My passion for creating content for Film and TV suddenly
grew over the years. Like anyone I would watch masses and masses of content
without thinking about how it was made. Then I was introduced to Mythbusters. A
show that, is sadly ending, broke down famous movie scenes/myths and tested if it
could be done in real life; replicating the results if proved false. This
created a turning point in my career mind-set (as I was focused on Science,
Technology, Engineering and Maths at the time) I started to research how the
content I would binge watch was create; by reading film magazines (Empire and
Total Film etc...) in my secondary schools library. Getting excited about which
actors had been cast for films, film locations but more importantly how they
were being made. What cameras were they using, what effects are being used how
they were angling the shots. I'd then go even further watching director
interviews on YouTube then watching their work from a critical perspective,
comparing my views to film critics. I moved aside from STEM and went on to
Middlesbrough College to study a BTEC in Creative Media.
One year in and I loved every bit of it, even the theory. As
a result I came away from the year with not only a Distinction* Distinction* in
the course and a commendation in research for my documentary "A Night at
Cubs" which follows my local Cub Scout pack (Which I’m a leader at). This developed
my skills as a leader, dealing with large groups of people, communication and
how to fill out which paper work is needed correctly. In order to create this I
needed to develop editing and camera operating skills. My first experience
producing professional work was for work experience in Year 9. During this I
was trusted with thousands of pounds worth of equipment working with the Studio
department. On student trips I got to interview students, staff and even those
who were teaching the students for the day. In the edit this would be
interlaced with cut aways from the day and music. Which was then broadcast to everyone
in the school. I also started to gain skills by setting up my own YouTube
channel. I produced gaming videos which were edited and exported in Sony Vegas
Pro. I used Photoshop to produce banners and thumbnails. I stopped this before
college. In college my content became more mature and professional. In my spare
time I would edit and create found footage music videos for various
pre-existing songs. During the first half term of the college, I was accepted
on the media NCS course. Not only did I meet new people, I managed to develop
my transferable skills in a new environment. As the first half of the week was
very outdoor heavy and in areas I hadn't explored before or done with new
people. In the second week I was picked to interview the Capital breakfast team
as a group up in Newcastle. I then got to edit the final piece which is up on
the NCS Vimeo page.
In my spare time I like to focus on being a cub leader in
Scouting. I really enjoy learning new skills and teaching the young scouts
skills which can help them grow as a person; knowing you've made a difference
to someone else is a joy I take away from the process. I was very lucky to go
over to Kenya during my scouting years where I helped built a school for a
local community. When I get the chance I like to work through my film list
(containing cult or well-known great films).I is currently making my way
through the Coen Brothers work. As I love the way they direct. They know how to
tell a story well without the movie dragging. The themes of criminals or good
hearted people getting involved in kidnaps or money issues never gets old
especially with the cinematography of Roger Deakins. At family events I like to
practice photography which then gets printed for display. Finally, at night I
spend time on YouTube; whether it's the latest camera report from Philip Bloom,
a behind the scenes, a Cinema Sins video or even gameplay videos from the likes
of Achievement Hunter/Yogscast.
Photography is the method of taking and processing photographs taken by a camera. Cameras these days all tend to be digital, meaning you can take a photo using a digital camera. This photo is then stored on a solid state drive (SD Card) which can be inserted into a computer to pull the photos off of it. Instead of going through the older method of taking a photo on film and then getting it processed. Because the art of taking a photo is simple, different uses of photography have developed over the years which all use different techniques in their creation. Using a lot more techniques than just pressing the camera on your smartphone. In this assignment I will be breaking down and exploring 10 different uses of photography, how commercially and artistically viable they are and how they all fit within a media context.
Advertising
Advertising photography is all about taking a photograph of a product (The subject) in a studio set up which is then manipulated in post production to meet the clients brief. With the client being the designer or owner of the product. The intention is always to try and get the viewer of the picture interested into buying the product. The photographer will work closely with the graphic designers and the marketing team of the client so that the final product is exactly what the company asked for. This is very similar to promotional photography, yet promotional is more about making the audience aware about something and 9/10 it doesn't require the audience to spend money (depending on the subject.
Because these types of images are later enhanced and are already finely staged this type of photography is very artistic in creating an image that gets the audience thinking of not only the brand but getting them into the mind-set of wanting that product. The enhancing in post production also means anything can be created, it just depends on how artistic and creative the photographer wants to be. And this type of photography is also very commercial, as you are always paid by a company; unless you start your own products and do it yourself. It also depends on who the clients are, the likes of super commercial chains such as Costa Coffee can afford to pay you more than a local bakery. It's all about getting the big name brands in your contacts to help you climb the finical ladder.
This type of photography is also everywhere. social media pages, newspapers, magazines, website banners and even billboards. This is one of the few types of photography where overall they both have a strong commercial and artistic viability. Like we saw with the earlier examples, printed photographs followed the journey of newspapers. And like technology as it began to grow so did the creative aspects of what you could do in post. Always keeping the focus on the product. To fully understand this section lets take a look at some behind the scenes photoshoots and some examples.
This video is brilliant for showing just how staged all advertising photographs are. In a typical food advert every is made wider and placed in with wooden sticks to hold it up right. It's then placed in a way which makes it look tastier and more appealing on camera. They also add in modifiers and paints to make it an appealing glow. Backgrounds are inserted and lighting is setup to really show off the product and to top it off they also improve it in photoshop afterwards to make it look mouthwatering.
Yet once you get it in the restaurant itself it's been slapped together in a rush and looks nothing like the adverts and displays. Which leads to the ethical situation of is it ok to modify products and artistic value for advertising purposes? As after all you and the company are making products whilst the customer is being misled.
Adverts often also include celebrities endorsing the product as if it's good enough for one of your hollywood role models then surely it's good enough for you! The same staging is applied, lighting is set up to show off the celebrity and the product. Celebrities are touched up with make up and are then air brushed in photoshop. It's also then touched up with other enhancers and resized for it's different purposes. Take the Suntory shoot from Lost in Translation as an example; directed by Sofia Coopola. Even notice how backgrounds are created on sets just for the purpose of an advert, the photography also then tells the model or celebrity exactly how to look and pose in order for them to achieve their artistic vision. In this case this photograph was taken by a fictional photography director played by Diamond Yukai.
Needless to say there is some stunning examples of advertising photography that are really really creative. Take the fashion section as an example as they are technically under this branch as they are advertising the latest trends of clothing through the use of celebrities and models. But now let's take a look at 3 examples of advertising photography. Unfortunately it's harder to get the names of these photographers so I will relate the photographs to the brand's advertising campaign.
The first image is by a beer company called Miller. What's interesting this image is their use of image manipulation. As the bottle will have been shot on it's own in a studio against the background you see. With the lighting behind the bottle in order to make it really stand out. You then get to see this burst of beer wrapping around the produced showing off its vibrance and energy.
