Assignment_5 : Virtual Essay by SungKu Lee

Assignment_5 : Virtual Essay

Assignment_5 : Virtual Essay

This is an Assignment 5 for Photography:Shooting the Truth.

Blog address:  http://sungkulee12.blogspot.ca

Friday November 30, 2012

Assignment_5 : Virtual Essay by SungKu Lee

Option 2

Roger Fenton, self-portrait

I chose the war photographer, Roger Fenton. He was actually a lawyer but he changed his career to photographer and he succeeded.  He followed Federick Scott Archer who schemed out the wet collodion plate first. However he added his own unique correction to his photos and he exposed them to light. After that, he was so famous that he was appointed to public photographer for a museum. Moreover, he worked in public photography for the British government and they asked him to take pictures of the Crimean War in 1855. His role was to comfort people who were separated from their family or relatives who went to the war. Roger Fenton chose subjects such as spacious plains, treated soldiers, uniformed officers and normal people not miserable war subjects like dead bodies or attacking people. Namely, he chose just common scenery we could see anywhere in the war into his photos. He never took pictures of something tragic. However, his photos were actually made by him even though he risked his life for his photos. Roger Fenton has been recognized as the first war photographer historically, and his photos of that time are preserved by the British Royal Association.

photo 1

Photo 2

James Nachtwey is also well known as a war photographer. This photo(2) is of James looking for a place that war, famine and poverty are happening and he’s taking a picture. In this photo, he is like a monk and he is embracing people who are poor and alienated in his arms. Roger Fenton’s photos also show people in the war to readers and James Nachtwey’s photos are the same as his. Both Roger and James were trying to share painful with people who felt miserable, by taking a picture.

 Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo4 was taken by war journalist Robert Capa. He took the picture from the back of the soldiers. After, he took this picture, a mine exploded under his feet and he couldn’t press the shutter of a camera anymore. Robert’s purpose in his photos was to put a person’s real nature in the war into his camera, originally. This means he was supposed to show a miserable war, dead bodies and people’s instinct in the war to readers. It is different from Robert’s purpose but when readers see above two photos, they can think of the war outwardly. Both Robert and Roger took pictures of just people. Officers and soldiers are walking and Roger and Robert captured their movement.

Photo 5

 

Photo 6

During the Civil War, Alexander Gardner who was a war photographer, went from Britan to the USA when Brady, who wanted to document the Civil War with photographers, organized a group to take pictures of that war and Alexander worked with him. However, he acted independently because Alexander and Brady had a different opinion. Photo6 is taken by Alexander named Port Harker of Missouri River from 216. Among Roger’s subjects was scenery and Alexander’s photo remind us of Roger’s as the same subject. These two photos have a similarity that they were taken from a long-distance. Using a long-distance view, they show readers a wide view of age.

Photo 7

Photo 8

Photo 8 is made by Carol Szathmari. He was lithographer and photographer. He was able to capture both sides in the early part of a conflict. He took pictures in the battlefield during the first year of the Russian-Turkish War(1853-1856). Robert’s photo(7) is very similar with Carol’s because both were taken in the Crimean War. If readers see these photos, they know that these were taken in the same age. Plus, Carol and Roger took a picture far from that castle.

Photo 9

Photo 10

Photo9 is Samurai with Raised Sword taken by Felice Beato. He was one of the first people to take photographs in East Asia. He created images of countries, people and events that were unfamiliar. Photo9 was taken by Roger Fenton. Captain Dames of the royal Artilley leans against a wall in camp during the Crimean War in 1855. Both Felice and Roger focused on specific people. By both people in photos grabbing a sword, readers know these photos are about the war. Men who are shown in the photos are armed. They show a straightforwardness and their faces are expressionless.

All photos have similarity. People are dying and someone is treating soldiers who have wound. All these photographers tried to take pictures in the war even if it was really dangerous. Their purpose of taking pictures was a little bit different from each other, but their photos show the war to us and they make readers cautious about the misery of war.

Assignment 2_Press Photography versus Art Photography

Assignment 2_Press Photography versus Art Photography

This is an Assignment 2 for Photography:Shooting the Truth.

