Assignment 5: Virtual essay- Sally Mann

Assignment 5: Virtual essay- Sally Mann

 

Taking this course has enabled me to be exposed to a number of different photos by a number of different photographers. But most of them are male, so I think maybe a female photographer will have some different opinions and style.

Sally Mann (born in Lexington, Virginia, 1951) is one of America’s most renowned photographers. Her many books include Second Sight (1983), At Twelve (1988), Immediate Family (1992), Still Time (1994), What Remains (2003), Deep South (2005), Proud Flesh (2009), and The Flesh and the Spirit (2010). She likes to capture candid moments of life, and her most famous and infamous works of photography centered around her own children. Since 1966, she was study in the Putney School on Vermont. At first, she just wanted to use camera to collecting materials for writing. After graduated, she back to Virginia and balance writing and photography. Until she saw a photo by Michael Miley, she was attracted by these printing technologies in nineteenth century.
 

This view of House Mountain was taken by Michael Miley, the famed photographer of Robert E. Lee, more than 130 years ago. (Washington and Lee Special Collections)

She has three children: Emmett (1979), Jessie (1981), and Virginia (1985). Mann is perhaps best known for Immediate Family, her third collection, published in 1992.

The book consists of 65 black-and white photographs of her three children, all under the age of 10. Many of the pictures were taken at the family’s remote summer cabin along the river, where the children played and swam in the nude. Not like other mother’s love, but other touch on darker themes such as insecurity, loneliness, injury, sexuality and death.

Emmett, Jessie and Virginia. 1989
 

Angel, 1992

Some critics deem the photographs of her children bordering on child pornography. I think these children are very free and simple just like the photo “Angle”, when in actuality God intended for us all to be nude.

After her children had grown up, Mann spent more time focusing on that landscape especially the Southern landscape of her own life and childhood, as well as exploring further afield. In 2005, her sixth book, Deep South published, still with 65 black-and-white images, includes landscapes taken from 1992 to 2004 using both conventional 8x10 film and wet plate collodion. She said “wanted to go right into the heart of the deep, dark South.”  These photographs are marked by the scratches, light leaks, and shifts in focus that were part of the photographic process as it developed during the nineteenth century because of the attraction from Michael Miley. Here she is drawn to locations steeped in historical significance from the American Civil War, which left both literal and metaphoric scars on the trees and the land itself. Using antique cameras and processes throughout, Mann accentuates the sense of age in the subject while embracing the imperfect effects created by her printing process.

 

 
‘Scarred Tree’, 1996 ,from the series Deep South © Sally Mann. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery

Mann’s dreamy, lyrical image transforms the eerie abandoned woodland into a piece of poetry. The huge photograph of landscape not only the natural south, but talk about the dark human history. In the dark, forgotten paradise of vegetation.

Sally Mann use another way to show the life wither over time.

References:
A brief history of House Mountain By Caroline Helms

http://journalism.wlu.edu/indepth/2011/HouseMountain/History%20of%20HM%20slideshow/History.html

http://vk.com/photo-26953_287242369#/album-26953_3901268

Photography Blog: Deep South by Sally Man
http://www.pphotography.net/2010/10/deep-south-by-sally-mann.html

 

 

 

DB 11

DB11 - Kertesz and Cartier-Bresson versus Smith and Salgado

Andre Kertesz (Advertising, Photojournalism, Documentary):

 Sell of Flowers, Paris.

Andre Kertesz (1894-1985) a major photographer, who was born in Budapest. He made much different kind of photography, and giving new meaning to documentary photography and as an art form. In his whole life, he moved around many countries. In the Hungary, he bought his first camera. After he moved to Paris, he set out to look at the world and contemplate it with the greatest attention and respect. Paris change his way of seeing. His pictures became less mushy and more exquisite.

Henri Cartier-Bresson:

Be patient

Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004) was a French photographer, the fater of modern photojournalism. He developed the street photography style that effected other photographers for many years. About the decisive moment, he thought that people don’t always need to go out and hunt for photo-opportunities, allow them to come to you. So we need patience.

Eugene Smith

“A Walk to Paradise Garden”

Eugene Smith American, 1918-1978. He is one of photography’s legendary figures. When he was 18, he entered Notre Dame University where his pictures so impressed the faculty. After that his first work for life is the New York Times. His photographs are magnificent interpretive. Also he had been through a lot in the war, when he became a war correspondent. During his period of convalescence his war wounds, he made the most famous photographs of all time “A Walk to Paradise Garden.”. He said: “I am an idealist, a journalist-a photojournalist. My principle concern is for honesty, above all honesty with myself.”

