Francesca Labianca
Visual communication
Produce 2, 1000-word, Research essays
Module: 4AP504
Module leader: Chris Keeble
Essay
1: What is a photograph?
In this
first essay the meaning of the word photography will be analysed, starting from
a small historical account, analyse different aspects of it, from what can be a
photograph, to how it can be read and the different impacts it can have on the
viewer.
From a
certain point of view, the photograph depends on the light (photo = light), but
on the other it wants to control the light and timing.
Taking
a picture means stopping time, robbing and imprisoning the story in a
continuous present.
Brief introduction on the birth of photography
The
dark room and, later, the camera lucida, were in use since the Renaissance.
The
dark room was used by the artists, who presented to them an inverted image and
rechargeable.
In
1802, in England, they used the White paper moistened with a solution of silver
nitrate to "capture" small-sized objects. The first to set a
photographic image was, Niépce, in 1826, with an eight hours’ exposition. It
was called “Heliogrphy", and we accept it as the first" photograph
"(simple and low quality) format. Niépce died in 1839, and Daguerre public
his new photographic process (the daguerreotype).
One of
the main features of the daguerreotype was the ability to reproduce the
details. (Eg: interior atelier that has a clearly absent in Niépce).
Talbot
elaborate the foundations of modern photography. In 1840 Talbot invented the
calotype "beautiful image." It was the first, authentic photographic
positive / negative process, still at the base of all the photographic methods;
for the first time implementation is possible by a single negative image,
obtaining an infinite number of prints into positive. It was the advent of the
picture itself.
the
camera also underwent changes. On the one hand we have the cameras Talbot,
beautiful but very expensive, the other in 1888 Eastman Kodak put the first
device on the market. It was a small-sized camera (it was cheap and easy to
use, photograph was open to all.)
After
this historic hint we analyze different aspects and functions of photography.
The
first thing we're going to see is that the distinction between photos
"artistic" and "documentary"; the first is a set of
different assumptions from a photograph "documentary." The
photographs are the things seen documents, the photographic image is accepted
as analogous to the "real". But as opposed to this idea we have the
photograph "artistic" that insists on the ability to express
something beyond the surface appearance of things. The photograph allows us to
see something else invisible.
In
photography, there are six problem areas:
1-
Format: The efficacy and the effect of the photo is very attached to its
format. The shape of the image is immediate relative.
2-
Size: Sizes of a photograph warns us according to the way in which the same
picture frame space is taken (pictures cut: portrait and landscape)
3-
Sizes and shapes: Focus implies an element of choice. Photography hierarchy
makes it invisible, even eliminates, everything around your chosen subject when
shooting.
4-
Size: It can be glossy or coated but it is always flat. Although the
three-dimensional illusion is.
5-
Color: The traditional canon of photography color escapes from placing
ourselves faced with the paradox of communicating the "realism" photo
in black and white. The world is deprived of colors.
6-
Time: A photo fixes a moment in time. All photographs have neither a first nor
a later are responsible only for the time of their realization.
As we
read a photograph?
When we
look at a photographic image, we must insist on being able to read the file as
a text. The photo comes to the meaning through what is called a
"photo" speech, which is a language of codes with a grammar and
syntax of its own.
Photographic
images contains a "photo" message, which reflects codes, values and
beliefs of the culture as a whole.
We
should not just look at the picture, but try to read it, as it happens in the
visual language; there are two fundamental aspects.
-
First, we must remember that the picture is itself the product. Photographer
imposes, steals, recreates the scene (what he saw) on the basis of a cultural
discourse
-
Secondly, however, the picture encoding parameters under which we give shape to
a three-dimensional world and understand it.
An
example to which we refer are the identical twins of Diana Arbus; when we look
at this image to the first time it seems very simple, as his title, but looking
at it more and more we realize that the term "identical" is not quite
adequate, in fact in the two little girls there are lots of different things,
the look, the socks, the hair, the collar of clothes and even socks, but also
the contest, or the image is not clear it the year it is the place where he was
taking pictures.
In this
picture although we can find it disturbing and not completely understood but is
consistent ideally communicated with the poetics of the photographer, who is
always looking for the discordant note
In any
imagine the main reference is the subject of the photo. Raland barhes offers an
important distinction between denotative and connotative, the first has the literal
meaning of any element of the image, simply acknowledge what we are looking at,
hence the player advances to the second level, "the imposition of a second
meaning the real photo message, its signs are gestures, attitudes, expressions,
colors and effects that have certain meanings tied to a certain company.
Barthes
at this point identifies two distinct factors of our rapport with the image.
- The
first defined stadium: a photo can stimulate me as it touches the sphere of my
knowledge. Barthes says that "recognizing the Stadium, means coincide with
the photographer's intentions, getting in harmony with them, approve,
disapprove, but always understand them, discuss in me, because the culture 9
from which the stadium) is a signed contact between the creators and consumers
".The photographer knows that the viewer will make you different
questions, will try to understand his point of view, why his pictures have
turned as a spectator.
- The
second, Punctum: this point destroys the stadium, it is much more than just a
simple twist, which twists but not hard. Just like a cut it leaves a mark, a
sort of scar. The difference between these two points to the interest and love.
- Many
photographs are interesting but do not remain for a lifetime, they last only
for the time of the vision; while others we love them and we continue to
present them as if we had in front of us. The punctum is a random element, the
will of the photographer, and depends rather by the person who looks at a
picture, is not possible to give a universal definition of it, and not in all
the pictures we can find, depends on the encounter of the image and the viewer.
