ABSTRACTION IN PHOTOGRAPHY

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The Pictorialism Movement was once a popular photographic technique that overpowered the photography field from 1885-1915, and its main aim was to enhance photography into a true art form. The effect of using this technique, simplified, would be that the photos shot look like real paintings.

Some of the main elements for a successful photograph of pictorialism include the “darkroom”, special papers, and unique filters.

When Photos Looked Like Paintings - Pictorialism - A Flash Of Darkness

An example of a pictorialism photograph.

 

On the other hand, unlike Pictorialism, which has a soft focus and manipulation, Straight Photography includes sharp focus, presenting the objects in a natural environment without any other types of enhancements, resulting in portraying the photo more like an actual “photo,” not a “painting.”

Straight Photography Movement Overview | TheArtStory

A photo shot using the straight technique.

 

Around the mid-20th century, pictorialism was getting more and more unpopular, and the straight technique was there to replace it as more artists chose to change and follow this form of photography. The straight technique focused more on the portray and representation of real objects than explaining a bit of an abstract style of the photo, which focused on pictorialism.

For instance, Edward Weston and Aaron Siskind, the two historical photographers, were influenced by the straight technique, which emphasized sharp focus, high detail, and truthful representation of subjects. They disliked and rejected the soft-focused “doctrine” of pictorialism and celebrated photography as an independent art form, apart from the promoting of “paintinglize” the photos shot in pictorialism. Weston’s careful, unmodified photographs that capture form, texture, and detail are a perfect example of straight photography. Siskind switched from documentary to abstract straight photography, highlighting surfaces, textures, and patterns. By being precise and thorough, he was able to blur the boundaries between abstraction and the realness of reality.

Edward Weston Photography: Famous Photos, Style & Iconic Landscapes

The “Cabbage Leaf” by Weston, succeeding in spotlighting the details of the vegetable.

 

Aaron Siskind (American, 1903-1991) Gloucester 1H, 1944, printed later (Lot 163, Estimate $2,000-$3,000)

“Aaron Siskind (American, 1903-1991) Gloucester 1H, 1944, printed later (Lot 163, Estimate $2,000-$3,000)”

 

On the other hand, artists Andreas Gursky and Uta Barth’s view of abstraction is quite different from the previous two. Unlike Weston’s work, which displays mainly black & white and shows perfect details on single objects, Gursky, a German photographer, loved to shoot multiple, more complex scenes. Some examples can be the colorful supermarkets, umbrellas beside the beach, or houses on the side, along the road. To summarize, Gursky’s large-scale images often display a vast, intricate scene of real-world subjects. His manipulation of perspective, scale, and multicolored patterns eventually mix together to create a “real-illusory” form of abstraction. Dissimilar to Gursky, Barth’s shot focused on lighting, blur, and eye-level perspectives to create abstract photographs. Unlike both Weston and Gursky, who had one single or multiple subjects for the audience to analyze, Barth’s work does not often have a specific target object; instead, the techniques mentioned above are what encourage the audiences to ponder and engage with the atmosphere she’d created for them.

In conclusion, if the level of judgment is deep and details matter, both Gursky, Barth, and their work, in my opinion, cannot be justified as either pictorialism or straight style. Their work does not necessarily follow the rules and/or (all the) requirements of pictorialism or straight, as both tried to jump out of the traditional limitations and chose to experience new art with their own styles and personalities shown in their work, ultimately, an “abstract” of their own, too.

99 Cent - Andreas Gursky | The Broad

“99 Cent” by Gursky, showcasing a vast supermarket with a high-level perspective and viewpoint.

 

Uta Barth: Peripheral Vision

A selection from Barth’s “…end of time” series, exploring important themes such as lighting, spacing, and perspective, in her own perspective.

 

Work cited:

Williams, Nigel. “When Photos Looked Like Paintings – Pictorialism – a Flash of Darkness.” A Flash of Darkness, 11 Mar. 2024, flashofdarkness.com/pictorialism.

“Straight Photography Movement Overview.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/movement/straight-photography.

Kumar, Revathi Senthil. “Photographer Study #3 | Edward Weston and the Universality of Basic Forms.” Light and Life Academy, 15 Oct. 2024, llacademy.org/blog/edward-weston-and-the-universality-of-basic-forms.

