Exercise 4.2 – Artificial Light

Notes, Online Research, Part 4, Reflection on coursework

Summary

In this post I;

– Included the brief for this exercise.

– Researched Sato Shintaro and Rut Blees Luxemberg’s work before analysing one image of theirs very briefly.

– Provided a small description about my camera and shoot preparation

– Before including the contact sheets for this particular exercise.

– I then chose 5 images from the shoot and analyses each one in terms of technique and the quality of light within them

– And finished the post with a short reflection of the exercise as a whole.

‘Capture ‘the beauty of artificial light’ in a short sequence of shots (‘beauty’ is, of course, a subjective term). The correct white balance setting will be important; this can get tricky but interesting – if there are mixed light sources of different colour temperatures in the same shot. You can shoot indoors or outside and the light can be ambient or handheld flash‘ (Bloomfield, 2018).

Sato Shintaro – (1969- )

Sato Shintaro is a Japanese freelance photographer who graduated from Tokyo College of Photography (1992) and Waseda University, School of Letters, Arts and Sciences (1995). Shintaro is well known for his brightly lit Tokyo cityscapes, Night Lights (1997-9), one of many photo series (Shintaro, 2020).

Shooting during dusk allows any surroundings lit by artificial light to stand out in ways daylight cannot. The tones are much crisper, while shadows are significantly darker and highlights are glaring. While this is possible with direct sunlight, the colours are usually more washed out and have a greater risk of overexposure, causing the images to blow out. The main difference between day and night photography is that daytime images are usually warmer in temperature and contrast.

Shintaro’s work is well balanced so that the viewer has much to look at in detail. Light bounces off all of the subjects around without becoming a black block due to underexposure. The colours are vibrant, busy and fill the frame, which encapsulates the hustle and bustle of city life without including people in the shots. Asian culture is beautiful and striking; seeing such elements and the traditional decorations throughout these images is delightful.

Fig. 1. Nakano, Tokyo (Shintaro, 1997-9)

Nakano (1997-9) is possibly one of my favourite images from Shintaro, as the composition is warm and cosy as the bright yellows and reds help the white lights be less harsh on the eyes. The alleyway feels close, compact and welcoming, much like the restaurant on the left. The photograph is balanced, full of geometry from the rectangular signs and buildings, a mixture of vibrant colours and cool nighttime tones on the pavement below. Some of the bulbs higher up have created lens flares but emit softer rays than crisp glaring ones. In my opinion, this shot represents the many Asian people who welcome others into their culture and communities through their friendly, enthusiastic personalities and traditions.

Rut Blees Luxemberg (1967 – )

Rut Blees Luxemberg is a German-born photographer based in the UK, well known for her urban photography work (Artimage, 2017). Much like Shintaro, Blees Luxemberg shoots at night when capturing urban landscapes as, ‘The night is a space of freedom, where certain demands of the day are temporarily suspended’ (Blees Luxemberg, 2018).

The reduction of movement captures different energies in comparison to busy high streets or buildings lit by daylight. Instead, evidence of life features throughout illuminated buildings, lit streets and items/natural elements left behind ‘But photographs are not just a record of a moment passed, they can also be an imagination or visual premonition of possible futures’ (Blees Luxemberg, 2018).

Her aesthetic is consistent throughout the images, ranging from greens to greys to cool hues, warm yellows and oranges. The combination of colours emits an eerie and grungy mood through her works which seems quite fitting for the series titled Liebeslied, My Suicides.

Fig. 2. Nach Innen / In Deeper (Blees Luxemberg, 1999)

In Deeper (1999) was shot from what looks like multiple sets of stairs but could also be a few small steps towards a small platform. We are unaware of the location due to the lack of context within the black shadows of this photograph. Reflections in the frame imply that it has rained or flooded due to the water in the background. The texture is prominent throughout this work, from the stone steps, ageing walls or brickwork from the building on the left, the water and ripples we can see in the yellow light shining in from the right of the frame. Leading lines, a slightly shallow depth of field in the foreground, draw the eyes downstairs towards the lights and water in the background. ‘In Deeper‘ may suggest that this is a picture of a river, sea or flood, purely because of how deep the water looks and how far the reflection of light continues.

