week 1 (w.b. 27th april) - eckington.net...dancers on improvised and often high - risk moments that...

Week 1(w.b. 27th

April)

PREPARATION FOR PPE

Week 1• Complete detailed research

of possible photographers to inform your PPE exam photoshoot. (The photographer must link closely to one of your personal themes for the personal project)

• Document 2-3 artists in your Powerpoint with at least 3-4 images of their work

• Write a detailed 'SEMI' analysis of artists work

Here is a copy of your

PPE exam information.

It details how you should break down the preparation and the exam time itself

The following slides will guide you through the process for this week w.b 27th April

Look at the example artists analysis and think about the following:1. Which is better? why?2. Which is the worst, why?3. Come up with the key success criteria for an artist analysis

Example 1

Example 2

A LEVEL PHOTOGRAPHY ARTIST RESEARCH BOARD EXEMPLAR WRITTEN ANALYSIS SHOWING GRADES ‘A’ & ‘D’

A GRADE Lois Greenfield’s work is primarily concerned with figures and dancers although her intention is not to illustrate dance but are used metaphorically to illustrate different concepts such as flight or time. She tends to work collaboratively with dancers on improvised and often high-risk moments that exist only as isolated instants and are uniquely photographic events. ‘There is a dynamic tension between dance and photography.’ Here I believe Greenfield is describing her ability with photography to fragment time and reposition our perception of space within a two-dimensional image. She uses the device of movement to stop time and reveal something which is normally missed by the naked eye. She is particularly good at capturing moments which confuse and intrigue the viewer. This particular photo captures this perfectly. The use of concave mirrors heightens this distortion and invites the viewer to contemplate the photograph further. She uses devices of juxtaposition and more importantly cropped compositions to heighten this intrigue further and make the movement

more obvious. This is evident here where the two models either side of the main dancer are cropped and we are only able to see their heads coming in the sides of the frame. We are forced to think about the entrance and the exits into the picture frame and also into the movement. The visual elements that Greenfield is exploring in her photographs are obviously movement but more importantly time. ’In my photographs, time is stopped, a split second becomes an eternity, and an

ephemeral moment is solid as sculpture.’ I think what Greenfield is saying is that a dancer’s movements illustrate the passage of time, giving it a material presence. What I find particularly intriguing is that her photographs are not rearranged or modified in Photoshop. Knowing this adds to the mystery of the work. ‘I can’t depict the moments before or after the camera’s click, but I invite the viewer’s consideration of that question.’ This quote highlights the fact that Greenfield’s intentions are for the viewer to contemplate the work and to become engrossed in replaying the movements in their mind to find out if this is actually possible. The photo on the right here is an example of one of Greenfield’s many group photos which capture this invitation. We are aware of the dancer’s static posses but at the same time are also aware of the seconds before and after which we are not privy to. You start to wonder how long it took for them to get it right and how they landed. One of the techniques seen consistently in her work is her ability to make her dancers into frozen statues. Her techniques allow her to stop action at a 1/2000 of a second, so viewers get to see something that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Proper lighting is crucial to Lois’ work because her subjects are in a state of constant movement as she shoots away. She needs to light her moving subjects over a wide area. She does this by setting up her basic lighting pattern to illuminate a 20 x 20-foot area, even though the dancers are asked to stay near a pre-focused-upon mark. Every session has customized lighting. But she always uses strobes which produces crisp, sharp action shots.

Example 3

MY VISUAL ANALYSIS In my visual analysis of Greenfield’s work I have explored movement and form in much the same way as Greenfield. I have tried to recreate the strength of the dancer but without loosing the delicate gestural qualities. In much the same way as Greenfield I have used the floating material to emphasise the movement and in particular exaggerate the form. Unfortunately my photos lack the sophisticated compositional elements of Greenfield’s work. However, this is not through lack of understanding but from lack of space available to take the shots. Greenfield is able to get further back from her subjects and also has a space which allows for higher shots, so the dancers are able to jump further into the air before moving out of shot. I have tried to use this to my advantage by exploring the cropped element to Greenfield’s other works. I have played with the idea of entrance and exit through cropping areas of the figure or areas of fabric. As well as thinking about visual qualities and subjects I have also tried to communicate meaning. I wanted to capture the same static moment in time that Greenfield is so interested in. I feel I have done this particularly well with the two photos of the black fabric and figure. The gestures of the dancer seem relaxed yet the fabric helps to communicate the dynamic actions in the form. The photos are a metaphor for liberation and freedom. This I would like to explore further in my developing works. COMPARING PHOTOGRAPHERS Louis Greenfield’s dance photography is unique and this is evident from researching dance photography further. I have come across photographers who explore the more formal elements of

