Photographic Genres

Photographic Genres

Keeley Eastwood

DETAILING

INTERIOR

ARCHITECTURAL

SEA SCAPE

SKY SCAPE

CITY SCAPE

NATURE

TRAVEL

STRUCTURAL

NIGHT SCAPE

FORENSIC

ASTRONOMY

ANIMAL

MEDICAL

WILD LIFE

EVIDENCE

SCIENTIFIC

ARCHIVAL RECORD

SITUATIONAL CONFERENCE

WEDDING

ESPIONAGE

HISTORICAL

EVENT

CANDID

SPORTS

PROPOGANDA

ADVENTURE INSTAGRAM

SURVEILLANCE

POLITICAL NEWSPAPER REPORTAGE

SMART PHONE

WAR PHOTOGRAPHY

PUBLICITY

FAMILY

STUDIES

COUPLE CHILD

STILL LIFE

CELEBRITY NUDE

FOOD

ABSTRACT

DADA

INDIVIDUAL

SELF PORTRAITS

ADVERTISING

PRODUCT

SELFIES GROUP

MARKETING

COUTURE

ADVERTISING

EXPERIMENTAL COLLAGE

COMPOSITE SURREAL

CONCEPTUAL SHOCK

Whitworth Art Gallery The layout of the museum creates free flowing making the whole experience less formal of an environment compared to other art museums. There are many areas to sit and reflect on the exhibits which give the opportunity for private enjoyment of the art as well as shared appreciation and discussion should you choose. There is plenty of information available about the exhibits so even a novice feels they know what they are looking at.

The museum encourages visitors of all ages with a wide variety of exhibits to cater for all tastes.

Whitworth Art Gallery is an art museum based in Manchester, UK. It is located in Whitworth Park which is also home to some of the museum’s art pieces. It was founded in 1889 and became part of Manchester University in 1958.

The gallery has recently undergone refurbishment, in order to provide a greater satisfaction for those visiting. This took a lot of work and ÂŁ15million to get it to where it is today. With the new works, Whitworth combines both the old and the new to create a museum which caters for all art lovers.

The use of art pieces to move people around the museum was done very well in certain areas, this piece although simple created a taking point at the same time as leading visitors around the room. The lighting in this area was focussed on the main floor piece which unfortunately took away from other pieces on the walls, this may have been done intentionally but in my opinion didn’t work well.

Overall the museum has a wide variety of inspirational pieces providing something for everyone to enjoy.

Favourite Works at Whitworth Multi Storey House- Mary Kelly This installation was my favourite piece at the museum. The piece is a striking and eye catching.

On entering the room it immediately caught my eye, mainly due to the effective lighting in the room- everywhere was kept dimmed around the piece enabling the piece to shine.

The piece reflects the artists findings when it came to feminism throughout the decades. Each panel represents different peoples views and experiences from around the world and exhibits how this has made an influence on their life.

I took the time to read each of the panels and it made me think about my own views and thoughts about this subject. I found these women's thoughts to be both inspirational and empowering. Some were a little old fashioned showing how society was and has changed since.

The text used for this piece was kept uniform in size and font implying all the opinions were equally balanced and that no one persons view was more valued than another's. It was interesting to observe others as they read the comments on this exhibit, reactions varied depending on the person

Library vs Internet Research?

Libraries used to be the place to go when it came to research as everything you needed to know would be there in the aisle upon aisle of paper. There library offered the unknown, it challenged you to find the information for yourself.

Sometimes you could stumble across something unexpected when searching through the various books and journals but all of this takes time.

In todays society people need information faster and prefer it to be easily accessible at any time of the day rather than being restricted by opening times and lending constraints.

Its true, books offer history, there are so many books in the library about art and photography through the decades but its not always easy to find exactly what you need unless the subject is specific. If not, endless trawling through book after book is the only way.

Do you go for the shiny new book or the dusty old book? It’s a decision that can go either way.

Research today often needs to be done quickly, this has brought about the changes in trends of using library resources. Unfortunately the changes show declined use of libraries due to technological advances and the internet. Information is readily available at the click of a button meaning it can also be accessed anytime 24/7.

Information online is kept up to date in comparison to books and journals that only get updated when a new edition is printed. The way in which society uses information now dictates how it is produced. Many pieces of literature are no longer printed they solely stored online- better for the environment unlike the thousands of books that were previously produced. The internet enables up and coming artists to share their works and gain recognition for it without having to find a publisher. This gives them the freedom to enter the industry without restraints. Many young artists are exhibiting work online exclusively which gives their work a potentially wider audience. If this platform was not available some amazing works would never be seen as people do not have the belief in others to publish it.

