Research and Contextual Studies

Aldous George
Apr 17, 2021
2 min read

Previous photos of mine from a shoot a couple of years ago, again part of 'evoking emotions' and drawing awareness to issues around mental health issues. I have always been strongly drawn to black and white photography for its contrast and tonal values particularly.

Bill Brandt is among my favourite black and white photographers. I looked into getting a book or two of his but they are silly money but here is a link to a preview of 'Shadow of Light' only £317.59

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Bill_Brandt/ObRkaR88RA8C?hl=en&gbpv=1

Antoinne D'Agata, another favourite of mine whose work often deals with taboo subjects such as addiction, sex, personal obsession, darkness and prostitution.

Link to All About Photo.com's article on Antoinne D'agata:

https://www.all-about-photo.com/photographers/photographer/36/antoine-d-agata

Frida Kahlo

The Broken Column was painted shortly after Frida had undergone surgery on her spinal column. The operation left her bedridden and “enclosed” in a metallic corset, which helped to alleviate the intense, and constant pain she was in.

In the painting she is depicted standing in the middle of a completely arid, cracked landscape. Her torso is encased in metal belts lined with fabric that provide pressure and support for her back. They help to prevent her body from collapsing, a possibility which is announced by the image running down the middle of her torso. There a completely fractured Ionic column on the point of collapse has replaced her spinal column. Frida’s head rests on the capital. Although her face is bathed in tears, it doesn’t reflect a sign of pain. The attitude she presents is the one she always showed to life itself: strong and defiant to the viewer. The nails piercing her body are a symbol of the constant pain she faced. The largest ones, along the column, mark the damage caused by the accident in 1925, while those adhering to her left breast refer rather to an emotional pain, to her feeling of solitude. When asked once why she so often portrayed herself in her works, Frida replied that it was because she was always alone and because she herself was what she knew best.

Nobuyoshi Araki: A Sentimental Journey

https://youtu.be/-lxcD-ZEstY

Araki's work remains highly influential but also controversial

Japanese photographer

Nobuyoshi Araki’s aesthetic is instantly recognizable, whether he’s capturing submissive, rope-bound women, grungy group sex in Tokyo, or eroticized flowers. On occasion, the 78-year old will add a dollop of paint or scrawl calligraphy over an image. A Polaroid aficionado, he’ll often cut up his own instant prints to create collages—a half-dressed woman joined to a bright flower— juxtaposing two of his favorite themes in the same artwork.

from: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-nobuyoshi-arakis-photographs-remain-influential-highly-controversial