Assignment 5 - Photography is simple
‘There are two fundamentals in all picture taking – where to stand and
when to release the shutter ... so photography is very simple.’
(Jay & Hurn, 2001, p.37)
So photography is simply viewpoint and moment... but what about subject? The simplest subject is the moment. You can record the moment with a snapshot, but when you review the photograph later you find you didn’t actually record the moment, you just recorded the ‘event of photography’.
It might take a very long time to simplify the whole world and its infinite framings into a subject that makes sense to you. Robert Adams said, ‘Sooner or later one has to ask of all pictures what kind of life they promote’ (Grundberg, 1999, p.34). For now, though, you should just feel comfortable with your subject. It should say something about you and, in the end, you like it!
Brief
The final assignment is an open brief. Take a series of 10 photographs of any subject exploring the theme ‘Photography is Simple’. Each photograph should be a unique view; in other words, it should contain some new information, rather than repeat the information of the previous image.
Response to brief
'Photography is simple'. Then why do I overthink each assignment? This is a habit I need to get out of. The name of this assignment made me really think about what this means to me and when photography is at its simplest for me. There is a couple of sentences in the brief that really stood out for me; "for now, though, you should feel comfortable with your subject. It should say something about you and, in the end you like it"'. This sentence, made me realise that when I am comfortable with my subject, the subject is usually something I am passionate about. This, therefore makes me enjoy photography that little bit more, I don't overthink and shooting becomes simple and I tend to create some really good images.
Initial ideas
I initially started to look at some landscape work by other photographers for this assignment but this isn't really something that I am passionate about so I had a re-think.
What is a subject I am comfortable with and that says something about me? This brought up two ideas in my head for this assignment; the first idea was to use my work setting and the pupils and staff, the second was of my sister and her horse. I decided against the first idea as I used my work setting for Assignment 3, so I went with my other passion of animals and family.
My sister has a beautiful horse and I absolutely love photographing her but this has always been in a showjumping setting. I love natural photos so started to think how I could make this work with my subjects and the brief.
Muybridge, E. (1887) Animal Locomotion, Plate 626. [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.artsy.net/artwork/eadweard-muybridge-animal-locomotion-plate-626 [Accessed 8 May 2021].
Research and influence
Eadweard Muybridge
My mind automatically referred back to some research for exercise 3.1 and the images of the captured motion of a horse by Eadweard Muybridge.
Muybridge was given the task by Leland Stanford, former governor of California and a racehorse enthusiast, to settle a dispute. He believed that during the motion of a horses gallop, all four legs lift off the ground completely for a fragment of a second, meaning the horse would be suspended in mid air, almost flying. He needed Muybridge's help to settle this argument.
Muybridge eventually was able to prove that Stanford was right about his theory, which led to the pioneering of steps towards film and cinema.
Although not quite what I would be doing for this assignment, Muybridge's images of a horse in motion were my starting point for research for this assignment. I went on to search the web for images of horses and people.
Horses have played a big part in history and art for a very long time. The painting on the left is of racehorse Whistlejacket, who remains famous because of the life size painted portrait that George Stubbs created of the Marquess of Rockingham's stallion.
The painting is probably the artist's most famous work and Stubbs was able to elevate animal painting and portraiture to a new art genre.
Stubbs, G., (1762) Whistlejacket. [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.thefield.co.uk/country-house/20-most-famous-horses-first-past-the-post-42529 [Accessed 8 May 2021].
Flach, T. (2008) Windows Chesnut. [ONLINE]. Available at: https://timflach.com/work/equus/slideshow/#21 [Accessed 8 May 2021].
I stumbled across animal photographer Tim Flach's image on the left while doing research. It is a nod to Stubbs' painting of Whistlejacket above.
The image is from a series called 'Equus' by Flach which documents the horse. Flach's untraditional way of wildlife photography showcases these animals in a unique and abstract light.
Flach, T. (2008) Equus. [ONLINE]. Available at: https://timflach.com/work/equus/ [Accessed 8 May 2021].
Images from 'Equus' featured in the exhibition 'Like a Horse' in 2017 in Stockholm. The exhibition brought together 140 works from 30 photographers including; Martin Parr, Muybridge, Guy Bourdin and David LaChapelle.
After looking at Tim Flach's work, I wanted to find out a bit more about some of the other photographers whose work was shown at the exhibition and see if and how they differentiated from Flach. Images by a few of the photographers who featured in the 'Like a horse' exhibition can be found below.