There are pros and cons to using both of these research methods, both have their merits and both have flaws. It all comes to personal choice and circumstance.

Wildlife Photography Wildlife photography is the art of taking photos of wildlife or non-domesticated animals in their natural habitat. This is one of the most difficult genres of photography due to the unpredictable nature of the animals. Also, there is a lot of research that must be done beforehand as some animals are difficult to approach or need to be approached in a certain manner.

Many wildlife photographers use basic equipment, however may opt for example, for different lenses for shooting small insects in closer range or underwater cameras for marine animals. Despite having a vast amount of highly technical equipment, sometimes the photographer may simply sit and wait for the ‘perfect’ shot that shows off their skills.

Michael ‘Nick’ Nichols – Intimacy NHM Finalist 2014

Wildlife photography takes time to capture moments that will show the animals in an impactful way. In comparison to other photographic genres, Wildlife photography doesn’t rely on staging the subject. For these photographers it is more of an opportunistic shoot with a lot of uncertainty about what the outcome of the shoot will be or even if any of the shots will be worth while.

Depending on the subject that the photographer wishes to photograph will determine where in the world they will have to travel to. For example, to capture polar bears they must travel to the Artic Circle, while if they wish to capture images of lions their destination would be Africa. Also, some animals may be native to the photographers home country, making it more accessible to capture these images.

This genre of photography has many uses. It can be used for scientific purposes such as observing and keeping track of the animals. Also, it can be used to document and record how many animals there are in a certain area to see how hunting affects different species. The images can also be used for more enjoyable purposes such as magazines such as National Geographic. This is both educational and enjoyable for some.

Working as a professional wildlife photographer can be very demanding.

Travelling to remote places around the world can be harsh on the photographer if they are not used to the climate. Also, long hours have to be put in in order to capture the animals at the ‘perfect moment.’ This may mean waiting and simply watching nothing as wild animals don’t do commands.

However this uncertainty can leave photographers to get anxious and pessimistic as whether they will even see the animal do something or even see them at all. Some animals also only appear during certain times of the day meaning that the photographer may only have a short window of time to get their desired images.

Andy Rouse Andy Rouse is an internationally known Wildlife photographer.

Despite working with some potentially dangerous animals, Rouse likes to take the ‘up-close and personal’ approach to photography making his work that bit more astonishing. With animals of all nature Andy’s approach has enabled him to capture some of the most breath-taking images I’ve seen. For me, his work captures the beauty of the wildlife that I cant experience, yet can feel so close to via his images.

From looking at Andy Rouse’s work, I can see that his work is never rushed. All of his images look like he has waited and waited for the right moment where the animal is in the right place and the shot its just perfect. Each of his images has such an air about them that you can tell that the animals are free and going about their own business and the photographer isn’t disrupting them. This to me is important as I feel that this way you can truly see the animals interacting amongst their habitat in their normal way. By being able to capture these moments, Rouse has enabled people to experience something that they may never get to see in their life without having to travel so far.

Rouse is a stand out wildlife photography simply because of his ‘up-close and personal’ approach to these animals. Other wildlife photographers may take a step back and not risk everything for that one shot, while Andy is all for it. I find his work inspiring because by taking his is enabling the world to see these wonderful creature in their own habitats. All the images below are so different but all equally amazing. The composition of Rouse’s work is awe-inspiring due to him being in such close proximity to these potentially dangerous animals. You can clearly tell that each of the images has been carefully thought out of how the animal will be portrayed and how the animal will be received.

Rouse’s work has inspired me to do a photo shoot in his style. Similarly to him, I plan to take images of wild animals, however due to restrictions the animals wont be out in their natural habitats but rather the zoo.

This is the only way that I can capture similar subject to those of the artists. Despite restrictions, I hope to show the animals in as much detail as possible and in a positive way.

I chose to analyse this photograph taken by Andy Rouse because when looking through his gallery of work this was one of the many that stood out – despite all of his work be exceptional. This image really made me feel close to the animal due to the immense focus and detailing. This depiction of the animal shows it in a content and simplistic moment. The animals face is the focus of the image, especially the big cat’s eyes. The soft lighting makes the eyes stand out and draw more attention to the face. By doing this, it makes me wonder what the animal is looking at. There is no clue given by the photographer as to what the animal is doing, whether it is hunting or is simply stopping before resting. Rouse has left a lot to the audiences imagination which I find interesting as the viewer then can interpret the image in different ways.

