostly bright and shadows are hard to spot around the image.
Visual
The image appears to use the house as the main focus point as it takes up a majority of space in the photo and it is also placed near the centre of the photo which makes it one of the first things you see when viewing this image. This image is also very balanced as you have the house in the centre of the image and you also have the road on the bottom of the image and the other houses in the background of the image which only end up taking up around half of the image altogether which leaves a lot of negative space towards the top of the image. You can also spot a pattern with the road, road curb and the pathway, on the road you can see darker lines between the lighter shades of the road and with the curb you can see that it is also straight and with the pathway you can also see that is straight. With them being so close together it forms a repetitive pattern which gives this image so much detail and makes it look even more unique.
Contextual
This image was taken most likely to show the history between places. This is done by showing houses that are abandoned or that have aged for many years without any care. By taking images of these places in their state it can show how long its been there which can signify its history and what it was once used for. It also shows that time doesn’t stop and that it keeps going so as time goes on things change which for this instance was the structure and state of this house.
Conceptual
Kevin bauman photographed these places as it was were he was raised when he was young. He always remembered it being popular and full of expensive houses and places that you could be at. Now as people focused on other areas to expand they decided to leave that area untouched and abandoned, turning what was once one of the most wealthiest and popular places to live into an abandoned ghost town where no nobody lives anymore.
Deadline: Photos must be taken by 22nd April (When you come back after Easter)
(MUST) New Topographics photoshoot – Respond to your chosen New Topographics Photographer and produce a range of images that show your understanding and sense of connection –
(SHOULD) Respond to the concept of TYPOLOGIES and photograph a series of landscape / architectural features eg GERMAN BUNKERS in a methodical way…
(COULD) Either – a closer look at architecture…. OR Complete a night-time photoshoot.
See below for ideas on all photoshoots….
1. New Topographics photoshoot (MUST)
Take a series of photos in response to New Topographics. Your photos should consider:
Man-altered landscapes
Deserted spaces
Harsh lighting
Minimalistic and formalistic aesthetic
Straightforward compositions
Stark geometries and lines
2. Typologies Photoshoot (SHOULD)
Respond to the concept of TYPOLOGIES and photograph a series of landscape / architectural features eg GERMAN BUNKERS in a methodical way…
A series of / multiple repetitive photos
All depicting a particular ‘TYPE’ of landscape / architecture. E.g: A series of photos of bunkers, or a series of photos of homes etc…
All taken using the same angle /composition / framing
All edited in the same way
3. A closer look at architecture or night-time photography (COULD)
A closer look at architecture:
Consider close up details, different perspectives / angles. This could be modern structures with clean lines and shapes or more rural and rustic buildings
OR… Night Time Photography…
OR night-time photography
Complete a night-time photoshoot…try using long exposures and a tripod / stable surface to capture low light features eg light trails…
Constructing a landscape photograph might be different to simply taking one. To construct an image might reveal how and why it has been made. You might construct a photographic image in order to question what a landscape is. What appears natural in the landscape is often the result of careful management. We use nature to construct ideas and stories that reflect our human desires. Constructed landscape photographic images, therefore, reflect the construction of nature itself.
Here are a selection of images by a wide range of artists/photographers. They are all linked by their approach to the construction of landscapes. The artists use photographic techniques to question some of the conventions of landscape photography.
Many of them work with more than one photograph (using layering or collage to build their images). Some use unusual techniques and processes to represent their way of seeing landscapes or their understanding of the forces, like wind and light, at work in nature. Some of the artists use images to question the impact humans have had on the natural world. Some are fascinated by the ways in which we depict and consume nature, whereas others use photography to document a performance or gesture in the landscape. Some of them use analogue techniques, others prefer digital technologies, some even use a combination of both.
None of these artists make straightforward or conventional landscape pictures. Click on each image / link to find out more about the work:
A tutorial on how to edit like Jelle Martens can be found here
Edits like Guy Catling
Once you’ve had a thorough browse through these images, choose 2 or 3 of the artists and try to find out as much as you can about them and their work. As well as reading and making notes you could also start making your own images (still and/or moving) inspired by their work. Making your own photographs is a kind of research.