form and shape but none of them seem to have developed more conceptual references in their photographs. Adrian Weinbrecht is one such photographer. This image is typical of his style which aims to capture the dancers form and muscular structure. The main difference between Weinbrecht’s photos and Greenfield’s is the context and setting. ‘I Wanting to produce something quite different to standard studio work’

What makes Weinbrecht’s photos so unique is taking the dancers outdoors on location, photographing each dancer so he or she could be seamlessly stripped into his outdoor backgrounds.

The photos on the right are a prime example of how Weinbrecht concentrates more on context. He is still able to capture the static movement similar in Greenfields work but the dancer is given a context which adds a new dimension to the scene. This photographer also plays with dramatic lighting more then Greenfield. For instance, the dancer at the Lake is holding the most incredible pose, high above a blue lake with her head turned back towards a bright, blazing sun. “The location was photographed midmorning in August with a summer feeling to the light and the location. When I took the exposure, I bracketed several stops, but kept the aperture constant. I exposed for the sun, for the mid-tones and for the shadow areas. In the finished file there’s detail everywhere.”





B GRADE

D GRADE

A LEVEL PHOTOGRAPHY ARTIST RESEARCH BOARD EXEMPLAR WRITTEN ANALYSIS SHOWING GRADES ‘A’ & ‘D’

A GRADE Lois Greenfield’s work is primarily concerned with figures and dancers although her intention is not to illustrate dance but are used metaphorically to illustrate different concepts such as flight or time. She tends to work collaboratively with dancers on improvised and often high-risk moments that exist only as isolated instants and are uniquely photographic events. ‘There is a dynamic tension between dance and photography.’ Here I believe Greenfield is describing her ability with photography to fragment time and reposition our perception of space within a two-dimensional image. She uses the device of movement to stop time and reveal something which is normally missed by the naked eye. She is particularly good at capturing moments which confuse and intrigue the viewer. This particular photo captures this perfectly. The use of concave mirrors heightens this distortion and invites the viewer to contemplate the photograph further. She uses devices of juxtaposition and more importantly cropped compositions to heighten this intrigue further and make the movement

more obvious. This is evident here where the two models either side of the main dancer are cropped and we are only able to see their heads coming in the sides of the frame. We are forced to think about the entrance and the exits into the picture frame and also into the movement. The visual elements that Greenfield is exploring in her photographs are obviously movement but more importantly time. ’In my photographs, time is stopped, a split second becomes an eternity, and an

ephemeral moment is solid as sculpture.’ I think what Greenfield is saying is that a dancer’s movements illustrate the passage of time, giving it a material presence. What I find particularly intriguing is that her photographs are not rearranged or modified in Photoshop. Knowing this adds to the mystery of the work. ‘I can’t depict the moments before or after the camera’s click, but I invite the viewer’s consideration of that question.’ This quote highlights the fact that Greenfield’s intentions are for the viewer to contemplate the work and to become engrossed in replaying the movements in their mind to find out if this is actually possible. The photo on the right here is an example of one of Greenfield’s many group photos which capture this invitation. We are aware of the dancer’s static posses but at the same time are also aware of the seconds before and after which we are not privy to. You start to wonder how long it took for them to get it right and how they landed. One of the techniques seen consistently in her work is her ability to make her dancers into frozen statues. Her techniques allow her to stop action at a 1/2000 of a second, so viewers get to see something that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Proper lighting is crucial to Lois’ work because her subjects are in a state of constant movement as she shoots away. She needs to light her moving subjects over a wide area. She does this by setting up her basic lighting pattern to illuminate a 20 x 20-foot area, even though the dancers are asked to stay near a pre-focused-upon mark. Every session has customized lighting. But she always uses strobes which produces crisp, sharp action shots.

