visual communication 3

Francesca Labianca

Visual communication

Produce 2, 1000-word, Research essay

Module: 4AP504

Module leader: Chris Keeble

Documentary photography?

It is photojournalistic activity that aims to objectively reproduce the society through the record to images of everyday reality.

This was born in England in 1877 by John Thomson and Adolph Smith, two London reporter who immortalised the poorest neighborhoods of the city through the pages of Street Life volume in London.

The book met with great success, thanks in particular to the publication of the photographs, printed with the technique of Woodbury type. (Note Woodbury type is a photographic process for the patented print in 1864 by Walter Bentley Woodbury.

(It is a very refined and expensive technique, which does not generate grainy due to uniform distribution of colors by a pigmented gelatin. The final product is in small sises, not more than 30 cm per side, on thin photo paper.)

The movement acquired great importance since the thirties, in the United States: here, aided by the bleak climate of the Great Depression, acquired a strong social dimension.

The twentieth century was dominated by documentary photography, a genre to which they are associated as Eve Arnold, Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson and many others to follow, all in their own way, authors of documentary photographs.

The matter of the documentary photographer is a catalog of controversial and problematic situations facts of poverty, social injustice and political, war, misery and suffering disasters.

In the twentieth century documentary photography has transmitted the image of history, it has been at the forefront of the complexity of the human experience and its disasters.

From the beginning the photographs were seen and read according to their ability to capture an event in an objective, contrary to painting and drawing that they could never aspire to the same authorities.

A pioneer in this field was Jacob Riis.

In 1870 Riis disembarked in America. He became a journalist for the "New York Tribune". He was the first to use photography as a tool of social criticism to illustrate his articles about the miserable living conditions of immigrants in the slums of New York. After seeing published for the first time on the "Daily Graphic" journalistic photography, Riis realised that words alone were not enough strength of conviction and decided to resort to the use of photography, confident that only the shock of viewing of images so harsh and crude could give birth to a movement of opinion in the country capable of pushing politicians and administrators to give a positive solution to this terrible problem.

In the wake of Jacob A. Riis also Lewis Hine, who called himself a "sociological" photographer, between 1908 and 1914 will focus on social issues. The photograph of Lewis W. Hine (1874-1940) documented a world of injustices he saw in their eyes and that involved him during his experiences.

Supporter of the battle against the tragedy of exploitation and social injustice.

Hine tried to document this world of betrayed promises and unfulfilled expectations, presenting it in all its squalor, but always with an affectionate eye toward the subjects portrayed, always with an ability to synthesise, due both to its cultural background is the sensitivity of true artist.

Hine's work can be considered as the first example of a photo story: he himself defined his images of "photo interpretation" and published as "human documents". Pictures that had a strong political and social weight. The children, photographed outside and inside the factories, on behalf of the National Child Labor Committee, awakened dormant consciences even lead the reforms of legislation on child labor.

Walker Evans photograph of the leading name in the first half of the twentieth century, documented the suffering of the Great Depression that hit the United States in the thirties; thanks to that document became famous. His was a documentary photography, social commentary, of the human condition. His subjects were often the faces of the people, as well as houses and the landscapes in which they lived.

In 1930 works on the reports of Cuba (1933) during the popular uprising against the dictator Machado, today this document constitutes an 'exceptional historical document.

Between 1938 and 1941 they go up the rushes that make up the Subway portraits. With the help of a camera hidden under his coat and using a sensitive film for that time, Evans snapped a series of photos in the New York metropolitan area to unwitting subjects. All this was published in a book entitled Many are called in September 1966 and re-released in 2004 on the centenary of the New York subway.

Another example is George Rodger, he was interested in the minorities around the world, the oppressed, the people who did not have their own voice. As in the bombing of London and those in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, in photos taken immediately after the liberation, Rodger reveals a discreet and diffident perspective. He never takes advantage of what he sees, or reduces it to the sensational component. The Rodger images are painful and difficult studies on suffering and evil on a large scale, showing documentary photos to the limits of its expressive parameters.

