Week 3- Cropping, composition, line and pattern Practitioners.

                                           Paul Strand

October 16, 1890 – March 31, 1976. Paul was the only child born to bohemian- Jewish descent. In his teens he was known for his excellent documentary photography at his school. At the age of 17 Paul started to take photography courses where he studied photographer Lewis Hine. Paul left the states and moved to France in his later years, even though he was best known for his early abstractions he returned to still life photography where he then published six Portrait books of place. Paul was awarded for promoting social change in his photography and showing the world the effectiveness of art when it comes to raising awareness for problems around the world. I really love Paul Strands work especially his portrait series Ghana- African Portraits. It shows the reality of life and how some people have to live.

Afe Negble, Asenema, 1964

I find this image stunning because of the how the white background contrasts with her dark toned skin. If he had her against a darker background she wouldnt have stood out as much. Her skin looks beautiful and smooth in this image. I love how he has captured her facial expressions and has not got her to look straight at the camera. I think this image would have been even more effective if he had done a close crop and just captured the portrait form just below her collar bones and up. Possibly seen more detail in her face. I like how she is slightly off center

Paul Strand, New York,  published in Camera Work 1917, photogravure.

When i first saw this image I couldn't work out what it was but then I realised it was a shadow of some tower, something else I didnt notice until I had a proper look was the two men talking in the shadows. If it wasnt for the leading lines in the shadows i wouldnt have noticed them. You could almost say that the two men are on an intersecting line

Max Dupain.

(born April 22, 1911, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia—died July 27, 1992, Sydney)

Max was well known for his commercial photography. During world war ll Dupain left his current career in Fashion and portrait photography to work for the army Camouflage unit. When Dupain returned to photography he did not bounce back into beautiful landscapes and portraiture, he veered towards more abstract architectural and industrial photography.

Detail from Rescue and resuscitation, Manly, 1940s by Max Dupain.

I really love this photograph for its use off leading lines, my eyes are lead down the rope and men towards the sea. I can also see a pattern in the way they are standing and have their hands above their heads. I really like how he has fitted the three men perfectly in the frame, the guy right at the front is the same distance from the edge of the frame as the guy right at the back. Also the guy in the middle sits right on a rule of thirds line. 

Max Dupain, 'Untitled' (Jean with wire mesh), 1936.

I just think this photograph is stunning with the way the shadow is across her. It is a close crop Portrait but really works well because you can see the detail in her eyelashes, lips and hair. Very beautiful frame and i find it really effective how the shadow takes up half of the frame.