5 elements I see in his artworks:

1. Color- black and white

2. Composition

3. Shadows

4. Movements

5. Shape

Callahan was known for his experimental approach to photography, often with composition, light, and perspective. By doing so, he enhanced the composition and focused on capturing the essence of the subject he was photographing. Additionally, Callahan had a profound appreciation for nature and landscapes, showcasing their beauty through serene scenes and close-ups of natural elements. His photographs demonstrated how even small details could have a significant impact on the overall artwork, particularly in the realm of abstract photography. Callahan’s work exhibited a creative and exploratory spirit, as he dove deep into various subjects and techniques. His ability to capture moments that evoked emotion and visual intrigue showcased his appreciation for both the natural world and the urban environment. This aligns with my vision as I also aspire to capture black-and-white photographs of buildings and plants, seeking to convey their unique beauty and evoke a sense of wonder.

I have chosen the seventh photo in my gallery, for evaluation. I am drawn to this image because of the way Callahan captures the interplay of sunlight and shadows, illuminating the room and highlighting the only two characters in the middle of the image. The use of lighting creates a captivating effect, with the sun acting as a leading line, guiding the viewer’s gaze. Callahan’s style influences me, particularly his composition and the striking impact of black and white photography. This mage serves as a great inspiration for my own project, as I aim to explore similar techniques and create impactful compositions using black-and-white photography.

Message + Audience Response : The message I want to show during this project is how black and white photos tend to help deliver a stronger and darker feeling and mood for the audience. It conveys various messages to the audience, as they evoke a different aesthetic and sense of nostalgia. By eliminating other colors, black and white photos can emphasize the emotional aspects of the image. Furthermore, it simplifies the visual elements by removing color distractions, allowing audiences to focus on the patterns, textures and shapes within the frame, as it highlights the essential elements and creates a visually striking composition. This can be effective in portraying deep emotions, introspection, or capturing the essence of a moment.

Inspiration: I will get inspiration and develop my ideas by looking for photographs from Aaron Siskind.

I will be examining the work of Aaron Siskind, in this photo I believe he was trying to capture the intricate textures of tree trunks while zooming in on them. He also decided to make this photo black and white as it shows lighting and shadows creating a deeper contrast and composition.

What was the Pictorialism Movement in photography?

A photographic style and a system of rules governing photography’s status as art were both represented by the Pictorialism movement. Photographic expression should be viewed by pictorialists as being on par with other fine arts. The Pictorialists referred themselves as real amateurs—those who pursued photography out of a passion for the art. Specifically, pictorialism is where photographers capture the beauty of subject matter, tonality, and composition, rather than the documentary of reality.

What was the straight photography movement in photography? Why was it popular amongst photographers?

Straight photography, also known as pure photography, is photography that aims to capture a scene or subject in fine detail and sharp focus, in keeping with the characteristics that set photography apart from other visual arts, especially painting. The straight photography movement rose to popularity among photographers because it was able to highlight and engage with the camera’s technical ability to produce images that were sharp in focus and rich in detail, insisting alternatively on the photographer’s original meaning and what they wanted to convey to the audience.

How have Edward Weston and Aaron Siskind (above) been influenced by the Straight Photography Movement?

The straight photography movement has impacted both Edward Weston and Aaron Siskind. Siskind often concentrated more on documentary photography before experimenting with abstract forms, whereas Weston’s black-and-white photographs reflected the beauty of nature and ordinary objects. However, both photographers kept the movement’s priority for simplicity, composition, and structure, and a direct approach to capture the subject even if they developed their unique approaches.

What makes the work of Andreas Gursky and Uta Barth abstract? Are they both straight photographers? Why?

Andreas Gurskey is known for his large-format architecture and landscape color photographs. Gurskey states that although he is against making social or political criticism in his art, he is primarily interested in expressing how globalism and consumerism affected modern man. He has placed even more focus on the abstract components of his work as a result of the methods in which he has decided to use digital technology. Gursky enhances the visual impact of repetition, lines, colors, and patterns in his work, which makes his work look even more abstract. On the other hand, Uta Barth’s early work included both photography and painting, which enabled her to establish the characteristic style of blurry pictures shown in Field (1995) and Ground (1992-1997). These images were produced by focusing the camera on a blank foreground, resulting in a haze to cover the surroundings.

Unedited:

I choose these 3 as my best photographs because it shows the triangle composition and how the builidng and tree seems to be blending in with the sky.

Edited:

I made it black and white because it sharpens the shapes even more, and we could see faded texture as well.

What do you think is meant by “Abstract photography” can be defined as capturing images in which the subject isn’t the most interesting element”?

I believe this statement means how abstract photography could be taking photographs of anything around you using the help of a variety of different abstract materials. In other words, meaning how the original subject of the photo may not be the most interesting element but abstract photographers are able to use perspective, movement, and light to transform the world we see into an unexpected, often unrecognizable image, which adds a layer of mystery and deeper meanings presented to the audience.

 

What is the purpose of rules in photography?

The purpose of having rules while doing photography is simply to make your whole project look unique and aesthetically pleasing to the audience.

What are (some of) the most important rules in photography

Clear structure

-balancing out the empty spaces

-having a clear focus/main object you want to present

Composition

-trying to focus on your main subjects and making them stand out by narrowing in on the contrast between the subject and the background of the photo.

-using the rule of thirds while taking the photo or cropping it

Lighting and Color

-balancing out the brightness and darkness

-balancing the number of colors; make sure it makes your whole photo look nice

Lines and shapes

-help filling in empty spaces

-leading lines