What is Photography?
The word 'Photography' is derived from Greek, and the derived translation means to 'draw with light'. In effect, photography is a process or medium that creates images using light.
MEXICO. Tehuantepec. 1985, Children playing in a courtyard. Alex Webb / Magnum Photos
|
Why do people take/make photographs?People may take photos for a number of reasons, many people take photos to capture or record a moment in time. Photography can be used as a form of communication, or used as document an event or crisis - as photojournalism. On the other hand, photography can be used for creative experimentation - people use photography to experiment with light, exposure and composition. People can experiment with light in a range of different mediums; for example camera-less photography uses many different materials that are exposed to light. Photography is becoming more accessible to many more people across the world, as technology evolves and changes.
|
Why is Photography important?Photography is important as it allows us to document a specific event. In the future, photographs can give us an insight into what life was previously like. Not only this, but photography allows us to record moments in our lives, or even major historical events. It can also be an important tool to bring about change; photos of war zones can be documented and shown around the world - to make people aware of what is happening in places distant from our home.
|
Robert Capa, Ohama Beach, 1944
|
Glasgow, 1980 by Raymond Depardon
|
How many different types of photography can you think of?In photography there are many wide-ranging genres, more specific genres as well as photographs that may not fit into a specific genre at all. Photographs can overlap into a number of different genres, for example a photo could fit into street photography, but also into portraiture, photojournalism, documentary photography etc. Different types of photography may also focus on the medium used to create the photograph; for example camera-less photography and other types of film processing, As photography evolves and becomes more accessible, many more types of photography are beginning to emerge.
|
What skills do you need to become a good photographer?I think that persistence and experimentation are some of the most important characteristics that you need in photography; experimentation allows you to develop and improve your technique. I think that a creative mind and a good eye helps a photographer to see interesting compositions, where many may see the ordinary or mundane. However, the photographer's eye can always be improved by learning about the work of other photographers and practising photography as much as possible - building up your confidence.
|
How does photography help us see the world?As technology has advanced so quickly in recent years, a photograph can be taken half way across the world (or even in space) and can be seen instantaneously online. This can open our eyes and allow us to see places that we would never be able to visit. As well as this, new programs like Google Street View now allows us to travel through countries and cities miles away from us on our computer screens.
|
What are the similarities and differences between photography and other types of visual art?
Compared to other forms of visual art (such as more traditional forms of fine art), photography is generally more instantaneous and the feedback is often much quicker. To take a photograph with a digital camera (most with very fast autofocus) only requires a squeeze of the shutter release button, with almost instant on-screen results; similarly with high quality phone cameras. In comparison to other forms of art, fine art processes and mediums often require certain skills and techniques. However both photography, and other forms of visual art, render what the person is trying to express in different ways. Although image manipulation technology is advancing in photography, other forms of visual art can be potentially more expressive. However, mixed media means that various forms of visual art and photography overlap and are often combined.
|
William Klein Contact sheets
|
When is it not OK to take a photograph?
Nilufer Demir
|
Obviously there are different laws concerning when you can take photographs of people on private property, however it is legal in public places. Overall, it is best to take photos legally and with consent. Often photos of humanitarian crises and tragedy can spark some controversy, people asking why the person taking the photograph couldn't have intervened. However, often shocking photographs can have much more impact. When published worldwide, particularly shocking photos from war zones and tragedies can spark governments to intervene and provide aid to war zones or areas of crisis. For example, the photograph of the young refugee on the left hand side created widespread impact and made many aid agencies and countries intervene more in the migrant crisis - the photograph and other similar photos actually helped to provide aid and relief for refugees. As the photographer of the photo on the left said: "I thought the only thing for me to do was to take their photographs to make sure Turkey and the world sees this"
|
How do you know whether you have taken a good photograph?Obviously this can be very subjective, with opinion of different photos varying greatly. However, compositional rules and techniques can often create a more interesting photographs. Often, it is better to not review or publish your photographs for a while after they were taken, as this removes the emotional aspect of the photo, and causes you to focus more on the photo's composition and technical aspects more.
|
Chechnya - Girl with balloons, February 2002 by Thomas Dworzak
|
Are photographers also artist?As photography is a form of visual art, I think that photographers could be considered as artists. I think that some photographers may not see themselves as artists, depending on the type of photography they do. For example, some documentary photographers or photojournalists may not see their work as art, but more as communication
|
Where is the best place to see photography?There are some great websites for viewing photographers work online, especially Flickr and Instagram. Many photographers have websites and the Magnum Photographers website is good for viewing some of the best photographer's work. As well as this, many galleries display an increasing amount of photography. In London, the Photographer's Gallery is especially good.
|
What kind of photography interests you most?
