'Pure and Straight Photography' Edward Weston, 'Pepper, 1929'

  At first glance this image takes almost a human-like form, the shape could be of that of a couple embracing, full of movement and life. At second glance the viewer realises this is actually the mundane subject of a pepper. Edward Weston entices the viewer to take a closer look at the image, to re-evaluate form and shape through the balance of light and shadow. The image is called ‘Pepper, 1929’ which states factually what the subject of the image is, without this the viewer could only begin to guess what this strange and abstract form might be. The visual information of the image is that of the beauty of sharp focus, exquisite detail through print and the flawlessness of a natural form. These visual qualities are typical of the ‘Pure and Straight Photography’ style, the idea of keeping to the truth of a material. 

  This Modernist style moves away from the Pictorialist view of narrative manipulation and softness to an image to striving for sharpness and pure tonal values. Sharp detail and exquisite tonal value can be found in this image where the use of high contrast and shadows effectively changes the shape of the subject. Around this time the Modernist genre was in its prime element across all art forms. This image has a sense of a Henry Moore sculpture who at this time was creating pieces of work which were based on the human figure, full of shape and form. Edward Weston was a typical formalist photographer, and his work shows his mastery in capturing the beauty of shape. Through strong contrasts in light and shadow as well as using the camera to its highest potential through the means of sharp focus, Weston capitalises on the truth and honesty of this technology.