Pictorialism Movement
Pictorialism was a photography movement from the late 19th to early 20th century that emphasized artistic expression. Photographers used techniques like soft focus, hand manipulation, and composite printing to create mood and atmosphere, giving the viewers an impression like a painting. Major themes were beauty, emotion, and symbolism. Notable figures of this technique are Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Steichen.
“Waterloo Place”, by Leonard Misonne (1899)
The photo has similar characteristics to a painting.
Straight Movement
Straight photography was a movement that emerged since the early 20th century as a reaction against the Pictorialism movement. It emphasizes the characteristics of photography such as clarity, sharpness, or even precise details. Paul Strand and Edward Weston were photographers in the leading group.
“Abstraction, Twin Lakes, Connecticut”, by Paul Strand (1916)
Edward Weston and Aaron Siskind were both influenced by the Straight Photography movement, emphasizing sharp focus, clarity, and form. Weston embraced its core principles, capturing highly detailed, unmanipulated images of natural forms like shells and peppers, showing their true hidden beauty. Siskind later transferred into abstraction, focusing on textures and forms in everyday objects. Though his work became more experimental over the days, he maintained the movement’s emphasis on sharpness and precise detail.
Andreas Gursky and Uta Barth create abstract photography but in my opinion, it doesn’t fit into Pictorialism or Straight Photography. Gursky uses digital manipulation, large-scale scenes, and patterns to turn real-life images into abstract photos. Barth focuses on light and blur, creating soft, minimal images that emphasize perception over detail. They represent modern, abstract approaches, with Gursky altering with reality and Barth exploring how we see the world.
Works Cited
“Pictorialism.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., www.britannica.com/technology/Pictorialism. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.
“Straight Photography Movement Overview.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/movement/straight-photography/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.
“Aaron Siskind.” Center for Creative Photography, 18 Nov. 2021, ccp.arizona.edu/artists/aaron-siskind. Accessed 19 Sept 2024.
“Edward Weston.” International Center of Photography, 15 Dec. 2023, www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/edward-weston?all%2Fall%2Fall%2Fall%2F0. Accessed 19 Sept 2024.
“Edward Weston.” International Center of Photography, 15 Dec. 2023, www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/edward-weston. Accessed 19 Sept 2024.
Duesing, Chris. “Uta Barth.” Chrisduesing.Com, Chris Duesing, Inc., 12 July 2021, chrisduesing.com/artists/uta-barth. Accessed 19 Sept 2024.