Jaroslav Roster

Jaroslav Rossler was a notable Czech photographer who played a significant role in the modernist movement in Czechoslovakia. He was born in 1902 and gained fame for his creative blending of artistic expression with avant-garde photography techniques. Rossler was a key member of the influential art collective Devetsil, aiming to incorporate a range of artistic fields. His art frequently delved into abstract and geometric themes, challenging the limits of traditional photography. Rossler’s influence in the field has endured, and his photos are admired for their distinctive viewpoint and skillful craftsmanship. He died in 1990, leaving a valuable legacy in the field of visual arts. 

My Paper Photoshoot:

Best Image Selection:

Editing:

I used photoshop and changed the images into black and white to emphasise the shadows and then contrast and sharpness to define the futures within the photo which made the dark parts have more depth and the lighter bits brighter. In the end I cropped the image to make the subject of the photo more prominent.

This composition of photos work well together because they have all been edited in similar ways. The tonal value of the photos has been increased due to the changing of contrast and sharpness creating darker shadows and brighter highlights. It is clear in all photos the papers have asymmetrical lines which incorporates formal elements generating a visual appeal and guides the viewers focus throughout the presentation of the images.

In this composition of photos I scrunched up pieces of paper and laid them out and took close up photos of the creases within the paper. When editing all the photos I used Lightroom with the pre made settings , B&W punch, which emphasises the textures, showcasing the forms and shades.

Line

Line in photography refers to utilizing lines to generate visual appeal and communicate a message within an image. Lines can be utilized to guide the viewer’s focus, establish a feeling of distance, and even suggest motion. 

Shape

Patterns are frequently seen in photography as shape elements. They can be utilized to highlight a specific section of the frame as well. Different shapes can be used to establish a stark difference between the subject and the surrounding area. These are only a few examples of the possible applications. 

Space

Space in photography refers to the gap between objects and their surroundings in a photograph. It can be utilized to add dimension, highlight an item, or focus on a specific aspect of the arrangement. 

Repetition

Using the same design element multiple times, such as a shape, line, color, tone, or texture, can be a valuable tool in the composition of both fine art and photography. Using this one element repeatedly can be utilized on its own or together with other elements to form designs, which can then be adjusted to produce a rhythm. 

Texture

The appearance of an object’s surface, showcased by differences in form, shade, and depth of color. Texture adds vitality and liveliness to pictures that would seem dull and uninteresting otherwise. 

Colour

Three characteristics of color are hue, value, and saturation. Hue is a basic term used to denote color, such as blue, red, and yellow. The brightness or darkness of a color is known as its value. Saturation refers to the strength or vividness of a color. 

Value/Tone

Tonal value in an image describes the brightness or darkness of a color. It is crucial to differentiate various components in the photo and to establish a feeling of depth. 

ISO regulates how much light is allowed to enter your camera, determining the brightness or darkness of your photos. A greater ISO number signifies increased sensitivity and better light-capturing capability, resulting in potential graininess in the image. A cleaner image is achieved when a higher amount of light is required to properly expose the image, resulting in a lower ISO number. High ISO is typically ideal for low-light conditions, particularly when a quick shutter speed or a small aperture is needed to meet creative objectives. Texture in photography refers to the visual aspect of an object’s surface, which can be seen through variations in shape, tone, and colour saturation. Texture brings life and vibrancy to images that might appear boring otherwise. 

Exploring the effects of ISO:

I focused on using ISO for these images to create light and dark images. In both photos I had a set shutter speed on the automatic focus ,however I changed the ISO in both images ,so in the first photo I used a low ISO at 200 which created the shadows to appear darker. Where as in the second photo I used a high ISO at 800 which created a shine within the lighter parts of the image giving the photo a reflective realism.

The shutter speed is the rate at which the camera’s shutter opens and closes. A quick shutter speed results in less light being taken in by the camera, while a slow shutter speed allows for more light to be captured by the photographer.

Fast shutter speed such as 1/500th of a second or higher will stop and seize rapid motion – allowing for a clear picture of a subject that could appear blurry otherwise.