The use of depth of field aids this piece highly. With a shallow depth of field, the attention is clearly on the animal. By blurring the background, near completely, there isn’t any other choice than to see the beauty of the big cat. I feel that if Rouse had had the background also in focus, it may had taken away from the subject slightly.

Rouse has used the rule of thirds to is advantage here. He has put the animal in two of the thirds and leaving one third to show the background. This has worked well because rather than making the animal fill the whole frame, there is a good balance between subject and background. Also, the subject to background ratio isn’t too small either. If there was more background and the subject was smaller, the subject wouldn’t get the same detail and would become lost amongst it all.

The natural lighting has been used to the photographers advantage. Using this light has enabled to capture the most realistic image of the animal. The light comes from the left, illuminating the subject and highlights the face. It also creates the natural shadowing that you would actually see. Unlike other types of photography, the natural available lighting gives the image a truer feel to it rather than something that has been set up.

Overall, the image is highly effective at capturing the audiences attention. This is achieved using well thought out techniques and skill. The composition makes the image easy to read visually and is clear at showing what the artist wished for the audience to see. All these techniques make the image one that would stand out in amongst a group of other photographs.

My Work and Andy Rouse’s After looking through my images from my shoot that was inspired by Andy Rouse, I found that this was one of my best images (left). When looking at Rouse’s work, I found this image on the right. I believe this highlights both the similarities and differences between my work and his. Both the images have the ‘up-close and personal’ technique which was hard for me to achieve due to the nature of my shooting location.

I was lucky to capture this moment when the orang-utan swung up to the glass momentarily. After researching Wildlife photography, I knew that watching and waiting could enable me to capture images in a similar way to the artist. The difference between the two images clearly is that Rouse’s work in taken freely without constrictions of boundaries. I however had to work with enclosed animals meaning that there isn ’t always a connection between the photographer and subject. Despite this, I believe that my image is still impactful in the way that Rouse ’s work is. I’m pleased with the way that my image has been received by people that I have shown it to. Most of the people were amazed at how close the orang-utan is despite there being glass in between. Also, I am pleased with the way that the animal seems to be looking straight into the camera and at the audience. This makes the image more impactful. In comparison, Andy Rouse has captured the chimpanzee in a more playful manner. His subject is looking away which makes the image lack a connection between the subject and his audience. This for me is something I like to have – I like to sometimes break the fourth wall in a sense that the subject seems to know you are there.

Another difference is clearly the clarity of the images. My image seems to be less focused in comparison to the artists picture. This is again due to the glass. Due to the obvious circumstances there was nothing I could do as it was the glass on the inside of the enclosure that was scratched and slightly muggy. Despite this, I still believe that the image is up to a reasonably high standard even though there was restrictions. Andy Rouse, as a professional wildlife photography, doesn’t face these problems meaning his images are up to a better quality.

Plus, he has many years of experience in this particular field of work, while I have never worked with ‘wild’ animals, highlighting the difference in our styles. Overall, I believe that even though there were limitations to what I could and couldn’t do, my images are still up to a good standard, not that of Andy Rouse, but still reasonably good.

Fine Art Photography Fine Art Photography is said to be the outcome of an artist’s vision. However, upon researching the genre further, it is also so widely disputed as to what exactly fine art photography is, as there isn’t a set definition for the work of the artists.

This genre of photography stands out as one of the more free willed types in comparison to a structured genre, such as catalogue. With Fine Art, it enables the photographer to have more freedom to play around with how they work, in order to be able to portray the vision they have for the audience to see.

Researching this genre has highlighted the broadness of what actually fits into the Fine Arts category. Unlike other photographic genres, there aren’t any restraints on the aesthetics of the outcome. Also, there is no set subject to which must be captured in order to be placed into this genre.

Fine Art photography is such a broad genre with many crossovers into other genres.

Each piece that is taken has been carefully thought out, taking into consideration as to what the final outcome will look like. All Fine Art pieces are aesthetically pleasing for the audience they are intended for. Each artist has their own vision as to what they would like to portray through their work, meaning there is such a variety in what can be seen. Some images, similar to those of the left, are simplistic yet well constructed. In comparison, those along the bottom, are constructed in an alternative and imaginative way. All of these images are impressive as they show completely different visions and ideas and can be interpreted in many ways, depending on who is looking at the images.

Ideally, the artists work should be able to speak without having to give an explanation. Even if they had made an artist statement of what they intended, their work should be able to show this. Some of the images may not always be as clear as other, meaning interpretations may vary.

