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Edward Burtnysky, born in 1955, Ontario, explores the intricate link between industry and nature combining the raw elements of mines, quarries, manufacturing, oil production, shipping and recycling. Information from http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/ 21 February 2010.
"The world is my raw material and I take the idea I want to do and let the research carry me to the location. Then I use the skill I have as a photographer to try and translate that particular place into an image that somehow sums up the idea I was in pursuit of".
"I work to create an image that draws people in with its aesthetic, but then has them grappling with it and wonder why they are drawn to it. They're thinking 'I am reacting against what I am seeing, but drawn to it.' Its like a forbidden pleasure. If it makes the viewer somewhat uncomfortable, that is interesting. Ultimately that mirrors the dilemma we are all experiencing. If we know of the population growth, and what we are doing to the atmosphere, causing untold grief, with ice caps melting and polar bears running out of habitat, resources being extracted at a rate that will impoverish future generations-and yet at the same time we are compelled and drawn to a quality of life with a decent job, money put aside for retirement, and we are conditioned that way. We know that with all of us doing this it creates a major problem. If we all want this lifestyle the earth can no longer support this. We would need two or three earths in resources to bring us all up to this standard of living". Quotes from Photo-Wisdom. Master Photographers on Their Art. Lewis Blackwell.
The reason I have looked more into the work of Burtynsky because I am planning a trip to Poland in March and would very much like to do a similar set of photographs whilst on my trip, based on the salt mines there and also Auschwitz and Birkenau, and use these images for the foreign/alien environment section of the places brief. I find Burtunsky's work very interesting to look at because of the colours and contrast. The images all follow a certain pattern throughout each individual photograph that makes it very interesting to look at.
Adams took his first photograph during a vacation in 1916 in California. The characteristics of his work being a combination of superb photographic skill and a deep admiration for the American landscape. Originally, Adams wanted to be a pianist until he met Paul Strand and discovered a new medium of expression. In 1962 he joined other photographers such as Cunningham, Noskaviak, Weston, John Paul Edwards, Henry Swift and Willard Van Dyke to found the group "f/64". They emphasised the greatest possible depth of field and the sharpest reproduction of detail. They began to favour close-ups, and the rose below is an example of this tradition. In 1941 Adams created his famous "zone system" to determine correct exposure and developing time to achieve optimal gradation of grey values. He produced over 24 books from the photographs of his landscape photography of America's National Parks, which he also supported. Information from 20th century photography.
I feel that Adams is one of the most inspirational landscape photographers for me, although many people say the places do a lot of the work for him, which I agree with and would love to get the chance to travel to places like these, he is also extremely technical with film and processing and I think this is to be admired. Like the image below of the vast sky at night with the moon and the small village below, all is perfectly exposed and the houses are lit, a long with the details in the clouds, his photographs really fascinate me.
Doisneau was origionally trained as a lithographer, but in 1929 embrassed photography. He regarded it as the ideal medium of recording life. His career took off in 1934 as an industrial and advertising photography. He became an independant photojournalist in 1939. In 1949 he bagan to work for vogue fashion magazine untill 1952, although he was most famous for his street photography. He shared exhibitions with artists such as Brassai, Willy Ronis and Izis. He enjoyed to photograph on the margins of society. Information from 20th century photography, museum ludwig cologne.
I discovered Doisneau a long while ago with the image below, which I found quite interesting as it has a feeling of being watched with the man watching the painter and the painter painting the city. Although I have only recently looked into more of his work and that his work was quite inspirational, his images have a very natural, candid feel to them, and although culture has changed now and I won't manage to take images the same, but I feel aspects of his work are helpful such as composition, lighting, and the obliviousness of the subjects.
Walker Evans, born in Missouri 1903, origionally wanted to be a writer but discovered photography in his late 20s. He began taking images of victorian architecture. He had a highly detail conscious outlook, which earned him his fame. He himself discribed his photographs as 'documentary in style' and wanted to maintain the purity of the art of photography. Joined the FSA (Farm Security Administation) in 1935, documenting the poverty of the rural population. Information from 20th century photography, museum ludwig cologne.
Although much of Evans more famous work was that of the poor and the work he did for the FSA, I am looking at the places in which he photographed mainly as it fits in with me 'places' brief. Many of Evans images have a strange composition and a snapshot style as there are crops with things such as signs, lampposts, telephone poles etc. His composition is very broken up although still very effective. I often feel quite inspired by this style of photography and its a technique that I would like to discover, although it wouldn't have the same effect now, as its all been done before. That doesn't mean to say I won't try in the future though (: Often his images have quite a humourous and alien feel, as its a different world that we live in today, and most of the subjects wouldn't be found now.
Bernd, born in Siegan Germany, 1931, completed an apprentice in decoration. Hildegard Wobeser, born in postdam 1934 who completed an apprentice in photography. They married in 1961. There cooperation began in 1959. They developed a concept of systematic industrial photography with an encyclopedic charactor. Architecturally specialised, their images concentrate on average buildings and industrial structures of similar layout, usually related in function. They spent 30 years taking photographs of water towers, store houses, blast furnaces, windind towers, silos and cooling towers, that were then systematically aranged. Helped public appreciation of artists such as Albert Renger-Patzsch or Karl Blossfeldt. Information from 20th century photography, museum ludwig cologn.
Although some of the work of the Bechers, seems a little uninteresting at first, I greatly appreciate what they did. And respect the amount of effort they must have put in for those 30 years to create the images that they did. I find when you see the images as sets like you do before they are actually quite powerful, and make the mundane objects portray a beauty, and you see them in a totally different light. I also feel after discovering the work of these artists that it makes me look at things differently and notice things more than I used to, and see them for the beauty that they hold.
The next 3 images are by the artist Idris Khan. He takes the work of other artists, such as Becher and merges them all into one, to show the architectural sculpture of them. He exposes the images in translucent layers anchored by the compositions continuous shapes. Information from http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists/idris_khan.htm
I find the work of Khan very interesting, and the fact that they look almost like they are moving, spinning is really effective. The images almost look like sketches of the structures and have an arty, pencil like feel to them.
