Understanding different applications of photography

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By Ciara Lowney Understanding Different Applications of Photography

Transcript of Understanding different applications of photography

Page 1: Understanding different applications of photography

By Ciara Lowney

Understanding Different Applications of Photography

Page 2: Understanding different applications of photography

Eve Arnold was one of the most characteristic and admired photographers of the 20th century, equally renowned for portraits, fashion and photojournalism, and her long working relationship with Marilyn Monroe. She died aged 99 in 2012. She was the first woman photographer at an agency called Magnum. As well as doing portraits for many celebrities. Eve was also a photojournalist and helped make advertisement campaigns for Optrex, the English Tourist Board, Pentax and Rolex.

Celebrity Photography

"What drove and kept me going over the decades? What was the motive force? If I had to use a single word, it would be curiosity.“ – Eve Arnold

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Photo taken in 1955

The focal point of the photo is in the middle third of it as that is where Marilyn is lying.

The camera is placed above slightly above her. This gives a different view of her and makes her seem weaker or more vulnerable.

The lightest part of the photo are the bed sheets. They guide the eye to look at her. There is also more shadow around the edges of the photo. This frames the picture.

The clothes Marilyn is wearing have quite a lot of detail in them. They make the audience look at her more intricately. From what we can see of her hair it also has quite a rough texture. Her skin looks smooth like the bed sheets.

Eve chose to make this photo black and white. This gives it a simple look as Marilyn Monroe was known for being quite a colourful character. It shows a more exposed side to her as she is stripped back.

I think this photo makes the audience feel sorry for Marilyn because she was known for being such a big character and this is a picture of her resting which she was never seen to do in the public eye.

This photo reminds me of this (bottom corner) because she is still in bed but her pose is far more seductive and it shows her personality more.

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Photo taken in 1961, Chicago

This photo is a side portrait of Malcolm X. He is centred in the photo and I would say the rule of thirds is not being used in this photo. The top of this photo is almost empty while the bottom is quite busy.

The camera is from the side of his face and is near eye level. It feels as though the audience is looking at him from a slightly higher angle.

The majority of this picture has a smooth texture except for his hair. Eve has made this photo black and white. This shows how simple it can be while still making an impact as this is an iconic photograph.

A juxtaposition for this photo is war and peace because Malcolm X was the cause of a lot of violence and he was a very confrontational person but this picture looks peaceful and quiet. I think Eve took this to show a different side to Malcolm both literally and metaphorically.

This photo seems relaxing and makes me forget about Malcolm X stood for. It makes me stand back and look at it from a different perspective. Although this picture is unassuming it does give me the message that maybe Malcolm has another side away from the camera.

This photo also reminds me of this side portrait of Barak Obama as both photos are in black and white and both men look as if they are in deep thought.

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Photo taken in 1959, Los Angeles

This photo is of Joan Crawford who was an Oscar winning actress. Although this photo is of the back of her it shows her face from two different angles using mirrors. This could be in reference to the fact that Joan is an actress and she has to put on many faces. Eve is also breaking the illusion by showing her reflection.

There are various lighter points in this photograph. The bottom right corner is the brightest whilst the upper left corner is dark with the feathery hat.

The picture features lots of different textures from her pale skin to the ruffled silk and then onto the feathery hat. On top of that there is the table with a polka dot pattern on it and the border of the mirror is very intricate. There are many details to this photo like the pearl necklace and diamond earrings that point to her lavish lifestyle.

All the colours in the photo are quite bland except for what she is wearing. She is wearing a royal blue dress with a headpiece this shows how elegant she is and how she is like showbiz royalty.

As this photo was taken in her dressing room it makes me feel rather intrusive but also as if I was given exclusive access as I wouldn’t normally see into someone of her stature’s world. The smile seems a bit fake, as if she is putting it on for the

camera. The photo is given more depth because you can is the photographer in the back taking the photo. This again makes me feel as if I have been granted some sort of special access.

This photo of Joan reminds me of this photograph of Scarlett Johansson as I feel like it shows the side of her that the cameras don’t see because she looks so serious.

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Alfred Eisenstaedt was a well-known photographer around the world most known for his work in LIFE Magazine. Alfred had 2,500 photo-essays and 90 cover photos featured in the magazine. He served in the German army during the first world war but unfortunately he injured both legs and had to retire. This sparked an interest in war photography. He is most famous for his ‘War’s End Kiss’ in 1945. After having a very busy photography career Alfred passed away in 1995 at the age of 96.

