Sub-Theme - Touch
I've chosen the subtheme of touch because I want my photographs to all have a sense of intimacy and represent the expression of physical interaction. The photographs I take will be able to present expressing and receiving affection through touch. Touch allows people to express their desires of emotional closeness and comfort.
Dorothea Lange, Hands
What I enjoy most about these photos is how their in black and white, the tones of the photo, it makes the mood of it seem more duller and low; creating a sulken mood. I enjoy it because it adds onto the storyline of the photo, like how in the first photo shows a parent or guardian craddling their child. The different textures of the hands are what stand out to me most, the child in the first photo has quite smooth hands, which further emphasises their youth and innocence. Whilst the second pair of hands look more rough and old as their skin seems tighter which makes their veins under the skin more visible. What also stands out to me is how on the elder pair of hands, their right hand is slighly tense on the childs waist, it sort of shows their protection for the child which is what causes me to think that the hands belong to the childs father. The second photo shows a man covering the bottom half of his face with his hand. His hands are quite rough looking, the skin on his hand is tight which also shows his older age. If he was more pale I think that his skin would be lighter even in the black and white tone so I figure that his natrual skin tone is quite tan. I think that the way Lange has used lighting in this photo is by using a natrual one as his eyes are covered by a shadow. If his hand was turned the other way and sort of cupping his hand. This makes us think that he is in shock of something or trying to cover the fact that he is in disbelief and but instead its turned the other way.
Dorothea Lange and Tim Booth Comparison
The main difference I can see between the two photographs is the use of space. For example in Lamges photo (left) there is a large pair of hands placed behind their back and their holding a smaller pair. They are placed quite far from the camera so the hands arent taking a lot of space. Whilst in Booths photograph the hands are placed very closely to the camera, they take up all the space which is really interesting as it makes the skin more defined. In Lange's photograph, the use of different hands is what stands out to me the most as theres a large pair of hands that are placed behind someones back. The hands being clasped behind the back potray a sense of authority and protection which is very present as their holding a smaller hand. This makes me think that its a child holding their mothers hands. I believe its a mother and child because the mothers hands are very smooth and young looking and the childs hands are much smaller and it has a smoother texture. In Booths photograph, the skin texture stands out as its very wrinkly and tight. The use of texture on the hands makes the photograph very interesting as in comparison to Lange's photograph, the hands Booth used are wrinkled and tight which makes me think its a male who is either old or works a rough job due to the touch texture of his skin. Whilst in Langes photograph the skin is smoother looking and the second hand is much younger.
Dorothea Lange
I want my photograph to have a sad mood to it and I feel like this can be achieved by using a black and white toning, the main message of the photograph is loss. This can relate to Lange's photograph of the child being cradeled by his parents because its the opposite idea. The photograph I want to make is two hands holding each other so that it potrayes the protection and security presented in Lange's photograph but also a second photograph could be a single hand reaching out to present the opposite which is loss and isolation. I want to incorporate some dead flowers into the photo but im not sure how I want them to look.
Studio Light Photo
Here I took photos using the studio light in the classroom and because I didn't have access to any flowers I improved using a camera and a necklace. I also used two hands which are two different skin tones so that when I put it into black and white, you can tell that the hands are different shades.
Black And White - Photoshop
Cool Black and White - Photoshop
Physically Edited - Scalpel and Cutting board
Dark Room Experiments, positives and negatives
Ammar Al Attar
What I enjoy most about these photographs is how theres more than one person in the photograph, the use of more than one photograph gives a sense that theres some sort of relationship between them. Its also symbolises a community between them, maybe their neighbours or attend the same mosque? I especially enjoy the fact that the first photograph has been taken from a birds eye view, I feel like if i tried getting a photograph like that I could use google maps around areas like a park or a resteraunt with outdoor seating.The second photograph has to be my favourite as their all sat around a table and playing a game of dominoes, the use of the black and white tone contradicts the obvious sense of love a friendship that surrounds them. As a black and white typically represents light vs dark. The last photograph is very interesting as well as theres a pair of hands holding some cards, what i like about this photograph is how the rest of the photo is blurred which causes the main subject of the photograph to be the hands. Responses I can make could be using google maps to get a bird eye view of people eating at a park or in an outdoor restaurant to get some photos from a different perspective.
Ammar Al Attar and Angèle Etoundi Essamba Comparison
Angele Etoundi Essamba uses hands as a representation the identities and strength of African women, which is a big difference to Ammar Al Attar who typically takes photos of people at a cafe, sitting around normally and playing cards with one another. In the first photograph, Essambe outlines the palm lines on the inside of her hand which even in black and white stands out. This is interessting as many people use palm lines as a way to read a persons characteristics. Essamba has deep lines throughout her hands which typically represent that the persons mind is clear and focused which thus presents the theme of strength in African women. The second photograph consists of a hand with the writing of 'silence est un éternel discours' which translates to 'silence is an eternal speech.' This is written repeatedly across the four fingers, which further emphasises the quote. This is interesting because its also a presentation of women inner strength, through the emphasis of the palm lines. Ammar Al Attar takes his photos from an outside cafe where local men gather up to play cards and dominos together after eating a meal. Its captavating as its taken from a very simple space, a small group of benches in the outdoors, allowing natrual light to flow through. The third photograph is taken by Ammar and i mainly chose it due to its simplicity, its been taken in an outdoor space from behind a person holding two domino cards. The hands are quite hard to see but it looks very textured and rough, which means its a man on the older side. This is very captavating as many people take pity to older adults as they're seen as fragile and delicate, so the old man playing cards with his friends is a very bittersweet moment to capture. The fourth photograph has been taken from above the end of a table capturing two people playing cards together. What captures my eyes is how the photos are in black and white, but this is captures more white than black which represents purity, innocence and beginnings. The men are also dressed in white thawbs which are arabic dresses for men to keep them cool during the summer. This is interesting as I mentioned previously, the photo captures much more white than black and them men being dressed in thawb both present modesty and purity which makes the photograph all the more eye opening.
Responses to Ammar Al Attar
Ammar Al Attar developments from colour to black and white? |
I wanted to make the images more like hjis work by removign colour and expoloring the whiteness in his images:
Dark room experiments
Scalpel expermients
Next Steps; GCSE Plans
- I would like to start playing around with colour using the printer (photocopy)
- I'd also like to start mixing colour into the photos above by layering/collaging.
- Make photograms and positives
- Draw around the prints of my hands using pens
- Videoing a stop motion recording of layering opaque photos above each other
- Stop motion video of hands with flowers