Experimental Photography

Experimental photography is the manipulation of new techniques or technologies used for the purpose to show the world the impossible. It often re-employs existing techniques in new ways.

Most equipment produced by Kodak are no longer available to use such as black and white paper and particular inks. Companies have promised to keep certain things for the likes of artists and

photographers but most of the time there is always new technologies been released. This can often make it difficult for photographers coming across new things to use constantly. It is almost like stepping on stones. Experimental photography is divided into four different catorgarys. These

catrogarys are: Historical, contempory, traditional, non-traditional.

HistoricalHistorical photography is the old way of

doing taking photographs. This is a more traditional way of doing it. Below I have included a photograph which was taken in the 18’70’s. Many photographers back then were female and were considered one of the few professions respectable for middle-class women. They became

skilled and keeping babies steady by fair means or foul, using animals to pin their attention. Some resorted to recreational

chemistry giving them a dose of opium to prevent them from being conscious of

them or the camera.

ContemporyThis is modern photography referring to

abstract or unusual work. A contemporary photographer is known to

provide modern services and use modern equipment. The photographer is current and has no boundaries so every

extrapolation is accepted. The photograph below shows a girl jumping

and/or balancing off a chair. This is something that is not realistic and would not be seen or captured in everyday life.

The way the photograph looks so realistic shows that modern technology is

good and getting better.

TraditionalThis method of working uses older methods such as film photography,

cyanotypes, dark room techniques and paper collage. It is a media that

produced digital photography, therefore the two are parrell to each other. Aside

from inheriting the features of digital photography only improved the ability to produce the exact desired image. The quality of the images are better then

digital photographs as they fade easily. Traditional photographers how ever are not able to access another copy of the photograph as easy as digital copies/

Non-TraditionalThis method of photography uses more

modern techniques such as digital production to achieve its aims. The term

alternative process refers to any non-traditional or non-commercial

photographic printing process. Many contemporary photographers are

revisiting alternative processes and applying the digital negative and

practices to these techniques. Most of the processes were invented over 100

years ago and were used by early photographers.

Fine ArtFine art images are created as an individual piece themselves. The

definition of fine art is considered to have been created primarily for aesthetic and intellectual purposes and judged for its

beauty and meaningfulness. The perception of aesthetic qualities required

a refined judgement referring to someone having ‘good taste’. This

portrays a differentiated fine art from popular art and entertainment. This type

of work usually appears in galleries, exhibitions and magazines.

CommercialThis kind of work is produced in the

response to a brief from a company and then used for another purpose. It could be used for a wide variety of different

reasons including advertising and promoting. For example, flyers for a

night club, the images used on them will most likely have been used elsewhere., or even used on a flyer for a different

night located in the same club or town. This work can also appear on adverts in a range of different media and used to

promote bands and events.

Mariah Robertson lives and works in Brooklyn, New YorkShe is a comtempary experimental photographer and artist. She has published and had many of her photographs in galleries. The most

current view is at Martvelli Gallery in New York City in the exhibition Polomor: Experimental Photography. The exhibition includes photographic work by another five different artists. She is an alchemist. Her wild approach to experimental photography and making art

has seen images spill from the frame restrictions and reach across the walls and floors. Most of her work is done digitally using the classic conventions of photographic practice, she works in the space of the darkroom working with photograms, irregular chemical

reactions, solarisations and collage to paint the surfaces of her new SPBH Book Club VOL IV.

Mariah Robertson

2012NADA, New York, NY

MoMA, New York, NY (Performance)Kogod Courtyard, Washington DC, (Performance)

Let's Change, Grand Arts, Kansas City, MO2011

Central Utah Art Centre, Ephraim, UTBALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead, UK (forthcoming)

HOT TROPICAL RAIN JAM, Museum 52, New YorkMoMA PS1, Long Island City, NY (Performance)

2010Solo Presentation, ARTFORUM, Berlin

Performance, curated by Klaus Biesenbach, Miami, FL2009

Take Better Pictures, Museum 52, New YorkI am Passions, Marvelli Gallery, New York

