Photographer Research

Photographer Research

Ed Ruscha

Ed Ruscha completed a series in which he photographed twenty six gasoline stations in America. The series was completed in 1963 and consists of black and white photographs with captions. The photographs are of petrol stations, along the highway between Ruscha’s home in Los Angeles and his parent’s house in Oklahoma City.

The photo above is of a gas station with a large sign saying 'standard'. This is the name of the station which provides the photo with context. There are no people within the frame of the photo and there are also no cars. This has implications of the area being lifeless and inactive. In the foreground of the photo there is a shadow which looks as though it is of traffic lights. This could suggest that the photographer is taking the photo from a stopped car. The photographer has chosen to include the road within the photo. I feel as though this is significant due to the importance of the specific highway he has taken these photos on. This is the highway between his house and his parents house. In the photo you can see bunting that has been put on the station. I feel as though this could represent some sort of celebration. I believe this contrasts with the black and white image because I think this gives the photo a slightly sad tone. The puncum of the image is the 'standard' sign. I think this is because the text stands out to me as being important. I also like the way the sign looks as though it is pointing towards the gas station which makes it look slightly more inviting. I think that this also stands out to me as it is the highest point within the photo therefore it is immediately visible when looking at the photo. I think the photographer has tried to get the sign to stand out due to the importance of the individual gas stations within the series that he is completing. I think that by having the name of each of the stations in the photos gives the images a lot more personal meaning.

The photo above is of a gas station with multiple cars outside. There is also a sign outside that says 'Phillips 66' which is the name of the gas station. The punctum of this image for me is the shape of the building itself. The roof of the gas station is slanted and I feel as though this points your eyes towards the sign at the front of the gas station. In the background of this image there are a lot of trees and empty space. I think that this makes the gas station look as though it is in a secluded area. This could have connotations of loneliness. I also think that the almost yellow tone of the image adds a slightly sad atmosphere to the phoot which is interesting because Ed Ruscha is taking photos of a sentimental road, the road between his house and his parents house. This may mean that this area has sad connotations for him, maybe as a child and he wanted to reflect this within his work.  

The image above is of a gas station that has a roof with a 'v'  structure. The photographer has included a lot of symmetry within this photo which I feel is very effective in drawing people attention to the image. The photographer has chosen to take the photo from a far distance in order to include the entire station within the frame. I think that the use of a wide depth of field has been done on purpose in order to ensure that the viewer can see the entire gas station. The symmetry within the photo is slightly different on each side. I feel as though this could represent the idea that each person is slightly different and unique. Although there are no cars within the frame of the image the tyre marks on the road suggest that there are many cars that come in and out of the gas station. This could suggest that the gas station is closed and also that the photographer is taking the photo at early hours of the morning or late at night. The image has quite a soft contrast however the photographer has slightly enhanced the contrast in the sky area. I know this because the clouds are visible.

The image above is of a gas station and is slightly different to the other photos that I have looked at by Ed Ruscha. This is because it does not have the entire gas station within the frame of the image. I feel as though this gives the photo a slight element of mystery as you do not know what the rest of the gas station looks like. There are two cars visible in the photo however the photographer has made sure not to capture any movement within the photo. I think the photographer wanted to capture the train station at times that was not very busy. I think this is because he wanted to focus on the gas station itself rather than the people that may be at the gas station. Although this photo is part of a series I think that Ed Ruscha wanted to make each photo slightly different therefore he has not included the highway that this gas station is located on. He is looking at this gas station from a different angle to many of his other photos. This makes this image stand out in comparison to the other photos he has taken in this series. This could imlply that this gas station is important to him or it holds memories therefore he wanted to make this stand out.

Andre Kertesz

Andre Kertesz captured modern urban life within his photos. In 1925 he moved the Paris, where he became a photojournalist. Within his time in Paris he captured different photos of urban life including images of train platforms. To broaden his career he then moved to New York in 1936. Kertesz wanted to 'give meaning to everything'.

The photo above is of train tracks. It looks as though the photographer has taken the photo looking out onto the train tracks from the platform. There are leading lines within the image that draw your eyes into the distance of the photo. I like the way that there are skyscraper buildings in the background of the image and also that they aren't fully in focus. By making the background slightly out of focus it draws your attention to the foreground of the photo which is the focus of the image. I like the way all of the lines on the train track intertwine with each other. I feel as though this could have connotations of the different people that travel on trains being in the same place and their lives mixing in with each other. The photos that Andre Kertesz takes are all in black and white. I feel as though this adds something to his photos because it draws your attention to the details within the photo rather than being distracted by colour. He has also adjusted the contrast in the photo and made certain parts darker than other like the roof of the train platform in the top right and left corner of the image. If these photos were in colour these may have been a dull colour however he has decided to darken the features on the outer edges of the photo to focus your attention onto the centre of the image.