Sebastio Salgado

 

He was born in Brazil, 1944. Then he went to Paris, and became a photographer in 1973. He think that the advent of digital photography been a good thing for the art form.
- What are the main differences and similarities?
All of them are good photographer. Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson are more close to photojournalism, real and in their photo they more focus on people and nature. Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado are tending to shoot humanity; they pay attention to the emotions.

- What’s the better journalistic approach?
It's hard to say. Different case has different way to deal with. Each photographer has different way to do. For the journalistic approach, I think Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson are better. Because Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado's have more emotions, it will infecte their readers.

Sources:

1.      http://my.opera.com/ellinidata/blog/2010/09/28/flowers

2.       ERIC KIM Street photography: “10 Things Henri Cartier-Bresson Can Teach You About Street Photography” by Eric Kim on August 22, 2011
3.  LEE GALLERY http://www.leegallery.com/eugene-smith/eugene-smith-photography
4.Portrait of the artist: Sebastião Salgado, photographer. By Laura Barnett. 28^th Feb,2012.

 

Assignment 2: Press photography versus art photography

Assignment 2: Press photography versus art photography

Option 1:

1. The main differences and similarities between art and press photography;

2. Is it ethical and acceptable to alter art photographs? Why? Why not?

3. Is it ethical and acceptable to alter press photographs? Why? Why not?

1.
Press photography is synonymous with Photojournalism, which is news photography the telling of a news story primarily through pictures. The "press" refers to the printing press used to produce a newspaper. Other synonyms include news photography and news picture photography. Good photographer use images, emotion or action, a great press photograph can tell an entire story without any words. It evokes a response and speaks for itself. A good press photograph also requires quality and clarity as it seeks to speak for itself.

About the art photography, the term fine art photography is used to refer work created with such a desire in mind, to articulate an impression, a feeling about, or relationship with the world.

I think the relationship between the press photography and art photography is similar to hunter and cooks. One of them is responsible for shoot; one of them is responsible to alter.

When journalists discuss photographs using visual terms, the conversation goes beyond subjective likes and dislikes to address the actual value of the image. So both of art and press photography

But art and press photography still have some difference. Art photography can be changed what the artiste want, the press photography can’t be changed.

2.

In my opinion, it is ethical and acceptable to alter art photographs. Art photographs are a way for artists to bring life to images that previously existed only in their imaginations.

 

By placing a red light source in this mailbox, Peterson transformed what would have been a normal street scene into a menacing mystery and storytelling image.

 

 

Chris Clor's dramatic photograph of this bull rider won the Communication Arts Photography Competition. Combining separate shots of the bull, the rider, Superstition Mountains and the sky, he knitted them together in Photoshop. Although it was shot for a client selling boots, the image represents a possible reality because of Clor's composition.

3.

Some of the altering is less innocuous. But not all of them should be edited. When photographs are used in news, they become a language to tell people the truth. The photographs used must be a fair and accurate representation of the events they depict and must not leave opportunities for bias. The real truth can’t be edited at all.

 

 

Michel de Broin Majestic 2011 lamp-posts, steel, glass, electricity 10.9 Å~ 10.9 Å~ 9.1 m (Gift of Donald and Beth Sobey, Nova Scotia, 2012 National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa)-- Pictures at an exhibition: the National Gallery biennale (From The Globe and Mail)

 

 

Michael Appleton
2006, New Orleans On September 4, 2005, nearly a week after New Orleans’ flood defences failed under the impact of Hurricane Katrina, much of the city remained underwater and deserted. To add insult to injury, fires continued to burn as a result of gas leaks, fallen power lines and in some cases, arson.

 

References:

Art photography: When 'reality isn't good enough' By Ashley Strickland, CNN
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2009/nov/10/100-years-press-photography
Theguardian: 100 years of great press photographs
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/pictures-at-an-exhibition-the-national-gallery-biennale/article5157367/

DB9

DB9
Read the material for this week and elaborate:
- What's the role of photo journalism?
Photojournalism is a visual language. When journalists discuss photographs using visual terms, the conversation goes beyond subjective likes and dislikes to address the actual value of the image.
Sometimes, people trust what they saw more that what they heard.

- Are there rules that photojournalists should follow? Why? Why not?
A journalist, on the other hand, cannot be held to the demands of the photographic subject, but rather he or she must be concerned with producing accurate news for the public.
I think there are not explicit rules to follow. For those good photojournalists, they may consciously obey by those rules and ethics in their mind. 

- Is the ethics of taking journalistic photos different than the ethics of writing a news story?
It's different. Taking journalistic photos and writing a news story which offer the reader different feelings. When photographers are on assignment. They decide the moment to record, what to include, and what to take out. And, of course, if the photos of people, I'll ask for permission before I used. Because of the right of the portrait.

