With his picture "The Pond-Moonrise", 1904, he captures a very mysterious twilight in the trees.
The most interesting about that picture is that we perceive it as a painting. Steichen's technique blurs the boundaries between a photograph and a painting. He succeeded in generating a spot of colour in the reflection of the water, before colour photography was even invented. That way the resulting picture is just closer to a painting.
He was creating this illusion of colour by applying layers of light-sensitive gum to the paper.
Source: http://www.andrewward.com/Photos/edward_steichen/edward_steichen_moonrise_mamaroneck.jpg
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I like the fact that all photographers discovered their own ways of interpreting photography and pursued what they thought would be the essence of photography.
For example, Paul Strand (1890-1976).
He was heading in the direction of realism and was trying to approach realism by taking photographs with a concealed camera.
There is no posing of the person in front of the camera. We only observe unique genuine expressions on the man's face.
"Strand's portrait also marks the beginnings of a shift from high aestheticism of pictorialism towards a grittier realism indicative of the modern era."
(NGV comment)
We can obviously see that photographers are very well capable to introduce changes in how photography is viewed by the contemporaries and lead the art of photography in a whole new direction.
"Man", Five Points Square, NY, 1916
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Source: http://www.photogravure.com/photogravure_images/medium/Strand_03_06.jpg
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It also surprised me and made me happy to see a photograph of Man Ray (1890-1976).
This innovative artist worked all as a painter, sculptor, film-maker and photographer. What is interesting about him is that he strongly affiliated to the surrealist and Dada art movements which not only influenced his work, but also had a great impact on his oeuvres. Man Ray is the one who creates a connection between painting, photography and sculpturing. He tries to melt very different art procedures as a whole. We see an obvious expression of surrealism in his photographs by him creating bizzare effects often on purpose.
He is playing a lot with different shapes and shadows which generate a great contrast between bright and dark parts , putting seemingly unrelated objects to the setting like a sculpture of a hand standing on or coming out of a football alike object.
Man Ray, Untitled (Self-Portrait), 1933
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At the exposition there also was a photograph that requested a lot more of my attention than the others. "The Melancholic Tulip" by Andre Kertesz (1894-1985), 1939
It's a beautiful self-portrait. This to the ground sinking tulip reminds us of a sad, feeling down human being. The photograph is so emotional that we can identify ourselves with the sinking flower.
It's a great choice of lighting. The light source being on the right side makes the tulip appear in black and white, one side in the light and the other in the shadow.
But how did he do that? The vase is taken from 2 different angles. You see it from the one side, but you also gain insight into the vase from above. After some research I found out that the 'melancholic tulip' was a picture of the series 'Distortion'. Objects or still life were photographed in "funhouse" mirrors.
http://www.photographersgallery.com/i/full/melancholic_tulip.jpg
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My favourite photograph is taken by Roger Mayne "Young smokers", Southam Street, North Kensington, 1956
It's amazing how he succeeded in capturing the bold and naughty look of the young boy on the right. I love this picture just for its simplicity and the catchy moment of young male bonding.
http://www.rogermayne.com/sstreet/DSC_0034.jpg
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Robert Frank, "Caerau, Wales", 1953
Even if the photograph is blurry, the viewer gets the atmosphere among the soldiers. It's scary and realistic at the same time. There is a beautiful contrast between the dark, mud covered face in the foreground and the bright shining eyes looking very threatful at the observer.
This photograph creates a really intense feeling when your eye catches the soldier's gaze. This gaze and the looks of the other soldiers are desperate and wishfully hoping to get home soon. We literally feel with the soldiers.
I think war photographers are to be respected for what the do. They make things visible which are normally concealed to the great public.
http://www.christies.com/lotfinderimages/d49723/d4972309r.jpg
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