Gotta Hand It To You...

Gotta hand it to you...

Stieglitz's photography spanned fifty years, beginning in the mid 1880's Kodak’s “new” camera presented Alfred Stieglitz with a tool that gave him more liberty to shoot images of everyday street scenes.  Some of Stieglitz's images were parallel in style to “soft focus pictorialism”, yet he seldom interfered with or tweaked his negatives or print to achieve his end product.  Stieglitz's change his photographic approach to a more straightforward style, where he believed that “the creativity of the image was best achieved by being true to the capabilities of the camera”(urban-photography-art.com/alfred-stieglitz) Stieglitz's achieved this result by photographing in less than perfect lighting which gave comparable makings to his pictures only accomplished by other photographers by photo manipulation.

 Alfred Stieglitz

 In an article written by Urban Photography the writer comments “His early work was very much in the vogue of his contemporaries, being pictures that told a story; in a similar way paintings of the time did also. In fact his work was often mistaken for representations of paintings.” (Urban-photography-art.com/alfred-stieglitz)  Stieglitz's photographic career supported and helped to propel the medium of photography as an art form. Here are some of Stieglitz's photos of hands that he did. They are remarkably powerful in that there seems to be something very vulnerable and yet strong about them.

I mainly observed a few common themes in Stieglitz's artistic photographic work: human hands, city landscapes and intimate portraits, of mainly women.  This is how I came to search for a similar photographer and chose to narrow the search down to one photographer whose focus was on hands as many of Stieglitz's photos.I find hands fascinating as well and can understand how interesting and intimate both of these photographers would have found this subject. 
The photographer I think has a similar subject in his images is Richard Seah.  Richard, like Stieglitz, is an artistic photographer who shoots images of hands.   Richard Seah is quoted as saying “To me, the key to taking brilliant photographs is having the eye – and the mind – to see possibilities. I am drawn to alternative viewpoints – as evidenced in my interest in natural health and alternative medicine. This inclination shows up in my photography. I have little interest in popular subjects like landscapes or glamour.”  Richard and Stieglitz never went into detail about why they took photos of hands but if you look at their work you can see it’s a very strong theme in their work.  Was Richard inspired by Stieglitz's photography, I don’t know, but it’s possible that Richard and Stieglitz were inspired by the same elements of the human form and were impacted enough to use it in their images.  They both used close up stances when shooting their images, and there seems to be no image manipulation or tweaking post-shot by either photographer, but one thing seems to stands apart in Richard’s work is that his images seem to be un-staged and more earthy, soft and natural while Stieglitz is more ‘choreographed’, rigid and sharp. Yet both have captured part of the beauty and exquisiteness of the hand in action. Richard touches on his inspiration of his new book of photos including the hand pictures saying: “My best pictures are related to prayer,” Richard Seah adds. “And I focus a lot on the hands (and sometimes the feet too). Asian Photography magazine featured my work in its April 2006 edition with a headline that I felt was appropriate: Spiritual Photographer.”  Below are some of Richard Seah’s works. You take a look and see if you see some similarities to Stieglitz’

 Richard Seah

Sources for info and photos provided by

http://www.urban-photography-art.com/alfred-stieglitz.html

http://yourstrulyjms.blogspot.com/2011/01/alfred-stieglitz.html

http://www.art-photograph-gallery.com/richard-seah.html

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Stieglitz

http://www.art-photograph-gallery.com/photograph-of-hands.html

http://www.photographs-of-hands.com/images-of-hands.html

Press Photography vs. Art Photography

by Erik Johansson  http://alltelleringet.com/ 

      The main differences and similarities between art and press photography is that art photography is more free to use manipulation, staging and injection of meaning to produce images that reflect the ‘artist’ desired perspective/view he/she wishes to share.  In contrast, press photography while having perspective, is bound to the ethical guidelines of not trying to interpret the truth but simply document it, objectively. Photographers from both press and art practices have a gift for being in the moment , the right place at the right time.  In an article written by David Friend about the career of Henri Cartier-Bresson, David spoke of the inspiration and merit that photographers give to the rest of us- the spectators," He displayed an intuitive knack for choosing "the decisive moment," as it came to be called, that instant when a shutter click can suspend an event within the eye and heart of the beholder, an exhilarating confluence of observer and observed. His lyrical, loose, ingeniously composed images were a revelation..."