This is a photo of people walking around the surrounding streets of a train station. I like the way that the photo still includes a station and also a train however it is not a traditional photo including a station . The photo uses a wide depth of field in order to capture the train in the background of the photo. I believe the photo has been taken using a tripod because the composition has been thought through very well. The man in the foreground of the photo has been framed in order to look as though he is walking past the camera. It looks as though the man is carrying some sort of newspaper. He also looks as though he is dressed smartly with a tie and a hat on. This could indicate that this person is going to work or attending a meeting. The photo includes a slight juxtaposition between the smarty dressed man and the run down area that he is in. This could be representing the rich and the poor. The fact that the photographer has chosen to include this man in the photo could represent people that use the train as a necessity in order to get to work. There are also people walking in the background of the photo however it is not clear as to what they are wearing. 

The photo above is of a train platform looking downwards from a bridge. I like the incorporation of people within this photo because I feel as though this represents a lot of diversity within people. I like the composition of this photo because it is not just looking onto the train tracks which is what a lot of typical train station photos look like. I like the way the stairs create leading lines within the image and draw your eyes to the people who are standing on the platform. Each person is standing on the platform waiting for a train however they each have differences. There is a child with their parents, someone with a suitcase and someone standing alone. I think that this shows the amount of different people that use public transport. I like the way the photographer is looking down onto the platform because I think that this allows him to clearly capture each person that is standing on the platform whilst also incorporating elements of the train tracks. I do think this photo has a slight element of mystery to it because you cannot see under the covered part of the train station. This raises questions as to what is there however I do think that not being able to see this does draw your attention to the rest of the image.

Ben Boswell

http://www.benboswell.co.uk/photography.php

The image above has been taken on the platform of a train station. Ben Boswell has captured movement within the image which would suggest that he used a tripod when taking this photo. This also suggests that he has used a long exposure to take the photo. The exposure must have not been too long as there is no movement of people within the image. I think this is quite significant as the movement of the train contrasts with the people standing still waiting to exit the station. The photo has also been framed in a very specific way. He has ensured that you can see the people on the opposite platform behind the train. This has connotations of the constantly moving underground and the millions of people that use it everyday. He has also ensured that you can see a slight element of the brick wall that is next to him when taking the photo. I feel as though he has done this to make the photo seem slightly more familiar to the viewer, as if they are looking through their own eyes. I feel as though Boswell has decided to add a warming filter over the top of the photo which adds to the atmosphere of the underground station. The wall that he has allowed the viewer to see in the side of the image looks as though the station is quite old and has been there for a long time. I think this warming filter gives the image a slightly yellow tone and makes it look slightly dated and older.

This photo has been taken on the platform of a train station. I like this image because I think it is interesting how the photographer has used a narrow depth of field and focused in on one aspect of the train station because this is unlike his other photos. He has framed the image so the sign in the foreground of the image is located to the right of the frame. He has done this in order to still include elements of the actual station which fits with the rest of his series of  images. I think that the sign is important within the image because he is expressing the dangers of trains. This is significant because it suggests that many people just walk by signs like this when they are on trains because it is s familiar to them however I feel as though Boswell has decided to highlight this. The main way in which he has chosen to highlight this is through the narrow depth of field in the photo. By making the background slightly blurry and out of focus I think this draws your attention to the sign within the image, highlighting its importance.

The image above was taken at Paddington station. This has been taken from one side of a platform looking across to the other side. The photographer has captured the train moving whilst the people are standing still on the other side of the platform. The fact that the train is going past people could suggest that the people are frustrated or angry. Boswell has also framed the image so you can see a lady with her arms crossed which would have connotations of anger or frustration. I like the way he has kept the colour within the photo because it allows you to see the contrast of the saturated red and blue and the discoloured stone in the building in the background of the photo. This also implies a juxtaposition between the modern tube and the old architecture in the background of the image. This has connotations of modern creations like the tube ruining the old buildings and original architecture within the city of London. The punctum of the image is the lady that has been framed in the window of the train. This is because her body language stands out to me as being slightly fed up. I think this raises questions about the diversity of people that use the London Underground.

