On Being a Photographer by Bill Jay and David Hurn

This has to be one of the best photography books I have read over the last year or so.  I found it very informative and the practical advice it offered was of huge benefit to me.  I have found since reading the book that the way in which I approach a shoot has changed and the way I look at my projects and subjects will never be the same again. 

The book is a relatively easy read as it focuses on a series of interviews/discussions between Bill Jay and professional photographer and academic David Hurn.  In it they talk about various aspects of  photography by exploring definitions, shooting, subjects and narrative or the picture essay.  It also includes a section on working with contacts which is something my tutor has stressed the importance of. 

Definitions

When looking at definitions it was interesting to read David Hurn's view on these and what definition is chooses for his work.  Definitions cover a broad spectrum and arise commonly when discussing photography.  He says of photojournalism; "that the word itself implies the subject is a topical news event, published in mass media with the intent to right a social wrong."  Journalism is linked to tabloid sensationalism where it can become distorted and take on a level of entertainment.  He refers to papparazzi which is aggressive and lacks ethics and aesthetics.  There is a difference though in the work of McCullin and Ian Berry as they have taken the time to learn about and understand their subjects.  

When looking at the definition documentary Hurn believes that it is problematic too.  Documentary photography is objective and by its nature photography is subjective.  The photograph as document is expected to present factual evidence, a true representation and non-judgemental view of events.  

Photographs are subjective with two main controls at the photographer's disposal: where he stands and when he presses the shutter button.  According to Hurn the only factually correct aspect of photography is that is shows what something looked like under a very particular set of circumstances."

Hurn opts for the definition reportage. because it implies a personal account of an observed event with connotations of subjectivity and honesty.  it is eye-witness photography.  

Selecting a subject

Bill Jay looks at the role of a photographer and he says that the "destination of photography is to reveal what something or someone looked like under a particular set of conditions, at a particular moment in time, and to transmit the results to others." He goes on to ask Hurn what transforms an interesting picture into wonderful picture.  The photographer must have an intense interest in the his or her subject.  It is only then that the subject can be examined and researched.  

The subject matter is by far more important than the artistic means employed to take the photograph.  A successful photographer has a curiosity and fascination with the subject which they can the communicate to others through pictures.  

Hurn's advice

You should list all the things that interest you and then refine the list based on the following:

• Is it visual?
• Is it practical?  Can you access it?
• Is it a subject which I know enough about it?
• Is it interesting to others?

When you have refined your list accordingly you will have a subject or subjects that you will then be able to research and learn more about.  

This is how a successful professional photographer works and the results can be seen in their images.  

Shooting the image

When you have all your preparation work completed you can then go about shooting your subject.  The purpose of the picture is to reveal the chosen aspect of the subject matter.  

The two fundamental elements in all picture taking are 1, where to stand and 2, when to release the shutter.  Position and timing are the two controls the photogrpaher has at his disposal.  Everything else according to Hurn is periphery.  

Where you stand determines the visual clarity.  You may find that you move around to get the best position.  If you study the contact sheets of the best photographers you will find that this is exactly what they do.  They will have committed themselves to a position where they can see most clearly what's taking place.  Each frames develops and moves towards the picture.  

Creating contacts

All successful photographers study their contacts and every element in the frame.  This allows the photographer to learn from mistakes but also to examine every element in the frame.  I have found that when shooting sometimes you don't notice something in the background which you later discover is affecting the overall composition.  

According to Hurn you stand or fall by how critical you are with your own work.  By examining contacts you have the added bonus of looking at your work without the emotional involvement that is there at the time of shooting.  

This is something I have started to do more of.  I will now print off my contacts and study each one post shoot.  

What I have learnt from this book

• How to choose a subject
• How to study and research my chosen subject
• The two most important controls the photographer has is position and timing.  If you fail to get that right no amount of artistic creativity will produce a good shot.  
• Study your contacts and learn from them
• Photography can be a way to overcome shyness.  It gives you an excuse to be where you are and a reason for doing what you are doing.  

100 Ideas that Changed Photography

I first saw a review of this book on the OCA student website and it seemed like a book that I would find interesting.

