Unit 3B Personal Study: How is surfaces and texture represented through the world of photography?
"Your Personal Study is a written and illustration document between 2500-3500 words. It must be based on a theme/topic that interests you and is relevant to your photographic portfolio."
Taks:
Take a response to Barry Lewis's Visual Noise - Phototgraph less than 30cm's from the object you are photographing.
Photograph different textures under studio conditions
photograph different outdoors textures
photograph contrasting textures
Photograph different textures under studio conditions
photograph different outdoors textures
photograph contrasting textures
Table of contents:
Rationale:
Over the past year I have learnt to develop an interest in specific genres within photography. One of the genre’s I have particularly enjoyed is close up photography. Last year I chose to take photos of miniature figurines in response to photographer ‘Slinkachu’. I really enjoyed this project as I had to use my imagination to create little words for my little people! As the figurines were so tiny I had to photograph them from a very close distance to ensure I would achieve good quality photos. I developed an interest in close up photography through this project, I discovered I really like the detail that can be found through close up still life photograph.
My chosen theme is 'texture'. Texture can be represented through photography in a number of different ways; through landscape photography that contains textural objects such as sand, rocks, water, trees etc. Using Macro photography to get close up shots of textural objects etc.
It could be argued that all photography contains aspects of textural representations. Even a blank piece of paper captures the element of what paper looks and feels like. Obviously some photographers are able to capture the element of texture in a more defined way than others.
My chosen theme is 'texture'. Texture can be represented through photography in a number of different ways; through landscape photography that contains textural objects such as sand, rocks, water, trees etc. Using Macro photography to get close up shots of textural objects etc.
It could be argued that all photography contains aspects of textural representations. Even a blank piece of paper captures the element of what paper looks and feels like. Obviously some photographers are able to capture the element of texture in a more defined way than others.
Photographers to research:
Barry Lewis - Visual Noise
Mario Giacomelli
Guy Tal
Mario Giacomelli
Guy Tal
Barry Lewis - Visual Noise:
Barry Lewis is freelance photographer who was born in London in 1948 He has won several awards for his work, the most important being the World Press Oscar Barnak Award, for a photo-essay on Romania after the revolution.
I found Barry Lewis's Visual Noise photography interesting in relation to the theme of texture and surfaces. Some of the objects Lewis has photographed are incredibly simple yet very effective in the way in which they represent association of surface and texture. I have decided to do a response to Lewis's visual noise as a starting point for my personal study on how surface and texture is represented through the world of photgraphy.
I found Barry Lewis's Visual Noise photography interesting in relation to the theme of texture and surfaces. Some of the objects Lewis has photographed are incredibly simple yet very effective in the way in which they represent association of surface and texture. I have decided to do a response to Lewis's visual noise as a starting point for my personal study on how surface and texture is represented through the world of photgraphy.
The above photographs are from Barry Lewis's set Visual Noise. Each photo is very simplisitc, one being of a puddle on the tarmac another a crack in a wall. However, each photo holds very strong representations of texture and surface. Lewis explores different textures through a man made world, the contrast graffitti has on a plain wall, spilled paint on pavement, deroded and chipped paint etc. Lewis's Visul Noise set consists of purely man made photography, nothing naturalistic.
Something I really admire about Lewis's work is the fact that he manages to create photography of simplistic objects such as pavement, tarmac, eroded walls etc, objects that are usually associated with boring colouring and photograph them with very vibrant colours surrounding them. Lewis seems to find the pavement and walls that have been defaced by graffiti or paint/oil spillage, the vibrant colours that Lewis photographs really adds to the way in which texture and surface is represented in his work sometime photo's of tarmac and pavement, as it tends to be incredibly dully coloured, looks very 2D and flat. Yet with the burst of vibrance in Lewis's work the shape and surface of the photo really comes to life.
Something I really admire about Lewis's work is the fact that he manages to create photography of simplistic objects such as pavement, tarmac, eroded walls etc, objects that are usually associated with boring colouring and photograph them with very vibrant colours surrounding them. Lewis seems to find the pavement and walls that have been defaced by graffiti or paint/oil spillage, the vibrant colours that Lewis photographs really adds to the way in which texture and surface is represented in his work sometime photo's of tarmac and pavement, as it tends to be incredibly dully coloured, looks very 2D and flat. Yet with the burst of vibrance in Lewis's work the shape and surface of the photo really comes to life.
Critical analysis of photograph from Barry Lewis's Visual Noise set:
Form: This is a photo from Barry Lewis's set Visual Noise, the photo is of part of a curb and part of the pavement. It appears that there has been some oil spilt onto the pavement changing the colours we see, in addition to this spillage it would appear that the pavement has began to almost rust creating a metalic brown effect.
Process: The photo was taken outside in natural light conditions. Lewis has photographed the curb and pavement from very close.
Content: What I really like about the photo is the combination of unusual colours, when we think about pavement and tarmac we don't associate it with bright orange or any vibrant colours. However, Lewis has achieved something quite out of the ordinary with this photo and has produced a photo with an array of bizarre colouring. I particularly like the worn out rusty effect of the photo, created by the combination of worn out colours, oil spillage and cracks in the pavement.
Process: The photo was taken outside in natural light conditions. Lewis has photographed the curb and pavement from very close.
