Practical Brief / Daido Moriyama

This is my image (below) in the style of contemporary photographer Daido Moriyama. The image was shot at night using a Canon G1X compact camera with built-in flash. This decision was informed by the following quote from the video entitled Daido Moriyama: In Pictures. 

"I don't use a large camera, instead I always use a compact camera. I mainly photograph in the street and this doesn't make people feel uncomfortable. It's easy to shoot with."

The subject matter is partially derived from Moriyama's feelings that "the world is an erotic place" and "cities are enormous bodies of people's desires". However, Moriyama also states that he is "drawn to all sorts of things"therefore I didn't set out with the intention of photographing anything in particular.

The composition is a little too constructed in relation to Moriyama's work. That is my primary criticism. 

An ISO of 400 was adequate enough to compensate for the absence of natural light. However I chose to shoot at an ISO of 800 in order to increase the appearance of noise. This lends itself to Moriyama's snapshot aesthetic.

With regards to post-production, the image was converted to black & white so as to be in keeping with the majority of Moriyama's work. His rationale for doing so is as follows:

" The reason why I think black and white photography is erotic is completely due to my body's instinctive response. Monochrome has stronger elements of abstraction or symbolism. There's an element of taking you to another place. Black and white has that physical effect on me, thats just the way I respond to things. Colour is something more vulgar, because colour is making the decisions, it feels vulgar. That seems to me to be the difference." 

Additionally, the contrast within the image has been substantially increased. This decision was informed by the counterchange largely present in his work. This brings me to my secondary criticism, which is that there isn't quite enough counterchange in relation to Moriyama's work.

Technical Details 

- ISO 800

- 1/125

- f 5.6 

- Built-in flash

- Canon G1X

Here are two images by Daido Moriyama that I have used as a point of reference. Both deal with similar subject matter.

Image Reference

Image Reference

Practical Brief / Edward Weston

This is my image in the style of historical photographer Edward Weston. The image has been shot digitally using a 30D. It was then cropped to 8x10 format in Photoshop to reflect Weston's use of a large plate camera. I also chose to shoot raw so as to capture some of the detail one would achieve using a large format camera.

The lighting consisted of a light either side of the subject. Both lights were set to 2.0 so that although flash was used, the lighting remained soft as opposed to harsh. 

The aspect of his work I considered most for this image was the subject matter; vegetables. I have photographed a small piece of kale using a 180mm macro lens. This lens was selected so that the detail and heightened texture present in Weston's photographs of vegetables could be emulated. 

With regards to post - production, the image was converted to black & white to emulate Weston's use of black and white film. The levels were also adjusted slightly to soften the tones within the image. 

I'd originally decided that this image wasn't very in keeping with Weston's work due to its grotesque nature. However, having looked at Weston's most famous pepper (below) in more detail I decided that it too was quite grotesque. 

Technical Details

-ISO 125
- 1/125
- f16

This is the image by Edward Weston that I used as a point of reference for my own work.

Practical Brief / Martin Parr

This is my image in the style of contemporary photographer Martin Parr. The image has been taken using a Canon G1X compact camera with built-in flash. This isn't in keeping with Parr's preferred choice of camera or flash, however the image has been cropped to 6 x 4.5 format in Photoshop. 

With regards to post - production, the colour saturation of the image has been increased. This was done to reflect the highly saturated, garish colours that can be seen in almost all of Parr's later work. The contrast has also been increased slightly to further the distinction between colours. 

The subject matter is partially derived from the body of Parr's work featured in the book entitled Signs of the Times (1992). The Ercol (a furniture manufacturer dating back to the 1920s) furniture either side of the fireplace bestows a quintessentially English element upon the image. The quintessentially English is a reoccurring element in much of Parr's work. 

The composition of the image is seemingly straightforward but in reality well considered. 

Technical Details

- ISO 125
- 1/125
- f 8

These are images from the book, Signs of the Times, that I have used as a point of reference for my own work.

Image Reference

Image Reference

Practical Brief / Alexander Rodchenko

This is my image in the style of historical photographer Alexander Rodchenko. The majority of his work was shot on black and white 35mm film. Due to time management issues on my part this image has been shot digitally using a Canon 30D. 