The book essentially presents 100 ideas that changed photography.  The author, Mary Warner Marien,  is quick to point out that this is not a comprehensive list.  It is clear that there are probably hundreds more ideas that have had some influence on photography but this is a good starting point.

I see the book as a combination of a primer and reference book.  Although the ideas are presented in a chronological order it falls short of a history of photography book as it lacks the required depth in my opinion.

As a photography book it provides a more holistic view of the medium.  It includes the various inventions in photography from the first camera to the polaroid and the most recent addition - the camera phone.  It also looks at how other media influenced photography like the television.

What I liked about the book

• It is more visual that text heavy which was a welcome relief after some of the books I have been studying recently.  
• Introduces the reader to bite sized pieces of information about themes and developments in photography therefore acting as a good starting point should you wish to explore further. 
• Provides a good overview of photography
• Good quality images
• Easy to read and understand

What I learnt from the book

I learnt a lot more about the darkroom and printing processes which was an area that I would consider myself weak.  Although not particularly relevant to my workflow as I shoot digital I have found a better understanding of the print processes has helped a great deal when looking at the work of others and when visiting exhibitions.  

I also feel that I have given a lot more thought to the future of photography and where it may be heading after reading this book.  My reading for this course has included a lot about the history of photography and I feel that I haven't looked at photography today as much as I should do.

it reminded me of the various uses of photography and I especially enjoyed looking at the medium in relation to advertising and documentary.

I would recommend this book to anyone.  I feel that it is a good reference book that is easy to dip in and out of and in appeals to the student and the casual reader.  

Martha Short's Context and Narraitve

I’ve been re-reading Maria Short’s book Context and Narrative and several questions have rose their head about where I need to take my photography.  How do I communicate my ideas visually? How do I do this more effectively? How do I bring a concept to life? How do I ensure audience engagement?  

According to Short to be a photographer…”you need to be passionate about communicating ‘something’, as this will inform every choice you make in relation to your work.” She continues, “you also need to to interested in the world around you; you need to be interested in things beyond photography. The substance of the work is in your commitment to your subject, as this will show in your photographs, this commitment will make your photographs breathe; this is how your personalise your work.  If you are clear about why you are photographing your subject then you can choose how to photograph your subject, and in turn this should help your audience interpret the photograph.”

I believe that somewhere along this course I lost direction and my work suffered as a result.  On occasions perhaps I had too much to say and on others not enough.  I do feel though that towards the latter part of this course I found that I lacked 'commitment' to my subject.  Or maybe my subject was too big to commit to and I became overwhelmed and confused about the message I was communicating.

So in order to address this I am going back to basics.

There’s a three-way relationship between photographer, subject and audience – a communication triangle if you like.  The treatment of the subject by the photographer and the visual language applied has a direct influence on how the audience interprets the picture in front of them or if they care to interpret it at all. 

Picture making is not divorced from the photographer’s life experiences and beliefs.  In many images the influence of the photographer is apparent.  They construct the image, it is a trace of what they see and how they want the audience to render meaning from it.

Due to a lot of personal issues in the last few months I feel that I have been temporarily separated from my work.  I was not able to fully engage.  I think this cane be seen in the work I was producing.

So here I am again turning to this book and asking myself:

What is a photograph?

It is an image of the past, a moment that was captured and frozen in time.  It is a document of what happened or what was present. 

Photographs can be simply records, like medical or forensic images, or they can be something more.  They can tell a story.

The key to a successful photograph is engaging with the subject. 

A photograph is a way of expressing an idea, of developing a concept and of storytelling.

What is narrative?

A narrative is basically a way of telling a story.  It usually has a beginning, middle and end.  In photography, a visual narrative works slightly differently.  It can have the basic structure of beginning, middle and end or it might simply imply what has happened in the past or is about to occur.  It may be a fictional interpretation of a given person, place, thing or moment. 

Linear narrative

In photography a narrative can take be communicated in a linear sense, but it can also be cyclical.  It can be a series or images or a single one.  It can be a collection of images that only make sense when brought together. 