Content: What I really like about the photo is the combination of unusual colours, when we think about pavement and tarmac we don't associate it with bright orange or any vibrant colours. However, Lewis has achieved something quite out of the ordinary with this photo and has produced a photo with an array of bizarre colouring. I particularly like the worn out rusty effect of the photo, created by the combination of worn out colours, oil spillage and cracks in the pavement.
Contrasting textures:
As I have decided that I will continue to photograph texture and still life throughout my personal study, I want to find a way of making the sets I produce a bit more interesting and unusual to look at. It's easy to photograph texture as different textures are all around us, but it is difficult to photograph texture in a different and usual way, something that really intrigues people to look at.
I have researched a variety of still life photographers to find someone who photographs interesting objects with a strong sense of texture, I found Karl Blossfeldt's still life photography very powerful. His close ups of unusually shaped plants with sharp thorns are very striking.
I have researched a variety of still life photographers to find someone who photographs interesting objects with a strong sense of texture, I found Karl Blossfeldt's still life photography very powerful. His close ups of unusually shaped plants with sharp thorns are very striking.
Initial Ideas:
Firstly I would like to produce a set of photos that capture a similar essence of strong contrast and definition like Karl Blossfeldts work, once I have perfected the ability to capture these aspects I would like to then go on to photograph contrasting textures together such as softly textured objects like feathers and hard textured objects such as knifes, nails etc
Critical analysis of Karl Blossfeldt's photography:
I particularly admire the above photo by Karl Blossfeldt, named Thistle Stem. The detail of each individual thorn is very striking, I like the way in which the thistle has been photographed in an almost eerie way. Printed onto Gelatin silver print gives the photo a striking black and white effect that adds to the contrast of the darkly shadowed parts of the thistle and the bright white background it's photographed against.
If I were to do a response to Karl Blossfeldts photography I would use the studio in order to achieve the correct lighting. I think shadowing really adds to the sense of contrast between the white background and the object being photographed.
I would like to go on to take a set using a variety of different fruit and vegetables, preferably unusually shaped.
If I were to do a response to Karl Blossfeldts photography I would use the studio in order to achieve the correct lighting. I think shadowing really adds to the sense of contrast between the white background and the object being photographed.
I would like to go on to take a set using a variety of different fruit and vegetables, preferably unusually shaped.
Research - Mathew Merrett:
Mathew Merret explores and exposes urban decay through his photography.
"The entire premise behind my photography is to bring as unusual perspective and awareness to the things that most people wouldn't give a second glance to. Exposing the obscure and resurrecting the lift where it once existed is my photographic passion. By carefully visualising my surroundings as they once were and are today, the past and the present are captured as one."
"The entire premise behind my photography is to bring as unusual perspective and awareness to the things that most people wouldn't give a second glance to. Exposing the obscure and resurrecting the lift where it once existed is my photographic passion. By carefully visualising my surroundings as they once were and are today, the past and the present are captured as one."
I really like Mathew Merrett's photography on urban decay, he photographs the most extreme and visible decaying buildings. He captures a striking sense of colour and contrast.
I personally prefer photographing decaying objects close-up. However, I really like the effect that is created when a entire decaying room or building has been photographed a sort of ghostly and eerie feeling occurs when looking at some of Mathew Merretts work; especially photos of abandoned run down schools.
"An amazing sense of composition brings new life to mines, schools, factories and other places that once were full of activity and now are ghost places. Merretts peaceful but intriguing images bring the past and the present together."
I personally prefer photographing decaying objects close-up. However, I really like the effect that is created when a entire decaying room or building has been photographed a sort of ghostly and eerie feeling occurs when looking at some of Mathew Merretts work; especially photos of abandoned run down schools.
"An amazing sense of composition brings new life to mines, schools, factories and other places that once were full of activity and now are ghost places. Merretts peaceful but intriguing images bring the past and the present together."
Decay and Erosion; Graffiti - Paul Politis:
During my time in Berlin I managed to take a set of photos that represent decay and erosion. Although I was documenting more than decay and erosion in Berlin, I found some interesting places to photograph one being a squat.
I decided that I really like photographing graffiti; graffiti can be interpreted in many different ways depending on the person viewing it, I find the art of graffiti very powerful. Graffiti artists present their work in an individual way, whether they graffiti simple words or phrases, sketches, portraits, cartoons etc, each individual piece of graffiti is different. Graffiti is everywhere! Any country you visit you'll see graffiti somewhere, and that's what I find so powerful about it. In Berlin I saw a lot of English graffiti which I found very interesting. The English language seems to come through in graffiti regardless of what country the graffiti is in. I have been to Turkey, Italy, Spain, Germany and seen English written graffiti in all of these places. When I got home from Berlin I did some research on photographers who photograph urban landscape; grafitti. I came across Paul Politis and immediately loved some of his photography of Graffiti. The majority of it being in black and white, created a very powerful contrast. I particularly like the photo of the white door with graffiti on, the contrast in this photograph is overwhelming. It simply wouldn't have such a strong effect if the photo was in colour. Each individual brick stands out due to the strong contrast, there's something very mysterious about the door. It seems quite randomly position, as we cannot see anything other than the brick wall and the door it creates many questions; what's behind the door? where does the door lead to? The door appears almost detached from the brick wall, separate completely from the photo. |