9. Photographs of Agony

Photographs resemble many different moments in history whether being happy, sad, emotional, lively. When i think of photographs which are made through to be intense, highlighting your inner emotion and agony.
Photographs of Agony are usually referred to a sad time, a moment of sorrow, i find that documentary photographer James Nachtwey work to have a vast amount of agony, putting him self in situations which he photographs, situations which you only could imagine.

Jame Nachtwey

A documentary photographer who documents places like war zones, burials, families in poverty. He photographs work which you would not exactly like to see on a day to day basis. i often think to myself when looking at James work about the devastation it causes me, but what is the impact like on him. Situating yourself in situations on a daily basis must e hard, going into war zone, seeing families grieve, people who have nothing. i find his photographs to be interesting to look at and he is inspirational to me, by the way he photographs, by the courage he has, strength to get in personal with the subject. I know i wouldn't be able to do it.

These few photographs are just some of the traumatising, haunting pictures that are cause a fair amount of discomfort, depressed, disgusted that people have to live like that, painful to look at, but photographs like these knock bait of reality and the truth into you, it remind you of how grateful your life can be and that life is only short and you should spend it wisely.
' I have been a witness and these are my testimony. The events I have recorded should not be forgotten and must not be repeated' - James Nachtwey
James has devoted himself to the ice style of documenting war, conflicts and social issues putting himself into situations where he has almost got killed. James as a photographer carries the skills of what is needed when out in the world and his work is continuously progressing.

Bibliography 

'James Nachtwey Biography' http://www.jamesnachtwey.com (18/01/2015)

Week 8. Portraiture

Portraiture

Portraiture is a way of documenting who you are as an individual.  In todays society would assume that a portrait is a photograph, and it is but its not only a photograph it can be a painting too. Looking back throughout history portraiture has an extremely important role, a role which identifies the upper class to the lower class.
Paintings in the older days were how the rich showed off their belonging, their land, culture and possessions. Paintings such as the ones below were created by artists to show the wealthy possessions.

'Mr and Mrs Andrews' 1750. 

Painted by Thomas Gainsborough

This painting shows Mr & Mrs Andrews estate that they own, offering a view which shows their landscape. From looking at this photograph it shows how the little hunting dog looks up at his owner with respect as though Mr An dress is a well respected member of the society. Mr Andrews standing above his wife with a gun in his hand, this indicated that he is the man of the house, the provider, he loves his wife and looks out for her, he is her protector. Whereas Mrs Andrews sits down elegant, well dressed. She will be the one who gives him the heir to the property who keeps the name going. Looking over their land most likely making sure that the servants are keeping it looking perfect. Although you cannot see any servants you can tell that Mr & Mrs Andrews do not look after their own land. 

'The Arnolfinin Marriage' 1434

Painted by Jan Vn Eyck

This painting by Jan Van Eyck shows a married couple, when first looking at this portrait you would assume that they are expecting a child but in fact they are not, this is actually a new piece of clothing which is the latest trend. Looking past the couple, their interior is preserved nicely, its colourful and highly rated. They are showing their possessions and their wealth, most painting of this time where of the couple and their wealth, its all about power and who is the richest. The interior of the room is lite up showing their possession and highlighting them also. A mirror is on the wall at the back of the room, showing another figure, offering a new way of viewing things. The way that the couple is situated in the painting, looking at the audience, they acknowledge the viewer bringing them into the pictures more, this allows the viewer to be more curious at what the couple has in their possessions. 

As time goes on so does technology and this is how photography came to be the way of taking a portrait. Photography is a faster and different way of documenting the world and people within it and their possessions. Portrait photography has developed throughout time ranging from black and white to colour, it has progressed with photography.

Photographers such as the ones below took the idea of a portrait and turned it into something different, and unique. 

