At the start of this term, we’ve been set with completing a research task by tomorrow 1pm. This is to either explore four artists from different genres such as Documentary, Events, Landscapes, Portrait/Fashion. Or picking one genre from the four above and produce critical and analytical research post into at least one historical artist who was working pre-2000 and 2 contemporary artists.
I’ve decided on the first option due to more content variety of research, I find this will give me better direction into what will be my overall idea for this terms project (genres) and also my FMP.
Photographer 1: Dmitry Markov
Genre: Documentary
First heard of Markov just before the start of the second year because of an article on the Guardian website after being suggested by a friend. I was blown away with how unique I felt his style was also made me very intrigued by how the world of Russia really is as a culture in the eyes of a citizen living there. Dmitry is a former opioid addict, he finds art as his best release ‘A drug addict is never satisfied, he always wants more,’ Quote from Dmitry’s book Draft ‘Do not take it as a recommendation, but this kind of thirst might be very useful for a photographer. You are never satisfied with results, you always want to try again’ he continues to write. His book Draft was published in 2018 by Treemedia, it documents the lives of ordinary people in provincial Russia. He has grown a massive amount in his life in terms of success, born in Pushkino north of Moscow, 1982, was known as a street kid and an addict, then becoming, what he is today a social worker, volunteer, and journalist as well as a photographer. He began shooting on his iPhone after his camera was stolen from his room when he worked as a volunteer at an orphanage. Images shot on his phone were used in his book draft and posted on his Instagram page.
This is an eighteen-year-old getting a haircut before being released from an orphanage that Markov had been a volunteer at. This was also where his camera was stolen. Firstly what I really like about this image is the position of the hand over the teenagers’ head so you can’t see the actual haircut. It’s a great moment to take the picture as it leaves the forehead cropped only revealing features of the face. To me, there’s a mystery in this image due to the hidden hairstyle. The tattoo on the barber’s arm is a lucky touch that I find builds tension in the unknown story beyond the image.
There is lots of surly atmosphere within the image-derived from the expression/posture of the main subject which made me question why does the child seem so annoyed yet agitated in this single frame? It started to get me thinking maybe the photographer asked him too seem angry. Then I considered he could of just not been in the greatest of moods naturally. After noticing the wellies, I thought perhaps those are the only shoes he owns. Trying to figure this out made me realize, the only way to know why the kid is grumpy whilst the image was captured, is to go onto Dmitry Markov’s Instagram page and see what he had put for a caption and translate it. I sadly do not know how to do this but I like the mystery of guessing and just his creative style of pretty much all his work even though its all shot on just an iPhone.
I am surprised at the array of activities scattered across the image. Although all the subjects are in the same surrounding they show different states of emotions from the action they portray. He has managed to capture the boy flipping at such a decisive time and dead centre as a focal point.
Dmitry Markov describes his images, often showing unpleasant scenes, this is because he mentions them to be a part of his own life experiences not just being known by admirers as social photography. Markov’s technique, from research, shows that he travels around taking photographs in Russia from people he meets in social situations. Going through his Instagram page it obvious that he has multiple styles such as street photography, portrait and capturing animals.
Photographer 2: Annie Leibovitz
Genre: Portrait/Fashion
Throughout her career, she specialised making celebrates looking very dramatic and at the same time trying to capture their personalities. On her Masterclass’s Trailer where she gives lessons in photography, she mentions she isn’t a tactical photographer, continues with if that’s what you’re thinking about when your capturing pictures your head isn’t in the right place. I definitely agree with this statement because of my personal experiences, when I started photography I found the tactical side distracting despite now I find it more useful growing better as a photographer but still I don’t concentrate too heavily on it, as it’s the thing or subject in front which is more important to me.
In the David Bowie portrait, I like the dark contrast around the majority of the interior. At the bottom of the image, it starts dark rising to a lighter shade. I felt the photographer manipulated studio light to enhance the expression which is blank, also stern as if he’s holding a lot of thoughts back. This feels to me as if Leibovitz is portraying a sense of being stuck on the planet.
Image on the right, Uma Thurman shows an almost blank expression again but however, her posture is relaxed and carefree. Within the image, there is a lot more light compared to Bowies Portrait, I feel Annie expresses the characteristics of Uma as casually pleasant from adding a strong use of light as if it’s a blissfulness you’d get from meditation.
Photographer 3: Micheal Kenna
Genre: Landscape
An English photographer who specialises in and is best known for his unusual Black & White landscapes featuring ethereal light achieved by getting ready to capture the image at dawn or during the night with exposures of up to 10 hours.
The image has a bright centre fading darker till it reaches the interior around it from branches and trees. There are a few things that make me wonder whether the surrounding is abandoned or perhaps own by a friend, for instance, one swing seems to have broken off, a seesaw Is behind the swing which made me question if someone owns these things. There are also two chairs in separate places of the photo, I really enjoyed when I took notice of how the branches are lit up and how quite a lot point towards the light.
Reflections are always done extremely well by Kenna, it gives me the impression that he’s a slight perfectionist because my curiosity goes to how much preparation he has been put into just this one image. He might have gone a long walk maybe 2-4 hours finding this spot you see in the photograph and then marked down the location and came back another date possibly in the early morning or he could of stay and waited for the sun to start setting.
Photographer 4: Tom Barnes
Genre: Event
A young self-taught photographer who studied economics in Sheffield, during his second year his university attendance record dropped considerably because at this time he was becoming more commissioned in photography which lead him to the successful well-archived photographer. He has a massive array of portrait photographs on his website that show a full spectrum of humanity from refugee camps in war zones to the highest arenas of politics. His career has very few dull moments I can imagine seeing he meets musical genius, actors, travels across the globe constantly, and he mentions on his website that he is lucky enough to never had to put on a poorly fitting suit and sit, bored behind a desk discussing numbers.
I like how there are many guitar cases that all placed behind slash instead of an iconic pose of him with a guitar held in his hands and wrapped around his back. It brings a lot of essence to the musician’s background and somewhat an odd way of defining his character.
I really admire the diversity of themes and styles Barnes has in his website, makes me certain he’s not just in the industry for making amounts of money but more for how his talent affects not just him but the subjects within the portraits. This child is one of the patients he photographed at Medecins Sans Frontieres reconstructive hospital he also took images of staff there. The hospital is known as a world leader in reconstructive techniques due to the variety and severity of injuries seen.
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