Book: Exposures by Jane Bown

Book: "Exposures" by Jane Bown

Jane Bown was a staff photographer for The Observer for six decades and started with a portrait of Bertrand Russell in 1949.  Her work on The Observer mainly involved weekly assignments.  Her style is immediately recognisable.  She used 40 year old SLR cameras.  She is famous for her remark that "It's the photographer, not the camera, that makes the picture."

She works predominantly in black and white and shoots rapidly.  She uses available light only, and gauges the settings by how light falls on the back of her hand.  This fosters an absolute immediacy with the subject that, in turn, produces wonderfully insightful portraits.

Jane Bown: "I prefer the simplicity and directness of black and white.  It emphasises the underlying pattern of light and dark and confers a natural harmony on the subject.  Black and white is quiet, where colour is noisy and distracting, and I feel that it allows the personality of the sitter to come through."

She is wholly concentrated on the face, in particular the eyes.

She thought that it was impossible to take a bad picture abroad, acknowledging the easy exoticism of images from other cultures.

In most portraits the subject is placed centre frame.

Some sitters are photographed looking straight at the camera, not smiling as in the portrait of Truman Capote below:

Truman Capote by Jane Bown

Other sitters are photographed looking away from the camera, a 3/4 view as in the portrait of Evelyn Waugh below:

Evelyn Waugh by Jane Bown

 Sometimes the subject is engaged in an activity as with Beryl Reid:

Beryl Reid by Jane Bown

The focus is mainly on the eyes with catch lights in the eyes.

A shallow depth of field is used, often with a plain background.

Jane Bown manages to capture people without their "performance" face on.  Her preferred camera setup is a shutter speed of 1/125s at f2.8, (gives a shallow depth of field).

Book: Train Your Gaze.

Book: "Train Your Gaze: A Practical and Theoretical Introduction to Portrait Photography" by Roswell Angier.

Concepts gleaned from this book are:

• Look for the pregnant moment.
• Roland Barthes describes the punctum in a photograph:
  
  The punctum is not a thing in itself, but an effect produced by the appearance of one or more physical facts in an image.  It is something felt - a puncture wound, a disruption.  The impact, although entirely palpable, cannot be explained.  It is what animates an image, and stays visible in our memory.
  
  Ex: One child's bad teeth in a group photo.
• Julia Margaret Cameron:
  
  Motivation of the portrait artist is to reveal the distinctive inner qualities of the individual person.
• The book is concerned with that which makes a picture come alive.  It is the presence of the photographer's thoughtful regard.  This characteristic, this something that inhabits a picture, is the felt activity of someone looking, the photographer in person, embedded in the photograph.
• Henri Cartier-Bresson:  "the decisive moment." - a mistranslation on the original French title, Images a la Sanvette.  A la sanvette meaning "on the run".  Also an untranslatable future element involved.
  
  Cartier-Bresson insisted that a 50mm lens was the only focal length appropriate for street photography.
• Documentary Photography: The heart of documentary is not form or style or medium, but always content.
• Backgrounds: Photographers and viewers alike tend to pay less attention to what is in the background of a picture because they think it is less important than what is in the foreground.  This is a mistake.  You should always think of background and foreground as two equal parties to a visual conversation.  A background should have something to say, even if it is blank.  All backgrounds function as stage sets.  It doesn't matter whether the settings are carefully fabricated or found by chance.  They should all be treated as constructions, because they are bearers of meaning.  They are never neutral.
• Gaylord Herron: "Everything in photography boils down to what is sharp and what's fuzzy."
• Robert Capa: "If it's not good enough, you're not close enough and I keep getting closer and closer."
• Using Flash - Mixing Flash With Ambient Light.Normally with flash photography, the foreground subject is correctly exposed, and everything in the distant background, due to the inverse square law, falls quickly into darkness and murk.  In order to remedy this problem, and achieve a result in which the background environment is visible, the camera's shutter has to remain open long enough for the ambient light, along with the flash, to have an effect on the overall exposure of the sensor.
  