Lamunière, Michelle. Photographs by Aaron Siskind in Skinner’s Fine Photographs Auction | Skinner Inc. 21 Jan. 2015, www.skinnerinc.com/news/blog/photographs-aaron-siskind-fine-photographs-auction-2778b.

99 Cent – Andreas Gursky | the Broad. www.thebroad.org/art/andreas-gursky/99-cent.

“Uta Barth: Peripheral Vision.” Getty Museum, www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/barth.

Abstraction-Blog 2

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An abstract is a thought or idea that exists but does not have a physical existence. In the world of photography, the “object” could actually not matter that much; instead, the lighting, style, and techniques applied to the photos will matter most in the final outcome of the visual appearance for the audiences to witness. It might also not form any logical sense for the audience to agree to, but this form of art does provide the audience a sense of curiosity and wonder to meet the aim of giving them an opportunity to explore. Eventually, one’s own diversified definitions and meanings will be capable of being formed, and each one can view the product of abstraction through their own perspective and lenses.

Starting Point

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Abstract photography can be defined as capturing images in which the subject isn’t the most interesting element. Albert Renger-Patzsch and Aaron Siskind photographed the ordinary to reveal their beauty. Uta Barth reversed the typical use of the camera, shooting out of focus and Andreas Gursky photographs the repetition of elements. During this unit, you will investigate appropriate examples of abstract photography and respond in your own way.

This passage states that the shots will be taken “in which the subject isn’t the most interesting element”. In my initial thoughts, this sentence wants to state that the “subject” is less useful compared to the other components, such as skills applied in shooting the photo, as well as the later-on fixes and decorations. I hope that we will have the chance to learn the specific “skills” and eventually apply the skills to real life by finding interesting topics and “shooting” them down to make them even more interesting.

WRONG-Blog 1

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“Wrong” Baldessari, 1967

 

Can a “bad picture” ever be “great”?

This interesting question served as a challenge for artists in the past, now, and in the future to answer, but John Baldessari thought out of the box and created something out of the box. The first thing he considered was, how do you define “bad”?

The “Wrong” series was created by artist John Baldessari. The most famous, titled ‘wrong,’ shows an image with poor composition juxtaposed by the text ‘wrong’ below the photograph. In this photo, there are no focused points; characters/objects are off-centered; and the lighting is just way too dark in certain places. What even is this photo trying to show? So wrong.

Wrong. The word’s irony, such a direct critique of the picture, is what makes it so appealing. Baldessari intended for the picture to express the following message: why should we follow traditional standards for photography or art, and why must our work be evaluated? Eventually, the interesting part that John agreed on is that since an idea emerges personally, it cannot be correct, incorrect, or even judged by others.

 

Citations:

Baldessari, John “Wrong” Photograph. Dragon’s Exchange, ISB, 22nd August 2024. https://dx.isb.cn/dash/#/classroom/648607/sections/lesson/344114/page/344116/edit, Accessed Jan 13th 2024.

“Context – it’s about the title – Blog Post 1” ISB, https://dx.isb.cn/dash/#/classroom/648607/sections/lesson/344114/page/344116. Accessed Jan 13th 2024.

“Wrong, 1967 – John Baldessari – WikiArt.org.” www.wikiart.org, www.wikiart.org/en/john-baldessari/wrong-1967, Accessed Jan 13th 2024.

 

The Plastic Plague

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This interesting film is about how plastic pollution is firstly, affecting the environment of water quality, and secondly, affecting the lives of underwater species. It also includes possible calls to action that can help improve the situation of preventing more plastic from being wasted and abandoned in the waters. SDG 6 and SDG 14 are discussed and are the main goals targeted in this video. Below is a brief article talking about why providing clean water quality, the first affection, is important.

The World’s Foremost Medicine 

“Pure water is the world’s first and foremost medicine.” Selected from the Slovakian Proverb, it states that something normal, simple, and seen every day, does serve as the essential, most important remedy for human life. Pure water is one of the most important elements of many kinds, from humans and all different creatures’ daily routines to infrastructures and industries that run the society. For humans, specifically, it continues to provide our health, wellness, and life; however, providing these elements to everyone is a problem humans face now, as there are consequences happening around the world. So, what are the main reasons and causes for humans to face this problem, and what might be some available solutions? 

