Photographer Research 4

Ian Macdonald

Ian MacDonald is an Official Fujifilm X  Photographer and educator living in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. For two decades a large part of his professional life (before photography) was spent working as a paramedic and as an EMS educator.  His career was one of taking care of the ill and injured, caring for people when they are suffering, and teaching and supporting others through their journey in EMS. He is passionate about his love for people and notes that his sole purpose within his career has always been people. In addition to working with people, photography, whether shooting professionally or for himself, he says that it provides him with "the opportunity to feed my soul and to recharge." 

This image was taken in Paris, France and illustrates an older man walking through the street with a walking stick and holding a baguette. He appears comfortable to be alone with his strong posture and his head up high, facing forward. It seems like this man may also be in a hurry as he is taking quite big strides and his walking stick is pointing forward far ahead of him. 

New York

Photographer Research 3

Tom Wood

Thomas "Tom" Wood (born Ireland, 14 January 1951) is a street photographer, portraitist and landscape photographer based in Britain. Wood is best known for his photographs in Liverpool and Merseyside from 1978–2001, "on the streets, in pubs and clubs, markets, workplaces, parks and football grounds" of "strangers, mixed with neighbours, family and friends." His work has been published in five books, been widely shown in solo exhibitions and received awards. Phill Coomes, writing for BBC News, said "wherever they were taken or made, his pictures seem always to have a trace of human existence, and at their centre they are about the lives that pass through the spaces depicted.

Photographer Research 2

Courtney Slazinik 

Courtney Slazinik is a former teacher who got into photography around 2009 with the motive to capture beautiful moments with her family. She has a website called 'Click It Up A Notch' - https://clickitupanotch.com/blog/ where she shares all that she has learned about using cameras and pursuing photography to offer tips and support to anyone who wishes to do the same.

This image is taken of Courtney Slazinik's children as she uses them as subject for a lot of her photography. This shot depicts two young children, brother and sister as I have discovered from research, standing side by side looking out of the window. It is suggested that the pair are emotionally close and comfortable with each other as they are within such close proximity of each other. They appear comfortable in this setting due to their relaxed body language and how they are leaning on the window frame, so I would assume that this image was shot in the family home. It is also clear from this image that the brother is older as he is much taller than his sister. They also both seem to be in casual clothing and not dressed up for any occasion which would suggest that it is most likely the weekend and they can be presumed to be watching a visitor leave their house waiting to wave them goodbye from the window.

Architectural elements are used for framing in this shot. The little girl is perfectly framed in this image by the bottom left square in the window, whilst the boys body is framed as he is too tall to perfectly fit within the square. Courtney Slaznik has used an offset perspective for this image and whilst the boy fits nicely into the rule of thirds in this shot, the little girl is central. There is also an element of negative space in this image to the left of the window.

This image shot of Slazinik's son illustrates him standing in his crib, it appears that he has just woken up as he is in his pyjamas and the sunlight from outside the window is still yellowish, as the sun is still rising. He is holding on to the side of his crib and looking out of the window as we can tell that it is in front of him due to the sunlight shining on to his face and behind him creating his shadow on the wall. It also looks like he is yawning as he has just woken up. The little boy seems confident in his surroundings with a tall and strong posture has he looks ahead, and this captured moment is most likely part of his daily routine. This image could even have a deeper meaning about the boys wider consciousness represented by his shadow and how he is very self aware.

Slazinik has framed the boys shadow in this image rather than the boy himself. She has used the chance of her setting and the time of day to capture the sunlight reflecting on the boys wall. The boy is positioned in the right, third section of the image and there is a lot of negative space in the image however it has quite a calm tone. Possibly because of the light green shades on the wall and the sunlight shining on the boy's face and his crib. Additionally this offers the idea of quietness in the room.

This image also features Slaziniks children. The pair are outside by a river crouching on the floor surrounded by bushes. They both look comfortable and eager to explore the outside. Their body language would suggest that they are calm and patient, perhaps waiting to spot fish in the river. They are wearing trainers and most likely on a walk to explore the nature outside. Neither of the children are seen with electronic devices and both seem very present in the moment and in touch with the world around them. Their arms are touching and they are both physically close to each other which again portrays their close relationship.

Slazinik has used environmental elements in this image to frame the children with the bush almost curving around them and filling up all of the space in the bottom corners of the shot and opening up around her children. They are just slightly to the right of the centre of the image, but the final image still looks good and fairly symmetrical with green bushes filling both spaces on the left on right. This image does also have a slight depth of field as the part of bush thats in the forefront is not in focus. 

This shot is of Slaziniks French Bulldog, Sanford, snoozing on the floor. Presumably this image was taken in her family home as he seems comfortable and relaxed in this environment. This image was probably shot around midday as the light beaming through is very white with no orange or pink tint to suggest sunrise or sunset. He has obviously chosen this particular spot for a nap as it's warm.