Yeong Ja Jung is an artist who I happened to stubble across while on the internet – which I’m glad about. This artists work fits into the genre of Fine Art and the subgenre of conceptual. The work is said to be part of a vision of wanting to show something. The two collections that I have found of Yeong Ja Jung’s work are both very different and intriguing. The work of this artist was inspired by the ‘cultural shock’ they experienced when moving to America in the 70’s.

Yeong Ja Jung

Both set of work I find particularly interesting because they were both aimed to show the vision of the artist. The images on the left are part of the Mirror Series. Jung has said that ‘feelings of solitude and introversion played a fatal role in expressing her elaborate thoughts and emotions.’ After learning about the ‘cultural shock’ they experienced when moving to America, I have interpreted the set of images on the right in a different way to those on the left. I feel that those on the right show the disorientation it must feel to move from somewhere you’ve always known to somewhere so vastly different.

Using layers plays with the viewer’s mind, making you unsure of what exactly you are looking at.

The set on the left interested me more with it seeming like a simple idea that could be used by anyone. When I came across these images, I felt that even though they all had the same technique, they all had a different story behind them that could be interpreted by each person individually. Using an inanimate object as a prop has aided the photographer to showing an alternative view rather than what you can see through the lens.

Yeong Ja Jung work with mirrors is a style that stood out to me when finding their work.

Despite not knowing of the artist before hand, I have soon come to highly admire their photography. Using mirrors has enabled Jung to take away a piece of the world, that which is hidden away. However, this has them enabled them to show a completely different viewpoint. This shows to the viewer what is going on behind the photographer. I particularly like this piece as there is a clear contrast between what can be seen in the mirror and that of the surroundings. The surroundings/background look rather bleak and melancholy potentially having the meaning that the world isn’t always a great place to be.

However, the mirror reflects the bright blue sky with a few clouds. I have interpreted this to be the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ analogy. The sky to me represents that even when everything around you doesn’t seem to going well, if you change your outlook on things and change you path in life, there may be brighter and better things coming your way.

The composition of the image is creative. Jung has opted to crop the image into a square.

By doing the it creates a closed frame, trapping the subject within the constraints. Rule of thirds has been used to focus the attention centrally, taking aim at the mirror. This has also made the mirror appear to be framed by the surroundings not just the constraints of the actual photograph. The photographer appears to have used natural available lighting when creating this image. This gives the image a natural feel to it rather than a structured set up.

I feel that this works well with what the artist wanted to portray. If they had used studio lighting I feel you would lose the natural look that is true to what the artist saw before them.

Yeong Ja Jung has opted to not include the persons face within the image. I find this is effective as it is then up to the imagination of the viewer to decided who this person is, where they are, why. So many questions can be raised simply by removing someone's face from an image. Overall, I feel that Jung has done an effective job at creating images that reflect the desired vision that they had. It has inspired me to do my own shoot based upon this artists style in order to create my own set of images with my own ideas.

Best Images from Fine Art Shoot

My Work and Yeong Ja Jung’s Here we can see the similarities and differences between my work and that of Yeong Ja Jung’s. I opted to stick with the regular framing size rather than cropping the image like Jung has done. I feel, as a photographer, that I work better with a larger space. By not cropping, it enabled me to see as I was taking the images what the images would be like. If I were to do this again, I would consider attempting to shoot so I can crop to the square framing. Similarly, both I and the artist used an actual subject in the reflection of these particular images. I found that this was actually hard than it initially seemed. Angling myself and the camera was a challenge as to not interfere with the reflection. However, I feel that both these images show the subject from a unique perspective.

In comparison, Jung had found a much brighter environment to take her pictures in. I believe that this gives the image an uplifting feeling rather than being a bit bland. Jung’s use of bright colours also draws the audiences attention in, framing the mirror. My image, however, is less colourful.

I would say this is due to the weather and time of the year that I have taken the images at. At the time of the shoot, the weather wasn ’t at its best with there being quite a bit of rain. This made the lighting dimmer than I hoped. I didn’t want to use artificial lighting as I believed it would take away from the nature aesthetic that I wanted for the images. Also if I had used artificial lighting, it may had interfered with the reflection casting light upon it. Similarly I have placed the mirror central to the image. This enables the audience to focus on what is being seen behind the lens.

If I were to do this shoot again, I would try to find a better shoot location which has better lighting and surroundings. Also, I would try to arrange to do the shoot when the weather is better as then this would have a more positive effect of the overall image. I am pleased with some of the images I have taken however, some of the images are slightly out of focus meaning that you cant always clearly see what is being reflected.

