Research log- The Journey

1. Lee Friedlander
https://fraenkelgallery.com/artists/lee-friedlander

I chose Lee Friedlander as one of my photographers because his array of photographs show my theme of a 'Journey' in an extremely unique way. He spent time travelling across America taking photographs of his journey from the perspective of his car. The way he has included certain aspects of his car, for example the side mirror and steering wheel within the image creates the idea that travelling is a large part of the photo. I think that the changes in location also give the viewer the idea that the photographer is on a journey. This style of photographing to convey the idea that a journey is taking place is one that is clever due to the different aspects included, also its a style I feel I can learn and develop onto for my own photography.
The second Friedlander shoot I looked at was focused on everyday short journeys, he did this by photographing people on the street, walking and doing their everyday activity. This shoot in particular captured my eye due to the fact that its based around everyday, normal journeys, which is interesting because there is so many different ways that I could interpret that into my own work. I like how he has captured people unaware because this means that he has literally caught them in a naturalistic fashion whilst going about their normal routine and journey.
Shooting in the same way as Friedlander has been something that I have wanted to do since researching different photographers who portray journeys. This is because I feel that his style is unique however somewhere where I can influence my own ideas and build onto an image. The use of black and white in his photos gives them a blank canvas for the viewer to connect their own feelings and interpretations onto.

2. William Eggleston
http://www.egglestontrust.com

I completely love the simplistic way that William Eggleston's photographs show the journey. His different use of angles and locations gives his images a refreshing view and atmosphere that allows the viewer to see a deeper scene and story. To me all of the photographs above at first look create the sense of happiness because of the pastel colours, however the shadowing, textures and angles give an underline unnerving feeling once you really start looking closer. The use of roads and cars in his photos show that travelling is involved, however the images to me are telling a story which I really like because it makes me as the viewer want to see ore of his work. 

I feel that this was a lovely way that incorporates texture and shadowing to further the impact of the photo, and the theme is strong throughout. I would really like to take certain aspects of his work and apply them to my own ideas, by basing a shoot around his work and way of conveying journey. 

3. Robert Frank

http://www.atgetphotography.com/The-Photographers/Robert-Frank.html

Robert Franks photography shows a journey in a completely different way to any other photographer that I have looked at, this is because his photographs have been taken in a different era than the one we are currently in. This means that his photos show a different journey than anyone now days has. He particularly likes to photograph people of different wealth and status travelling to and from work. This can be seen between two of the images I have chosen from his collection above, the photo of the men in top hats walking down a street gives the impress that the the people that are being photographed are of a higher class, due to the way they are dressed and the location. In comparison the photo that shows the men walking towards the camera with dirty faces shows men on their way to work in what I imagine tone a coal mine, this gives the impression that these men are from a poorer background. 

The contest between the journeys that the people in the photographs are taking is one that interests me a lot and one that I think would work really well for one of my own shoots, however finding people who differ so much physically in the sense of wealth is a lot harder to find now days. Therefore I would like to incorporate only certain aspects of Franks work within my own. 

4. Ben Gold 
http://www.bengold.co.uk

Ben Golds photographs above are rather similar to Lee Friedlanders however they focus less on the car and more of the location that they are in. This creates a completely different feeling and insight into journey than other photographers because only a small aspect of the vehicle is included within the images. I also really love that the mirror is the thing that is captured from the car because it shows the road from behind as well as what is the main focus of the image.
I think that Golds view on the journey is interesting and something that I would like to look further into and try out. Roads are a main focus in his images and this is something that I haven't really looked at that much, so that would be a good thing for me to include into my work.

5. Don McCullin
http://www.hamiltonsgallery.com/artists/29-don-mccullin/overview/

McCullin's photographs capture many paths and roads which widely link to journey due to the fact they are the ways travelling and journeys have been taken for thousands of years. He not only uses reflections and texture within his work, he also has decided to edit them in black and white which creates a completely controversial feel than what most people initially think of when thinking of journeys. The paths and roads in his images are almost all places within the centre of his shots, this is how he shows that the journey is a main theme in his work.

