Eugene Atget

Eugene Atget        

          Eugene Atget was a French photographer who lived from 1857 to 1927.  He came to be known as a surrealist, a fact that Atget denied throughout the entirety of his photographic stint.  His photographs concentrated on documenting the city of Paris from its large structures and buildings to the smallest details of store fronts, windows, and doors.  The interesting thing about Atget is he was never considered to be a famous photographer until well after he passed away.  Only then did people look back and see the amazing quality of his work during the time period it was shot.  Also, they began to debate just what his work was about.  Was Atget truly a surrealist, interested in photographing subjects only meant to represent other things, or was he simply a documentary photographer who wanted Paris to be remembered for how it was during this period of time?  We still do not know the answer to this question but we will let Atget's work speak for itself.

          This first photograph (below) is a striking scene of a Paris street, photographed with Atget's unique perspective.  Whether Atget knew it or not, he had a very good sense of composition, and also seemed to always find adequate lighting to accentuate these perspectives.  Just look at this frame.  We see two fronts of buildings on either side of a Paris street, then a much larger building behind, shaded by mist, partially hiding its identity.  We see from this photograph why some people may argue about Atget's intentions.  Was he simply trying to document these buildings and the street on which they lie, or was he considering the haze in the background and making some kind of statement about the uncertainty of the future?  I choose to believe that Atget was first thinking about the place he chose to stand and the way that he filled the frame, and never really realized that he was inferring things about our lives aside from the photo.

          This second photo (below) is another good example of the same style, but with a bit of a twist.  The difference in this photo is we can see people in the frame, which always helps to add a touch of humanity and timeliness.  The way that the road curves around to lead us to the larger monument near the back right side of the frame is very interesting and clever, and the buildings on the left side follow the same line to keep us interested and our eyes moving throughout the frame.  When Atget photographed his street scenes, he had a very intentional way of placing everything in the frame so that we can observe these aspects and appreciate them.  He wanted to document Paris as a beautiful place to be, with many unique attributes, and I think that he succeeds in this goal.

mples of the type of work he does.  More than anything, what I gain from this work is inspiration.  I always obtain inspiration from architectural photographers but Weller stands above many in my book due to his excellent craft. 

Robert Glenn Ketchum & Richard Misrach

Robert Glenn Ketchum


           Robert Glenn Ketchum is a both a political/environmental activist and a photographer, always uses this second medium (photography) to highlight the first.  When Ketchum goes out to capture a scene, particularly a landscape, he is always looking for ways to make a statement with his photographs and tell a story about the land and it's inhabitants.  Perfecting his craft, Ketchum strives to find ways to demonstrate his thoughts through his photographs, which he does intentionally to spark interest in the topic of conservation and preservation.

          Both photos that I have chosen to talk about are ariel photos, which to me is a very interesting medium.  Ketchum basically takes slices out of the landscape and fits them in a frame just right to where the beauty and composition of the photo overtake you.  This first photo (below) relies heavily on color composition.  We see strong primary contrast throughout the image and the way that the river runs through the center of the frame and out to the right really leads your eye through the entire image.  Ketchum considers these intricacies carefully while photographing to create the most interesting scene possible.  The shapes and forms that the land starts to take when you slice out a piece like this becomes a very interesting subject as well.  Just look at the way the trees on the right and left side form a wall in red for the blue river to run in the center of a yellow land mass.  The intuition to capture a scene like this is truly remarkable.

           If you thought that Ketchum only could make an interesting image with many colors, think again. This second image (below) is a great example of an almost monochromatic image with one area of color (the green pond or puddle).  Ketchum wants us to focus on that slimy green pond, then back at the wildlife, then back at the pond.  The interesting texture of the ground provides a cohesiveness throughout the image that may have been lost if the ground had the same tonal qualities.  This is an image that has to be viewed up close, or possibly on an extremely large scale, to observe all of the little details.  The composition is great again, with the wildlife placed carefully in a third and the pond in another third.  Ketchum truly is a master of the landscape and its form.

          Not only does Ketchum want us to view a beautiful image.  He is making a statement.  Look at these photos and you can see that this man has a love for the nature around him and wants us to do our part to conserve it.  Even if you had no interest in the topic, Ketchum's photographs may make you start to think about such things, just because of the imagery. 