found at: http://vi.sualize.us/view/9aedfb16e78ed011d64d94dabebf34eb/  original artist:M. Shaltout Photography

2.      The photos by Shaltout  and Johansson are clearly manipulated, but relates well  to the quote above in that it can reveal the inner thinking or vision of the individual. Such great expressions.  I think it is ethical to alter art photographs as much as it is ethical to mix primary colors to make secondary colors.  Art has never been one to ‘color within the lines’ and since it is about individual perspective and reaction to and or imagined creative expression then I think it would be quite natural for photo artists to use art studio tools to expand their creativity.

It is not ethical and acceptable to alter press photographs in my opinion for the most part because of the role that press photography plays through the media in providing a lens to bring the challenges and possibilities of the human experience to the individual citizen. 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA History Office The Decision to Go to the Moon:
President John F. Kennedy's May 25, 1961 Speech
before a Joint Session of Congress Found at:http://history.nasa.gov/moondec.html

This power which press photographers have is one that should have ethical boundaries as it is a role that requires competence, maturity and accountability.

Thememoryhole.org, via Associated Press DOVER, DEL. An undated Defense Department photo released in 2004.

In an essay written by by Gordana Icevska about Cartier-Bresson, Icevska points out that Cartier-Bresson "believes in taking pictures while being invisible, not interrupting the scene. “In whatever picture-story we try to do, we are bound to arrive as intruders. It’s essential, therefore, to approach the subject on tiptoe-even if the subject is still-life. A velvet hand, a hawk’s eye – these we should all have…Unless a photographer observes such conditions as these, he may become an intolerably aggressive character”(Cartier-Bresson,
1952).  In both art and press photography there are many similarities and differences, and both have the potential to open up a view of life to the rest of us that we have known or never knew, but maybe need to see more closely. 

Modus Operandi

modus operandi

What's the role of photo journalism? Many thoughts pour into my mind and many comments, on a spectrum from altruistic to apathetic and sarcastic…  Well to really answer this I consider the role of the photojournalist, according to Nancy L. Ford (photojournalist in New York) 

“The primary duty of the photojournalist is to take pictures.  They are responsible for providing clear, easy-to-read, high quality, truthful images,that communicate a meaningful message to the readers of the publication they work for.” 

I think that sums up the role of photo journalism, even if it is not the modus operandi.  Media and their employees, the photojournalists, have rules and regulation they are obliged to comply with.  These ‘ethical’ guidelines create an ideal ground for integrity and professionalism to take root, a type of environment where liability is upheld. Photojournalism aims to adhere to the principles and ethical standards of journalism like fair representation of events, to parallel in its representation of the context of the events, high accountability and liability to its readership, subjects of their stories and community to which they inform. Whether it can truly ever be called objective, I think is a heavy challenge, if even at all possible. The question I pose is this: Can photojournalism really be “objective” when the photographer holds the privilege and the power of pointing and clicking at what he/she wants to capture. That camera ‘eye’ picks what part of reality to focus on, pictures therefore can never truly capture the 'WHOLE PICTURE'edited or not.

Why/why not have rules…well to quickly answer this let’s put it in the form of one awful, but persistent truth that reigns heavily in the political and private realms -propaganda. Without any rules we would be in an even more scary, toxic and oppressive environment than we are currently in.  I do not believe that the ethics of journalistic photos should be different from the ethics of writing a news story.  I will add however, that I think humans are more visual than cerebral and when hurrying about in the mundane day to day efforts to survive, many in society are more impacted by the image than the words behind a story and the purveyors of the image, the media and its cohorts know that.  It’s the weight of power that the corporate/political-media machine has on influencing societal opinion that needs to be questioned.  

