12102011 a2

Documentary Photography

James Bell presentation for A2 Photography students.

12/10/2011

Documentary Photography

Aim: Recognise the scope of this genre of Photography.

Identify different documentary photographers.

Evaluate their technique/approaches to this genre of photography.

Produce Images using DSLR cameras using ambient and flash photography.

Last weeks lessonStudents to show their shoot proposal/plans for “Changing Times” assignment.

Documentary Photography

Task 1: List a range of documentary photographers (5 minutes).

Documentary Photography

What is documentary Photography.

In simple terms, this school of photography uses pictures as documented evidence of a particular situation.http://www.photography.com

documentary photography is often used to incite political and social change due to its ability to capture the “true” nature of an image or location.

Documentary Photography

What is documentary Photography.

In simple terms, this school of photography uses pictures as documented evidence of a particular situation.http://www.photography.com

documentary photography is often used to incite political and social change due to its ability to capture the “true” nature of an image or location.

Documentary PhotographyEarly pioneers.

Lewis Hine:

Documentary PhotographyEarly pioneers.

Lewis Hine:

The work Hine did for [child labor reform] was more responsible than all other efforts in bringing the need to public attention. The evils were intellectually but not emotionally recognized until his skill, vision and artistic finesse focused the camera intelligently on these social problems.- National Child Labor Committee

Documentary PhotographyEarly pioneers.

Jacob Riis:

Documentary PhotographyEarly pioneers.

Jacob Riis:

In 1888 Riis was employed as a photo-journalist in New York

Riis was among the first photographers to use flash powder.

His documentary work “How the other half lives” was a major social reform in changing housing and social conditions for the working class citizens of New York.

Documentary Photography

Random documentary Photographers.

Walker Evans

Tom Stoddardt

Marcus Bleasdale

Dorothea Lange

Don McCullum

Peter Parker (joke)

Richard Billingham

Jacob Riis

Simon NorfolkSimon Roberts

Martin Parr

Lauren Greenfield

Sally Mann

Corrinne Day (?) Juergen Teller (?)

Tom Hunter

Characteristics of good documentary studies.

•Research (people, location).•Trust.•Have clear goals.•Plan shoot (equipment, film type, time of day, artificial lighting, etc.)•Shoot conditions i.e.Composition, cropping, depth of field,etc.•Editing, do images work as a series?

Documentary Photography

Documentary PhotographyDorothea Lange

Documentary PhotographyDon McCullin

Documentary PhotographyTom Stoddart

Documentary PhotographyTom Stoddart

Documentary PhotographyDon McCullin

Documentary PhotographySally Mann

Documentary PhotographySally Mann

Documentary PhotographySally Mann

Documentary PhotographySimon Roberts “We English”

Documentary PhotographyAndreas Gurskey

Documentary PhotographyLauren Green Field

Documentary PhotographyLauren Greenfield

Documentary PhotographyLauren Greenfield

Documentary PhotographyAndreas Gurskey

Documentary PhotographyRichard Billingham

Documentary PhotographyRichard Billingham

Documentary PhotographyMartin Parr

Documentary PhotographyMartin Parr

Documentary PhotographyTask 2. 45 minutes.

Research at least one photographer that you believe is a documentary photographer.

Construct a short biography of their work.

Evaluate the meaning of at least 3 photographs taken by the artists.

Identify the area of social/political/cultural concerns that they wish to address.

Record this information within your journals

On camera flash techniques

Direct Flash

On camera flash techniques

Bounce Flash

On camera flash techniques

Fill Flash

Means filling in shadows on a subject that would otherwise look under-exposed

On camera flash techniques

Fill Flash

•Add 1 - 2 stops less light from flash than is required for normal exposure from flash.•Shoot using meter reading from camera for normal exposure

On camera flash techniques

Fill Flash

•Add 1 - 2 stops less light from flash than is required for normal exposure from flash.•Shoot using meter reading from camera for normal exposure

On camera flash techniquesTask 3.

Produce pictures indoors using a variety of flash camera techniques.

•Ambient light no flash•Fill flash•Direct flash•Bounce flash

•Evaluate outcomes