Richard Misrach


          Richard Misrach is another landscape photographer, but he has a quite different approach to photographing the landscape around him.  Instead of focusing on the natural beauty and how it is our job to conserve it, he focuses on how humans have changed the landscape.  Misrach is not necessarily telling us that the landscape has been ruined by humankind, but rather is documenting the fact that we are a part of nature, and we create it every day.

          This first photograph (below) is interesting in a few ways, both technical and conceptual.  First off, the use of flash in this photo is obvious, but the way that Misrach  used the existing light behind the subject in conjunction with the light from his flash is quite interesting.  If he were to have exposed the subject just with the flash, the sky behind it would have gone black, but if he had exposed without the use of a flash bulb, then the bush would not be lit up at all, or simply dim in the frame.  Just the way that the flash is used in this scene is showing humans involvement in nature.  This is as if Misrach is wanting you to know that HE was at this place and HE took this photo and made it his own.  Technically, the use of the flash and the monochromatic aspects of this frame are both very intriguing and well done.  It is an interesting image that one may want to observe over and over.

          This second image (below) is quite unique and is my favorite of the two.  The contrast of the cool colors in the sky and the warm colors in the foreground mixed with the ruggedness of the foreground and the calm, pastel, angelic background is one that few have achieved.  Misrach really struck gold on this image by finding a scene of how humanity changed the environment.  At the same time, the way that the human interaction has intertwined with the existing elements of light and color is extraordinary and beautiful.  Had this photo been taken at a different time of day or a different weather condition, it would not have been nearly as successful.  What is the statement that Misrach is trying to make?  To me, it is a bit unclear.  If he was trying to imply that humans have destroyed the landscape and made it ugly, I would have to disagree with him.  On the other hand, if he is showing us the way that even unintentionally we can make the areas around us different and unique, I would completely agree with him.  In all honesty, this is an image that I have a hard time turning away from.  The coolness and serenity of the water and sky pull you in, and then the abandoned pool keeps you there, completely enthralled with its details and colors. 

          After looking at Misrach's images and thinking about what he is trying to do with them, I am actually very inspired to look for similar scenes to photograph.  More often than not, when reading about photographers, I understand where they are coming from, but have no desire to pursue that kind of imagery.  Unlike other photographers, Misrach is one that I would love to emulate.  Taking the foundation of what he is showing me and combining that with my own experiences and locations could lead to several very strong images. 

Annie Leibovitz and Chris Verene

Annie Leibovitz 


          Annie Leibovitz, whose father was a luitenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force, and mother was a dance instructor, is an extremely well known American portrait photographer.  She has the uncanny ability to get exactly the right light and expression in all of her portraits, no matter what the assignment.  She is best known for being the staff photographer for Rolling Stone Magazine, in which many of her famous portraits appeared. Annie is usually known for color photographs, but the two I chose to discuss are both black and white.

          The first image (below) is a portrait of actress Angelina Jolie, which, in my opinion, is perfectly done.  The lighting and precision of this photograph are truly astounding and I know that Leibovitz calculated and created the idea for  this photo way before she actually shot it.  The thing that I most admire about Leibovitz's work is the incorporation of technical excellence and strong ideas or stories that integrate this technique with the photograph in a distinct way.  I hope to someday excel at this technical prowess to the point where I could recreate the lighting scenarios that Leibovitz constantly uses.

          The second photograph (below) is not as well known as many of Leibovitz's shots, but I enjoy it for various reasons.  First, and most obvious of these reasons is the very organized composition of this photograph.  We have a great sense of three-dimensionality, and we see a very structured composition as well.  The way the figures interact with the stairs and the lines of this photo really gives it a sense of cohesiveness that Leibovitz is obviously contemplating.  

           Overall, the common thread of Leibovitz's work is incorporating perfect technical aspects while continuing to tell a story that makes us really think about the image far after the technical features ring in our minds.  Her use of lighting, both natural and flash, are impeccable and unprecedented.  Few photographers are able to come up with interesting ideas over a long period of time, but Annie never seemed to lose her artistic mind while figuring out scenes and subjects to photograph that would provide visual interest. 

