Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mrs. Tipping, and I'm really looking forward to learning with you today about objects in photography.

We're going to do lots of thinking, talking, and exploring together in this lesson.

So, shall we get started? Let's go.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to review the range of ways photographers have been inspired by objects in photography.

Before we start, I would like to introduce you to some key words we'll be using during the lesson.

Still life is an arrangement showing everyday objects that don't move.

Composition is the arrangement of elements in an image, photograph, or artwork.

Signify means to show, mean, or represent something.

Pause the video here to make a note of these keywords.

And when you're ready to continue, press Play.

These are the learning cycles that we'll be working through together in today's lesson.

Looking at a photographer spotlight through objects, photographic deconstruction through objects, and personal connection in photography through objects.

In this first learning cycle, we're going to explore a photographer spotlight in objects.

Why do you think objects are a popular subject in photography? Well, objects can signify deeper meanings, allowing artists to convey complex themes and narratives.

Photographers depict objects in many different ways using varied techniques.

Artists depict objects in art for a variety of reasons, maybe creating still life, recording observations, signifying deeper meanings, exploring compositions, and personal expression.

Some photographers create still life works documenting objects with a focus on accuracy.

This kind of representation is very common in Western art history.

What other things could be important when depicting objects in photography? Well, in some cultures, accurate depictions are less important than factors like stylized representation or objects which signify other meanings.

The 'Mural in the Tomb of Menna' in Egypt 1422 to 1411 BCE depicts various containers of food in the idealised ancient Egyptian style.

Chaekgeori, a still life style from Korea's Joseon period, features books as the subject, using altered perspective to show importance and uses a pattern like composition.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Objects in photographs are always reproduced accurately to create a realistic depiction.

Is this statement true or false? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think, and press Play when you're ready to continue.

If you said that's false, you are absolutely right.

But why is that statement false? Explain to your partner why this statement is false.

Pause the video here and press Play when you are ready to continue.

If you said something like, visual accuracy can be important to some photographers when depicting objects.

However, many find other aspects more important such as using objects to signify meaning or using an idealised style.

Well done.

Why might photographers choose everyday objects for still life? Well, Aisha says, "They had the items to hand so it's easy to observe them and practise techniques.

Lucas says, "The items might have a personal importance which adds emotion to the work." And Sam says, "The objects might be a common symbol for a wider concept or theme, such as a skull and death." Objects can be used in photography to signify a deeper meaning or philosophical questions.

Skulls can be used in art to signify death or mortality.

Can you think of other objects that could signify a deeper meaning? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your peers.

At press Play when you are ready to continue.

What topics could each of these objects signify? Maybe ideas of wealth or greed.

There are lots of different options that could be signified from these objects.

Photographers can use and subvert traditional still life compositions.

Edward Weston transforms everyday objects like peppers or shells into elegant abstract forms through his photography.

Laura Letinsky captures still life scenes as scattered objects in the quiet aftermath of meals focusing on scraps and crumbs.

Ori Gersht stages still life based on classical paintings, then shatters or explodes them, capturing the moment of destruction.

And Paulette Tavormina produces richly detailed photographs of flowers, fruits, and symbolic objects.

Photographers can use the theme 'objects' to signify or comment on important issues in society.

This can be part of a social action project.

Photographers can use objects and the themes they signify to address important issues in the world.

Mat Collishaw reimagines traditional still life scenes using flowers, food, or insects to address the darker side of beauty.

Edson Chagas photographs discarded objects placed in new urban locations, reframing them as cultural artefacts while commenting on mass consumerism.

Raghu Rai often includes symbolic objects to connect everyday items to larger narratives of spirituality, tradition and social change.

Photographers may use objects which have personal significance, rather than a shared meaning.

These objects can evoke emotions like nostalgia, joy, or reflection for both the photographer and the viewer.

Can you think of a local photographer who uses personal objects in this way? Photographers making personal connections with objects in their work include: Vanley Burke's photography often featuring personal and communal objects that preserve cultural memory.

His work offers a rich visual archive of African-Caribbean life in Britain.

Joy Gregory uses still life to explore identity, colonial history and cultural heritage.

In 'Objects of Beauty', 2004, her work carries personal and political symbolism, linking past to present.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Which of the following best explains why photographers might use personally significant objects? To express emotions that can connect with the viewer.

To follow traditional techniques and processes.

To make the photo look more realistic and detailed.

To show that they own valuable important objects.

Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think about the answer to this question.

And press Play when you're ready to continue.

If you said, to express emotions that can connect with the viewer, then you are right.

Well done.

Photographers can work creatively with objects to produce unexpected results by rearranging objects in different compositions, changing viewpoints and angles, experimenting with materials and techniques, altering scale or proportion, combining found or unusual objects, using abstraction or distortion.

What other surprising approaches can photographers take when working with objects? Pause the video here and have a quick discussion with your partner And press Play when you're ready to continue.

Well, photographers using found objects and documenting their observations include: In projects like 'Katalog', Barbara Iweins photographs every single object in her home, methodically cataloguing them as a study of identity through possessions.

