www.listofphotographers.blogspot.com
I adapt these and develop these types of resources on a regular basis trying to find an easy one that fits all uses. This one is designed to be used in conjunction with examining and using written materials as well as the accompanying images.
Use this prompt sheet to generate questions and answers relating to your research.
Remember; in order to make your responses analytical you will need to ask what if type questions.
A
personal approach – what do I bring? Yourself
– your world – your experience. Use this approach first.
(1).Yourself – What are your first reactions to the
work? Why does it make you think or feel like that? There are fundamental
differences between us that condition the way we see things. Gender, race,
class and age will all determine the way we look at and understand art, as will
our attitudes, values and beliefs. What’s your take on this type of work before
you commence your research?
Looking
at the object – what can I see? – Colour – shapes
– marks – surface – scale – space – materials – processes – composition
(2).Colour – What colours does the Photographer
use? Why do you think s/he used these colours? How are they organised? What
effects do they create? Do they draw your attention to them for a reason? Would
it work better in B&W and vice versa? How is the colour used – Colour
harmony, discord, contrast, monochromatically?
(3). Production values – size, format, scale, materials – how
well has the work been produced, what camera has been used? Can you see that
this is a high quality product destined for a certain market/use?
(4).Composition – How is the work organised and put
together? How is the rule of thirds used? Is it presented in portrait or
landscape format – why?
(5). Lighting & Mood – How is the light used, is it high-key
or Low-key? What kind of lighting is being used; is it point or diffuse? High
contrast or flat? Is the lighting ambient or mixed? Are there any clues as to
how the lighting is being used and why? How is shape, form and texture affected
by the use of the light – how relevant is this aspect?
(6).Location/Background/Scene – look at the scene and the background,
do the details in the foreground and the background relate to each other, is
the narrative of the image reinforced by this relationship? Is it constructed –
how do you know? Would the narrative change if the viewpoint was changed –
how/why?
(7).People images – Look at the body language, the
clothes, facial expressions – how can these be read and deconstructed?
Looking
at the subject – what is it about? Content –
message – title – theme – type/genre
(8). Message – What does the work represent? Moving
beyond a straight description of what you see, try to speculate on what the
work might stand for. Are there symbols or conventions you recognise?
(9). Purpose – Do the images have an instantly
recognisable purpose – what could they be used for, how and why? Who is the
target market and why?
(10). Influence – Is the work influenced by the work of
other photographers or artists?
Context
– When – where – who – history – other arts – other
fields of knowledge – the present – the hang – interpretation – the environment
(11). When – When was the work made? Can we make
any connections between the work and the period that it was made?
(12). Who – Who made it? What do we know about
the artist? Who was it made for?
(13). The
present – How do
people view the work today? Is it the same or different from how it might have
been seen by different generations/eras?
What are the most effective
forms of secondary research and why?
Journals – Such
as British Journal of Photography, Aperture, Image, 8, AG and Hotshoe (All
found in the library and LRC). You need
to be very selective with your research. The most effective way is to use the
journals listed above. If you look at, read and use these on a regular basis it
will introduce you to a vast array of types of photography and so inspire and
influence your projects throughout the course.
The articles in these magazines are short and concise,
ram-packed with the type of information you’ll need to use in your analysis of
research. The articles give you the
information and you’ll learn the vocabulary required to do well on your course.
In addition video’s where the artist talks about their work
or is interviewed. www.americansuburbx.com
Read the article – Now start to make sense of the
images with the knowledge from the article and any further research – have a
look to see if there is a Ted talk, or a Youtube interview with the artist.
Make sure the information can be trusted.
Don’t use Wikipedia or blogs written by people without any
qualification to comment on the work. Only use national newspapers (Be wary of
some though). National and regional museums and galleries, check the
credentials of the interviewers and writers using their Linkedin profiles or
similar, are they qualified to comment on the work? If in doubt don’t use them.
The safest way is to use the BJP and other edited journals.
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