Visual continuity

Images can be linked by using visual continuity whether that is weather, subject, location or another linking factor. 

Sequential narratives

Narratives can also be sequential stories or journeys like a pilgrimage that takes you from A to B. 

Visual punctuation

Visual punctuation includes the breaking of the sequence by including a black and white image or one of a different size – something that interrupts the flow.  It can be a one off. 

Juxtaposition can help raise an argument or present a question; the tension between hot and cold, light and dark for example.

The eye of the camera also plays a role.  Is the eye a fourth wall, the eye of the subject or the eye of the viewer/audience?

Symbols and signs

The study of signs is called semiotics. 

To familiarise use with the models and terminology we can look at the work of two philosophers.

Ferdinand de Saussure

Dyadic approach.  The signifier (form which the sign takes) and the signified (the idea/concept it represents).  

Charles Sanders Peirce

Three tiered approach

Representament – the form the sign takes

Interpretant – the sense made of the sign

Object – to which the sign refers. 

Barthes on a more basic level looked at the ‘studium’ which he described as the general interest in an image and the ‘punctum’ which arrests the attention. 

Symbol

Something that represents something else.  In this case the signifier does not represent the signified – this relationship must be learned like rules or language.

Icons

The signifier is perceived as resembling the signified or imitating the signified.  For example, in a portrait, cartoon, with gestures or sound effects etc.

Indexicality

Indexical signifier is physically or casually linked to the signified.  This link can be observed or inferred.  Natural signs like smoke = heat, footprints = footsteps. 

Indexicality is very important to photography because it is a literal ‘trace’ of the original subject according to Peirce.

 Visual Metaphor

Use of a subject as a visual metaphor for something the photographer wishes to express.  This can be seen in the work of Short herself in her collection Gall. In this body of work she uses a horse as a visual metaphor to “express how I felt about the challenges that faced young women in relation to their sense of identity and social placing.”

This enabled her to raise questions such as “when is protection suppression? When is freedom a cliché?”

By going back to basics I believe that I can overcome the problems I've been having and get back on track.  

Freezing Time: The Autobiography of Eadweard Muybridge

I have just finished reading Freezing Time: The Autobiography of Eadweard Muybridge by Keith Stern.  It wasn't necessarily a book I was dying to read.  I just came across a copy of it and thought I'd give it a go.  The book looks at the lives of four interesting characters that shaped the life and work of the early photographer Eadweard Muybridge.  We have Muybridge himself at the narrator of the story.  His wife Flora who was half his age.  Her lover the con man Larkyns and Senator Leland Stanford the benefactor of Muybridge's work.

It's an interesting read if somewhat strange at times but that in part is due the narrator himself.  I suppose Muybridge is most famous for his work on horses particularly Horse in Motion.  However, the book introduces us to his landscape work at Yosemite, his attempts at photojournalism and the work he did of Chinese workers on the railroads and of the native American people.  The book also introduces us to what became his most important work - the motion picture what was to eventually become the movie.

I think the most striking thing about his photography and his approach to his work is that it is a science and not an art.  This of course opens the old debate of whether photography is art at all.  At the time that he was working photography was very much in its infancy and had limitations, some which he was keen to explore.

I think the most I got out of this books was an insight into the work and commitment of early pioneers of photography.  I think that with modern technology the camera is something we take for granted and few know how it actually works.  I think this is an interesting concept - the idea that people take more pictures that ever before and most have even less control over how they are made.  It also shows the change in the meaning of a photograph.  Muybridge used his images to prove scientific facts and make discoveries.  Today images are used to such a mass extent that their meaning (if there was indeed any in the first place) has been lost.

Muybridge is portrayed as a disturbed genius who led a colourful life.  His legacy can be seen in the work of others like Thomas Eakins, Thomas Edison and Francis Bacon.

Vivian Maier

The latest book I have added to my collection is Vivian Maier: Street Photographer.  

I first came across Maier's work a couple of years ago at the London Street Photography Festival.  I attended an exhibition of her work that I hadn't planned to go to and I was glad that I did.