Overall, I think that I have used the research of Yeong Ja Jung well and have used it to create a good set of images that reflect what I have learnt from the artist.

Documentary Photography “Documentary photography usually refers to a popular form of photography used to chronicle both significant and relevant to history and historical events and everyday life. It is typically covered in professional photojournalism, or real life reportage, but it may also be an amateur, artistic, or academic pursuit. The photographer attempts to produce truthful, objective, and usually candid photography of a particular subject, most often pictures of people.”

With documentary photography, the photography always managed to capture a more emotional moment within history/society which is easily identified by the on looker. This shows to me that to be a successful documentary photographer, you must be aware of not only your subjects emotions and situation but also the emotion that the image you capture will have for your audience. Looking at different photographers I have seen that capturing certain moments can represent not just that moment but also be a microcosm for what’s actually happening in the wider world.

All of these images capture a moment that couldn’t be recreated. That for me is something very incredible because in that moment, one single person was able to capture something so emotional and moving that can impact many people around the world. The image above captures families in a state of pure sadness. I think that the woman could be a grieving wife who has just found out the loss of her husband.

Everything about the image implies that something bad has occurred and that it is going to affect all these people. To the audience, it is clear to see the emotion of all the people, whether they are sad or being more supportive.

Documentary Photography, of all kinds, is one of the most impactful genres of all. It has the power to portray events around the world in a truthful way that can show people how the actually events pan out. Without documentary photography the world would miss out on some crucial moments, that without the images people would interpret the whole situation wrongly. This genre has the potential to help towards making the world more understood, rather than being only seen by limited exposure. Photographers that can capture images that impact the world and leave a lasting effect are so important because they sometimes have such an impact on people that it will change their lives for better and always stay with them.

Dan Budnik ‘Dan Budnik is a photojournalist who has documented social, political and cultural change in the world for past 55 years.’

He was born in Long Island, 1933. He studied at the Art Students League of New York in the 1950’s. In the later 1950’s he began his work for Magnum Photo’s as assistant to many more established photographers. He later left Magnum in order to pursue a long term photographic project following the Civil Rights Movement in America. Budnik is highly recognised for capturing the Civil Rights Movement, including the Selma marches and the ‘I Have A Dream’ speech.

I find Dan Budnik’s work very inspiring as he spent a long period of time, dedicated to capturing moments that would be forever engraved in the history books. As a photographer that must be one of the most amazing feelings to know you’ve capture something so special that people will know about through your photos. Looking at all his work that he did based on the Civil Rights Movement, you can see that even though the majority of the images are candid they are well thought out. Budnik’s work has a positive representation of what was happening during these times, which is good as it showed people a different side to what other media sources were showing them.

Showing such a positive outlook makes it clear that despite all the segregation there were still people who didn’t agree with what was going on. Each of the images has a powerful message and meaning behind them and have had a huge impact of the world.

Not only is Budnik’s contextual meaning impressive but as is his technical skill. Taking candid images still need to be thought about how it will look. Taking into consideration rule of thirds, field of depth, lighting, and all other photographic techniques are all highly important in order to get image of a high quality.

Dan Budnik’s work has inspired me to do a photo shoot in a similar style to his. I feel like this is something that would interest me and also challenge me in a way. I plan to go and capture images of another potentially controversial event. Similar to Budnik, I hope to capture significant moment which stand out from the crowd.

This image was taken during the Selma to Montgomery March, 1965. This is seen as one of the most important marches that Martin Luther King Jr organised. The march took five days to travel the 54 miles from Selma to Montgomery. There were many who thought that the peaceful marchers would be attacked by ‘die hard white segregationists.’ This was one in a series of 30, which documents the march over the five days. The set of images were intended to show the world that these weren’t violent protests, and show the activism in a positive light. As you can see, the subjects of the image are two black males who are participants in the march.

I believe that the artist is using this image to show that there is peacefulness rather than violence and that these people don’t want to cause harm – they just want to be treated as equals rather than second class citizens. I think that Dan Budnik has captured this moment as it sums up the bond between people in times of need. For the on looker, these two men seem to know each other. Yet in fact, we don’t know anything about them which I think is nice. By not knowing about these men, the audience can begin to think of their own story as to why they are embracing this moment. For me, I can imagine that these men were strangers at the start of the march, yet over the five days they’ve got to know each other and have been empowered by each others stories. I feel inspired by this image because despite the difficulty they would have been facing, they have gone out and been proud of who they are and what they stand for. As a documentary photographer, Budnik wouldn’t have stopped these men and asked them to pose. To me, this makes the image even more meaningful that they would just do this. Despite the image being in black and white, there is a lot of light in the image. This gives the picture a positive feeling, implying that things are going to get better. Using the natural lighting is something that would have been used as this was a long march, so carrying heavy equipment would of hindered the photographer. The composition of this image is very impactful. The whole image is used to aid how they image is received. The background is simply the town they are marching through and other people they are walking with. This shows to the audience that this is actually happening in the world, not a staged studio. Also the other people show there is support for this cause. The mid-ground is the main two figures of the men. The foreground is their two hands clasped together being raised in the air.

