Edward Weston – Edward
Weston’s Book of Nudes
Edward Weston is a famous photographer who opened up his
first portrait studio at age 25 in Tropico, California to which he became an
independent photographer. His work consisted of a range of landscapes, portraits,
still life, and nudes. The book that I chose composes of his work of nudes.
Weston faced many challenges when trying to get the book published because of
its content and publisher’s disinclination to the theme at such a conservative
time. In 1985 the Getty Museum finally featured Weston’s nude series. Many
times people look at living naked bodies as subject of sex. In looking at the
images that Weston produced one can develop appreciation for nude bodies as
art. Weston photographs bare bodies in the least sexual way, capturing them as
mere sculptures or composites of shapes. Subjects were photographed with their
bodies centered and twisted as clowns twist balloons to produce a shape. As
humans we are inclined to look at faces first and for a longer time and because
the body is the primary focus, majority of the images are faceless. He further
brings the concentration to the body’s structure by producing the images in
sepia so that attention is bought to the element of the body shapes presented.
He plays with lighting angels to create dimension. Not shining the light
straight forward on the body allows for certain curves and creases on the body
to be emphasized. In comparison he provides some images of items and landscapes
that model human shapes.
Jorn Vanhofen – Aftermath
Jorn Vanhofen is a photographer who works for international
magazines. Vanhofen’s series title is exactly what he captures, the aftermath
of destruction on sites that were a part of the process development, industry,
and commerce at one point. He captures damage in states of the world such as
the Chicago Stock Exchange, Cape Town, forest fires of Apulia, abandoned factories
in Detroit, and the junkyard of his hometown. While destruction is clearly seen
in these sites, Vanhofen adds vibrancy to images as to suggest life, hope, or
appreciation for what was there before. The spirit is felt through the picture
and does not make the viewer want to run away from the destruction but invokes
curiosity or desire to resolve. To not deviate attention to people and the
social aspect of destruction, people are vacant from the images captured. Most
images are taken outside or where natural light is prominent. Focus is often
bought to the center of the page or slightly off center where the subject or
most prominent object is. What I like most about his images is how the colors
are coordinated. The subject is often the brightest image and framed or
surrounded by complimentary, less vibrant colors. All of his images are also
presented horizontally rectangular.
Arne Svenson – The Neighbors
Arne Svenson is a self-taught photographer whose work is
featured in both public and private collections such as the San Francisco Museum
of Modern Art, Carnegie Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Huston, New York Public
Library, Elton John Collection, and Bidwell Projects. He has authored multiple books such as Sock Monkeys, Prisoners, and Chewed.
His image composite consists of sock monkeys, adopted images of early 20th
century prisoners, forensic facial alterations, and more. Svenson’s book that I
chose to review is titled The Neighbors,
which was also featured in the exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art
Denver. This book is a composite of photos of subjects through windows. Each
image is framed or divided by a window. Suggesting that someone occupies the
space, people are seen in the photo. The images seek to suggest something about
the person living in the place whether it be what they are doing or what they
may have interest in. To not put too much focus on the person, no faces are fully
displayed. The people occupy the space only in one corner of the window so
subjects are never centered. The subject is also often the brightest thing in
the frame and surrounded by a contrasting color.
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