Research log,

Irving Penn
Date of birth: June 19th 1917
Date of death: October 7th 1999
Nationality: American, New Jersey
Occupation: Photographer
Notable places of work: Saks Fifth Avenue, Vogue Magazine

Irving Penn's work was often conceptual in it's design and relied heavily on symbolism this is largely what drew me to him as a photographer.  For example his use of food such as oysters and money in the same image is interesting as it clearly carries connotations of wealth.

Other information:

• Raised in a Russian Jewish family.
• Was taught at Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art.
• Worked in Vogue's layout department before being asked to work in photography.
• Penn worked in both still life and portraiture.
• Died at age 92.

Examples of work

This image by Penn was shot by Penn for Vogue Magazine.  It interests me as it removes the usual finesse and glamour associated with culinary photography but maintains a clean and professional appearance.  A large element of the glamour of this image is lost through the way that an industrial hammer is being used along with surgical gloves opposed to industry standard items.  Stylistically this gives the image a crisp and clinical effect which is added to by the use of a harsh source of overhead lighting as well as through the use of a white background.  The overwhelming use of white throughout the image also helps to give the image a polished appearance and draw the viewers eye to the images subject the lobster claw.

This image by Penn again uses a plain white background in order to draw the viewers focus the flower at the images centre.  The framing of this image is not perfectly central and this removes the idea that all art must be perfect an idea that is further challenged through the way that the flower has not been evenly pressed but has instead been allowed to decay naturally.  The colouration of the flower may link to femininity as pink is a colour generally associated with women and flowers are regularly linked to female sexuality and genitalia an idea which is also present in Georgia O'Keefe's work.

This is a particularly striking image by Penn as it portrays a bee placed on the subjects lips.  This imagery is startling to the viewer due to the danger that bees pose and is therefore particularly eye-catching.  Other elements of the image that attract the viewers eye include the bright orange lipstick and the extreme close up shot used.  This particularly striking style has been implemented as the image above was taken for Vogue Magazine.  The image is ultimately inviting however to the viewer as a result of the warm tones used in the image and this helps to contract the shock of the bee.

The above image is a stunning example of Penn's editorial high fashion photography.  Penn implements a combination of striking costuming, makeup and framing in order to create a sharp and eye-catching image.  The use of a square framing and simple white backdrop is key to the success of this image due to the numerous other components featured.  The costume of mirrored uniform tiles creates a sleek and modern appearance which is further accentuated by the subjects neat and sharp bob cut and geometric head piece.  

The image featured above is a less extravagant composition than the previous image and featured simply black and white colourisation in order to showcase the vast tonal contrast between the different elements of the subjects outfit as well as to separate her from the backdrop.  This image draws the viewer in as it features the more attainable end of the high fashion spectrum.  The anonymity of the subject is created by the subjects tipped hat and allows the viewer to believe that that images subject could be anyone and that therefore the goals set in the image are achievable to them.

How I have been influenced:

Irving Penn's work has shown me that it is possible to explore both portraiture and still life photography to a high standard this is important to me as I wish to explore both of these fields in my personal project.  Penn's use of plain back drops also appeals to me as I like the effect that is gained from this method as it draws the viewers eye directly to the subject of the image.

Tim Walker
Date of Birth: 1970
Nationality: British
Occupation: Photographer
Notable places of work: Vogue publications

Tim Walkers work is greatly influenced by the surreal with inspiration being found in things such as fairy tales for example Alice in Wonderland as well as historical figures such as the Queen.  Walkers ability to put a twist on well known stories and figures is intriguing to me as it shows how effectively photography can be used to alter the viewers perception of the subject.

Other information:

• Has a BA from Exeter University in Photography.
• Was awarded third prize in The Independent Young Photographer of The Year.
• Was an assistant to Richard Avedon.
• Free lanced in New York post graduation.
• Showcased a short film "The Lost Explorer" in 2010 at the Locarno film festival in Switzerland was the winner for best short film at Chicago film festival in 2011.
• Portrait photography is often heavily stylised and celebrity based.
• Currently living in London.

