Semiotics-The science of signs

A photograph can be interpreted in a different way by the individual that looks at it. The sub-meanings in images have an even greater expanse of possible interpretations, but there we may also find similarities based on our culture, beliefs or lifestyle. Take for example this image of the last full-blooded Yahgan Indian in Tierra del fuego Chile. When the image was taken the Photographer, Sam Abel,l used a shaft of natural light combined with Rosa's cigarette smoke to create an allusion of dignity. Abell even included the cigarette itself which nowadays, especially in the western world, would be frowned upon. In the western world it is now incredibly rare to see anyone in the public eye smoking, where as for this Indian woman it was symbol of status. It possible to apply these ideas to almost any image, though some leave room for far greater ambiguity. Most images will have a strong theme that many people relate to and interpret in the same way, but who is to say our reading of the signs is the right one?

In Focus National Geographic greatest portraits.
samabell-thephotographiclife.com
John Berger-Ways of seeing
John Berger- Another way of telling

Issues of Photography and Morality

I have always liked to think of myself as a moral person. Conscious of conflict and active in boycotting big brands. Yesterday I did a photography job that went against every fibre of my being. I worked for McDonalds. Well not exactly Mcdonalds, a PR company that represents Mcdonalds. There are many ways to justify this action, it was a subcontracted job, a desperate friend pleaded with me to do it at the last minute, not to mention the pay was incredibly good. None of these excuses really make the grade though, do they? The whole thing is made worse by the fact that I actually enjoyed myself the people were charming and funny and it was extremely easy to get the material.
I have tried to convince myself that it's okay and you have to do things you don't agree with to get to a place where you can do the things that do make you happy. It is safe to say that most commercial photographers aren't passionate about commercial photography, but use it to finance there personal projects, but surely there's a line, you can always say no, right? After yesterday, I feel I've crossed that line and can't help but think that it could be the kind of job that could come around in later years and bite me, but it could make my career, highly unlikely but you never know, and what kind of career would it make? Have I been caught in the vice like grip of the corporate world? Well, we'll see when they call me for the next job. Will I regain my moral standing or set it aside once again for money and recognition?

www.paulmurphy.com
www.mcdonalds.co.uk

Stephen Shore- Nature of Photographs.

There is no doubt that Stephen Shore is and should be one the celebrated photographers of our time. Not only is his work compelling, reaching out the mind and forcing new ways of thinking, but his book Nature of Photographs provides a simple, easy and beautifully presented understanding of the photograph functions. Having spent many an afternoon pouring over the contents of 'Nature of photographs' and marveling over it's simple, yet concise analogies there are certain images (and there explanations) that really catch my eye. When talking about Aaron Diskin's 'The Shadow' Shore says 'The frame corrals the content of the photograph all at once...the frame resonates of them and, in turn, draws the viewers attention to them.' you could argue that it is obvious that framing is a detrimental part of the image, but Shore alludes to the idea that the framing can be come the whole concept of the image, the defining factor, if you like. This theory can again be applied to William Eggleston's Untitled 1970 although the image contains children and a dog it is clear this is not the central focus. As Shore says 'for some pictures the frame acts passively,' it is a contributing factor taken into account to improve the image, but with Eggleston's image it is the defining factor. The road leads us to the pine woods beyond suggesting there is more to be seen outside the confines of the frame.

There is, for me, one sore point within these and this appears in the chapter The Depictive Level. Shore presents an image by Nicholas Nixon 'Friendly'. The image depicts a working class family in West Virginia, dirty and stern, as they eye the photographer in a defiant manner. Shore's caption reads, 'In bringing order to this situation, a photographer solves a picture.' This statement struck me as being callous, i understand that the book is aimed at discussion of Photographs as an object, but there is something about images of people, especially in the personal manner of Nixon's, that needs more time and tact. It seems cruel to objectify them in and restrict them to so few words. Something like dismissing their worth.

Stephen Shore The Nature of Photographs
www.egglestontrust.com

Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2011

Last week i attended the Deutsche Börse photography award. As i entered the building my excitement grew, not least because of the impressive setting (Ambika P3, University of Westminster)a vast open space not unlike a warehouse, but also because i'd never been before and had only heard good things about the work usually exhibited in this prize.
My enthusiasm didn't stop there, I found Jim Goldberg's work utterly compelling the various combination's of mixed media, in my opinion, accumulated into a body of work that was incredibly effective. To the read the text contributed by the people in the image, completed the whole broken brutality of the experiences of those photographed. It truly felt that Goldberg had captured the stories of these tortured souls.
Unfortunately the compelling work stopped there and what continued was to me an almost completely mundane and unchallenging collection of work from each of the other three nominees. I was under the impression that the prize was for 'the most significant contribution to photography in Europe', I'm sorry but I fail to see how an image of cats another of cucumbers can truly be a distictive contibution to photography, the best thing about Lassry's work was the framing! Again Ethridge's images of the ballerinas feet was all very pretty but what message did it convey? Don't get me wrong i'm not saying that there is no room for things that are just beautiful in the world, of course we need those things to keep the balance but i was under the impression that this award was supposed to be for something more 'significant.' So, it was with great pleasure that I read today that Jim Goldberg won the award, as he was in fact the only real contender....And he gave you a free poster.

www.magnumphotos.com
www.portlandart.net
//deutsche-boerse.com/dbag/dispatch/en/kir/gdb_navigation/about_us/30_Art_Collection/25_photography_prize

Feminism- A Man's World.