The subject matter is derived from Rodchenko's involvement with the Constructivist movement of the 1920s. It was an artistic/architectural movement that emphasised art as a practice for social purposes. Prominent themes within the movement include the body & the city, technology/machinery, architecture, science, politics and the workers. Constructivists often worked in black & white on a 2-dimensional picture plane, making use of geometric shapes, type, found images and graphic design.

With regards to composition, the image has been taken from an abstracting angle so as to be in keeping with Rodchenko's work. 

The majority of Rodchenko's architectural photographs feature a person which provides the viewer with a sense of scale and location. If I were to do the task again, I would include a person in my image. I did however find an example of Rodchenko's work (below) that supports my decision not to.  

Technical Details

-ISO 400
- 1/125
- f 8 

This is the image by Alexander Rodchenko that have used as a point of reference for my own work.

Image Reference

Practical Brief / Crit

Here are my notes from the session regarding some of the things to consider whilst producing our final four images.

- Talk about shutter speed, depth of field etc.
- Crop to the same format.
- Think about the ISO you choose.
- Consider whether or not the use of post production is appropriate.
- Edward Weston used a plate camera - impractical - consider using medium format with a low ISO film for detail instead.
- Consider both the photographers intent and your own.

These are the two developmental images I presented during the session.

This image is intended to be in the style of Rodchenko. I focused on incorporating the following aspects of his work; black & white image, deviating photographic angles and the use of geometric shapes/patterns. During the session I received the following feedback. Consider including a person/people in my final image to give it more of a sense of location.

This image was intended to be in the style of Edward Weston. The only aspect of his work I considered for this image was the subject matter; vegetables. I chose to photograph a small piece of kale using a 180mm macro lens, the result being something quite grotesque in nature. This was picked up during the feedback session. Although i'd already decided it wasn't very in keeping with Weston's work it was suggested that I could get away with portraying something grotesque with enough justification as to why I had chosen to do so. Having reflected on this, I can see how one of Weston's deformed peppers for example could be interpreted as a grotesque object as opposed one of beauty.

Practical Brief / Image Analysis

Martin Parr 

A break down of some of the aspects of Martin Parr's work.

- Unusual perspectives and motifs.
- Gaudy/highly saturated colours.
- Work incorporates a sense of humour and criticism.
- Work is amusing, approachable and relatable.
- Concepts include the quintessentially British, consumption and communication.
- Work presents itself as an aid for future generations in comprehending our cultural peculiarities.
- Familiar made strange.
- Sensitises the subconscious.
- Viewer is able to recognise pieces of themselves in his work.
- Provides the viewer with a sense of release.

See Martin Parr
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Daido Moriyama

A break down of some of the aspects of Daido Moriyama's work.

- Views the world as an erotic place - senses reaching out.

- Drawn to all sorts of subject matter.

- Searches for his own desires within a city - photographs a slice of time - the moment.

- Uses a compact camera - doesn't make people feel uncomfortable.

- Moved around a lot as a child - created his own home by connecting pieces of imaginary images & things he saw as a child - feels similarly about his work.

- Walks fast.

- Goes down all the backstreets.

- Takes snapshots in the movement of both himself and the surroundings.

- Snapshot aesthetic - instant moments.

- Black & white images - his body's instinctive response - stronger elements of abstraction and symbolism.

- Work possesses an element of transformation to another place.

- Feels colour is more vulgar - makes the decisions for you.

- States that the most important thing photography can do is relate to the photographers and viewers memories.

- Ambiguous.

- Photography - a reflection of desires.

See Daido Moriyama: In Pictures

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Edward Weston

A small section from the book entitled Edward Weston: An Aperture Monograph describing his process as he photographed peppers.

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Alexander Rodchenko

See post entitled Constructivism, Bauhaus & Dada for a break down of some of the aspects of Constructivist photography. 

History of Landscape Photography

Presentation from the session.

A Short History of Photography by Harvey Benge

Presentation from the session.