Chris Verene


           Chris Verene's syle of photography, and in particular, portraiture is much different than that of Annie Leibovitz.  Instead of looking for perfect lighting scenarios and celebrities to photograph, Verene took the time to photograph what was around him, and yet make it very interesting.  Almost all of his work is shot in his hometown of Galesburg Illinois, where he grew up and constantly visits to this day to create new work.  Verene makes a point with his photographs that is more about the scenarios and places then it is about the people (his family).  Sure, these photos could have personal meaning to Verene, but they also have a very universal appeal to everyone who views them.  If I could think of a phrase to describe Verene's work, it would be "awkward and amusing situations," of which he specializes.

          Jumping into Verene's work, we start with a photo of some of his family members who have just recieved the news of a pregnancy test (below).   Here we see a great example of Verene's awkward style of photography which usually includes on camera flash and square frames.  He finds ways to incorporate the scene into the space provided.  The candidness of Verene's photos captivate the viewer and cause us to study each frame carefully before moving on to the next.  If Verene would have chosen to have carefully calculated the lighting and other technical aspects, he may have lost the message he was trying to incorporate in his photos.

           Next, we see a funny scene of two women swinging their children (below).  Again, Verene uses on-camera flash and a square frame.  Something that rings true in his photos are the unique color schemes that Verene incorporates throughout all of his work.  We can look at each photo individually and see that these are both in the style of Verene.  Catching these everyday scenes, and yet making them interesting to people other than his family is what Verene strives and struggles to do with his photography.  In my opinion, he is successful.  That being said, understanding these photos in a way that takes me beyond the scene to the actual thought behind these photos is very difficult for me.  Perhaps I am not art-educated enough to understand his concepts, but this is only a personal issue.  Despite the sometimes hazy viewpoint that Verene shows us, we are forced to observe his world and take a bite out of the life he lives with these interesting people. 

        

Ralph Eugene Meatyard and Garry Winogrand

 Ralph Eugene Meatyard

          Ralph Eugene Meatyard took up photography by photographing his children in the 1950s.  Little did he know that his weird and uncanny style of photography would make him known as one of the most successful photographers of his time.  What we usually see from Meatyard is an interesting combination of using children and props to promote his ideas, mixed with an eye for seeing interesting compositions that would help to further these causes.

          The first photo (above) of a little boy holding a baby doll gives us a great introduction to the style that Meatyard is going for.  We see him holding an American flag, which is waving to show motion (something that Meatyard constantly incorporates in his images) and the flag post is interestingly enough, jabbed through the stomach of the baby doll.  Was Meatyard contemplating these things while he photographed them?  Did he realize the social and political content that he was delving into?  I have a sneaky suspicion that Meatyard took all of this into account and perfected his way of photography by sticking with the same types of situations and topics.  The successes of this first image are quite obvious to me.  He has a very good use of composition and design and blatantly spits a concept at us whether we are willing to see it or not.  How each person chooses to interperut this photo is up to them, but whenever you have a flag: poking out of a baby doll, with a flag shoved in its stomach, being held by a BOY no less,  your brain has to start turning.

          This second photograph (below) shows two ideas in which Meatyard used extensively.  The idea of motion, and the idea of masks.  The figure on the right is moving in a way which the slow shutter speed picks up some details of the face and arms, but leaves others behind, creating a very interesting aesthetic.  The figure on the right's mask hides it's identity completely which leaves more to wonder.  Someone who thought it would be funny to put people in masks, or make them move around may just place his subjects anywhere and snap a photo, but Meatyard took into consideration the composition around his subjects and how it relates to the scene at hand.  The way the post points us back down to the left subject after we have already scanned from left to right is very interesting.  It gives us a reference to go back upon after we have seen enough of each character.

    

          Overall, Meatyard has accomplished what few photographers ever have.  He selects interesting subjects and uses interesting techniques to accomplish his photographic goals.  I respect what Meatyard has done and hope to pursue some of his ideas in the future. 