New technological advancement may make it easier to alter and change different aspects of photographs and this can create a slippery slope for integrity. Altering press photographs is a place of greys, blurred and blood-stained lines where much of the ‘image’ gets its intoxicating impact.  The alteration of images allows for its tailor to give it a shine,  a spin whether ethical or not yet almost always political.  This IMPACT: an insinuation, undercurrent, double speak  can instantly or more surreptitiously over time fabricate social constructs  elusively prompting and influencing bias prejudice and wielding a weapon with the word misinformation written on its trigger sowing discord and  strong, lasting impressions on the vast masses both consciously and subconsciously for benefit of the few at the detriment of the many. Now I am not completely against editing, if it is only done to correct the flaws of the image itself, lighting, hues and contrast, as long as it’s not over the top and is not used to remove people and other significant aspects.

In conclusion I think photojournalism should be ethical and have standards and be upheld but society has to demonstrate a strong, healthy appetite and appreciation for this and then uphold this by making it  their lives, politics and culture from the sky down to the roots in the earth.  Since I don’t believe it will happen any time soon I will finish with a slightly verbose statement:

Words can get lost in translation

but photos

speak every language,

even if what they’re saying is

profane,

obscure,

obscenely incorrect 

and one-sided.

L'histoire se répète

The photos being discussed were part of a project called the New Role agenda.  It was started by The Resettlement Administration, later named The Farm Security Administration, which held the objective of raising social consciousness in order to bring attention to and improve the living conditions of farmers, sharecroppers and migrant workers devastatingly hit by the Depression.  Lange was commissioned by the FSA to photograph the plight of the farm workers, which she did capturing images of those being affected by the Depression that hit America in the early 20^th century.  Lange was successful in getting a transparent and raw depiction, through her ‘humanistic documentary genre’ photography (Stones).   Most notably was a photo Lange took called ‘Migrant Mother’. 

Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange (photo courtesy of http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/migrantmother.htm

The subject of this picture was a widower named Florence Owen Thompson, 28, and a mother of 5 children.  Florence, who was emigrating at the time in order to find work, was spotted by Lange who asked her permission to photograph her in support of the Farm Security Administration. The FSA’s mission was poignant and telling in how documentary photos could influence social conscious and motivate politicians in acts of social justice.  As soon as the photos were published in the newspaper, the Federal Bureau acted on it and immediately delivered food packages to the area where the Migrant Mother photo took place.  However, the Thompson family never received the food packages because they were already in transit by then.

The FSA project had a significant impact on society in many ways, one being that the project documented the plights and suffering of Americans, revealing that battles were not exclusively fought  in offshore destinations, but  that Americans faced their own inner conflict, with lives and a country torn apart  because of droughts which were both economic and environmental.  Two, it began a way of documenting through images agricultural, economic and social history for future generations to look upon and learn from and as a result made it seared in the human conscious so that it would never be forgotten.  In leaving a lasting impression, it now has become eerily identifiable with the current global socio-political and economic atmosphere and gives way to that old adage ‘history repeats itself’(French trans. l'histoire se répète) .

Today’s yesterday…

Today’s yesterday…

I was purposed this week to take my own photos and manipulate them. I went at it like a image-seamstress cutting and hemming and mixing colors and this is what emerged:

I made the changes in this image to challenge myself.  I like to take photos for many reasons, one being an expression of self and the other being how far I can stretch my imagination and invade others perspective, as on-lookers.

To take a photo in my room, with random bits, pieces and props adding interest and dimension, I was able through the technology of photo software, able to twist, cut, pull up what I wanted to shout, and quiet down, or altogether eliminate what I wanted  fade away . 

By adding contrast it allowed for details to pop.  Adjusting the lighting upwards, so as not make the image too dark, allowed for the colors to be darkened without the face and details being lost.  I lessened the shadows in the overall photo with a tab, which allowed for the bed in the background to fade off into the white wall, becoming eliminated from view. 

