“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”

Ansel Adams was born in 1902 and died in 1984, he was a famous photographer, he was famous for his black-and-white landscape photos. He mastered lighting techniques and perfected exposure.

Ansel was born in San Francisco, California, in 1902, but he spent a lot of his time in Yosemite National Park, which deeply influenced his photography and love for nature, Yosemite national park was one of his driving factors to wanting to become a photographer.

California’s “Yosemite National Park”

The Zone Chart

Ansel created a chart called “the zone chart” it is used to help control exposure and also contrast, photographers even nowadays still use it to help visualize and adjust exposure to get the right details in the highlights and shadows.

The system has 11 segments with 0 being the darkest and 10 (X) being the brightest.

All of Ansel Adams photos are taken in black and white, this means that you can apply the zone system to all of his photos, here a few of his famous photos.

Aspens 1958 analysis

_{Landscape photography}

“Landscape photography” refers to getting photos that capture beauty in the outdoors, According to records, the earliest known evidence of a landscape photograph was taken between the years of 1826 and 1827. The first recorded landscape photo was by Nicephore Niepce.

Here are some examples I found online.

In the 18th – 19th century there was an up rise of landscape art this was prompted by the romantic movement, by being able to make the image/art as specific and as surreal as you desire was ideal for creating romantic pieces, these are the main three artists of it…

• J.M.W. Turner: Known for atmospheric paintings featuring dramatic skies.
• John Constable: Celebrated for his detailed, realistic landscape paintings of the English countryside.
• Caspar David Friedrich: A German painter famous for his allegorical landscapes.

Caspar David Friedrich

Romanticism originated in the late 17th century, around the end of the 18th century, and became popular in the early 19th century.

Photographers known for romanticism?

Julia Margaret Cameron – Known for soft-focus portraits and dreamy, emotional images.

Gustave Le Gray – Captured dramatic seascapes and landscapes with a painterly quality.

Henry Peach Robinson – Created staged, poetic photographs that told emotional stories.

Peter Henry Emerson – Focused on natural, atmospheric rural scenes with an artistic touch.

Painters known for romanticism?

European Romantic Painters:

1. Francisco Goya (1746–1828) – Spanish painter known for The Third of May 1808 and Saturn Devouring His Son.
2. J.M.W. Turner (1775–1851) – English landscape painter famous for his dramatic, light-filled works like The Fighting Temeraire and Rain, Steam and Speed.
3. Caspar David Friedrich (1774–1840) – German painter known for Wanderer above the Sea of Fog and The Abbey in the Oakwood.
4. Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863) – French painter famous for Liberty Leading the People and The Death of Sardanapalus.
5. Théodore Géricault (1791–1824) – French artist best known for The Raft of the Medusa.
6. John Constable (1776–1837) – English landscape painter known for The Hay Wain.
7. Ivan Aivazovsky (1817–1900) – Russian-Armenian painter celebrated for his seascapes, especially The Ninth Wave.

American Romantic Painter’s

1. Frederic Edwin Church (1826–1900) – American landscape painter known for Heart of the Andes.

2. Thomas Cole (1801–1848) – Founder of the Hudson River School, known for The Course of Empire series.

Thomas Cole – Five Kids A Farm And Dizzying Allegory

John Constable – Stonehenge

Francisco Goya – The Carnival

Théodore Géricault – Shipwreck

Romantic photography Fun facts…

1. In the 19th century, photographers like Julia Margaret Cameron used soft focus and dramatic lighting to create dreamy, emotional portraits.

2. Just like Romantic painters, early photographers captured dramatic landscapes, misty forests, and rugged coastlines to evoke deep emotions.

3. Some Romantic photographers staged their photos with costumes and props to create mythological or literary scenes.

4. Early cameras had long exposure times, which made moving water look silky and gave portraits an ethereal, ghostly quality.

5. Romantic photography often focused on themes of love, longing, and mystery, using soft lighting and blurred edges for a dreamlike effect.

6. Because of long exposure times, if a person moved slightly, they could appear ghostly or blurred—sometimes leading to eerie, unintentional effects and cause the effect of an accidental ghost to appear.

7. Many Romantic photographers took inspiration from Romantic painters like Caspar David Friedrich and J.M.W. Turner, mimicking their compositions and moods.

