Contemporary Photography By Anna Harper
CONTENTS Title Page - 1 Work Proposal - 3 Research - 4-8 First Shoot - 9-10 Second Shoot - 11-12 Third Shoot - 13-14 Fourth Shoot - 15-16 Final Image Selection - 17 Project Management - 18-19 Artist Statement - 20 Final Photos - 21-23
Work Proposal The first practical assignment of contemporary photography challenges the class to develop a body of work exploring contemporary ideas of portraiture. Before we start this assignment, we should select a contemporary photographer to focus on. I have chosen Stephen Shore for this as his work has influenced my own choices for this assignment. I will discuss Shore’s work in my journal as well as in my work proposal. For my own work I aim to combine portraiture with personality and surroundings. For the first practical assignment I want to produce a series of contemporary portraits documenting the downtime in the lives of teenagers. The portraits aim to capture the diversity of personalities 21st century teenagers have. The portraits will be captured in a location that means something to the subject, or where they feel comfortable e.g. their car or house. Work by Tomasz Liboska in his series “Warriors” gave me this idea, as the subjects were comfortable with their environment and it helped tell a back-story of the subject. I will try and incorporate some of the vibrant colours seen in Shore’s work in these images too, possibly using props or using editing to enhance them. Another influence from Shore’s work that I hope to include in my own is the strong eye contact from the subject, as I feel it enhances the connection between the subject and the viewer and makes the images powerful.
Image by Stephen Shore
A possible challenge that faces me with this work is the surroundings of the subjects. Usually in my work I try to eliminate all distractions by using plain backgrounds, however in this series I will have to try and incorporate the background so it becomes an important part of the image too. But also in a way so that the image doesn’t seem cluttered. For this assignment I would like to explore different lighting to my previous assignments. I would light to continue using natural lighting for my outside shots, but for indoor or low lit scenes I would light to use one of the schools lighting kits to balance the light.
Image by Tomasz Liboska
Research For my first research image I have selected an image from the series “Warriors” by Tomasz Liboska, which I mentioned in my work proposal. This image is title Marek, Native American, all the titles in the series are in the same format (name of person, what they are dressed up as). The image is of a man dressed up as a native American sitting in his native American themed house that matches his costume. The lighting appears to be natural in the image, and as far as I can tell there hasn’t been extensive editing on the image to make it different to the original. In response to the image I became curious about the people around me, and whether they may have a hobby similar to the subject of this image hidden away in their life. I also had a bit of a laugh at how peculiar the whole image was, as the serious expression of the subject seems so different to the joviality of the costume and themed house. This image would be classified as a portrait. Although this image is simple, several techniques have been used which are key to its success. Firstly, the subject is centred perfectly in the image, and leading lines from the tablecloth draw the viewer into the subject. Secondly, the rule of thirds is used all around the subject to make what could be a mess fit right into the image. For example, on the table there are two main objects, a sugar bowl and a orange mug. Both of these items are perfectly lined up with the rule of thirds. Framing is also used in this image, the lines on the table cloth frame the subjects face, and the old couch also directs the viewers eyes inwards. Finally, possibly one of the most important parts of this photo is the use of colour. Colour is everywhere in this image, however all the colours match so the image flows. If the table cloth had a different bunch of colours to the outfit on the subject, the image might have looked messy, except the red keeps the image together. The series “Warriors” is a long term project of Liboska’s and it explores enthusiasts of certain elements of history or culture. He photographs the subjects dressed up in their costumes, within their homes. One of the things Liboska aims to show in his series is that all kinds of people live among us and we may never know, the people photographed in this series are all ordinary people who live normal lives, but they turn into a whole other character in their other life that you will never know about. I think this series is important because it makes the viewer question whether they really know the people around them or not. Liboska has taken the time with his work to remind us all about the fantastic varieties of people around us and the incredible amounts of differences between one person and the next. In conclusion, I think this image by Tomasz Liboska has a great social significance. However it is also a piece of art too. Liboska has set up the image perfectly using interesting colours and techniques and I would change nothing about the image.
