1. Sally Mann
‘Candy Cigarette’ 1989
In the 1970’s Mann produced landscape,
architectural and still life photography along with
portraits. However her work started to make sense
when she discovered the true nature of her work in
the 1980’s when she photographed her children in
their Virginia
countryside house.
Much of Mann’s work captures the charming
intimate depictions of childhood however in others,
such as this photograph titled ‘candy cigarette’ she
has purposely captured a more controversial and
questionable image simply by using a fake
cigarette as a prop in a photograph of young
children.
The image has been taken at a mid shot to capture
the main subject and the subsidiary subjects in the
background which helps to gain an understanding
of the meaning and what is happening in the frame
portraying young siblings playing innocently,
contrasted with the girl holding the candy cigarette.
Natural lighting is used in this photograph which
highlights the subject standing in the middle of the
frame which instantly draws your eyes to her. Her
white dress and light hair and the fact the subject is
looking directly looking at the camera also stands
out in this photograph.
The main point I like best about this image is the
message in which Mann is trying to convey. The
main subject is posing and looking directly at the
camera in an unenthusiastic and un-child like
is deliberate, particularly the fake cigarette used as a prop.
However this is not necessary clear at first glance which makes the
photograph have such an impact. Apart from this, you can tell that the young
girl has some extent of knowledge of how subjects pose when having their
photo taken and
how adults hold cigarettes. The meaning in which I obtain from this
photograph is the blurring of lines between childhood and adulthood and how
defining and powerful it can be if elements from the two combine.
I also particularly like the framing of the subject and the way the backgrounds
blurred to enhance the main subject further.
2. Sam Haskins
‘Gill’
‘Gill’ taken by Sam Haskins is taken from
his photo shoot series named ‘The Five
Girls’ which profoundly influenced
contemporary fashion photography and
continues to inspire
to this day.
According to Haskins “Gill was an art
student in Johannesburg in the early
sixties. Not a professional model, she just
walked into the
studio one day and was a total natural
in front of the camera”. There were also
stories of Vietnam soldiers taking copies
of Five Girls (often gifted to them by their
wives or girlfriends) to war, so Gill was
also a Vietnam pinup.
Haskins has used a mid shot and the
subject fills the whole frame, the
photograph has also been taken in a
studio the background is therefore
minimalistic and the main focus is
the subject placed in the middle of the frame. Studio lighting has been used but softened which compliments the
subjects skins tones and creates gentle shadowing on the face helping to create natural looking image. This
image was not planned however was developed as the shoot progressed, and meaning from this photo has
developed from the impact it has had throughout the years. It captures and represents young and idealistic
women during the early sixties.
My favourite aspect of this photograph and the reason I like it is the appearance of the subject herself from her
elegant pose and what she is wearing; her high knee socks and draped hair is what has made this photography
so recognisable and iconic.
The simplicity of this photograph and framing of the subject is what I admire most about it. Many celebrities
across all industries are known to be a fan of this image the model Alexa Chung issued it in her recent book ‘I.T’
3. David Bailey
Mick Jagger, 1964
David Bailey rose to fame in the early 1960’s as a fashion
photographer. He published ‘David Bailey’s box of pin-ups
in 1965 as a loose portfolio of 36 portraits of mainly male
fashionable elites. Surprisingly only four of the pin-ups are
women, all of whom are models; he explains ‘In the age of
Mick Jagger, it is the boys who are the pin-ups’. Together,
they continue celebration of the growing celebrity culture of
the sixties, and many of them became the definitive
images of key cultural life and icons during this time.
Bailey has a stripped-down, direct style, he reveals the
beauty of all his subjects using the same technique. In his
own words “The pictures I take are simple and direct about
the person I'm photographing and not about me. I spend
more time talking to the person than I do taking photos”.
Photographed here is a close up portrait of Mick Jagger,
with his fur trim forming a resemble to a halo surrounding
his face, and his famous pouting lips, Bailey has created
an iconic photograph which is enjoyed by many.
This photograph was taken in a studio, the lighting has
been used to highlight and show the subjects face but still
keeps the
detail within the tones of his skin. The use of a black and white image creates a strong contrast between the black
jacket and white background which helps to define the subject in the frame. In terms of meaning, I feel that Baileys
black and white fashion shoots such as this image and his technique to create simplicity brakes down barriers of
race and class therefore equalising everyone who appears before his lens; and portrays them for who they really
are.
I find this image particularly visually appealing because of its simplicity and the use of framing the subjects face. I
feel that the use of a hood suggests an attempt of hidden identity and shelter from his fame and hectic life style
however this is contrasted with his direct eye contact which shows confidence and certainty with his established
4. Nir Arieli
‘Austin’
‘Ryan’
Nir Arieli’s photo shoot series titled ‘Tension’ is
a serious of dancers. Capturing their movements
in several pictures, the New York photographer
pieces them together to create a single image by
layering the different photographs. He creates
these images for intriguing combinations and lets
the viewer contemplate all the various
movements
and abstractions he has formed that the human
eye can not normally see. By using dancers as
subjects and manipulating the images in this way
he creates a unique language of movement that
is
the outcome of the dialogue between the
photographed dancer during the shoot and him.
These photographs have been taken in a studio
against a white or pale background which is later
manipulated and coloured to complement the
skin tones of the chosen dancer. The lighting
used
is also soft to avoid hash shadows on the back-
drop as it is clear Arieli has deliberately wanted
to keep the colours and light on the subject
simplistic.
My favourite aspect of these images is the way
Arieli has managed to combine two or more
images together to make it look like one image
that was taken in a single frame. I also like
5. 5
Loretta Luxx executes her composition
using a combination of photograph,
painting and digital manipulation.
Lux’s work is at once both alluring and
disturbing and she frequently uses
young children as subjects. Luxx bring
her pictures to life with the attention of
colour, shape and form that she learnt
at the easel. Her signature style
however, come after her photo shoots,
post production of her images.
As seen in this image titled “Sasha and
Ruby’ she had replaced the backgroun
which a simple and artificial setting tha
flattens the image and makes it look fa
and surreal.
This image was take in the studio with
soft lighting, however during the post
production of this image she has remo
shadows from the background and eac
of the subjects which helps create the
surreal look. The overall composition,
scale and positional of the subjects loo
odd, unnatural; and as a result slightly
spooky and disturbing.
My favourite aspect however is the
restricted pastel colour palette within th
image.
Loretta Luxx
‘Sasha and Ruby’
