Combining Photography and Literature to Create Art

1
Combining Photography and Literature to Create Art

• Suzanne M. Glenn
• Art Teacher
• Walhalla High School

2
Project Overview

• Discuss two American Photographers by reading and
  creating a timeline and understand the purpose of
  their photographs
• Learn to search on the internet at The Library of
  Congress
• Learn how to read and write what we see in
  photographs of various famous persons
• Discover proper use of a digital camera
• Demonstrate how to set up a successful
  composition in photographs
• Create a short essay to compliment photographs of
  subject

3
Part 1

• American Photographers

4
Carl Van Vechten

• Born on June 17, 1880 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Graduated from University of Chicago in 1903
• Hired by the New York Times as assistant to the
  music critic in 1906

5

• Began studying opera in Europe in 1907
• In 1908 became correspondent in Paris for The New
  York Times
• Became the first American critic of modern dance
  for The New York Times upon returning to New York
  in 1909

6

• In the early 1930s, Miguel Covarrubias introduced
  Van Vechten to the 35mm Leica camera
• Began photographing friends, acquaintances, and
  both fledgling artists and the established
  cultural figures of the time

7
Van Vechtens Photos

• Portraits are frequently busts or half-length
  poses
• Bold backdrops
• Dancers usually photograph on stage
• Did his own darkroom work
• Frequently used an assistant to set up light for
  portrait sittings

8
1 Portrait of Pearl Bailey, takes a call after
singing A Woman's Prerogative in St. Louis
Woman, 1946 July 5. 2 Portrait of James
Stewart, 1934 Oct. 15. 3 Portrait of Carl Van
Vechten, 1934 April 3. 4 Portrait of Dorothy
Gish, 1932 Nov. 7. 5 Portrait of Dizzy
Gillespie (John Birks), 1955 Dec. 2.
9
Ansel Adams

• Born February 20, 1902 in San Francisco,
  California
• 1916 took first trip to Yosemite and bought first
  camera Kodak No. 1 Box Camera
• Published first photographic portfolio, Parmelian
  Prints of the High Sierras in 1927

10

• Pictorial Photographs of the Sierra Nevada
  Mountains, a one-person exhibition opened at the
  Smithsonian Institute in 1931
• In 1936, exhibited photographs at Alfred
  Stieglitzs An American Place Gallery
• Hired in 1941 by the Interior Department to
  photograph national parks and monuments

11

• In 1965, Adams offered the Manzanar Collection to
  The Library of Congress. He wrote, "The purpose
  of my work was to show how these people,
  suffering under a great injustice, and loss of
  property, businesses and professions, had
  overcome the sense of defeat and dispair sic by
  building for themselves a vital community in an
  arid (but magnificent) environment. . . . All in
  all, I think this Manzanar Collection is an
  important historical document, and I trust it can
  be put to good use."

12
Library of Congress

• Lets take a tour . . .

Click Here ?
13
Assignment 1

• Use the WebQuest to complete your
• timeline and short essay about
• the two American Photographers
• we have just discussed.

14
Reminders

• Begin thinking about which teacher, staff or
  administrator you would like to base your project
  on
• Have three choices by next class

15
Part 2

• Photos from the Past

16
Who is this?

• What is this persons occupation?
• Where is she?
• When was this taken?
• What symbols or items help you come to these
  conclusions?

Click Here?
17
Tell the story Assignment 2 - Group

• List what you see items
• Look at her clothes
• Can you identify the year?
• What do you think she does for a living or does
  she work?

Use the WebQuest to complete Assignment 2 with
your partner
18
Amazing AmericansAssignment 3 Individual
Webquest
19
Reminders

• Make final decision on your subject matter

20
Part 3

• How to Capture an Image

21
Items to think about when setting up your
composition

• 1. Symbols / objects what do they mean?

22
Items to think about when setting up your
composition

• 2. Color / lighting how does this effect the
  mood or meaning?

23
Items to think about when setting up your
composition

• 3. Background / foreground how does placement
  add meaning?

24
Reminders

• Set up appointment with your subject for
  interview
• Interview
• Review notes to decide on photo
  setting/composition
• Set up appointment for photo session
• Reserve digital camera and gather needed
  materials
• Print photos and organized notes by due date (TBA)

25
Part 4

• Words to go with Pictures

26
Creating your written composition

• Words should
• Accurately describe your subject
• Easy to read good flow
• Further define your photos
• Not too wordy

27
Different Pictures Different Words Same Person
Click Here?
28
Bibliography

• All pictures and information from
• The Library of Congress
• http//loc.gov
• From the following collections
• The American Memory Collection
• http//memory.loc.gov/
• The American Library
• http//www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi
• Exhibitions
• http//www.loc.gov/exhibits