The first photographic processes limited the photographer's ability to get around and reach certain places, but with the development of the Leica camera, in the twenties the war photographer became sufficiently mobile, and fast, despite having to undergo censorship and official restrictions on what could be photographed.

Rodger approached the subject while keeping a respectful distance, with the camera recorded the complexity implicit in every event, in every moment.

The documentary photographer Eugene Smith, claimed to want to use photography to denounce the war while the American philosopher William James, said that showing the irrationality and horror of war has no effect on men, the horror contributes to the fascination.

In conclusion we can say that in modern times, the documentary photography is still extremely important: photojournalism as a profession has become increasingly complicated, increasingly endangered by the advent of mass cameras ( smartphones, more and more powerful), with resulting in very low profits and massive layoffs. However, it is always important, more important than ever to document the real-time life and share stories and photos with the world.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/edph/hd_edph.htm

https://alettaop.wordpress.com/tag/graham-clarke/

Francesca Labianca

Visual communication

Produce 2, 1000-word, Research essay

Module: 4AP504

Module leader: Chris Keeble

                                                        The Portrait in Photography

The man needs to portray himself and to find within nature that surrounds its forms is born with him. Thus, addressing the theme of the portrait, one must be conscious of the deep roots that this form of representation has in the psyche, in the culture and history of mankind. Down to posterity his imagine is always a way to preserve the immortal ties with the world, our family albums, are nothing more than the modern replacement of an ancient ritual that is passed down through the millennia. The family love is reflected in its branching and its crucial moments: births, deaths, weddings, trips, parties.

Despite this human need, the photograph is not born having as object the photographic portrait, because of the long exposure times (the first photograph I need eight hours) made necessary by the technical limitations of the instruments used.

The first portraits were executed with a very expensive and complicated technique, the daguerreotype, which produced an image on metal plate, stopping in a single copy, that is irreproducible

With the evolution of the techniques and the resources available, photography has made very great progress, and with it this famous style, which is now one of photographic styles used by many photographers.

Now this style must no longer see it as a time where photographic portrait was intended simply photos of a person immobile pose, this due to slow shutter speeds, or simple souvenir photo of family, now this style and varied, and many photographers experience it in different ways.

The photograph of the people can be divided into several categories, for those clicks is important to know and identify the different styles in order to choose the right creative direction for the future projects.

These different styles are divided into:

1 Traditional Portrait

The traditional or classical portraiture refers to a picture whose face is the predominant element. The purpose of the photograph is to realize the visual representation of that person. Usually the subject should look directly.

But there are other types of framing that go from the first floor to the whole body.

2 Environmental portrait

The term environmental portrait refers to an image in which the subject is captured

in its natural environment, where you live or work. For example, a policeman in the street, a teacher in the classroom, a sculptor in his studio and so on. The outline is used to tell the story of the subject and to emphasize its character. Subject and environment are chosen by the photographer.

3 portrait "Candid"

A portrait "candid" is done without that here the person being aware of it or see the photographer at work. This style is used in photojournalism, travel photography, street photography and event photography. Unlike an environmental portrait imagine this is captured on the spot, taking a situation or a particular expression.

Documenting a story through photography means capturing a moment, an emotion. Means first of all to portray the people who are part of that story, interact with them, learn to know and respect different cultures.

4 Portrait "fashion"

The term "fashion" or "glamor" indicates The portraits in which you want to highlight the romantic charm, elegance and sexuality of the subject.

5 Portrait "lifestyle"

The term "lifestyle" describes the portraits in which it is suggested, and emphasis is given to the "lifestyle" of the represented individuals. Technically it is a combination of environmental portrait and portrait "candid".

The importance comes from communicating the feeling of an experience of the subject's life.

