This blog will act as a learning log for the "Art of Photography" course which I'm studying. This course is the introductory module for the Open College of the Arts (OCA), Photography Degree course.

Sunday, 15 December 2013

Magnum (lighting)

A few images which show an interesting use of light in the Magnum book I got for my birthday.

Harry Gruyaert's photograph from inside a room in Mali. The scene has high contrast with the bright light outside showing through the window in the scene outside and also the light shining through from the window to the side (pg 296). The image has wonderful warm tones.

The sunlight through the shutters create a myriad of patterns in Gueorgui Pinkhassov's image of Japanese business men. Combined with the out of focus shapes of the men, the image takes on a beautiful abstract quality (pg 387).

The backlighting in the image of the forest canopy in Stuart Franklin's photograph creates a wonderful silhouette pattern of pure black and white (pg 508).

I was suprised to see that Bruce Gilden was part of Magnum. His approach to photography which subjugates and almost humiliates the subject seems quite counter to the humanitarian ethic of Magnum - at least in terms of approach, if not output. However, the results are powerful, striking and unique. The literally "in-your-face" flash bleaches out and freezes the subject and leaves the background darkened and blurred. The expressions on the faces of the subjects range from the shocked, to the confused, to the defiant. (pg 484).

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