Examples of work

This image interests me due to the way that Walker has used a palette consisting of largely yellows and oranges when styling the model.  The use of orange helps to give the image a sense of contrast as whilst there is a great deal of saturation present in the image the majority of shades present are very light.  The use of bright colours gives the image an almost cartoonish effect and is reminiscent of pop art style.  The idea that the image may have been inspired by the pop art movement can be taken from the subjects exaggerated expression.  A soft effect is created in this image through the use of a slight blur effect which blends the subject into the background and softens the lines of her outfit and body.  

The use of exaggerated makeup and eccentric styling gives this image a bold appearance which works to draw the viewer in.  Despite being placed against a white backdrop and white table the two subjects do not appear to be washed out or lost thanks to their striking outfits and the paleness of their skin in comparison to the background adds to the images eccentric appearance.

This image of Eddie Redmayne particularly interests me due to the femininity of his positioning and outfit.  The poses used (curved hands and crossed arms) are largely associated with women and this attempt to go against the gender norm in photography is refreshing to see.  The see through plastic jacket is also interesting as it allows the image to conform to Walkers general style of eccentric and bold fashion.

The above image of Helena Bonham Carter is interesting as it displays a blend of old and new through the incorporation of a can of diet coke and sunglasses into an otherwise period typical outfit.  This image is also interning as it displays an item on the white table which is against Walker's normal completely sterile style.  The image works patricularly well due to the fact the Bonham Carter is the subject as she is renowned for taking part in eccentric roles and this means that her styling could push the bar of eccentric further than Walker may have been able to with other models.

I find this image interesting due to the way that Walker has implanted the eye cutouts as this is similar to my ideas of using fx makeup to alter the my subjects faces.  The red tie and red lipstick provide useful points of focus for the viewer and helps to keep their eye central as without this due to the vast amount of white featured in both the subjects costuming and the images composition.  The red also works well to bring out the auburn tones in the subjects hair and prevent her from appearing washed out against the white background.

How I have been influenced:

Tim Walker's work is influential to me due to the way that he creates striking and surreal portrait images without shooting on location.  I also like the way that he uses props to create the surreal aspects of his images opposed to using heavy Photoshop techniques like some other photographers.

Christopher McKenney

Date of birth: Unknown

Nationality: American, Pennsylvania

Occupation: Photographer

Notable places of work: Self employed

Christopher McKenney's work as a whole is very dark and leaves aspects of the images hidden creating a mystery for the viewer with often no clear cut answer.  This mystery creates an element of intrigue and allows for the viewer to become engaged in the image as they attempt to unravel the mysteries of the piece.

Other information:

• Additionally works as a concert photographer.
• Prefers to be known as an artist over a photographer.
• Edits images in photoshop opposed to physically.
• Believes that if a photograph has made "them feel anything I’m ok with that" (http://www.yellowtrace.com.au/christopher-mckenney/).

Examples of work

In the above image McKenney has implemented a dark background and bright focused light in order to create the appearance of a bodiless head this effect has been aided through the use of computer editing software.  The bandaging on the subjects head face as well as the black contact lens or computer effect used gives the image a surreal and unsetting appearance.  The sinister appearance of the image is furthered by the incorporation of heavy shadowing on the subjects face and hands.

The image above interests me due to the way that McKenney has used muted tones in order to convey the audience the sombre tone of the image.  The close shot works well to display the detail of the birds wings as well as the surrounding grass and the subjects hand  this high level of definition suggests that a wide depth of field was used when this image was shot.  The subjects hands are positioned in a way which mimics praying and the birds wings convey to the viewer imagery of angels something which is aided by the fact that the bird is a tone of grey often associated with tombstones this combined with the flower on the birds chest gives the image an overwhelming theme of mourning.

