ART 227 PHOTOGRAPHY I BLACK&WHITE FILM PHOTOGRAPHY: COMPOSITION, LIGHT AND SHADOWS "There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs.” - Ansel Adams “Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant, there is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks.” - Johann Gottfried Von Herder "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk.” - Edward Weston “The negative is comparable to the composer's score and the print to its performance. Each performance differs in subtle ways.” - Ansel Adams The challenges facing a photography student today are vast, as the competition is exponentially greater than just a few years ago. The easy accessibility and use of sophisticated digital cameras has flooded the market with “photographers”. The biggest challenge is to stand out from the masses. Adapting to the fast changing environment of the digital age is critical, not only by acquiring the latest technical skills, but by adjusting our visual vocabulary to compete in our hyper-communicative, global society. A sense of curiosity and discovery is as important as a profound knowledge of the history of photography. The etymology of photography - photo means light, graphy means recording, drawing, painting, documenting - is a good starting point to really understand what the medium is all about. Light is our primary material. The fascination and magic of capturing light and make it visible within the photographic process should guide you in your picture making approach. The presence of light by definition creates a pattern of shadows. How you “sculpt” the two usually defines whether your images are bland or exciting.

Understanding how to make an image stronger with an astute sense of composition compounds the complexity of working with interesting light and shadows. A successful image is a deliberate process that involves a deep knowledge of arranging different components within the frame. Nouns such as lines, diagonals, perspectives, shapes, forms, patterns, framing, symbolism, textures, and depth of field become part of our tools to create interesting compositions. Project Objectives and Learning Outcomes The assignment objectives are twofold: technical as well as visual. It is as much about mastering the analog photographic process as it is about the awareness of interesting light and shadows, and incorporating exciting compositional tools within your images. Visual: Although the provocative statements above by Edward Weston and Ansel Adams (“there are no rules…”) might indicate that a successful photograph doesn’t need any particular skills, nothing could be further from the truth. It’s quite ironic that these statements came from two iconic photographers that had a very stringent approach in their picture-making endeavor. But what both are saying between the lines is the fact that you need a very strong understanding of visual components before you are able to go to the next level. But until you have a very solid base of some of these skill sets regarding light and composition, following some of these rules will be an important part in your visual education. Technical: Acquiring proficiency in the analog process requires time and experience. It’s a craft that won’t be perfected in a few weeks. However, you should be able to make decent prints at the end of this assignment. There are two issues that need special attention: correct exposure and the pre-visualization of your images. In analog photography there is no such thing as Photoshop to save you from a bad lightmeter reading. Accurate exposure is important in rendering a good negative: under or overexposure will make your life difficult in the printing process. An additional challenge is the fact that many colors are rendered in similar shades of gray in black & white photography. Observing beautiful light to create contrast is paramount.

COMPOSITION: PRINT 4 COMPOSITIONAL APPROACHES FROM LINE 1-11

1. Create two images in which LINES and/or DIAGONAL LINES are an integral part of the photo.

2. Create two images in which PATTERNS, REPETITIONS and/or VISUAL ANALOGY are an integral part of the photo.

3. Create two images in which SYMMETRY is an integral part of the photo.

4. Create two images in which TEXTURE is an integral part of the photo.

5. Create two images in which DEPTH OF FIELD is an integral part of the photo.

6. Create two images in which PERSPECTIVE/ANGLES are an integral part of the photo.

7. Create two images in which SYMBOLISM is an integral part of the photo.

8. Create two images in which FRAMING is an integral part of the photo.

9. Create two images in which NEGATIVE and/or POSITIVE SPACE are an integral part of the photo.

10. Create two images that is composed by the RULE OF THIRDS.

11. Create two images that is composed by CENTERING the main subject matter.

LIGHT AND SHADOWS: PRINT 2 LIGHTING SITUATIONS FROM LINE 12-17

12. Create two images in which the main subject matter is SILHOUETTED.

13. Create two NIGHT images in which you are using a LONG EXPOSURE.

14. Create two images in which the SHADOWS become the main compositional element.

15. Create two images at SUNSET.

16. Create two images by using EXTREME CONTRAST (see Yousuf Karsh or Ralph Gibson).

17. Create two images by using an ARTIFICIAL LIGHTSOURCE (can be indoors or outdoors).

Total 6 8x10” black&white prints. You are required to make proof sheets of all your processed films. Please indicate the images and their corresponding numbers on a separate sheet of paper. For example: Artificial Lightsource 1: proof sheet 1, #23 Artificial Lightsource 2: proof sheet 2, #12

Failure to submit the proof sheets and the sheet identifying the 34 photos will lower your grade by 20 points. Consult the PowerPoint presentation for inspiration and additional information.

LINES / DIAGONAL LINES / NIGHT LONG EXPOSURE / EXTREME CONTRAST / SILHOUETTED

Michael Kenna, Sakura and Full Moon, Study 2, Urakawa, Hokkaido, Japan, 2015

RULE OF THIRDS / INDOORS

Henri Cartier-Bresson, Henri Matisse

NIGHT / TEXTURE

Michael Kenna, Solar Eclipse, Tokyo, Honshu, Japan, 2012

LINES / SYMBOLISM / FRAMING / SUNSET / DEPTH OF FIELD / PERSPECTIVE/ANGLE

Elliot Erwitt, California, 1955

PATTERNS / REPETITIONS / CONTRAST / TEXTURE

Harry Callahan

LINES / REPETITION / RULE OF THIRDS / SYMBOLISM / VISUAL ANALOGY / SUNSET / SILHOUETTED

Andreas Rentsch

NEGATIVE/POSITIVE SPACE / PERSPECTIVE/ANGLES / SYMBOLISM

Andreas Rentsch, Brandenburger Gate, Berlin, 1986

NEGATIVE/POSITIVE SPACE / EXTREME CONTRAST / SHADOWS / FRAMING

Loui Palu, from the book Cage Call, 1991-2003

NIGHT LONG EXPOSURE / ARTIFICIAL LIGHTSOURCE / EXTREME CONTRAST / SILHOUETTED

Michael Kenna, Ratcliffe Power Station, Study 31, Nottinghamshire, England, 1987

SYMBOLISM / DEPTH OF FIELD / LINES

Andreas Rentsch, Wall of Berlin

LINES / CONTRAST / SYMMETRY / CENTERING

Ralph Gibson, Untitled, 1975

NEGATIVE/POSITIVE SPACE / SHADOWS / SILHOUETTED / EXTREME CONTRAST / INDOORS

Yousuf Karsh

CENTERED / SYMMETRY / EXTREME CONTRAST / SILHOUETTED / FRAMING / LINES / DIAGONAL LINES / SYMBOLISM

Andreas Rentsch

CENTERED / SHADOWS / EXTREME CONTRAST / SILHOUETTED / SYMBOLISM

Christian Lichtenberg, The Eroticism of Being