Nontsikelelo Veleko combines portraiture with objects, integrating clothing, props, and urban signage to celebrate individuality and youth culture.

In post-apartheid South Africa.

Victoria Ivanova's work uses minimal arrangements and soft light to evoke emotion and narrative from inanimate objects.

Photographers may also use objects as a subject or material in photography to challenge ideas of beauty through decay of objects, to play with traditional compositions, tell stories through objects, use objects to record their observations, and reflect culture or history through objects.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Photographers can use objects as a subject or material for their photography.

Is this statement true or false? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think.

And press play when you're ready to continue.

If you said that's true, you are right.

Well done.

But why is that statement true? Pause the video here and explain to your partner why this statement is true.

And press play when you are ready to continue.

Perhaps you said something like: Photographers use objects as a subject for their photography in a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons.

They might record and document history, culture, or their own observations through them.

Well done.

This brings us to our first learning task.

I'd like you to select two or three photographers or specific photographs and compare them.

Consider these questions: In what ways are the photographs visually similar or different? Think about the subject, composition, lighting, focus, exposure, colour and style.

What themes, symbols or ideas do the photographs explore? And are there any connections between them? And which techniques, processes or creative choices in these photographs inspire you and how might you use them in your own work? So pause the video here and give yourself enough time to have a go at this learning task.

And press Play when you are ready to continue.

How did you find that? Or shall we take a look at an example? Andeep says, "Barbara Iweins catalogues the objects she owns to explore identity through possessions, while Edson Chagas recontextualize abandoned found objects in urban settings to give them new life." Laura says, Laura Latinsky subverts polished still life traditions when capturing minimal aftermaths of meals.

Ori Gersht chooses to dynamically destroy still life arrangements to explore fragility and time." So we take a look at these two photographers here.

Victoria Ivanova has minimal composition, uses simple everyday objects, and builds narratives through arrangements, whereas Edward Weston has closeup composition, abstract sculptural forms, and organic objects.

So they're quite different.

But what is similar about them both is that they use high contrast, dynamic lighting, black and white to add mood and drama.

So well done for comparing your photographers or photographs.

This brings us to the second part of our lesson.

We're going to take a look at photographic deconstruction through objects.

What is the first thing you notice about this photo? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think.

And press Play when you're ready to continue.

What was that thing? Well, perhaps it was the shape of the object or maybe it was The lighting or the shadow.

Photographers use various techniques to communicate in their work: through composition, focus, lighting and exposure; through the elements of art; through digital photo manipulation tools or other camera techniques; through imagery and subject.

And we can deconstruct these techniques to understand the work more deeply.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Which of the following is not one of the main ways photographers communicate ideas in their work? Colour, line, form, shape and texture.

Imagery and subject selected and shown.

Materials and techniques used in the work.

The photographer's age and personal information.

Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think about the answer to this question.

And press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said the photographer's age and personal information, you are absolutely right.

That is not one of the main ways photographers communicate ideas in their work.

So how are photography techniques used in this work? We took a look at this image earlier.

Although ceramic vase is in dynamic lighting which casts strong shadows over the scene, the use of negative space through shadows draws focus towards what can be seen.

There is quite a muted colour palette.

There is high contrast tone and shadow that obscures the whole form.

The composition is divided into two halves vertically.

And the organic form of the vase is contrasted with the straight geometric lines cast by shadows.

So how does the composition of these objects affect how we view each photograph? Let's take a look at the one on the left and the one on the right.

Photographers can adapt how they compose objects to influence the way we interpret the work.

So this image here is composed like a traditional still life.

It reflects traditional western art as well as ideas of wealth.

Whereas with this image, with an ordered composition seen from above, it feels like the objects are being documented or archived.

Did you interpret these compositions in a different way? Perhaps you did.

Museums can alter how we view, interact with and think about objects.

The curation of objects can change them into something decorative, which may not be its original purpose.

Can you think of any visual similarities seen in this composition with traditional Western still life? Well, Sam says, "Objects are often placed on horizontal surfaces and are often surface in a landscape format." Lucas mentions that, "Objects have a realistic sense of gravity and might be arranged in a triangular composition." How can photographers subvert western traditions of still life composition? Laura says, "By changing the location of objects or leaving only details like Letinsky's work." "Or maybe by presenting floating objects strung up, balancing, without gravity, or in motion.

And through altering perspective, proportion or viewpoint." Laura and Andeep are deconstructing the visual elements of a still life photograph.

There are different materials and surfaces which create varied textures.

There are objects that link to a theme of wealth and status.

The composition is in a traditional still life set-up with negative space creating asymmetrical balance.

Rich dark browns contrast with the bright yellow flowers.

And a wide tonal range with accurate depictions of the forms is achieved.

Andeep has an alternative interpretation of the same photograph.

He sees imbalanced composition with too much negative space.

The exposure settings are too low.

It's hard to make out some of the details.

The textures of glass and wood stand out in this still life.

The flowers are wilting, suggesting decay and time.

And the composition is not traditional as the objects can't be fully seen.

