Research was originally paired with the Reading tab. However, research has been made a separate category. There is some reflection in the Blog but this section will enable more detailed research and reflection into specific issues.
My tutor has recommended that I look at three photographers, namely Robert Mapplethorpe, Edward Weston and Karl Blossfeldt to see how they have photographed flowers and to ask myself how my strategy differs in intentions and examine what black and white brings that colour doesn't, and vice versa.
My tutor has recommended that I look at three photographers, namely Robert Mapplethorpe, Edward Weston and Karl Blossfeldt to see how they have photographed flowers and to ask myself how my strategy differs in intentions and examine what black and white brings that colour doesn't, and vice versa.
Robert Mapplethorpe
Mapplethorpe was an America who lived from 1946 to 1989 when he died of Aids and was known for his often controversial nudes. His black and white images of flowers are creatively shot in studio settings with black or white backgrounds. The lighting and sometimes diagonal arrangement of the plants is key and makes me think about the studio lighting I might use in the Light project as I have tended to be a 'high-contrast' fan in the past. His black and white approach seems to bring out the shape of the flowers very well. Where the plants are coloured images, he has limited the colour range to perhaps one or two colours and this simplicity adds to the effect.
Mapplethorpe was an America who lived from 1946 to 1989 when he died of Aids and was known for his often controversial nudes. His black and white images of flowers are creatively shot in studio settings with black or white backgrounds. The lighting and sometimes diagonal arrangement of the plants is key and makes me think about the studio lighting I might use in the Light project as I have tended to be a 'high-contrast' fan in the past. His black and white approach seems to bring out the shape of the flowers very well. Where the plants are coloured images, he has limited the colour range to perhaps one or two colours and this simplicity adds to the effect.
Edward Weston
Edward Weston's name I recall has come up several times in my reading during the course. Researching him, I find he is another American living 1886 to 1958 and who is described as one of the most influential American photographers. His photographs include peppers, toadstools and artichokes. His era was in the days of black and white so no colour here. Again, like Mapplethorpe, he makes the images come alive with careful placement, lighting and contrast. I have only ever taken peppers and some of these other colourful objects in colour but his approach makes me think about my approach. Again, he uses a studio setting and lighting and his shots are against a dark background with the objects being brought to life by the right frontal or side lighting.
Karl Blossfeldt
Karl Blossfeldt was a German photographer and sculptor and lived from 1965 to 1932 - again the black and white era. His images are very different from the other two photographers in that they are more detailed - almost spindly like curved thin wrought iron and perhaps that is his influence of being a sculptor. They are pattern images, mainly against light backgrounds, so again his approach is different. The curvature feel in some of his images almost makes them feel as though they are moving.
I gain more from the first two photographers and prefer their simplicity of approach as opposed to what I feel is the intense detail of Karl's images and I can identify how my own style might develop more akin to these two guys. What looking at examples of these three photographers black and white work with plants gives me is a greater need to look at whether colour is always the best approach with colourful objects. As with portraiture, black and white can more effectively bring out pattern and shape in some of these objects. Two of these three photographers had no choice as they worked in an era of black and white (apart from colouration techniques on prints). My work has been mainly with plants in situ so may be it's time to look at more studio options. In my last assignment with colour, it was not possible to remove any of the plants from the tropical greenhouse. Also there is greater control over lighting with a studio set up (which I am fortunate to have). So as we move on now to the next assignment on Lighting, there will be more options and alternatives to consider I guess!
Roland Barthes - in the final series of exercises on Narrative & Illustration there are some challenges with words such as symbolism and semiontics, first studied by Roland Barthes. We have to think about images that represent that something has happened and a series of images that can tell a story. Barthes lived from 1915 to 1980. He was interested in photography and its potential to communicate actual events. He attempted to show how a photographic image could represent implied meanings. But he still thought that the photograph could show the real representation of the world. Barthes gets extensive mentions in Graham Clarke's "The Photograph" and in Liz Wells' "Photography a Critical Introduction."
Today, we are thinking very much about how images are used as symbols in advertising and marketing in the modern materialistic mature world. In the Narrative assignment we have chosen to go with food. What symbolism and what images can we present in this series of final exercises? Researching about Barthes is interesting and informative when thinking about symbols. Who are the food photographers making it in the commercial world of the weekend magazine colour supplement? Today, we look at the "Times" Magazine which is a recipe special. Jamie is working with David Loftus and Rick Stein uses James Murphy. Their work is astounding! Are they unreachable to a mere student like me? I email them both to see if they will give me a day's work unpaid work experience to shadow them on a current assignment. (Rick's photographer has replied but no response from Jamie's guy),
Today, we are thinking very much about how images are used as symbols in advertising and marketing in the modern materialistic mature world. In the Narrative assignment we have chosen to go with food. What symbolism and what images can we present in this series of final exercises? Researching about Barthes is interesting and informative when thinking about symbols. Who are the food photographers making it in the commercial world of the weekend magazine colour supplement? Today, we look at the "Times" Magazine which is a recipe special. Jamie is working with David Loftus and Rick Stein uses James Murphy. Their work is astounding! Are they unreachable to a mere student like me? I email them both to see if they will give me a day's work unpaid work experience to shadow them on a current assignment. (Rick's photographer has replied but no response from Jamie's guy),
David Loftus has done the photography for over 100 books including all but one of Jamie Oliver's best sellers. He also shoots fashion, portraits, landscapes and reportage for the likes of Red magazine, Traveller, Soho House, Collette Dinnigan, India Hicks and Pippa Middleton. I find his colourful food images stimulating.
James Murphy is described as one of the best established and most creative food photographers in the business. He uses natural light, has a passion for food and cooking and an eye for detail. He has a studio in central London. I like his artistic and straightforward approach. He has worked with Rick Stein for a long time.
Looking at the work of these two modern photographers has helped me become much more aware of the challenges of photographing food and developing my skills to shoot a narrative sequence such as my Welsh Omelette narrative in the Narrative & Illustration section.
The course is now completed and there are no further postings.