Master Photographer's

Though am using that title, a lot of people will think I am talking about the past masters whom I have mentioned before such as Aleksandr Rodchenko or Robert Doisneau, no I am talking about a little known photographer, whom I happened to have had the opportunity of viewing their work.

This photographer is all about playing with the shadows and the light, using the emphasis on shadow to exploit the light, much the same way as Lee Friedlander used everyday objects to frame his subject matter.

Ray K. Metzker is one of photography's greatest innovators he uses black & white photography to its greatest potential, okay admittedly we have spoken about those photographer's who used colour to exploit shapes, light, tones and composition to great effect. However when you look at the work of Ray Metzker, he certainly makes you think outside the box in much the same way as Rodchenko thought about geometry, shapes and composition.

After all photography was always thought of as an art form by those who had gone before (Edward Steichen) to put a name to one who vehemently always championed that cause for photography to be recognised as an art form.

When I first viewed the work of Ray Metzker, I then understood the lesser liked handle "street photography", as opposed to social documentary. Granted there are those who refuse to accept that term or classification of this photographic art form. Some feel it is not right, however look at the work of Ray K. Metzker then think otherwise.

©Ray K. Metzker

His work is not so much social documentary but an exercise in why we should all look at the world, from a different perspective; his framing is incredible. Yes, he is using multiple exposures, he is manipulating the negative, and he is creating art from several elements of his own works, to create another.

I found his work truly inspiring, then it struck me, where have I seen this style in composition before?

The answer lead me back to Henri Cartier-Bresson I was not in the least dumbstruck, in fact I could see why. The reason I could, was actually through another photographer, namely Harry Callahan another multiple exposure aficionado.

©Harry Callahan

That then got me thinking looking at his work and almost recognising the elements of a  Henri Cartier-Bresson photograph. I realised that studying photography was not just about reading techniques or how to do this or that, it is also about learning to see what is in the photograph. Here we can that the play on the double exposure is a truly unique aspect to Harry Callahan's photographic interpretation of a row of buildings.

I had seen this compositional imprint before as I had said earlier, which tells me something about myself, that is to say am beginning to recognise those key elements of composition from certain photographers, and were their inspiration comes from or who they draw their inspiration from in particular.

Reading the signs

So there it is for all to see, once we do see then we will begin to see it in everything day things, you look at the world from a new perspective, as though you were being born to a new world, where what had gone before was nothing as it seemed. You begin to see differently. 

©Henri Cartier-Bresson

In this early photograph from Henri Cartier-Bresson, look at the centre of the frame, in fact all the way through the middle of the photograph we see the zig-zag cutting through the photograph in much the same way that Callahan has applied his double exposure in his work. 

Shapes and linear aspect in composition can really make your photography sing to the viewer. You can now get an idea of how to interpret these shapes or shadows into your own work. So I decided to shoot a roll of ISO 400 BW Film in my local city centre, keeping my eyes open for shadows or some kind of play on light that was available, I managed to find a few photographs that I may possibly use multiple exposure in creating a montage of photographs with multiple negatives. 

I will post them when I have collated enough images am happy with to post for such a post on this blog. 

©David Rothwell Photography

I find it really useful to ignore some social media sites in favour of a couple of books or exhibitions showcasing some very interesting and educational photographic work. Sometimes I swap and change my film moving from Ilford to Agfa film. I find Agfa film is great for pushing, the very fine grain film, which am sure is ADOX film repackaged (Don't quote me on that). Has a very tight grain structure, and so this makes for some great experimentation in camera. Of course when pushing or pulling film, then develop the whole roll as so. 

In this frame we can see I used the light reflected in the shop window to frame the figure or silhouette in the background, also the guy in the left of the frame with his leg angled towards the ground forces you to view the linear rays of light, he also acts as an anchor in the frame, with his shape seemingly breaking up this very linear composition. 

Another aspect to my photography is this, I enjoy watching videos on the subject, rather namely numerous videos on the art of photography. This show is born of the passion of one Ted Forbes a passionate photographer who enjoys shooting black & white, and incorporating the work of master photographers, such as Vivian Maier. 

Conclusion

So by viewing the work of master photographers, we begin to see hints to who inspired whom, and repitition in patterns, composition, linear, curves, shapes, tone etc.

May be you could try iimplementing some styles or influences of other photographers into your own work, not be a copycat but to give you some idea, of what it is like to photograph in a certain way. 

Until the next time, 

David 

Street Photography Techniques

Layering

I posted a subject for street photographer's that all street photographer's should be implementing into their own work, the technique of layering. As the technique should suggest we are not talking photoshop here, we are talking about layering in the photograph, within the frame.

We use subjects at differing points within the frame to do this layering, so for example by using shapes too, such as circles, ovals, lines and triangles we can make points in the photograph 'pop'.

