My Starting Point: The Human Condition-companionshipI have selected the Human condition- companionship as my starting point for my exam. I have created a Pinterest board called human condition which has given me guidance for artists to look at.
A derivation of the word companionship. The word companionship originates from the idea that food is the fuel for relationships hence why companion in latin breaks down as: 'com' with and 'panis' bread. Because to share bread with someone shows comfort and trust and feeds more than the physical body. for Etymology's on words please click the picture below: |
Carla Richmond Coffing
"love shirts" is an ongoing portrait series by the writer Hanne Steen and the photographer Carla Richmond Coffing. “The idea for ‘Lovers Shirts’ came from wearing my own boyfriends’ t-shirts,” says Hanne Steen. I still have my first boyfriend’s shirt from high school. There is something about these pieces of clothing – even old and torn, they feel special, different than any other piece of clothing." These images are ironic as these women had companionship and all they have left of their partners/companions is a shirt or similar piece of clothing. “After sitting with their feelings and their own image reflected back at them for about ten minutes, we begin a conversation, holding a safe space for the vulnerability that is triggered by this piece of fabric.” All the women have had different situations as to how these shirts have such a great meaning to them. “Some are in relationships and some are not. Some left their relationship and some were left. Some are married, some engaged, some have not been in a relationship for decades. We are interested in each and every story.”
I like these images because as well as showing the object that reminds them of their ex-partners it shows the emotions attached to them. Whether they are happy or sad about their breakup they don't have companionship with their partners but they have companionship with the shirts which I suppose are a heavy reminder of them. What I would like to do after looking at this set of photos is take some of my own responding to the photos above.
first set of images
I decided to make these images because I wanted to see the environment and relationship of an old couple. In my case I chose my grandparents. To really understand the human condition and the companionship I photographed my grandparents in their house whilst preforming ordinary everyday tasks un-posed. the very fact they weren't posing is crucial to these set of images as I think human condition is naturalistic and unpredictable. It is a persons aspect of life waiting to be documented. and in this case the aspect of life was companionship.
The ones on the left are my the images that I thought worked best for the theme as i think they really reflects the shared life and their natural behaviour. |
Dorothea LangeDorothea Lange was a documentary photographer who is probably most well known for the photo "migrant mother" and her depression-era work for the Farm Security Administration. She was an artist during the social realism period documenting many interesting moments including the great depression.
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Critical understanding
The White Angel Breadline in San Francisco,1933.
This photo depicts a woman tired and weather beaten but looking into the distance. Two of her children lean on both her shoulders and hide their faces by looking the other way she is also holding a baby. This picture is reminiscent of many renaissance artists depositions' of Mary mother of jesus. At the time when she took this photo she was working for Farm security administration documenting the impact of federal programs improving lives of those living in rural conditions.
In the photo the subject of the image the mother looks into the distance rather dismally but also there is a cense of hope in the way she is looking into the distance almost as if she is looking into the future. |
In this image i can see a man with a tattered old clothes and a tin mug. in the image there are men surrounding him all facing in the opposite direction or distant.This image is documentary as the people in the photo aren't posing. It really captures the despair and worry going on.The image is monochrome only because it was taken in 1933. By having the image not in colour it really sets a sombre and depressing scene. which works well because in america during the 1930s This image helps me understand that naturalistic photos show the types of companionship that are part of our everyday life. If I was to ask Lange anything I would ask what was the hardest thing about being a documentary photographer.
The image itself is really interesting to look at because it could have two contrasting meanings. the first is companionship, because they are all together in a crowd and a majority are facing away. Another way this picture could be interpreted is isolation because the main focus of the picture is involved with the crowd and yet isolated as he is facing towards the camera along with three other people in the photo showing that everyone is different. Migrant Mother,1936
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Dorothea Lange inspired photos
These photos are linked to Dorethea Lange because they are pictures of people I don't know looking at the differing relationships in school.From doing this I have learnt that you can take photos of people in groups or pairs and capture some sort of distant companionship. I have also learnt that the photographer can have some sort of companionship with the subject and how they react to having their photo taken. What I would like to do next is explore companionship in public.