Blog address:  http://sungkulee12.blogspot.ca

 Thursday November 8, 2012

Assignment 2_Press Photography versus Art Photography

by SungKu Lee

Option1  

Press Photography

1972. Trangbang, South Vietnam, 8 June 1972. Phan Thi Kim Phuc (center) flees from the scene where South Vietnamese planes have mistakenly dropped napalm. Photo Credit: (Nick) Ut Cong Huynh, Vietnam, The Associated Press.

February 1, 1968. South Vietnam police chief Nguyen Ngoc Loan shots a young man, whom he suspects to be a Viet Kong soldier. Photo Credits: Eddie Adams, USA, The Associated Press.

Eddie Adams

Adams has taken some of the most iconic and devastating photos we know. He won the Pulitzer prize for this photo in Vietnam of Vietnamese General Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing a Viet Cong lieutenant at point-blank range.

Art Photography

Jock Sturges. Fine Art Photography. Line of Beauty and Grace. 

This image emphasis beauty of human and nature that link the human heart with nature.

Jock Sturges. Fine Art Photography. Line of Beauty and Grace. 

This image emphasis beauty of human and nature that link the human heart with nature.

Jock Sturges (born 1947) is an American photographer, best known for his images of nude adolescents and their families. Sturges graduated with a BFA in Perceptual Psychology and Photography from Marlboro College and received an MFA in photography from the San Francisco Art Institute

1. The main differences and similarities between art and press photography;

Art photographs and press photographs tell a story to viewers. Moreover, it is very similar to a picture using visual aids. However, there is a difference between art and press because it shows the intention which has a different object.  Art photographs are not restricted by any rules. You have freedom when you take pictures and it is also possible to fix whatever artists want and replace something as they intend another thing. It tells a creative story of artists so doing this, they can go inside the art deeply. Not means it only picture but shares thinking such as insight that includes the meaning inside. Art photographs reflect what communicate with viewers they want. It also emphasis the emotional content of the subject. It need not to shed of true light and not to report picture existing originally. The main goal is to capture an image that represents an interpretation of the subject. 

Press photographs, on the other hand, can not be changed while artist is taking pictures. It is impossible to not only fix the picture also correct this. It is only reported and employed by firm. Press photographs have to be ethical and follow the guideline. Plus, It has to be public and correct. For example, it press photographer manipulate pictures, these are not press photographs. These are art photographs. They should not distort the truth. It has to describe origin picture simply and admit of no doubt. However, It touches viewers as it shows the realty at the moment because it is true. It can be shown on newspapers or magazines and while viewers are scanning, it provides viewers to visual materials and it gives them to focus on the subject. Art photographs are metaphor and press photographs are spontaneous.

2. Is it ethical and acceptable to alter art photographs? Why? Why not?

There is no doubt art photographs are possible to manipulate and revise by the artists when they express themselves. They can fix their pictures and by doing so, they can not only make creative visions of the picture but also show their own world. Not limited by anything but reflecting other thinking. For these reasons, it is ethical then and acceptable to alter art photographs.

3. Is it ethical and acceptable to alter press photographs? Why? Why not?

We can call press photographs to news photographs. These are used in connection and supported with the reporting of news by the media, via the Internet, magazines and newspapers. People want to know what happened around us so they use the media. That’s why press photographs have to follow some specific guidelines and rules. They also have to follow a journalistic code. If press photographers put their thinking into the picture, the viewers are misled by wrong information implied from the altered images. It is not allowed to use untruthful information. It should show the truth. For these reasons, it is not ethical or acceptable to alter press photographs.

References 

http://bitsbypieces.blogspot.ca/2012/03/eddie-adams-good-stuff.html

http://www.amadelio.org/volumes_entries/jock_sturges_photography/sturges_html/content/fine_art_jock_sturges_03_large.html

http://gregorythielker.com/gamle/gamle.html

http://justmarianne.tumblr.com/tagged/illustration

http://www.eccofineart.com/en-fine-art-photos/ecco-photographic-fine-art-photos-photography.htm