This style has numerous implications in commercial photography and art. The editorial industry, pharmaceutical, food and fashion, often use such images to stir emotions in viewers with the representation of desired lifestyles, is also seeing commune used this style in marriages or family photos.

6 surreal portrait

The surreal portraits are created to emphasize another reality. The representation of a person is interpreted not only as it is, but how the photographer sees it metaphorically. The surrealism is an artistic movement that began in the early 1920s and still relevant. In photography, to get a surreal appearance, they are using the shell tricks and special effects.

7 Portrait conceptual

The conceptual portrait refers to images in which the concept adds a fourth dimension.

The hidden meaning of the concept often leaves the viewer the choice of interpretation. Conceptual artists usually get offended when asked about the significance of their photography. Decide it is the task of the beholder, often projecting the image's own personality.

The conceptual portraits are often used in advertising photography, but making the very most concepts easy to understand.

8 Abstract portrait

The abstract portraits know not created with the aim to realize artistic image not relying on the realistic representation of a person. In this case often used collages or digital manipulation.

Documenting a story through photography means capturing a moment, an emotion. Means first portray people chef year part of that story, interact with them, learn to know and respect different cultures.

There are many photographers who, with their portraits have told masterfully stories from around the world.

Steave McCurry

Is probably the most famous photographer in the world, his photo Afghan girl taken in a refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan, is considered the most famous cover of National Geographic.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               (1)




Lee Jeffries

His series Homeless is a touching journey through the streets of the United States and of "Europe, in which he portrays homeless people who have lost everything, but not the hope that still shines through their eyes.

                                                                                          (2)

Jimmy Nelsson

He is known for having photographed the latest tribes left in the world. Before they pass away is the title of his ambitious project of visual anthropology with which tries to document the turns of remote populations, before it becomes extinct for ever.

 (3)

Manny Librodow

FORMER teacher at an international school in Bangkok, where he discovered his passion for photography. In 2010 she was appointed by Scott kelby one of the five most influential photographers in the world.

 (4)

Lisa Kristine

Through photography tells stories that can inspire change. Is a humanitarian photographer documenting indigenous cultures of more than 100 countries, famous for his battles against modern slavery.

 (5)

Phil Borges

Photographer and documentary filmmaker for over 25 years documenting tribal cultures around the world. his photos on Tibetan refugees have a unique strength and tell the whole difficulty that this people lives every day

 (6)

David Lazar

David Lazar Photographer and Australian musician, David Lazar is a very familiar name in the world of photography. In his shots he captures moments of life, beauty and dowels culture that make up our planet.

 (7)

 (1) https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=steve+mccurry+documentary+photography&biw=1280&bih=729&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwittvHG38zMAhVGthQKHR9OBsQQ_AUIBigB&dpr=2#imgrc=FDCZp_mRlffg8M%3A 

(2) https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=lee+jeffries&biw=1280&bih=685&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwicycO24MzMAhUB0xoKHdBCAmoQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=lVOsgp98TyrohM%3A 

(3) http://amazonangkor.com/top-5-most-well-known-symbol-photography-lovers-in-the-world/
(4) https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Manny+Librodo&biw=1280&bih=685&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi7_a-r4czMAhWMzRoKHVVtAX0Q_AUIBigB#imgrc=9F5tckizMk_i0M%3A

(5) https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Lisa+Kristine&biw=1280&bih=685&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjNq_Lq4czMAhVJzRQKHRSLANUQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=Lisa+Kristine+documentary+photography&imgrc=9g-kkDr-k3f6FM%3A

(6)https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Lisa+Kristine&biw=1280&bih=685&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjNq_Lq4czMAhVJzRQKHRSLANUQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=Phil+Borges&imgrc=aAHj0y9VI7GGNM%3A

(7) https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Lisa+Kristine&biw=1280&bih=685&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjNq_Lq4czMAhVJzRQKHRSLANUQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=David+Lazar&imgrc=S0uHyDClNXHIVM%3A