In this
small issue we analyzed few points regarding the photograph, you can understand
from all this is that the photos are not just simple images, but something that
needs a thorough examination and study, each person can have a different impact
in front to them, and this may depend on the social contest, the historical
period, from own own culture.
Much of
this essay is inspired by the famous book by Gharm Clark, photography.
Bibliography
1-
https://monoskop.org/images/c/c6/Clarke_Graham_The_Photograph_1997.pdf
2-
http://inventors.about.com/od/pstartinventions/a/stilphotography.htm
3-
https://philgreaney.wordpress.com/tag/identical-twins/
Essay
2: Landscape and Photography?
In this
essay we are going to analyse the landscape photography, starting with a short
introduction, from which and how many types exist, to some main rules of
composition, disadvantages / advantages that this kind can have and when it is
recommended to take shots (morning, evening, afternoon, etc.), equipment
recommended.
Landscape
photography is a photographic genre which can be divided into two major groups:
natural landscapes and cityscapes. Natural scenery is those related to the
mountain, the sea, more in general to all that is nature.
For
urban landscapes rather means of city views, countries, large urban metropolis,
etc ..
From
the earliest times, when photograph was born, the great photographers of the
past are delighted to photograph the magnificent panoramas of the places where
they were born and raised; this photographic genre requires a big commitment,
perseverance and good knowledge to achieve significant results.
This
photographic genre most often seeks to convey a sense of peace and freedom,
majesty and perfection of nature, pleasant memories of a fascinating place.
In this
photographic genre there is no need to have a fast camera, because the panorama
is not moving, just as you do not need to have an excessive brightness of the
objectives, it is however very useful to use the tripod when we want to use the
very small aperture to store more details possible of the landscape and have a
wide depth of field.
The
first important aspect of landscape photography is to choose the right moment
to photograph. The dawn in the early morning shades creates strong, at midday
the light is too strong and tends to burn The colors, the evening warm sunset
shades fills landscapes of reddish tones and shadows are getting longer. Not
only that, but during the whole year the seasons cause other severe changes in
shades and colors of nature, plant, sea, sky, etc ..
For
landscape photography is best to take pictures at dawn or at sunset to have
more saturated shades of warm colors and more, during the middle of the day
however is not recommended because the light is too strong and burns The colors
flattening the three-dimensionality of the landscape.
Early
in the morning or just before evening the soft, diffused light of these hours
will know how to donate to the subject three-dimensionality and volume.
The
shadows are always soft and delicate and Solid colors and well saturated.
During
the sunsets tones are warmest, but we say that now have been viewed hundreds of
postcards, more original rather than dawn with shades colder and therefore more
suggestive.
One of
the most important aspects of landscape photography is the composition of the
scene being photographed.
We can
take pictures with calm, unhurried choosing well the right shot that will make
the best of the three dimensional scene.
The
most important decision to be taken is to decide what to include in your
landscape.
Sometimes
it can be useful to include in the composition of some people to attract the
viewer's attention to a particular point or to give a sense of proportion in
relation to the rest of the photographic scene. So what we need to understand
is that in this photographic genre it is absolutely necessary to study the
scene and if the result does not satisfy us, we can always, for example changing
the angle, trying to make things more interesting and dynamic.
Basically
you should always try to concentrate on a well-balanced composition, clean from
every aspect unwanted and out of context, look for homogeneous backgrounds and
scenes not too distracting confusionate vision.
In
landscape photography as in other photographic genres, there are some rules
that can be helpful: The importance of the subject, the rule of thirds, the
line of flight, the diagonals.
It is
necessary to carefully assess the balance and the balanced distribution of each
element that will choose to include in the final to take avoiding anything not
strictly necessary that the contrary would be distracting and annoying. Classic
examples of disturbing elements are the telephone poles places right behind the
main subject, garbage cans, street signs, passing vehicles, contrasting
buildings with the beauty of nature.
Landscape
photography also includes the urban landscape, not only that of nature.
Beautiful
landscapes may also be of the skyline of the metropolis, the beautiful
monuments, night lights, or the architectural details of the big cities of our
land, or more simply small but charming seaside countries as required or
mountain villages.
There
are also photographs Panoramic which are the maximum representation of the
landscape as being in widescreen enclose in one imagine a vast environment.
They
are created by two or more photographs which are then assembled together in
post-production with famous software (Photoshop). More pictures we take of our
scene and broader will be our view.
Other
kind of photography are the photos in HDR (High Dynamic Range). With photo
editing is very particular techniques can increase the contrast, saturation,
and the dynamic range of the image, creating very suggestive effects.
Below
we are going to list some strengths and weaknesses of landscape photography
merits
1- The
landscape does not move, so we will not get very far and effort with the fear
of not being able to photograph our subject.
2- It
does not require very expensive equipment to begin shooting.
3- It
facilitates color correction even if the day is not exactly perfect.
4- With
careful programming, equipment, road itinerary and weather, we will have a high
percentage of chance to get good photographs.
defects
1-
apathetic is difficult to reach the place to take the picture also in relation
to the right time of day. If we are on vacation often we have only one chance
to shoot a beautiful landscape.
2- Is
very easy to fall into the common error of a trivial composition or scene too
full of details that create confusion.
3-
apathetic there is the lack of a precise subject in the scene you're
photographing, or give an incorrect depth of field.
4-
Perhaps the most difficult aspect however is the objective difficulty to
capture the sensations that you feel at that moment; the picture tends to lose
three dimensional landscape and the majesty of nature.
1- https://www.lensculture.com/articles/abigail-smithson-the-land-3-photographers-views-on-landscape
2- http://carterlandscapephotography.com.au/what-is-landscape-photography/
3- http://www.naturephotographers.net/np101/gt0804-1.html
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