Compared to Shintaro, Blees Luxemberg’s work is much warmer in white balance than the white bulbs and LED’s featured in Shintaro’s Night Lights (1997-9). The photographs featured in My Suicides (1997-2000) are much darker and higher in contrast. With these different aesthetics in mind, this helped make my shoot for this exercise even more exciting, as I was able to explore a range of photographic techniques in one swoop.

Camera preparation

As it is now springtime, I had to wait until around half past eight at night to head out and take photographs for this particular exercise. My Sony A57 was already preset to manual mode, but I had to reset the white balance to auto to prevent any unwanted colour casts in the images taken during blue hour. An ISO of 200 enhanced the brightness without causing too much grain in the darkest areas. A large aperture of F1.8, allows for more light to enter the camera, ideal for night photography as it reduces the need for too slow a shutter speed if the camera isn’t on a tripod.

The shoot plan was simple as I took a short walk around my local area, observed the light from artificial light sources and how it shone on its surroundings and effects had on any subjects in the frame.

Images for analysis

1 – Despite taking the image during the blue hour, the period after sunset or just before sunrise, there is very minimal light to illuminate the buildings in the foreground. Secluded areas struggle to be lit during the evening regardless of artificial light due to the obstacles blocking most light sources. If I were to take the image during the day with a more powerful light level, we would see the buildings in their entirety. The sky brings a burst of colour to the composition, emphasising the shape of the buildings in the alleyway. Houses have helped frame the image nicely and document the lack of space that is in the shot. Focal pointwise, the bright white bulb from the streetlamp and the top of the tree leaves towards the background stand out before the eyes are drawn towards the soft spotlight below, lighting the pathway. The mood is mysterious and allows the brain to wonder was is around the corner or where this is.

2 – This building is in an open space, so the remaining light just after sunset was able to light the brickwork of the flats in the frame, as well as the fencing surrounding it. Added details such as these provide a context of location, type of building, how long it’s been there for; e.g. a partly broken fence implies it’s been up for a long time and endured some wear and tear. Reflections add both texture and depth to the composition, rather than it being a flat 2D image. A warm light source from the window just below the mid-frame brings a sense of home to the photograph and welcomes the viewer into a comforting space. The camera’s position compared to the fence and light source caused a lens flare to occur. As a result, it looks as if there were a torch pointing directly towards us. The tonal range is cold and suits the crisp spring evening while documenting blue hour well.

3 – With the blue hour long gone, the warmer streetlights can fully light the main road for the cars and pedestrians walking past, as seen in the far background. The white balance was changed to daylight for these shots to enhance the temperature of the bulbs and reflect Blees Luxemberg’s yellow/orange hues. Streetlights may be higher from the ground than most light sources, but they’re powerful enough to light the paths below like daylight would, just a lot softer in appearance. Headlights from cars are blinding for a good reason. Not only do they assist drivers to see where they’re going and if there are any obstacles ahead, but for the safety of other drivers so they’re aware of cars surrounding them. The contrast between the white light patch midframe and the yellow light brings balance to the frame, preventing it from looking like a sepia image, which I dislike as a photographic technique. The images leading lines draw the viewers eyes from the softly lit tree on the left, up and around the curves of the road swallowed by the black night sky.

4 – For image number 4 the light source comes from the cooker hood that is purposely brighter where the oven hobs are but much softer to the sides. Reflections from the kettle and oven top provide texture and context to the materials and shape of these objects. For example, the curves of the tiles reflect in the round kettle body. A small patch of the wooden worktop has warmed the frame up and made it feel more homely like a cottage kitchen would. Light coming from the left has created a soft shadow on the right-hand side of the frame, gently illuminating the utensils on the wall, making the kettle the main focus of the composition.

