However beautiful or technically dazzling your photographs might be, if they don't tell a story, convey an idea or make your viewer stop and think, they are unlikely to make a lasting impression.Context and Narrative in Photography introduces practical methods to help you plan, develop and present meaningful, communicative images. With dozens of examples from some of the world's most thought-provoking photographers, this is a beautiful introduction to a fascinating aspect of photography.Beginning with an exploration of different narrative techniques, you'll be guided through selecting and developing a compelling concept for your project and how it might be conveyed either through a single image or a series of photographs. You'll also learn ways to incorporate signs, symbols and text into your work and how to present the finished piece to best reach your audience.New to this edition are extended projects, additional exercises and discussion questions, expanded case studies, around 25% of the images and an expanded Chapter 6 on integrating text into photographic projects.
Author(s): Maria Short, Sri-Kartini Leet, Elisavet Kalpaxi
Edition: 2
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2019
Language: English
Pages: 232
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Introduction
1 The photograph
Levels of truth
Research and documentation
Case study 1: ‘The Regency Project’
Case study 2: ‘Miss Grace’s Lane’
Case study 3: ‘Observation Point’ at Camden Arts Centre
Exercises: Considering the photograph
2 Visual approaches
The photographic brief
Choosing your subject
Equipment and materials
Process as conceptual rationale
Developing an ability to improvise
The influence of personal background
Case study 1: 'Homeless Ex-Service'
Case study 2: 'Even This Will Pass'
Exercises: Discovering your subject; formulating your approach
3 Contexts of presentation
Blurred boundaries/shifting meanings
The 'expanded field' of photography
Contextual distortion
Engaging with audiences
Case study 1: 'The King Alfred'
Case study 2: 'Foreigner: Migration into Europe 2015—2016'
Case study 3: 'From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried'
Exercises: Considering contexts and meanings
4 Visual narrativity
What is narrative?
Visual continuity and uniformity
Polyphase images
Authorial intent
Case study 1: 'Full Circle'
Case study 2: 'Biblical Stories', 'The Prisoners', and —The Village'
Exercises: Deconstructing the narrative
5 Photographic discourse
Semiosis
Time and narrativity
Symbolic meaning
Practical techniques
Case study 1: Selected Works
Case study 2: 'Something Is Missing'
Exercises: Variations on a theme
6 Image and text
The linguistic message
Integrated text
Case study 1: 'Towards a Promised Land'
Case study 2: 'The Life and Times of Strider Wolf'
Exercises: Using text
Conclusion
References
Online resources
Image credits
Index
About the authors
