Photographic Style

Style - Unique, A look, approach, Era/Time, Defining/Branding.

If Unique then it has to be original - due to either subject matter or technique or both.

Historically - a reflection of the artist's time, having a cultural reference or context.

MARTIN PARR:

• The more mundane the image the more it excites and interests him. 
• Considered one of the most influential photographers of our time. 
• "(Martin Parr) Encapsulates the vulgarity of this period." 
• Not simply just a Documentary Photographer. 
• "Familiarity breeds contempt."
• Martin Parr grew up in a suburban setting which to most is considered dull and mundane. 
• The backgrounds of photographers quite alot of the time where dull, they were considered lost people and having a camera was almost a gateway into the rest of the world. 
• Parr was an Obsessional Photographer. 
• Always collecting bits of information - to make sense of the world. 
• Culturally his photography has a distinct change from moving to the North of England from the South.
• When he was in the North of England he effectively captured a community which was soon to die out in its traditions. 
• At this time Parr wanted to belong to something, but he discovered that however involved he got with the community he was still not apart of it. 
• Quite alot of Parr's photography has an underlining political element. 
• To a certain extent photography is a form of exploitation. 
• Martin Parr's home is a reflection of what kind of person he is, he collects to the excess, nothing is too obscure or thrown away. 
• Parr photographed 'classes' originally documenting the working class he moved on to the middle class. 
• Very pessimistic of this fast developing world. 
• His photography is quintessentially British. 
• Parr and his work can be described as Obsessive, Kitsh, Collector, Horder. 
• His personality is projected through his work. 
• When you look at how he has developed as a photographer he has almost evolved with the times.
• 3 stylistic techniques as he has developed. 
• 1) Traditional Black and White film. 2) Medium format camera colour film. 3) Macro lens/vulgarity to colour saturation. 
• Look up the book 'Common Sense' - Martin Parr. 
• He uses a 'ringflash' technique in his photography. 
• The lower the ISO the higher the saturation in colour. Parr is known to use 50 ISO film. 
• His images hold objects that however mundane they seem have a symbol. 
• When remaking images in the style of Martin Parr focus on the book 'Common Sense'. 

DAIDO MORIYAMA: 

• Look up the series "Bye Bye Photography" 
• 'Provoke' - group of photographers who produced a magazine of unconventional photography (Look up) 
• Moriyama produces High contrast Black and White images. 
• His images are full of atmosphere and mood.
• There's alot of grain to his images, quite gritty and rough which adds to the atmosphere.
• Moriyama's images are interesting compositionally. Lots of shape and movement. 
• "Memories of a Dog" , "Nasty Photos" 
• He describes himself as wandering from alley to alley like a stray dog or alley cat. 
• He uses a compact camera which he feels is not as intimidating when taking photographs of people. 
• Moriyama describes his images as seductive. 
• He goes out just before noon to go in search of images rather than planning and premeditating on an idea. 
• He feels like an outsider looking in to the world. 
• His images are almost a symbolism of melted down photography which is to its bare minimum. 
• Slightly on edge. 
• His images absorb you and makes you feel claustrophobic at the same time. 
• Quality not being an issue in his photographs. 
• Its important to think about what camera type you will be using to portray certain styles of imagery. 
• Subject matter is not specific. 
• The point is to find something that's sympathetic towards the artists work.
• Think about culturally how images change visually. 
• Each country has a different approach to visually communicate images. 

RINKO KAWAUCHI: 

• Mostly images are in square format, colour.
• Have a magical type quality to the image. 
• Karauchi uses lens flare, light is very important to her images. 
• Mythical, enchanting images. 
• Very much about colour, light and the poetic quality to an image.
• Usually she presents her work in collage form when exhibiting in a gallery. 
• This means the images interplay with each other rather than just one stand alone image. 
• Look up the book "Illuminants" 

ALEXANDER RODCHENKO:

• Constructivism propaganda, montage, modernistic. 
• Modernist style. 
• Looking at shape. 
• Use of light and frame. 
• Played around with the composition and view point.