For my second research image, I chose an image by the second person I mentioned in my work proposal, Stephen Shore. This image is different to the rest that I have selected because it is not contemporary, the image is titled Michael and Sandy Marsh, Amarillo, Texas, September 27, 1974, and as said in the title, was taken in 1974. However Shore is still doing contemporary work that has similar appearances to this work, most recently he did a project in Ukraine. I chose this image by Shore, because I think it is most relevant to what I want to achieve with my own images and reflects what I have talked about in my work proposal. The image is of a man and a woman lying on a couch together, while the woman is kissing the man, he seems to be focused at the camera. This is part of the work that I want to use in my own. The eye contact in this image is startling at first, but it allows the viewer to connect with the subject, rather than be a mere onlooker. The image doesn’t appear to be set up, as there is a group of untidy objects in the background of the image, however the strong focal points means that they do not make much of a difference to the image. As this doesn’t to be set up, the lighting also appears natural. This image is a documentary portrait, similar to what I want to produce myself. This image is very simple and is not set up carefully, so less elements of design are used compared to some of my other research photos. The first thing I will point out in the image, is that the colours all interlock with each other, because there is a little bit of pink in everything, the rug, the chair and the couch. This all ties together because the salmon block colour that the woman’s clothes are made from. This helps make the photo tidy, because the colours don’t clash and the chair doesn’t unnecessarily stand out. The only other thing I will mention is the focal point of the image, the man. The focal point is created using the couch to frame him, as well as the eye contact which draws the viewer in. This also helps keep the viewers eyes away from potential distractions in the background. In conclusion, I think this image is very successful as it gives an insight into other peoples life. It is unusual because photos often seem set up, but this is taken in the moment, while still including the viewer in the experience. This photo is particularly meaningful to me because it relates to the work I hope to produce myself. A portrait from Shore’s recent work in Ukraine.
For my third research image I chose another photo by Stephen Shore. This image is a portrait of a man named Lee Cramer. The portrait is titled Lee Cramer, Bel Air, Maryland, 1983. In the portrait is Lee Cramer, sitting on a seat, but turned to face the camera, a table with some of his belongings and another chair. The image appears to be lit naturally, although Shore could well have used some lights to balance the image if the light was only coming from one window. This is a portrait image, and within this genre it is a documentary portrait. This image is very simple and appears to be a natural set up, therefore, Shore hasn’t incorporated many elements or techniques into the photo. One he did use was colour though. The photo is mainly made up of white or neutral colours, but Shore has used a blue-green colour very strongly. The chairs are this colour, and so are the pants of the subject. This small amount of colour retains the contrast in the image and also adds to the calm feeling the image has as the colour is quite soothing. The other element in the image is the use of the rule of thirds, which can make all the difference to the composition of an image. The subject is placed in the first third of the image, and this allows for the viewer to first see this and then lets their eyes drag across the rest of the image. This is Shore’s way of telling a story with an image, the viewer reacts to the subject, and then builds a story in their minds when the see the rest of the image. I don’t think this image has a particular significance to any of the elements listed in the research sheet. However I do think this image has great significance to photography as both an art and a form of documentation. As discussed before, the used of any artistic techniques in this image are scarce, however this does not mean that the photo is not successful. This image is just as successful, if not more, than any image that uses those techniques. This is because, instead of focusing on how the image works compositionally, Shore has focused on what matters most, which is the subject. This image has a very strong use of narrative, which is what is most important in documentary photography. Shore has shown me that a narrative can still be created, even without the strong use of compositional techniques. In conclusion I think this image is very successful. It offers a new opinion on what should be valued most when taking a photo. Shore has used very limited techniques and has created a fantastic photo. When taking my own photos, I should remember how much I need to value the narrative if I am only concentrating on the composition. Because if the photo is only about the composition, the subject and their personality are lost within the photo.
