Level 3 Photography Nicola Hampshire

Sekula, A. (1999) “Reading an archive: Photography between Labour and Capital” In: Evans, J & Hall, S. (eds.) Visual Culture: a reader London: Sage. (Pp181-192) Allan Sekula took a book of archived photos taken by Leslie Sheddon (a commercial photographer) in the industrial / coal mining region of Cape Breton between 1948-1968 and discussed the photographs’ place within the archive, how the consumer could reinterpret them and what is taken forward to the next era of knowledge. Sheddon’s archive consisted of commercial (employer) and family life (employee) archive photographs. The archive is a popular choice for bookmakers, so Sekula discusses whether photographic practice should include use of archives.  There are different types of archives – corporate, government, museum, family, collectors etc. People own archives – control and ownership can belong to different people. Archives can have individual pictures and meanings up for sale within it. Purchase of repro...

Gregory Crewdson’s images belong to the postmodern (or pictures generation) era. He references cinema, classical painting, literature, theatricality and film within each image. Crewdson’s technique involves using a large format camera, performing actors and taking several exposures layered together to create an exaggerated drama which triggers the viewer’s emotion. Lighting rigs, props, artificial rain and dry ice add a cinematic quality to the image. The images suspend time and use contemporary and mundane situations packed with hidden social references.   Crewdson asks the viewer to speculate on the outcome, enabling the viewer to look at the image for longer than they would normally look at an image or film frame. Twilight- book published (2002) exhibited at the V&A (2006). “I have always been fascinated by the poetic condition of twilight. By its transformation quality. Its power of turning the ordinary into something magical and other worldly. My wish is for the ...