We all love a story about someone who achieves success.  Whether that is a rags to riches story or the story of an artist whose work is discovered after their death.  The latter is the case for Maier.  I think the fact that she didn't work as a commercial photographer or seek gratification before she died gave her a freedom to work unhampered.

Maier appears to make the most of her free time from working as a nanny to shooting the streets where she lived.  She captures the vibrancy of the city but also the harsh realities of life in her time.  This leads to a variety of exciting and interesting subjects.  You have children, businessmen, the rich and poor, beggars and busyness of city life.  If these are her subjects then young love, loneliness, drunkeness and childhood innocence are the traits of life she captures.

The book contains an interesting set of images from her work.  There is an element of humour in her work.  There is also a sadness.  The book gives a great insight into how Maier saw the world and what truly stirred her emotionally.

Shaped by War - Don McCullin

For my birthday last week I received Don McCullin's book Shaped by War.  I have to say that this book wasn't on my reading list but as it happens it tied in nicely with the reading I have been doing on documentary photography recently.  It was especially poignant in relation to peripateia and the decisive moment.  

I think everyone has heard of McCullin even those that are not very interested in photography.  I suppose he is a bit like David Bailey or Rankin in that respect.  However, his fame is based on his career as a war photographer who covered Vietnam, Biafra and the Congo wars to name a few.  What this book introduced me to is his work as a landscape and still life photographer a far cry from the battlefield he usually inhabits.  

Before reading this book I watched an interview he did with Michael Parkinson.  I found it interesting to hear him talk about his work and what motivated him to shoot wars.  I think we all have this image of war photographers being exceptionally brave, which indeed they are, but what we don't think about is their fears. McCullin was willing to talk about his fears and how scenes from the battlefield revisit him and have stayed with him over the years.  

He came across as frank and spoke candidly about how he got into photography.  It was interesting to read and hear him talk about the mistakes he made along the way and about his naivety.  He got his big break as a result of two deaths: one of a policeman stabbed to death at the bottom of his road and the other the hanging of the man convicted of the murder.  I would like to think that not every photographers entry into the world is as dramatic.  I wonder where McCullin would be if neither of those events happened.  

Unlike today McCullin seems to have been able to enter the world of photojournalism without much ado or that is the way it comes across.  I can't imagine that many of the remaining staff photographers at the nationals have much of a say in where they go and what they cover and an unlimited budget to do so.  How times change? 

The most disappointing thing about the book for me was that it was almost word for word the same as the Parkinson interview.  Had I not watched the interview I would have found it interesting and informative.  However, I had watched the interview and I wanted the book to give me more information which it failed to.  

The book didn't give too many insights into the way McCullin worked as a photographer from a technical point of view nor did it give any references to composition or what he would look for in a scene.  Perhaps like many photographers he likes to keep those secrets close to his chest or maybe its just not something he feels comfortable talking about.  Perhaps it's not really important.  

Overall I liked the images in the book even though some of them were quite disturbing.  I found his transition into colour interesting.  I think I have to agree with him when he says that black and white is a better medium for war images.  I prefer his black and white work to his colour work.  In many ways it is easier to view them in black and white because with the absence of colour you are shielded from the bloody scenes in front of you. 

The book is a fascinating insight into the mind of someone who has had a successful career spanning decades shooting some of the most horrifying scenes a person's eyes will ever witness.  It is about what made him continue working when the scenes unfolding in front of him brought him close to burnout.  

Photography: The Key Concepts by David Bate

                                                              

Lately I've been reading a lot more about the history of photography which has led me to explore photographic theory in more detail.  This is something I haven't dedicated enough time to in the past which may be down to the fact I found it difficult to understand.  However, this book makes it easier to get to grips with.

Bate's explores the the place photography has in our society examining the amazing number of genres in the medium.  He briefly outlines the history of photography although I found Badger's book a better read for historical perspective.

The explanations of the different bodies of theory on photography are introduced by Bate in a way I found easy to understand.  He guides you through documentary, still life, landscape and global photography.  Perhaps my knowledge in these areas had already improved hence it being easier to appreciate.  

In this post I will focus on the chapters of the book that are particularly relevant to this course - People and Place - and what I have learnt that will improve my work in this genre.