8. Romantic photographers loved capturing ancient ruins, castles, and abandoned places, symbolizing time, nostalgia, and the power of nature over man.

Femininity

Masculinity

The music industry is male dominated, with women and non-male artists often facing challenges in the major roles like production, song writing and leadership. Women make up only a small part of producers and engineers, not because of a lack of talent, but due to stereotyping and gatekeeping.

Sexism is still a big issue, with women often dealing with stereotypes, double standards, and even harassment. They’re judged more on appearance and personal lives than their male counterparts, which limits there creative freedom.

Despite the challenges, progress is happening. Groups like Women in Music are pushing for change, and more women are breaking into leadership and production roles. But to truly balance the scales, the industry needs to prioritize inclusivity and fairness at all levels.

Going into this project I had the idea of getting both a girl and a boy to play and create music side by side to show what it would look like if there was a ideal fifty fifty divide within the industry and that both men and women can both create music.

Here are the original photos.

I had decided to do some creative editing to them to make the photos more wacky as if they were album covers.

Here was my reference of some out there album covers that I put together myself with the album that has a red arrow pointing to it being my own cover.

Here are the album covers that I made from my images.

For this one, this album by “Tv Girl” titled “Who Really Cares” was my main inspiration, it uses pink and blue to represent masculinity and femininity.

I then took both of my same models for another shoot and decided to use pink and blue lighting to represent femininity and masculinity, when using the pink light I would have my female model sit closer to it and the camera, meaning she would be the main focus of the shot, I did this to represent one gender overpowering something, in this instance the music industry, I also did the same with my male model and a blue light.

This was the unedited outcome.

This is the edited outcome.

Identity is anything that makes you unique, what represents you and what is personal to you, this could be something going on within your life such as being in hospital all the way to something as simple as your gender.

Masculinity

The idea of masculinities refers to the position of men in the gender order. Whitehead and Barrett explain that: Masculinities are those behaviours, languages and practices, existing in specific cultural and organisational locations, which are commonly associated with men, thus culturally defined as not feminine

Femininity

Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as socially constructed, and there is also some evidence that some behaviours considered feminine are influenced by both cultural factors and biological factors

Where you live and the environment around you shape who you are.

• Culture and Community: Your traditions, language, and sense of belonging often come from where you grow up.
• Opportunities: Wealthy or poor areas can influence how you see yourself and your future.
• City or Nature: Living in a busy city or close to nature can shape your lifestyle and values.
• Big Changes: Moving, migration, or tough events like disasters can shift your identity.
• Safety and Freedom: Safe places let you be yourself, while unsafe ones might make you cautious.
• Online Life: The internet also shapes how you see yourself and connect with others.

In short, your environment helps define who you are and how you see the world.

Cindy Sherman is an American artist and photographer known for creating powerful portraits where she transforms herself into different characters. Her work explores themes of identity, gender, and how society shapes the roles people play.

Her most famous series, Untitled Film Stills, features her posing as women from old Hollywood-style movies, highlighting familiar but stereotypical female roles. Later, her work became darker and more surreal, using props, mannequins, and strange costumes to explore themes like beauty, aging, and human fragility.

Sherman is considered one of the most important artists of her time, with her work displayed in major museums worldwide. Her art challenges us to think about who we are and how much of our identity is shaped by outside forces.

Cindy Sherman’s art challenges the way we think about femininity and masculinity by showing that gender roles are like costumes we put on, not fixed parts of who we are.

Femininity

• Questioning Stereotypes: In her famous Untitled Film Stills, she dresses as characters like housewives, movie stars, and “damsels in distress” — roles often seen in old films. By doing this, she highlights how society expects women to fit into certain “types.”
• Challenging Beauty Standards: Later, her work features creepy, aging, or distorted figures, forcing us to question society’s obsession with youth, beauty, and perfection in women.
• Exposing Society’s Gaze: Her work makes us think about how women are often seen as objects to be looked at, especially in media. By controlling how she’s seen, Sherman flips this power dynamic.

Masculinity

• Power and Control: While she focuses more on femininity, Sherman also critiques masculinity. Some of her later works feature clownish, exaggerated “masculine” figures that highlight how fragile and performative power can be.
• Gender as Performance: By using wigs, makeup, and costumes to switch between “male” and “female” roles, she shows that masculinity, like femininity, is just another role people play.