A Grade

A+ continued





Success criteria

• Personal opinions are expressed (C grade) and back up by critical research (B grade)

• Subject, elements, media & intentions are discussed (C grade)

• Good use of key vocabulary used in context (C grade) excellent selection of key vocabulary (B grade) Outstanding selection and expression using key vocabulary (A grade)

• Context has been written about (A grade)

• Adequate (C grade )/ Excellent written English (B grade)

• Artists have been compared in detail (A grade)

• Images are used to back up points in writing (C grade)

Task & input > :Writing a detailed written analysis

Learning Outcomes:Analyse a range of artists work who communicates your chosen theme making clear references to starting points, subject, visual elements and concepts

Questions/tasks:

1. Skim read each sheet and highlight any sections you want clarifying2. Use questions as a checklist for your work, what do you still need to add to the remainder of your analysis3.Come up with a list of 10 key words to describe each artist now find ways of including these key terms in your paragraphs4.Answer the questions in as much detail as possible using key art vocabulary

Key Questions to ask yourself , about the Visual elements and Devices• Why has the artist chosen to photograph the subject in this way (e.g. the vantage point, framing, time of

day, a particular moment in time, lighting, etc…?)

• What do these qualities bring to the work?

• How important are these decisions to the final image?

• How has the photograph been taken? What skills or photographic techniques were involved?

• What changes may have been made to the photograph (e.g. through Photoshop or darkroom processing?

• How obvious is this?

• Is here an illusion of space in the work or has the artist rejected illusion by emphasising flatness?

• How are we positioned as viewers of the work? Are we forced to look at it from a particular place or in a particular way?

• How does the subject relate to the space around it? Is clear were the scene begins and ends?

• How do you relate to the physically? (does it make you feel large or small? Are you drawn close to it or pushed away? Does it make you aware of your own body in any way?

Answer the following questions about your chosen artist. Ensure you use the key vocabulary sheet provided to ensure you achieve your target.

Key Questions to ask yourself about subject & artist intentions

• What is the work about?

• What is happening?

• What question is the work asking?

• Is it asking us to respond in a particular way?

• Is it a story, a command or a challenge?

• Beyond a straight description of what you can see, try to speculate on what the work might stand for?

• Are there any symbols that you recognise?

• What does the artist call the work (its title)?

• Does this change the way we see the work?

• Does it have a broader theme that links it to a bigger idea or concept?

• Does it ask you to question your assumptions about art or the world?

Key Questions to ask yourself when think about Context (relating the work to the wider world)

• When and where was the work made?

• Can we make any connections between the work and the place and the period in which it was made?

• Who made it and who was it made for?

• How did the photographer imagine his or her role?

• Can you relate it to particular social and political histories of the time?

• How does the work relate to other art and to broader visual culture, for example music, theatre, science, philosophy, literature, geography, mathematics, etc…?

Task & input : Writing a detailed written analysis

Personal Learning Outcomes:Analyse a range of artists work who communicates your chosen theme making clear references to starting points, subject, visual elements and concepts

Questions/tasks:

1. Now compare your work to the example students work and refer to success criteria.

2. What grade are you working at?3. What do you need to do to

ensure you reach your target?

Success criteria artists analysis

• Varied artist research – appropriate links to visual elements & devices.

• * Detailed written analysis: effectively describes visual elements & devices in artist work. Satisfactory

use of key vocabulary.C

* Relevant artist research with some variation – relates to starting points.

* Written analysis identifies and describes starting points in artist work. Some key

vocabulary used

D

Read the criteria for each grade where does you work fit into the criteria? Which grade are you presently at?Now look at the criteria above to set yourself a target to improve.


* Detailed & varied artist research – clear and relevant links to visual elements & devices.

* Detailed and meaningful written analysis: effectively describes concepts, visual elements &

devices in artist work. Good use of key vocabulary.

• Varied artist research – appropriate links to visual elements & devices.

• * Detailed written analysis: effectively describes visual elements & devices in artist work. Satisfactory

use of key vocabulary.

B

C

* Relevant artist research with some variation – relates to starting points.

* Written analysis identifies and describes starting points in artist work. Some key

vocabulary used

D


week 1 (w.b. 27th april) - eckington.net...dancers on improvised and often high - risk moments that...

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