I really like the dark and mysterious feel to journeys that McCullins photos add and I think that this would be a shoot that I would be able to do well because there simplistic but just with a lot of emotion added. I like the use of black and white in these photos as it furthers the photos potential and draws the viewer in more as it creates a mysterious and horror based insight into darker journeys. 

6. Christian Carollo

http://pastpresentproject.com

I absolutely love all of Christain Carollos photographs because I feel that they are really clever in the way that he has show the journey through time. I have never seen this be down before, which gives each of his images a unique feel. He uses old photographs that he has and photographs them in the exact same location as they were previously taken in, sometimes in the exact same position that the first photo was taken. This shows the journey and changes from when the photo was initially taken to present day. In a lot of his images there is a clear indication of changes that have occurred since the first photo was taken, this to me is extremely interesting and I feel that it would be fun and compelling way to show a journey.

I have already begun looking through old photos and started planning a shoot based around Carollo's work, I am excited to see the journeys that my photographs show, especially around places I am often at because I would necessarily notice changes happening. This would be a really good shoot for showing the journey in time that happened and I am rather excited to include these techniques in my own work. 

7. Sven Fennema
http://www.sven-fennema.de/photo-series/end-of-the-journey/

I love all of Fennema's photographs from his 'End of the journey' photography series. I think that his use of old run down modes of transport is inspiring and shows the journey really nicely in ways in which I haven't experienced before. The scene location is different as well and I particularly like how the surrounding plants have grown around the vehicles, showing that they have been there a long time. The journey is clearly shown and makes me as a viewer feel as if the journey had a sad story because of how some of the cars are positioned and due to the fact that they are torn and generally not well looked after. I feel these images have a unique way of portraying the journey and is something that interests me on different levels.
I feel that this would be a difficult photo shoot to recreate since I would have to know a place in which has vehicles in this fashion with the plants and everything, which I don't. I do however think that I could take certain aspects of Fennema's photographs such as the old style of vehicles which are torn and mistreated to show the end of a journey. This would be a really nice photo shoot to do and I think it would be easy to produce good photographs that show the theme in a diverse and new way to anything else I would produce.  

8. Staudinger and Franke
http://www.staudinger-franke.com/#selCat=5&openedPrj=prj_45

Staudinger and Franke are photographers who have dedicated time to photographing the journey of a yellow mustang. Their series of images show the same yellow mustang, however in different locations indicating that the car has been on a journey travelling to different places. What I particularly like about their photographs is the diverse feel to each one even though there is the same underline theme, an example of this can be seen above. The photograph of the mustang parked outside the carnival looking ride is one that captures a palette worth of colour. This image is one that I instantly liked due to the bright eye-catching colours and lights. Another photo that is in comparison to the berlin photo is the one of the mustang siting underneath the street lamp, this photo conveys a darker and dingier setting with the only colour coming from the car. I like this photo also because the change in location shows clearly the theme of journey, along with the other photographs within this series. 

I believe that this could be something that I could use as a base idea for one of my own shoots. I could quite easily use the idea of photographing one particular object in different locations, which is something I haven't yet done. A good thing about this shoot would be that I could incorporate different techniques into the shoot to show a journey in contrasting ways, making it more interesting. 

9. Ansel Adams 

http://www.anseladams.com

Ansel Adams is a photographer who shows a journey mainly through location portraiture. His photographs have many similar qualities to one another such as not capturing people and the fact they are all in black and white, these similarities show that they are all part of the same shoot. The majority of hid images show locations that have roads, rivers and mountains, however there are a few that capture old tunnels and churches. Everything that Adams photographs in this series shows his journey from different locations through the diverse setting in each photo.

I like Adams photos and think that too some degree that they are interesting, although from all of the photos I have looked at conveying the same theme Adams is similar to others, which to me makes them less intriguing. 

I think that photographing in the same way as Adams is a possibility however its not something that excites me to think about, therefore I don't think that I will be purposefully photographing with his photography as a starting idea.  

10. Foster Huntington
http://www.arestlesstransplant.com

These photographs are ones that instantly makes me think of a journey. Foster Huntington is a photographer who captured shots from his road trip series and these photographs perfectly describe a journey and everything I firstly think of when thinking about my theme. He photograph camper vans in a natural state with all luggage hanging out of the back and parked up in different scenic locations. He also takes  a lot of photographs from the inside of the vans, showing where they live and whats its like inside while on their journey.

