‘I’m inclined to think that there is no such thing as a photojournalistic image, only a photojournalistic use of an image.’
(David Campany)
Read around the photographers above and try to track down some of the quotations, either in the course reader (Liz Wells) or online. Write up your research in your learning log.
Now look back at your personal archive of photography and try to find a photograph to illustrate one of the aesthetic codes discussed in Project 2. Whether or not you had a similar idea when you took the photograph isn’t important; find a photo with a depth of field that ‘fits’ the code you’ve selected. Add a playful word or title that ‘anchors’ the new meaning.
The ability of photographs to adapt to a range of usages is something we’ll return to later in the course.
Wim Wenders
‘The most political decision you make is where you direct people’s eyes.’
(Wim Wenders (1997) quoted in Broomberg & Chanarin, 2008)
As photographers we see things and then try to capture them in a way that reflect that vision and share that with other people.
A lot of the photographs that people take are for family albums or to share online with family and friends. In the majority of these cases, very little thought is given to positioning of the subject within the image, or where the eye might be drawn.
Wenders also once said that photography is akin to “watching death at work,” as the contents of the image will inevitably change, fade, or cease to exist. This leads to photographs being unique and impossible to recreate.
Andre Bazin
‘Deep focus give the eye autonomy to roam over the picture space so that the viewer is at least given the opportunity to edit the scene himself, to select the aspects of it to which he will attend.‘
Bazin (1948)
Deep focus cinematography brings everything that can be seen in the foreground, mid-ground and background of a frame into focus at the same time. To achieve this, the cinematographer must manipulate lighting, composition, camera lens and depth of field. The depth of field refers to the distance from the object or character at the front of the image to the object or character at the back.
To achieve deep focus there is usually a large depth of field, which refers to a large distance between the foreground and the background. The use of deep focus means that the mise-en-scène is more significant and meaningful, as everything can be seen very clearly.
The human eye does not naturally focus from close up to infinity at the same time. The eye focuses on certain things while allowing other things to lose focus, to blur. It would seem natural then for photographs to show scenes in a similar way, which would also allow the photographer to direct people’s eyes as indicated in the quote by Wenders above.
However, that isn’t how the world exists. The world around us doesn’t drift in and out of focus as people look at it. Instead it is constants. It’s the way our eye focuses and interprets the light that hits our retina that governs how we see it.
F/64 Group
The name of this Group is derived from a diaphragm number of the photographic lens. It signifies
to a large extent the qualities of clearness and definition of the photographic image which is an
important element in the work of members of this Group.
The chief object of the Group is to present in frequent shows what it considers the best
contemporary photography of the West; in addition to the showing of the work of its members, it
will include prints from other photographers who evidence tendencies in their work similar to
that of the Group.
Group f/64 does not pretend to cover the entire of photography or to indicate through its selection
of members any deprecating opinion of the photographers who are not included in its shows.
There are great number of serious workers in photography whose style and technique does not
relate to the metier of the Group.
Group f/64 limits its members and invitational names to those workers who are striving to define
photography as an art form by simple and direct presentation through purely photographic
methods. The Group will show no work at any time that does not conform to its standards of pure
photography. Pure photography is defined as possessing no qualities of technique, composition or
idea, derivative of any other art form. The production of the “Pictorialist,” on the other hand,
indicates a devotion to principles of art which are directly related to painting and the graphic
arts.
The members of Group f/64 believe that photography, as an art form, must develop along lines
defined by the actualities and limitations of the photographic medium, and must always ‘remain
independent of ideological conventions of art and aesthetics that are reminiscent of a period and
culture antedating the growth of the medium itself.’
The Group will appreciate information regarding any serious work in photography that has
escaped its attention, and is favourable towards establishing itself as a Forum of Modern
Photography.
(Group f/64 Manifesto , 1932)
The f/64 Group consisted of a number of photographers of the calibre of Ansel Adams, Edward Weston and Imogen Cunningham. Their aim was to produce images that were sharply focused, carefully composed and which did not rely on any of the techniques associated with art prior to the development of photography, and especially those techniques that were related to painting. There are ideas, techniques and rules used in painting that are useful to photographers who are starting out. The Rule of Thirds, Golden Ratio, the use of light and shadows, these have been explored and refined over centuries in order that artist can produce works that are pleasing to the eye and invoke emotions in the viewer. Learning these rules and techniques is very useful. Knowing how to do something correctly is the first stage in being able to break the rules. The same applies with photography, once you are aware of the techniques then you are able to move away from them in an informed manner that will enable you to produce works that fit with your vision. Images where most, if not all of the image, is sharply focused are good but images that are softly focused or make use of blurring of elements can equally produce results that are pleasing to the eye.
Fay Godwin
Fay Godwin didn’t want to be seen as a landscape photographer, preferring to be considered a documentary photographer. Her interest is not in the landscape (and thus, she has no interest in producing conventionally aestheticised landscape images: in a 1986 South Bank Show interview she states that she is ‘wary of the picturesque’), but rather in human engagement with, material impact on and use of the landscape. Her work uses predominantly large depth of field and was integral to her landscape and close-up work.
Gianluca Cosci
Cosci doesn’t consider himself a photographer but an artist that uses the camera simply as a medium.