Which means they will have had to make this in editing software as you cannot get beer to do this in real life. It also looks like they have inserted the base of the image in as well unless they have the beer stood on the edge of the tray and then hid how it was stood up with the erupting beer. Nevertheless this is very artistic and will have been put in select magazines in order to reach it's target audience. And it will have also been very commercial as it not only funded a photographer, but also those involved in post production and the staging of the image.
This time post production is done in a very clever way, instead of having objects and liquids inserted around the bottle. They are now inside the bottle. Again the bottle will have been shot in the studio on it's own against the white background under a studio set up. This time it's also been given a reflect as in real life it would be too difficult to get a reflection that clear. You can also tell it's been added as the front label also looks too shiny and clear to be a real label. Yet the artistic vision comes off greatly as they are trying to express the idea to their customers that every bottle of Heinz tomato sauce is made by fresh luxurious plump tomatoes and the fact that the added slogan to the bottle is "What you see is what you get".
The final image also show how you can use enhancing software to brush up the touches of the final image instead of adding in new digital aspects. In this mercedes advert you can see how they are in a large studio set and that green screens have possibly been used as it looks more enhancing than the average floor. The lights are then on and smoke is surrounding the car as you can see the smoke has been dropped in from the back of the car as you can see it disbursing. The car has then been enhanced in editing software as it looks clearer more detailed and the light reflects of the car even more. The light is also strong enough to pierce the light.
And finally, let see how they use the editing software to really enhance an original image.Notice how they zoom into specific parts of the shoe and highlight them with the select tool. They then change the color pallet to make the colors more pure to make them stand out even more. They also highlight various aspects of the shows as they add in layers and different settings to make it more appealing. They then use the color pallet to manipulate the background color to blue and use a gradient to add depth to the image. The shadows are also made stronger to really get the attention on the brand and details off the shoe.
Promotional Like we saw earlier promotional and advertising photography are very similar. Yet the main difference is that promotional photography is more about raising awareness about a brand, person or place rather than trying to get the consumer to purchase the product advertised in the picture. Common things that tend to be promoted are TV and Films as they are trying to get you to watch their products. Yes the company will still try and sell you something but it's not as obvious, it's a sutale way of a company showing you a part of the product to gain your interest. Instead of showing you the product and immediately trying to get you to purchase it. The images took by a promotional photographer is often a snippet off the overall product in order to gain an interest. (Note examples of names of photographers is hard to find for this section)
For instance take this behind the scenes of the Walking Dead's photo shoot. Not only does it perfectly show how they aim to create a promotional photograph. It takes themes and characters from the show in their setting to begin to reveal information about the latest season. They also show how they stage promotional photography. Get the characters to stand and pose as they would in the actual product but also dress them like they would appear as well. Take the middle character Carol for instance she's stood looking like an innocent housewife yet she is clutching a knife. They also stage the lighting so that they have a contrast against the background.
Promotional images like this are then posted online, put in film magazine articles and even on social media pages in order to get fans hyped up. Gaining an audience and interest without shoving the product in your face, it's done in a way to get the audience excited about a product without them throwing their money away. The commercial aspect of this type of photography comes from the same way as advertising. As you are always paid by a company; unless you start your own company you promote your shows/idea's yourself. It also depends on who the clients are, the likes of bigger productions with budgets of a $150 million are more likely to pay you more than a film with a budget of $30,000. If you get the clients, then you are set to make a commerical gain. As your photographs are then sold to magazine companies, new site's and so on. All of this can then be put in your portfolio and used in the future.
In terms of artistic value your often constrained by the client and the way the photographs are shot. As they typically seem to be very similar to high street studio work, yet the wardrobe is determined by what the production is like. For instance if you were going to promote a band:
The only things the photographer can really change is the location and the lighting. For instance you can tell this type of band plays rock music just by the clothing they are wearing. You also have them covered by partial shadows when it's a well lit tunnel. Yet you can control the vibe coming off from the photography you can't have utter artistic control like you could with fine art photography or advertising photography. You are always working to the clients demand. Yet you are for advertising, but they often let you have creative control around a theme or vibe they want to give off. Again take a promotional image of Star Trek:
It's shot in exactly the same way as the Walking Dead's promo. As the poses are exactly the same, two males stood either side of the lead women. The lighting is either flat one them or used to create shadows on the background behind them. The background is flat and doesn't have the depth of the band promotional image and there is some sort of watermark with branding in the corners. This not only highlights that films and TV shows shoot promotional images in the same way, it further adds that the artistic value is taken away from the product as the same technique is rushed through very similarly to high streets, par from the fact they are taking photographers with bigger names and for more commercial purposes.
Yet bands seem to have a bit more of a artistic feel to them, as the location really matters for the band compared to TV and Film as it's more preparing the audience by showing them the characters they already know and love. Yet with bands they could be starting off fresh and want to show the audience that they are fun and creative.
Notice how they seem to utilise the location more than the Film and TV examples. They have the band spread out creatively and in a way to which adds to the image. Each pose telling you something different about the band members. The guy in the front lots more serious and that he is kidding around, yet the guy at the back has the same facial expressions yet he looks laid back.
But then the most laid back character in the room with a smile in his face is stood at the back right. And again the style of clothing they are wearing tells you a lot about the band. Also notice how this photograph tells you it was shot by Tom Di Maggio. Which can sort of create a divide in promotional photography, depending on the client depends on how artistic you allowed to be. Yet either way you are still getting a commerical gain. If you are a photographer and you do want artistic rein then you can always spread out to other forms of photography as well as promotional. Like Tom Di Maggio when you check out his portfolio there is a whole variety of different photography styles. They all tend to have a different focus, some are used with lots and lots of editing software others are artistic and show off reality.
Finally, let's take a look at one last examples of promotion photography. Promoting holiday and tourist locations in leaflets.
This images are not very artistic. But they can't be. If you were wanting to promote a county show and you put lots of images that need artistic interpretation then you audience would not only get confused by they wouldn't come to the show. Instead these photographers are mass shot, set up with lighting and even maybe touched up in photoshop. As someone will have gone round last years fair and took tonnes of photographers to use for next year. Yes most shots are well framed and it's easy to tell what they are trying to show. The commercial side of this promotional photography is often getting paid to take the photographs for the leaflet. This sums up this section nicely and shows all the different forms of promotional photography.
Fashion
Fashion photography is all about displaying a model in the latest fashion trends. Whether it is the latest designer dress or a new fashion product such as ear rings, glasses etc... The most seen commercial aspect of this type of photography, is when photographers are paid to shoot advertisements or covers for fashion magazines cover the likes of Vogue, Vanity Fair and Lucky. In order to change with the times and make fashion more appealing the likes of exotic and well designed backgrounds have started to appear. Accessories are also put with the main display to make it feel more vibrant.