You could try identifying some of the themes that connect the images in this gallery above. A theme is a BIG IDEA that connects two or more art works. For example, one theme could be movement. Another could be layers. What other themes can you find?
Reflect on your own relationship to nature, the natural world, various landscapes and issues connected to the climate emergency. How do you feel about the future of the planet, your access to green spaces, species extinction, pollution and all the other issues related to life on Earth?
If you live in a town or city your experience of wide open or spectacular landscapes might be quite limited. Perhaps you remember visiting such places during holidays or school trips. Maybe you have lived in another part of the world where the landscapes are very different. Maybe you’ve seen images of landscapes in films, in magazines or on the Internet that are different to the ones where you live. If you live in the countryside, your experience of landscapes might be quite different to that of town or city dwellers. You could create a collage using found images to represent what natural landscapes mean to you.
You could experiment with creating cameraless images (cyanotype, luminograms or photograms) using cut and torn paper, or other objects and materials, which suggest landscape type compositions.
Some of the artists included here don’t necessarily think of themselves as photographers. They create performances in natural settings, sometimes referring to these as sculptures or conceptual works of art. A photograph is made as a document because the work of art is not meant to last forever. They are ephemeral. You could experiment with making an ephemeral work of landscape art like this – a walk, a dance, a performance of some sort – in a landscape of your choice. This could be a garden or a nearby park. You could use objects or simply your own body. It’s important not to damage the environment but you could leave a trace of your presence. Take photographs (or get a friend to help you) of your intervention.
You might want to add a layer of text to your landscape photographs and/or videos, perhaps recording your feelings or documenting other things you saw in the landscape that couldn’t be captured in the image(s).
Some artists/photographers have created landscape images from unusual materials. How can a plastic bag become a mountainside or waves? Experiment with lighting your choice of materials and framing your shots so that the resulting images are (relatively) convincing landscape photographs.
Do you have photographs of landscapes that you could cut up and reassemble? Some artists use collage techniques to create new types of images. You could experiment with old 35mm slides, for example, cutting, re-arranging and adding other translucent materials. These could either be re-photographed against a bright background or enlarged on a wall using a slide projector.
You could experiment with creating a 3D photosculpture made from landscape images. You could even re-photograph your completed sculpture and, using Photoshop or a similar programme, digitally insert it into a real or imaginary landscape.
How could you photograph a landscape that you’ve never visited or one you can only remember? You could experiment with Google Street View, perhaps revisiting the scene of a family holiday or childhood memory. You could explore the many pictures of a particular place on Flickr, a huge photo sharing site. Some picturesque locations have been visited and photographed millions of times. You could take a look at the Insta Repeat account and try to curate your own galleries of repeated landscape photographs. How has our obsession with social media and the Internet affected our relationship to the natural world?
These are just a few suggestions. There are loads of possibilities. It’s important to experiment, to play, to test new ideas and step outside your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to try things you’ve not done before. Use your imagination and follow your intuition. How will you construct your landscapes
Wednesday 2nd April: Well done to CARA and FIN, the only 2 students who worked on their blog on Wednesday.
Thursday 3rd April: Well done to CARA, FIN, ELIYAH and JOSH who worked on the blog on Thursday.
We can see! We can see when you are working on your blog and we can also see how much time has been spent on it in total – so we know if you aren’t putting in much effort. No one else in this class has worked on the blog since Tuesday 1st April. Guys – time to step it up! Unfortunately this means you’ve shot yourselves in the foot and will have more to get finished over your Easter Holidays!
Over Easter Holidays:
Over Easter you have 2-3 photoshoots to complete as Homework (see below blog post here and ShowMyHomework).
All below blog posts should have been completed before Easter. And….
The New Topographics Overview
The New Topographics Artist Reference and Image Analysis
The New Topographics Photoshoot and Outcome (Havre Des Pas Photo Walk)
Typologies overview (more information if you scroll down the blog:
Typologies Artist Reference: Complete a case study for Bernd and Hilla Becher (Research who they are and analyse their typology photos).
After Easter: Upload your Typologies Photoshoot – edits and final images
After Easter: Upload your second New Topographics Photoshoot – edits and final photos
After Easter (optional): Upload any other photoshoots you completed as part of your Easter Homework
