Havener - Photography After Frank: The Document

The Document:

In the twentieth century photography was known and used to document things and to act as visual proof.

Why MoMA Is Giving Its Largest Solo Photography Exhibition Ever to Lee Friedlander:

Lee Friedlander is a photographer who has had the biggest show at the MoMA. In the exhibit his work is organized by decisive grouping such as “Nudes” or “The Desert Seen.” At first glance his photo subjects seem very common and mundane but the point is that these snapshots of our everyday life are a part of who we are.

Travel with Walker, Robert, and Andy:

Work by Walker Evans accurately depicts the 1930’s from the cars to the clothes. He used an 8 by 10 camera to shoot these black and white photos. Robert Frank’s work showed spontaneity and freedom using a 35 mm camera. His pictures have a grainy look and show a sense of immediacy and energy. Stephen Shore also used an 8 by 10 camera because he felt it forced him to use conscious decision-making. Stephen Shore’s work differs from Walker Evans’ in two ways: the first is his technical use of color as a descriptive element and the second is the stoned contemplation and heightened awareness he used when photographing his subjects. Over time Shore’s intention in his work went from conceptual to perceptual making his pictures more formally precise.

Southern Exposures: Past and Present Through the Lens of William Christenberry:

This section is about William Christenberry who began his photography career taking little snapshots using s Brownie camera. He planned on just using these photos to help with his paintings and at the time was not interested in photography whatsoever. In addition to photography William also did paintings, sculpture and assemblages that all followed focused on the South. One thing William is known for are his photography grids that are made up of photos of the same located from different times and using different cameras. These grids show the transformation and sometime deterioration of structures over time such as the counter store in Hale County that eventually became a social club.

John Szarkowski, Curator of Photography, Dies at Eighty-one:

John Szarkowski is the author of our other textbook called The Photographer’s Eye and he also was a curator at the MoMA. Based on the photographers John chose to feature in the gallery, he helped change the course of photography. He compared photography to pointing saying that some people point to more interesting things than others. He first began taking photographs in the 1950’s of buildings created by a Chicago architect named Louis Sullivan. John Szarkowski, like William Christenberry was also influenced by the work of Walker Evans. Szarkowski’s goal was to discover the authentic. After curating many photography shows, he finally had an exhibition of his own in 2005.

The Imagist’s Eye:

Henry Wessel started his photography career when he moved to LA in 1969. His black and white photos have been described as obdurately spare and wry. His goal for his work is to obtain innocence in it as well as the distinction between the subjects he picks and then how they look when photographed. For his whole photo career Henry Wessel has only used a Leica camera with a 28mm lens. He also develops his own film. By using the same equipment for years he has gotten better at understanding his tools. A rule of Henry’s is that he must put away his contact sheets for at least a year before taking them out and deciding which images to print.

Beauty Is Not a Four-Letter Word:

This section is about Richard Misrach who is known for his desert landscapes of the American West. His photos are inspired by his impulse to show his love for the desert as well as to accurately portray the scene. His photo adventures to the desert usually last around two or three weeks. His work has been described as beautiful and a representation of the politics of land use in our country.

The Tableau Inside Your Town Hall:

Paul Shambroom is a photographer who has photographed democracy in action from 1999 to 2003. His photography is fueled by his interest in power such as its origins and how it is used. Paul’s photography is based on the documentary approach but he also digitally alters his photos by playing with light and the size of the photographs.

Bernd Becher, Seventy-five, Photographer of German Industrial Landscape, Dies:

Bernd Becher was known for photographing relics of industry in the changing urban landscapes during the late 1900’s. Back in 2004 he won the Hasselblad Award, which is an international recognition award for being one of the most influential artists of the time. He would make typologies that were made up of industrial purposed objects that were presented in a grid formation. Something all of the grids have in common is their utilitarian function. His photographs are known for their consistency in how they were taken as well as the look of industry throughout time.

Keeping It Real: Photo-Realism:

Photo-Realism was a movement that eventually started to fade as more technically accomplished works became more appealing. Now though, photo-realism is starting to be looked at and appreciated again. Photo-realism shows the pervasiveness of photography in contemporary life using its sharp clarity, cropping and moments that are happened upon. Photo-realists established photographs that were also in the realm of painting and some included a more textured and brushy technique. Photo-realists painted to see what life looks like photographed.

Portraits of American Paradises, Mostly Lost:

Joel Sternfeld is a photographer who has been taking photos of utopian communities around the country. This includes buildings that still remain, the land these utopian communities used to sit on as well as monuments erected that symbolize these communities’ ideals.

Keeping His Eye on the Horizon (Line):

Sze Tsung Leong is known for his meticulous, soft-colored photographs that feature contrasting landscapes. In his panoramic pictures of urban and rural landscapes, the horizon line is always in the same place, which gives a cool affect when they are hung next to each other. All of his prints are created using negative film that he develops in a darkroom. His belief is that film photography creates a more continuous tone than digital ever can.