From instance take this example from Vogue. In this case Cara Delevinge is the model. She appears to be showing off a variety of different clothing, yet the main appeal is the "royal" dress she is wearing. As the accessories go alongside the dress to create the overall theme. The image could of been took without all the added components and just showed off the dress. But it's going alongside the idea that more is needed to make it different from the other types of fashion photography out their. Also notice how her pose and facial expressions give off the vibe that she owns the clothing and its part off her personality. Rather than just been stood their as you're being paid to do so.
Other means of commercial methods are through selling the images to clients or selling your work online through your own galleries. Fashion is also one of those arts that do well in art galleries and exhibitions so if you have a strong enough reputation and career money that is another route. But there is a strong chance that if you work for a client, whether it's a fashion giant or a small company there is an income. Which can differ depending on how you sell yourself.
The artistic side is what you make of it, some wish to go all out and make stunning images that have had a good amount of planning too. Others go out and shoot in cities looking for the latest fashion trend. Of course all the different types of styles people go for can have an affect on commercial viability.Let's take a look at the history of fashion/looking at those are considered the fundamental fashion photographers and the type of techniques and tips you see in fashion photography.
Fashion photography began to grow at the time photography was introduced into the world. Shortly afterwards it began to grow as an art form and Edward Steichen is considered to be one of the pioneers of modern fashion photography. His main subject of clothing was gowns created by Paul Poiret, these photographs were then published in the April edition of Art et Decoration 1911.
At the time he was the first to make the clothing artistic in the way it was shot. So he chose a close up, which he centered the model with in a portrait style photograph. He also used lighting in a studio setup to make the clothing look elegant and glamorous which was rare at the time. Yet around the time of Edward, the origins of Vogue's reputation where forming. As the publisher Conde Nast purchased the lifestyle magazine Vogue. This allowed the like such as Steichen and other budding fashion photographers a commercial platform for their work. Then in 1913 Vanity Fair was launched with to this day has caused competition between the two brands. Steichen created a formula for fashion photography which is still used to this day. From his use of models, lighting and experimenting with various techniques which others had to follow as it was becoming the standard.
Then jump ahead to the 50's and a whole host of new techniques are coming into place by a photographer Richard Avedon. Who was a commercial photographer to Harpers Bazaar. He disagreed with the studio set up created by Steichen and prefered to work in the outdoors. He would often capture busy streets and models were captured in mid movement. As he wanted the clothes to show their natural beauty.
This style began to catch on and he inspired tonnes of photographers. For instance photographer Henry Clark felt inspired to take fashion photographs with the city as a background.
David Bailey was another fashion photographer inspired by Avedon. So he began to capture fashion of the 60's in London. He built upon the works developed by Avedon but made them even more youthful and had a carefree approach. Yet Avedon controversy came into the studio work stage during his move to Vogue in 1966. Yet he still made his work exciting and developed his ideas on movement and the confident female sexuality.
Then move ahead to the 80's and the commercial aspect started to appear in fashion photography. As fashion was started to have an appeal to more of the middle class in places such as Europe and America. Big companies where willing to pay for advertising and would use fashion photography as a medium. Avdeon shot an ad for Calvin Klein using a 15 year old model. Brooke Shields (former child star). The idea that she owned the clothing and was proud to wear the clothing made it an instant favourite with the public.
Klein then starting using even more famous stairs in order to sell its products. In 1992 Mark Walhberg and Kate Moss both posed topless wearing Calvin Klein underwear. The black and white image shot by Bruce Weber made Klein a quick buck as their sales uplifted over night making them the recognised brand they are today.
Finally, advertising in fashion photography then came to the extend of using sex/sexulaity to sell products. Campaigns from the likes of Tom Ford had a model pose with a bottle of fragrance between her breasts and a campaign for Gucci that saw a model , shot by Mario Testino, had her pubic hair shaved into a G whilst Gucci clothing in the background. Both received controversy but the idea that it got people talking ment it was still working as a campaign.
Yet not all fashion photographers aim to shoot celebrities or go for sex sells. For instance, Bill Cunningham an NYC fashion photographer, rides around New York on his bike and takes photos of people in clothing that he likes. The shots aren't very artistic as he uses basic composition but he finds interesting subject matters. He would take photos of designs and dresses that existed for a while and didn't make mainstream attention. But when they appeared on the catwalk, they would show his photos side by side.The first in a set of regular "Impromptu" that were published in the New York Times 1978. His editor said"This was a turning point for the Times, because it was the first time the paper had run pictures of well-known people without getting their permission." He often has a variety of ideas for instance there was one case where he had an idea that every day for a month, whenever he saw something cerulean (a batik shawl) or aqua (a Hawaiian-print sarong) or azure (a Japanese parasol) coming down the sidewalk, he would snap a picture of it.
Fashion models and celebrities often feel offended if Bill Cunningham is at an event and doesn't take a photograph of them due to his reputation. He is often approach by celebrities to get photographers with him as they appreciate his work. His origins go back to when he dropped out of Harvard in 1948 and moved to New York, he started working in advertising. He quit his job to make hats using the name William J.He was drafted for serving in the Army, for which after his tour he came back to New York and began writing for the the Chicago Tribune. In terms of writing he focused on fashion journalism. He introduced American audiences to Azzedine Alaia and Jean-Paul Gaultier. Working for the Tribune he also worked at Women's Wear Daily and took photos of fashion in New York. Which as we saw earlier is what kick started his career.
Now that we have looked at the history of fashion photography and examples of photographs in the field of work. Let finish off with the key codes and conventions of this art form.
Fashion photography must give a vibe of authority, the model has to show confidence. Showing signs of anxiety, stress or lack of direction will convey the wrong message to the audience. Fashion photography is about the clothes and appearance. So shoot them in the way you want them to be displayed. I.E ripped clothing in a tatty alleyway might not give off a vibe that you want to wear the clothing. Find interesting models that can tell stories through poses and facial expressions. Women that look good on camera and have symmetrical faces and "the perfect body" tend to be used for more commercial work as it sells.Studios are often prefered as you can easily control the shot, but make sure everything looks good and isn't overexposed as it will ruin the image. But most importantly use all the kit and equipment you can to tell your story of fashion. Do you need a set? Do you need make up? Where is it shot? How is it lit? Do I want quality or quantity? etc... by answering these questions you're on track to a great fashion photography.
Photojournalism is a type of news journalism that harnesses an image to tell a news story. This means a part time/full time photojournalist will be sent out by a publisher (for newspapers, magazines, online articles etc...) who are often freelance out to a location to capture a specific moment. The freelancers will often have a whole host of clients that they work for. On an assignment you can be sent anywhere to find out about anything.Offering great variety. Which makes it one of the more commercial sections of photography as you are being paid to go out and shoot. You might also take photos and send them into a company like the fictional Peter Parker who would send in photographs of Spiderman for money. This whole process revolves around taking photos for money so off course it is commercially viable. This can also be extended to sports events.