  Now the subject of the photo looked as though she could be anywhere.  This manipulation of the image in the room made it much easier to continue the façade that this was a portrait of someone from the turn of the century.  I used a few programs to work this photo beginning with Windows Live Photo Gallery, for basic editing. I used Serif PhotoPlus Starter Edition for the contrast and hue manipulations, and finished the image in an editing program offered free through Photobucket, which allowed for me to blur the edges and have more freedom with how much I wanted to ‘age’ the photo. I think the end results are mostly convincing, even if historically incorrect.

The photo below is a photo I took last autumn, while walking through Allen Gardens in Toronto, 2010.

 

Every time I visited my Dad I would pass through there looking for photo opportunities, and this one was one of them.  I looked at this seemingly flustered photography student who has just sat down after trying wandering around for a bit, so I decided that this photographer would be the subject of my photo. 
I decided to manipulate this photo to bring out more of the color and also to bring out the blues in it to pass on a feeling of serious or pensive thought.  I also cropped the photo and straightened it to make the subject of the photo right at the bottom corner to bring the viewer’s eye to focus on him. Here is the finished product, using Serif PhotoPlus Starter Edition.

Thanks for taking time to check out my blog.  Feel free to tell me what you like to take pictures of and how you tweek them.

Ciao for now!

"Is a flower still a flower by any other name?"

When something is reproduced many times it is still art.
In my opinion, science, invention and art go hand in hand. As soon as the very idea came out from someone's imagination and leapt onto a page it began its reproduction, or birthing process. Ideas, inventions, concepts all coming forth from diverse minds and with many skills becoming reality by fleets of hands not only donned by the artists themselves but trickling down as it were as the vision or idea kept moving forward, becoming part of all those it connected with. I believe that's just how inspiration and ideas are, not exclusively our own but ours to use responsibly and generously. Art is born into being and as it comes into its own, it is built upon (even with just impressions), copied and even improved; this metaphorically speaking is a part of the Arts evolution. If I think of Art as a person I would believe that it would want to be part of everyone's lives, "original work" or not. I think Art would not snub it's nose as those who were not able to gain access to its vaulted ceilings and granite pillars, refuse those who seem to lack the artistic "skill" or push away even the contrived, because I think at it's very root Art is more than just a hobby, or a physical manifestation of the imagination, but a tool in the hands of all humanity to bring about, through difficult and capitalist eras, the progression of the human understanding. Art speaks every language and even communicates through silence. Whether you see it at a museum or in the dollar store, it continues to inspire everyone and no man-made system created will be able to take that away.
As I spoke of earlier art is a tool for humanity to use responsibly and generously and I think photography is surely another medium of this expression. Do I agree that it's being used in this time to influence, subject, downgrade and opress people, yes, but its a much stronger force in the hands of those who have a more copacetic and ethical stance.
Art, to me is about expanding horizons, of the mind and experience. An amazing tool, yes, but more importantly an opportunity for visions, perspectives and unspoken truths to take centre stage. There's a lot of conflict that is present in the this stage of Earth's dance and photography can not only represent values or impressions of one society to another, but can be a peaceful bridge to unite people from vastly different cultures, cracking the door a little more open for discussion to take place.

Henry Pitch Robinson's Photo "Fading Away" (photo courtesy of http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/505726/Henry-Peach-Robinson)

In referring to Henry Pitch Robinson's use of photography as an art form, I feel it's very important to realise that H.P.Robinson was a strong advocate for high arts and stood his ground in holding photography to the same standards that fine art held for him. I could write, as many of the other classmates in this course wrote, about H.P.Robinson's method of composing the negatives together. Knowing that it's been overly discussed, I will speak of his decision to take that photo from and more personal stance.
Henry originally was an artist; he studied under another artist, whom he had to pay to learn from. He stayed this for a while before choosing to use the medium of photography. I believe that his early passion and understanding of the fine arts of that time era heavily influenced his art and how he framed his shots. Early in his photographic endeavour Henry nearly died after becoming ill from exposure to the photo-chemicals that he worked with. I think that this experience had an impact on why he chose to take that photo-composition 'Fading Away'. I believe that his choice to take this photo had to do with his respect and humility for life photograph, instead of a painting, so as not to subdue or impart bias on this moment of life. Reflecting the brevity and fragility of life since he had come so close to losing his own. Though Henry is not the subject of this photo, I feel his compassion and respect for human life is the message. The era in which the photo was taken was during a time of TB, and many people lost their loved ones. I believe this photographer captured the emotion, outrage, and helplessness of this period of time with dignity and sincere benevolence.