Photographer Richard Avedon

Richard Avedon portraits are different than what you would see when looking at a painting of a portrait, Richard's work focuses more on the subject, this is done by him using a blank background, focusing closely on their emotions, clothes and facial features. Richard Avedon was not only a portrait photographer but also a fashion photographer, i feel that looking at his portraits for example the one above, it captures the person emotion through her facial expression but i find it to be fashionable in a way, its a fashion portrait. Like the paintings above, Richard photographs the richer people and famous people. Offering the viewer a closer look at the individual and recognising them for what they have done or what they have. 

Photographed by August Sander 

August Sander a portrait and documentary photographer. August Sander as a photographer not photographs a person because of who they are but who they portray, maybe someone from the army like the photograph above, someone who is a butcher and so on. He looks for the subject as a whole and not an individual. His most well known series called 'People of the 20th Century'. this aims to photograph people of different areas of expertise, different people who show emotion, their different work ethnic, them as individuals which make a whole of something else.  His photographs document the surrounds, shows how people live, how they survive. August Sander as a photographer tries to represent the society during the Weimar Republic.  

Portrait Photography to me is capturing a moment in time, documenting it. Portraits can be used in different ways they can be a family portrait, a passport portrait, a film, a painting, a photograph. In todays society it can be anything, technology has changed so much that not only the high class people in society can use it but anyone can use, and they do not need a really expensive camera, technology has gone to a whole new level. Mobile devices, expensive cameras, disposable cameras, camcorder, a a pencil. You have the opportunity to capture a portrait with anything that you think is acceptable to use. Portraits are away of capture a specific moment in time which you can cherish for ever, a moment which you can share with others.  

Bibliography 

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY 'Mr and Mrs Andrews' http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/thomas-gainsborough-mr-and-mrs-andrews (27/12/2014)

FOX, A. 'Thomas Gainsborough's Mr. and Mrs Andrews' https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/monarchy-enlightenment/english-portraiture/britain-ageof-revolution/a/thomas-gainsboroughs-mr-and-mrs-andrews (27/12/2014)

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY 'The Arnolfini Portrait' http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/jan-van-eyck-the-arnolfini-portrait (27/12/2014)

BIO 'Richard Avedon Biography' http://www.biography.com/people/richard-avedon-9193034 (27/12/2014)

'Richard Avedon' http://www.avedonfoundation.org/about/ (27/12/2014)

'August Sander Biography' http://augustsander.com (27/12/2014)

7. Documentary - Decoding the image.

Documentary photography 'decoding the image as a fact'

What is documentary photography?
Documentary photography is a way that record history, a photographic image thats resembles either a backstory. When you think of a documentation, you automatically assume it is something that tells the truth, its your evidence. Documentary photography can be noted to be truthful. Whenever i personally think of a documentation or a record of something, it usually comes with something I've done, photographed family, weddings, or a piece of evidence.
Documentary photography is a opportunity for people to go out into the world, see what is happening and this is what photographer Stephanie Sinclair did.

Stephanie Sinclair photographed a project based on young children being forced to marry men more than 4 times there age.  'Two Young to Wed' a series of photographs/ films that basically shows the ives of young girls being forced to marry under their perennial convent.

This particular documentary of Child Marriage goes into how Stephanie first came across child marriage, she talked more in-depth about being a photojournalist and her stay and work from there on. 

Focusing on the dramatic times, and lives of young girls lives Stephanie dedicated 10 years of her life to the support of this ordeal. Her documentation provides evidence of documentations, allowing their stories to be heard all over the world. I have had the opportunity to look at her work closely and analyse it, Stephanie's work moved me when i first heard the background story, it makes you think of how other countries and their religion is different to they others share them. Although looking at her work and thinking its outrageous children getting married, having babies while they are babies, but in fact this how they go through life, everyone is different. Documentation is something that can be manipulated into what they want you to view it as, but it is always has a bit of truth in it somewhere. 

These are just a few of Stephanie Sinclair documentary photographs from her time focusing on Too Young to Wed..                                                        

These documentation through photographs show the true nature of how some people celebrate their lives, different cultures hold different ways of living. To someone who has never seen this before it is shocking to visualise. I feel like Stephanie work is beautiful and capture true emotion of life and their future. The work that Stephanie produced came from the heart, she supported these young children, they trusted her and you can tell through her images of the connections. They are true.

