Roger Ballen

Thanks to the research task given earlier on this term, I have discovered the wonderful photography of Roger Ballen. Born in New York, Ballen has lived in South Africa since the 1970s.

He made a specialty of photographing everyday live in the dorps (villages) of the Transvaal.

The pictures are controversial, because many of them feature “poor whites” at a time when apartheid was in place or just being dismantled.

Ballen says, in an interview with Gabriella Coslovicheach from The Age (clear here to view), his pictures can be interpreted however the reader wishes. He describes himself as an art photographer, rather than a political/social commentator.


I commend this approach, like his style and appreciate his talent!

Underwater Photoshoot Planning

Aim: To explore the contemporary theme of ‘body image’ using underwater photography techniques.

Equipment:

-          Lighting

-          Underwater digital camera

-          Model (young female)

-          Swimming pool (I was going to use the ocean as a backdrop for the shoot, but the weather isn’t suitable for swimming and my camera is not strong enough to withstand the rough waves)

-          Appropriate clothing (long maxi dress perhaps? – colourful to stand out against the plain backdrop)

-          Other props (a mirror)

-          Thick make-up (make girl appear in distress/crying/angry)

I’d like to give the impression that the subject is looking up at her distorted reflection through the surface of the water. Then, using my photo shop skills, create a disfigured mirror image of her looking back. 

Some difficulties that may be encountered:

-          Low lighting conditions. The camera has a flash, but this may still not provide the sufficient light needed.

-          Flash may produce light spots on the image when the light is reflected on the water. Although photo shop tools can be used to cover some of these imperfections, there may be too many.

 

Brainstorm!

This session, we have been asked to explore a contemporary issue and present it through a series of images. Personally, I would like to explore one of the following through means of underwater photography - not only for the experience, but also because of the powerful impact and interesting distortion that can be accomplished. I would also like to experiment with other types of digital photography such as studio, street and humanist. I am going to Sydney this weekend for 4 days so I will bring my digital SLR and shoot around the city, focusing particularly on the issues of globalization, multiculturalism, cultural displacement and possibly the poverty line… It’ll be interesting to see what I come up with!

Here are a few ideas that I may explore in this unit:

• Globalization

• Multiculturalism

• Cultural Displacement

• Popular culture and its affect on peoples self esteem

• Body image

• Celebrity photography

• Mental health issue

• Politics

• Equal rights

• Global Warming

• Homelessness

• Poverty line (gap between rich and poor)

Although these issues are very popular and may appear too ‘cliché’, I think that I can use the underwater distortion effect to my advantage and produce a series of unique and idiosyncratic images that interpret the chosen theme in an original way.

Exploring Underwater Photography!

Of all the different types of photography, underwater photography is by far my favourite and probably one of the most difficult to practice. It requires very specialized equipment and the knowledge of some advanced techniques to get a perfect picture. You need to get the correct exposure, accurate focus, controlled movement of your subject and a pleasing color balance; you also have to deal with low light. Underwater photos often suffer from loss of color and contrast when taken at a significant depth. Such photos are always adjusted with color balance to help offset the blueish tint of the water.
 
Because underwater photography is a specialized art, relatively few photographers attempt it. But I feel that it offers many exciting and rare photographic opportunities for fresh and truly different vivid images. Below, I have put together a few of my favourite examples of underwater photography, created by artists and professional photographers. All works below have attached links to the website or portfolio of the particular photographer.

 

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David LaChapelle

One of photography's brightest stars, David LaChapelle has evolved his photography into an idiosyncratic and highly personal combination of reportage and surrealism. 
 

Born in Connecticut, North Carolina in 1968, LaChapelle studied at the art student’s league and North Carolina school of arts. At the age of 19, he went to New York where he worked for Andy Warhol and began his photography career.

A photography style that can be compared to no other, his highly intensive work has been published in many worldwide magazines of i-D, Arena, The New York Times magazine, Rolling Stones, Vogue, The Face, The London Sunday Times and Vanity Fair. Initially distinguished by his campy fixation with white-trash culture, LaChapelle is also known for his groundbreaking use of computer manipulation and futuristic fashion shoots.

Rather than reproduce what is already present, LaChapelle tends to create his own visionary world. His subjects are usually gaunt, blemishless human built and enslaved by heavy makeup, lighting and the glorifying voodoo of photographic attention e.g. models, transsexuals, celebrities. He has worked with many Hollywood celebrities, ranging from Madonna, Uma Thurman, Elton john to Drew Barrymore to the X-files' David Duchovny - placing each in wildly imaginative and often compromising erotically charged settings. 

