PhotographPhotographyy**********

Birthed from ScienceBirthed from Science

Nurtured with CuriosityNurtured with Curiosity

Ripened by MasteryRipened by Mastery

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Ready to Rock the 21Ready to Rock the 21stst Century Century

OverviewOverview Art or N’art?Art or N’art? The Founding FathersThe Founding Fathers Early Portraiture: NadarEarly Portraiture: Nadar StereophotographyStereophotography PhotojournalismPhotojournalism Documentary Photography: Jacob RiisDocumentary Photography: Jacob Riis Pictorialism & Photo-SecessionPictorialism & Photo-Secession Motion Photography: ‘Motion Photography: ‘Ed Weird’Ed Weird’ 2020thth Century Photography: Paris & America Century Photography: Paris & America Photography’s Heroic Age: War & The Great Photography’s Heroic Age: War & The Great

DepressionDepression Photomontages & Propaganda PhotographyPhotomontages & Propaganda Photography The PhotogramThe Photogram Modern PhotographyModern Photography

* Art or N’art? *PhilosophyPhilosophy: “The invention of photography was a response to the : “The invention of photography was a response to the artistic urges and historical forces that underlie Romanticism: harsh artistic urges and historical forces that underlie Romanticism: harsh realism and unvarnished truth.”realism and unvarnished truth.”

Photography as an artPhotography as an art… …

•involves the imaginationinvolves the imagination

• is the organization of experience is the organization of experience and record of a mental imageand record of a mental image

• Subject and style tell us about Subject and style tell us about artist’s inner/outer worldsartist’s inner/outer worlds

• A form of printmakingA form of printmaking

•A moment in time, captured to A moment in time, captured to make us see the world in new termsmake us see the world in new terms

First camera to be commercially manufactured; c.1839

Founding FathersFounding Fathers

Niépce – first permanent photographed image, 1822Niépce – first permanent photographed image, 1822 Daguerre – simplified photographic process Daguerre – simplified photographic process

(daguerreotypes)(daguerreotypes) Fox Talbot (photograms)Fox Talbot (photograms)

Early Portraiture: Early Portraiture: NadarNadar

Entertained 280 sitters including…Entertained 280 sitters including… Actress Sarah BernhardtActress Sarah Bernhardt Romantic Pose reminiscent of painted portraits: drapery and soft Romantic Pose reminiscent of painted portraits: drapery and soft

expressionexpression

StereophotographyStereophotography

Portable Twin lens camera; imitates human vision and creates an illusion of Portable Twin lens camera; imitates human vision and creates an illusion of depthdepth

Demonstrated photography’s ability to enlarge human visionDemonstrated photography’s ability to enlarge human vision Lost to the 1880s after the invention of the halftone plate Lost to the 1880s after the invention of the halftone plate

(used for reproducing images on a printed page)(used for reproducing images on a printed page)

PhotojournalismPhotojournalism Philosophy: “The present is Philosophy: “The present is

history in the making.”history in the making.”

Pieces like Gericault’s “The Raft of Pieces like Gericault’s “The Raft of the Medusa” inspired the accurate the Medusa” inspired the accurate representation, and perhaps representation, and perhaps untold stories of contemporary untold stories of contemporary events.events.

The American Civil War: Matthew The American Civil War: Matthew Brady & Alexander GardnerBrady & Alexander Gardner

War images reminiscent of the War images reminiscent of the harsh realism of David’s “The harsh realism of David’s “The Death of Marat.”Death of Marat.”

Documentary Documentary PhotographyPhotography

Late 19Late 19thth century; brought century; brought harsh realities of poverty harsh realities of poverty to the public’s attentionto the public’s attention

Camera becomes an Camera becomes an instrument of reforminstrument of reform

Tells the story of people’s Tells the story of people’s lives through a pictorial lives through a pictorial essayessay

First photo-documentary: First photo-documentary: John Thomson’s “Street John Thomson’s “Street Life in London” (1877) Life in London” (1877) featured posed figures.featured posed figures.

Jacob RiisJacob Riis Invention of gunpowder Invention of gunpowder

flash 1887flash 1887 Photographers gained the Photographers gained the

element of surpriseelement of surprise Jacob Riis: police reporter Jacob Riis: police reporter

in NYC; photographed in NYC; photographed crime infested slums and crime infested slums and their poor living their poor living conditionsconditions

Published several Published several newspaper exposésnewspaper exposés

His work led to revisions His work led to revisions of labour laws and of labour laws and housing codeshousing codes

PictorialismPictorialism

England; Photographic Society of London; leader in movement dedicated England; Photographic Society of London; leader in movement dedicated convincing of critics that photography, by imitation of painting and printmaking, convincing of critics that photography, by imitation of painting and printmaking, was art. was art.