When visually deconstructing a photograph, it's important to remember each person notices different elements in a photograph.

Opinions are subjective.

And past experiences shape our interpretations.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

How can the way photographers compose objects in their work affect the viewer? It can influence how the viewer understands the work.

It helps photographers avoid using real objects.

It makes the photograph more expensive to buy.

It only changes the colours used in the photograph.

Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think about the answer to this question.

And press Play when you are ready to continue.

If you said that it can influence how the viewer understands the work, you are absolutely right.

Well done.

This brings us to our second learning task.

I'd like you to select one photograph and describe it.

Describe what you can see, composition, the focus, lighting and exposure, the elements of art, the digital photo manipulation tools or other camera techniques, and the imagery and subject.

Think about how the photographer used these techniques to communicate with the audience.

And you might record this as an idea shower around an image of the photo.

You might write a paragraph or create an audio or film recording of your ideas.

So pause the video here and give yourself enough time to have a go at this learning task.

And press play when you're ready to continue.

How did you find that? Well, let's have a look at this example.

In this photo, the composition is slightly angled, which means it's not a traditional still life.

Negative space draws attention to the objects.

The glass highlights and the reflections and shadows are all in focus.

An unexpected contrast between the red and green colours is created.

The candle, the transparent egg and box suggests the photo has symbolic meaning.

And the lighting is angled to balance the composition in the direction of the objects.

So well done for having a go at selecting a photo and describing it.

This brings us to the final part of our lesson.

We're going to take a look at personal connection in photography through objects.

How can looking at a photographer's work help us develop our own work? Well, Izzy says, "Photography with similar themes can develop my ideas more than similar techniques or imagery." Alex says, "I can look at photographic techniques and compositions and try to apply them to my own theme." And Jun says, "Photography that has similar imagery or objects can inspire even if the idea is different." Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Which of the following is true about taking inspiration from photography? Inspiration only comes from the theme of the photograph.

You can only use the photographer's technique for inspiration.

You can use any combination of imagery, theme and technique.

You must use all three, imagery, theme and technique.

Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think.

And press play when you are ready to continue.

If you said you can use any combination of imagery, theme and technique, you are right.

Well done.

There are a number of things which can cause us to have a personal connection with a photograph such as use of techniques or expression of themes.

We can establish a personal connection to a photograph by interpreting how objects in a composition can signify deeper meanings or a theme.

And we can often find links to our own work through deconstructing both the themes and techniques used in photography.

What objects are represented in this still life? And what themes do you interpret from the objects and composition of this work? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your peers.

And press Play when you're ready to continue.

Well, Aisha says, "This work inspires my theme of 'Seasons and time'.

I can add modern items into an older style of composition." Jacob says, "My theme is religion.

I'll use objects which relate to faith celebrations, but arrange them in a Western still life composition." Sophia says, "I wanted to look at domestic scenes from different cultures and will use beautiful dramatic lighting like this photograph." Can you think of any other theme interpretations? Perhaps you and your peers came up with a few.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

We can only establish a connection with a still life photograph if it contains objects that are personal to us.

Is this statement true or false? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think.

And press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said that's false, you are right.

Well done.

But why is that statement false? Pause the video here and explain to your partner why this statement is false.

And press Play When you are ready to continue.

If you said something like, we can connect to a photo by finding links to our own ideas and developing work.

And we can interpret different themes from the objects and techniques used in a still life.

You're right.

Well done.

This now brings us to our final learning task.

I'd like you to select one photograph and consider your personal connection.

What themes, symbols, or ideas does this photograph explore? Are there any symbols, imagery, or connections that help create a narrative or show meaning? Which techniques, processes or creative decisions in this photo inspire you and how might you use them in your own work? And you might record this as an idea shower around an image of the photo.

Maybe write a paragraph or create an audio or film recording of your ideas.

So pause the video here and give yourself enough time to have a go at this learning task.

And press Play when you're ready to continue.

How did that go? Well, let's have a look at this example.

So here we might have a theme of family and memory.

And for me, this still life evokes feelings of nostalgia for family objects which are seen at different times of day.

The flower vase catches light in a really interesting way.

I'm also drawn to the range of elements that the photographer considered, like lighting, focus and composition.

I will create a still life composition using objects which link to my family.

I'll bring different items together and we'll explore different compositions before I select the best.

For this image, the theme of home and away.

In this work, the range of plates and textures signifies the customs and cultural differences we might have on the surface, but follow similar themes.

The way the image is composed and lit reveals fragments of detail about each object, which could be pieced together to build a narrative.

I will use my own objects from home and show how these have been inherited from different people, places, and cultures.

So well done for selecting a photograph and considering your personal connection to it.

Before we finish this lesson, let's summarise what we've learned about objects in photography.

Objects can signify deeper meanings, allowing photographers to convey complex themes and narratives.

Photographers can use the themes objects to comment on important issues in society.

Photographers can choose objects that hold personal significance, creating works that resonate emotionally.

And by composing objects thoughtfully, photographers can guide viewers through a visual story.

Thank you for joining me in this lesson today.

I hope to see you in the next one.

See you then.