Impressive factors

1. 1. As the black-and-white photograph has no colors, the natural, organic shapes of the plant is expressed as itself.
   2. The composition that fill frame only with plant accentuates the beauty of compactly blooming plant
   3. The outlines of leaves are apparently revealed through short bristles. As the bristles are so small that reflect light, the borders of leaves look white, which distinctly separates one other.

I will name the photograph “continuous beauty” as the leaves of the plants keep generating and growing.

• line

The photograph possesses natural, curvy lines of a plant. Without any artificial lines, the lines of nature simultaneously show both spontaneity and perfection. The intersection points of pairs of two lines head toward outside, showing their vital  growth.

• shape

The shape of leaves and the plant is organic shapes. With leaves that spread everywhere from the center of the plant, the photograph exhibits luxuriant well-being.

• pattern

Centering around the middle of the plant, the leaved spread and widen. The expansion of similar shaped leaves forms a regular pattern.

• texture

Taking in extremely close shot, the grainy texture of leave and its pointed sides with bristles are realistically shown. Additionally, the achromatic colors makes the plant look drier than it actually does, so the photography maintain modernity, while it displays the beauty of nature at the same time.

• tone

Even though it is black-and-white photograph, the light offers clarity to the plant to indicate stereoscopic shape of the plant. Generally, its upper part is darker, the lower part is brighter. The division of brightness shows the volume of plant, letting viewers approachably accept it as a three-dimensional subject.

• focus

The photograph sets its focus on whole shot, but mainly concentrate on the center of the plant.

 

 

Definition of formal elements

In photography, formal elements refer to visual features that can transform simple features forming great shots. There are six plain formal elements: line, shape, pattern, texture, tone and focus.

• Line

Lines are one of the fundamental elements of photography, existing everywhere. They either separates areas or unifies different parts of photographs. Also, focal points are formed by them, which is called leading lines. Leading lines guide viewers’ sights and deliver particular moods, such as peace or urgency.

In the example photograph through vertically and horizontally straight lines, the building possesses stability and formality. Particularly, the largest column, which locates on a line of rule of thirds, balances photograph. The lines on ceiling unify with one other at the column. At the same time, its coexistence with curve adds refinement and  relief.

• Shape

Shapes are defined as two dimensional subject outlines. Gathering lines form various types of shapes harmoniously. Every shape creates and brings emotional impacts on photographs as lines do. Otherwise, shapes in a photograph can reveals its theme or message.

There are two types of shapes: geometric shapes and organic shapes. Geometric shapes obviously refer to figures, such as rectangle, pentagon, sphere, etc. Organic shapes means the form of nature, creatures and objects.

This photograph is an example of an organic shape in photography. The close shot effectively exhibits the plant’s own shape, which is deviant from synthetic geometric shapes. It leaves don’t have even form but spontaneously exhibits its vigorous growth.

 

• Pattern

A pattern is a factor that ties photographs together through subjects’ similarity, unification and symmetry. Patterns can be found everywhere, even in the environment. Usually, photographs that highlight the aesthetic of pattern shows flat and even composition. Like shapes, there are geometric patterns, which are often regular, and organic pattern that looks spontaneous.

In Gursky’s 99 cent, color groups of food show perfect arrangement. Each types of food are presented as a color, revealing a pattern of colorful rectecgles.

 

 

• Texture
  

  Siskind, Aaron “Olive Tree, Corfu 145.” Gelatin silver print. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. 1970. https://www.pafa.org/museum/collection/item/olive-tree-corfu-145, Accessed 23th January 2025

Texture adds a sense of reality in detail so that views can comprehend photograph itself more precisely. Texture is usually stood out in extremely close shot, which only focus on a particular subject.

Olive Tree, Corfu 145 by Aaron Siskind is a photography that intuitively reveals rough texture of a tree through extremely close shot. As a black-white photograph, distinct contrast enhance the uneven surface of the tree

 

 

 

 

• Tone

Tone in photography mainly play the role of creating atmosphere. Considering brightness, warmth and clarity of color, photographers utilize the power of tone to bring depth to their work. In the period of black-and-white photography, photographs can reveal subjects’ color, and the depiction of tone was significant to deliver particular moods. Even the present day, tone is major elements of photography by adding more meanings and expression on colors themselves.

For example, the photograph on the left convey warm and comfortable atmosphere because of calm tone. Using bright brown and yellow of wood, mud and sand, the subjects create a relaxed and restful circumstance.

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• Focus

Depending on where a photographer focuses on and displays the point clearly, photographs get different meaning. If a photograph is focused on the background, the photograph might deliver importance of surround situation or nature. When the foreground is focused on,  viewers obviously  pay attention to the focused subject on the front.

Although this photograph is one of the “wrong” photograph in terms of composition, it can be a good resource to explain focus. In this picture, the focus is on the middle ground, and the foreground and background are blurred. Hence, the concentration on the center draw views sights to the empty chairs and a table.

 

An image can show multiple elements at a time!

I think an image can show diverse element at a time. Lines creates a shape, and shapes creates patterns. Also, when tone, texture and composition of various figures gather,  each photograph makes own characteristic mood and messages.

