This year we went on a trip as a class to the National Portrait Gallery and The Photographers' Gallery.
At the NPG we saw Eyes of the Storm (1963-64) by Paul McCartney, then at TPG we saw two exhibitions - the work of Evelyn Hoffer and Home is Not a Place by Johnny Pitts.
At the NPG we saw Eyes of the Storm (1963-64) by Paul McCartney, then at TPG we saw two exhibitions - the work of Evelyn Hoffer and Home is Not a Place by Johnny Pitts.
NPG: Eyes of the Storm (1963-64) - Paul McCartney
The exhibition was about the life of The Beatles when touring, with member Paul McCartney photographing behind the scenes from 1963-64 to reveal the intensity of touring.
The photographs were organized to show different cities as they progressed, with multiple pictures of individuals grouped together, led by dates, with coloured backgrounds depending on the city where the pictures were taken.
The photographs were organized to show different cities as they progressed, with multiple pictures of individuals grouped together, led by dates, with coloured backgrounds depending on the city where the pictures were taken.
3 Highlights
Series of Work
The gallery follows the Beatles' journey across NYC, Washington D.C, Miami, London and Liverpool, showing pictures of members and others in snapshots during their tour to show an alternative view of what it is like with a sea of faces following you, evoking joy and wonder.
Something I will take from the exhibition is inspiration for lighting and portraits and angles which feel natural, with new framing.
Something I will take from the exhibition is inspiration for lighting and portraits and angles which feel natural, with new framing.
A Visual Journey Across Six Cities
While the exhibition provides a unique perspective on The Beatle's rise to superstardom, viewed from the inside looking out, Paul's photographs also unveil the profound influence of the places they travelled to in this period. These six extraordinary cities - Liverpool, London, Paris, New York, Washington D.C and Miami - have their own places in The Beatles' story, as they inspired and helped shape the artistic vision of the band.
The following are my favourite photographs from each city.
The following are my favourite photographs from each city.
Liverpool
Unknown woman and Michael Braun, Journalist backstage - I like this image because McCartney used people to frame other people, blurring others to make another person the focus.
London
George Harrison - I chose this pictures because I think that not looking at the camera in a close up headshot portrait creates a sense of distance and seriousness, which contrasts with his attire. As McCartney said "kept us sane was goofing around" which goes back to the idea of the stress of touring. The framing of the image also interests me.
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Paris
New York City
Ronnie Spector, Singer with the Ronettes with an Unknown man, in the Plaza Hotel, January 1964 - The image feels calm and quiet which is a break from the hectic feeling with the other photos McCartney took in NYC, with low lighting and a head-level shot sitting down, it feels natural whilst capturing the essence of the room. Spector's head turned towards the camera whilst her body faces away almost feels like the viewer has stepped into the room them self.
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Washington D.C.
Miami
Diane Levine, Paul McCartney's Miami Date - The use of colours creates a very light, fun mood, knowing this is at the height of the Beatles' fame and the end of their tour, this image evokes joy and nostalgia. The use of McCartney's music paired with this adds to this feeling, which is a technique only used in the Miami room of the exhibition, paired with light and bright coloured walls.
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Home Is Not a Place - Johny Pitts
This set of work is an answer to the question "What is Black Britain" from Johny Pitts and Roger Robinsons in 2021.
The work was curated with backdrops of meaningful things to the people included, separated by white frames to the pictures. The gallery also features physical objects to create nostalgia around the images such as an old tv, sofa and furniture from the early 2000s. |
3 Highlights
2. Man Standing at the Bus Stop - You don't need to see the man to know he is the focus of the image, just the silhouette of him with the location makes him what you see first. This is also done through the framing, there is also a great use of colour, showing the busy nights of England in contrast with the silhouette which seems tranquil.
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Conclusion
Roger Robinson and Johny Pitts don't use captions to remove social roles from the images, and moves away from the anthropological approach in photography, and more towards a egalitarian view.
In conclusion, I would take away techniques with lighting and colour used by the artist.
In conclusion, I would take away techniques with lighting and colour used by the artist.
Evelyn Hofer
Hofer was a German-American photographer in the 60's - 70's, photographing her whole life until her death in 2009. The exhibition spans from the 60s to 70s though.
The work was presented by being surrounded by white empty space for framing, and as the photos went along, the years increased in when they were taken.
The work was presented by being surrounded by white empty space for framing, and as the photos went along, the years increased in when they were taken.
3 Highlights
1. The President's Car, Washington 1965 - The framing of this image is great as it uses a rule of thirds to show the car, white house and a tree in the garden and the distance between each of these. The colour is also good as everything feels blends together naturally without anything feeling out of place.
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2. Queensboro Bridge, NY 1964 - The facial expression of the man feels like he is staring at the viewer. The framing of the image shows the fog of the city over the bridge, feeling like an early morning. The use of colour - especially the model's shirt - makes him the focus, contrasting the red against the green and blue of the environment without making him stick out.
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3. Beauty Palace, New York 1963 - The colour and symmetry of the image feels Wes Anderson-like, the raised angle looking down a little bit feels more surreal, almost like looking into a doll house, somewhere that is not real or even dream like, the image creates a backdrop for itself with the pattern of the curtains and ceiling. Without anyone in the picture and empty seats, it also seems inviting and safe.
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Conclusion
With pictures documenting her photography in the 1960's and 70's, with aesthetic work for magazines like the Sunday Times, Evelyn Hofer uses a complex colour dye transfer process, including three layers of coloured dye applied by hand to create an emulsion layer, similar to William Eggleston later on, giving her a unique style that was recognisable and related to fashion during contemporary political subjects like British Prisons and the Watergate scandal and Northern Ireland.
I would take away features like framing and colour and angles.
I would take away features like framing and colour and angles.