Meaning within photographs, Roland Barthes a french philosopher believed and argued that there are two ways toward an image; the Denoted - what you see in front of you, and there is Connoted -  what is it telling you underneath the surface. Below is an image which you can Cannothed and Denoted at use.

Dentioned - This image consists of two presidents, the British president Tony Blaire and the American  president George W Bush. It would seem as  tho both countries support each other with the way the America and British flag a placed betweens them, equal rights. Looking closely at the image and analysing it, it would appear to me that their is more aggression coming from Blaire where as Bush is relaxed about it. Although they both share the equal rights it seems that one person is more involved than the other. Camp D avid in the middle ties them both together, so they are one. 

Documentary photography has the opportunity to show one thing but the meaning be another thing, as for an example the image above showing the two presidents. It is true what they say the came never lies, it you how you interpret for it to say something. 

The denoted way of looking at this image it portrays a man who is in a pool swimming using an American swimming cap. Where as the  cannoted way of looking at this is their is a strong young man, moving through the water at a very fast time, it would assume that since he is wearing an American Swimming cap you would assume he is part of the American team. His body moving swirly across the water, taking and a deep breath. his straight and narrow look toward the camera, focusing on his main priority, winning. his body tenses as his arm come around for another huge ouch against the water.
This is how i would describe the image when first glancing at it and then taking more notice looking at the detail.

Bibliography 

Sinclair, S. 'Too Young to Wed' http://tooyoungtowed.org (18/01/2015)

Week 6. Photographs + the landscapes. Tourism, landscape and myth

Photographs and the Landscape

What is a photograph? To me a photograph can be an object which you hold in your hands, it can be a way of communicating or it could be just someone's interpretation of something. A photograph is unique, there is never more than one image the same.

Looking at a photograph in a different way: 
Photographs are always different, wether it is the way it has been printed, displayed or the way you as  an individual sees it, everyone views things in different ways; it called being human and having your
own mind. Hand printing compared to it being digitally printing, i feel that you have more control over the appearance it gives off, for example you have more control over the texture, contrast, presentation, if you want a boarder on it or not, and the colour or if you want it in black and white.

Producing photographs especially in the years it began to be more and more demanding were extremely important, especially when travelling started. Not everyone could travel due to the fact of not having money, and also no one knew what places where out in the world to explore.
Documentary photography is how we know it, documenting your surroundings and what you see. Photographers such as Ansel Adams, Walker Evans , Hiroshi Sugimoto and many other photographers known as Landscape photographer and Documentary photographers.

Landscape Photographs by the Photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto 

Hiroshi Sugimoto as a photographer photographs sea scales, water and land. They are elements that make up the world. water and Air are extremely important for human life, the survival of the human population. His photographs capture the true life of the world.   

Landscape Photographs by the Photographer Ansel Adams 

Ansel Adams photography is truthful, and shows what the world looks like, offering people who do not have the money to travel. Using black and white to add effect and tone to the images, his work capture the true beauty of the world. 

A famous quote by the photographer Ansel Adams which i find to be very true...

'Not Everybody Trust Paintings, but People Believe Photographs'

Landscapes like the ones above come in different shapes, sides, colours, but what it is, it is a visible feature from earth, documenting the world for others to see and for record for many years to come. Looking back at the 18th century landscape was a way of finishing something off, for example a painting, artists would use a landscape to fill in the background and it progressed from there on. Technology has offered the opportunity for everyone to take photographs of landscapes.

Tourism, Landscape and Myth

Landscape as a Myth

Landscapes were a way of documenting what the wealthy have back in the 18th century. In the 18th century paintings is how they documented landscapes, showing the truth, it is a way of documenting themselves and their land. In a way landscape is a myth, it is a way how people see the world, your own interpretation. Photographing the landscape to me is a way of documenting the world, as they say if there is not truth how do we know that it is real, and that is where the myth comes into it, we only know what has happened because we have proof of it, for example 'Mr and Mrs Andrews' by Thomas Gainsborough.

