Assignment 1A: Photography - Sahar
ANDREAS GURSKY
Gursky’s series of images presents coloured photographs which convey immense panoramic scenes. Such images include cityscapes, endless horizons, multi-floored office buildings, huge factory corridors and crowded public spaces. The images are often captured from a distance which allow Gursky to reflect the everyday aesthetics of the 20th century society. Although the photos physically appear banal and dull, the quotidian spaces convey significant abstract quality.
Gursky’s photograph, ‘Avenue of the Americans’ depicts the façade of a building captured in the night. The relative difference is represented through the contrasting concept of light vs. dark. The black background intensifies on the light shown through the building lights. Gursky’s technique allows him to focus on the sharpness and the brightness of the lights captured in the streets of America. This further intensifies on a texture Gursky portrays through the gridded building.
Perhaps Gursky’s goal was to photograph the quintessential Americans and recurring vision of American streets. This can appear banal to viewers as it is a frequent insight in the streets of America.
This image was taken in a straight angle which allowed Gursky to capture a whole building. This perspective displays no elements of hierarchy as all windows that are lit up appear to have an identical scale, hence the house sizes are the same. This is emphasised through the arrangement of the subject elements. Given that, the image consists of a symmetrical layout as depicted in the analysis, it suggests that the residents are equal regarding social status and income.
‘Alba’ depicts a horizon of mountains and trees. The image taken from a long shot angle allows Gursky to capture the essence of nature with no form of man-made constructions present. This can appear banal due to the lack of subject elements. Furthermore, Gursky captures the image through the exposure and focus on natural light. This few tones of colour revealed range from light grey (sky and ground), to lighter green (mountains), to darker green (trees). The absence of supplementary colours abates the radiant energy, therefore appearing highly banal. The ground consists of detailed texture which is intensified through the sharpness of the surface. Also, the image documents an activity performed by the hikers, as they provide the viewers a sense of direction, hence the outline of the analysis.
Gursky’s photograph, ‘99cent’ depicts the inside of a supermarket. The plain white background intensifies on the vibrant colours shown through the packaging of the food. Gursky’s technique allows him to focus on the sharpness and the vividness of the supermarket captured in the centre of the shop. The variety of distinct vivid hues allow Gurkey the create a certain texture to the image.
Perhaps Gursky’s goal was to photograph the quintessential consumers of the supermarket. This can appear banal to viewers as it is a frequent insight in most supermarket grocery stores.
This image was taken in a high, straight angle which allowed Gursky to capture a whole shop. This perspective displays no elements of hierarchy as the consumers of the stores are captured symmetrically in the same position.
This is also emphasised through the arrangement of the subject elements. Given that, the image consists of a symmetrical layout as depicted in the analysis, it suggests that the consumers are equal regarding social status and income. This is further strengthened through the context of a “99 cent” store.
Kamiokande’ presents a symmetrical arranged image of an observatory. The relative difference is epitomised through the contrasting concept of light vs. dark. The black background intensifies on the significance of the gold semi spheres. Gursky’s technique allows him to focus on the sharpness and the brightness of the elements captured in the observatory. Furthermore, the water highlights the reflection which creates an illusion. The photo expresses an ordinary and banal purpose as it consists of a repetitive rhythm which serves no sequence.
This image was taken in a straight angle which allowed Gursky to capture a segment of the location. This arrangement of the image presents a gridded structure which allows Gursky to highlight the detail and texture of the elements.
IMAGES - SAHAR
IMAGE ANALYSIS
The image displayed above depicts vines grown on a metal bar. The subject of nature is integrated into a man-made element. The image is taken in a high angle with great sharpness to focus on the detailed texture. Similarly to ‘Alba’, the image can appear banal due to the lack of subject elements. This is because like Gursky, this image captures the exposure through the focus on natural light with no bright colours. This few tones of colour revealed range from neutral blue (sky and ground), to light green (plants), to rusty brown (branch and metal). The absence of supplementary colours abates the radiant energy, therefore appearing highly banal.
The image illustrated depicts the subject of a man-made element integrated into nature. The compositional layout is gridded as illustrated in the analysis. Like ‘Avenue of the Americans’, the image depicts the notion of light. The relative difference is represented through the contrasting concept of artificial light in nature. The ordinary background intensifies on the light shown through the light bulbs. This can appear banal to viewers as it is a frequent insight in the streets of the streets surrounding UTS. The goal was to capture the quintessential citizens and their recurring vision of the streets. This image was taken in a straight angle which accentuates on the detail of the plants. This is emphasised through the arrangement of the subject elements. Given that the image consists of a symmetrical layout as depicted in the analysis.
This image focuses on the disorganisation of the man-made elements placed oddly on rocky ground. The rough texture like Gursky’s image ’99 Cent’ is emphasised through the composition of the subject elements. Taken from a bird’s eye view, the image can appear banal due to the lack of colours as the image presents only different tones of brown. Although there appears to be only one colour, the image is however emphasised through the sharpness which strengthens profound detail of the rocks.
Similarly to ‘Alba’, this image focuses on the essence of nature with no form of man-made constructions present. This can appear banal due to the lack of subject elements. Furthermore, the image is captured through the exposure and focus on natural light. The vertical, curved lines provide the viewers a sense of direction, hence the outline of the analysis. The tree trunk consists of detailed texture which is intensified through the sharpness of the surface. The absence of supplementary colours abates the radiant energy, therefore appearing highly banal.
Likewise to ‘Kamiokande’, the image presents a symmetrical arranged image of a wall located near UTS. This arrangement of the image presents a gridded structure which allows the photographer to highlight the detail and texture of the elements. The plants grown around the wires highlights the notion of nature imbedded into man-made material. Furthermore, the texture is emphasised on the sharpness and the brightness of the elements. The photo expresses an ordinary and banal purpose as it consists of a repetitive rhythm which serves no sequence or story.
The image displays a close-up shot of a web placed on a metal fence. Similarly to ‘Kamiokande’, the image represents profound detail and texture. The notion of nature is encapsulated through the cob web placed on a man-made material of metal fence. The salient red allows the viewer to focus on the metal and the elements placed on it. The photo conveys an ordinary and banal purpose as it consists of an element usually seen on the streets surrounding UTS which serves no sequence or story.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Gursky, A. 1955-, Andreas Gursky: Photographs from 1984 to the present, Munich: Schirmer/Mosel, c1998