 

Citation

Mowbray, P. (2020, September 9). Understanding the 7 formal elements of photography. Focus. https://focus.picfair.com/articles/7-formal-elements-photography

Vorenkamp, T. (2021a, July 3). Elements of a photograph: Shape | b&h explora. phphotovideo. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/tips-and-solutions/elements-of-a-photograph-shape

Pictorialism Movement

Pictorialism movement is the beginning of photography as an work and study. Before the movement aroused, taking photographs had considered as a simple record for people’s sights. However, in the latter 19th century, by manipulating camera lens and printed photographs, pictorialists distorted its color, tone or texture by manipulating camera lens or printed photographs. In other word, through the handwork manipulations, pictorialists avoids their work articulate real appearance. They intentionally makes their work darker, rough and sketchy to make photography become one of art work filled with aesthetics. The manipulated photography looks brown, conveying either warm or tensioned atmosphere.

Straight Photography Movement

Otherwise, straight photography movement can be defined as the counter-movement against pictorialism. Since the early 20th century,  some photographers, such as Paul Strand, started to take aesthetic photographs without artificial manipulation. Instead, they focused on framing and selection of what they saw. The lines of photographs are distinctly divided through contrast of lighting and their shadows. Also, by looking at the below straight photographers’ work, I realized the photograph emphasizes the curved lines of subject that are tangled through extremely close shot.

Edward Weston

Some photographers, like Edward Weston and Aaron Siskind, brought the straight photography movement. During the era of pictorialism, an American photographer Edward Weston avoided to manipulate the photographs like other photographers did. Instead, he helped inform the significance of image’s component and framing in art work and brought the medium that exhibit the color and appearance that can be seen through human’s eyes. Through the realistic indication in his photographs, he encouraged people to capture essential beauty of daily object and appreciating their values. In his photograph “Pepper No. 30,” the peculiar shape and curved lines  create multiple lighting contrast from other aspects. Hence, the photograph reveals three-dimensional image in depth. The extremely close, focused shot adds a sense of realism by showing smooth texture

Aaron Siskind

Likewise, Siskind contributed to the foundation of abstract photography through straight photography movement. He identified styles and ideas of abstraction. Also, by putting his camera on his head and taking photography, he viewed image through a new perspective. The Aaron Siskind’s photograph “Chicago 1” shows crumple lines, which evokes imagery of flowers. The photograph, focusing on texture and depth, influence the start of straight photography. The irregular pattern and rough texture transmit a sense of naturalness.

 

 

 

Andreas Gursky

Andreas Gursky doubted the street aesthetic or documentary approach and considered all elements are illusions or dreams. Contrary to Minimalism and Conceptualism of the 1970s, he shows a new style of photography work whose aesthetic is came from composition of small, individual objects and lines. His use of large-format cameras, scanning, digital manipulation, the layering of multiple pictures make each of his photograph have unified atmosphere through the coexist of old-styled manipulation and modern, high technology. Due to cohesive imagery, his work is regarded abstract, especially as a distinct straight photography.

 

 

Uta Barth

Lastly, Uta Barth’s work is often considered abstract because of her focus on visual perception and the use of space and color. The composition of objects in her work uniquely forms modern and meditative mood. What is more, the uses of warm color, such as yellow and white, make her photographs’ tone look calm and refined.

 

 

 

 

 

“Straight Photography Movement Overview and Analysis” The Art Story Foundation, The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/movement/straight-photography/. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

“Pictorialism Movement Overview and Analysis” The Art Story Foundation, The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/movement/pictorialism/. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

“Edward Weston Photography, Bio, Idea” The Art Story Foundation, The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/artist/weston-edward/. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

“Andreas Gursky Photography, Bio, Idea” The Art Story Foundation, The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/artist/andreas-gursky/. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

“What Uta Barth’s Images Tell Us about the Limits of Sight” aperture, https://aperture.org/editorial/what-uta-barths-images-tell-us-about-the-limits-and-possibilities-of-sight/?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

I would define abstract photography is a new perspective on subjects from the viewpoint humans can see. In many abstract photography works, they examines subjects through unconventional angles, extremely zoom-in or zoom-out shots. What is more, using mirrors or nature, particularly water, the works reflect subject with artificial composition. Color, light and shadows are vividly expressed more than what humans’ eyes can see, which confuses the viewers what the subjects are. Even though a subject is  indicated, it can be confusing for the viewers what the subject represents.

Abstract photography is a photography that materializes life through confusingly expressed elements.

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.

In my opinion, abstract photography is a way of implying ideologies and beauty by utilizing materials in the real world. Rather than focusing on “reflecting” scenes in real world, photographers can utilizes materials, their color, texture and shape to expresses their perspective on an idea or even society. When  I search “abstract photography” in Google, use of color is noticeable.  Depending on what hue is used and how bright or intense the colors are, the photographs deliver specific atmosphere.  Also, each art work has a random form consisting of straight line, curve line, circle, polygon, etc.  The density and regularity of patterns also creates photograph’s mood, which photographers intentionally display to connote their message. With focusing on exhibiting texture of materials or subjects, the lines and shape seems to be the main elements of abstract photography.