Assignment #3 - please excuse the formatting.

This assignment will require you to choose the work of a well-known photographer whose work you are particularly drawn to. Sounds familiar to some of you? Hold up. You will pick from a generous list of photographers I will provide for you. Or, you can find one yourself and propose him or her to me as an alternative. Either way, after you have decided on a particular photographer, create a group of images which parody or subvert that photographer's work.

You will be obligated to learn something about the philosophical/ideological positions of your photographer, both as they pertain to photography (technical approaches and formal aspects) and as they pertain to personal, political and cultural issues.

You may find yourself focusing more on the ideological issues associated with the photographer and his or her work, but don't lose sight of those characteristics which are photographic. The resulting body of work should amount to more than merely a parody of formal characteristics, and I would like for your final results to have more substance than mere mockery for mockery's sake. In simple terms – have a good reason for doing what you’re doing.

Please shoot a minimum of 4 rolls of 35 mm film, so you will give yourself enough choices to have 8-10 solid prints. Take advantage of the relative ease with which you can make exposures with the 35mm camera. Move, bracket and most of all – improvise. If you are interested in another format, speak with me.

As intermediate photographers your print quality should be nearly perfect. You should at least be aware of when it is and when it isn’t. If this is not the case, please ask for more of my help. In addition to the images, I would like you to write a maximum one-page typed statement, explaining why you chose your photographer, what about this person's agenda motivated you to subvert/parody it, and discuss the meaning of your results. Be detailed in your observations.

Hand in all contacts (at least 4) with your final prints (8 -10)

parody : 1. a literary or artistic work that imitates the characteristic style of an author or a work for comic effect or ridicule. 2. Something so bad as to be equivalent to intentional mockery.

subvert : 1. to destroy; to completely ruin. 2. To undermine the character, morals, or allegiances of; to corrupt. 3. to overthrow something established.

DO NOT IMITATE THE PHOTOGRAPHER! LEARN THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S PROCESS!


List of Photographers

Robert Adams Nan Goldin Arnold Newman
Eugene Atget Emmet Gowin Nicholas Nixon
Diane Arbus Jan Groover Bill Owens
John Baldessari Sid Grossman Robert ParkHarrison
Lewis Baltz Ernst Haas Gordon Parks
Tina Barney Robert Heinecken Irving Penn
Ruth Bernhard Eikoh Hosoe John Phahl
Edouard Boubat Graciella Iturbide Chris Ranier
Bill Brandt Andre Kertesz Eugene Richards
Manual Alvarez-Bravo William Klein Jacob Riis
Henri Cartier-Bresson Mark Klett Herb Ritts
Wynn Bullock Joseph Koudelka Alexander Rodchenko
Harry Callahan George Krause Sebastao Salgado
Julia Margaret Cameron Les Krims August Sander
John Coplans Barbara Kruger John Sexton
William Christenberry Dorthea Lange Cindy Sherman
Larry Clark Clarence John Laughlin Laurie Simmons
Linda Conner David Levinthal Lorna Simpson
Barbara Crane Sherrie Levine Neal Slavin
Imogene Cunningham Helen Levitt Frederick Sommer
Judy Dater Lisa Lewenz Mike and Doug Starn
Bruce Davidson Annie Leibovitz Ralph Steiner
Roy DeCarava Danny Lyon Paul Strand
Robert Doiseneau Nathan Lyons Edward Steichen
Elliot Erwitt Sally Mann Josef Sudek
Walker Evans Robert Mapplethorpe Arthur Tress
Wendy Ewald Mary Ellen Mark Bruce Weber
Larry Fink Ralph Eugene Meatyard Weegee
Robert Frank Susan Meiselas Eudora Welty
Lee Friedlander Ray Metzker Henry Wessel
Lewis Hine Pedro Meyer Edward Weston
Flor Garduno Joel Meyerowitz Garry Winogrand
Laura Gilpin Duane Michals Joel Peter Witkin
Frank Gohlke Richard Misrach Andreas Serrano
Lauren Greenfield Tina Modotti