It is very similar to documentary photography but this type has a strong ethical backing which means all works have to be honest and impartial (see later on for details). Decisions have to be made on the spot so all photojournalists must be prepared for all weather carrying all the equipment they need. But where did photojournalism come from? Below is a video highlighting and exploring the entire history, afterwards I will look at segments bit by bit summarizing the key components.
The use of photographs in newspapers started off in the mid 19th century after printing was made possible with the technology at the time. Roger Fenton the first official war photographer took photos of the Crimean War which began the groundwork for photojournalism. But the use of images off the time was to go alongside the text instead of being a medium of information. In 1921 it became possible to send photos through a wirephoto making it possible to send the pictures as quick as the news information.
The "Golden Age" then struck in the 1930's to 50's as the first use of flash bulbs came into the industry. Allowing journalists to have further flexibility in taking photographs. New magazines and newspapers started appearing that use more images than text to tell their stories. Most magazines in America had then started using 11x14 inch pages to finally print high quality ink to reproduced the photographs. Because photos became clearer to see and view in newspapers and magazines the public accepted this as photography.
Before I move onto the examples of Photojournalism let's see how the artistic viability is affected by the legal and ethical considerations. All work under this genre work under the same ethical approaches. What to shoot, how to frame the scene and what is edited are all considerations in the process. As after all these photographs will be sent out to the general public. For instance photographs around the subject of violence and tragedy are often shown as if it bleeds it leads. But the ethic standards come into place when deciding which photos are too violent to show the public.
Dead bodies are also not normally shown as the family of those involved may not be aware of the story in the first place, names wouldn't be shown for the same reason of panic. The family is also not normally informed that the story is running until they come across it in the papers. You also have to take privacy into account, does this person going to court what his photo taking? Does this celebrity want to be pestered in the street? Normally pictures are printed without the knowledge of the victim or without consent.
You must also be very careful in the edit. As those being color enhanced isn't generally considered a problem, but when you edit in people or even edit them out it could cause a stir. War photography might often be stated as it would be hard for older camera to get the exact shot at the time. Also photos must be captioned without being misleading and all photographs handed in must be from an ethical and legal standpoint as they have no control what the editor chooses. Members of the NPPA must follow:
The practice of photojournalism, both as a science and art, is worthy of the very best thought and effort of those who enter into it as a profession.
Photojournalism affords an opportunity to serve the public that is equaled by few other vocations and all members of the profession should strive by example and influence to maintain high standards of ethical conduct free of mercenary considerations of any kind.
It is the individual responsibility of every photojournalist at all times to strive for pictures that report truthfully, honestly and objectively.
Business promotion in its many forms is essential, but untrue statements of any nature are not worthy of a professional photojournalist and we severely condemn any such practice.
It is our duty to encourage and assist all members of our profession, individually and collectively, so that the quality of photojournalism may constantly be raised to higher standards.
It is the duty of every photojournalist to work to preserve all freedom-of-the-press rights recognized by law and to work to protect and expand freedom-of-access to all sources of news and visual information.
Our standards of business dealings, ambitions and relations shall have in them a note of sympathy for our common humanity and shall always require us to take into consideration our highest duties as members of society. In every situation in our business life, in every responsibility that comes before us, our chief thought shall be to fulfill that responsibility and discharge that duty so that when each of us is finished we shall have endeavored to lift the level of human ideals and achievement higher than we found it.
No Code of Ethics can prejudge every situation, thus common sense and good judgment are required in applying ethical principles.
This means all photojournalist must take a photo without staging the events as it ruins the realism. This means the artistic standpoint comes from the photographers framing, composition, type of shot and how they deal with subjects as if the subject doesn't know they are their. As the content cannot be affected. This means it isn't as artistically viable as genres such as fine art, illustration and advertising. Now let's take a look at four examples of photojournalism:
When finding this image online the photographer was told about an outstanding teacher that has done lots of important work for the community and the school. But because it is for journalist purposes he cannot recreate the photo to highlight this. He must take a shot that is unbiased. So in order to fully get the story across he uses clever leading lines in the stair seats to draw the attention down to the children. The writing on the stairs that can be seen in writing also creates a positive working environment showing the children all together helping and enjoying themselves.
In terms of sports, photographers have to have a great technical understanding in order to get the perfect shot. One way is to take constant bursts of photographs under a perfect focus and exposure to get the shot they want. Above is a great example of good sports journalism. As it shows the hit of action. The shot is also very well framed with the action in focus and well lit from the pitches lighting. The background is also out of focus and goes well with the bright green colors.
(Image from photgrapher Anne Darling a French photographer how turned her hobby of photography into a living )
This image shows how quick photojournalists have to be when reporting events. No one in the media new this tragic event was going to happen (ignoring conspiracy theories), as a result the photos taken aren't off a great quality as they have quickly pointed the camera and took a snap. If it was to be an advertisement or high street studio photograph then the shot would keep being recreated alongside the lighting to get the perfect aesthetically pleasing shot.
Finally, this last image shows how a photojournalist will attend an important event on behalf of a newspaper company. This time it's looking at a press event/political rally including Gordon Brown. This may be one of many photographs taken but is the one the editor chose for the front cover. Notice the use of the leading lines to draw attention to the main subject as they couldn't ask Gordon Brown to pose for the camera as it wouldn't look real.
Portrait photography is one of the most well known types of photography. It is the process of capturing a subject ( a person/group) in where the main focus is on their facial expressions, features and face. They also utilize the background and persons body in order to help maintain the focus on the subject. The viability of income for a portraiture photographer comes from studios or even free lance photographers. You will see later on in the blog on how high street studios operate on the basis that they gather clients and shoot multiple people during the day to maximize profit, which reduces the artistic viability. However you then have the free lance photographers who need to build up a client list so they are more likely to pull out all the bells and whistles in order to gain future work, upping their production value by harnessing lighting in a controlled manner.
Portrait photography isn't just a photo that you take quickly, portraits are composed and rehearsed. This means the photographer would have to work with the subject in order to get them composed in the correct manner they wish to shoot. As they will be wanting a certain angle and lighting set up. Generally the subject will be told to look into the camera lens, although more tend to experiment and change up the expected.
The subjects also tend to be ordinary people and not those who are in the line of modelling or subjects for professional photography. Any one can take a portrait photography as their is no boundaries apart from the size/type of the frame. But in order to be really creative you must go outside the norms and show off using the equipment and techniques you have. For instance if you were taking a photo of a businessman you would show them looking proud and confident as they could potentially use it when applying for a job in a company. You could also have a blushing bride in a photo to show how nervous but excited she is to start a new part of her life. Background is also important, what does the background say about the subject? Are they are hard working office type of person? Are they relaxing in the woods? Photographers could also take the photo when the subject isn't aware; yes they will have been told where to look but this type can capture a certain emotion you wren't quite expecting. Digital software can also be used to manipulate and enhance portraits to make them look more visually appealing.
