T1 - Case study

Task 1 – Case Study

Henry Buckham

‘Spaghetti Western’ – Carl Warner

‘Spaghetti Western’

• This image by experimental photographer and ‘foodscaper’ Carl Warner has used specially arranged foodstuffs and the aid of Photoshop to create these surreal landscapes. He has used techniques such as merging and multiplying, as well as altering the opacity to replace the sky with a photograph of spaghetti. This is classed as a contemporary image due to the use of Photoshop and modern, non-traditional photographing techniques. The photographer would likely have to take into account his lighting and depth of field as his sets are all hand-crafted and shot up close. This image in particular appears in several art books by Warner and on his website, where he also lists several similar pictures that are used in advertising.

‘Untitled Rayograph, 1922’ – Man Ray

‘Untitled Rayograph, 1922’

• This photograph is by American modernist Man Ray, who pioneered this style, known as rayographing. This style involves placing objects on special paper and exposing them to light, to which the silhouettes of the objects appear white as the light cannot pass through. This style is considered historical as it was created in 1922, but the style could be considered non traditional as it was a new thing at the time and quite revolutionary. However it could be considered a contemporary style by today’s standards thanks to many more individuals adopting and experimenting with the style. This piece and many others by Man Ray would likely have appeared in art exhibitions or art books showcasing his work.

‘Untitled’ – Jerry Uelsmann

‘Untitled’

• This photograph was created by American photographer Jerry Uelsmann by combining several photo negatives on an enlargers, effectively creating blended images that look surreal and unfathomable. Uelsmann is still creating images so this photograph could be considered a non-traditional contemporary photograph due to the use of a more recent and widely used technique (one that can be completed much quicker with the aid of Photoshop) Uelsmann’s work has widely featured in exhibitions and published collections around the globe.