Straight Photography By the 1930s the New Vision photographers had moved into alternative methods for presenting the world in uncharacteristic and unique ways. One method they used was called “straight photography.” With straight photography there was a return to more strict aesthetic ideas through the use of reflections, unusual angles and close-ups. There was also an echo of what was going on in the painting world regarding Cubsim and Modernism.

Florence Henri Distorted reflections created by using special mirrors, refractive surfaces and polished metals helped the photographers to mimic Cubist painters as well as express disturbing personal or social realities.

Andre Kertesz Using a special mirror Andre Kertesz produced a series of nudes similar to the distortions of Pablo Picasso’s cubist portraits at the time. Pablo Piccaso

Ansel Adams

Florence Henri

These photographers were hoping to express their ideas through found symbols as well as accidental reflections. Here Manuel Alvarez Bravo has captured a policeman singled out through the hole in a shattered window pane.

Paul Strand Many photographers used repetition or geometric pattern to alter the sense of space in the image.

Andre Kertesz The most prevalent characteristic of straight photography is the use of unconventional perspectives and angles.

Andre Kertesz

Alvin Langdon Coburn One such angle is the downward view from up above which forces the viewer to see the ground and surroundings as abstract and geometric shapes and creates an altered reality. This takes the every day scene and shows it in an entirely new light.

Clarence John Laughlin Here Clarence John Laughlin combines the use of extreme and unusual angles with the repetition of geometric shapes.

Clarence John Laughlin

Edward Weston Another element to the new vision photography was the extreme close- up which acts as an enlarging device and calls attention to patterns, textures and structures that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Edward Weston