For my fourth research image I have chosen an image by Canadian photographer Camilo Fuentealba. This image is a part of his series “Finding New York” which he says on Lens Culture “represents the beginning of a photographic exploration—and love affair—with the New York City social landscape”. The image is of a young child, dressed very nicely sitting in a room with white and red checked tiles. The image has some other elements in it, such as a round object with cords coming from it above the subject, and the corner of a table sneaking into the frame on the left hand side. However even though these distractions are here, the framing of the child in the image seems right and the distractions no longer matter. The child has eye contact with the camera and the image is clearly in a documentary style, this links the image to my own work. The lighting in the image is unnatural, and unusually, the photographer has made the choice to use quite a bright flash, this creates a lot of contrast in the image. This leads me to the elements and techniques used in this photo to make it successful. Firstly, I will talk about the contrast. As mentioned before, the bright flash provides a lot of contrast in the image. This works in the image to bring out the subject from the background and emphasises the colour of the red tiles and the white walls. Line is used in the image too. The wall behind the subject could have been distracting, except the photographer has used it to lead the viewers eyes down to the subject. Line also works with framing, this can be seen where the boys jacket leads up to his face and the lines frame him. Finally, the focal point in the image is very important. With documentary photography I think it is harder to achieve a focal point as you often have to work with what is around you, rather than setting up the photo. Here there is a strong focal point and this is because of all the previously mentioned techniques coming to ether to bring the viewer to the centre of the image, the young boy. I think that this image has social significance, as it provides an insight into the life of someone living in possibly the most famous city in the world. Fuentealba has given the viewer this insight without making the photo seem fake or set up, which make the subject appear comfortable and in turn makes the viewer comfortable. All the images in the series explore New Yorkers in a similar documentary style, however Fuentealba makes sure not to limit himself to one type of shot. This way he not only explores the people, but the city itself. Overall, I think this image is very successful. Fuentealba uses creative techniques to emphasize the subject, and therefore creates a narrative around him. The image is also interesting to people because of its social significance. I think that Fuentealba is offering something new to photography because although New York is often explored in art, it isn’t explored often in such a relaxed and natural manner.
For my final research image I chose this image by Sian Davey which is part of her series First Love. I chose this image to research because it shows how to capture emotion and surroundings of teenagers to contribute to the narrative of the image. The image is of a young couple sitting on top of a bed. In the background there are only a few objects, a bookcase and a chain of some sort running down the wall. There is a slight vignette around the edges of the image too. The lighting in the image appears to be natural, coming from the side of the subjects which casts some shadows that give depth to the image. This image falls into the genre of portrait photography. There are a few techniques used in this photo to enhance its appearance. Firstly, to de-clutter the image, the bookcase and the chain in the background are restricted ta third of the image, effectively using the rule of thirds. Secondly, the colour used in this photo is key to how the viewer feels when staring at it. The colours used are quite neutral and laid back, which matches the calm appearance of the subjects, and this is reflected in the experience had by the viewer. Finally, I would like to talk about the use of a focal point within the images. As mentioned before, the photographer has used a vignette around he border of the photo, not only does this draw away from the clutter in the background, but focuses the viewer on the subjects in the centre of the image. The pale skin of the two figure makes them stand out in the room, and without this focal point the emotion in the image might not have been conveyed as well as it has been. This image has a social significance as it explores teenage relationships, a moment which is often kept private. Davey has explored this carefully too, as the subjects do not appear to be uncomfortable, which allows the true emotions to be captured in the series. In conclusion, I think this image is well done, as it uses a variety of photographic techniques. Davey makes sure that it is of interest to the viewer because of the subject it explores and the raw emotion shown. I think one of the most important elements that contributed to the success of this image is the slight vignette which draws the viewers attention away from any possible distractions.
