Decisive Moment:
Henri Cartier-BressonAfter looking through some of Bresson's work and understanding that they are snapshots of reality I found myself deconstructing the characters within the photographs rather than the construction of it. I was peticually draw to the group of images taken in Spain as I have strong personal connections with the Andalusian region, I looked at this photo taken in Seville and was instantly captivated by the boy with the crutches, his positioning at the front of the photograph is rather interesting as it puts him as the focal point. I find it hard to believe that the image wasn't staged in anyway as it has many different elements all coming together to create a balanced photograph. I found this the issue with most of Bresson's work, I wasn't fully convinced that it was the decisive moment.
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  | Cornell CapaLike Bresson I found Capa's work to be very stimulating and inspirational however I wasn't convinced of its originality. The photographs that I found most striking were the ones that had mysterious Characters in. After looking at these photos in more detail I realised that it was the photographs taken from behind the subjects that I liked most because they gave the image added realism, as though the subjects are acting naturally because they don't know the camera is on them.
The observational mode is one that I am keen to explore as I feel that the presence of a camera causes people to become more aware of their actions thus diluting the realism of the piece. If I take the theory behind the observational mode and try to make the camera less intrusive I hope to capture the naturalism of my subjects.
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Staged:
Corinne Day Corrine Day was a British fashion photographer who's work during the early 90's sparked the 'grunge' style of fashion photography. Her images were desaturated and displayed models in bare environments often echoing a dark depressive side with hints of drug usage. Day was a former model herself and this negative image of models in depressing scenarios could have come from personal experience. I think staged photographs have less emotional impact than event driven photography however I do believe they hold a greater artistic presence which enhances the viewers awareness of social and political undertones contained within the image. |  |
 | Andrea Giacobbe Giacobbe is an Italian fashion photographer and director, his portfolio contains several mediums of work from commercials to fashion spreads. His fashion images take a very direct format and engage with the audience in an active way. The models in his photographs tend to look directly at the camera while making minimal expression, this expressionless appearance allows the other elements of the photo to dictate the audiences interpretation. Colour, saturation and positioning all play an important role in creating the mood for Giacobbe's work. In this photograph (Left) the colour has been desaturated slightly giving the image a cold atmosphere, the camera angle also makes the model look venerable because the viewpoint of the audience is looking down at her. There are many connotations of the model being represented as a child by the use of props, firstly she is holding a cup of milk and she also has a toy doll on her lap, the size of the doll is also a signifier of how small the model appears. I think Giacobbe photograph represents the inner child within our personalities, displaying it in a obvious and direct form. |
Poetic:
Walker Evans I found Walker Evans's photographs full of symbolism especially the photographs of the effects of the Great Depression. In this photograph (Right) entitled 'truck and sign' we see an unknown man dragging a sign from the truck, not only do we as a viewer get the impression that he is struggling with the weight of the sign but the sign also doubles up as a metaphor for the state of the economy at that point in history. The economy in America was weak and people had very little money, the sign represents America and the man represents the population, trying everything to keep the country going. The image also has a touch of irony with the sign reading damaged in a time that the economy was at its low point. I like the way in which Evans uses objects to tell a story rather than people, although the themes maybe orientated around human issues the content is translated via objects and symbolism. |  |
Expository:
 | Lewis Hine Lewis Hine is a American photographer who documented the Great Depression during the early 20th century. Hine's photographs of this era helped to change the child labour laws in the USA and demonstrated the power that image has over a population exposed to media. Hine often focused on the people not the setting, capturing the emotion and social situation rather than objects and symbolism. A large number of his photographs are simply people standing in front of the camera, we get the information about these persons personality from their appearance. In this photograph taken in West Virginia we can see a young boy covered in dirt suggesting that he works in the quarry or mining industry. The audience empathise with the child because of his expression, he looks past the camera with sunken eyes suggesting that he is overworked and tired. Although it is a staged photograph Hine has still captured the raw emotion of a child wasting away his life down a mine. |
Observational:
George Rodger George Rodger was a British photographer who gained fame for his war correspondence during the Second World War. His main area of operations was Africa where he took images of the natives. His style of photography is highly observational with the camera bearing almost minimal intrusiveness to the subjects. I find that his images capture a strong element of reality which is instantly recognisable by the audience due to the participants. None of the people in the background are looking towards the camera and all seem to be focused on the action within the centre of the photo, this shows the audience that the subject is an honest depiction of the truth. I think this photo demonstrates the importance of not breaking the forth wall within documentary. |  |
Participatory:
 | Don McCullin McCullin is a British photojournalist known for his war coverage. His work is a fine example of event driven photography and his work is amongst the best decisive moments ever captured on camera. In this photograph he has captured the moment a US marine throws a grenade in the Vietnam conflict. The image carries a very powerful iconography due to the precise framing of the soldier in the centre of the image framed in by pieces of debris. By far the most powerful element of the image is the grenade flying through the air, the slow shutter speed used means that it carries motion blur but the audience are still able to recognise it, it represents danger and gives the photo added reality for the audience to digest. |
Reflexive:
Martin Parr Martin Parr is a British photographer who's work takes a subjective view at everyday life in suburban England. His work often takes English iconography and subverts it into a critical form which reflects an untold realism of life in England. In this photograph Parr takes a traditional English seaside scene, he captures a naturalistic image of people relaxing by the coast however it has elements of stereotype conflict. Parr has purposefully included overweight leather clad bikers agains the stereotypical sunny, cheerful picturesque holiday. This juxtaposition between reality and idealism creates a reflective theory which the audience consciously deconstruct to paint a painful true picture of life in England. |  |