  In order to do this, remember that correct flash exposure is the first and absolute requirement.  You must set the correct f-stop for the flash exposure.  And you must increase the exposure for ambient light by setting a slower shutter speed.  If the flash requires f8, for instance, and you are shooting indoors in dim light, this may mean a very slow shutter speed indeed.  So be it.  The flash, due to its extremely short duration, will freeze any moving subject  and create a sharp image by itself, as long as that subject is in focus.  If you don't want to create motion blur with a long exposure, then you should use a tripod.

Photography 1: People and Place Assignment 2 (Rev)

Assignment 2: People and Activity Revised

Original version can be found at 26/06/20102.

For this exercise I planned to photograph a play performed outdoors as part of the St Albans Festival.  I chose the comedy "The Importance of Being Ernest" by Oscar Wilde.  The play was performed in the grounds of St Albans Cathedral.

I have tried to create a visual variety between the images to make the whole set more interesting to look at.  The ten photographs were selected on their ability to show the telling moments of the play and to convey to the viewer the relationships between the performers.  By providing a narrative it is more likely that the viewer will "read" the images as a set.

When taking these images it would have been better to be able to move around in front of the performers to get a variety of angles.  However, this was not possible as I would have obscured the view of the audience who were seated on the ground close to the performers.

The photographs submitted for this assignment are critically assessed below:

2403

In this photograph there is an implied triangle, with the vertical formed by Lady Bracknell and the apex at Gwendolen.  The triangle encompasses all of the cast and the diagonals create a sensation of activity and dynamism in the image.  I made sure that the butler was holding a tray as a symbol of his position within the group.

The image could be improved by the use of a fill light on the two characters on the left as their faces are in shadow.  Unfortunately it was not appropriate to use a flash.  This long range shot is useful as an opening shot as it includes most of the main characters.

2411

Here there is a good implied line between the eyes of Gwendolen and Jack.  This helps to bind the two characters together.  This is one of the key moments in the play and the photograph gives the viewer a sense of Jack's devotion to Gwendolen.

The image is a little unbalanced and the inclusion of the white table and chairs in the background are a little distracting.

In this revised image I cropped out some of the background to the left and right of the couple. The extra detail did not add anything to the photograph and was distracting.  I included the table and chairs as they have the glasses and cake stand giving additional information.

2427

The diagonal positions of the legs of the two ladies echo each other.  The two subjects form two points in the image and this has resulted in a well balanced image.  The photograph was taken in bright sunlight and this has caused the face of the subject on the left to be slightly shaded.  There is an implied line between the two ladies formed by the line of sight from the woman on the right towards the other woman.  The photograph communicates successfully the intimate relationship between the tutor and student.

2432

I wanted this photograph to convey the relationship between the tutor, Miss Prism and the vicar.  Miss Prism's closeness, body language and gesture communicate this relationship.  There is an element of rhythm in the image with the two female heads leading to the vicar who is turned toward them.

All three subjects are placed centrally in the frame, which gives the composition a slightly static feel.

I used a much tighter crop in this revised image so as to focus the viewer's attention on to the subjects' facial expressions.

2438

In this image I intended to communicate how much the young inexperienced Cecily is taken by the more worldly Algernon.  Her body language conveys this well.  There is an implied line formed between the two players formed by the line of sight between Cecily and Algernon.

The shot could have been taken from a slightly different angle so as to include some of Algernon's face.  Unfortunately this would have obscured the scene from most of the audience.

I used a tighter crop in this revised image to help eliminate some of the background detail.  I also added some blur around the to subjects so as to further focus the viewer's attention.

2454

In this photograph I wanted to show the intimacy of the performance, with only a few feet between the performers and the audience.  The image conveys the audience's concentration on the performers and their enjoyment of the play.

In this revised image I used a broader, flatter crop to remove some of the trees above the actors, which added nothing to what I was trying to say with the photograph.

2460

The body language of the two performers communicates the intensity of feeling felt by Jack when warning Algernon off his young ward, Cecily.  Jack, by invading Algernon's personal space means that the viewer is very aware of the strength of his passion.  I wanted the image to convey the extent of Jack's protective feelings towards his ward.  Again it would have been slightly better if the shot had been taken directly in front of the two performers so as to show more of Algernon's face.