To shoot this image, Slazinik has either laid / crouched on the floor to almost be at eye level with the dog, making the viewer and Sanford equals therefore he does not seem either intimidating or uninportant. Purely down to circumstance Slazinik has been able to capture Sanford being framed by the sunlight shining through the window on to the floor and part of the wall. The sunlight creates smaller frames of its own on the floor as the window it shines through has sections. 

Research Log

Definition

Photographer Research 1

Steve McCurry

Steve McCurry has been one of the most iconic voices in contemporary photography for more than thirty years, with scores of magazine and book covers, over a dozen books, and countless exhibitions around the world to his name. Born in a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, McCurry studied film at Pennsylvania State University, before going on to work for a local newspaper. After several years of freelance work, McCurry made his first of what would become many trips to India. Travelling with little more than a bag of clothes and another of film, he made his way across the subcontinent, exploring the country with his camera.

This image was taken in Bamiyan, Afghanistan and illustrates what is presumed to be a Sikh man based on quietly reading what can be presumed as the Guru Granth Sahib. He is shown to be alone, but seems content that way with his legs stretched out in front of him. This image would also suggest that this man is comfortable and safe here as he doesn't appear to be wearing any shoes, however footwear is removed before entering a gurdwara worship hall. Also, due to his posture and how he is hunched over while intensely studying the book would infer that he takes his religion and culture very seriously and it is most likely an essential element within his lifestyle.

 Framing devices are used here as the man is framed through an open window, while placed sitting next to another window that is closed, creating repetition within the image as it creates the illusion that there is a square inside of a larger square being the open window at the forefront. Additionally, although the top half of the image appears to be cut off as the whole window is not in view, there is symmetrical elements in this image which makes it pleasing to the eye. For example the window is shot central, with almost an equal amount of negative space on both the left and right. Also, the blue paint below the window spreads from the left to the right and besides a slight tilt is almost completely straight and central from the left to the right. This image also uses contrasting, saturated primary colours like red and blue on the immediate wall, but also includes light teal on the back wall and a darker teal on the window frames and the square pole. 

This image uses the structure of the stairs as a framing device to surround the man and shelter him as each step spirals around the pole and curves around his body. The rule of thirds is also used in this image as the man is positioned in the third right of the image. There is use of negative space in the image which is softly occupied with the evening / morning sky. The colour of the sky smoothly transitions from a calm blue, getting lighter until reaching light pink with some white clouds to a pinky orange finally developing into dark purple at the bottom of the image. 

There are spiritual connotations in this image, as if the man is walking up to heaven, or perhaps trying to become closer with God. The fact that he is walking up a staircase suggests that he is on a spiritual or religious journey. Furthermore, the stairs above his head infer that he feels he is being protected by a god or larger being. He appears relaxed with one hand in his pocket and in no rush to reach the top, like it is more about the journey rather than the destination. 

Steve McCurry has used a negative space and the decisive moment to frame his subject through a broken vehicle to frame the subject in this image. He has included depth of field, the top right of the image is the window frame and is not in focus, however the rest of the image is illustrated clearly. There are a variation of colours included in this image to vibrant yellows, greens and oranges in the leaves, to darker blues and browns on the old car, but also duller creams and lighter browns on the fence in the background. The man however sticks out the most, dressed in a combination of bright yellow and violet, making him the centre of attention in the shot despite all of the noise in the image. 

This was shot in Myanmar (Burma). The Myanmar people are said to be amongst the friendliest in Asia. They are genuine and relaxed, respectful and humble. Yet, beneath all of this lies a deep sense of pride, nationalism and almost blind love for their leader, Noble Peace Prize-winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

This image illustrates a number of people including both adults and children, travelling on a train to work and school in Rangoon, Burma. The people seem to be all bunched up together as there is not a lot of space, but all seem well dressed in shirts and smart attire. The child in the middle covering his face appears to be comfortable despite the lack of space, suggesting that this is part of his daily routine and he is used to the journey to and from school. This would also suggest that Burmese people are determined and hard working individuals who don't let excuses get in the way of their true efforts to work and provide for their families.The train has soap advertisements on the side which is ironic as the actual train appears old, dirty and rusty. Additionally, the passengers on the train are most likely hot and sweaty due to the lack of personal space, considering they are in an extremely hot part of the world.

The composition of this image includes the rule of thirds highlighting key aspects of the image such as the boy in the centre of the shot. This also ensures that the image is symmetrical which makes it more pleasing to the eye. Steve McCurry has used natural structure in this shot with empty windows on a train to frame his subjects and positioned one window completely central in his image, consequently only half of the window on the right side is shown in the image however this doesn't seem to ruin the final shot as it doesn't affect the symmetry.

Image Bank