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What is a Photographic Movement?
What is a Photographic Movement?
Photographic movements are periods throughout history where a style or approach emerges that many photographers experiment with over that period. Another way to think about this is like a trend, but over a longer period of time than a TikTok trend or fashion trend, usually up to a decade. Frequently, photography movements were driven by technology that was available at the time, as well as what was happening in society and the Arts, with photographs responding to philosophies and ideas with themes and meaning in their images. An example of a modern photographic movement could be the use of AI in images as this has been shaped by technology available to us but has also led to creation of particular styles of images.
What is Surrealism?
What is Surrealism?
Surrealism Movement (1919)
Surrealism Movement (1919)
Surrealist photography is all about creating strange, dreamlike images that don’t follow the normal rules of reality. It became popular in the early 1900s and was influenced by big changes in society, like the effects of World War I and new ideas about how the mind works. Surrealist photographers wanted to explore the unconscious mind by putting together unusual objects or scenes to surprise and confuse the viewer. They used creative techniques like double exposure, photomontage, and image manipulation to make their photos feel mysterious and unexpected.
Claude Cahun (1930) 'Aveux non Avenus' URL
Salvador Dali (1931) Melting Clocks, URL
In short
In short
Creates dreamlike images that don’t follow logic or reality.
Started in the early 1900s alongside abstract art.
Influenced by war, new psychology ideas, and changing social norms.
Aims to explore the unconscious mind, creating mystery and surprise.
Uses techniques like double exposure, photomontage, and image manipulation.
Photographer: Jerry Uelsmann
Photographer: Jerry Uelsmann
NY Times (2022) 'Jerry Uelsmann, Surreal Image-Maker' URL
Introduction
Introduction
Jerry Uelsmann is a renowned American photographer, best known for his ground-breaking work on surreal photography. Surreal photography is a genre that explores imaginative and dreamlike compositions by combining elements from various sources to create visually striking and often otherworldly images. Uelsmann was born in 1934 and was one of the first photographers that started photomontage, which means combining multiple photos in to one (kind of like when you Photoshopped yourself falling or flaying).
Uelsmann created dreamlike images by blending elements from multiple photos with his compositions often featuring fantastical landscapes, floating objects, and unexpected juxtapositions, getting audiences to consider where reality and imagination can combine. A juxtaposition means comparing things that seem opposite to each other. Uelsmann 's images have received a bunch of awards and been displayed at major museums across the world.
Some Examples
Surreal photos often show images related to dreams and imagination. These are deliberately created to create thoughts and feelings in their audience. In the following images, consider:
What do you see?
What do you think or feel about it?
Some More info
In this video, Uelsmann describes some of his intentions.
What types of things does Uelsmann choose to photograph and why?
When Uelsmann took photos in the 70s and 80s, colour photos were an option but he chose to create in black and white? Why?
What did Uelsmann describe hoping his audience would think and feel in response to his photos?
LA Review of Books (2015) 'Photographer Spotlight: Jerry Uelsmann' URL
TW: Minor Artistic Nudity for a second or two
As a Class
We will practise using annotations to identify and describe the 'Make' and 'Method' elements from AIMMEE.
Remember the Make & Method Elements:
Make
Make
When you plan and make a photograph, there are many things that you use to communicate your intention to your audience. This section includes the elements that you include to produce particular thoughts, feelings or story: the things that are in front of the camera. Examples include:
Subject, the main part of the image (where your subject is a person, include positions or facial expressions)
Background (What is the background? Which type of background?)
Props & Objects
Actions that are occurring
Lighting (direction, time of day, artificial / natural, outside / inside, warm / cool tone)
Example: Metallica' master of puppets includes hands in the sky with strings attached to soldier's gravestones to represent the idea of soldiers not making their own choices but being controlled by the government.
Metallica (1986) Master of Puppets. URL.
Method
Method
Method means the process that you take to make something (for example, in a recipe, the method section tells you what to do with ingredients to cook something). In photography, this relates to the ways that you capture the things in the 'Make' section above: the choices you make behind the camera to convey your intention to your audience. These choices include:
Camera settings (shutter speed, aperture, ISO)
Compositional Tools & Colours used
Angles
Using a tripod / self timer / remote
Anything you thought about or did to set up or capture your photograph
Example: In Joker (2019), the shot of the Joker on the stairs uses leading lines to draw attention to the Joker, while the low angle and fill the frame make him seem important, powerful and scary.
Gleiberman, O. (2018) Why 'Joker' is All of Us. URL.
In your Portfolio
Start a new page with the title, 'Jerry Uelsmann.'
Choose one of the three photos from the list of examples on this page or find another here.
Label the photographer, title of the photo and the date.
Use annotations to identify and describe the 'Make' and 'Method' elements from AIMMEE.
Describe what you think the intention of the photo could be. Use the links provided to help you.
Examples
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