Identity

Identity can be outlined in copious ways, but generally speaking identity can be described as someone’s sense of self, however it’s something that isn’t classed as steady, but something that can be altered over a period of time due to several aspects, for example identity responds to events that may have been encountered and experiences that have occurred such as responsibility, work, awareness, concentration, disposition and so forth. Identity has so many crucial characteristics which put together create individuality and begs many questions such as ‘Who do I think I am’, ‘What do others think of me’ and so on. There can be many conflicting issues regarding identity such as culture, sexuality and ethnicity.

Identity is a concept that is continually being used in a variety of subjects especially in terms of psychology and sociology, and is common thing to entwine into photography. The saying often goes ‘a picture tells a thousand words’; through photographs you have the ability to discover identity and not only ascertain the obvious things that are apparent in photographs but also the underlying story behind it. Identity in photography can change correspondingly to what the photograph is aimed to show and the field of photography it lies within. 

By Ken Ohara

Reference List: 
http://www.academia.edu/1390624/The_identity_of_photography_Exploring_realism_in_photojournalism

Modernism and Post Modernism.

Modernism:

Modernism is a term which is used to illustrate the 20^th century’s mindful effort to break artistic customs of the 19^th century. Modernism concentrates more on the form and the examination of technique rather than the substance and narrative of a piece of work. Modernism is a development that filtered many disciplines, and is influenced by various things such a politics, technology and science. Many things have influenced modernism such as architecture, literature; dance, music and so forth, all which come in such diverse range that continue to exceed expectation and do something completely unique and things that haven’t previously been done.  

Post Modernism: ‘A style and concept in the arts characterized by distrust of theories and ideologies and by the drawing of attention to conventions’ (English Oxford Dictionary)

Post-Modernism is the era that follows modernism and is something that is used to express the response to both culture and reflection. The post-modern theory first arose in the 1970’s and 1980’s. One of the features that comes alongside post modernism is the fundamental role of new and mass media which allows elevation of something visually as well as the dominance of the images style.  

Reference List:
'1914-1939 modernism designing a new world' edited by Christopher Wilk.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/modernism
http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/p/postmodernism/

Exhibition: Ansel Adams

‘I hope that my work will encourage self-expression in others and stimulate the search for beauty and creative excitement in the great world around us’ – Ansel Adams.

Ansel Adams was an American photographer which brought the wilderness into the home of countless people. An area that Adams was most prone to taking photographs at was the Yosemite National Park where he used his work to endorse conservation of the wilderness. It is Adams iconic black and white images that helped to launch photography among the fine arts.

'The Tetons and the Snake River' 1942

I decided to attend Ansel Adams exhibition in Greenwich which focuses on the photographers lifelong captivation with water, seascapes, waterfalls, rapids, ice, snow ponds and so forth. A particular picture that caught my eyes when I went to the exhibition was the ‘Tetons and the snake river’, I was particularly fond of it due to the beautiful view that was captured and how the river acted as a leading line to the main focal points, especially the big mountains. Something else I like is the different tonal range that is revealed and how this gives the image a completely different feel as opposed to them not being there. Adams is someone that continues to influence my work, especially when doing black and white landscapes and is someone I will continue to refer back to. 

Reference List:
http://www.anseladams.com/
http://www.biography.com/people/ansel-adams-9175697

Artist Research: Izima Kaoru

Izima Kaoru is a Japanese photographer that I have only just recently come across when reading ‘A photograph as contemporary art’ by Charlotte Cotton.  Kaoru is best known for creating theatrical and dynamic scenes of a gruesome nature: normally of which that entail a death, this creates a merge of beauty and style alongside carnage and disgust. Something that Kaoru does is use attractive models and actresses that all are shot in a way that portrays their own deaths; however the model remains the main focus rather than the actual death itself.

 Kaoru’s work doesn’t exactly come across as tragic, but in fact fairly picturesque. The so called ‘victims’ aka the models/actresses are always dressed in designer clothing such as Vivienne Westwood which is an interesting contrast to incorporate into a death scene.

Something that really inspires me about Kaoru’s work is how he actually asks the models and actresses to reveal their ‘perfect fantasies’ about death as well as what clothes they would like to be in when they ‘die’. I think the way that Kaoru makes his photographs gives a whole different approach to the outcomes of his images, and allows such a broad amount of work to be created. 