This is a piece that is part of her collection

“This is how I look I guess”

Sherman’s work reveals that gender roles aren’t natural they’re performances shaped by media and culture, this shows especially within this piece. Her art encourages us to think about how much of our identity is real and how much is something we’ve been taught to “act out.”

In this piece she shows very few distinctive feminine aspects and masculine aspects, a very obvious feminine aspect which you can see is her big lips with lipstick on, this is linked primarily to females.

The pieces within the collection all have a creepy look to them, it is people with aged and wrinkly skin with photos of overly feminine lips and different eyes placed over the original photo.

This whole collection is about Cindy Sherman reclaiming her self image, social media encourages people to show flawless and perfect versions of themselves, Sherman takes control in her own way. Her weird, distorted self-portraits fight back against beauty standards, showing that self-expression doesn’t have to be done in a certain way and to society’s standards.

Claude Cahun was born October 25th 1894 in France and passed away December 8th 1954 in the Jersey Channel Islands, Claude was a French artist known for their surreal self-portraits and exploration of gender identity. They challenged traditional ideas of gender, often presenting themselves as both masculine and feminine or somewhere in between. Their photos featured costumes, masks, and striking poses, experimenting with ideas of identity and self-expression.

Claude was also part of the anti-Nazi resistance during World War II, they created anti-German propaganda with their romantical partner, Marcel Moore who was there step sister/siblings. Though their work was mostly forgotten after their death, it was rediscovered in the 1980s and is now seen as a key influence in queer art and gender theory not just in Jersey but around the world.

Claude Cahuns birth name was Lucy Renée Mathilde Schwob, they later adopted the name Claude Cahun to reflect their rejection of gender norms, as “Claude” is a gender-neutral name in French. Claude Cahuns birth name was Lucy Renée Mathilde Schwob, they later adopted the name Claude Cahun to reflect their rejection of gender norms, as “Claude” is a gender-neutral name in French.

Claude’s work was made in order to break gender normality’s showing it could be fluid and ever-changing, it was self expression and a rebellion to the do’s and don’ts not just against gender norms, but also against authority and oppression, they also made some pieces to resist the Nazis during World War II as there partner Marcel Moore was trying to resist the Nazi occupation, it was done with the hope of inspiring others to think freely about who they are and what they stand for.

To do this Claude used self-portraits to challenge ideas about identity and gender. They dressed up in costumes, masks, and bold poses, combining masculine and feminine looks in order to show that identity isn’t fixed at birth.

By constantly changing their appearance, Claude sent a message that who we are isn’t set in stone. Their photos did end up encouraging loads of people globally to question social norms and see identity as something they should and could create for themselves.

This is a satellite photo of Jersey Channel Islands

Claude lived on the island of Jersey during World War II with their partner Marcel Moore. They joined the anti-Nazi resistance, creating secret leaflets to mock and discourage German soldiers.

Claude and Moore were arrested and sentenced to death but were freed when the war ended. Today, they are remembered on Jersey for their bravery and resistance against the Nazis.

This is a piece by Claude Cahun called “Me Myself and I”

**Simple Analysis of Claude Cahun’s “Me, Myself and I” **

Claude Cahun’s “Me, Myself and I” explores identity as fluid and ever-changing. Instead of presenting a single, fixed self, Cahun portrays the self as multiple, complex, and shifting. This directly challenges traditional ideas of gender and personal identity.

Key Themes

1. Multiplicity of Self: The title suggests that “self” isn’t singular. Cahun shows different versions of themselves, reflecting how identity is layered and changeable.
2. Gender Fluidity: Cahun rejected fixed gender roles, often presenting as both masculine and feminine—or neither. They famously said, “Neuter is the only gender that always suits me.”
3. Surrealist Aesthetic: Cahun used costumes, props, and masks to question reality and identity. This links to surrealist ideas about the subconscious and dreams.
4. Self as Performance: Like wearing costumes on a stage, Cahun shows that identity is something we “perform” rather than something fixed or natural.