Indoor photography benefits from using a moderate shutter speed such as 1/60 or 1/125, as it can help capture sharp moments and motion blur without changing the lighting too much.

A slow shutter speed allows more light to reach the sensor by keeping the camera’s shutter open for a longer period of time. This is handy for capturing dimly lit scenes or achieving motion blur in subjects in motion. Nevertheless, using a slower shutter speed may lead to blurry photos in case the camera or subject is in motion while capturing, hence requiring stabilisation such as a tripod. 

Francesca Woodman

Francesca Woodman’s family would often visit her parents’ country farmhouse near Florence, Italy during the summers, where she captured many of her photographs. European culture and art greatly influenced her growth as an artist. Her work shows the impact of surrealist art, especially the photographs of Man Ray and Claude Cahun, through its themes and style. She honed her ideas and skills while studying at Rhode Island School of Design. Her significance as a trailblazer is substantial, especially during the 1970s when photography was considered less important than painting and sculpture. She paved the path for future American artists like Cindy Sherman and Nan Goldin, who also utilised photography to delve into topics surrounding identity. 

My Interpretation

Shutter speed: 1/180

ISO setting: 400

Aperture: 2.8

Shutter speed: 1/20

Aperture: 8

ISO setting: 400

Shutter speed: 1/3

Aperture: 22

ISO setting: 400

On a camera there are two focus modes, auto focus is for general use as it automatically sets the camera settings for you and manual focus is used for close up and fine detailed photos.

The focal length (F stop) determines what you see in the camera.

The depth of field means how much of an image is in focus, so if there is a wide aperture it has a small focal length with a small depth of field. Furthermore a narrow aperture contains the opposite meaning it has a large focal length (F stop) with a large depth of field.

Soft focus typically refers to a narrow depth of field and slightly blurred focus, resulting in ‘soft’ edges surrounding the subject. Sharp focus typically results in a wider depth of field and precise focus on the subject. Increasing the focus on more parts of the image results in a sharper appearance of the edges. 

The foreground of the photo is defined by the element nearest to the viewer. The background is the farthest element from you, with the middle ground being the space in between. Some photos may just have a foreground and background, and not necessarily all three elements present or required. 

CAMERA OBSCURA

The camera obscura is an optical device that served as the starting point for cameras. It consists of a darkened room or box with a small hole on one side so when light passes through it projects an inverted, upside down image of the outside scenery onto a wall if its in a room or a surface of the inside of a box.

Sometimes it can be difficult to see that the camera obscure was the origin of photography because technically it was scientifically founded and not invented by anyone so the fact is that it has always been around.

NICEPHORE NIEPCE

One of the pioneers of photography is Nicephore Niepce and the world’s first permanent photograph is credited by him. Using a technique called heliography, Niepce created what is thought to be the oldest surviving photograph in 1826. It took several hours or possibly days to create using a camera obscura. Niepce’s creation established the groundwork for contemporary photography. But for a variety of reasons, including technical ones like being overshadowed by a later invention and the changing perception of photography as a medium, he wasn’t always acknowledged as the first photographer. His creation had some important drawbacks, such as extraordinarily long exposure durations and comparatively weak image quality. Because of this, it became less useful.

Henry Fox Talbot

Henry Fox Talbot created hotogenic Drawing, one of the first photography processes, in the 1830s. It entailed applying a silver chloride coating to paper that darkened in response to light. When objects were positioned directly on the paper, sunlight would darken the exposed portions while leaving the covered portions light, producing a negative image. By establishing the idea of making negatives, this procedure constituted a significant milestone in the history of photography and made it possible to eventually make reproducible photographic prints.

In his early photography efforts, he employed little camera obscuras called mousetraps to take pictures. These gadgets were called “mousetraps” because of the way they looked—small, like boxes. Talbot utilised the cameras to take pictures by inserting light-sensitive paper inside of them.

