Composition and Light- Home Exercise

Shallow Depth of Field

Texture

Space

Color

Frame

Lighting

Andreas Gursky- Five Photographs

The Genius of Photography: Snap Judgements

• How many photographs are taken in a year?

As the documentary explained, 80 billion photographs are taken in a year, however, this figure exponentially increases from one year to the other.

• How does Gregory Crewdson work?

Crewdson's work varies completely to main stream photography, as he aims to photograph staged locations. With the aid of a film production crew, he manages to set up a whole area, whether a street or neighbourhood, to suit the elements of his photo. Cinematographic lighting is also used at the scene to enhance the overall sense Crewdson wants to portray through his lens; a camera lens which is not even operated by himself, however, a professional photographer.

• Which prints commands the highest price and what are they called?

First copy prints which include either the original photograph or some of the first few prints are classified as the most expensive and they are called 'Fine Wines'.

• How many photographs does Andreas Gursky produce and what size are they?

Gursky is another unique photographer, who limits the production of his images to six copies. There are two main reasons behind this, first being the fact that each photograph is printed on a large scale (meters by meters) and secondly because this would inflate the price of each photograph.

• How are Seydou Keita's photographs different to mainstream African photos?

Keita's photograph are all taken inside his own personal studio, in contrast to other African photographs that are taken outside, whether to show the marvellous landscape or the devastating conditions of the people. However, what really differentiates them is the fact that he includes many crops, including cars, bikes, dresses, gowns etc, which are used by the figures in his photograph in order to set a sense of social ranking. Africans who usually attended Keita's studio were mainly middle class people, therefore by adding a car in the background, it was an entity used to convey wealthiness; a contrast to the sad truth of their daily lives.