The SDG 6 of clean water and sanitation does have a deep connection with this idea. This goal aims to provide targets and solutions for humans to have access to clean water soon. Now, rising technologies can be used to help make water cleaner and easier to gain, and currently, it is making progress. In a Gale article named “New technology cleans dangerous water (Germs Begone)”, it stated that “The PUR mix reduced bacterial loads to less than a hundred-millionth of starting concentrations, the viruses to less than a ten-thousandth, and the parasites to less than a thousandth of initial values” (Raloff). As this quote says, the PUR mix is a new technology used to help reduce the bacterial values, in rather to purify the water and make it clean. Then, the statistics prove that “in unpublished studies, the PUR mix removed 95 percent of the DDT, at least 98 percent of lead, and more than 99 percent of chromium in water samples, Allgood told Science News” (Raloff). 

Adding on to the technologies’ help, governments and international groups also help make sure everyone has clean water. They are responsible for ensuring everyone has access to clean water as they build and maintain water treatment plants and pipes to provide clean water and enact rules to prevent water pollution. The United Nations, a complex international organization, provides expertise, funding, and direct aid, for example. As stated by a Gale article, globally, these nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are leading the way in providing clean water and sanitary conditions to people. The biggest of these is the United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF. They work in more than a hundred countries to provide clean water to those who most need it, especially children (Everett). To summarize, their goal is to “provide affordable and equitable access to safe water and sanitation in developing countries.” These organizations are vital because they reach far areas, preventing diseases and improving life quality. Access to clean water not only benefits health but also supports long-term development, helping communities thrive and break out of poverty. 

Facing big problems due to unsafe water, countries find it hard to move forward in their national constructions and developments. Diseases that spread through water can easily spread, causing many people to die. For kids, education is also affected, with children missing school when they get sick or must go get water. The reason for them to face such problems is related to the fact that there is no clean, purifying water system established in certain places: “Lack of technical knowledge, quality of knowledge, and application of that knowledge during the planning, implementing, and monitoring of a clean water system are primary causes of water project failure” (Well Aware). 

In conclusion, ensuring access to clean water is a major challenge due to population growth and pollution. Although new technologies like the PUR mix and helping communities like the NGOs show promise in purifying water, it can be said that firstly, most of the technologies’ strategies and techniques used to effectively utilize it are still not fully developed in some countries in the world, and also that the NGOs cannot reach the entire world, including some place that requires emergency help to improve. The massive number of people on Earth and the increasing levels of waste and pollution are too, making it worse in the difficulty of providing clean water to everyone. To unite all the ideas and problems it caused for the world, the SDG 6 goal aims to address these issues by promoting clean water and sanitation for all. It’s crucial for us to continue developing and applying these technologies with the acceptance of the presence of the kind organizations, while also reducing waste and protecting our water sources. Pure water truly is the world’s foremost medicine, vital for our health and well-being, while also impacting the world.  

A Rustic but Angry Rebel

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This is Leon, an ordinary man from the third estate. Growing crops, cutting them, and selling them is what I do, or, at least, for the past 12 years. Recently, I became someone more than just a peasant. I participated in this dramatic event called the French Revolution, joined other people like me, and entirely changed France. If you wonder what happened to a person from selling wheat in rather to survive to a man thinking about the future of his country, come read my rustic story.

Below is the paragraph talking about the continuity and change caused by the French Revolution.

The French Revolution was a time when big changes happened in France. They got rid of the king-governed monarchy and established a new way to run the country called a republic, meaning citizens-led. Also, before the revolution, rich people from the first and second estates were treated with more privileges than the poor people. After the revolution, everyone was treated equally. Even though the revolution’s target was to change something, some things stayed the same. Even though France was a republic after its revolution, Napoleon came to power and he made many decisions for France, just like how Louis did when France was a monarchy. Also, although a democratic system was a target of the French Revolution, political events during revolutionary periods like the Reign of Terror still happened. In addition, France struggled to keep it stable even after becoming a republic instead of a monarchy.