Beat Streuli
Beat Streuli is a photographer who takes photos of people in public places using a telephoto lens he can take intimate photos of people in public places without them even knowing. I like this idea of taking intimate photos of people openly showing companionship in any form in public places.
I like this photo by Beat Streuli because it shows predominately the human condition of mother hood a crucial companionship in modern society. The way Streuli has captured the woman caring her shopping lower and carrying her child higher which shows the compassion and care she has towards the child compared to the shopping. And also by having her carry her child and shopping it shows how strong she is mentally and physically.
Also like the migrant mother by Dorethea Lange it is reminiscent of Mary mother of jesus because she is wearing blue like Mary mother of jesus and is carrying a child. |
Beat Streuli inspired photos
I made the photographs above by using a DSLR and telephoto lens. I decided to go somewhere really public, trafalgar square and bond street. Like Beat Streuli I took photos of people without them noticing, However unlike Beat Streuli I took photos of people in groups of two or more. I did this to capture companionship in public because if relationships of any sort can survive the public eye then that shows the trust and care for one another and not caring about what other people think.
prep piece triptich
This is my prep peice i choose these three photos as they are the ones that I think display companionship best.
Display
Larry Sulton: Pictures from home
Julian Germain: FOR EVERY MINUTE YOU ARE ANGRY YOU LOSE SIXTY SECONDS OF HAPPINESS.
The photographer Julian Germain has made a series of photographs about Charles Snelling a peaceful old man living in Portsmouth. The series of photos are displayed alongside pages from Snelling's photo albums. I am intrigued by the way the photos in the book is displayed, by having a white boarder it brings out the vivid pictures and the shadowy and mysterious ones. I think this would be good to look at as it links to the first set of photos I made of my grandparents. I also like how the objects used regularly by Snelling are displayed in their use for example the kettle above. Another thing I liked about some of the pictures of Snelling are how some are posed some are unposed. Although he must of been aware of Germain's presence in his house it all feels like Snelling is being haunted by a photographing ghost looking in on his life.
The photo on the left is my favourite in the whole series/book. I like this photo because the colours in the photo are reds oranges and yellows apart from Snelling who is dressed in dark colours. By having Snelling holding the flowers it link him in with the rest of the room making me think and feel that he is as much part of the room as the windows and wallpaper, almost like a permanent fixture in the house. I think its Interesting how Snelling is wearing cold colours and the rest of the room and the two flowers he is holding are warm colours, does it reflect that the house can be a happy place but sometimes a sad place too. Or that the house maybe adorned with happy colours but at the heart of it is a man dressed in dark colours reflecting his depressed personality.
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photos inspired by Julian Germain's for every minute you are angry you loose sixty seconds of happiness and Larry Sutton's Pictures from home
These photos are inspired by Julain Germain's book 'for every minuet you are angry you loose sixty seconds of happiness' And Larry Suttons 'pictures from home'. these aren't the final set of photos I need to edit them down and make a book like Julain Germain. I plan to try mixing them with my first set of images I took, and saturating the colours to look more like Germains work.
final set of images
within the photos there is a cold pallet that is reminiscent of Larry Saltons work. And some vivid colours reminiscent of Julian Germain's work.
Experimenting with Photoshop Actions
Above you will see my use of two photoshop actions that I downloaded from the internet. The first was called Scaned film- ps actions. I choose this one because I wanted a vintage feel to my final set of photos so to do this I have to photoshop my final set of photos.
From using photoshop actions I have decided that I like the action normal contrast from the scaned film actions because it gives the pictures a vintage feel that I think suit well with what I want to produce. The action normal contrast makes the images vintage and gives it a cold pallet.
From using photoshop actions I have decided that I like the action normal contrast from the scaned film actions because it gives the pictures a vintage feel that I think suit well with what I want to produce. The action normal contrast makes the images vintage and gives it a cold pallet.