Photography ***** Birthed from Science Nurtured with Curiosity Ripened by Mastery & Ready to Rock the 21 st Century

Overview  Art or N’art?  The Founding Fathers  Early Portraiture: Nadar  Stereophotography  Photojournalism  Documentary Photography: Jacob Riis  Pictorialism & Photo-Secession  Motion Photography: ‘Ed Weird’  20 th Century Photography: Paris & America  Photography’s Heroic Age: War & The Great Depression  Photomontages & Propaganda Photography  The Photogram  Modern Photography

* Art or N’art? * Philosophy: “The invention of photography was a response to the artistic urges and historical forces that underlie Romanticism: harsh realism and unvarnished truth.” Photography as an art… involves the imaginationinvolves the imagination is the organization of experience and record of a mental image is the organization of experience and record of a mental image Subject and style tell us about artist’s inner/outer worlds Subject and style tell us about artist’s inner/outer worlds A form of printmaking A form of printmaking A moment in time, captured to make us see the world in new termsA moment in time, captured to make us see the world in new terms First camera to be commercially manufactured; c.1839

Founding Fathers  Niépce – first permanent photographed image, 1822  Daguerre – simplified photographic process (daguerreotypes)  Fox Talbot (photograms)

Early Portraiture: Nadar  Entertained 280 sitters including…  Actress Sarah Bernhardt  Romantic Pose reminiscent of painted portraits: drapery and soft expression

Stereophotography  Portable Twin lens camera; imitates human vision and creates an illusion of depth  Demonstrated photography’s ability to enlarge human vision  Lost to the 1880s after the invention of the halftone plate (used for reproducing images on a printed page)

Photojournalism Philosophy: “The present is history in the making.” Philosophy: “The present is history in the making.” Pieces like Gericault’s “The Raft of the Medusa” inspired the accurate representation, and perhaps untold stories of contemporary events. Pieces like Gericault’s “The Raft of the Medusa” inspired the accurate representation, and perhaps untold stories of contemporary events. The American Civil War: Matthew Brady & Alexander Gardner The American Civil War: Matthew Brady & Alexander Gardner War images reminiscent of the harsh realism of David’s “The Death of Marat.” War images reminiscent of the harsh realism of David’s “The Death of Marat.”

Documentary Photography Late 19 th century; brought harsh realities of poverty to the public’s attention Late 19 th century; brought harsh realities of poverty to the public’s attention Camera becomes an instrument of reform Camera becomes an instrument of reform Tells the story of people’s lives through a pictorial essay Tells the story of people’s lives through a pictorial essay First photo-documentary: John Thomson’s “Street Life in London” (1877) featured posed figures. First photo-documentary: John Thomson’s “Street Life in London” (1877) featured posed figures.

Jacob Riis Invention of gunpowder flash 1887 Invention of gunpowder flash 1887 Photographers gained the element of surprise Photographers gained the element of surprise Jacob Riis: police reporter in NYC; photographed crime infested slums and their poor living conditions Jacob Riis: police reporter in NYC; photographed crime infested slums and their poor living conditions Published several newspaper exposés Published several newspaper exposés His work led to revisions of labour laws and housing codes His work led to revisions of labour laws and housing codes

Pictorialism  England; Photographic Society of London; leader in movement dedicated convincing of critics that photography, by imitation of painting and printmaking, was art.  Oscar Rejlander; “the two paths of life”; composite printing  Julia Margaret Cameron; pursued ideal beauty; portraits of prominent Victorians

Photo-Secession Early 1890s; the “Linked Ring”; rival to the RPS; seeked a pictorialism independent of science and technology; Early 1890s; the “Linked Ring”; rival to the RPS; seeked a pictorialism independent of science and technology; Resolved the dilemma between art and mechanics by making photos look like paintings; did not use composite/multiple images; Resolved the dilemma between art and mechanics by making photos look like paintings; did not use composite/multiple images; Implemented tools in the darkroom to create images Implemented tools in the darkroom to create images Stieglitz opened his photo- secession gallery in NY 1905; key piece: Edward Steichen’s photo of Rodin in his studio surrounded by his works Stieglitz opened his photo- secession gallery in NY 1905; key piece: Edward Steichen’s photo of Rodin in his studio surrounded by his works

Motion Photography  Eadweard Muybridge; “Female Semi-Nude in Motion”; father of motion photography  Devised a set of cameras capable of photographing action at successive points  Devoted 100,000 photographs to the study of animal and human movement; some taken from several vantage points

The 20 th Century

Paris Atget: images of Paris which he sold to artists (Picasso, Duchamp, Man Ray, etc). Atget: images of Paris which he sold to artists (Picasso, Duchamp, Man Ray, etc). Photos display a haunting technical perfection that is unmatched. Photos display a haunting technical perfection that is unmatched. Cartier-Bresson: photojournalist; master of “the decisive moment”; Cartier-Bresson: photojournalist; master of “the decisive moment”; The instant recognition of an event at the most intense moment of action and emotion in order to reveal its inner meaning, not simply to record its occurrence. Key work: “Mexico, 1934” omits head of figure to focus on tension alone rather than meaning of the gesture. The instant recognition of an event at the most intense moment of action and emotion in order to reveal its inner meaning, not simply to record its occurrence. Key work: “Mexico, 1934” omits head of figure to focus on tension alone rather than meaning of the gesture.

America Alfred Stieglitz; founder of modern photography in the US; published “Camera Work” to back his photography-as-art philosophy; Alfred Stieglitz; founder of modern photography in the US; published “Camera Work” to back his photography-as-art philosophy; Key Piece: “The Steerage” (1907) division of class is represented in its natural state; not to record, but to express his philosophies; first to use theme of clouds (later in his career). Key Piece: “The Steerage” (1907) division of class is represented in its natural state; not to record, but to express his philosophies; first to use theme of clouds (later in his career). Edward Weston; leader pf “pure” approach to photography rather than Stieglitz’s “straight” approach; images are renowned for their design and detail; Edward Weston; leader pf “pure” approach to photography rather than Stieglitz’s “straight” approach; images are renowned for their design and detail; Key work: Pepper (1930) a sensuous shape bathed in dramatic lighting. Key work: Pepper (1930) a sensuous shape bathed in dramatic lighting.

America Cont’d  Ansel Adams; co-founder of Group f/64; used smallest lens openings to achieve uniform depth and detail; foremost nature photographer in the US Key work: “Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico” (1941); full tonal range; images unable to be duplicated  Margaret Bourke-White; photojournalist for mass- circulation magazines Life and Fortune; Key Work: Fort Peck Dam, Montana (1936)

The Heroic Age Dorothea Lange Robert Capa Robert Capa

Photomontages & Propaganda Pieces of photographs cut out and assembled into new images Pieces of photographs cut out and assembled into new images Anti-Nazi posters; political propaganda; ex: John Heartfield’s “As in the middle ages, so in the Third Reich” (1934) Anti-Nazi posters; political propaganda; ex: John Heartfield’s “As in the middle ages, so in the Third Reich” (1934)

Photograms Invented by Fox Talbot Invented by Fox Talbot Objects placed on photo paper and exposed to light Objects placed on photo paper and exposed to light Man Ray; Rayographs; Dada and surrealism Man Ray; Rayographs; Dada and surrealism

Post 1945 American social commentary on materialism and experimentation with surrealism; American social commentary on materialism and experimentation with surrealism; England: use of lenses and filters to alter and distort images. England: use of lenses and filters to alter and distort images.

Fin