Stackpole, P. (1945) Elizabeth Taylor. [ONLINE]. Available at: https://photos.com/featured/elizabeth-taylor-peter-stackpole.html [Accessed 8 May 2021].
The image above is of actress Elizabeth Taylor. She starred in the film 'National Velvet'. A film where a young girl wins a horse in a raffle and decides to train it to race in the Grand National with herself posing as a male jokey.
Elizabeth Taylor was one of the many Hollywood celebrities that Peter Stackpole photographed.
Stackpole was an American photographer who was one of 'Life' magazine's first staff photographers. He tried to make his photographs of the glamorous and young in Hollywood as authentic as he could.
Greenberg, J. (2011) Untitled. [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.jillgreenberg.com/horse [Accessed 8 May 2021].
LaChapelle, D., (2013) Angelina Jolie with horse in meadow. [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.artnet.com/artists/david-lachapelle/angelina-jolie-with-horse-in-meadow-a-gF6CVEZttvDkGtKtx3Xuwg2 [Accessed 8 May 2021].
Actress Angelina Jolie features in the image above by American photographer David LaChapelle. The image was taken as part of a shoot for a magazine in 2001, when the actress was just 25.
LaChapelle is best known for his pop art fashion portraits of celebrities.
Greenberg, J. (2011) Untitled. [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.jillgreenberg.com/horse [Accessed 8 May 2021].
Contemporary photographer Jill Greenberg is known for her stylised, digitally manipulated photos. The two images above are from her series 'Horse', where Greenberg has captured the beauty of these animals and who she says can be relatable to women. Greenberg is a strong feminist herself, "the horse project is not only an homage to the physique of these sexy beasts but also an exploration of the paradoxical gender identities cast onto this unique animal. We see them as masculine, strong, muscular, even phallic. Yet they have been made subservient, so their position in the world relates to the role women continue to occupy. Horses are both masculine and feminine, dominant and submissive, mastered and wild" - Greenberg, 2013.
Greenberg has also created notable work for Dreamworks, Sony Pictures, Coca Cola and Warner Brothers to name a few and has photographed many celebrity portraits.
Dumas, C. (2014) Stay. [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.charlottedumas.nl/portfolio/uncategorized/work-horse/ [Accessed 8 May 2021].
Dumas, C. (2012) Anima. [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.charlottedumas.nl/portfolio/uncategorized/nog-een-project/ [Accessed 8 May 2021].
Dumas, C. (2014) Stay. [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.charlottedumas.nl/portfolio/uncategorized/work-horse/ [Accessed 8 May 2021].
The three images above were shot by Dutch photographer Charlotte Dumas. Dumas normally works in series and studies the relationships between animals and humans within the boundaries of the present day. She has shot police and military horses, wild wolves, captive tigers and stray dogs.
Reflection on research
Each of the photographers work above is individual and has its own unique style. Tim Flach's photos are bold and the colours pop out at you. He looks at the horse from a different angle, exploring their eyes, mouths and necks. When you focus on a singular part of these animals bodies, you realise how intricate each and every muscle and feature is.
Stackpole and LaChapelle's images are nice but to me they are very generic. They don't really stand out in my opinion, although I know that the image of Angelina Jolie topless caused some-what of a stir.
Greenberg's images take a different look at the horse because of how she feels the animal can relate to women and her strong feminist views. There are more photos that are similar to Flach's on her website but I chose the show the ones above as they stood out for me. The colours pop out and the blues, oranges and greens all sit in good contrast with each other. The only issue I have with Greenberg's work is how she digitally manipulates most of it. I feel sometimes this can be taken a bit too far.
The three images by Charlotte Dumas are by far my favourite. The browns and greens give the images an earthy look which I love. Each photo is natural and not posed, again something I try to bring to my own photography. Her images depict that fleeting decisive moment for me, like she is communicating with the horses that she photographs and this makes them stand out.
A walk in the woods
Above are my ten images for this Assignment. I found the research for this assignment really helpful once again and was able to take different inspiration from each of the photographers I looked at.
I wanted to look at the human and horse relationship like Charlotte Dumas but also take a step back and look at the horse from a different angle like the work of Flach and Greenberg. I had to think about how I could somehow mix these two aspects together and step away from the generic 'headshot' or full body image of a horse. I also needed to make sure that my series fit the brief and that each shot contained a new bit of information.
As a series I think my images sit well together. The greens and red of the subject compliment each other along with the golden colour of Flicka the horse. I learnt a lot about light in my last assignment and so planned to shoot as close to golden hour as possible to create some nice shadows and a golden look that would compliment Flicka's colourings.