This is significant as having this in the prime focal range makes it so noticeable. The two hands show a bond and unity. If the hands were lowered they would just blend in, in comparison to being in the air which is showing that they want everyone to know about it. Budnik has positioned himself amongst the marchers, thus giving the audience the view of one of the marchers. Overall, I like this image as I believe it represents the event in a highly positive and empowering way. Also, the image highlights important issues of the time in which it was taken. I believe the photographer was successful in what he was trying to achieve through his work.

Best Images from Documentary Shoot

My Work and Dan Budnik’s After being inspired by Dan Budnik’s work, I attempted to capture some stand out moments during a Pride parade. However, the image on the left was one of the most powerful images that I managed to get. After the event, people were protesting against the LGBT community who then stood up and peacefully showed them that ‘Love is stronger than hate.’ In both my work and Budnik’s, you can see the people striving for equality and the rights they deserve. I found this moment interesting as the LGBT community could have been very upset by what was being said, yet they took it and turned it into a positive message. Similarly, Budnik ’s work highlights the people of America standing up and showing a message about the situation that was going on. I believe that both the images encapsulate the need people have to be heard and the freedom they should have to do so. I chose to shoot in colour rather than black and white as I believed that as pride was a celebration of the community it should be colourful as it also helps the audience with setting the mood. If I had shot in black and white, I think that the images may have lost the meaning of people being happy with who they are and are happy to show it. After researching Dan ’s work, I found that banners and signs were something that was a vital part to the Civil Rights Movement, as a way of getting message out there for people to see. Both these pieces of work shown above use foreground and midground to show similar and also different things. The foreground in both images use the signs to show the main message of what is going on.

In Dan’s work, his midground presents a multitude of people, indicating that they are all supporting each other and the cause. Meanwhile, my image ’s midground presents people who are actually against the event. Both of these events, although very different, still show that people aren ’t willing to change their thoughts and it can result in conflict.

I believe that during this shoot I have been able to capture moments that are significant and highlight both the positives and negatives surround the issues of the LGBT community. The shoot at times was challenging due to there being such a vast amount of people surrounding me, which was a hindrance yet still I managed to get some worth while images. If I were to do the shoot again or a similar one, I would attempt to capture the images in black and white and see what the outcome was like and if it altered the perspective of how the event actually played out.

Nature Photography Nature photography is an umbrella term incorporating landscape, wildlife, and plant photography. Most nature photography is taken outdoors focussing on macro views, Ansel Adams‘ work reflects this.

There is a fine line between what is considered Nature and what is classed as Wildlife, all is in the eye of the person viewing the art and how they perceive the environment in which the photograph was taken.

‘Nature photography refers to a wide range of photography taken outdoors and devoted to displaying natural elements such as landscapes, wildlife, plants, and close-ups of natural scenes and textures.’

I feel that as Nature photography is such a wide genre it is hard to pinpoint exactly where each photograph fits. It is clear to see that some photographs cross over into other genres. The variety within the work shows the differences in the skills and techniques of the photographers. Some of the photographers specialise in certain areas such as Landscape photography and would used different techniques to those that specialise in working with floral micro photography. Despite their differences all these photographers fall into the same category creating competition between them, with everyone searching to achieve the ‘perfect shot’.

Clive Nichols With over 25 years experience as a photographer, Clive Nichols has now become one of the most sought after artists when it comes to taking images of flowers and gardens. His work ranges from landscapes to microphotography. The photographs he takes use techniques that are universalised in both the studio and out on location. Each peace of work captures immense details that other photographers may lose in their images.

Although the work is simple, the use of colour and composition is so impactful they stand out. This provides variety throughout his work showing off both technical ability and creative flare. Nichols’s work has been used for multiple purposes such as: magazines, exhibitions, brochures, calendars. Along side this work, he does private commissions for people. Throughout his career he has gained a highly thought of reputation within the photography community resulting in him being asked to be one of the main judges for prestigious ‘International Garden Photographer of the Year’ awards. This was an award he previously won back in 2005.