'Mr and Mrs Andrews' painted by Thomas Gainsborough

This painting of a wealthy young couple, the man stood above his wife, guarding her whist looking over the aches and aches of land they own. The majority of paintings like the one above is a way of documenting their land and social status.

Tourism as a Myth 

What do you class a tourism? Tourism to me is a way of travelling, exploring, seeing things I've never seen before. Tourism as a myth come from the way people view and portrays things, it is a stereotype. Tourism is advertised in many different ways for example post cards, tourist broachers; these are all way for you to have a better idea of what the weld is like, getting a sneak peak into the other countries; allowing you to see other cultures.  
Looking at brochures and post cards do not always tell the truth, they manipulate something to look like something else. the images which have been used in brochures and so on are used for on purpose only advertising, making places look better than what they are.

Painting is how it began and photography is how it goes in todays society.
Looking into the idea of tourism, landscape and myth i looked at the photographer Martin Parr. his work respond to the British culture. Martin Parr photographed are culture, tourism related, showing the best about the British public.

Photographer Martin Parr

All Photographs by Photographer Martin Parr

Martin Parr as a british photographer capture the true british life style, photographing in a unique way, Martin Parr's work highlights certain aspects which make his work even more unusual. His photographs allows people to see into the way look at the world.
Looking at Martin Parr work, you can recognise it as his work, they are bright, colourful, and oRiginal, he takes his photographs from unique angles offering a new perspective on the way we look at things. For example the photograph above with the seagulls, he focuses not on the surroundings but the main subject within the image, this image of the seagulls reminds me of the British seaside; chips, the Union Jack, seagulls, etc... Martin Parr is known all around the world due to his creative way of looking at the world.

Bibliography

WEISKI, T. 'Martin Parr' http://www.martinparr.com/introduction/ (9/01/2015)

Week 5. The rhetoric of the Image, semiotics

The Rhetoric of the Image - Semeiotics

Semiotics: 

Semiotics uses symbols and signs offering an interpretation of your own meanings. They help you depict your interpretation. Semiotics is a way of elaborating of the use of words mainly to boost up your vocabulary.
Signs and symbols help you progress onto word relationships.

Relationships : this is a way when you produce a word document as i am doing now, it helps you make those words a sentence, phrases can often come across in a certain manner, depending on how you phrase it. For example a phrase which might first produce 'the hairbrush brushed your hair' and changing the word around 'your hair brushed the hairbrush'.
Meanings and phrases can often mean new things or things that do not make sense at all.
Semiotics : one you have mastered that relationships between words, often words would be replaced by new word or meanings or sometime you add more word into it to add more definition to the meaning without changing it in the first place.
Context : this will occur when you have once wrote in an read it aloud, the way you write something can interpret the way the viewer fells like your feeling, it is your way of making them aware. For an example if i am feeling calm i might write in a nice, tidy way but if I'm angry i might write in capitals and untidy.

Icon, Index, Symbol 

Icon : an icon is something that looks like what its meant to be representing, for example and apple looks like an apple.
Index : This can either relate to an object or it could be a trace of something either a banana skin.
Symbol An object or and image that stands for something else rather than itself, an example a rose, it can be the sign of love, happiness.

this Image is by Tracey Emmin 'BED'

This image does look like what it is trying to represent, it is of someones bed. There can be a trace due to the surrounding of the bed, the rubbish. It is an index saying that they were there. It can stand for many purposes, either a representation of her as an artist, another women's habit. this photograph capture all of icon, index and symbol which also lead to the use of semiotics. 

Mimic by Jeff Wall

this image is an iconic image, representing different ways people treat each other. They do relate to an object, the person walking next to them. it is symbolic its stands out a showing of someone being looked at because they were different. It is safe to say that this image also consist of all three meanings. 