11. Dorothea Lange 
http://www.biography.com/people/dorothea-lange-9372993

Dorothea Lange was a famous documentary and journalistic photographer, who was most commonly known for her depression-era work. She photographed poor, working families across America, capturing their journey through out a harsh era.
Personally, I love the images that she has produced because they show truth and scenarios that were really happening. The amount of emotion and naturalistic body language in each photograph allows the viewer to understand the situation that these people were in and how their way of living made them feel. I like the variety and individuality within each photograph and I think that a journey can be seen through the images of the men travelling to find work and the journey of each family as they try to find a better life for themselves. The images above are all interesting and draw me in in different ways, I find all of Dorothea's photography throughout the depression-era linking to my theme of journey because she has documented a specific journey through time, in which many people had to travel.
To me trying to capture images as powerful and truthful as these would be difficult because in modern days access to situations similar to, for example the Syrian refugee camps, is difficult. Therefore I don't personally believe that I would be able to produce anything to this level and style.

12. Christopher Martin 
http://christophermartinphotography.com/tag/travel-photography/page/2/

Christopher Martin is a photographer who has spent years travelling the world manipulating his photography through various camera techniques to convey his own version of the world. His journey across different countries are all documented through his photographs and they capture the individual characteristics that are famously linked with each destination.
His use of wide angles, long exposure and motion blurs add a uniqueness to his photography and help capture the journey through different cultures. I particularly like the silhouette image above because the shapes and outlines of the men holding the umbrellas show the viewer which country the photograph is being shot in. Also the colour display in the backgorunf gives the images a sense of beauty.
I would absolutely love to get the opportunity to photograph across the world to convey the idea of journey because I feel that it would be a really clear and easily connectable for people who dream of trevalling the world.

13. Yuval Yairi
http://yuvalyairi.com/memory-suitcases/

Yuval Yairi is an israeli photographer who focuses on travel and journeys a lot within different projects. The image series of his that I was most interested in was her 'memory suitcase' photography. Yairi in this project had used suitcases as a canvas for his photography to show his journey around Israel. These images also show a journey from past and present israel, for example one image shows an abandoned house that has been linked to when the Palestinian arabs were fleeing during the 1948 and 1967 wars. The use of a suitcase as the main canvas also shows how journey is weaved into the images due to the fact that suitcases are what is typically used when travelling. The framing of the images are repeated throughout each image however he has used different location for the background which also suggests that the photographer himself is on a journey.
This series is one of my favourite out of all journey photography that I have studied because the strong and powerful link to the theme is so meaningful and can be interpreted in various ways, which allows the viewer to apply their own preferences to the images. Also I love the creative aspect to the images, he's used image within an image to show that his journey has taken him from the location of the suitcase to the location in which the photo is now being taken in.

14. Nich Hance
http://www.inspiration-now.com/road-trip-photography-by-nich-hance/




Nich Hance is the photographer to the images above, he has used the theme of journey within this project and included a repeated object of a car to show this. He used wide angle a lot throughout his photography so that the overall setting is included within each photo, this allows the viewer to see the change within the whole scenery between each photo, which makes the change in location and progression of the journey more obvious. I also really like the framing within his photography, he uses lines to separate the road to the car to the sky. This makes the photo more appealing for the eye and allows the viewer to see all of the different aspects of his images. My least favourite photo out of his series is the only one inhabiting a person, its my least favourite because the image is the same throughout, there isn't anything the draws your eye. I do however like that it shows a range within what he likes to photograph but do not feel it links in with the theme strongly.
I would love to use Hance's style within my own photography especially the framing and lines aspect as I feel this is what separates him from other photographers.

15. Walker Pickering
http://www.featureshoot.com/2012/03/classic-american-west-road-trip-photos/




Walker Pickering shows a smaller journey in my eyes, this is because it appears that his images are all taken with a similar style in location sense, which makes me think that they are all taken in the same town or city. I like that he isn't trying to show a long and distant journey because I feel that this would connect better with everyone as they can relate to their own everyday journeys around their own towns. He photographs a lot of houses and buildings and the way in which he uses different lighting and positions to capture them is one that I personally really enjoy. There is pink tinges of light in some images that work really nicely with the dark sky and the colours of the buildings. Also in the image of the petrol station which has been captured from what looks like a porch is one that interest me greatly. Not only does the use of the petrol station and the few cars link in with my theme of journey but the angle and positioning that he has decided to shoot the photo from gives the image a new perspective and helps include more details.