Reference List:
 ‘A photograph as contemporary art’ by Charlotte Cotton. 

Artist Research: Martin Parr.

Martin Parr is often said to be one of the most prominent and influential photographers of today, Parr is best known for his documentary work, and the unique twist he entwines into his work such as humour. Parr’s work embodies characteristic, as well as a distinct style that exerts the use of interesting colours. Something that I really appreciate about Parr’s work is the simplicity it entails, and how photographing something you may not necessarily think about sparks of something extremely fascinating.

This particular image for example, is typically British and displays a feel of devotion to Britain: the British flag being the main focal point and the only thing really in focus heightens this fact and allows full concentration to be directed at this on initial glance. However, when you look into the image you can see what you would normally associate with a typically British summer’s day: an ice cream van, a chair rest with a fairly old woman placed on it and what appears to be a playing field. Another thing that particular catches my interest is the positioning of the flag being over the women’s face, emphasising the feel of mystery and making you want to look beyond the foreground of the image. 

Reference List:
'Art Photography Now' by Susan Bright
http://www.martinparr.com/

Artist Research: Edward Jean Steichen

Edward Jean Steichen was known for founding ‘The photo-session galleries’ alongside Alfred Stieglitz, this was a group that was renowned and devoted to encouraging photography amongst the fine arts. ‘Though Steichen didn’t invent fashion photography, an argument can be made that he created the template for the modern fashion photography’ (Owen Edwards). Steichen is deliberated as the first modern fashion photographer, by pursuing celebrities into his portraits and incorporating an element of glamour into his work Steichen transformed this field of photography.

Gloria Swanson: 1924

Steichen diverted away from the mundane of the delicate light and substituting it with the clean and sharp lines that associates with modernism.

Steichen’s work is something that continues to intrigue me: one particular image that stood out for me was one of Gloria Swanson, a famous singer, actress and producer situated behind a veil. This was an image that particularly captured my eyes, the direct eye contact allows almost an instant connection to the image whilst the pattern covering the face allows an essence of mystery to be formed, the black and white effect gives the image a classic ambiance: something I feel wouldn’t have been achieved as well in colour. 

Reference List:
http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artMakerDetails?maker=1816

http://www.answers.com/topic/edward-steichen

Semiotics.

Semiotics (otherwise referred to as semiology) is defined as the study of signs and symbols. Instead of looking into what something is, semiotics looks into the study of how meaning is formed. It is something that is continuously used in everyday society as part of communication and interaction. It is a field of study which encompasses countless amounts of methodology and theoretical perspectives.

Signs can be embodied in numerous ways, whether it is in the form of visual things such as drawings, photographs or paintings but also in the shape of words, body language, sounds, facial expressions and slogans.

Apple

Signifier: This term is the literal depiction of an image, for example in the picture above, the signifier is ‘Apple’ and their actual brand.

Signified: The signified is the construed meaning. Apple has intelligently designed both the logo and brand name to epitomise all the traits of an actual apple: there are numerous characteristics that go hand in hand with an apple such as the forbiddingness and temptation that derived from Adam and Eve, the nourishment from an apple itself, the classic saying ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ which signifies health and the cultural association with knowledge. 

Refernce List:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEgxTKUP_WI
'Semiotics for Beginners' by David Chandler. Available at: http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/semiotic.html

Artist Research: Trine Søndergaard

Trine Søndergaard is a Danish photographer that I came across when looking at the book ‘The photograph as contemporary art’ and is something that really fascinated me. I’m going to concentrate on a series that Trine Søndergaard made between 1997 and 2000 which is titles ‘Now That You Are Mine’ which looks at the sex workers on the streets in Copenhagen. This series consists of Søndergaard capturing the prostitutes when they were both with and without the clients, allowing a real outlook into their lives. Something that continues to strike me in the series is the lack of glamour which heightens the actuality of the situation these women are in which as result delivers a real sense of concern. Søndergaards work doesn't just focus on the gritty side of the women’s work but also looks into their everyday lives, environment and routines: taking away from the mundane of normal portraits and photographs.  

The slumped posture and the resolute surroundings heighten the sense of vulnerability, all three of the women look extremely unhappy and fed up shown by their facial expressions, and this photo really accentuates the struggles that the women have to endure on a day to day basis.






Reference List:

'The photograph as contemporary art' by Charlotte Cotton
http://www.trinesondergaard.com/