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Pictorialism
has had a
tremendous influence on photography, Through its evolution and further
improvement, Pictorialism shapes photography. Pictorialism develops gradually
form a simple to a very advanced one. Simple tasks, an ordinary portrait and
landscape are absorbing simple Pictorialism. Photographers are not satisfied
with such style of photographing. They search for something more advanced and
reliable. They accomplish their photographing style introducing a method so
called: Combination printing. Such method lets the photographer “ to represent
objects in different planes in proper focus, to keep the true atmospheric and
linear relation of varying distances can be divided into separate portions for
execution, the parts to be afterwards printed together on one paper, thus
enabling the operator to devote all his attention to a single figure or subgroup
at a time, so that if any part be imperfect from any cause, it can be
substituted by another without the loss of taken at one operation “, (
Goldberg, p. 156 ). As using the new method, photographers add more
characteristics to their photo - arts. Now they use natural landscape
backgrounds when producing portraits. Also, natural sky is being added to the
landscape, “ It is true that combination printing, allowing, as it does much
greater liberty to the photographer, and much greater facilities for
representing the truth of nature “, (Goldberg, p. 161). In order to improve a
style of photographing, Pictorialists add same symbolism into it. The very
important domain in this style is “ object hood “. With applying science and
technology into it, the ordinary photograph becomes unique; 2 dimensional art is
being created. This unique art is not only original but very eloquent as well
(Examples: Edward Steichen, Rodin, and the thinker, Alvin Lang Don Coblin, The
dragon.) “ Instead, it is important to remind ourselves that the term
Pictorialism itself derives from a conception based on the primacy of making a
picture; not merely stopping an action or event, but taking the fact of
observable reality and reconstituting it in a form that is unique - unique to
the realm to two dimensional art”, (Frizot, p. 312). As it mentioned above,
the Pictorial photographic movement progresses gradually. This progression is
noticeable as early Pictorialists move from idea of interrelationship between
painting and picture. The above idea is being substitute by more valuables.
Pictorialism expresses their professional ideas by including economical values.
Since it urban aspect becomes a very serious matter for Pictorial photographers
to explore Social and economic forces had influenced on Pictorialism perceptions
a great deal. “ No doubt, the play of social and economic forces had a good
deal to do with these changes. The progressive alteration in the content of
Pictorialism was profound “, (Frizot, P. 37). As pictorial movement develops
more and more, the photographers’ ideas become more practical and modified.
Again, many economical and social changes effect Pictorialism greatly. Photo
manipulation is what photographer use to advance their pictures. The creation of
photographers is great. They reproduce their original negatives into their
unique form, which they called graphic reproduction. “ The main issue here was
the disharmony in tonal contrast and of sharpness, which, as a quality of the
lens/optical character of the camera medium was the delimiting feature, Kasebier
had to alter to make a new aesthetic zed object. The key issue is that
manipulation occurs after the act of taking the photograph”, ( Frizot, p. 315
). With manipulation modernized lens are being created, now called Pictorial
lens, with produces interpretative picture. Most of the photographers find
pictorial lens very progressive. However, for some of them the pictorial lens
evokes frustration. “ The use of such lens was emblatic of the conflict that
developed by the end of the first decade of the twentieth century the struggle
between the so-called straight or pure image and the pictorial rendering”, (
Frizot, p. 316 ). Although, Pictorial wave is a reflection of what happens
during a specific period of time (it is under influence of arose changes), it
still conveys a lot of meaning. Its evolution is a very interested as well. It
changes from the simple landscape through the idea of two - dimensional art and
photo manipulation to the new urban expression; tall buildings, flying balloons,
and airplanes to the true medium expression ( Malcolm Arbuthnot: By the sea,
The bathers and Paul L. Anderson: Under Brooklyn bridge. On the other
hand, pictorial photographers adopt same ideas Japanese style. Adding of some
architectonic and cubist form into landscape of pictorials arts is noticeable.
However, Japanese style has a lot of object hood in it, which Pictorials
photographers specialize in. Finally, Pictorial movement emphasizes the beauty
of parts of human body. There is more freedom for their photos now and the style
itself seems to change too. Two outstanding artists of this era, A. Steglitz and
White enjoy creating such artwork. Both have distinguished taste, although each
of them approaches to his/her subject from different point of view. White
focuses more on a certain pattern by tracing shapes and regularities of the
human body, in a very modest way. On the other hand, Steglitz highlights usually
on upper parts of the woman’s body such as her breasts and their beauty. In
fact combination of those two artists would create extraordinary artwork. “
Steglitz and White are perfect for one another in images of such subjects.
Steglitz moves more and more to confront his subject, White like certain other
Pictorialists in America withdrew within a hierarchy of design concepts that
become successively more and more decorative”. ( Frizot, p. 323 ). Pictorial
movement expires when WWI starts because of a new movement, Modernism is being
created. Modernism emphasizes on painting, sculpture, architecture, and graphic
arts. Modern era is more complex, as, it has more characteristics. It focuses
more than on social, economical, and intellectual conditions. It provides new
opportunities for the artists to develop free creation is being expanding based
on personal expression staying away from reality. The new movements such;
Neoimpressionism, Symbolism, Cubism, Futurism, Expressionism, Constructivism are
examples of waves by which many artists of modern are was influenced by. Also,
Modern period of times accepts many attitudes and theories which artists use
while creating their arts. In fact, modernism believes that knowledge and
appreciation of physical beauty plays essential role in creating true art. The
modern painting movement starts in Europe, in France. Gustave Carbet and Eduard
Manet are under inspiration of naturalism. At those times architecture changes
its style to that one which was in a past. Industrialized buildings are popular
now. The geometry and stability dominates in architecture of the twenty century.
When photographers create their photos, they emphasize on the above with
highlighting light and a shape. Another example of how many photographers are
influenced by modern times is that the artist wants to be appreciated by his
recognition. Also modern era brings innovations; portable cameras are found
which make photographers work more convenient. The modern era creates something
like sky drivers which have iron framework in it. it is an excellent theme for
the artist to create his/her artwork. The photographic image is being born with
emphasizing on metal as ingredient of urban beauty. The artists are fascinated
with real life fulfill in urban scene ( movement of the crowd or polluted city )
in a form of abstract images. Development of military and new technology
influences on photographers creations. Combination of events and innovations
provide to the artists an excellent opportunity to catch image he/she wants. The
artist now is able to create scenery he would not have before, for instance;
created image of moving object from the balloon or an airplane. During the WWI
similar pictures are being created. “ Observation procedures set up during the
First World War aerial photography or photographs taken from any high vantage
point such as tower or steeple had enormous repercussions on the what is seen
and what really exists. Looking at the interweaving geometric forms which are
defined not in terms of criteria of beauty but of function, one could not help
but question the legitimacy of traditional form of representation and their
chances of survival in a world that had discovered other rules, other form of
violence done both to the body and to the eyes. ( Frizot, p. 395-6 ). Finally,
modern photographers reject symbolism and its stability and they alter it for
something more effective with using of light “ flashes of emotion, mechanics,
experiments, or purely human encounters, the fleeting look already captured by
the exercise of the amateurs free choice”, ( Frizot, p. 397 ). The example of
such art would be
Time space Continuum
by Edward Steichen.
S O U R C E S:
A New
History of Photography -
by
Michel Frizot
(Editor),
Pierre Albert (Editor),
Colin Harding (Editor)
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