Currently I am very interested in street photography and documentary photography; I am especially inspired by some street photography books and some brilliant photographers blogs and flickr accounts. I would definitely like to improve my confidence in street photography and practice it a lot more, I'd also like to study this type of photography in greater depth and learn more about the photographer's and techniques they used.
< Liverpool XVI (1968) by Candida Höfer |
What confuses or frustrates you about photography?
|
Can photography be trusted? |
There are some types of conceptual and more unusual types of photography that can be quite difficult to understand. Generally, the cost of photography equipment and film photography especially can be quite frustrating.
|
Obviously there are a number of different programs that enables advanced image manipulation. Therefore 'fake' photos can be created that are not truthful or trustworthy. However, more trustworthy and legitimate sources can generally be trusted.
|
An Imaginary Exhibition: What is Photography?
Creating an exhibition to address the question 'What is Photography?' is a near impossible task considering that trillions of photographs have likely been taken over time. However, I have decided to address this question from my point of view. I have curated the exhibition in chronological order, starting with the first known photograph and finishing with the most recently taken photograph by myself. In my exhibition, I have aimed to include a range of different genres, photographic processes/mediums as well as both iconic and lesser known photographs; taken by both professional, famous and amateur photographers.
I invited my family to view my exhibtion. Whilst they were looking at the photographs, I told them about each individual image using my research, and explained why I had each photo in the exhibition. The photo in the bottom left of the gallery below shows my dad viewing the exhibition, I think he liked a few of the images, particularly the Martin parr photograph; as he especially likes Martin Parr's photography.
I invited my family to view my exhibtion. Whilst they were looking at the photographs, I told them about each individual image using my research, and explained why I had each photo in the exhibition. The photo in the bottom left of the gallery below shows my dad viewing the exhibition, I think he liked a few of the images, particularly the Martin parr photograph; as he especially likes Martin Parr's photography.
Joseph Nicéphore NiépceView from the Window at Le Gras is considered to be the earliest known and surviving photograph. However, at the time, this photography was largely unknown; photography was properly unveiled to the world in 1839. This photograph was created using a pewter plate, after Joseph's various experiments with different camera obscura, chemicals, and light. Although different types of camera obscura were known many years before this, this photograph is widely known to be the earliest recorded image. I included this photograph as it is a good place to start in order to answer the question 'What is Photography?'.
|
View from the Window at Le Gras (1826-1827) by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce
|
Anna AtkinsThe cyanotype was invented in 1842, and Atkins quickly adopted the process to create cyanotype photograms of Algae (that were contact printed). Cyanotypes could produce finely detailed photograms - Atkins created accurate and detailed images of dried age (effectively using them as negatives). Atkins' book 'British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions' is considered to be the first book to be illustrated with photographic images. I included Anna Atkins' Cyanotype as I wanted to include a range of photographic media and techniques in the exhibition. Not only this, but as this was the earliest known phonebook, it is an important in addressing the question and the history of photography overall.
|
Cyanotype Impressions (1843-1853)
Robert CapaI chose this photograph as I wanted to include an iconic and influential photograph of war/conflict in the exhibition. Not only this, but Robert Capa is one of the most influential and widely renowned documentary/conflict photographers of all time. This photograph was taken during the Spanish Civil War and became a defining photo of the war. This photograph is shocking and has strong impact, due to the photograph capturing the moment of the soldier's death. Not only this, but it shows how sudden death can be - there isn't any blood or visible wounds on the soldier, he has fallen dead without any visual signs of the cause.