Every year he is called upon by the RHS to photograph the exhibits as well as taking workshops with the public.

This work is high profile and is seen by people all around the world. Nichols’ has been commissioned by HRH Prince of Wales to photograph his estate and encapsulate its beauty and passion HRH has for horticulture.

This image was taken at Pashley Manor Gardens, East Sussex. I believe the image was intended for the general public due to it being featured on his website to be bought. The photographer has used depth of field to his advantage to create a stunning image which makes the subject in the foreground stand out. The vibrant range of colours work well together to create an image which is has depth to it. The image to me depicts spring and the beginning of new flower life. With the colours that can be seen, it creates a positive mood for the viewer as it is nice and bright.

The artist has used natural available lighting to give the image the natural feeling rather than being set up in the studio. Naturalist images such as this has a positive effect on the audience rather than a dark image which would make the audience feel down.

Composition is a key feature of this image. The subject of the image is off centre giving it the use of the rule of third. This draws attention to the subject making it the focal point of the image. I plan to do a shoot based around the work of Clive Nichols, however I will try to bring my own style to the work I produce.

Best Images from Nature Shoot

Surreal Photography As I looked through the masses of surreal photographs that have been taken over the years, I could see that there isn’t always a particular style or technique that is used by everyone. I found this interesting as this to me summed up surrealism. Everyone interprets what is beyond real as something different meaning that what they want to show will be completely different from the next person. Obviously people will be inspired by other photographers and will work in a similar way, yet there will still be differences between the works they produce.

The two images in the centre look very similar in style yet were produced by different photographers.

For me, I like the idea of producing something that isn’t the norm, and is considered challenging for the audience. To be able to make works that make the audience question both themselves and the actual images, I believe you have succeed at being a powerful photographer. Amongst the large collection of surreal photographs there are some that stand out against the others, for example the work of Erik Johansson and Oscar Parasiego. Both completely different yet effective at achieving a response from the audience.

"Surreal photography would be more about creating a world or image which goes beyond the physical world as we know it. It usually shows something which would be impossible in real life or tampers with the line defining what is real and what is imaginary. Surreal = beyond the real."

Surreal photography is a genre which many people interpret as abstract. However, surreal and abstract are different, as surreal is about being beyond the real world. The work of surreal photographers goes beyond just taking an image. For these photographers, creating these images takes time to photograph their subjects but also in post-production it takes hard work to get the images to look so seamless.

During my research into the surreal photography genre, I found that there were some techniques that were repeatedly used by a range of different photographers. These were things such as: blurs, intense sharpness, detail, and contrast, unusual textures, over exuberant colour schemes, composites and blending, illusions and exaggerated juxtapositions.

Oscar Parasiego Oscar Parasiego’s work struck me as imaginative and interesting. Upon researching his work, all his collection/series have deeper, more meaningful back stories as to why he took them. Parasiego's work stood out amongst a group of others. This was due to this accessibility of his work and how easy it was to imagine what the work is meant to be signifying. His work uses themes to do with humanity and our self-reflections. The themes he uses to portray humanity are: communication, relationships, identity, emigration and death. Throughout his works, you can pick up which themes can relate to which series and even the cross over between more than one.

I believe his work is playful and tries to make the audience work to find their own true meaning to the images, not just the definition that he has put on them. Each picture takes into consideration a different person and their situation. By doing this, it shows him to be much more than a photographer. To have a relationship with your subject, to get to know a bit about them makes the image more meaningful than just taking the picture and that be all.

The technical skill that Oscar Parasiego possesses shows not only in his actual photographing but also through his post-production work. Mixing these two together has enabled him to create pieces of work which are not just images but have context and meanings behind them all. I believe this is a vital part of being a great surrealist photographer. Having the imagination to create different projects that may seem not real but at the same time very relevant to what is going on in peoples lives.

Looking at Oscar Parasiego’s work has inspired me to do my own shoot in the style of his Diaspora series. I plan to create a small set of images in the same style yet with my own twist. I’d like to create a series of images of people and their connection with the natural world. I feel like this will show the relationship between both being human and wanting to fit in within the world. The set I produce will only be small yet I hope they will be effective. This is because the technique can be seen and admired and doesn’t need great quantity rather than quality.