Week 4: The Image as Networks - The digital Narrative, Curse or Blessing. Photographer Nan Golding

The Image as Networks - The digital Narrative, Curse or Blessing 

How do you feel if you cannot access technology? 

I know how i feel.. 

I feel Anger, Frustration, Panic; incase no one can get in touch with me or if i can't get in touch with them, for i do not know everyones number.  

Is this a Curse or a Blessing? 

Technology is the new improving way of communication, learning new things, whereas if you are 50 years old or so on and you look back on what you used in school for learning, it was a black board/white boards, but in todays society children as young as primary school are using technology, for example commuters, xboxes, tablets, iPods and so on.... 

These are what you call DIGITAL NATIVE - people who were brought up with technology

DIGITAL IMMIGRANT - someone who finds there way into technology. 

SILVER SURFER - an elderly person who has very little contact with technology. 

Which one are you?           I am a Digital Native...

Technology is increasing everyday and like in school technology is progressing into universities...
There are different phrases which uses technology in them...

Evergreen Student: An Evergreen Student is someone who brings there technology with them to university/college. Although they bring with them their technology, they expect the university/college to have all of the right software to support their technology.

Globalisation: Globalisation in the world of technology is always progressing, especially throughout universities. They are competing against one another for each other for resources and the very best students. technology effects the way a student thinks when it comes to applying for university/college, they always want the most up to date technology.

Technical & Information Literacy: Campuses are now improving they way they use technology and the way you use technology around the campus; encouraging students to use the facilities for example their computers, smart devices. Technology is a new device and the software for this is being taught through workshops.

Mobility: Technology is a way of communicating, a way of talking and in todays society technology is the most common way of getting in touch, either through a text message, Skype, phone call, or email. Technical Mobility is an important role in todays society.

Teaching and learning: Teaching throughout university is becoming my based of technology, focusing on the internet and social media sites, which offer your work a bigger viewing market, for example social media sites such as Flickr, Blogger, Wikis and so on.

Edutainment: The use of the internet sites can be used for social, entertainment and education, combining the use of Youtube, iTunes and other internet sites not only for entertainment but educational as well. Teaching is progressing through technology, but is it for the best?  

Technology is way of progressing through society and become more independent and reluctant on what is on the internet, not only on the internet but through photography, fashion and many other areas of the world. Technology is progressing and so should we.
But the main situation is that should it be where you should not have a one to one with a tutor or should it be over the internet. For me i would rather have a one to one, because the internet is a confusing place sometime and not all of the correct information can be on there.
But what do you think? 

Photographer Nan Goldin

Nan Goldin as a photographer captures her life and experiences of what she has witnessed, putting herself into situations which are touching, emotional and unique. They shows happy times and sad times, whist offering a different perspective of being in that moment with the people in the picture.  

All Photographs belong to the Photographer Nan Goldin

Nan Goldin had a hard time growing up with the suicide of her sister, this lead Nan to see the world in a new perspective and i feel this lead to the in-depth emotions which she uses in her photographs. when i first looked at Nan Goldin photography i felt a sudden emerge of sadness and happiness. Nan started off by photographing Drag Queens, the happiness, beauty and talent, offering a bigger view into the lives of these individuals and there personalities. Nan was always photographing whether it was the drag queens or her own life, capturing moments of truth, life and horror. The main work which took me by surprise when i first looked at her work were of her friends and how they suffered with aids and the deterioration of how there bodies were over taken by this disease.
Looking at this photographer , she documented her day to day life, this is a way of celebrating and remembering her friends, her loved ones.
Nan Goldin work she use to display it through powerpoint, but as she has become more famous, she now has books which hold her work, books such as 'Ballad of Sexual Dependancy' and Tokyo Love - Spring Forever 19940.

Below is a video of Nan Goldin's work, offering the viewer a better understanding of her work and for the viewer to get to see more of her work.

My own opinion i didn't really like her work to begin with, i just didn't feel like some of the stuff she documented were stuff i wanted to see, but its not just about the image, its about the story behind the image, and the story is where i struggled with, i have a large amount of respect for Nan Goldin's photography and its has opened my eyes into seeing what the world is like, and what others are like and not to judge a picture by its cover. 