2468

In this photograph, Algernon is proposing marriage to Cecily.  I wanted to convey to the viewer her acceptance of his proposal.  The lighting on Cecily's face works well due to the sun shining from above and to the left of the frame.  There is good eye contact between the two performers providing an implied line.

2477

The emotion that I wanted to convey in this image is that of mutual distrust within the formal bounds of society.  Each is sure of their own position as fiancée of Ernest but each is unsure of the other's intentions.

The relative positions of the two performers, one seated and the other standing is indicative of their social standings.  Gwendolen, standing has the higher social rank.  The bright sunlight has provided good lighting of the scene with a fair amount of detail in the shadow areas.  The plain background of the wall of the cathedral allows the viewer to concentrate on the two performers.

2494

This photograph is of the final scene in the play where Jack discovers that his real name is Ernest and that he is Lady Bracknell's nephew.  I wanted to convey the shock on the face of Miss Prism when she is presented with the fact that she is largely responsible for much of the lack of knowledge of Jack's origins.

The implied triangle between Jack, the Gladstone bag and his aunt, Lady Bracknell encompasses both the new found kinship between Jack and his aunt, and the cause of his estrangement from his family.

For this revision I cropped out the actors that were not part of the "action".  By using this tighter crop the gaze of the viewer is focussed on the moment of reaction.

Photography 1: People and Place Assignment 2

Assignment 2: People and Activity

For this exercise I planned to photograph a play performed outdoors as part of the St Albans Festival.  I chose the comedy "The Importance of Being Ernest" by Oscar Wilde.  The play was performed in the grounds of St Albans Cathedral.

I have tried to create a visual variety between the images to make the whole set more interesting to look at.  The ten photographs were selected on their ability to show the telling moments of the play and to convey to the viewer the relationships between the performers.  By providing a narrative it is more likely that the viewer will "read" the images as a set.

When taking these images it would have been better to be able to move around in front of the performers to get a variety of angles.  However, this was not possible as I would have obscured the view of the audience who were seated on the ground close to the performers.

The photographs submitted for this assignment are critically assessed below:

2403

In this photograph there is an implied triangle, with the vertical formed by Lady Bracknell and the apex at Gwendolen.  The triangle encompasses all of the cast and the diagonals create a sensation of activity and dynamism in the image.  I made sure that the butler was holding a tray as a symbol of his position within the group.

The image could be improved by the use of a fill light on the two characters on the left as their faces are in shadow.  Unfortunately it was not appropriate to use a flash.  This long range shot is useful as an opening shot as it includes most of the main characters.

2411

Here there is a good implied line between the eyes of Gwendolen and Jack.  This helps to bind the two characters together.  This is one of the key moments in the play and the photograph gives the viewer a sense of Jack's devotion to Gwendolen.

The image is a little unbalanced and the inclusion of the white table and chairs in the background are a little distracting.

2427

The diagonal positions of the legs of the two ladies echo each other.  The two subjects form two points in the image and this has resulted in a well balanced image.  The photograph was taken in bright sunlight and this has caused the face of the subject on the left to be slightly shaded.  There is an implied line between the two ladies formed by the line of sight from the woman on the right towards the other woman.  The photograph communicates successfully the intimate relationship between the tutor and student.

2432

I wanted this photograph to convey the relationship between the tutor, Miss Prism and the vicar.  Miss Prism's closeness, body language and gesture communicate this relationship.  There is an element of rhythm in the image with the two female heads leading to the vicar who is turned toward them.

All three subjects are placed centrally in the frame, which gives the composition a slightly static feel.

2438

In this image I intended to communicate how much the young inexperienced Cecily is taken by the more worldly Algernon.  Her body language conveys this well.  There is an implied line formed between the two players formed by the line of sight between Cecily and Algernon.

I wanted to show the two people full length but this has meant that some "clutter" is visible in the immediate background.  The shot could have been taken from a slightly different angle so as to include some of Algernon's face.  Unfortunately this would have obscured the scene from most of the audience.

2454

In this photograph I wanted to show the intimacy of the performance, with only a few feet between the performers and the audience.  The image conveys the audience's concentration on the performers and their enjoyment of the play.