It is an undeniable fact that the art world is still largely dominated by men. Whether documentary, fashion etc, it is the names David Bailey, Bresson, McCullin that are remembered peppered with mentions of Sherman's and Goldin's. Yet the Female body is perhaps the most celebrated and photographed object of all. Women like Tracey Emin and Cindy Sherman have certainly contributed to the strength of women within this world. Take for example Sherman's self portraits, a woman who has managed to embody man, woman, young, old and even dead, in doing so she has on some level 'owned' these personas. She becomes the character of man therefore en capturing his power, thus monoplising it as her own. In contrast Emin's work is entirely focused on the representation of her own power, angry, sometimes vulgar For example; "I wish i was fucking in Hyde park" or "My Bed" both works which show an upfront intimacy and frank exposure not expected from women. Emin paved the way for the empowerment of within art showing the female body through her sketched and text and something other than beautiful.

Yet it would seem that Mapplethorpe's image "Lisa Lyon with Gun" that really embodies the power of women. The veins protruding from the arm as she grips the gun and the strong taut thigh and bum suggest power and control. The model owns the image and is not manipulated by the photographer. Again in his images of Patsy Cline he manages to capture an assurance and strength completely resonant of Cline's personality, again giving is protagonist ownership of the image. Could it be that despite womens best efforts mens still hold the true ability to capture the power of women better than we can ourselves? Are we perhaps still to emotionally involved with our work to photograph power being power, strength for strength?

http://www.tracey-emin.co.uk
http://www.mapplethorpe.org
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feminism

Appreciations of Nan Goldin.

For obvious reasons Nan Goldin should be and is one the most celebrated Photographers of our time. Her ability to penetrate and project intimacies in the lives others is a talent I believe never to have really been achieved by any other. Although she has sometimes been criticised for making heroin 'chic' her work has depth that doesn't even bare resonance with this statement. I could talk at length about the intricacies and subject matters covered by Goldin but as so many have done this before I would like to stray away from the analytical norm and focus more on the aesthetics of her work.
Of course like most people the initial shock in Nan Goldin's work is what at first drew me to it, but on closer inspection it is the true grit of composition and especially lighting that really excites me. Take for example the Image "Cookie 1983" the protagonist sits in a slumped position with a look of resignation, but also despair, for what reasons we can only speculate, but it is a given that Goldin has captured her a low point in time. Take the lighting however the red tint to the whole image brings to mind the idea of rose tinted glasses. Although Nan Goldin was known for shooting in available light it seems that she has manipulated the light in this scene to her advantage, I would like to call this ironic lighting.

We see the same manipulation of light in "Brian and Nan in Bed 1981" from The Ballad of Sexual Dependency the natural sunlight streams through the window falling on Brians face, creating a illusion of warmth when actually it is clear from stiffness in posture of the male protagonist and the hunched retracted position of Goldin that something dismal, even horrific has occurred. It as though Goldin uses this Rosy hue to test the viewer, a trick of the mind, so on initial inspection we believe we are seeing a scene of comfort when in actual fact we see miserable people in unhappy circumstances. The shock maximises the impact of what we see so the effect stays with us penetrating our mind, so inevitably
we remember that Nan Goldin picture.

Nan Goldin 55 Phaidon Press
http://fototapeta.art.pl/2003/ngie.php
John Waters Pink Flamingos 1972

Himalayas-The curious connection with Roland Barthes.

Forgive me if this sounds a little garbled but I have just come down from the Himalayan mountains and the altitude and curious thoughts of Roland Barthes whilst at the top may have sent my brain do-lally.

Let me explain. I came to Himalayas on a whim after being told on arrival in India that it was far too hot to go down south. The arrangements for the trek all happened in much of a whirlwind and before I knew it I found myself on the top of a mountain gazing out over snow capped peaks and desperately trying to photograph one of the worlds greatest phenomenons. The more I tried the more I seemed to fail at capturing this awe inspiring sight. Eventually after maybe 30 exposures I gave up and decided to drink in the sight for my own memories alone. It was when doing this thoughts Barthes came to mind. He says "each time I am (or let myself be) photographed, I invariably suffer from a sensation of in authenticity" although in this context Barthes in talking about his own portrait I found that this seemed to apply to my feelings of photographing the Himalayas, that somehow whatever I captured through the lens did not truly convey the the vast and breathtaking spectacle before me. How through one image could I instill the feel of the sun as it beat down on my neck or the taste and freshness of the air? Although i do no tend to agree with Roland Barthes generally I found that his idea; the "self...never coincides with...the image" was seemingly applicable to the 'soul' of the Himalayas. Somehow the photograph detracts from this beauty rendering it hollow. It could be however that this is a reflection of my abilities as a Photographer that i am not able to convey this magnificent sight.

Roland Barthes-Camera Lucida