Photographic theory
I particularly enjoyed getting my head around the history of photographic theory.  I have tried on several occasions to make sense of it all but have until now failed miserably.  I feel that I had to have reached a certain point in my photography to be able to take this on board and learn from it.

What I have learnt about theory:

• Theory is essential to all apsects of photographic practice
• Photography has a visual language with its very own set of codes
• Reality is what we believe exists but realism is the mode of representation that supports that reality.  
• Semiotics makes a distinction between the photographic signifier (the photograph) and the signified or concept.  Photographs require a viewer to give a signified meaning to the image. 

I found it particularly interesting to learn more about realism.  Is it strange that even though I know there is more to a photograph that I still have the expectation that it is the same as reality?  I suppose it is hard to dispel a common myth that has been instilled in you since childhood.

Questions the book poses in relation to theory that has given me food for thought

• How do photograph achieve meaning?
• Are codes and conventions important?

Documentary
As it is with realism, people believe that documentary photography is real too.  It is mistakenly believed to document real events or occurrences.  As viewers we are very much at the mercy of the photographer as he or she decides what we see and what information we are allowed to have from the scene to view.

I found Bate's chapter on documentary informative. Although I have read a lot about narrative in the past I think I now have a stronger interpretation of it and how it can be applied to my work.  Or perhaps what I should be looking for when I view documentary photographers work.

I have long been familiar with the decisive moment but I never thought about it as peripateia - the moment where the future of the story will be determined the moment of anticipation when the story is in the process of being decided.  I suppose I can really see this in the work of war photography.  However, in the every day aspects of life peripateia does not have the same resonance.

Subjective and objective documentary work was a new concept the book introduced to me.  When you think about it makes sense that there is two different strands of documentary work and that both have a different effect on the way the narrative unfolds.

What I have learnt about documentary

• The motivation for documentary photography is to creatively inform its viewers about another part of the population whose life and experiences may be unfamiliar to them.  
• The aim of documentary work may to criticise, celebrate, support or attempt to reform or change a situation they depict. 
• Documentary photographers use different tactics from tripod based views to hand-held tableaux scenes.  These create distinct viewer positions usually perceived as either an objective or subjective position. 

Tripod photography very much focuses on the informational codes of the scene while shutter photography looks at the fleeting moments of everyday life.  Subjective photographs laid the way for reportage.  

Reportage derived from the snapshot.  It has a greater expressive quality as it is subjective in both its mode of production and its visual connotations.  

Questions the book poses in relation to documentary that has given me food for thought

• What is the difference between a photograph as document and social documentary?  Is there one?
• Can one picture tell a complex story?  Do you need several pictures to complete a narrative?
• Is the 'decisive moment' as coined by Cartier Bresson about freezing time or triggering an implied narrative?
• What kind of stories do documentary photographers tell?

Portraiture

Again I have read a lot on portraiture especially for this course.  However the book introduced new ways of looking at the genre for me.  For starters it refers to the elements of portraiture: face, pose, clothes and location or setting.  It is interesting to see what each of the elements adds to the photograph.  Each element tells us something different about the person the photograph depicts.  However, we still are left at times to fill in blanks often deliberately left by the camera operator.

When we talk about reading portraits I would have thought of reading the details in front of us that the photograph tells us.  This can be referred to as the surface or appearance.  However, we automatically look at the depth or reality which adds another level of meaning to the image.  This meaning is inferred by the viewer.

I particularly found the concept of recognition interesting.  Freud wrote of repetition as being important to us as we are already seeing something we know but are rediscovering it again.  This provides us with pleasure whether it is a conscious or sub-conscious pleasure.

As viewers we encounter

• Familiar - family, friends and people we know
• Unfamiliar - strangers 
• Known representations - discursive knowledge - people that are familiar but we do not actually know them eg famous people

The known and familiar are repetitive whereas the unfamiliar are not.  In portraying the unfamiliar photographers are faced with the problem of representing the unrepresented.  This had led to innovations in portraiture. 