The simplicity of this image interests me as it leaves the audience with questions whilst maintaining an appearance of clean and precise beauty.  The fact that questions such as what is the book are raised in the image gives the image a sense of mystery and allows the viewer to create their own story surrounding the events that lead to the positioning of the hand and book in the image.  The muted tones used in the image give it an overall sombre appearance.




This image is interesting because of it's simplicity upon the first glance of the viewer as what is first seen is simply a red suitcase on a road with a balloon tied to it.  When the viewer looks closer at the image however they can see that there is in fact a man being pulled from the top of the screen presumably by balloons with only his legs and shadow being visible in the image.  The sense of mystery allows the viewer to engage with the story behind the image.



This image interests me as it is different from McKenney's general style in both format and style.  From a composition aspect it is interesting as it is one of McKenney's few images which is not presented in a square format and stylistically it is only a profile view of the subjects face with a red substance and back lighting providing the only indication of the subjects positioning in the images frame.  The use of experimental lighting in this image appeals to be as does the use of colourised lighting.

How I have been influenced:

McKenney's work is heavily influential to me as he is one of the first surreal photographers that I looked at.  I find the way that he uses symbolism in his images interesting as this gives the image a deeper meaning than many other photographers such as surrealist fashion photographer images may contain.  I find McKenney's use of muted tones interesting as well as his images always appear bold and striking without being overly garish.

Rachel Baran

Date of birth: 20 in 2014

Nationality: American

Occupation: Photography

Notable places of employment: Self employed 

Rachel Barans work explores numerous areas of the surreal such as prop based work as well as computer effect based images.  All of Barans images have a form of narrative attached to them created through the images connotations giving them a chilling appearance when further analysed.

Other information:

• Preferred style of photography is surrealist self portraiture.
• Is a psychology major.
• Forms her images with photoshop by combining multiple images.
• Work is very similar to Kylli Spare.
• Used disposable cameras since a she was young.
• Received her first point and shoot camera at age 16.
• She saved enough money to buy here a DSLR camera at age 17.
• Baran describes her work as being minimalist.

Examples of work

The image above uses photoshop and lighting to create the illusion of the subjects tongue being lit on fire.  The is immediately eye-catching to the viewer as this is not something that they would normally see.  The fact that Baran has chosen not to give the subjects skin a completely airbrushed appearance is important as it gives the image a more realistic appearance and allows the viewer to find a semblance of normality in the otherwise totally surreal image.  The fact that the subjects eyes are not visible in the image gives it a sense of anonymity despite the fact that the rest of the subjects face can be seen this also allows the viewers focus to be directed towards the flame more efficiently.

This image again hides the majority of the subjects face which leads the viewer to wonder who they are and adds a sense of mystery to the image.  The combination of the bright red lipstick and anonymity of the subject conveys the idea of an affair to the viewer as red is a colour generally associated with passion and sexuality.  The theme of sexuality is further shown through the fact that the subject is naked.  A high level of contrast is present in the image as a result of the subjects pale skin and the bright tones of the lipstick.  Tonal contrast is also found in the image between the subjects body and the shadowing behind them which is a result of directional lighting.

The lighting used in this image is interesting as is it means that the viewers eye is directly drawn towards the light source (the fairy lights).  The directional lighting provides an interesting range of tone between the subjects face and the rest of her body which is obscured through darkness.  The fairy lights add a particulary interesting element to the image as light is often associated with knowledge and imagination but in the above image the viewer sees the subject being constricted by the lights suggesting that she is being overwhelmed by her mind.  The fact that the subject is naked displays vulnerability and adds a further sense of empathy from the viewer.

This image is black and white which is not Baran's usual style however the lighting used and photoshop treatment create an interesting range of tones throughout the image due to the high range of tones featured.  The image is highly surreal from the hands covering the subjects eyes to the eyeball in the subjects open mouth the entire image is unsettling to the image and had it been presented in colour it would likely have appeared overly gory or theatrical.  The simplistic style of portraiture allows for the viewer to not get distracted and instead focus on the subject of the image.  The cropped square framing of the image is interesting as it allows for the image to be symmetrical and for there not to be too much empty space.

