Bruce Davidson, Research log

I have chosen to focus on Bruce Davidson's work as it focuses on an interesting time in history and he also shows us a good way to photograph people in a natural way. Davidson is an American photographer whose documentary work of gang life in Brooklyn, poor districts of Harlem, New York, and his photographs of the New York subway system in the 1970s helped him break new ground. He has been a member of the Magnum Photos agency since 1958. His mother built him a dark room and he began taking photos. Soon after, he approached a local photographer who taught him about the technical sides of photography, in addition to lighting and printing skills. His influences included Robert Frank, Eugene Smith, and Henri Cartier-Bresson.

This picture is interesting as it shows gang cultures on the New york subway. This picture also uses a bright and interesting background covered in graffiti that gives you a vivid and gritty idea of how the New York subway system really was. Pattern can be seen within this image. The two men are standing either side of the train doors and are wearing the exact same clothing, showing that they are in a gang. Within this pattern, we can see other examples of formal elements that are shown as a result. There is a contrast in race which Davidson has highlighted through pattern, making the image appear almost like a parallel of each other.

This is a celebrity portrait picture. I chose this picture because I find it interesting how the subject has been positioned mid movement. This positioning causes the subject to appear more natural and fluid than they would if they were simply posing uncomfortably for a picture. The black and white filter used enhances the tone of the image. Here we can see minor details that have been enhanced using the shadows of the image. We can now see details within the face through wrinkles and details in clothing and body. Examples of pattern can be seen on the chain fence, and can also be seen changing over different distances.

I like this picture because of the context. Davidson has chosen to photograph an interesting time and shows us some features of the time period. The image gives us an idea of the fashion within gang culture and the attitudes of the people within these gang cultures; they are seen smoking cigarettes as a sign of rebellion. The pattern on the decking changes over a larger distance. This image features a few examples of contrast. The image contrasts in colours, the dark colours of the buildings clash with the bright white colour of the sky. The two people in the foreground of the image create more contrasts within the image. The man on the left is dressed in light tones while the other is dressed in black colours.

I like this picture because it tells you a story. We are immediately aware of the context in which the image is set and the social views. We can see that this is an entirely different America than we are accustomed to and Davidson highlights this to create an interesting subject point. Pattern can be seen as the backdrop of the image is the American flag. The stars and stripes all form together creating both contrasts and patterns. The subject matter is made instantly clear to audiences by using contrast. The paint on the person within the foregrounds head is white with the words "Vote" written in dark letters.

Summary:

Bruce Davidson uses strong references to the context of his images and uses poses to make his subjects appear more natural. His images usually feature outfits and props that are specific to the context that the image was taken. Davidson's use of movement allows for the image to feel natural and accurately portray the tone of the image. For example, the voting rights image uses a proud stance with a good posture, while the Brad Pitt image features a more chaotic tone due to his intense movement.

Influence:

 I would like to replicate some of the techniques that Davidson uses with his subjects. I would like to experiment with different ways of composing the photos and think about how I can place the subjects. I would take pictures of the subject as they are doing a pose or a movement in order to make the image seem more fluid.

I have taken an image that features the subject of the image doing a pose. This is used in order to create a style of image that replicates some of Davidson's methods and cause the image to appear more natural as a result. I used a black and white filter in order to replicate some of Davidson's images. This allows the subjects face to become more detailed as the shadows on his face are enhanced. I think this has had a positive impact on my work because whenever I need to photograph a person I can use Davidson's use of movement to make the image seem more natural.