War Photography

“When I have a camera in my hand, I know no

fear.” – Alfred Eisenstaedt

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Photo taken in 1945, Times Square

This is an iconic photo because it symbolises the day when the second world war was over. The main focal point of the photograph is the couple kissing in the centre. The rule of thirds is not in use here because most of the action rakes place in the middle of the photo.

This photo is at eye level of the subjects but at a very wide shot because we can see the full length of the couple and the busy street in the background.

There is a good use of black and white in this photo because the man is wearing dark colours and woman is wearing white and it shows the contrast. It also makes it easier to ignore the background because it is mostly grey. This photo makes me happy

because the war is over. It also makes it look as if everything is at a standstill while they are kissing. It also symbolises unconditional love because he may have been away for many years and although they haven’t seen each other their love still looks strong.

This photo shows lots of different textures. As there are so many people in the background it makes it seem very grainy. This effect is also increased when we look at the buildings because they add to the texture of the picture. The ground and the sky has a smooth texture to it gives some distinction to the couple who seem to stand out amongst the background.

This photo reminds me of this more modern photo of a couple kissing. In a similar way, it looks as if the couple are the only people in the world. The couple is also made more prominent because the people are blurry in the background.

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Photo taken in 1935, Location: Unknown

This is a very hard hitting photo of a soldier’s feet. It has a shallow depth of focus. This shows the detail of how worn out the feet are. The picture leads us from the feet down the legs and to his trousers. It is not very clear as it is quite a close up and you cannot see the soldier’s body fully.

The camera angle is from behind the soldier looking down at him. It makes the soles of his feet the main focal point of the photo.

There are mainly rough textures in this photo like the skin being dry and dirty. There is also the ruffled trousers that have been pushed up. The grass too has a very coarse texture to it. This could be in reference to how tough the war is on the soldiers and what their bodies go through. The use of black and white also reinforces the exhaustion we can see from the soldier lying down.

Although this photo is simple in what it shows, it makes me feel sorry for all the things the soldiers had to go through and the conditions they lived in. This photo also makes me think of what all the soldiers sacrifice to help fight for their country.

This photo reminds me of this photo of a soldier resting because I feel like it could pass as the top half as the soldier. Similarly, it is in black and white and the soldier is sleeping on grass.

The use of light and shadow is also very clever because one of the feet has a shadow cast over it and the man’s body is also darker than the legs and the feet. This makes us focus more on the lower part of the photo.

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Photo taken in 1945, New York

This photo does use the rule of thirds as the middle third has a row of soldiers, the bottom third contains rubbish and the top third shows the normal citizens walking by. This makes the soldiers the main part of this photo because this is the day they returned from the war and they are resting.

The camera angle is a wide shot from above where they are sitting. Alfred also chose to make this photo landscape to fit all of the men in. This camera angle is good because it shows everything he wants in the photo.

This photo is made up of mostly rough textures because of all the rubbish around and all the details included like the buildings in the background and their uniforms.

This photograph makes me feel joyous because it shows the war is over. On the other hand, it doesn’t look like a happy event because no one is smiling and acting happy. It shows the exhaustion.

Alfred Eisenstaedt chose to photograph this because at the time most war photographers focussed on the negative side of the war and this photo is of the positive side. This is what made him stand out.

This photo has the juxtaposition of chaos and calm because the soldiers came from a warzone and to somewhere calm and peaceful.

This photo reminds me of this photo of people looking happy when the war was over.

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-Celebrity photography can be seen as shallow and unimportant because some people think celebrities are  over glamourised and get enough coverage but I think it can have a deeper meaning. Celebrity photography can show a different side to the person. Take Malcolm X's one for instance. He was an outspoken person who believed violence was the answer but his portrait seems tranquil and nothing like who he really was.      

-War photography stereotypically is seen as very violent and gory but Alfred showed the happy side to it by focusing on the positives like the war ending and victory. On the other hand, the picture of the soldier's feet showed, quite graphically, how much soldier's put their bodies through. Again, this was a different view of war as it was not of the combat but of the rest and exhaustion.

-Finally, I think that war photography has a better application because I think, though celebrity photography isn't meaningless,  war photography has more behind the photo so it has more of an impact on the viewer

Critical evaluation of the genres