5 – This area has been fully lit by the light from the ceiling, allowing us to see the worktops, cupboards, windows and other items on the side. The door has light shining through, so we can see the cold metal handle and carved details in the window frames, which is a subtle detail to see. More context allows the viewer to understand a bit more about the subjects, where it is and the lifestyle of the people living there, much like Sato Shintaro’s works. Due to the light source coming from the right and straight out the door, means that the walls to the left are just out of range, full of shadows, bringing depth to the image. The composition is full of shapes, geometric or otherwise, as well as being warm and welcoming.

Reflection

Artificial and natural light can range from intense to soft depending on the light source, its position and the location, however, the majority of the images taken during this exercise have been dimly lit, creating softer and mysterious compositions compared to a brightly lit photograph taken in daylight where we have further context. No source of light is more superior to the other, as each is important. Without artificial light, we wouldn’t have the privilege of travelling at night or navigate around our homes in the dark. I prefer to work with natural light as I enjoy the softly lit compositions rather than harsh highlights and shadows from studio lights. This exercise, however, has made me appreciate artificial light much more and the kinds of images you can capture. Sato Shintaro’s work is a prime example of breathtakingly beautiful night photographs, full of life and detail.

References:

Blees Luxemberg, R. (2018) London: A visual love song [online] Available at: https://www.1854.photography/2018/02/rut-blees-luxemburg-modern-project-liebeslied/ (Accessed 26 April 2021).

Bloomfield, R., 2018. Photography 1: Expressing your Vision. 4th ed. [pdf] Barnsley: OCA, p. 87. Available at: https://www.oca-student.com/course/photography-1-expressing-your-vision [Accessed 27 April 2021].

Shintaro, Sato. (2020) Profile [online] Available at: https://sato-shintaro.com/profile/ (Accessed 26 April 2021).

List of images:

Figure. 1. Shintaro, S. (1997-9) Nakano, Tokyo [image] Available at: https://sato-shintaro.com/work/night-lights/ (Accessed 26 April, 2021).

Figure. 2. Blees Luxemberg, R. (1999) Nach Innen / In Deeper [image] Available at: https://rutbleesluxemburg.com/liebeslied-2 (Accessed 26 April 2021).

Figure. 3. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet 1 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 4. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet 2 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 5. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet 3 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 6. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet 4 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 7. Powell, L. (2021) 1 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 8. Powell, L. (2021) 2 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 9. Powell, L. (2021) 3 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 10. Powell, L. (2021) 4 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 11. Powell, L. (2021) 5 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Keith Arnatt Research

Assignment 1, Online Research, Practitioner Research, Thoughts & Ideas

Summary:

For this research section I have;

– Challenged the critics theories about Arnatt’s level of influence in the conceptual art movement.
– Briefly explored the definition of conceptual art.
– Drawn upon Arnatt’s planning and technical approaches to his work.
– Analysed a selection of Arnatt’s artwork and
– Stated which techniques I would like to use in my own work, such as pre-planning my camera settings, concepts and compositions to gather a cohesive set of images
– To reflect on my understanding of how Arnatt works and how this can be implemented in my own work.

Keith Arnatt

Keith Arnatt (1930-2008) was primarily known as a British conceptual artist, however, his work was also spoken about concerning land art, minimalism, and photography.

Arnatt was born in Oxford in 1930, where he continued to reside to study at Oxford School of Art in the early 1950s, however, he furthered his education at the Royal Academy Schools in London later on in life. From 1962 he taught in Liverpool and up until 1969, Arnatt taught in Manchester.

Settings for his work we’re as follows, Liverpool (The beach at Formby); the moors around his farmhouse in Todmorden, Yorkshire; and his garden in Tintern which was surrounded by woodland.