This type of photography came into place when the low costs of a technique called daguerrotype came about. A sheet of polished silver plated copper would be put through fumes making it light sensitive. It was then exposed in a camera for as long as possible. It would then result in an image appearing as it became visible when exposed to mercury vapor which made it less sensitive. Once dried the subject was left with the final image. Which was much easier than having a painted portrait. Due to the technology it would take ages for the exposure to work. Subjects would be seated against plain backgrounds lit by a nearby window. As the times have change equipment is becoming more technology advanced and portrait photography is changing.
As we saw from the subject being lit by a window, lighting is very important. There are many methods of lighting and through examples we will be able to see how a photographer carefully frames and lights their photographs. First of all lets take a look at a 3 point set up.
The first light we use in the set up is the key light. The key light is the initial light and provides the main source to light up the subject. Although the key light can cause lots of dark shadows that mainly cover the subject. To counter balance this the fill light is used which softens the shadows and makes the subject appear lighter. Finally, the back (Also known as the hair light, as it brings out the details in the hair) light is used to show of the 3D nature of the subject and makes the outlines really stand out. Put these 3 together and it gives a really nice looking image.
You can play around with the intensity of each light and the color temperature if you are using a rotolight. As the scale ranges from 1,000 kelvin which is candle light to 10,000 kelvin which is the sky on a clear day. By playing around with each of these settings then you can create different effects. I.E turning of the fill light means the subject is covered in shadows and appears darker. To reflect the light technicians will often use large reflected surfaces such as a white sheet; as white reflects light. To make areas absorb light so there is more focus on them, black surfaces are used.
This is a perfect example of a portrait photograph that uses a 3 point lighting set up. Because of the background you can see how the strong key light is coming across from the left, but in order to get rid of the shadows that would be formed on the right side of his face the fill light softens the shadows. The hair light is also making his hat shinier as his hair is covered. The strong purples would nicely against the gray and the emotion in his face along with his clothing gives off the vibe that he is very casual and unique. As the hoodie is joined by a suit jacket clashing two styles of clothing. Because of his smirk in his facial expressions is gives off a cool/popular vibe with is further emphasized by the way he is sat.
(Image from taken by a studio named Headshot London who specialize in this type of work)
3 point lighting can also be used outside. Here is it hard to tell whether the key light is the sun or an artificial light from first glance. However, you can see a white glow on the elbow which would relate to white light, whereas the sun will often give an orange tint to images. The hair light is also clearly visible in the photograph as the edges of the top of the hair is clearly highlighted. The face also looks like it has had some digital touch ups or make up as its very glowy and has lots of flat colors together unlike natural skin.
Also take note of how the photographer has changed the f.stops in order to get a shallow depth of field. The background also has leading lines placing all the focus onto the subject. The railings intersecting to put her in the corner, the edges of the buildings window to get her highlighted hair to be the attention. Glamour is the theme of this portrait as the attention is to the beauty of what she is wearing and her stylized face. Making this photograph very artistic compared to the studio photograph we looked at last. This portrait could also be used for the subjects personal use or even a free lancer could sell something like this to a fashion magazine or website to earn some extra revenue.
Another type of lighting is the butterfly lighting set up. It only uses two lights. The key light is placed directly in front of a subject above the camera or slightly to the side. The second is a back light. It is common to use a reflector from under the subject in order to soften the shadows. You will tell it's a butterfly from the well lit nose and the shadows falling from below the nose.
Notice how you can see the wings of butterfly forming in the cheeks and the strong lighting coming straight onto the nose. This portrait photograph gives off the vibe of being a victim and curiosity as the light is coming straight on and their isn't an instant emotion coming from her face. She looks frozen in an unaware state.
Similar to this is the Rembrandt style, this is simply the light coming from one side of the face to give the other shadows. Making the photograph have a darker and more mysterious vibe. Take this professional image of Adele under this style of lighting. Which has since been used for her promotional material. Given Adele's traits and the way this is shot it gives off the idea that Adele is unhappy and is fed up. Her lips slightly forming a frown, the black and white and that fact half of her in shadows suggests her true self has been hiding away and that one day the true colorful and happy Adele will emerge.
You may also use window light alongside a reflector in order to capture an image. It limits more options than other lighting set ups but it gives more experimentation. You may have to use a tripod as shutter speeds will be lower than normal. This way you could also produce silhouettes.
Her is a perfect example of a window lit photograph. The use of the natural lighting gives off a soft light onto the black and white image. Alongside the darkness and the suit and tie he is wearing it suggests that he is looking forward to a brighter and more successful career and personal life. As his face is shows a strong passion and desire. The surroundings add to this idea as he is dressed formal in a run down and shabby room. Overall, these types of photos are found online, in magazines, on freelancers portfolios, the subject uses it as head shots or even displayed in a home. (Note - names of photographers were not with images during research)
High street studio work is exactly what is sounds like. It is a type photography that is shot in a high street studio. It is one of the easiest forms of photography to gain a profit, as the studio set up is very easy to keep up, so you can get through various clients in a day. Prices are also relevantly high so one client could end up paying £100 per visit. If the shop gets through 15 people in one day then your looking at a high profit margin.
The type of clients and work these shops get is often families, as parents will bring in their young ones to get solo shots and then a big group. Families can then hand out these photos to relatives or even get them framed to be displayed in their own home. The shop owner can then get more work if the family recommends it to other families creating a large network of people. The company may also get clients to sign a form so that they can use the photo they take for advertising online or in the shop window. Which not only shows off the product you'd expect but it also means it's easy to spread the message.
Although, it is more commercial and all about using the same set up and procedures to get through clients it then lacks an artistic stand point. As you are no longer shooting in creative ways you are sticking to a format. The only thing becoming unique about the work produced is those in the photograph. Yes they may use different props and backgrounds to enhance the photo but the majority of stores stick to white.
As you can see this is a typical set up for a photography studio. A family will make a pose on a large strip of white material. The umbrella lights are then set up to expose everyone in shot and then the photographer takes a picture, they change position and then take another. As soon as this family is done they will then move onto the next client. Churning out money for studio as its the type of photograph everyone wants. Now we have an idea of what this type of photography is and how its done in terms of artistic and commercial viability lets move onto a few examples.
(Image from taken by an independent male Chris Mullane who runs his own photography studio. )
Here you can see a typical photograph taken in a studio, all the family is in the same type of pose whilst the photographer will be laid or knelt down ready to take the shot. Because the frame is fully exposed the white sheeting is hard to see and the shadows come across really well. This photo also shows how families can get pets involved by having them in the background of the photograph. The family will then buy this photo as part of a deal to take home. They can then frame the photograph in their home.
(Image from - again an independent photographer who focus on studio work and weddings.)