As viewers we derive pleasure from looking at the familiar and known.  We identify with the camera as viewer, with the person depicted, or the person depicted and with the look of the person.  

Freud wrote about narcissism and voyeurism and how we obtain pleasure from looking.  Lacan focused on the fact that we look to our mirror image (parents) to gain recognition of who we are.  Which leads to the question am I like this person?  This is what we ask when we look at portraits.  Am I like this person?  Are they like me?  We look for what we can see of ourselves in the image.  

We often project our own feelings on to an image whether they are pleasurable or uncomfortable.  

With regard to images that have blank expressions, the Mona Lisa being the most famous we are left to fill in the blanks by ourselves.  Leonardo de Vinci used the sfumato technique and photographers have adopted their own soft focus blur on the face to allow viewers to project impressions onto the portraits.  This effect can be seen in the paintings of Rembrandt and the photographs of Julia Margaret Cameron and Edward Steichen.  

Questions the book poses in relation to the porttrait that has given me food for thought

• What can we learn from a portrait?
• Does portraiture idealise, describe or criticise a sitter? 
• Can the pose be a type of defence?
• Why is portraiture so popular?
• What does the human face reveal about character if anything?

Overall I found this book very informative and easy to digest.  It has enabled me to think more about my role as photographer in the images that I take. It has reinforced that I as the photographer tell the story of the person I am photographing and how he/she is seen by the spectators.

This book is an essential read for anyone wishing to learn more about photography in relation to society and its effects on our world.

Gerry Badger's The Genius of Photography

I have recently revisited the history of photography thanks to The Genius of Photography by Gerry Badger.  It has been a while since I looked at the history of the medium perferring to focus on individual photographer's work of late.  However, I have found this book to be a very informative and good read. 

Badger's approach is frank and straightforward and he takes you through the history of photography from the invention of the Daguerrotype to the arrival of the digital age.  His language is simple and easy to understand which makes it easier to understand the various movements he introduces you to like pictorialism and postmodernism. 

This book is unlike the other history books I have read.  It is not text heavy instead having a lot of images which makes it easier for you to link photographers with their work or movements with relevant examples with ease.  I have found that there was a clear linear progression in the book which introduces you to movements and developments as they happen which I felt was lacking in some of the other history books I have read.  This made it a less confusing history lesson. 

Although I was familiar with a lot of the photographers and work in the book I feel that my knowledge of the history of photography has improved.  I think before I had a lot information running around in my head and that now that information has been filed and put in to order. 

Some areas I found particulary interesting are:

Place in photography
In chapter 4 chapter he introduces you to the changes in landscape photography that we can see in Stephen Shore's American Surfaces and Uncommon Places.  He photographs Adams' Yosemite but focuses on people rather than the mountains which take a back seat to the vactioning family.  He also looks at the work of Roger Mayne, Lee Friedlander, Gary Winograd and Tony Ray-Jones. 

However it was his summation on the spirit of place that I found the most interesting.  Here he looked at the work of Martin Parr and John Gossage.  I was familiar with Parr's New Brigton work but not with Gossage's work in the Berlin wall.  Getting to know your subject intimately enables you to produce a more informed series of images.  The way you shoot and what you shoot is very different if you are looking from the outside in to if you are already on the inside and familiar with your surroundings and subjects. 

Portraits
I have read quite a lot about portraits for the first assignment of this course but found Badger's coverage of the topic new to me in many respects.  He explores the ways in which the dynamics of the relationship between photographer and subject have an impact on the portrait result.  I had been aware of this but I feel that perhaps I never gave it as much thought as I should have.  Yes there is a difference between society and social portraits but there is also a difference when the sitter is involved in the making of the image too.  This can be seen in the series of portraits of Comtesse de Castiglione by Pierson where she played an active role in deciding how she would be represented to the world. 

He also looks at the portrait as a sense of identity and how it can immortalise the sugject.  The portrait lives on long after the subject has passed away. 

Colour
I had been aware of that the introduction of colour film technology was not embraced by many photographers who regarded it as cheap.  Black and white remained the preferred medium for serious photography long after the introduction of colour and I believe that this still remains a little today.  People tend to see black and white as 'better' than colour which is certainly not the case. 