From a King that is Well-Fed to a King Without its Head

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Il y a 230 ans, le roi Louis XVI était guillotiné à Paris | RCF

Can you imagine a person who has her hair shaped like a boat? Can you imagine thousands of people marching into a prison and destroying it as a sign of rebellion? Or can you imagine the royal king of one country being publicly executed (later on, his entire family) and its head cut off by its citizens in front of one hundred thousand people’s eyes? Welcome to the French Revolution, as the citizens of France fought hard against their leader and superiors for equality and their human rights to be able to survive in the country. This was also considered one of the most significant revolutions of a country that changed its political system from monarchy, meaning that it was ruled by a king or queen, to democracy, meaning that all the decisions were made by the citizens themselves. In our video, we talk about this bloody transformation. Started with the unpleased peasants, they thought that they were treated unfairly compared to people who had a higher level than them since they were taxed higher and caused poor harvests for them, while the other group had always been enjoying their lives with less pressure. Then, their actions began. As they gathered to swear an oath, stormed the famous Bastille, which was a big jail that held prisoners from Paris, and later on, the craziest of them all, killed their king and later on his family by guillotine, as shown by the picture on the top. Our video includes a complete insight into the key events that happened, along with analyzed speeches and well-made graphics embedded. But most importantly, we also provide a discussion of whether the French Revolution was actually worth it or not.

Photo citation:

Un article rédigé par Laurette Duranel avec Bruno Fumat. *L’exécution de Louis XVI, gravure anonyme, Paris, musée Carnavalet / Wikipedia Commons*. Rcf.fr, RCF, le 20 janvier 2023 – Modifié le 17 juillet 2023, https://www.rcf.fr/articles/culture/il-y-a-230-ans-le-roi-louis-xvi-etait-guillotine-a-paris.

What’s in the Mind of a Suspected Axe Murderer

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LIZZIE BORDEN (1860–1927). Source: Britannica
The central figure of the 1892 Fall River, Massachusetts, murders of her father and stepmother.

You get home, open the front door, and then find your mom and dad lying dead on the floor. What will you do? In this case, you become the main character, Lizzie Borden, in the book The Borden Murders (GoodReads page here). A case like this was shown thoroughly. The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden & The Trial of the Century by Sarah Miller demonstrated how a case can affect a person’s emotions and life.

It was on August 4, 1892, in Fall River, Massachusetts, when it all happened. The victims appeared to be Andrew Borden, Lizzie’s father, and Abby Borden, Lizzie’s stepmother. Lizzie, in the first place, acted unexpectedly calm. She first called her maid, Bridget Sullivan, to come and help. Soon, the information spread all over their block. Then the police officers arrived and started to investigate the bodies and the actual murderer. Neighbors were all suspected at that moment. But as the time passed, Lizzie Borden, surprisingly, became their prime suspect. Soon, the time of judgment came. The trial officially started in the courtroom with Albert Mason, the chief justice’s order. Other things also came along with it. It includes emotional loss, gossip suspicions from the citizens of Fall River, and most importantly, the pressure brought by the trial. Among the pages, you will find exciting decisions and bloody truths, along with themes and central ideas developed throughout the story. Will Lizzie Borden eventually pass with innocence, or will she be waiting for her consequences after the result of her being guilty of the murders?

 

The first page is about a central idea that talks about the court and judicial system at the time the story happened, which was considered really harsh.

This also serves as a conflict in the book for Lizzie’s emotions. Before the trial, Lizzie was a calm person. But during the trial, her hands started to shake and tears began to fall down.

The second page is about another central idea, or part-theme, about suspicions in the book.

Throughout the event, many suspicions appeared for different people, along with many different points of view. There are some suspicions that a Portuguese is a murderer, which can be connected to a social issue of racial inequality. But most of them are to suspect that Lizzie is the one who killed her parents herself. There are also consequences for them, which caused Lizzie to take special medicines made from drugs to calm down.

The third page is a cause-and-effect page of the reason and consequences if she really killed her parents.

These are the causes and effects, along with the connections if the murder was really done by Lizzie Borden herself. This could also link with other central ideas like suspicions.

The last page is about the importance of re-reading.

This is the importance shown of rereading here. One example is about another murder case, in which a Portuguese person is found guilty. This connects me to the previous racism issue when I re-read this part.

To sum up, The Border Murders is an exciting novel that contains excellent plots, while showing the central ideas and themes that are important for us to dive deeper. Find out the sequel of Lizzie Borden’s case by opening this book!