Complete Research Primary & Secondary
- 1. Research Primary and Secondary Alexander Sullivan-Cree
- 3. Vivian Maier In this image by Vivian Maier, the attention of the viewer is on the boy holding/feeding the birds which in itself makes the image quite interesting. However there’s more to this image than just the boy and the birds. I think the depth of field of this image makes the boy stand out a lot better however it isn’t so blurred that the background isn’t visible. The girl in the background looking at the boy holding the birds adds another layer to this image. The boy is centred in the image making it the main focus point. The image was taken in Chicago which I think you could probably guess as the background is slightly blurred but allows the viewer to make out much of the background. The photographer Vivian Maier managed to take the perfect shot of the bird which looks to have just landed on the boys hand with its wings still open. This further makes the image more interesting as you can see all the small details on the birds feather. Alfred EisenstaedtThe second image I shall be researching is a very famous image taken on V-J Day and is called ‘A kiss in time square’. This was taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt and pictures a navy sailor running through time square kissing every woman in sight as described by Eisenstaedt. The sailor and woman kissing is centred in the image with the background being blurred due to depth of field. However the background is blurred just enough that you can easily make of the subject in the background further adding to the power of this image, especially with the old woman in the back admiring the couple.
- 4. Robert Frank This image was taken during the Vietnam war which pictures a man being executed by the Vietnamese solider. I believe this is an extremely powerful image as there's some debate to wither the image was taken before the bullet was shot or as the bullet enters the Pow (prisoner of war). This image caused a lot of outrage in the US as there were already protests in the us about the Vietnam war. Both the pow and Vietnamese solider are on the centred on the rule of thirds with them both being on the lines if it were divided by three. This makes the subjects stand out from the rest of the image. What also makes this image extremely powerful is the fact that there's nothing happening in the background adding more suspense to the image. Eddie Adams This image taken by Robert Frank shows the social divided between blacks and white in the us as racism was at a high. I believe the focus of this image to be how the African Americas are seated at the back of the bus compared to the whites at the front of the bus. This image instantly screams Rosa Park who refused to give up her seat on the us for a white person. I believe that’s what makes this an extremely powerful image and I think it still a relevant image as it still occurs today in the us with racisms being a strong issue in trumps America.
- 6. Interview 1 What would you expect to see in a photography portfolio? I would expect to see a range of photographs with a description of why you took the images and where they were taken. I would also expect to see the photographs named and dated. Which would you think would be more professional, a black and white portfolio or a coloured portfolio? I personally prefer black and white photography as its usually regarded as the superior format when it comes to photography. How many pictures would you expect to see in a portfolio? I would expect to see 10-12 images in a portfolio as its more about quality than quantity. Do you think a website would go well alongside a portfolio of pictures? Yes I think a website would be a great way to showcase your work, even if you were to just use Instagram or Facebook. However I think a professional website would also greatly benefit your exposure and get your work out there. Have you heard of an street photographers, if so who and how did you become aware of them? I’ve only heard of the photographers you have been discussing and researching with the tutor. Joel Meyerowitz and his 9/11 ground zero photos. When it comes time to display my work, which would you think is more professional? Framed or boarded? Framed defiantly.
- 7. Interview 2 What would you expect to see in a photography portfolio? I would expect to see a wide variety of images however somehow linked together by a specific theme. I would also expect to names/dates/location for each of the images and a link to a website somewhere if I wish to purchase them. Which would you think would be more professional, a black and white portfolio or a coloured portfolio? Black and white was extremely in the 60’s and I personally think it takes a lot away from the images as sometimes colour can be quite nice in images especially in street photography. However from a professional point of view I think it should be a mixture of the both, black & white and colour. How many pictures would you expect to see in a portfolio? I would expect to see somewhere between 20-30 images in a portfolio, for example many professional portfolios have 100’s of images. Do you think a website would go well alongside a portfolio of pictures? Linking to the first question I personally think a website would go great with a portfolio because if any viewers are interested in buying the images it would be a prime location and place to make some money. Have you heard of an street photographers, if so who and how did you become aware of them? Off the top of my head I couldn’t think of any street photographs as I feel like they don’t get enough recognition from the public especially in a digital age where apps such as Instagram and Pinterest exist. When it comes time to display my work, which would you think is more professional? Framed or boarded? I think framed work would look a lot better when it comes to displaying your work. Boarded work looks a lot less professional and something you'd find in a high school photography course.
- 8. Summary The first thing I noticed In my interviews is that they would like the photographs to be named and have a location visible which I personally think is a great idea which I know how to do on a website and Instagram however I’m not sure how to achieve this on the physical images. I could print little names cards and place them in the corner of the frames. Secondly, black and white seemed to be more popular with the people I interviewed however I intend to make the final project black and white anyway but this just reassured me that this would be the best idea when it comes to a professional looking portfolio. On the third question I got a ranged response with one saying only 10-12 with the other saying they would like closer to 20-30. I feel like 10-12 is more achievable however if I manage to take enough images and have more than I hoped for I would defiantly include them. Both interviewees agree that a website would greatly increase awareness in the publics eyes which I intend to do. I only originally thought of making a wix site however one of the interviewees said an Instagram account would be a great idea which I plan to do later in the future. For the interviewees knowledge of street photographs they both seemed to be unaware of a lot of them as I was when starting this project. I think that linking to making a website this will help boost my popularity and hopefully get my name out there. Finally both Interviewees agreed that framed would look a lot better and I completely agree it would give them a more professional looking result. You wouldn’t expect to see a posh art gallery only boarding this pieces?
- 9. Bibliography
- 10. • Sebastian. (.). 10 Iconic Street Photos. Available: https://streetbounty.com/10-iconic-street- photos/. Last accessed Thursday 17th January 2019. • Anon. (Present). Vivian Maier. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivian_Maier. Last accessed Wednesday 20th January 2019. • Anon. (Present). William Klein. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Klein_(photographer). Last accessed Wednesday 20th January 2019. • Anon. (Present). Robert Frank. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Frank. Last accessed Thursday 17th January 2019. • Anon. (Present). Eddie Adams. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Adams_(photographer). Last accessed Wednesday 20th January 2019. • Anon. (Present). Alfred Eisenstaedt. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Eisenstaedt. Last accessed Wednesday 20th January 2019. • Whitehorn, Liberty: Interviewee #1 2019 • Cree, Martin: Interviewee #2 2019