16. Brandon Allen
http://www.brandonallenphotography.com/boats.htm




Brandon Allen focuses on showing a journey through the use of a different mode of transport than what I have seen in any other photographer, He has chosen o show the journey with boats. His photography is mostly subtle and miniscule with no colour and small amount of scenery. I do really like Allen's photography especially the horror feel that I experience when looking through his different shots. When looking at his images I imagine a horror type story that could be linked to each image. The isolated locations, use of black and white and props in each photo all link in with typical horror stereotypes. Therefore his images to me create fresh approach and perspective about journeys and the different genres they can have. I would like to try and use different genres within my own work and also the use of boats because I feel it will show versatility within my own work and be really interesting as a new experience photographing wise.

17. John Storts
http://www.demilked.com/wolf-dog-adventures-travel-photography-john-stortz/





John Stort uses his dog within his images as a continuous and repetitive object to show the change within location. I think this is a lovely idea and is a refreshing take instead of using people. Storts images are similar to those of  Nich Hance with the use of framing, lines and the use of the same or similar objects within each photo. I do feel that the differences between the two photographers are strong and is what gives each of them their own flair and stamp on the photography. I think that Storts use of location varies so much in each shot and looks really lovely. I feel that this would be a brilliant style of photography to try and incorporate within my own work however the use of a dog might be hard for myself as my own dogs don't seem as well trained as Storts, therefore I don't think that I would be able to use that into a shoot. Overall, I do really enjoy his photography and feel that my theme of journey is highly incorporated within his work and can be seen easily.

18. Zakaria Belgazzar
 http://adventures-trips.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/25-photos-from-my-journey-across-america.html
 

I absolutely love the way that Belgazzar shows journey in a mass kind of way. His photography captures city settings as a whole that can show hundreds of different journey all at once. I really love all of the images above especially the first and second because these are extremely clever ways of showing many different peoples journeys and the concept that everyone is travelling their own journey in life. In the first image he uses depth of field to allow the whole street to be photographed and in the second he has taken the image from a high angle in a train station to be able to capture the same thing. His use of different techniques and angles in his work gives each photo a sense of individuality, whilst still showing the same theme throughout. Looking through his photography has made me aware of how I could incorporate different techniques and camera angles within my own work to be able to photograph the best images. 

19. Klaus Tiedge
https://www.photographersgallery.com/photo.asp?id=5200






Klaus Tiedge is a wildlife photographer who has spent a lot of time in Africa photographing the typical animals that are associated with that region. He has photographed a vast range of animals however its his series that includes elephants that speak to me so personally and link to my own personal theme of journey. In his photography it shows them in a heard travelling across different terrains whilst staying as a unit. This is unique and unlike anything that I have previously looked at regarding journey as it allows an insight into the journey that animals instinctively travel. All photographing is taken outside for obvious reasons and each photo has a different lighting effect which shows the viewer that a passing of time is occurring due to the different times of day. This shows that the journey that is being taken is taking the course of a day or even more. The emotional connection with these photographs are high and will connect with an audience in a positive way. I really enjoy these images as they show journey on a different platform and include emotion and pride which I haven't felt from any other photographs.

20. Annie Leibovitz
https://portfolio.id/2009/07/imagining-space-the-journey-that-changes-mankind-forever/


Annie Leibovitz doesn't typically take photographs depicting the theme of a journey. However she made the exception for this one photograph, which is part of the journey campaign. I had to include this within my research log because the editing in the photograph and in practically all of Annie's images is impeccable. Its a skill that I would definitely like to learn because it gives the photos a magical quality to them and I think that would work really nice with the theme of journey. Therefore I feel that I would mostly take from looking at her photography the style of editing she uses to try and apply it to my own work, even though it looks detailed and that it could take a large amount of time to learn to be this good.