In a Word "Photography"

"Photography" is based on the Greek word

φῶς (photos) "light" and γραφή (graphé)

"representation by means of lines" or "drawing",

together meaning "drawing with light". 

1839 Susse Freres daguerreotype camera (photo courtesy of http://most-expensive.net/camera-world)

The main differences between portraits of the early days of photography and today is that presently the medium of photography uses meaning, placement, angle and manipulation to create an illusion that is very persuasive to enforce social norms, it has never yielded so much political power in the masses. In contrast, the camera has also been a pivotal tool in the hands of those who have born witness to and been able to document the travesties and injustices of the human experience as well as the beautiful and sublime.

Ayers Rock in Uluru National Park a photograph by Mark Laricchia/Corbis  (photo courtesy of http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/australia-guide/)

Photographs from the 19^th century were limited to angles, focus and were only able to be narrowly manipulated.  Today there are countless advanced photo programs designed with the intention to manipulate the image and thus the meaning.  The new phenomena of image capturing quickly became popular and coveted by many who wished to have an image that could be kept and shared for ages. To this day the subject of photographs largely remains the same, as images of people, places and events are still a popular focus.  Access to cameras in this century continues to have a huge impact on who gets to take photographs, what the images are of and how quickly people around the globe can see them instantly. 

Daguerreotype Portrait of Louis Daguerre (1787–1851)
(inventor of the Daguerreotype camera)
 Photographer Jean-Baptiste Sabatier-Blot 1844
(photo courtesy of http://inventors.about.com/od/dstartinventions/a/Daguerreotype.htm)

In the 19th Century, with the emergence of the industrial revolution, many techniques of photo capturing were being tested and invented. Ones that became the pioneers to capture the image were the Waxed Claotype Negative, Albumen Print, Daguerreotype, Cyanotype, Wet colodion negative, Salted Paper Print and Carbon Print. Technology and materials have come far since their earlier predecessors.  In today’s vast market cameras come in a variety of styles, sizes and abilities. Until the creation of this technology, photographs were shot by exposing light sensitive photographic film, and used a timely process of chemical photographic processing to stabilize and develop the image. In comparison, today digital photographs can be printed, saved, viewed before keeping and printing, transmitted, manipulated, and stored on microchips using digital and computer techniques, and there’s no need for special rooms and lengthy chemical processing. This technology is now available to anyone and photos can be taken of anything and for any reason.  

19th century photography primarily was employed for capturing portraits of those with high social standing and the focus was mostly on humans. Photographers were few and far between,  and only a small amount of society were able to acquire a photographer to take their portrait. 

Photographer: Notman & Son Ltd.
Macdonald, John A. (John Alexander), Sir, 1815-1891.
(Photo courtesy of http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=3218706&rec_nbr_list=3333416,3218731,3218721,3218710,3218706,3400385,3332808,3250588,3623850,3332923)

 Presently, photography is popularized by the importance of media and image and made accessible to people all over the globe. Photos can be taken by professionals and amateurs alike of events, family, beloved pets, memorable places and even random pictures of their friend’s shoes.   

Photography began as a form of documenting and continues today pushing the boundaries and blurring the lines of reality and fiction even becoming a medium for artistic expression.  Sam Taylor-Wood's photo is a great example of modern photography pushing the boundaries of the photography process and expression

Photograph by Sam Taylor-Wood
(photo courtesy of http://www.balticmill.com/whatsOn/past/ExhibitionDetail.php?exhibID=48)