This image is interesting due to the way that the camera angle has been altered to make it appear the subjects is the right way up however she is in fact laying on the floor.  A shallow depth of field has been used with the focus point on the subjects body keeping the carpet out of focus.  These elements of the image are important as they server to disorientate the viewer which creates an emotional connection between the viewer and the subject who is slumped on the floor.  The viewer feels sorry for the subject as the other figure in the image is walking away opposed to helping her it is possible that the subject may be on the floor as she has been harmed by the other figure in the image.  This image is unsettling due to the fact that it is set in a home which is a place generally associated as being a safe place. The idea of safety is presented further through the use of warm and soft colours throughout the image.

How I have been influenced:

Rachel Baran's minimalist style interests me as it means that her images composition and framing provides a lot of meaning and conveys large parts of the images message opposed to the message coming solely from the subject and surrounding items.  Her use of lighting interests me particularly as it adds an extra sense of dimension to her images and helps to convey their meaning to the audience.

Brooke DiDonato

Date of birth: 25 in 2016.

Nationality: American, Ohio (now living in New York).

Occupation: Photographer.

Notable places of work: Self employed.

DiDonatos work is focused on a minimalist approach with key focus being placed on the symbolic relevance of the props used in her pieces and the way that these tie in to the final image as a whole.  This attention to detail enables DiDonato to create images which at first glance appear to be homely and tranquil but when a second look in fact contain aspects which make them appear jarring to the viewer.

Other information:

• Studied Photojournalism at Kent State and received her BA in 2012.
• Work largely revolves around pastel colours and minimalist composition.

Examples of work

This image is interesting as it is called "Nature's Call" a play on words on the phrase for using the bathroom.  DiDonato has chosen to display a physical representation of the phrase in an almost comical fashion.  The composition is striking as flowers are not normally something which would be expected to be found in the toilet bowl.  The colour scheme used is very soft and warm which creates a homely feel in the image this is added to from the setting of a bathroom that the image has been shot in.

This image is a self portrait of DiDonato and appeals to me because of the way that the photographer has created contrast by clashing floral prints.  The patterns used create a very homely appearance and the white lace blends the subject into the mattress.  The framing for this image is interesting due to the way that the subject is not fully visible in the frame but there is space in frame above her head.  The fact that the subjects is not positioned in the images centre is also interesting to the viewer and makes the image more engaging.

The image above uses a wide elongated portrait angle to demonstrate the height of the window which the subject is hanging from this is important as the additional height makes the image more surreal and unsettling for the viewer.  The blue of the house paint gives the image a calming appearance which contrasts with the danger posed to the subject as she hangs out of the window there is also an interesting contrast of colour between the red and blue and the dark brown and beige.

This image is interesting due to the fact that the subjects face is not visible which gives the image a sense of anonymity making it easier for the viewer to relate to the subject featured in frame.  The muted tones used create a calming effect which contrasts with the fact that the subject is submerged and possibly drowning.  The subjects dark hair stands out against the pastel blue of the water and draws the viewers eye directly to the subject.

This image is interesting as it implements photoshop to alter an image creating the illusion that the subjects veins are made form wires.  The close shot used allows the viewer to fully see the detail of the wiring and the shallow depth of field creates a blurred background and focuses the viewers eye onto the subjects hands.  The uneven lighting used creates an area of slight shadowing and this gives the image a more natural effect.

How I have been influenced:

DiDonato's work has influenced me through her use of muted and pastel tones as her images maintain a striking appearance whilst avoiding overly bold and saturated colourisation which would distract from the overall effect of the image.  The photographers use of framing is also interesting as it shows that you do not have to stick to one uniform style of framing in every image this interests me as I like to experiment with framing.