STYLE “identifiable, personalized way of doing things”
RANGE OF EXPRESSION
Can be deliberately formed, eg New Topographics, New Colour and Dusseldorf School.
(At this point my reading headed off to investigate the Dusseldorf School. Started by the Bechers in mid 70s it is typlically B&W images from the, mostly plain images. Looked at work of Thomas Struth and to be frank wondered what the fuss was about. Is he famous because he is famous..?)
Baseline is classical composition pushing outwards to: extreme arrangements; plain, deadpan style, and chaos (cleverly managed).
CLASSICAL COMPOSITION
Classical composition is style that uses widely accepted conventions of balance, division, placement etc – the success lies in the way we see things, our hard-wired visual system.
Harmony and balance are known and can satisfy us but equally can make for uninteresting images. Need to be aware of the competing tendencies – balancing for equilibrium and disruption to jolt the awareness.
Gombrich’s “beholder’s share” viewer gets most from of a work of art when has to complete it/
Need to keep jolting viewers out of complacency.
Because of the ease with which photographers can publish their work on the internet’ this shifts power away from established media and democratizes photography, probably leading o more rapid change of fashion.
I think democratization could go two ways: it could lead to more trends and quicker movement, but could also stultify trending because of the plethora of material makes it less certain that any Zeitgeist will emerge – a sort of anarchic state.
HARMONICS
Golden Section - ratio of smaller part to large part is same as ratiod of the larger to the whole
Derves from music to a degree - 4:6:9 or 9:12:16 are well-known harmonies.
Because of the lack of time, skilful composition in photography is more difficult than art.
LEADING THE EYE
Little is actually known of how people view photos - people look at what interests them individually. But can lead the eye by pointing or leading with a vector form large to small for example. Adds interest and even a sense of time in so far as it suggests a sequencing within the image.
HARMONICS
Golden Section - ratio of smaller part to large part is same as ratiod of the larger to the whole
Derves from music to a degree - 4:6:9 or 9:12:16 are well-known harmonies.
Because of the lack of time, skilful composition in photography is more difficult than art.
LEADING THE EYE
Little is actually known of how people view photos - people look at what interests them individually. But can lead the eye by pointing or leading with a vector form large to small for example. Adds interest and even a sense of time in so far as it suggests a sequencing within the image.