Lecture Five (rescheduled): The Photograph as a Document

Lecture Eleven: Creative Advertising & New Media

New Media 

The aim of this lecture was partly, to engage in current debates, surrounding the impact of new media on both communication and creativity. 

New media can be defined as media that work through engagement and involvement as opposed to persuasion or impressions. It is important to break with the past media model in order take full advantage of new media. The emotive advertising strategy required speaking to the masses and involved the audience emotionally. The old communication model transmitted idea's to an audience whereas the new communication model engages with an audience via computer. The new media model exhibits a shift from mass to my media. its generally a lot more targeted and requires audience involvement making it more personalised overall. The definition of viral, unpaid advertising is unpaid peer-to-peer communication of content originating from an identified sponsor using the internet to persuade or influence an audience to pass along the content to others. The communication buzz is dependent on seeding and scale of placement. 

The study of systems is known as cybernetics and can be applied to any system be it mechanical, biological or social. 

The internet enables lots of small idea's to circulate. Viewer-generated content allows audiences to actively manage media culture. Soon, mobile phones will become the greatest persuasion tool in advertising and are one of the fastest growing markets in the creative industries. This is primarily due to their Kairos factor, which is the principle of presenting the desired message at the opportune moment. Mobile advertising will soon become the fastest growing promotional channel. Big ideas and craft remain important. The new model of creativity involves larger teams, collaborative online creativity and ebrainstorming. Research has shown that the design process is enriched by online conversation rather than relying on visuals alone. 

To conclude, the introduction of new media has enhanced entertainment, presented new models of communication and creativity and created an experimental, engaging, social and tactile third layer.

Lecture Ten: Fashion as a Photograph

Lecture Notes 

Exhibiting products in context is often far more persuasive than flat images are. The ghost mannequin gives customers an idea of how a particular garment would fit a real person without running the risk of the mannequin or model pulling the focus away from it. 

In 1839 Henry Fox Talbot invented the calotype process, which used paper coated with silver iodide. With the improvements in the halftone printing process came the ability to reproduce photographs in magazines, which meant drawn illustrations no longer had to be used. The designs of Paul Poiret (1879-1944) signified the freedom from corsetry and introduced signature shapes such as the hobble skirt and harem pants. His designs were heavily influenced by antique dress-draping. In the 1920's and 1930's Vogue and Harpers Bazaar were leaders in fashion photography. Some of the more notable photographers featured in these two magazines at the time were Hoyningen-Huene, Horst P. Horst and Cecil Beaton. 

The work of Cecil Beaton (1904-1980) featured primarily in British Vogue and Vanity fair. She was a member of the "Bright Young Things" of the 1920's and 1930's and photographed numerous British Royals. Additionally, she designed sets, costumes and lighting for Broadway. 

Lee Miller (1907-1977) was an American photographer and fashion model at the age of 19. In 1929, she travelled to Paris with photographer Man Ray and became involved in the surrealist movement within photography. In 1944, she became a correspondent accredited to the US Army and worked with photographer David E. Scherman. She was, in all likeliness, the only female combat photojournalist to document the war in Europe, witnessing events such as the siege of St Malo and the Liberation of Paris among others. 

Louise Dahl Wolfe was a staff fashion photographer at Harpers Bazaar from 1936 till 1958. From then onwards she worked as a freelance photographer for Vogue and Sports Illustrated alongside numerous other magazines, until her retirement in 1960. Her work can be categorised as environmental fashion photography. 

Richard Avedon (1923-2004) worked at Harpers Bazaar till 1966 followed by a stint at Vogue. German photographer Juergen Teller has had his photographs published in both The Face and Vogue. He has worked with Vivien Westwood and Marc Jacobs as well as a number of musicians. Corrine Day (1965-2010) is a British model and fashion photographer who has worked for The Face  and Vogue. Her Vogue cover with Kate moss is often credited with the beginnings of the trend for the 'waif' look. In 2003, the introduction of Adobe Photoshop substantially changed fashion photography and gave way to a number of new photographers such as Terry Richardson and Nick Knight. 

Fashion blogging democratises fashion photography in the sense that it allows anyone to write about and photograph fashion. Some examples of this are Streetstyle Copenhagen and wiwt.com.