Guild & Greyshkul (Performance)2007

Nudes, Still Lives and Landscapes, Guild & Greyshkul, New York, NY2006

Please lie down and take a nap with me in my grave, Guild & Greyshkul, New York, NY

As you can see I have placed a few of her photographic work above. One of the main things you can see she has made good usage of it colour. They are

bright and the contrast between them are significantly defined. She never uses negatives anymore as she tries to level several techniques onto one

image to portray something ‘impossible’. She uses photography as a way to show the guts of the process to making the photographic images. The

technical manipulations used are considered as a science experiment with a given set of rules and factors. By violating these rules and reinterpreting them,

the outcome is what you see. ‘’These processes being limitations, to use certain techniques and equipment that you could classify as old, antiquated,

sub-professional, and importantly from the an age of extinction: films, chemistries, and equipment are being discontinued. Even Kodak stopped making black-and-white paper. Other companies like Fuji and Ilford have

pledged to never stop making certain products, but it’s a dire situation. It’s like standing on the polar ice cap watching it melt around you…’’

Kayla VarleyKayla is from Bakersfield CA. She is currently living in Los Angeles.

Her skills of a photographer have developed from the age of 12 years old. Her inspiration was her father who helped her take her first ever shots. The main capture of the images she produces are black and white self portraits which tell a story but at the same

time extremely personal and wholly relatable. She understands both sides of the camera, taking the photographs as well as modelling. With a natural eye for beauty and composition, she shoots portraits in such a non-obstructive manner that

automatically puts the viewer at ease. Her work is also inspired by the everyday, the beautiful details and the most that people are not looking for. She attended Art Centre college of design in Pasadena, CA and sells commissioned artwork.

The images I have included are a few of the selective ones out of her photography. These photographs are self portraits of herself. The angles used are unusual and it immediately grabs your attention. The black and white contrast makes the overall effect seem sensual and intimate and the lighting works perfectly against the hair and skin. Her work has been presentenced in magazines such as Nylon Magazine, Flaunt Magazine,

Volcom Women's, Monster Children, Electric Visual, FOAM, Seen Heard Known, Wonderland Sun, Volcom Swim, Live Fast Mag, Bisous Magazine, and C-Heads.

“Women are beautiful to me all of the time. My idea of beauty is a warm energy and a loving heart.”Her images are good filled with soul, impact, emotion, and good composition. I believe Kayla as a photographer always put a little bit of herself

into an image. Without the emotional connection in her images is that and you forget it once you’ve stopped looking at it. The images that stick in my brain are the ones where I can actually feel the photographer inside the work.

Heitor MagnoRonny Engelmann is 24 years old and is a photo artist living in Kassel, Germany. He is currently

studying sociology and science/history or art and besides photography he is also a BMX pro-rider and loves playing guitar. His passion for fantasy and the unique has lead him to produce the strange but

wonderful imagery (shown right). ‘’Unfortunatly I cannot draw..’’

He decided he needed to get his ideas out of his head into something reality. Taking photographs was very new but he learnt quickly. After exploring the possibilities of letting out the fantasy his love for

photography has never stopped growing. Ronny portrays an art form different from most others and attracts viewers at the blink of an eye. Most of Ronny's photographs are made in the nature as it has

some kind of magical/mythical inside which he enjoys. His photography is conceptual and manipulative. He uses programs such as Photoshop and expresses the language of hands through his

work.

As you can see from the images above all of his photographs are extremely unusual and unrealistic. They are manipulative and metaphorically speaking are extremely good interprets of what could be real. The third photograph along with the hand showing the fingers to be tiny hands is really creative. It looks like the program Photoshop has

been used to edit and add the extra hands into the photograph. The black background against the hand creates mystery and intellect. Black is a very dark and mythical colour that is clearly emphasising the centre piece. It almost makes you look twice. Before looking carefully into the photograph I did not notice that the fingers counted from one

to five. Overall the images Ronny Magno creates are weird but wonderful. This is a very good example of experimental photography. Bringing the impossible possible.