This image is part of Parasiego’s Diaspora series which aimed to show ‘identity in relation with its mutability according to the environment.’ The photo was taken in order to portray what it is like to be somewhere and try to fit in. This is a powerful message as it is something we all do from time to time. I believe that the artist was trying to illustrate to the audience that sometimes people try to fit in so much that they just fade away into the background and are hard to find their true self. This is something that may be more personal for the photographer as they have moved from Spain to different countries so may have experienced this feeling. By making the audience look closer, it enables the photographer to capture their attention more closely. Doing so will make the audience see small details that otherwise may not have been seen. The lighting of the image is up to a good standard, illuminating the setting so all the details of even the small scratches on the table can be seen. However, what put me off was the light orb that you can see in the glass of the door. This was probably due to flash which may have been avoided if the photographer positioned themselves in a slightly different location. The framing of this shot is interesting as they have placed the subject on one of the ‘rule of thirds’ lines. This normally would draw your attention to it, however because of the subject being removed this isn’t the case. Having the subject blending into the background, it leave it to the audience’s imagination as to who this person is, what is their story. Also, it leaves no room for discrimination as all you can tell is the outline which doesn’t give anything away about them. It just shows that we’re all human and we’re just trying to fit in in the world around us.

My Work and Oscar Parasiego’s During my time of making this set of images, inspired by Oscar Parasiego, I have found even when looking at my own images that sometimes the subject blends in more than I’d have imagined. Both of these images use the art of camouflage to their advantage. My image (left) and Parasiego’s (right) have blended the subjects in well with the backgrounds. At first glance, it can be hard to see exactly where the subject is, unless you already know. Having this similarity is something I am proud of, due to how well it has turned out. I believe by having the person blend in so very well, links back to my interpretation of people trying to fit in as much as they can within the world. I wanted to use nature as a basis for my setting as I think that the natural environment can encapsulate more than the city can in some situations. Our work in general differs are Oscar uses peoples new living environments and surrounding places to show them blending in. I stuck with the natural theme as I believed this worked better for me. These two images however are similar as they are both environmentally focussed. Oscar’s image is more of a mid-shot of the subject with them centralised.

Meanwhile, I chose to go for a longer shot to make it more difficult for the audience to pick out the subject.

If I were to do this shoot again, I would try to use more similar ideas to the artist. By doing this I feel that I would have more of a focus, rather than just trying to just show the techniques of the artist. Also, I would try and make the blend between the images more similar so they aren’t too obvious as to where the subject is.

Project Summary Over the course of this project, I have researched five different genres in order to explore a wider variety of photography. The genres I looked at were: Wildlife, Fine Art, Documentary, Nature and Surreal. I chose to do these genres because they all offer a creative techniques in different ways. I was interested in Wildlife photography due to it being something that I hadn’t really tried before. Fine Art interested me because it gave me an opportunity to create a set of images which weren’t what I normally produce.

Documentary, as a genre, wasn’t too interesting but was still enjoyable. I found this was because it was similar to street photography which I did last year. Nature photography seemed more interesting when I was researching the genre, however I didn’t find it very appealing when taking my own images as it got quite boring and repetitive. Surreal photography was one of the genres which stood out to me and was very enjoyable.

During this project, I faced a few challenges. One of the main challenges was the weather. Obviously this is out of my control but it did put restrictions on where and when I could photograph. This is something which I find difficult as a photography, because sometimes the weather has a negative effect on the outcomes. Another challenge I faced was when on my wildlife shoot was having to shoot through glass. This was a problem due to there being a reflection which made the images look like they were taken through glass which isn’t what I wanted.

Throughout the project, I found that I had multiple success’s. One of the success’s was that I have taken inspiration from the artists to create my own collections. However, I haven't just copied the artists work, I have used their ideas and made them my own. This I feel is a success as it shows that I can be inspired but not have to imitate their work.

Another success is my work with Fine Art. This was something that I really enjoyed even though it was a challenge at times. I think that I have made a set of images which have a good composition that is impactful for the audience.

Looking to the future, I have a few ideas of what I would like to explore. My first idea is to focus into the genre of Conceptual/Surreal photography, as this is something that I found very interesting during this project. I also feel that this is something which will challenge me to step out of my comfort zone. This would provide me with a wider range of ideas to look into and show off my photographic skills. Another idea is to work with photo manipulation. This is another theme which I find interesting. It could be used to link to different genres and even link into Conceptual/Surreal. The work with photo manipulation is a technique which takes longer, depending on what you ’re doing, but I feel that it would be a way to create a well established piece of work. A final idea could be based around the use of mirrors, smoke and light. I came about this because of my work with mirrors during this project. It was something which not only enabled me to use the mirror as a prop but also it provided me with a new perspective. The use of smoke alongside lighting could be interesting, and could be used as a method, similar to my research into surreal photography, in order to blend in.