2460

The body language of the two performers communicates the intensity of feeling felt by Jack when warning Algernon off his young ward, Cecily.  Jack, by invading Algernon's personal space means that the viewer is very aware of the strength of his passion.  I wanted the image to convey the extent of Jack's protective feelings towards his ward.  Again it would have been slightly better if the shot had been taken directly in front of the two performers so as to show more of Algernon's face.

2468

In this photograph, Algernon is proposing marriage to Cecily.  I wanted to convey to the viewer her acceptance of his proposal.  The lighting on Cecily's face works well due to the sun shining from above and to the left of the frame.  There is good eye contact between the two performers providing an implied line.

2477

The emotion that I wanted to convey in this image is that of mutual distrust within the formal bounds of society.  Each is sure of their own position as fiancée of Ernest but each is unsure of the other's intentions.

The relative positions of the two performers, one seated and the other standing is indicative of their social standings.  Gwendolen, standing has the higher social rank.  The bright sunlight has provided good lighting of the scene with a fair amount of detail in the shadow areas.  The plain background of the wall of the cathedral allows the viewer to concentrate on the two performers.

2494

This photograph is of the final scene in the play where Jack discovers that his real name is Ernest and that he is Lady Bracknell's nephew.  I wanted to convey the shock on the face of Miss Prism when she is presented with the fact that she is largely responsible for much of the lack of knowledge of Jack's origins.

The implied triangle between Jack, the Gladstone bag and his aunt, Lady Bracknell encompasses both the new found kinship between Jack and his aunt, and the cause of his estrangement from his family.


A revised version can be found at: 03/07/2012

Study Visit to Burtynsky: Oil

In May this year I joined a study visit to the Burtynsky: Oil exhibition at The Photographers' Gallery in London.  The exhibition showed 3 sections from Burtynsky's series Oil: Extraction and Refinement, Transportation and Motor Culture and The End of Oil.

The work depicts landscapes scarred by the extraction of oil, and the cities and suburban sprawl defined by its use.  It also addresses the coming of the end of oil.

Some of my favourite images from the exhibition are shown below:

"SOCAR Oil Fields #6, Baku, Azerbaijan" by Edward Burtynsky

This image shows a large oil extraction platform.  The lighting of the image is attractive and helps to make the platform look more interesting and less intrusive on the landscape.  The platform is placed centrally in the frame, giving the image quite a static feel.  The vertical pillars provide rhythm to the image leading to the tower at the right hand side.

"Oil Fields #22, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada 2003" by Edward Burtynsky

In this image an oil pipeline snakes through a pine forest in the wide open spaces of Alberta.  The modern, high tech pipeline jars with the natural landscape.  This is due both to its colour and its man made finish.  The contrast is of man-made environment with nature.  The pipeline forms a strong graphic element in the photograph.  It forms a strong leading line, drawing the eye into the image.  The diagonals of the pipeline impart movement in the image.

"Highway #1, Intersection 105 & 110, Los Angeles, California, USA, 2003" by Edward Burtynsky

This photograph is of a major highway intersection in the USA.  This is a strong example of a man-altered landscape.  The people in the vehicles are reduced to a minor part in the composition.  Many of Edward Burtynsky's images are devoid of humans, although the results of their work is clearly obvious.  This image has a strong graphic feel.  The road layout is reduced almost to an art form, (people, cars and homes are dwarfed by the massive structure).  The intersection is placed centrally in the frame but the curves provide movement in the image.

"Oil Fields #19b Belridge, California, USA, 2003" by Edward Burtynsky

This image of oil fields in California is presented in the form of a diptych.  The effect is to give a good impression of the vastness of the oil fields.  The presentation echoes the religious diptychs often seen in church.  Often the Madonna and Child have a leaf each.  The two images are not actually connected but intended to be hung close together as a pair.  This form of presentation has also been used elsewhere in modern art.  A fairly recent example is Andy Worhol's "Marilyn Diptych" from 1962.  This image is shown below:

"Marilyn Diptych" by Andy Worhol.