Montalbetti & Campbell

Powerful, distinctive, electric, hyper-expressive, unique and dramatic are all words I believe, best describe the work of Denis Montalbetti and Gay Campbell.

Denis Montalbetti and Gay Campbell have been working as an artistic partnership for over a quarter of a century. In that time they have developed a unique approach to image-making that has garnered them an international reputation for excellence. Award-winning masters of photography, they harness the full potential of digital technology to create images with a timeless quality. 


Born in Canada, Montalbetti and Campbell have lived and are recognized widely in Australia. They have received numerous awards including a Gold World Award at the New York Festivals Advertising Awards, Canon AIPP Professional Photographer of the Year, Communication Arts and American Photography. Their work is represented in public, private and print collections nationally and internationally including the National Gallery of Australia; National Portrait Gallery of Australia; Australian Museum of Sport; Australian Institute of Professional Photography; Australia Commercial and Media Photographers.

While many contemporary practitioners begin a work with a concept and build an image that illustrates it, Montalbetti & Campbell begin with purely visual elements, fragments of a mental image. The images are developed through studio disciplines (costume, hair, make-up, setting, lighting) and post-production. Ideas emerge from the purely visual, evolve through the act of making and find meaning with the viewer.

I noticed that in a lot of their work (see above), Montalbetti & Campbell use a technique to black out the background so that the subject stands alone and the view is narrowed. This technique of underexposing the backdrop so that the foreground jumps out, is used mostly in portraiture by many artists such as Annie Leibovitz. I would like to try this technique myself and intend on researching the lighting requirements needed to create the effect.

As shown below, the camera is only a small step in an extensive artistic process.

In conclusion, I do not believe the work of Montalbetti & Campbell constitutes a specific theme and think it would appear out of place as an artistic collection in a gallery. Rather, I would put their images under the broad genre of commercial editorial and fine art photography.  

“It is always a privilege to honour someone’s presence on the other side of the lens, whether they have achieved a level of public account in their lives or not. It’s never about their fame, it’s about the person.”

- Montalbetti and Campbell

Class task

Today's task for photography is the following:

Choose a minimum of four contemporary photographers to research for your workbook and as a lead-in to your practical assignment.

Some you may wish to explore are:

Roger Ballen
William Yang
David Lapachelle
Simon Norfolk
John Claridge
Montalbetti & Campbell
Ashley Gilbertson
Raphael Mazzucco

Any of the photographers listed on www.lensculture.com

Any of the photographers listed on www.bandwmag.com

Surprisingly, I can only recognize one of the photographers (Roger Ballen) from this list. Contemporary photography is an area of photography that I am not very familiar with so this should be an interesting research task to undertake!

phoblography

My creativity always comes at the most inappropriate of times. But when I get an idea, I can’t concentrate or think about anything else.

Over the past two years, photography has become a huge part of my life. This obsession began when I picked up a photography course in year 11, just to fill in time and balance my academic and creative mind. I am now at the end of year 12, currently doing three lines of photography and intend to pursue this interest at university next year – I love it!

With this passion, I also share an enthusiastic interest in travel. Not only travelling to exotic places, but also reading and writing travel literature. I aspire to one day build a career based on these twin passions, becoming a photojournalist and professional marine photographer. Documenting the changing underwater world, I seek to give a voice to marine life and uncover hidden layers of coral reef that few get to experience. As a qualified scuba diver, I have had the privilege to visit such places on several occasions. My first diving experience, back in 2008, took place in Fiji and inspired me to follow this unusual path in life. Blown away by the vibrant colours and diverse and vivacious marine life, I was inspired to make such experiences part of my everyday life.

 My personal challenge is to redefine photographic boundaries; underwater as well as on land. I also hope to create thought-provoking images that linger in people’s minds, encouraging them to observe the world around them more closely. I am inspired by the work of David Doubilet, a world-wide recognised marine photographer; as well as the work of many photographers in other areas – James Nachtwey and Steve McCurry (war photojournalists), Richard Avedon (fashion), Trent Park and Narelle Autio (art), Elliot Erwitt (humanist), Richard I’Anson (travel) etc. I’m influenced not only by these brilliant artists, but also by current world issues and how they affect the people in my life.

Much like a visual-art process diary, I will use this blog to communicate my thoughts and feelings towards contemporary photography and culture. I will express my personal opinions to the work of others through written and practical response.