I found the added dimension of colour interesting by those who embraced it like Stephen Shore and William Eggleston. 

Photographic Movements
I have a greater understanding of photographic movements especially the way in which European photography and American photography went in different directions especially after World War II.  Where the Europeans took more of a humanist approach the Amercians became more conservative and inward looking.  In contrast the Magnum photographers set out to capture the changing world. 

The book has opened me up to the feminism in photography something I haven't given too much consideration to before.  In a male dominated world women set out to photograph in a different way by exploiting the norm like they did in many other ways - literature and art. This can be seen in the work of Cindy Sherman and Diance Arbus. 

The quest to make photography an art.
I think I didn't give a lot of consideration to the long journey photography has made to become accepted as an art.  I was aware of the science versus art debate but I don't think I truly appreciated what this meant or the impact it had on the way certain photographers worked. 

The book highlighted for me the importance of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and its role in photography. 

Some things I have discovered

• Weegee
• Lee Miller and her brutal images of the second world war.
• Stephen Shore as an artist as opposed to just the author of The Nature of Photographs.
• The importance of William Klein's book Life is good and good for you in New York.  We all hear about Frank's The Americans but Klein's book is equally if not more influential. 
• Donovan Wylie and his work on the Maze Prison in Belfast
• Photographers who direct their work by staging and setting up the scenes like Thomas Demand and
• Photographers who make their work using other people's images - Richard Prince
• The role of the photobook in photography and its changing role as it becomes more accessible in the digital age

Street Photography Now

If you are looking for a book that introduces the world of street photography and some of its major current players then Street Photography Now is the book for you.

I bought this a couple of years ago at the London Street Photography Festival and have found it to be a great source of inspiration especially recently.  At the time I was new to the genre and it is fair to say a little clueless as to what exactly constitutes street photography.  However, this books provides a solid introduction, history and current day dilemmas facing street photographers along with their a critique on their theatre of everyday life.

It introduces the work of 46 contemporary photographers from Magnum masters Martin Parr and Bruce Gilden to international emerging photographers whose work focuses on cities in China and India.

What I like the most is the sheer diversity of the images.  On the one hand you have the traditional style black and white street photographs on the other beautiful works in colour that border on social documentary.

Lately I have turned to this book before going out and about shooting in the streets.  Many of the exercises in the last section of this course required me to work on the streets capturing every day events and life as it passes by.  I have the work of David Gibson, Nick Turpin, Trent Parke and Joel Meyerowitz of particular interest.

Street Photography Now has become my very own mini encyclopaedia of street photography.

Early portrait photography & Juliet Margaret Cameron

I've made a start on reading Train Your Gaze: A Practical and Theoretical Introduction to Portrait Photography.  I like the way the book sets assignments for you to do which are very different to what has been set by the OCA.  

I hope to be able to give quite a few of these separate assignments a shot but I suppose my success very much depends on how long my friends and family will put up with me badgering them to pose for me.  

Whilst reading about the early pioneers in photography and their work in relation to portraits it is amazing how much photography has developed and how easy it is not to take an image in comparison.  

We have all seen the old portraits of our ancestors and how rigid and stern looking they appeared.  With long exposures of up to 18 minutes in some cases subjects had to wear neck braces to keep their heads still.  This contributed to the rigidity and serious demeanour that can be seen in early portraits.  

Early portrait photographers very much concerned themselves with producing results based on painted portraits.  This also contributed to the early style.  

Often with the use of daguerrotypes, the focus and end result was very sharp, with what we would refer to as harsh light and high contrast.  Juliet Margaret Cameron was to change this.  She was very concerned with portraying the inner person as much as the outer image.  She wanted to show the personality of the person in front of her lens.  She wanted her images to speak of the type of person they were.  

She had a technician remove some of the glass elements from her lens which resulted in a softer focus which in turn produced a more human like portrait instead of the statue like images of her contemporaries.  

From my experience softer focus and light works well for female portraits and children and a more contrasty image works well for men.  

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/j/julia-margaret-cameron-collection-highlights/