Daguerreotype

One of the first types of photography is the daguerreotype, which Louis Daguerre created in 1839. It is a direct-positive method, which means that no negative is needed to produce a single, distinct picture on a polished copper sheet that has been plated in silver. The result is an extremely detailed image that can be viewed from many perspectives and has a surface that resembles a mirror.

Despite being revolutionary, the daguerreotype system did not achieve the same level of success as other inventions due to its inability to make duplicate images and its limited scalability. In addition, it was a more costly and intricate procedure that needed dangerous chemicals and silver-coated plates.

Anna Atkins

The first book illustration using photography was British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions by Anna Atkins, published in 1843. A photographer’s toolkit has included this technique of using light to trace the contours of objects on receptive surfaces since the beginning.

A cheap, slow-reacting photographic printing formulation, the cyanotype is sensitive to a narrow range of blue and near-ultraviolet light spectrum, the so-called UVA radiation range, which is between 300 and 400 nm. The device generates a black-and-white, blue-colored print on various surfaces, frequently utilised for artwork and blueprint reprography. In general, the procedure requires two chemicals for any given purpose.

Richard Maddox

The dry plate photographic process was created in 1871 by Richard Leach Maddox. This innovation took the role of the previous wet plate method, which made photography labour-intensive and time-sensitive because it required photographers to coat and develop plates while they were still wet. Greater convenience and flexibility were provided by the gelatin emulsion coating applied to Maddox’s dry plates, which could be made ahead of time and utilised afterward. This breakthrough established the foundation for contemporary photographic film and made photography more easily transportable and accessible.

Muybridge’s famous Motion Study

Muybridge collaborated with Leland Stanford, a businessman and ex-governor of California, in the 1870s on an innovative project to resolve a dispute about whether all four hooves of a horse are off the ground at the same time during a gallop. Stanford, with a strong interest in horse racing, had a firm belief in this statement and assigned Muybridge the task of confirming it using photography. 

Eadweard Muybridge’s innovative use of sequential photography to capture motion is seen as a key influence on the creation of motion pictures, making him a pioneer of cinema. During the late 1800s, Muybridge utilized multiple cameras to capture images of animals and people in motion, analyzing their movements by capturing individual frames. “The Horse in Motion” (1878), his best-known masterpiece, illustrated how consecutive still images could create the illusion of continuous motion. 

Muybridge subsequently created the zoopraxiscope, a tool that displayed pictures in succession, giving the impression of movement – essentially an early version of film projection. His examination of movement, along with his advancements in technology, had a direct impact on the progress of cinematography. His research demonstrated that single frames could be pieced together to mimic authentic movement, which later served as the fundamental basis for film and animation. 

George Eastman

George Eastman transformed photography by changing the technology and process, making it available to more people. His main innovations focused on streamlining the photo-taking process and reducing costs, enabling amateurs to easily capture and develop photos. Eastman established Kodak, formally known as the Eastman Kodak Company, in 1892. The company transformed the world of photography by introducing cost-effective and user-friendly innovations like roll film and compact cameras like the Kodak camera, making it accessible to the general public. 

The Kodak Brownie

The first Kodak camera was originally named the “roll holder breast camera” based on the design of the film roll. Eastman himself coined the name “Kodak,” which made its debut in December 1887. 

Eastman established the foundation for enabling photography to be available to all with the Kodak camera. The Brownie, an Eastman Kodak innovation, was a basic box camera with one lens and utilized roll film. Customers will be given a camera with photos already on it, are supposed to take their own photos, and then return the camera to Kodak. The company will proceed to create the film, produce the photos, replace the film in the camera, and give it back to the customer. 

Digital Photography

In 1969, the groundwork for digital photography was laid by an Eastman Kodak team, with engineer Willard Boyle and physicist George E. Smith creating the charge-coupled device (CCD). This advancement in technology enabled the electronic capture of images, signifying a major departure from traditional film photography. The CCD sensor transformed light into electric signals, allowing for the digital recording and saving of pictures. Even though it would be many years before digital photography was widely available and film was replaced, this advancement set the stage for the development of digital cameras and imaging technology in the future.