Although each image has Flicka in it, they each show a new bit of information, whether that be a new setting, a different angle of Flicka or something different happening in the shot.
I tried my best to not pose any of my images for this assignment. The only instructions I gave my sister were to walk through the woods with Flicka with a pack of polos in her hand to feed to her every now and then.
Technical approach
I chose to shoot in aperture priority because I knew that my subjects would be moving about a lot and I wanted to create a shallow depth of field for most of the images. I find aperture priority works well for me and I can control it the best out of all the semi-manual modes.
Equipment wise, I had two Nikon D3400s, one with an 18-55mm lens, the other with a 70-300mm lens. This way I could easily capture long distance shots but had a smaller lens for when I was up close.
Have I met the assignment brief?
I wouldn't say I found this assignment tough but I would say that I didn't enjoy the idea of an 'open brief'. Taking 10 photographs of any subject was always going to be a difficult approach for me. I have a creative mind but I always work better with some sort of brief or starting point to grow from.
Have I met the assignment brief? I believe I have. There is some new information in each of my images, whether that be a new angle, a different background or new colours. Each image follows a theme and sits well in a series. I felt comfortable with my subjects and they are something I am passionate about.
Is photography simple?
I would say that this is something that is ever changing for me. When I take away all the technicalities behind photography and just point and shoot without thinking too much because deep down I have a whole world of knowledge now that I didn't have before starting this course, yes photography is simple. It becomes easier when I am shooting the things I love and enjoy and when I don't feel any pressure. I find photography difficult when I am trying to do too much. working towards a brief that I am not fond of or even when I am overwhelmed by my camera and can't quite get the settings right for a shot. But that feeling that you get when you look back through your images and you've mastered that perfect shot is one that can't be matched!
Below is my reflection on each image individually.
ISO 400 ~ 75mm ~ f/5.6 ~ 1/60sec
One of the first images I shot, I like its simplicity and calmness. The frame is full of neutral tones and the light is starting to come through the trees in the background creating a disappearing horizon of trees.
ISO 400 ~ 90mm ~ f/5.6 ~ 1/50sec
This image was originally a longer portrait shot but I have cropped it to bring the framing in closer and to focus more on Flicka's head. The sunlight is reflecting off of her right eye which gives her an almost stern look on one side.
ISO 400 ~ 98mm ~ f/4.0 ~ 1/80sec
This shot took a few attempts to achieve because of how quick horse and owner were moving. I wanted to capture the contact the hands holding the rein to show how they are constantly connected.
I think the deep depth of field here really brings the focus in on the hands and reins that are central to the frame.
ISO 400 ~ 70mm ~ f/5.6 ~ 1/100sec
A special moment was captured here showing the bond between horse and owner. Flecks of light spread through the trees landing on Flicka, in-particular her eyes, giving them an orange glow as she looks directly at my sister.
ISO 400 ~ 70mm ~ f/4.0 ~ 1/250sec
There is a lot of shadow within this frame but I enjoy how the sun light is still visible through the tops of the trees, creating a slight glow.
I also enjoy how only my sisters head can be seen whilst looking at Flicka from a different angle.
One obvious thing that sticks out in this photo is the red sign on the tree. It sits nicely on the left rule of thirds grid line, allowing your eyed to explore it.
ISO 400 ~ 36mm ~ f/4.8 ~ 1/400sec
Like the image above I composed this image using the rule of thirds to show the expanse of the field in the background.
There is a flood of shadow cast by the trees in this shot but I like how the light that has managed to escape has created a dappled affect on Flicka's stomach and front leg. Almost like a rippling water reflection.
ISO 400 ~ 70mm ~ f/5.6 ~ 1/800sec
One of my aims for this assignment was to explore different angles. For this image I got as low to the ground as I could with my camera and focused on Flicka's eye and face with the result of the foreground and background having a deep depth of field.
The light in this shot creates some nice shadowing but also bouts of golden glow.
ISO 400 ~ 75mm ~ f/5.6 ~ 1/500sec
I love the golden glow that this image has. The light bounces off of Flicka's sandy coat to create a warmth within the frame but there is also shadowing within the image which creates a nice contrast of light meeting dark.
I chose not to feature Flicka's face in this shot as I wanted to focus on the line of her neck and her shoulder muscles.
ISO 400 ~ 70mm ~ f/5.6 ~ 1/1000sec
Flicka looses her golden sand colour in this shot where her neck and head are in shadow but the field in the background is brightly lit with a flat light.