His work “Panem et Circenses” which is latin for “bread and circuses”. This phrase was supposedly coined by Juvenal (AD 100, a Roman satirical poet), describing the cynical formula of the Roman emperors for keeping the masses happy with ample food and entertainment.¹
On Cosci’s web site there is a an interview with Kevin Byrne in April 2016, Byrne, a teacher and a photographer based in Taranto Italy, gives some insight to Cosci’s thinking and the Circenses work. Cosci says that when he came to London, a world capital, from Bologna and that he was overwhelmed by it, he said he was both fascinated by the city’s confidence, superiority and authority but also repulsed by places such as Canary Wharf and the City of London, displaying obscene amounts of wealth and power. (Byrne, 2016)
I could relate to this comment as I had similar feelings when I originally moved to London from ‘sleepy’ Devon and being in awe of the 24/7, high speed nature of the city which was exhilarating and terrifying in equal quantities.
His work made I think as a reaction to the feeling of fascination and repulsion and how images can have an underlying meaning or message, rather than just capturing a moment in time. The photographs in Panem et Circenses have a very shallow depth of focus, examining detail in narrow slithers of focus. The unfocused areas blur into confusion and the eye is always brought back to the detail. Details of weeds, for example, claiming patches of land do indeed give the feeling of desolation and abandonment, which is interesting as there is not much other content visible.
Mona Kuhn
Kuhn’s (2019) website displays 12 images from her Evidence series.
In ten of these twelve images people can be seen. In the others there is a noticeable absence of a person but there remains evidence of their existance which tells something about the person.
The image Closer has a voyeuristic edge to it, as a figure, that I assume is Kuhn, can be seen reflected in the window taking the photograph. The eyes of one of the figures looking directly at the photographer, and the partially turned head of the second figure, give the impression that something private has been interupted. Although all the figures in the images are naked, as far as can be told with regards to those images where the whole figure cannot be seen, Kuhn’s use of depth of field provides them with a level of privacy while also sharing intimate moments.
Kim Kirkpatrick
I found when searching for both the website that was linked to in the course notes and also using online search mechanisms that finding out about Kim Kirkpatrick was very difficult, especially when it came to examples of his work.
Guy Bourdin
Tate and ICP search results show very different examples of Bourdin’s work. The Tate examples are in black and white, while the International Center of Photography examples are all colour and from a series called Sighs and Whispers. These latter has the feel of a magazine fashion shoot to them, in particular for a more high end fashion magazine or label.
Each of the ICP images has an intensity to it, whether that is from the looks that the models appear to be giving the viewer, a sense that the figures are waiting for something to happen.
The Tate examples are from an earlier period in Bourdin’s career. Even so it is possible to see some of what would be used in his later fashion work. An image of bleached bones and carcusses on a floor looks menacing as does an image of a rusted door lock.
David Campany
‘I’m inclined to think that there is no such thing as a photojournalistic image, only a photojournalistic use of image.’
David Campany
The above quote is in response to a comment on an article that Campany(2013) wrote in May 2013.
The discussion was the result of an article that Campany had publised that discussed the work of Eve Arnold and Don McCullin that had appeared in The Sunday Times magazine. In contrast with the McCullin piece, which used some of his images captured in Vietnam, the Arnold piece used images captured in North Carolina at a facility built to replicate a North Vietnamese village that could be used to train American troops before they embarked for a tour in Vietnam. McCullin’s piece showed how things were in country, while Arnold’s piece was a step removed from this and the dangers soldiers, journalists and photographers faced while in the war zone.
Whereas McCullin photographs were more immediate and could not be planned out easily. Arnold had the luxury of being able to take more time over her shots and to achieve results that could be influenced by other areas of photography, for instance fashion photography. In response to the comment Campany argues that all images can be seen as forms of different genres of photography, for instance fashion, portrait, landscape, architectural etc. It is the use of the image to report on events that makes them photojournalistic.
With the use of mobile phones to capture images and video as events play out, by members of the public, who are by their very nature not journalists but either bystanders, or actual participants, in the events they are capturing, Campany’s point is a lot easier to understand. It is not the actual image but how it is used that defines how we see it.
My Image
Haytor, Devon – ISO 100 133mm f/5.6 1/200
References
magazine, H., 2021. Wim Wenders’ photography captures the landscapes that inspire his films. [online] HERO magazine. Available at: <https://hero-magazine.com/article/47477/wim-wenders-photography-captures-the-landscapes-that-inspire-his-films/> [Accessed 5 May 2021].
Artsy.net. 2021. Wim Wenders – 26 Artworks, Bio & Shows on Artsy. [online] Available at: <https://www.artsy.net/artist/wim-wenders> [Accessed 5 May 2021].
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.invaluable.com/blog/group-f64/> [Accessed 5 May 2021].
Backhouse, R., 2021. End frame: One-way bridge at Trafalgar, by Fay Godwin. [online] On Landscape. Available at: <https://www.onlandscape.co.uk/2019/05/one-way-bridge-trafalgar-fay-godwin/> [Accessed 5 May 2021].
2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.dictionary.com/misspelling?term=panem-et-circenses> [Accessed 5 May 2021].
Gianluca-cosci.com. 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.gianluca-cosci.com/interviews> [Accessed 5 May 2021].
Fotomuseum Winterthur. 2021. Backwards and Forwards. [online] Available at: <https://www.fotomuseum.ch/de/2013/05/02/backwards-and-forwards/> [Accessed 5 May 2021].
International Center of Photography. 2021. Search Results. [online] Available at: <https://www.icp.org/search-results/all/all/all/relevant/0> [Accessed 5 May 2021].
Tate. 2021. ‘Group of 27 photographs, gelatin silver prints on paper’, Guy Bourdin, 1950–7 | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/bourdin-group-of-27-photographs-gelatin-silver-prints-on-paper-164175> [Accessed 5 May 2021].
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