|
Death of a Loyalist Militiaman (1936)
|
The Tetons and the Snake River (1942)
|
Ansel AdamsI included this photograph as it is one of my favourite landscape photographs, and one of Adams most renowned photographs; as well as Ansel Adams being one of the most influential landscape photographers of all time. I also wanted to include a range of genres and types of photography in the exhibition. This photograph also perfectly defines and represents Adams' style - the contrasty tones are brought out by Adams' developed system of graduated greys, whilst the very small aperture that Adams commonly used captured maximum amounts of detail. The composition is also well thought out, engaging the viewer as the curved, snaking river leads the eye through the photograph.
|
Harold Eugene EdgertonDr Harold E. Egerton pioneered the strobe flash and a method of taking super-fast shutter images. His stop-action photography method was called Rapatronic, with exposures as short as 10 nanoseconds. This photo is Egerton's most famous, freezing a bullet after it has pierced an apple. The flash duration of this photograph was around a millionth of a second, taken with a specially built strobe. I included this photograph as it was groundbreaking photograph for the time it was taken, and the development of super-fast shutter speeds was quite a major development in the history of photography.
|
Bullet Through Apple (1964)
|
(William Anders, 1968)
|
EarthriseEarthrise was taken from the Moon's surface by Astronaut William Anders during he Apollo 8 Mission in 1968. This image of the Earth was hugely influential, leading to the creation of greater importance to protect the environment; as people could see and appreciate the beauty of Earth from space. Not only this, but wilderness photographer Galen Rowell called this photograph 'The most influential environmental photograph ever taken', and it has also been credited with its appearance beginning the environmental movement. I included this iconic photograph due to the widespread impact it had; i also wanted to include a variety of images, and this is very different from the other images I have included
|
Martin ParrMartin parr is a very influential British documentary photographer, and I particularly like his style of photography. This photograph was published in 1986 as part of Martin's phonebook 'the last resort', which marked a shift in documentary photography in Britain; as it accepted as a fine art practice. Parr often used flash in sunny or well lit scenes, creating vivid and saturated colours in 'garish detail'; this think this adds to the rawness of many of his images. Initially this image could be seen as repulsive due too its rawness and the unattractive, rubbish filled scene. I included this image from Martin Parr as he is such an influential figure in documentary photography, especially in Britain.
|
New Brighton, England (1985)
|
MEXICO. Tehuantepec. 1985, Children playing in a courtyard. Alex Webb / Magnum Photos
|
Alex WebbI included this photograph in this exhibition as Alex Webb is one of my favourite photographers. He has a recognisable style and creates some very interesting compositions especially with colour, light and silhouetted figures. Alex Webb describes this photograph as the best that he has taken, (in this article). The composition works extremely well in this photograph, with the effect of the relitively slow shutter causing the ball on the boy's fingertip to blur. Alex Webb described the boy as seeming 'to have the world spinning on his fingertip'.
|
David HockneyI included this photograph as I wanted to include a collage or photomontage in my exhibition, so that I would have a range of different techniques and genres. This piece by David Hockney is made up of 700 mounted photos of the Mojave Desert, but focuses on more than one perspective. This scene includes both the passenger's perspective as well as the driver's; with the driver's right hand side displaying various road signs, whilst the passenger's left hand side focusing more on the desert scenery and rubbish littering the road. Hockney depicts a number of perspectives and dimensions in this piece as he says, “Photography is alright, if you don't mind looking at the world from the point of view of a paralyzed Cyclops - for a split second.”
|
Pearblossom Highway (1986)
|
My Own PhotographI have included one of my own photographs in this exhibition. As part of my own exhibition and interpretation of the question 'What is Photography?', I thought it would make sense to add one of my own photographs as part of my individual exhibition and response to the question. When curating this exhibition and answering the question, I wanted to include a range of different genres, processes and time periods. Also, I wanted to include images from both professional and amateur photographers, this photo falling into the latter catergory. This is one of my favourite photographs that I have taken, as I was particularly pleased with the silhouetted effect, and composition; with the 's' shape of the shimmering rails running through the image. I looked at my Magnum photography book and website as inspiration for my photography, as well as whilst curating this exhibition. This particular image was partially inspired by Magnum photographer René Burri's photographs of soa paulo (such as this photograph and another of this set of images).
|