Aspects of Modernism Part One: ‘Pure’ and ‘Straight’ Photography Early 20th Century- WWI
“Form follows Function” ● ●
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The mantra of modernism For photography this means that photographs should look like photographs No manipulation A move away from ‘pictorialism’ of the middle to end of the 19th century An exploration of the qualities specific to the medium
Alfred Steiglitz ●
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The force behind the establishment of the photograph to the status of an art in it’s own right Birth of ‘straight’ photography
Flatiron building 1903
The Steerage, 1907
Pure photography and the f.64 group ● ●
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US group based in San Fancisco in early 1930’s Founded by Willard Van Dyke and Ansel Adams Gallery in his home called 683 (Brockhurst Oakland) See handout for the group manifesto Characteristics: sharp focus, detail through print, natural forms
Edward Weston, Nude, 1936 and Pepper No.30
Paul Strand, Wall Street, New York, 1915
Ansel Adams, (Yosemite), Monolith 1927
Willard Van Dyke, still from The City, 1938
Imogen Cunningham, Magnolia Blossom, 1925
Visual Language of pure and straight photography ●
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Depth of field-as much of the image in focus as possible Contrast- strong use of full tonal range (black to white) Exquisite hand printing, no manipulation Subject matter: Art genres eg: still life and the nude, landscape etc. The City, people in relation to technology
Further Reading ●
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Newhall, B, The History of Photography, Chapter 10, ‘Straight Photography’ Clarke, G, The Photograph, Chapter 9, ‘The photograph as Fine Art’