- What's the impact of altering press photographs? Should they be edited (at all) in postproduction?
Some of the altering is less innocuous. But not all of  them should be edited. When photographs are used in news, they become a language to tell people the truth. The real truth, can't be edited at all.

Add for assigment 1

The original images is

After:   

Assignment 1 - Photo Manipulation Assignment

When we go travels, we usually take camera to keep the beautiful view, and it’s just as important to record the ephemeral good times with friends or family. The photograph reminded me of the days which had been wonderful. But sometimes the photos are not satisfying, because of many reasons such as the weather, the quality of the camera or the smart phone you used, or the blurring caused by minute caused by the user. If these are happened, I will feel so sad.  But with improvements in science, there is ways to fix these things up: we can use the Photoshop or online free editing tools to make some change that you like.

        This photo was taken on August 28^th, 2011, my friends and I travel to the Quebec City, Upper Town. For me, I don’t like to take too heavy things on the traveling, that’s why I use SONY W560. It’s smaller and lighter than those digital SLR cameras. That day was sunny, but there is thunderstorm after the lunch time, so this photo was looked like rainy, the light was dark. What a pity!  

      Let’s make this photo looks better.

     At first, I am going to adjust the light of the dark areas. First click at levels icon in the adjustment palette to add a levels adjustment layer. Then to moving the midtones and the highlights sliders to make the dark zones brighter. At this time, the highlights are moved to 175 and the midtones balanced to 1, 94. Now, it looks lighter than before, but I feel a little bit strange so I need to increase the contrast. At this part, I add a curves adjustment layer; it needs to be made an “S” type curve to increase the contrast. After that, the visual effect is too rigid, aesthetically. So next step, I try to give the photo more color, because in the photo’s original color dark and cold colors were in the majority. I think if I change the photo’s color to the more warm color, it will be more attractive, looks like a sunny afternoon. Now I use a color balance adjustment layer, it start adjusting the shadows to reduce the bluish tone of the shadows and en up fine-tuning the midtones until you are satisfied with the result. Then let’s add a saturation adjustment layer to modify the different zones of the photo. At this time, I can select the yellow channel and raise even more the saturation, modify also the red and the blue channels to make the decorative arts on the street and the building more visible.

   Actually, I am not very well at the Photoshop, just to make a little change. But not bad, see both of these pictures, the original picture and retouched one.

   Usually, after that I will add some decorative pattern or frame on the picture. It will make the picture looks like photo, more real, and when I post on my blog, it will let people feel more light and placid.
                                                           before

                                                            after

                                                  the after and after 

 the resource, I watch : video: How to Use Photoshop CS5 Basic Tools. by Matthew Hendershot.

BD4

1) What was the main Stieglitz's interest? What's Pictorialism and what is Naturalism? Did he stayed devoted to this movements?  What do you see on his photographs?
   -Alfred Stieglitz was always interested in photography as an art form. He was also interested in the technical boundaries of photography.
  - Photographer Alfred Stieglitz subscribed to a theory that the principal subject of a photo should be in sharp focus while secondary elements should be left out of focus. The theory was called “naturalism” because it was thought that these types of photographs most closely resembled the way the human eye naturally sees things, focusing on one area while surrounding details fall away.
  - In his photographs, there is a delicate feeling. It shows the "naturalism". His photograhs we can see the "visual weight", it lets people focus on the main point which is he want people to know. 

2) What was White's impact on photography as a medium? What do you see on his photographs?
 - White's writings emphasized and promoted his ideas as in Mirrors, Messages, and Manifestation. Undoubtedly, Minor White's work in photography altered the medium forever.
 - White's photography are very clourful, and its light and dark line show difference. When I saw his photographs, it not just a simple sense that one might see faces or shapes in them.

3) What do you see on Man Ray's photos? Are they similar or absolutely different than Steiglitz's photos?
  -  They are a little bit different. But  He was disappointed that he was recognized only for his photography in America and not for the film making, painting, sculpture, and other media in which he worked.
 - The similar is their photos both are abstract, but a little bit difference is Steiglitz's photos are used an element of quiet more, and he most like to use the natural things. 

4) What do you see on Moholo-Nagy's photographs?

  - He is an amazing man, and try a lots of things, photographer, filmmaker, typographer, painter, sculptor, writer, graphic designer, stage designer, and teacher. He think that "The reality of our century is technology: the invention, construction and maintenance of machines." So in his photographs, we can see that there are very different than others. He uses his photo to exploring new ideas of creative expression.

5) Are these photographers painters? Do they all paint with their cameras or maybe only some of them? 

 - Yes, of course they are.