Black and White Photography

Inspired Photographers Project

Photography 1

Molly Whelan

April 11th 2017

Lee Friedlander

Birth year- 1934

Place of Birth- Aberdeen, Washington

Education- Art Center College and Design

In his early years, he was more interested in art than photography. Lee was awarded fellowships and grants to focus on his art. However, when he discovered photography, he photographed nude photos of Madonna for playboy. Lee’s goal was to capture the look and feel of modern life. Friedlander was inspired by the people around him. He was inspired by strangers and their bodies. He enjoyed photographing portraits and body parts such as close up shots of feet and eyes. I believe that his message is that the modern world would not be what it is without the people. The humans make the world what it is today.

Bill Brandt

Birth year- 1904

Place of Birth- Hamburg, Germany

Education- Between developing tuberculosis, spending six years in the hospital, and getting a job straight out of recovery, Bill didn’t have the time or energy to obtain and education.

At a young age, Bill developed tuberculosis and was forced to stay in a hospital for six years in Davos. He worked as a freelance photographer for a while. In his photos, Bill plays with shadows and lighting in the majority of his work. Brandt wanted to be a photographer to be more like the artist’s that he worked with. They recommended him to continue on with photography because they were amazed by a portrait he took. Brandt’s work is influenced by the surrealist style, as well as the work of Parisian photographer, Eugene Atget. Bill was passionate for the arts, and he used photography as a form of conveying his thoughts.

Compare and Contrast

Differences

Lee Friedlander

Compositional-

Friedlander works in specifically black and white. His photos are mainly straight on, but include informal balance, formal balance, and many other compositions that make his photos as gorgeous as they are. He is known for playing with lighting and reflections.

Subject -

Lee uses humans as his subjects. However, he places them in an urban setting. Such as the street, in cars, or in any other unexpected or candid setting.

Theme-

By photographing humans and by playing with lighting and reflections, Lee shows the world how the modern world wouldn’t be where it is today without the humans. There is a very dramatic mood created by his photos.

Bill Brandt

Compositional

Bill commonly does close up portraits of his subjects. His photos have high contrast, which adds to the dramatic feeling of his work.

Subject-

Like I said earlier, Bill does close ups of humans and their body parts such as their eyes, legs, and even feet. He has also taken a series of nude photographs.

Theme-

Brandt has a very expressive and artistic way of taking photos. He looks through the lense in a different light. By playing with lighting and expressions, he creates a very dramatic theme throughout his photos.

Compare and Contrast

Similarities

Compositional-

Both of these photographers stick with the black and white theme. They play with lighting cast on the subjects. In both cases, that subject is the human.

Subject-

Despite the fact that they use they subjects in different forms, both artists commonly use humans and body parts as their subjects.

Theme-

I think that both Lee and Bill take photos to communicate the matureness of the modern world and how complicated, yet simple it is. They also both want the world to know how critical human life is to the modern world.

Critique

Bill Brandt

What do you like about this photographers work? Why?

I really enjoy the fact that Bill strictly works in black and white. I think that that really says something about his style and personality. I love how dramatic the photos are. This mood is created by the black and white factor as well as the subject’s expression in a given photo.

What do you not like? Is there anything that makes you uncomfortable? Why?

Overall, I really enjoyed this photographers work. I there was one thing that would make me uncomfortable it would be the nude photograph portfolio. After seeing Bill’s work, I can only imagine they would be gorgeous photos, however, nude photographs make anyone and everyone uncomfortable.

Lee Friedlander

What do you like about this photographers work? Why?

When I first laid eyes on Lee’s work, I was immediately starstruck. I loved how he took candid photos of random people in a modern setting such as as city street. The way he uses lighting, reflections, and the interactions of the subjects creates a mood of drama, mystery, and sometimes even romance, all of which I adore.

What do you not like? Is there anything that makes you uncomfortable? Why?

In some of his photos, Lee uses the interaction of his subjects in certain ways the make me uncomfortable. It gives me the feeling that one person is in danger. I know that it’s just a photo, but since Lee is known for taking candid shots of strangers, this worries me. However, I love how he can capture and convey this feeling through a photograph.

Bibliography

“Bill Brandt.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Apr. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Brandt. Accessed 13 Apr. 2017.

“Bill Brandt.” International Photography Hall of Fame, iphf.org/inductees/bill-brandt/. Accessed 13 Apr. 2017.

“Lee Friedlander.” Fraenkel Gallery, fraenkelgallery.com/artists/lee-friedlander. Accessed 13 Apr. 2017.

“Lee Friedlander.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Apr. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Friedlander. Accessed 13 Apr. 2017.