Cahun’s work remains influential today, inspiring modern ideas about gender fluidity, drag culture, and self-expression in art​

“Rembrandt lighting” is a lighting technique used alongside “Butterfly lighting” it is distinct by an illuminated triangle and can be achieved by using one or two lights alongside a reflector.

I ended up going to the studio again and took some more Rembrandt photos in different styles of lighting.

Rembrandt was a Dutch painter

He was known for his amazing ability to show human feelings in his art. He used light and shadow in a unique way that made his paintings look real and full of life.

Born in the Netherlands, Rembrandt started drawing and painting at a young age. He later moved to Amsterdam, where he became a popular artist, painting portraits for wealthy people. But unlike other artists, Rembrandt showed people as they really were, not just how they wanted to be seen.

He also painted himself many times, showing how he changed as he got older — from a young, confident man to an older, wiser person who had faced hard times. These self-portraits are still seen as some of the most honest in art history.

Even when he went through struggles with money and personal loss, Rembrandt never stopped creating. His later works are seen as some of his best, showing deep understanding and emotion. Today, he is remembered as one of the greatest artists of all time, known for capturing the true human experience.

Portrait of an old man

Portrait of an Old Man is a famous painting by Rembrandt, made around 1654. It shows an old man with a calm, thoughtful look. He has a long white beard, wrinkled skin, and wears a simple robe and cap, making him look wise and peaceful.

Rembrandt used light and shadow to make the man’s face stand out. Soft light shines on his face, showing every wrinkle and detail, while the background stays dark. This makes the man feel real and present, almost like he’s sitting right in front of you.

No one knows for sure who the man is. Some people think he wasn’t a real person but just someone Rembrandt painted to show age and wisdom.

Today, this painting is seen as one of Rembrandt’s best. People love how he captured the man’s age, experience, and quiet strength, making it a powerful example of how art can show the beauty of being human.

My photos

I ended up going to the studio to attempt Rembrandt lighting myself

Here are all my raw photos

I then edited some of my best photos in Lightroom and photoshop.

Environmental portraits are portraits taken in the subjects usual environment, they highlight and bring attention to there life and everything going on around them, environmental portraits are a genre of photography.

The goal of these photos is to capture somebody’s everyday life, what they like to do and there personality traits (you could control there facial expression to show this)

Evaluating the key features of this photo

The photo has artificial lighting coming from above.

The photos environment is a reception desk at a rich place of work, we can tell its a wealthy place of work because the frame of the painting.

The framing is a half body angle and taken dead pan.

The approach taken was to have the guy pull a neutral face giving him a nonchalant serious feel.

The gaze of the photo is the guy making direct eye contact with camera, engagement with the photo.

The camera settings are wide lens with mid-range f stop and a low ISO.

Alfred Krupp

Alfred Krupp is a revolutionary inventor, worth roughly a billion dollars in the 1960s, Arnold Newman (a Jewish photographer) is a well known environmental portrait photographer, the photo Arnold took of the inventor Alfred was used to preserve his legacy and became a iconic piece of work.

This portrait was taken on July 6 1963, using a wide angle lens, the lighting is weird and eerie with a green tinge that makes the subject appear to be a evil/not nice person.

When Newman and Krupp first spoke, Krupp was racist to Newman after finding out he was a Jew and wouldn’t let him create the photo, Newman ended up eventually convincing Krupp to let him take it by having him look at his portfolio, after how poorly Krupp treated Newman, Newman used the photo to make Krupp look as evil as possible.

This is a environmental photo I took of two pupils working in the studio, shooting a cover for there poster.

After taking some photos I decided to put them in Lightroom and see what I could do with the.

With this photo I shifted the perspective off it by using the transform feature in Lightroom.

I used the colour grading wheel to shift the original colour of the image completely, I chose random colours that went well together to create a weird abstract feel in the photos and because I chose bright and vibrant colours which gave the photo a happy vibe to it, I also put grain on the photo because I find it aesthetically pleasing and enjoy the retro look it gives the photos.

This photo is a portrait of me

Yet again I decided to put random colours on it and added grain to change the texture of the photo giving it a vintage feel, I also cropped out all the unneeded background space to make me the main subject of the photo.

We took this photo of me walking with a very scenic background.

When editing this photo I made the midpoint dark blue, which gave the photo a cold feeling to it.