Provoke プロヴォーク
Provoke was an experiemtal magazine founded in 1968 by Japanese photographers Yutaka Takanashi and Takuma Nakahira, critic Koji Taki, and writer Takahiko Okada; with the most famous member Daido Moriyama joining for the second issue. Three issues of Provoke were released, but it was an extremely influential publication.
The main argument of Provoke was that a photographer can capture what cannot be expressed in words - and presenting photographs like documents, for other people to read. The typical style of the photographs of the Provoke group is described as 'are-bure-boke' in japanese - this translates to 'grainy/rough, blurry, out-of-focus'. The photographs are also shot in monochrome, also a strong preference for one of the main photographers in the the group, Daido Moriyama. Moriyama has a strong preferance for Black and White photography, he explained that 'monochrome has stronger elements of abstraction and symbolism'. Moriyama also loved the 'ambiguity' and abstraction of photography - images that appear to have a subject and be real, but are also abstracted (this links to the threshold concept that all images are abstractions). In 1970, the members disbanded to persue individualm careers, it was a relatively short lived but influential group.
The main argument of Provoke was that a photographer can capture what cannot be expressed in words - and presenting photographs like documents, for other people to read. The typical style of the photographs of the Provoke group is described as 'are-bure-boke' in japanese - this translates to 'grainy/rough, blurry, out-of-focus'. The photographs are also shot in monochrome, also a strong preference for one of the main photographers in the the group, Daido Moriyama. Moriyama has a strong preferance for Black and White photography, he explained that 'monochrome has stronger elements of abstraction and symbolism'. Moriyama also loved the 'ambiguity' and abstraction of photography - images that appear to have a subject and be real, but are also abstracted (this links to the threshold concept that all images are abstractions). In 1970, the members disbanded to persue individualm careers, it was a relatively short lived but influential group.
Photographs from Provoke photographers
Yutaka Takanashi
Takuma Nakahira
Daido Moriyama
My work inspired by Provoke
I created this set of images, inspired by the work of the provoke movement. To emulate the work of the Provoke movement, I used the provoke camera app; this app contains a number of filters, all of which are in the style of the Provoke photographers. The Provoke camera app was an extremely useful tool for creating my own response to the Provoke Movement. I liked the range of different filters available, many create very similar effects to the style of the Provoke photographers. The filters are mostly monochromatic with 9 Black and White effects - these filters particularly add grain and blur to the photographers. These filters accurately depict and create the style of 'are-bure-boke' ('grainy/rough, blurry, out-of-focus'). I varied the different filters that I applied to my images imported from my camera, as different filters suited different photos, but I mostly used filters with particularly high contrast, as I like the effect of high contrast black and white effects.
Editing process
Above are screenshots from an example of the editing process. I imported this images of a motion blurred bus from my camera, and then imported it into the Provoke Camera app. I applied each filter to the image, all with varying results. However, I saved this image as I particularly like the effect and result of this photo with the filter - particularly due to the strong contrast created between the brightened highlights and contrasty, dark tones; it also adds some clarity and a small amount of noise/grain.
Gallery of my edited images
Overall, I am pleased with the outcome of my Provoke inspired images. I tried to photograph in the style of the provoke photographers - particularly in terms of the style and subject matter in their photos. Not only this, but the Provoke Camera app was an extremely good tool to edit and emulate the style of the Provoke photographers; the range of filters allowed my to experiment when editing individual photos. In terms of subject matter, I mostly photographed busy, well-lit streets at night; similarly to many of the provoke photographers, many of whom took a lot of night time street photographs. In a number of these photographs, I purposely added some motion blur (due to camera shake or moving people/vehicles). Photographs with motion blur were mostly photographed on shutter priority, mostly between 1/5th and 1/20th of a second. Shooting at this shutter value caused a small amount of motion blur; not too much, meaning the subject was still visible. I did this as I like the style and effect of some motion blur, it implies movement and an energetic, busy scene; it also creates some interesting light trails. In a number of the provoke photographer's night time street photographs, they also give the impression of movement and energy with motion blur. A number of my other photographs taken at night, which are sharper, (and without any motion blur) were photographed at slighter faster shutter speeds at wider apertures (mostly f2) - so that there wouldn't be much motion or shake blur. Not only this, but to ensure the photographs were sharp, I often underexposed these photographs using the exposure compensation dial on my camera - meaning that the camera will set automatically faster shutter speeds, to reduce the amount of light hitting the censor, and underexpose the photos, reducing any blur.
I am pleased with the outcome of this project - I think my photos show clear inspiration from this movement. I particuarly like some of the photographs of blurred busy streets, such as this motion blurred photograph of a busy road - I like the effect of the light trails particularly. I also like my photographs of people wandering through the streets, I like street photography featuring people. To improve, I think that I could make an even wider range of Provoke inspired images. Although I have tried to emulate the style of their night time street photographs particularly, they photograph a wider range of different subjects - I would like to expand my range of photographs.