 Garry Winogrand

          Oh! now we get to talk about Garry Winogrand, whom my photo history professor Byrd Williams rightfully nicknamed "The asshole with a camera."  This is a fitting nickname which Garry may even agree about himself if he were around today to talk to us.  The thing about Garry's work which is so intriguing is how he finds humor in almost every scene that he captures.  I rarely find anyone who is willing to pursue humor in their photos, mostly because it is very hard to achieve.

         The first photo that we see (below) was shot at a meeting of veterans, and we see veterans interact and chatter, all keeping a safe distance away from the man who has lost his legs in the war.  Isn't it interesting how all of the people stay away from the person who is different instead of going to get his story.  There may be more to this story, or maybe  this is an accurate representation of what really happened, but either way this moment will forever be remembered since Winogrand decided to capture it.  The composition of this photo falls a bit to the wayside, but this doesn't matter so much due to the interesting subject matter that is chosen.

          This next image (below) shows another scene where Winogrand has specifically chosen a scene which would not make the subject matter very happy.  The large animals in the background compete with the woman in the foreground, and we are forced to connect these two animals with the lady, just because of how the frame leads us.  Is it right for a photographer to exploit people in this way?  It probably is not right, but Winogrand found a way to make images which are humorous and make a statement as well.  Obviously, Winogrand was a master at finding that "decisive moment" to photograph and choosing what that subject matter would be when he found the right moment.  I think that the work is important to us, because it shows us the use of humor in photography, which can sometimes be forgotten by the seriousness of the craft at times.  Winogrand chose to let the viewer take what he or she wanted from the frame after viewing it.  Perhaps we have a new understanding of society, or perhaps we will just be more inclined to hate Garry Winogrand for what he did! 

William Eggleston & Stephen Shore

William Eggleston

          Eggleston is a photographer who prides himself in capturing the little intricacies of life.  His style consists of many everyday situations and objects, and he finds interesting ways to capture these moments.  Personally, Eggleston's work does not inspire me very much, but I can see how he has become famous.  Not may photographers would take the time to photograph the mundane and small aspects of our American culture, but Eggleston took it upon himself to find these little details and portray them effectively through his photography.

          The first photograph (below) is interesting because we want to know more about the story.  The colors that are shown and the setting are obvious, but the story is a bit hazy.  The way that Eggleston chooses to hide the second figure behind the first figure's hair is very interesting and the framing of the booths and the brick wall help to add to the dramatic nature of this photo.

          This photograph (bottom) was first introduced to me in a photo history class taught by Byrd Williams, and it caught my interest right away.  We see a scene that is so very typical, but at the same time, very interesting.  We see a man, sitting on a hotel bed, with a glass in his hand and questions begin to pop in our mind right away.  Is Eggleston just wanting to show us a picture of everyday life, or is there more to it?  Does he know this man?  Is this a random person that he found interesting?  We can only answer these questions for ourselves, and honestly I think this makes the photograph more interesting.  To me, Eggleston's concepts are much more interesting than the photographs themselves.

Stephen Shore


          Stephen Shore is a photographer whose work is seen in the 303 Gallery in New York who specializes in photographing in color small and usually boring details of American life.  Shore enjoys taking a scene which we would expect, but photographing it in a way that we do not expect.  The photo below is a prime example of the way Shore likes to play with these concepts.  When most landscape photographers would go to the most beautiful scene they could imagine and capture it in a truly awe-inspiring way, Shore decided in this image that he would photograph what someone else had already photographed, but in an environment that may or may not fit the scene.  We see a billboard with a beautiful lake and mountain scene on it, but Shore chose to show the entire context of this billboard in it's place.

          The second image (below) is befitting of many of Shore's photographs.  We see a street scene that is witnessed every day, and yet it becomes more interesting than that of a snapshot.  This type of aesthetic is what I like to call a "thought out snapshot" which really is not a snapshot at all.  He has carefully placed all of the objects in the frame exactly where he wanted to, even with the light post to the left and the gas pumps to the right.  Sure, some people may find these photographs boring, but you have to give Shore credit for taking the time to explore a concept so everyday and mundane.  Many people attempt to copy the style of Shore and shoot street photography, but rarely are the results anything close to what he has accomplished.