Arnatt’s work was associated with the new conceptual art movement by the late 1960s, during which he took part in various exhibitions for conceptual art such as the following; ‘Konzeption-Conception, Städtichen Museum, Leverkusen’, 1969; ‘Information’, MoMA, New York, 1970; ‘Umwelt-Akzente / Die Expansion der Kunst’, Kunstkreis Monschau, 1970 and ‘Art as Idea in England’, CAYC (Centro de Arte y Comunicación), Buenos Aires, 1971′, (Wikipedia, 2019).

There was plenty of theorising over the amount of influence Arnatt may have had within the contemporary art practice of that time, mainly due to his realistic style of shooting.

Having looked at some of his work such as ‘Miss Grace’s Lane’ (Arnatt, 1986-7) and ‘Pictures from a Rubbish Tip’ (Arnatt, 1988-9) I can understand how critics or other artists may have gone back and forth about his impact on the practice because he does indeed show the subject in frame as it is without ‘manipulating’ it if you will.

However, after researching further about conceptual art and what it means (see Fig. 1.), it’s not as black and white as people may believe. Just because an artwork isn’t abstract or experimental, doesn’t mean that it isn’t conceptual or contemporary.

Screenshot (31) — Fig. 1. Conceptual Art (2017)

A summary of ‘Pictures from a Rubbish Tip’ (Arnatt, 1988-9) provides us with the idea that Arnatt may have planned his approach, due to the way he composed the series and stayed consistent with his choice of natural lighting and fixed camera distance. ‘Although the types of rubbish shown and their exact position within the compositions varies slightly, each is presented at a fixed distance from the camera and this, as well as the similar lighting effects used across the five works, creates a sense of cohesion in the series’ (Tate, 2014).

Therefore, with this information, I feel as if Arnatt had quite a significant influence on the contemporary movement by challenging what people assumed experimental looked like.

‘a conceptual artist uses whatever materials and whatever form is most appropriate to putting their idea across’ (Tate, 2017) which I feel as if Arnatt did, as his work has made me think about how long it had been there, who it belonged to before and see beyond the fact that it is just a pile of rubbish in a tip.

The clear plastic bags in the background of the objects in the frame allow for the colours to pop and draw your eyes towards the bottom right corner where the focal point is. One of the works from the series features a collection of meat ridden bones and a brightly coloured pool of ketchup in the top right-hand corner. In my eyes this is thought provoking, mainly because to some it could just be seen as a condiment for a meat eater’s dinner, but could it also represent the blood of the animal it used to be?

Highlights and shadows help bring depth into a piece of art, defining the shapes in the composition, leading your eyes around the work and giving texture to the subject.

I like how the edges are lighter in the work with the loaf of bread, slowly getting darker as you look further towards the middle, showing that the bread is cushioned by the rubbish underneath and triggers the mind into thinking that the items below were possibly quite soft, like dough almost?

Someone made that bread with their own hands, with love and care, yet it’s ended up in the bin? This leads me to the idea that despite how beautiful, how healthy or useful things are, it may not matter to some, it can be thrown aside. Although, that being said, maybe our perception of a rubbish tip should change from trash to treasure. Items that can be found there have provided life, nutrition, memories and happiness to some, as well as the various negatives.

This reflects the idea previously mentioned that artwork doesn’t have to be viewed so simply, even if you think it is just a realist piece.

Upon researching and reading Arnatt’s work, I see a lot of similarities within our thought/creative processes. I tend to plan what I want to shoot beforehand, think about why an image has been shot that way and whether others will see the work in the way it was intended. Shallow depth of field and natural light is my preferred style too as you get a much softer background while maintaining a clear and sharp focus on the subject.

One of the techniques I would like to bring into my work, however, is creating a series of images that are cohesive and make sense alongside one another, whether that is through the concept or in literal terms e.g. Similar compositions, shapes, colours e.t.c.