ISO 400 ~ 140mm ~ f/5.6 ~ 1/250sec
Flicka is alert in this shot as she was spooked by movement in the trees. She quickly turned to look as my sister tried to comfort her to calm her.
The lighting here is peeking through the trees and sits on the top of Flicka's neck and the back of my sisters hair, almost like a small spotlight has been shone on them.
Contact Sheets
Reflection in line with assessment criteria
Demonstration of technical skills and visual skills - Materials, techniques, observational skills, visual awareness, design and compositional skills.
I used two cameras to shoot this assignment - both were Nikon D3400s, one with a 18-55mm lens, the other with a 70-300mm lens. This allowed me to shoot with ease, not having to change my lenses in and out depending on whether I was shooting close up or at a distance. I chose to shoot in aperture priority as I find this mode the easiest of the semi-manual modes on my camera and this assignment is called 'Photography is simple' after all.
I wanted my lighting to be soft and flattering on my subjects and so chose to shoot as close to golden hour as possible which seemed to be a good choice as this light complimented the colourings of Flicka the horse.
I am always very conscientious about how I compose my images. I like my subjects to be symmetrical or to be composed using the rule of thirds grid. I believe this makes my images more engaging and easy to explore.
Quality of outcome - Content, application of knowledge, presentation of work in a coherent manner, discernment, conceptualisation of thoughts, communication of ideas.
It's really interesting to see how my style of photography has changed throughout this unit. I have learnt so much and this is only the first unit of the course. I feel that knowledge has been applied to this assignment especially in the way that I compose an image or how I really think about lighting now.
As with my previous assignment, the presentation of this work is simple and easy to follow. I lay things out how I see them and as they happened which allows me to explain ideas and reflect on them.
I am pleased with the images for this assignment, my only qualms are that I wish I had taken more close up images of Flicka like the work of Tim Flach but horses move fast so this proved a lot harder for me to achieve..
Demonstration of creativity - Imagination, experimentation, invention.
You could say this whole assignment was very much and experiment. I set out with an idea in my head of what kind of shots I wanted but like so many other shoots I have photographed, I have to be able to adapt and use my imagination to be able to compose an image. This shoot very much made me think of 'the decisive moment' and how I needed to capture those fleeting moments as my subjects were constantly on the move. I found myself climbing trees, laying on the floor or sitting on fences to capture that perfect shot.
Context - Reflection, research, critical thinking.
After deciding what I wanted my focus to be for this assignment, I struggled to find any photographers to help me contextualise and research what I wanted to do, so I looked at horses within art and paintings which led me to stumble upon a homage to a painting that had been produced as a photo. From there my research seemed to flow a lot easier and I found lots of photographers who have photographed horses.
It takes me a long time to reflect on my images. This is something I really need to get better at but I think this will come with practice. This co insides with my critical thinking and being able to come to a conclusion with my work. I think that I do get to the point eventually, it just take me some time to sort my thoughts out in my head.
Bibliography
Jon Mann. How Eadweard Muybridge Gave Us the Moving Image - Artsy. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-eadweard-muybridge-moving-image. [Accessed 08 May 2021].
The Field. 20 most famous horses: first past the post - The Field. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.thefield.co.uk/country-house/20-most-famous-horses-first-past-the-post-42529. [Accessed 08 May 2021].
Group show - Like a Horse. Group show - Like a Horse. [ONLINE] Available at: https://artworks.io/shows/like-a-horse. [Accessed 08 May 2021].
Google Arts and Culture. Peter Stackpole. [ONLINE] Available at: https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/m04_11wv. [Accessed 22 May 2021].
The University of Arizona. Peter Stackpole. [ONLINE] Available at: https://ccp.arizona.edu/artists/peter-stackpole. [Accessed 22 May 2021].
The Daily Mail. 2013. Topless picture of Angelina Jolie horsing around for photographer David LaChapelle set to raise £35,000 at Christie's auction. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2309383/Topless-picture-Angelina-Jolie-horsing-photographer-David-LaChapelle-expected-raise-35-000-Christies-auction.html. [Accessed 22 May 2021].
Art Net. David LaChapelle. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.artnet.com/artists/david-lachapelle/. [Accessed 22 May 2021].
Art Net. Jill Greenberg. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.artnet.com/artists/jill-greenberg/. [Accessed 22 May 2021].
Jill Greenberg. 2013. Horse/Power. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.jillgreenberg.com/horse. [Accessed 22 May 2021].
Artsy. Charlotte Dumas. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.artsy.net/artist/charlotte-dumas. [Accessed 22 May 2021].