Early 20th Century Photography

Let’s review some history: What was happening in the early 20th century?

Historical Context

• World War I

• Stock Market Crash

• Great Depression

• FSA (does anyone know what this stands for?)

Edward Steichen “Rodin with His Sculptures ‘Victor Hugo’ and ‘The

Thinker’” 1902• When Edward Steichen arrived in

Paris in 1900, Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) was regarded not only as the finest living sculptor but also perhaps as the greatest artist of his time.

• Steichen visited him in his studio in Meudon in 1901 and Rodin, upon seeing the young photographer's work, agreed to sit for his portrait.

• Steichen spent a year studying the sculptor among his works, finally choosing to show Rodin in front of the newly carved white marble of the "Monument to Victor Hugo," facing the bronze of "The Thinker."

Alfred Steiglitz “Steerage” 1906

• Steiglitz was possibly the most famous photographer at this time, and of all time.

• Artistic Characteristics:– Division of class– Value– Perspective– Line

Farm Security Administration

• Enacted during the Great Depression• The FSA was created during the Great

Depression as a way to combat rural poverty. • During this time, photographers were hired to

document the struggles of the poor in order to educate the public.

Dorothea Lange “Migrant Mother” 1936

• One of the most famous photographs of all time

• Part of the FSA photography program

• Artistic elements:– Value– Composition– Characters in this photo:

does it remind you of anything? Link

Margaret Bourke-White “Fort Peck Dam”

Montana, 1936

Ansel Adams “Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico” 1948

Ansel Adams• Possibly the most

famous photographer of all time

• Married to Georgia O’Keeffe

• Artistic Elements:– Contrast/value– landscape

Henri Cartier-Bresson “The Berlin Wall” 1962

Contemporary Photography

• What do we use photography for?

The “Selfie”(we all take them)

Your Assignment

• Create some ARTSY cell phone photography• You will be assigned an art style, topic, element,

or principle to explore for homework each night.• For each “topic,” you will take many

photographs but only email me 5-6 the night they are due. You can also upload them at home and print them off yourself if you’d like.

• The end project that you will be graded on will be a layout of your best photo from each topic.

Subjects/Topics

• Complete Abstraction• Landscape• Portrait• Self Portrait• Color Scheme (complementary, primary, secondary, monochromatic,

analogous, or neutrals)

• Open and Closed Composition• Still Life