Again the same set up and equipment is used. This time the photography is just of one of the families children. Props are also used this time to add some charm and wit to the photograph. This means every time the family look at the photography they begin to laugh and chuckle creating happy memories and making them more likely to share the product. Photographs of children can also be used in the future for means of memories for both the parents and the child. This time the photo is a mid shot instead of seeing the whole body. This form is more appropriate as it looks better as the reaction and action happen towards mid up. Getting in the whole body would take away from the shots effectiveness.
Again same set up, but this time its with siblings in a photography. They also cleverly use depth (not focus depth of field) as the lighting and placing of the children make a well composed shot. Highlighting one or the more creative ways this type of photography can be done. The facial expressions also tell a lot about the children and has the same effect as the previous photograph. Again the use of shadows come into place and the way the children have been placed make it look like the blonde girl is the older sibling as its the closer child compared to the girl in the green.
(Image from - An american independent photography studio under her own name)
Finally, because we looked at how the majority stick to the same set up in order to rake through customers, this photograph perfectly shows how to fight off the competition. As all the other examples we have looked at early all use the same angle shot. Yet in this case you have high angle shot looking down on the subject on a yellow fabric, not white, and a slight high angle photograph (bottom right) of a baby in a basket on a pink background. The use of extra props really adds the production value to the photographs and make them more unique than the typical photograph. The clothing the children are wearing also goes against the background perfectly and not just any old clothing like the other photos. As the strong pink goes together nicely on the light pink in the bottom and top right, the white also goes against the brown/beige in the middle left. Photographers either buy into a franchise and kit to do this job and then aim to make the company monthly profits or they may set up shop themselves to do so.
Architectural
Architectural photography is the process of taking photographs of buildings and structures that make the building look pleasing to view and are depicted in a truthful manner. This can be included for both the exterior and interior of a building. Depending on the building and how you take the shot this type of photography can be very artistic. As you don't have a human or animal subject to get an emotion out of off; photographers really need to show off their photo taking techniques through lighting, leading lines and composition.
For instance this photograph taken by Mike Hollman a commercial photographer from New Zealand who specializes in architectural hotel and resorts, landscape and travel photography. You can see how he has cleverly captured the design of the building in the photograph. The leading lines of the building from the sides make your eyes diverge into the middle, but then there is more leading lines as the tear drop shape makes you look up to the ceiling where it splits off into even more lines as the white supports really connects together the whole image. Which is the key to this type of photography, you need to find unique locations that no one knows about and shot it in a way that gives the image the aesthetic look.
Yet if you don't do these things it can be very hard to make a commercial income from this type of photography. Unless you have been pre paid by a client to produce work for their company, website, gallery, magazine etc... In order to get this work photographers must have a strong portfolio of architectural photograph that really harnesses all of the techniques mention previously. Otherwise this type of photography isn't very viable in terms of commercial value. As the majority of photographers take photos of the same types of buildings which everyone has access too. For instance, lots of people will take photos of landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower,London Bride and the Golden Gate bridge. But only so many people are going to still want a photograph of them as they can easily access them online.
At the time of origin this type of photography was easier to make money as no one had images of locations like they do now. William Henry Fox Talbot an inventor, scientist and photographer took the first architectural photograph.
As you can see it isn't the greatest photograph in terms of being artistic. It resembles something close to documentary photography in the way its shot in a raw format for what it really is. Commercial photographs do better in the market if they are artistic but if you are doing this type of photography for a hobby then you can shoot it however you want whether its artistic or not. Now lets take a look at the different ways in which you can approach this type of photography.
Don't just go for modern buildings when taking this type of photography. Looking at the old architecture that is ever country. Make the photographs straight forward but really think how the shot is like and what the background looks like. Because in this shot the lighting from the sun makes the building look like its standing tall and looks quite modern. Even though we can tell its an older building due to the materials and way its built.
(Image by Paul White a commercial photographer of this type.)
Contrasting with this is modern architecture which is more abstract in its nature. This is about showing off the creative side of builders and how the future is changing in the way we build our homes and working buildings. Notice how the photograph draws attention to the main attraction of buildings modern design shown off by the wide angle shot. It also over powers the smaller and older architecture that is squeezed out to the right of the frame. Alluding to how the architecture of the world is rapidly evolving.
Like we saw earlier lighting is very important to this type of photography. You may have to do a lot of waiting to get the right shot as you cannot control the natural light and it would cost too much to create a giant version of your own. This image shows how you can use lighting to really add to the color of the building as the reflected light makes the dusty orange of the building glow with warmth. The shadows don't get in the way and add to the image itself. You want to make buildings very well light and not associate it with dark surfaces so avoid getting the light from behind the building. Also take use of the night and the buildings own lighting. As this image of a cathedral in Ireland by photographer Trey Ratcliff shows:
Because its so well lit the photograph was only taken on an ISO of 100. Letting the building doing the job of providing the light and the subject of the photograph. The lighting also helps draw in the attention to the middle of the cathedral which by its leading lines gets you to look up at the peak of the Cathedral. The image is also split up into dark, light and a mix of both. The bottom is the darkest of the image and makes you look towards the light. Then the building blends perfectly with the deep blue sky creating a really powerful image.
Last of all, pick out the interesting details of a building, that makes that building unique? For instance this photograph taken by another flickr user, Alvaro Vega F. highlights the main features of the building without getting the whole building in frame. You can see how they wanted to draw the attention to the buildings straight and uniform design. Yet ever window is different and has its own personality to it. Which is the whole point of this type of photography, in order to really succeed and make a living from this you need to find unique places of which you shoot in really creative ways. No snap shots of famous bridges, but buildings that make the viewer intrigued or interested about the subject matter.
Illustration
Illustration is the type of photography process where photographers mix reality/subjects with surreal drawings. These drawings can either be done in real life and have the subject mixed in with the image or they can add them in post production in editing software such as Photoshop. This type of photography is highly artistic as the photographs captured really show off the artistic work off an artist or the photographer themselves.
They also manage to create work around a person fitting them into a new reality. These types of photographers are often freelance and will sell their own work or enter them into galleries online or in art galleries. There is a chance that companies will see their online portfolio and then pay them in advance for projects. Because it is very unique and creative people are more likely to buy this type of work compared to architecture which is more basic and easy to access by everyone.
(Image from shot by an online photographer called Nithin Rao Kumblekar)
What's also special about this image is how the 2D and 3D perspectives can only be put together from one angle. If you shot this photographer with the camera the base of his feet you wouldn't get to see the entire piece of art. As the idea is the drawing becomes 3D when you look down at it through the illusion of your eyes. Then put your subject on top of the seeming 3D image and you have a master piece. Notice how they use the handle of a hammer, yet the hammer head is drawn in. If the shot was took out of line then it wouldn't look very good and the fact that it has a sharp attention to detail highlights the quality of the art and emphasis how a person would be willing to purchase a piece like this in the future. Whether it's a gallery, client or even a customer online.