"Oxford Tire Pile, #4, Westley, California, USA 1999" by Edward Burtynsky

This photograph shows a massive pile of used tyres awaiting recycling.  The impression is of a sustainable future.  Fears of the end of oil pushes man to see recycling of oil based products as a possible way of extending the life of remaining stocks.  The circular nature of the tyre pile with a contrasting hole in the centre reminds the viewer of a huge whirlpool or "black hole".

Visit to Patrick Lichfield: Nudes

I visited an exhibition in London of Patrick Lichfield's nude photographs.  Patrick Lichfield is not well known for his nude work, which was being exhibited for the first time.  It shows that his photographic prowess stretched far beyond the royal household and glamorous celebrities.

I have shown below some of my favourite images from the exhibition:

"Girl on Snow" by Patrick Lichfield

The photograph shows a girl, naked except for a fur hat lying on snow.  The overall feeling of the image is of extreme cold.  The coldness of the snow has caused mist to form under the trees.  The avenue of trees leads the eye to the large building beyond.  The inclusion of the girl is arresting, making it difficult to pass over her on to the building.  The subject is placed at the bottom of the picture and not on a third.  This causes the image to have a slightly unbalanced feel to it.  The girl is lying on a luxurious fur that gives a feeling of warmth, although she is exposed to the very cold air.  The trees provide rhythm to the image.

"Moscow Underground" by Patrick Lichfield

This photograph shows a long escalator leading up from the underground.  The scene is empty except for a naked girl who is climbing the escalator having discarded her clothing.  There is a strong graphic element to the image with the rows of lights imparting rhythm and strong leading lines.  The diagonal lines of the converging escalators add movement to the image.  This helps to offset the static feel due to the subject being placed centrally in the frame.  The smoothness of the subject's skin matches the smooth surfaces between the escalators.

"Zilat, Moscow University" by Patrick Lichfield

In this photograph a naked girl is occupying the back seat area of the Russian Zil limousine.  These very exclusive cars are primarily for the use of Russian government officials.  This placement of a nude model in such a car is in direct contrast to the stern looking government officials usually seen in this type of vehicle.  The nakedness of the model in back of the car contrasts with the girl driving the car, who is clothed.

The car is placed on a "third", forming a traditional composition.  The large building in the background draws the eye into the image.  The overall feeling of the photograph is of extreme cold.  This is emphasised by the snow on the ground and trees and the mist in the air.

"Vintage" by Patrick Lichfield

Here a semi naked girl lies across a table covered with empty bottles of vintage French wine and glasses.  The photograph is slightly unsettling as the girl looks out of place on the table amongst the fine glassware and china.  The subject is placed on the bottom "third" of the frame making the composition traditional.  The expensive looking fabric of the model's clothing blends well with the luxury of the surroundings.  The diagonals formed by the models legs, close to the edge of the frame creates some movement in the image.  I feel that the photographer intended to create a feeling of disruption caused by the model.

Visit to Sony World Photography Awards 2012

Favourite Images From the Competition

I recently visited the Sony World Photography Awards at Somerset House in London.  The standard of entries was very high.  I have shown below some of my favourite images from the competition this year:

"Indifest" by SanKetk

This photograph, submitted by an art student from Mumbai, India portrays very well the press of humanity in India.  It gives the viewer a sense of the claustrophobic feeling of living among the billion plus population.

"In Between" by Ana Gregoric

This image was submitted by a Slovenian freelance photographer.  It portrays the generation gap between the older and younger generations.  The old lady in the middle is regarded as irrelevant by the young girls and is ignored .  The photograph highlights the loneliness of the older generation in modern society.

"San Francisco" by FilO

This image although shot in colour is almost monochromatic.  The pattern of garage doors raised one above the other on the steep street gives a sense of the adaptations man has had to make to live in this geologically unstable city.

"Confusion" by Ellie Victoria Gale

This interesting photograph was submitted to the Action section of the competition and received a commendation. 

"Antonia + Simone, Barbershop, New York 1961 (Vogue)" by William Klein

 This photograph was part of the Outstanding Contribution to Photography Exhibition.  William Kline is quoted as saying about the image: "This was an abandoned barber shop.  I painted the background rose.  The guy worked in a fast food joint next door.  When it was published in Vogue, they cropped him out of the picture".