Another piece of work I find intriguing is the black and white variant of ‘Portrait of the Artist as a Shadow of his Former Self’ (Arnatt, 1969-72). It is not only a self-portrait shot in a unique way, but it is also once again challenging people’s views about his influence on contemporary art practice. This is a much more obvious conceptual piece, as the medium of chalk and paint have also been used within the work, making it rather experimental by combining more than one medium.

The shadows from the street which are falling around Arnatt’s form creates a spotlight effect and almost emphasises what the work is about. The artist.

Looking further into the image and noticing the graffiti sprayed, dirt-covered brick walls in the background provide a little bit of character to the building by aging it and showing the wear and tear it been through over the years. It shows history.

‘Arnatt has commented: ‘I was beginning to become aware of the unreliability of photographic evidence and began to play with that feature. I felt that what a photograph could not tell or show might be just as significant as what it could.’ (Quoted in John Roberts, The Impossible Document: Photography and Conceptual Art in Britain 1966–1976, London 1997, p.47.)’ (Tate, 2014).

As Arnatt has stated himself, this piece of work is playing around with what a photograph can be. Initially, I thought the dark area within the chalk lines, were indeed his shadow, but with further research, I now know it was painted. The lines are distorted and exaggerated, but you understand what he was trying to portray even though it wasn’t his shadow in the image, instead, it was an outline of what once was there before he disappeared out of frame. A very clever way to work with a concept.

Once again, there are similarities between my work and Arnatt’s. We both think out of the box, play with words and what could be. I also like to exaggerate ideas within my work through props, outfits, makeup or expressions, much like the distorted shadow. However, one thing I would like to explore more is the use of black and white photography. It takes the element of colour away but helps the viewer be a little more intimate with the different tones and textures within a piece of work which you may not have noticed in a colour image.

In ‘The Square Mile’ assignment, I would like to use my style, however, implement the various techniques Arnatt has used in his work so I can create a successful series of images that mold with one another.

List of works, materials, and proposals that are held at various galleries, collections from the late 60s-80s;

Self Burial – the version documenting the WDR televised Self-Burial (Television Interference Project) (1969), and Trouser-Word Piece (1972-89 version) are held in the Tate collection.
Examples of early materials are held at The Henry Moore Institute in Yorkshire, including slides of early works. Leeds City Art Gallery holds drawings from the early 1960’s.
Examples of proposals are held at the V&A Museum in London.
Documentation of proposals that Arnatt gave to Robert Smithson were donated to LACMA, Los Angeles by Nancy Holt.
Tate Archive has proposal related materials by Arnatt including correspondence with the writer Barbara Reise.

References:

Arnatt, K., 1986. Miss Grace’s Lane. [image] Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/arnatt-miss-graces-lane-t13166 [Accessed 13 August 2019].

Arnatt, K., 1969. Portrait of the artist as a shadow of his former self. [image] Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/arnatt-portrait-of-the-artist-as-a-shadow-of-his-former-self-p13143 [Accessed 13 August 2019].

Arnatt, K., 1998. Pictures from a Rubbish Tip. [image] Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/arnatt-pictures-from-a-rubbish-tip-t13170 [Accessed 13 August 2019].

Tate. 2014. ‘Portrait of the artist as a shadow of his former self’, Keith Arnatt, 1969–72 | Tate. [online] Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/arnatt-portrait-of-the-artist-as-a-shadow-of-his-former-self-p13143 [Accessed 13 August 2019].

Tate. 2017. Conceptual art – Art Term | Tate. [online] Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/c/conceptual-art [Accessed 13 August 2019].

Tate. 2014. ‘Pictures from a Rubbish Tip’, Keith Arnatt, 1988 | Tate. [online] Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/arnatt-pictures-from-a-rubbish-tip-t13170 [Accessed 13 August 2019].

Wikipedia. 2019. Keith Arnatt – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Arnatt [Accessed 13 August 2019].

List of images:

Figure 1. ‘Conceptual art – Art Term | Tate’. (2017) [Tate, screenshot] Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/c/conceptual-art [Accessed 13 August 2019].