This is a photograph by Brassai (Gyula Halasz) taken in 1933 called Backstage at the Folies-Bergere. The photo immediately drew me in because of its dynamic composition and contrast. It is rather atypical, not following obvious photographic conventions. The golden ratio doesn’t have an obvious influence over the positioning of the subjects, although the rule of thirds seems to be loosely applied. The women are nicely fit into the left-most third of the photograph, and vertically, the photo can be described in thirds (from top to bottom with negative space, then the five figures, and then the two bottom).
Really though, the picture attracted me because it doesn’t fit neatly into the compositional rules. Brassai’s overhead perspective creates a omniscient viewpoint that makes me feel like I’m looking over a grand scene, but still creates a sense of curiosity because I can’t view the figures fully straight-on. He teases the viewer with a peek at the girls in a mirror, an image which seems almost dream-like and misty, like a painting.
Diagonals lead me into the photograph, pulling me down the axis on the left, and across the axis from the right corner, in towards the back where the girls and men lean against the wall. The wire in the bottom creates yet another diagonal that slices across, isolating the girl. These diagonals cutting across the picture allow us to slide in and catch each detail along the way.
One last component of the picture that I found stimulating was the contrast in tones from light to dark scattered throughout the photograph, from the dark negative space, to the bright lights, to the more muted shades of gray in the mirror’s reflection. Shifts from light to dark make my eyes move across the photograph, and the dull shades of the reflection almost make the mirror’s revealing image the last thing you notice.
This photo makes me want to create a more dynamic image, playing around with diagonals and contrast on Snapshot Day. Sometimes having many objects in a photo can make it chaotic, but in this case, I think it makes the photo more interesting. These are elements I want to incorporate in my photo — especially since the city streets are filled with lines and angles and many points of interest. I may want to capture this.
http://www.masters-of-photography.com/images/full/uelsmann/uelsmann_floating_trees.jpg
The same way Brassai’s picture “Backstage at the Folies-Bergere” struck me for its unintuitive perspective and confusing subject, Jerry Uelsmann picture “Untitled” caught my eye for its untraditional look. Scrolling through this photographer’s work, one would think he was active in the 1920s/1930s, around the Surrealist movement. Instead, his work is dated to the late 1960s, making the style of this photographer even more interesting. His photographs are not simple snapshots of reality, they are modified through different techniques resulting in bizarre scenery and fantastic objects.
Particularly in this picture, a floating tree is the protagonist and center of the photograph, reigning over a lake valley. Nature is dominant, giving a somehow peaceful tone to the image. Something that gives it even more balance is the symmetry that cuts the picture in half, somehow giving it more unity at the same time. There is a reflection on the lake, in front of the tree, that does not resemble anything in the frame. One is therefore looking down at the reflection, and is tempted to look up to find the matching figure, which is nonexistent. The eye is also attracted to a second tree, almost identical to the central one, but located in the background, on the upper right corner of the picture.
Everything else being symmetrical but that one tree in the background could lead to the interpretation that maybe the author wanted to convey the message that nothing is perfect, nature isn’t perfect itself, so us–its children–are not perfect as well. That does not mean, however, that imperfection can’t signify beauty: this photograph portrays a fantastic landscape that has a beauty of its own.
The surrealist-like photography of Jerry Uelsmann is one of experimentation and revolution of traditional subjects and techniques; it definitely leaves a mark in one’s memory.
Sara Camnasio
http://www.masters-of-photography.com/K/kertesz/kertesz_rue_des_ursins_full.html
Brassai’s photo uses unusual techniques to create a dynamic photo that is interesting and complex. He uses angles to draw the viewers’ attention in – into the space between reality and image. This is quite an achievement for a photo, making a statement about reality and perception. But the technique used allows for a lot of creativity, and is used in Andre Kertesz’s photo “Rue des Ursins,” taken in 1931. This photo uses the concept of using lines such as diagonals in order to focus the viewers’ attention, but in this photo, the attention is brought outward. The corner of the street, including the sign, is about a third into the photo. The street, though, brings focus to the edges of the photo. The woman is feeding a cat toward the upper-left corner, while in the bottom right corner a bike tire is partially in the frame. The store on the right also attracts the viewers’ attention, but is cut off. This photo is all about focusing on what is going on outside of the frame. The light hits the areas on the edges of the photo, which highlights this concept.
During Snapshot Day, I hope to capture a photo that uses lines and light to show the focus of the photo. The idea that there is more going on than the frame can capture is one that I may choose to focus on, as it adds dimension and interest into the photo. While a photo can be self-reflective, as the Brassai photo is, I would like to portray something that reflects the fullness of New York City.
Meira Harris