3: Constructed Images
- Page ID
- 231792
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Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Gordon Parks. Washington, D.C. Government charwoman, 1942. (No known restrictions; via Library of Congress)
Image Description: A black and white photograph of an older, African American woman holding a broom and a mop in front of the American flag.
While much of early photography sought to document reality, the medium, even in its technological developments, has always reflected a tension between the observed and the constructed. Photography, like other art mediums, ultimately represents the artist’s many choices. These choices are particularly evident in staged photography, where the image has been arranged or constructed. In this unit, students learn how to set up and use lighting, an important tool for staging images, to convey specific moods or support concepts in their photographs. Studio lighting exercises give students experience with setting up backdrops, lights, light-stands, and gels. The assignment encourages students to think like a director with a specific intention and therefore take responsibility for every aspect of the image in service to that intention.
Constructed Images: Example Artists
Gregory Crewdson
Joan Fontcubera
LaToya Ruby Frasier
Laura Letinsky
Yasumasa Morimura
Vik Muniz
Cindy Sherman
Jeff Wall
Francesca Woodman
Jeong Mee Yoon