Martin Parr - photo books are a supreme platform to disiminate the work and ideas of photographers
The ambitious mission of Provoke to create a new photographic language that could transcend the limitations of the written word was declared with the launch of the magazine’s first issue. The year was 1968 and Japan, like America, was undergoing sweeping changes in its social structure. A questioning of traditional social conventions and a loss of confidence in existing political powers was happening in many creative disciplines across Japan and formed the foundation that fuelled Provoke’s mission. Unified under a manifesto that advocated conceptualism over realism, Provoke‘s photographers and writers moved beyond issues of what to photograph, and sought to uncover and question the essential nature of photography itself. The visual results flouted the precision of earlier documentary modes in favour of a less focused imagery that allowed for chance and the unknown to reveal itself in the photographic process.
-- Russet Lederman, 2012
8 |
What makes this photograph so striking is because the man is so prominent in the photograph. His presence puts you on edge by creating a way in which you can relate to this situation on a crowded, stuffy train. Another factor is that it wouldn't have worked as well if it was in any other context. Another factor is that the context of the photo book This photo books context gives reason for the seam to be going down the middle of this mans face, that is why it works so well.
|
6 |
This photograph can sum up the idea Moriyama had behind the photo book. This photograph including 7 could have been tests he took to see if the camera was working or to move the film on.
|
9 |
This is the sort of photography I love. This photograph has been taken with such carelessness that it has been totally abstracted in the process. This sort of abstraction makes you see new, different things out of the rough, destorted description of the objects. To me one half of this photograph is of a row of seats on a plane and the other half (the left half) is a train station. The two different pages help to create the illusion of two separate images when it is actually one photograph.
|
3/10 |
These two photographs have were taken out of a moving train window. They are fantastic as they create a very desolute image of the country. It describes the social situation well although Moriyama wouldn't have intended it to when he took the photograph.To me the blurred image describes the youth who are fast moving and are creating a new world for themselves. The scratchy, grainy surface of the photograph represents the government and their traditional values breaking down. It highlights the split society in Japan. The choice to include this photo shows how Moriyama was unsettled with his life just as the Japanese society was. This backs up how Moriyama was such a central figure in Japanese photography at this period.
|
As a figure and promoter of 'pure' photographer and part of the Czech society of photography, Funke established himself as one of the most important representatives of the Czech Avant-Garde scene. Funke's photography displayed a strong representation of Czech traditional photographic values. These values he retained created a perfect 'lyrical' commentary on the country. This was especially significant due to the period of time he was working in, between world wars. During the early 1920's Funke's photography became very modernist. During this time he developed two skills that would help make one of the most influential photo books in history. His extensive study of still lives and his time spent teaching were the factors that went into creating Fotografie vidi povrch which was an informative book. In his book there is a clear format of the photograph on one page and then on the other there is a description of it and information about exactly how he took it. The technical details are involved in this information for example the F.stop and the type of camera is mentioned.
|
The layout of the book is not something that I would, at this stage of my photographic experimentation, be interested in following. However the quality of photographs that Funke takes compels me to explore still life subjects in the same way that he does. I find that his photographs look so smooth and that if I were to touch them my finger would just glide along the page. They are formally as perfect as they possibly could be and this formality holds an essence of perfection, not just in the photograph but in the object. His photography complies with Albert Renger-Patzsch as they both make objects that we wouldn't normally refer to as being beautiful look gorgeous because of their formality.
|
I love how they squeeze into things. Everything is in its place, everything has its spot. I mean, you couldn't design that.
- Alejandro Cartagena
Preston Bus Station |
This is a Zine. They are a fantastic tool used by self-published photographers that are easy, original and personal to make. They are usually made by hand, using cheap printing methods such as photocopiers. They are a perfect for a student photographer who is perhaps more serious about the A level course than others as they are a cheap and effective way to get your work out there.
The Photozine to the left has been printed on newsprint. Its layout runs on a rough, scrapbook esque design. Much like the Alejandro Cartagena photobook, the layout of the book resembles the photographs within. This gives me something to think about because when I create my photobook I could follow this noiton of allowing the layout to resemble the photographs or I could do the opposite. For example, Daido Moriyama has a very pristine book but the photographs are completely the opposite of that. The Photozine is a great way to experiment with these options cheaply but effectively. |