Oscar Rejlander; “the two paths of life”; composite printing Oscar Rejlander; “the two paths of life”; composite printing

Julia Margaret Cameron; pursued ideal beauty; portraits of prominent VictoriansJulia Margaret Cameron; pursued ideal beauty; portraits of prominent Victorians

Photo-SecessionPhoto-Secession Early 1890s; the “Linked Early 1890s; the “Linked

Ring”; rival to the RPS; seeked Ring”; rival to the RPS; seeked a pictorialism independent of a pictorialism independent of science and technology; science and technology;

Resolved the dilemma Resolved the dilemma between art and mechanics between art and mechanics by making photos look like by making photos look like paintings; did not use paintings; did not use composite/multiple images; composite/multiple images;

Implemented tools in the Implemented tools in the darkroom to create imagesdarkroom to create images

Stieglitz opened his photo-Stieglitz opened his photo-secession gallery in NY 1905; secession gallery in NY 1905; key piece: Edward Steichen’s key piece: Edward Steichen’s photo of Rodin in his studio photo of Rodin in his studio surrounded by his workssurrounded by his works

Motion PhotographyMotion Photography

Eadweard Muybridge; “Female Semi-Nude in Motion”; father of Eadweard Muybridge; “Female Semi-Nude in Motion”; father of motion photographymotion photography

Devised a set of cameras capable of photographing action at Devised a set of cameras capable of photographing action at successive pointssuccessive points

Devoted 100,000 photographs to the study of animal and human Devoted 100,000 photographs to the study of animal and human movement; some taken from several vantage pointsmovement; some taken from several vantage points

The 20The 20thth Century Century

ParisParis Atget: images of Paris which he Atget: images of Paris which he

sold to artists (Picasso, Duchamp, sold to artists (Picasso, Duchamp, Man Ray, etc). Man Ray, etc).

Photos display a haunting Photos display a haunting technical perfection that is technical perfection that is unmatched.unmatched.

Cartier-Bresson: photojournalist; Cartier-Bresson: photojournalist; master of “the decisive moment”; master of “the decisive moment”;

The instant recognition of an The instant recognition of an event at the most intense event at the most intense moment of action and emotion in moment of action and emotion in order to reveal its inner meaning, order to reveal its inner meaning, not simply to record its not simply to record its occurrence. Key work: “Mexico, occurrence. Key work: “Mexico, 1934” omits head of figure to 1934” omits head of figure to focus on tension alone rather than focus on tension alone rather than meaning of the gesture.meaning of the gesture.

AmericaAmerica Alfred Stieglitz; founder of modern Alfred Stieglitz; founder of modern

photography in the US; published photography in the US; published “Camera Work” to back his “Camera Work” to back his photography-as-art philosophy; photography-as-art philosophy;

Key Piece: “The Steerage” (1907) Key Piece: “The Steerage” (1907) division of class is represented in division of class is represented in its natural state; not to record, but its natural state; not to record, but to express his philosophies; first to express his philosophies; first to use theme of clouds (later in to use theme of clouds (later in his career).his career).

• Edward Weston; leader pf Edward Weston; leader pf “pure” approach to “pure” approach to photography rather than photography rather than Stieglitz’s “straight” Stieglitz’s “straight” approach; images are approach; images are renowned for their design renowned for their design and detail; and detail; • Key work: Pepper (1930) a Key work: Pepper (1930) a sensuous shape bathed in sensuous shape bathed in dramatic lighting.dramatic lighting.

America Cont’dAmerica Cont’d Ansel Adams; co-founder of Ansel Adams; co-founder of

Group f/64; used smallest lens Group f/64; used smallest lens openings to achieve uniform openings to achieve uniform depth and detail; foremost depth and detail; foremost nature photographer in the USnature photographer in the US

Key work: “Moonrise, Key work: “Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico” Hernandez, New Mexico” (1941); full tonal range; (1941); full tonal range; images unable to be images unable to be duplicatedduplicated

Margaret Bourke-White; Margaret Bourke-White; photojournalist for mass-photojournalist for mass-circulation magazines circulation magazines Life Life and and Fortune; Fortune;

Key Work:Key Work: Fort Peck Dam, Fort Peck Dam, Montana (1936)Montana (1936)

The Heroic AgeThe Heroic Age

Dorothea LangeDorothea Lange

Robert CapaRobert Capa

Photomontages & Photomontages & PropagandaPropaganda

Pieces of photographs cut Pieces of photographs cut out and assembled into out and assembled into new imagesnew images

Anti-Nazi posters; political Anti-Nazi posters; political propaganda; ex: John propaganda; ex: John Heartfield’s “As in the Heartfield’s “As in the middle ages, so in the middle ages, so in the Third Reich” (1934)Third Reich” (1934)

PhotogramsPhotograms

Invented by Fox Invented by Fox TalbotTalbot

Objects placed on Objects placed on photo paper and photo paper and exposed to lightexposed to light

Man Ray; Man Ray; Rayographs; Dada Rayographs; Dada and surrealismand surrealism

Post 1945Post 1945

American social American social commentary on commentary on materialism and materialism and experimentation with experimentation with surrealism; surrealism;

England: use of lenses England: use of lenses and filters to alter and and filters to alter and distort images.distort images.

FinFin