This type of photography requires more planning and modification of a "canvas" so that they can fully get an idea of what it is they want to shoot. Like the photo above they must also consider the lighting of the photograph. For instance this looks like it was drawn on a studio floor using marker pens and chalk. But they also have a flat light source shining down on them as every part of the body is lit equally.
Shown below is a really neat YouTube tutorial on how you can manipulate photographs in photoshop and how to combine them into an illustration piece. They start off with the base image of the studio took photograph and they they begin to use the brush tool to draw in white lines. They then play around with the different sizes and settings in order to produce the chalk look. They go into great technical detail so I will save that for the video.
But it really highlights the extent to how images can be manipulated in the edit for a whole host of reasons. In this case it is for artistic and commercial gain for the photographer - artistic coming first. But as we saw earlier this can be used for methods that may not seem moral as they manipulate images for intent to sell more to the consumer by altering the look of products to seem more appealing.
But this doesn't always happen in a studio and then get manipulated in post. Some very skilled artists and photographers will harness the locations around them. Such as the street you can see above. What makes this really unique to this type of photography is that like the first example this art can only be saw from one perspective. If you took it from above you would see a bunch of flat lines and not the final image. If you took it from the other side of this photograph then it couldn't work as it's an illusion.
This also means a photographer can aim to take this photograph after completing their work off art and then even leaving it behind with their name behind. Not only giving him credit for the piece but also getting a reputation online as those who take photographs off it will see the paper on the floor to see who took the photograph. Which could lead to the photographer getting future work due to social media. Click here for a link to next video discussion.
This video is set in Australia and shows how Julian Beever a british chalk artist/photographer was funded by the Hilton to produce this artwork. In order for the photographer and artist to achieve their full aims they have to spend hours if not days creating their work which would of took time in the planning stages as well. As if they turned up and started to draw, but at the end of the week it wasn't right you're not only wasting your time and money but you may also not be allowed constant access to the location so you could be wasting a company's/clients money.
Also notice how the camera is always set up .This is so during the creative process he can constantly keep checking on how the artwork is going, this can also be used for the photographer to judge their speed and quality of work and can update the overruling manager on how it's going and whether more time is needed. He also tells the audience how the drawing they create is stretched and distorted so when you view it from one angle you see the full image.
To sum up this section let's take a look at another example of 3D street art and then look back on another type of illustration photographer. Edgar Muller is a German photographer and is known as one of the world's best street artists/photographers. He has two guinness world record in the largest pavement art and the largest anamorphic pavement art.
This is a set further from the image we looked at before the behind the scenes video. This time instead of creating one 3D element, this image creates a series of different planes in the 3D image. One for the first lots of bears witnessed, then a layer for the second bear hanging over the ledge, then the waterfall and the base of the water where the bears are washing. As a result of this, he has gained a large following online of others uploading examples of his work for the rest of the world to witness.
Finally let's look at another method of illustration photography:
This time the use of props that have been illustrated make the image. Instead of having 3D objects the positioning of the props using the flat illustrations create a depth instead. As the light shade has been placed right at the back, then the table is in front of them but any objects in front of them blocked those behind it like normal objects would. They could of made it more creative by having it being back lit to go with the light in the photograph. But the new and inventive idea show off how artistic this type of photography can be and you could even be shipped off world wide to produce images for clients such as Hilton.
Fine Art
Fine art photography is a photograph that is created in accordance with the vision of the photographer. This means if a client comes to a fine art photographer they can only really give them themes, as if they give them too much to stick to its hurting the photographers artistic creation. Which also leads onto the point that the artists work is very viable as photographers will go out of their way to create works of art. This art isn't always obvious to the meaning behind it as an artist can create an image to what ever ideologies they have.
It can also have a commercial value as it's very unique and artistic so upper class people are more likely to buy this type of photography. Fine art is also worthy of an art galley and even an auction. There will also only be one selling off a photograph in order to keep its artistic value. As if everyone had a copy then it wouldn't be unique and would damage the vision of the artist. They may create an online portfolio to show off their work but will include copyright on the images to maintain their work. The whole idea of this work is tat instead of capturing reality, the photographer is trying to create an impression or atmosphere.
This type of photography had origins in the 19th century when they where trying to make advances in the way in which art was created in the Victorian era. Photography had the ability to capture more detail than a painting or a sketch. It took time for photography to be accepted in Britain and America as a visual art. This was pushed after promotional attempts by magazines such as Society of Amateur Photographers and the Boston Camera Club who were keen to show that new forms of art can exist. The first type of fine art photographs where experiments before turning into an art form.
The first part of fine art photography starts with an idea. Ideas can revolve around all sorts of subjects. It could be to do with a social commentary, a personal feeling or even a recent event. They need to really use various techniques in order to get their message across. Playing with the focus, the exposure settings, the various lenses and then playing with the image in post production software. They also need to understand the work flow of fine art as when it comes to export the image they will need to get the highest quality out of the image. They then need to do the same when printing the image for display.
(Image from Taken by Jeff Wall - A Sudden Gust of Wind 1993)
Fine art photography can also mix in other types of photographs. Everything from landscapes, portraits, and nudes. It's not done for just playing around with a photograph or pornography. The artist pays careful attention to the shot, composition and lighting. For instance this photograph shows the different reactions to the paper flying in the wind. The person on the far right cowers, the middle person looks up as if he was going to grab the paper and then the person on the second left looks down and carries on. This image wouldn't then go on to be shown in a magazine or a scrapbook, it would be used in art galleries, the wall decor in someones's home.
Man Ray was an American-born modernist artist. As you can see he does nudes very tastefully. It isn't pointed in your face its shot in a way that creates meaning. The musical symbols alongside the women hips fit perfectly. The background also goes alongside the subject very well as the black of the wall and the white on the women go alongside each other very well. It also allows Man Ray to create what he wants, he will have constructed this photograph to the way he wanted.
Robert Mapplethorpe was known for creating controversy and banned from art galleries. He turned his nose up at the idea of creating photographs around the idea of social acceptance and conventional projects. He favored the idea of taking photographs around the subject of nudes and S&M or whatever he fancied as a true fine artist would. He is seen above in the top right of the photographs. The images we see above are his more tasteful photographs.
Brian Oldham started taking photographs from his mid teens inspired around the world of fantasy and fiction. He is known for having strange elements to his work and will often go towards the more surreal elements of photography. It will have also need lots of preparation to shoot this photograph, how will they make it so he doesn't slip and rip apart his lip? Can he stay stood up or a float to get this shot? And how would the hook stay upright? All of these considerations will have been taken into account by the artist and he will have talked it through with the subject.