Bibliography 

MATTHEW MARKS GALLERY'Nan Goldin' http://www.matthewmarks.com/new-york/artists/nan-goldin/ (30/12/2014)

STONARD J-PAUL 'Artist Biography' http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/nan-goldin-2649 (30/12/2014)

Week 3: British New Wave, Photographing the 1960s, David Bailey

British New Wave + Realism

The British new wave movement started in the 1950s, it is a movement which changed people's perspective on the film industry; using modern approaches to film showed realistic environments, society and how everything was changing. This historical movement became an exceedingly important part of todays culture and history.
The British new wave bought a new exciting era for the generations especially the teenagers ranging from 18-20 year olds, the films documented the start of underage sex, the beginning of the pill, adultery, homosexuality, and so on; the real things which were happening in peoples lives.

This is an example of a trailer of a movie from the British New Wave movement.

Saturday Night, Sunday Morning (1960) by Karel Reisz 

Photographing the 1960s. 

The 1960s became known at the years that shaped the fashion industry and how we see photography in todays world; with photographers such as David Bailey and Terrance Donovan using new and creative styles and movements. These new iconic images where the start of the fashion industry, which also encouraged new photographers to create something new and exciting.
David Bailey is known for his input into these few years which has change the fashion industry in photography; He is known as an Iconic fashion photographer.

Photographer David Bailey.

This is an 8 minute 40 second interview with David Bailey goes into his life and inspirations as a photographer during the 1960s to the present, talking about the difficulties in today's world photographing celebrities and back then in the 1960s and about his copyright to his photographs.

A short documentary by David Bailey called 'The 60s never ended'.

Does Bailey like the person who he photographs? This a question which he was asked during the interview... 

This interview discusses David Bailey influences and how he became as successful as what he is today. Influences which have changed his life for the better; Picasso and Cartier Bresson two influential people which have change Bailey life, but bailey being more influenced by Picasso than Bresson. David talks about his life when in the 1960s and how he was brought up in a working class family and his perspective on his work. Bailey is a skilled photographer capture the true essence of human life, capturing their body language, the space they are in and around them and their expressions; these are all key when Bailey takes his photographs, this is so they photograph what he sees. This interview talks about what Bailey feels about his work and his own opinion on it. 

Some of David Baileys work.

David Bailey a fashion and portraiture photographer has mastered the way of showing the persons true feelings using a photograph. He captures the pure and beauty of the individuals life. All of his images connect with the audience, offering a bigger view, an idea, the art of photography.
Davids first camera was a 35mmVoigtlander, once having his camera this is when his inspiration grew. David vast knowledge started when he became an assistant for the fashion photographer John French, until David Bailey became a fashion photographer himself during the 1960s working for the magazine Vogue.
The work which David is known all around the world, known by his talents and his style of photography. He has influenced people through out the world, including me. I have used his style go portrait photography when practising my photography, he influences you toy be unique and creative. His work is now shown In books which he has put together; books such as Goodbye Baby and Amen.  These books record his life achievements and goals. David Bailey is and always will be one of the most Iconic photographers of the 1960s.  


Bibliography

• DAVID BAILEY PHOTOGRAPHY. http://www.davidbaileyphotography.com/about/ (2/12/2014)
• NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY. 'David Bailey (1938) Photographer and Film Maker' http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp05044/david-bailey. (2/12/2014) 
• HOSTETLER, L. 'The New Documentary Tradition in Photography' http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ndoc/hd_ndoc.htm (20/12/2014)
• CINECOLLEGE. 'An Era Of New Waves' http://cinecollage.net/british-new-wave.html (21/12/2014)
• HANLEY, D. 'The British New Wave and Its Sources http://offscreen.com/view/british_new_wave (21/12/2014)
• BBC News 'Photography's Impact on the 60s' http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2178366.stm (23/12/2014)