First Shoot IMG_0390.JPG
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Highlights For the first shoot I used two models who wore contemporary clothes and I took a series of photos around one of their houses. A place that I particularly favoured as a location during the shoot was the pool, which is featured in the first two photos on the left. One of the things that drew me to the pool was the bright blue colour of the water, and I had particular success when I used the position that has a backdrop of a bush, so there were no other distractions. This creates a good focal point in the image and emphasizes the subjects. The image below these has more distractions, such as the windows and chair in the background. In this image I tried to use the plant as a backdrop for the subject, I think this was effective enough, but could possibly be improved if I used a larger plant or burned the corners of the image to create a vignette. What I think the plant did do well was create a calm mood within the photo which is what I want the general feeling of my final image to have. The image in the top left corner also has distractions in the background including the shadows on the ground and the fence. However the colour matching of the fabric of the chairs can reduce the distraction of the fence. I think it would be worthwhile returning to a photo similar to this as I think the subjects are engaging, I just need to take more care when setting it up. The final image I have chosen as a highlight is one set indoors The reason why I did not have many shots done indoors is because the lighting was too dark, as can be seen in the quality of this image; I would love to return to a similar shot except using one of the schools portable lighting kits to balance the shot. Another thing to bring during the second shoot is a wider selection of lenses. The only lens I brought for this shoot was a prime lens, which made shooting across the pool hard as there was limited space for me to shoot from. Something I think could have improved in my shots was having a good look around the location before starting and having more of a plan for how I was going to go about my shoot. However, overall I think this shoot was a success, and will be a crucial learning experience for my future shoots for this assignment.
Second Shoot IMG_0113.jpg
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Highlights For the second shoot I switched to a single model and a completely different setting. My model is a horse enthusiast and I felt it would give the series depth and make her comfortable if we utilised the horses and their paddock in my images. I took a variety of images showing different elements of life with horses. The most successful of these image are displayed on this page. The first pair of images I would like to discuss are the two on the top of this page. They are very similar images, however one is portrait and one is landscape. I did this because I wanted to have a choice with my final assignment as to which way to orientate my images so if I had a particularly successful image one way, all the rest would be flexible. These two image were some of the ones I thought were the most successful of all. This is because they really emphasize the person,without much clutter elsewhere. The horse also stands out as another element in these photos, but the subject remains the focal point. The beautiful Australian landscape also features strongly which I think helps to build a narrative around the subject of the photo. The next two photos I liked were the two that I shot of my subject in the boot of her car. I thought this was a good location because I could use the clutter to create a narrative that made the photo interesting. The saddles and feed buckets can be seen in the book behind the subject. The only thing I would have improved from these shots is to not have had the bright blue feed bucket in the photo. This takes away from the subject because it is the only other bright object in the frame, and wasn’t particularly necessary in the photo. Overall I am very happy with this shoot. I think the two standout photos form it are the two photos displayed on the left. This is because I think they have a particularly powerful appearance and tell a story about my subject. The biggest challenge I think I will find with this shoot is making blend with the other shoots when the final series is produced. However the photos themselves are of a high quality.
Third Shoot IMG_0134.jpg
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Highlights For the third shoot, I returned to one of the subjects of my first shoot to take photos that would work better with the second shoot (left hand side). When I did this I also returned to the style of the first shoot (right hand side), in case if I decided to move in that direction instead. Then first image I would like to talk about is the bottom right hand corner image. This image is visually appealing, but I think it shows how images can turn out to be more of a casual portrait than a piece of art. This image is perfectly pleasant for personal use, but does not have much emotion etc. linked with it. When reviewing my images I should watch out for this. The photo above this shows a good use of colour in this shoot. This was part of the images I wanted to have as a backup for the first shoot. I decided that in this shoot I would try and add some colour in the make the images more exciting. Although I think this photo could have been better if the bricks in the background were not included in the image. The top left photo is my favourite image from this shoot. The subject seems comfortable in the photo, and the subject is framed by a garage door. I chose to use the garage door as a background because I thought the corrugated iron and red bricks linked the subject to Australia and gave the image a story. The best thing about this image though, is that it works well with the images from the second shoot, which is what I wanted from this shoot. The final image is a landscape version of this image in-case if I decided that I wanted all my images to be landscape orientated. Overall I think this shoot was a success and allowed me to refine my ideas from the first shoot, while still using a subject that I was comfortable working with.