Finally, Berny focuses on creating portraits which bring out the mood and atmosphere from the character and background. Notice how the orange lighting from the sun comes through the leaves onto the subject. The use of the children adds to the charming and innocent nature making the atmosphere feel warmer and welcoming. The use of focus also really adds to the photograph as all the light is focused on her and the trees create leading lines towards the subject.
Documentary photography is a form used to archive/chronicle a significant event relevant to the world of history and everyday life. For instance a photo of the first person riding a bike would be a documentary photograph as its significant to the way pedestrians commute. We will also see later on in the process the trends and how these types of photographs are shot to make them unique. This form typically clashes with photojournalism but documentary photographs often have a deeper meaning and plot behind them whilst photo journalism is for the one off stories that are used to make breaking news. But they can often overlap. When producing a documentary photograph a photographer aims to produce the truth. Often including the subject with a group of people.
For instance the image above of soldiers in the trenches is a great example. Its not trying to be artistic, there is no fancy composition or work done in post production. The image shows soldiers barricading, preparing their weapons alongside the top of the trenches. It's also not always in portrait so it immediately forms a new genre. There's no families or children in a set up studio. No architecture on show in an artistic and creative way (Note you could have an image documenting architecture but not in a creative manner). There is also no fine art element to the piece and it certainly isn't trying to advertise or promote. It's their to show the viewer what the war was like. As a piece of informative documentation.
It doesn't have the chance to be artistic in the way of specially manipulating a set to your suiting, but in the composition and emotion captured by the photographer. If they showed a happy solider the art is coming from the person in the frame and the connotations around it. You couldn't necessarily bring in various lights and get the soldiers to change their apparel for you to get a nice shot. As you are documenting real life. Leaving it up to the photographer to carefully select their composition and direction of what they want to document.
But how do documentary photographers make money? One way would be to sell your photos to educational companies to use in their publishing for all types of education. Whether its a book, magazine or online website. As there is often a whole host of photos put into revision guides, overviews of time periods etc... Some images may also appear in newspapers to reflect back on the past or a newly discovered photograph:
You could also create a website highlighting your portfolio and if you gain a large network you could be approached by a TV production company to use your photos in a documentary about the subject or even in a TV drama such as Narcos:
Which features a dramatized version of events using the truth around the drug lord Pablo Escobar. Every now and then the narrator will cut to real life documented photographs related to the plot or to act as a back story. For instance the narrator could say "Drug cartels would operate by smuggling drugs in large trucks" and then cutting to a real life photograph of the said truck in action. In order to get commercial viable you need to put your work out their for people to come to you; you could also sell your images as stock for people to use. But you could be devaluing your work as their is a chance your photograph is unique. For instance a government might approach you to go and take documented photos on the remains of Pompeii to archive their change year by year to show the after effects of the eruption.
(Image from)
Documentary photographs have been around for over one hundred years as they were/still are used to describe unknown, hidden or difficult to access places. For instance one of the first uses of this was by a photographer called John Beasly Greene . An American who became the "first practicing archaeologist to use photography" In 1853 at the young age of 19 he explored Egypt and Nubia photographing the land the document the culture, monuments and landscapes.
As you can see the image isn't that well shot and the composition isn't great. But photography for this genre isn't used to get you to like it, it's used to show you the truth and how things are. Plain and simple without all the bells and whistles. This way you would tend to have quantity over quality as that way you have more and more information about an unknown subject. Again it's also not in color due to the time period. His images now live on his gallery website where his legacy is remembered.
You then had the French involved who wanted 5 photographers in 1851 to document the nations architectural side. They were known as the Mission Heliographues. And were intended to aid the commission of Paris who wanted restoration work done to sites throughout the country. Each photographer ("Édouard Baldus, Hippolyte Bayard,Gustave Le Gray, Henri Le Secq, and Auguste Mestral") was given a travel guide, a list of all the monuments and a schedule:
Taken in 1851 you can see how it's just the moment on its own, no paths, no buildings around it. It was just by its self near a series of trees. Not only does it show of the monument but the Roman Arch at Orange photo can tell you what France was like at the time as you can look at those in the photograph and what they are wearing. Now if you compare it to a recent photograph
You can now see the evolving change in the country as 150 years into the future the monument is now surrounded by tree's, buildings, paths, cars can be saw in the distance and the monument has extra features such as the dangling lights. If this type of photography didn't exist then you couldn't ever look back on the past which is important to the growth of a country or place to see how they can develop in the future. But it'd also used for the public who like to know things about the past as they find it interesting.
This began to catch on and other countries would begin to document important events, America wanted photographers to trace the Civil War. Then again during the great depression as the country was rapidly changing every day becoming more rural and urban. Then most importantly countries were documenting wars to show how their country coped and dealt with the scenario and conditions. It is now still used to this day to document ongoing events whether it's the LGBT parades in America, the 5p bag charge or the change in the polar ice caps. It is all done to document important events that cannot only be used for historical purposes but for information in other subjects as if you have a photo of the same location in the Arctic today compared to 100 years ago they are both going to be different. And that difference could mean a big discovery in the field of science. To finish off this section I will look at two modern day documentary photographs.
(Image from taken by the firm Olson and Farlow who specialize in geographical photography but have a special focus on documentary photography with work published in LIFE, GEO, and the Smithsonian.)
As you can see the quality of the image has improved over the years. This is due to the technology of the equipment used. As now we are in the world of Super HD and 4K photography so it's easier to manipulate natural lighting to get a really good photograph. This documentary photo is looking at a guy who has been exploring a native tribe. So from the picture you can see how different they are from the guy in the middle. Again its a simple photograph made to look better by the technology. Although its not as artistic as other forms as its a simple group photo that isn't even composed properly. But it defiantly follows the other styles and trends off the older documentary photographs. And due to the internet it is defiantly viable for commercial use but it's more likely part of production already enhancing the production value. This can also be used to compare it to other tribes or even photographs of the tribe in the past. Making a full historical archive.
Finally, is an example of this type of photography in use. This image taken form a Turkish history book perfectly highlights how this images can be used for a purpose. In this case they are used to demonstrate and inform the reader about the Assyrians. For instance for the first picture the book could be explaining all about the Assyrians and what they might typically wear. To perfectly show it they put an image alongside the text with a caption to give a full understanding. The same can be said for the top right picture as the building clearly has some sort of significance to the topic.
Instead of getting a reader to imagine what it may look like, they use an actual image to show them exactly what it is in a simple and easy way. Because it's clear and straight to the point you don't need to create a picture with a deeper meaning and that may need some though. As books like these are designed for a reader to pick it up and get the message straight away and a picture paints a thousand words. Which allows the commercial side of the photographs to come out of the book. As the book may of paid you a fee to use the images, they could've even come to you in the first place to ask you to take the photographs specially for the publication of the book. You may need to already work as a photographer for the company to secure an income or even have a strong online presence in the subject area. It's all about knowing the right people in the documentary photography field.