The image above was taken at St Pancras station. The photographer has captured two people sitting having a glass of champagne with a train in the background. There is no movement captured within the photo. The photographer has purposely decided to freeze action within this photo. Ben Boswell has framed this photo so that the line in the centre of the glass is in the centre of the frame. This line also splits the two people in the photo. I think that this could have connotations of the two people not getting along or having an argument. This is interesting because the people also do not look as though they are communicating which would also suggest some type of feud or argument. These people probably do not know that they are being photographed which is interesting because this means that this is their real reaction towards each other. The station that this has been photographed in is a very old building that has been converted into a station. This creates juxtaposition within the photo because you can see the older architecture that is being contrasted with the trains and the area that the people are sitting in. The punctum of the image is the two people sitting down having their drinks. This is because it raises questions for me as a viewer of the photo like where are these people travelling to and why. This is a question that the photographer may not even know and it creates a sense of mystery to the photo.

Mike Golding

Mike Golding is an English photographer who is now based in Germany. He completed this series called 'The Tube' when he still lived in the London area. Since moving to Germany he has taken many more photos of the surrounding area. Photography is a passionate hobby of his and he puts a lot of work into the editing and creation of his images.

The image above has been taken at Liverpool Street station at rush hour. The photographer has decided to add a harsh contrast to the image. The main focus of the photo is the ceiling of the station. I think that this is interesting because this image has been taken at rush hour and the photographer is subtly showing you the business of the station. I like the way he has subtly included people within the image. I think that the fact he is focusing on the station itself rather than the people in it could be representing the things that people ignore or miss when they are at a train station. Due to people being in such a rush people may not appreciate the amazing architecture around them and I feel as though this photographer has stopped to show everyone this. I think that the harsh contrast is effective within this photo because it has made the people in the image very dark as if to make them unidentifiable. This brings a sense of mystery to the image. I also feel like by increasing the contrast of the images he has added a slight grain to the photo. I feel as though this gives the photo a slightly dated effect.

The image above was taken at a London DLR station. This image focuses on the symmetry within the train station. It looks as though the photographer was standing on a walkway or a bridge in order to give the illusion that he was standing on the platform facing the train as it was approaching. I think that the use of colour within this photo is very interesting. There are elements of blue, red and green within the image. Green has connotations of safety and blue has connotations of calmness and tranquillity. I think that in relation to this image the fact that there are no people on this platform could be associated with the idea of calmness. Also the idea of green representing safety is contrasted with the red within the photo which has connotations of danger. For me the punctum of this image is the train in the centre of the image. The fact that the train has its lights on suggests that the photo has been taken at night which could be a reason as to why there are not very many people on the train platform.  

The image above is of escalators at a London underground station. The photo above has been taken using a shutter speed of 1/20 and an aperture of f/28. A fisheye lens has been used to take this photo. This is how Mike Golding captured the distortion within the photo. He has decided to use a colour popping effect on the photo. I like the way he is standing in the centre of the escalators because this creates a leading line in the centre of the image that draws your eyes to the top of the escalator. This adds an element of mystery to the photo because it raises questions as to where the escalator leads to. I think that the photographer has decided to pop out the saturated colour red. This is because this has created a connection between the different elements of the photo for example the no entry sign and then lady in a red coat. I feel as though the fact that the photographer has chosen to enhance the colour red has connotations of danger or anger. This would link to the idea of the escalator in the centre being out of use. The people within the photo look slightly distorted due to the use of the fisheye lens. This may have connotations of people rushing around and feeling distorted due to the business of the station.

The image below was taken at Great Portland Street station which is one of the very few underground stations left almost as it was originally built. The photographer named this photo 'Victorian Man' due to the man in the centre of the image looking like a man from the Victorian times wearing a large coat. The photo has been given a slight tone to it. I think that this has made the photo look slightly dated which would relate to the station being dated and old. I also like the way that no movement has been captured within the photo. This is because the photographer has froze motion as the train was moving. This is effective because it freezes something that is consistently moving throughout the day. The punctum of the image is the man in the photo. This is because the man is not facing the camera. I like that the man is unidentifiable because it adds a sense of mystery to the image. I also think that the mans posture and clothing has connotations of him being slightly upper class or posh. This may be representing the diversity of people that use the underground and may refute peoples ideas of people that are middle class being the only ones to use the underground.