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Highlights For my fourth and final shoot, my ideas were far more refined and the images taken were more planned. By the time I reached this point in my assignment I had realised what I wanted to express in my images and how I wanted to do so. I had also known from earlier on who my subject was going to be and this let me plan far in advance of the shoot. The result of this is a far more focused shoot, made up of variations of the same image just with slight changes each time. For this shoot I chose a friend of mine which I had been playing soccer with for many years. This helped me connect more with the images I was taking and has produced a good body of photos to choose from for my final work. The first image I have displayed here is from when the sun was out. This meant that the photo had more vibrant colours, but also created harsh shadows which I think were unflattering on the subject and lead the viewer out of the image. The second reason why I did not like this photo as much is because behind the subject there is a patchy background, a mix of trees and oval as well as sky. With the simple oval in the foreground it would have been nice to create some consistency in the background too. The oval was a harder place to achieve consistency as it either had some sort of football goal, a parking lot or trees around it which meant it was hard to find a good background. The second image I have selected shows how I found those problems and worked around them. Firstly it was a cloudy day, and when the sun went briefly behind a cloud I took the opportunity to take many photos of my subject which did not feature the shadows when the sun was out. Secondly, I moved the subject over slightly so that the background was slightly more consistent. I picked a spot for this which had trees without gaps between them. This brought out the figure more from the background and further eliminated potential distractions. Overall, I think this image turned out best from the shoot and it works perfectly with the other three shoots.
Final Image Selection For my final images, I selected three images which came from a variety of shoots. The first image came from my second shoot with Morgan and her horses. I selected this image because it was the one where she looked most comfortable and the image seemed to have more of a narrative. The only other image that I considered from this shoot was the one where she was sitting in the boot of her car, however there was a bright blue tub in that image which was distracting. In the end, this image worked better within the series anyway. The second image was taken from the third shoot I chose this image because it told a story about the subject. The reason why I chose it over the others in the shoot was because of the background which was made up of grass and trees. This background works better with the other two photos I have selected. The final image I picked because it was the most successful out of the shoot, as discussed on the previous page. The fourth shoot was made up of very similar images because I already knew what I wanted and what would go with the rest of the photos. Overall I think these images go very well together and will only need small touches to be done in Photoshop before they are ready to print.
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Project Management
I chose not to do much editing on these images as I thought they were already successful in fulfilling my work proposal. I wanted to maintain the raw emotion and not distract from the people in the photos by over exaggerating the landscape or object, which could have accidentally been done if editing was taken too far. However I did do some minor touch ups on the image to improve them slightly without changing them significantly. These are shown below:
When looking at this image, I found that the face of the subject was a bit too dark and blended into the background. To fix this, while still in the Raw file editing section, I used the selective adjustment brush to select her face. I then put the exposure of this section up just enough to lighten her face, but not too much so that the photo looked unnatural. The only other adjustment I made to this photo was to adjust the levels slightly so that the grass wasn’t so over exposed and the golden colour of it was brought out a bit more in the image.
Although it is hard to see in these screen-shots of the editing there was an adjustment made to this image. I slightly adjusted the levels of this image to provide a bit more contrast in the face of the subject. This was because before her face was washed out and it was hard to distinguish her features. I only made a very slight adjustment because otherwise the colours in the image started changing and the image didn’t flow very well with the other two. In the final image I made a similar levels adjustment which hanged the photo slightly, but didn’t make any significant changes to the overall appearance of the image.
Artist Statement The series “Recreation” was created to capture the personalities of today’s youth. I used an object or animal that my subjects were comfortable with to let them express their personality and interests in a raw but non-confronting manner. The images show the power young people have in this world. In all the photos the subjects have ownership over what they are doing, whether it is a horse or a sport they choose to play. This series is aimed to show teenagers in a new light and to also show their sometimes overlooked potential.