©Susan Sermoneta 2013

We want the viewer to have an interest in the photograph, and we want the photograph to be a photograph not just a picture. Here is a link to a couple of examples I have shot myself in the examples shown on my gallery page, we can see how shapes and lines play an important part in composition.

Here is another photograph which shows how shapes, lines etc can play an enormous part in street photography. In this shot we see how the NYC Photographer Susan Sermoneta has used the imposed constructed linear lines to frame and shape the photograph, with the subject matter being almost entirely in the lower third of the frame. The colour too has played an important part in the photograph the overhead lamp acting as an anchor point forces the viewer to see the person descending the stairwell in the photograph.

Colour

Colour or color depending on which side of the pond you are from, plays an important part in the layering technique street photographer's use today, however before colour was introduced circa early 1930s by Kodak Photographers used monochromatic film, so photographers were careful what they shot and became much more dependent on framing and compositing an image to be able to make a photograph. 

So here is another example of linear photography within street photography not too dissimilar from the  photograph shown above, I have used the linear technique that should make the photograph interesting. 

©David Rothwell Photography 2014

The lines take you the right of the frame, and that is were the main interest lies. This being a monochromatic shot, I have used the framed pictures on the left of the frame to lead you into and around the photograph, the people act as an anchor point to force your eyes back and out of the frame. 

The angle makes the photograph very interesting too, I am shooting from a higher perspective, rather than just a shot from eye level horizon. 

One photographer who I have mentioned before who shoots black & white photography, and uses a particular technique in layering that frames the subjects and makes them 'pop' more effectively. 

Lee Friedlander

A fantastic photographer who developed a very unique style of framing subjects to make his works much more interesting and abstract. His works inspired other photographers including Garry Winogrand

What Friedlander does is to make the photographer become open to suggestion; to interpret the subject and make it his own, and then transcend the medium to make it evolve. Abstract painting had been a movement in the 1930s with surrealist painters like Dali, Picasso and Man Ray.

Lee Friedlander makes the viewer not just look but listen, that is how I perceive his work. The tempo in the composition is often changing, forcing the viewer to move across the frame and learn what is being said, and force you to question what is being conveyed by the photographer.

An exceptional photographer who for the most part enjoyed shooting photographs from the hip, or the car or even a hotel room. Many lessons can be learned form the afore mentioned photographer's their individual styles differ, but the passion for life on the street far outweighs anything shot in the studio.

With Street photography comes the harsh reality that not everyone will like your work, not everyone will understand the message being conveyed or what the photographer wants you to see, so it is important to make your work interesting using various techniques or a combination of those techniques, to do that is view photographer's works at galleries or even better the books they have created themselves.

If you like certain photographer's then take a closer look at their work, how do they frame the works, how do they convey a message, do they use colour? Do they use colour, what shapes, tempo etc.

This is what you should be looking for when viewing other photographer's works, so if you follow photojournalism or street photography, take a closer look at the method they employ.

So if you live in a city have a look what's happening at your local museum or gallery to see what works are currently being exhibited. One thing I almost try to do when shooting street is to keep an eye out for other street photographer's; what are they shooting, etc. I tend to stay away from someone using a telephoto lens such as 55-200mm or 70-300mm this is not what street photography is about.

I have seen some photographer's just using a small compact camera, this I love because it forces you to get in closer. You have to concentrate on framing the subject matter, someone who uses a zoom/telephoto lens just wants to stay away from their subject matter, not get involved and to be honest using that focal length flattens the photograph.

©David Rothwell Photography 2013

It is a bit like being a stalker not very nice at all, using a wide angle forces you to engage with your subject matter, strike up conversation, get in close, they will warm to you.

The example left shows how warming, the subject was she had spotted me, I had actually smiled back and turned around as I passed through them in conversation, I just about face and captured this. The symmetry in the hands is almost identical to her friends in the foreground.

What I like about this photograph is the sudden burst of colour just left of centre, then we have guy just farther left of frame, this is what makes the photograph a little more interesting, he is asking what is going on? This is by all accounts a very tight composition, but that is what street photographers aim for.

Framing

So we have touched on briefly an American photographer who used framing to such an extent to make his work more abstract, more out there. Always be on the look out for the strange coincidences of gestures especially the hands. This sort of brings me on to another point, be mindful of your own hands too. 

When using primes it's easy to suddenly play with the aperture ring, or the focusing ring on the lens. Always be alert to sudden jerky movements for example a person passing by, or bumped into by a woman pushing a pram or a child running into your legs. 

I try to use linear objects to frame my subjects or you could try using people themselves for framing and that way you would also be implementing layering into your work.

©David Rothwell Photography 2014

In this example we can see how the person in the foreground forces your eyes to follow the line through the photograph, even the shopping trolleys in the far right of the frame offer the viewer the direction in which to go.

My only complaint about this is how the subjects are stretched across the frame, for myself personally I would have liked this a lot tighter.

So by that lesson we can focus on crowds to capture, post christmas shopping we don't see many crowds out there.

So be wise in what you capture.