A comparative investigation of the similarities and differences in the aesthetic theories of Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, and Minor White
By: by Stuart A. Oring.
Published: 1971
Language: eng
Format: Microform
Number of pages: 345
First sentence: Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, and Minor White have been selected for this study because:  (1) collectively they span a period in photographic history that is both definitive and significant;  (2) each has achieved recognition as a true master of photography by the Museum of Modern Art, The George Eastman House, and by other outstanding photographers; and (3) each photographer has developed original concepts which have helped to shape the course that modern photography has taken.
Description: TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Chapter                                                                                                                                              Page

1.  Introduction and Methodology..........................................................................................................1

     The Problem....................................................................................................................................3

    Statement of the Problem..................................................................................................................3

    Importance of the study....................................................................................................................3

    METHODOLOGY..............................................................................................................................4

    Review of the Literature...................................................................................................................4

    Research Methodology......................................................................................................................5

    DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED.........................................................................................................6

    Straight Photography......................................................................................................................6

    The Purist.......................................................................................................................................6

    The Equivalent...............................................................................................................................6

    Previsualization..............................................................................................................................7

    The Public Image.............................................................................................................................8

    The Private Image...........................................................................................................................8

2.  THE THEORIES OF ALFRED STIEGLITZ............................................................................................9

           THE  "PHOTO-SECESSION" AS A PROTEST AGAINST
                CONVENTIONALITY..............................................................................................................10
           
           Photography Compared to Painting.............................................................................................11

           The Purpose of Camera Work......................................................................................................12

        PHOTOGRAPHY AS AN ART FORM................................................................................................12

        Pictorial Photography...................................................................................................................14

        Modern Photography....................................................................................................................15

        Concepts About Portraiture...........................................................................................................16

        Concepts About the Camera..........................................................................................................17

STIEGLITZ ON CRAFTSMANSHIP........................................................................................................18

General Concepts About Craftsmanship...............................................................................................18

Craftsmanship and the Living Element................................................................................................21

STRAIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY................................................................................................................25

   The Unique Qualities of the Photographic
        Medium......................................................................................................................................25

THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND IN PHOTOGRAPHY...................................................................................28

THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S RESPONSE TO THE
   SUBJECT........................................................................................................................................29

   The Photographer's State of Mind......................................................................................................29

   Photography of an Inner State of Mind...............................................................................................33

   Essence of the Subject vs. Projection
      of the Photographer.......................................................................................................................35

THE EQUIVALENT............................................................................................................................36

RESPONSES TO PHOTOGRAPHS.........................................................................................................41
.
3.  THE THEORIES OF EDWARD WESTON...........................................................................................43

          PHOTOGRAPHY AS AN ART FORM..............................................................................................43
.
             Weston's Approach to Photography............................................................................................44

             Photography as a Fine Art........................................................................................................45

             Creative Photography..............................................................................................................46

             Weston's Style..........................................................................................................................47

      PHOTOGRAPHIC CONCEPTS..........................................................................................................47
.
           General Concepts.......................................................................................................................47

           Concepts About Portraiture.........................................................................................................52

           Concepts About the Camera........................................................................................................62

WESTON ON CRAFTSMANSHIP..........................................................................................................63

     Weston's Approach to Craftsmanship...............................................................................................64

      Weston and Glossy Paper...............................................................................................................65

      Craftsmanship and the Living Element..........................................................................................68

STRAIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY...............................................................................................................72

     The Unique Qualities of  the Photographic Medium...........................................................................72

     Straight Photography and the Purist Approach................................................................................77

PREVISUALIZATION..........................................................................................................................86

    The Justification for Previsualization...............................................................................................87

    The Nature of Previsualization........................................................................................................88

    Previsualization and Weston's Approach...........................................................................................89

THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND IN PHOTOGRAPHY...................................................................................91

THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S RESPONSE TO THE SUBJECT.........................................................................92
.
    Weston's Response to Subject Matter.................................................................................................92

    Photography of an Inner State of Mind..............................................................................................97

    The Essence of the Subject vs. The Projection of the Photographer........................................................99

    Chance or Happenstance...............................................................................................................103

    RESPONSES TO PHOTOGRAPHS....................................................................................................104

         The Effect of Artistic Vision and Craft.........................................................................................105

          Authenticity Appeals to Our Emotions.......................................................................................105

          Responses to Weston's Photography............................................................................................106

4.  THE THEORIES OF ANSEL ADAMS...............................................................................................111

           PHOTOGRAPHY AS AN ART FORM...........................................................................................111

           Sensitivity to the Subject.........................................................................................................113

           The Photograph's Message........................................................................................................114

           Environmental Effects............................................................................................................116

           Adams' Approach to Photography.............................................................................................117

PHOTOGRAPHIC CONCEPTS............................................................................................................118

      General Concepts........................................................................................................................118

      Concepts About Perspective.........................................................................................................119

      Concepts About Lighting.............................................................................................................120

      Concepts About Texture..............................................................................................................122

      Concepts About Tonal Values.......................................................................................................124

      Concepts About Photographic Toning............................................................................................125

      Concepts About Time and Motion..................................................................................................126

      Concepts About Portraiture..........................................................................................................127

      Concepts About Architectural Photography...................................................................................130

      Concepts About Advertising Photography......................................................................................131

      Concepts About Documentary Photography...................................................................................131

      Concepts About Landscape Photography........................................................................................132

      Concepts About Pictorial Photography...........................................................................................134

ANSEL ADAMS ON CRAFTSMANSHIP...............................................................................................134

   The Zone System of Planned Photography........................................................................................136

   The Perfect Negative......................................................................................................................137

   Adams and the Print......................................................................................................................138

   Craftsmanship and the Living Element...........................................................................................139

STRAIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY..............................................................................................................143

      The Unique Qualities of the Photographic Medium.........................................................................143

      Photography Compared to Painting..............................................................................................144

      Straight Photography and the Purist Approach.............................................................................145

      Ansel Adams and the Straight Approach......................................................................................147

PREVISUALIZATION.......................................................................................................................148

       Free Interpretation vs. Realistic Interpretation............................................................................149

       How Tonal Values Are Controlled................................................................................................150

       The Negative-Print Relationship.................................................................................................152

        Practical Testing and the Photographer......................................................................................153

        Visualization of the Final Print..................................................................................................154

        The Expressive Print................................................................................................................155

         Design's Role in Image Visualization..........................................................................................156

         How to Previsualize............................................................................................................../..157

THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S RESPONSE TO THE SUBJECT......................................................................158

         Adams' Response to Subject Matter............................................................................................158

          The Essence of the Subject vs. the Projection of the Photographer................................................160

           The Photographer's State of Mind............................................................................................162

           Photography of an Inner State of Mind.....................................................................................162

           Departure from Reality..........................................................................................................163

RESPONSES TO PHOTOGRAPHS......................................................................................................165

           An Approach to Exploring a Photograph...................................................................................166

           Verbalization.........................................................................................................................168

5.  THE THEORIES OF MINOR WHITE...............................................................................................170

            PHOTOGRAPHY AS AN ART FORM..........................................................................................170

                 The Creative Cycle.............................................................................................................171

                 Photographs Function as Symbols........................................................................................172

                 The Creative Artist and Photography...................................................................................172

                 The Four Broad Classes of Photography.................................................................................173

            PHOTOGRAPHIC CONCEPTS...................................................................................................176

                  Concepts About Light.........................................................................................................176

                  Concepts About Space.........................................................................................................178

                  Concepts About Form..........................................................................................................181

                  Concepts About Tone...........................................................................................................183

                  Concepts About Value Patterns............................................................................................184

                  Concepts About Objects.......................................................................................................184

                  Concepts About Balance......................................................................................................185

                  Concepts About Layout.......................................................................................................187

                  Concepts About Exhibitions and Displays.............................................................................189

                  The Classicist-Romanticist Concept.....................................................................................192

                  The Concept of Essence.......................................................................................................194

                  Essence and the Dominant Image........................................................................................195

                  The Concept of Experience..................................................................................................197

                  Concepts About Portraiture................................................................................................197

                  Concepts About Architectural Photography.........................................................................203

                  Concepts About Commercial Photography...........................................................................207

                  Concepts About the Camera...............................................................................................207

            WHITE ON CRAFTSMANSHIP.................................................................................................223

                 White's Approach to Craftsmanship.....................................................................................224

                 Inadequate Craftsmanship and Rationalization.....................................................................225

                 The Convincing Print.........................................................................................................226

                 The Replica Print...............................................................................................................227

             STRAIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY...................................................................................................228

                     The Characteristics of Pure Photography...........................................................................229

                      Photography Compared to Painting..................................................................................231

               PREVISUALIZATION............................................................................................................234

                      Seeing and Previsualization.............................................................................................235

                      The Creative Application of Previsualization.....................................................................236

                      The Zone System and Previsualization..............................................................................237

                      Tonality Identification and Zone Assignment.....................................................................239

                      Previsualization and Film Development............................................................................239

                      Previsualization and the Print..........................................................................................240

                      The Zone System as a Discipline........................................................................................241

                      The Zone System and Creative Intent................................................................................242

               THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND IN PHOTOGRAPHY......................................................................243

                     The Unconscious Creative Cycle.........................................................................................244

              THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S RESPONSE TO THE SUBJECT..............................................................246

                     Literal and Non-Literal Interpretation................................................................................248

                     Literal Interpretation........................................................................................................249

                     Non-Literal Interpretation.................................................................................................249

                     Chance or "Happenstance"..................................................................................................251

                     Expressive and Creative Photography.................................................................................253

                    Things for What They Are-Things for What Else They Are......................................................257

          PHOTOGRAPHY OF AN INNER STATE OF MIND............................................................................259

                   Channeling the Spectator's Associations..................................................................................261

                   The Record of an Inner State..................................................................................................261

                   Mirror Images......................................................................................................................262

                   Probe Images........................................................................................................................262

                   Dream Images......................................................................................................................263

                   Message Images....................................................................................................................263

          THE EQUIVALENT......................................................................................................................264

              The Process of Equivalence........................................................................................................265

              Communication by the Equivalent............................................................................................268

              The Equivalent and Coreform....................................................................................................270

               Private and Public Eqauivalents................................................................................................271

        THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S STATE OF MIND........................................................................................272

              Heightened Awareness..............................................................................................................273

              The Blank Mind........................................................................................................................274

      THE SEQUENCE AS A CREATIVE FORM............................................................................................275

               The Sequence and Cinema.........................................................................................................276

              Subject Matter and the Sequence................................................................................................276

              The Sequence is Analogous to Literature......................................................................................277

              Types of Sequences.....................................................................................................................278

              Sequence Layout........................................................................................................................279

               The Sequence and an Audience...................................................................................................280

         EXPERIENCING THE PHOTOGRAPH................................................................................................281
             .
              Physical Procedure for Experiencing Photographs..........................................................................282

             Procedure for the Analysis of Photographs......................................................................................284

             Empathy and Projection...............................................................................................................288

             Associations and the Subconscious..................................................................................................289
.
             Characteristics of the Experience....................................................................................................289

             The Experience and Communication...............................................................................................290

        BLOCKS TO UNDERSTANDING...........................................................................................................292

              Instant Criticism...........................................................................................................................293

             Plain Sense of the Image..................................................................................................................294

            Wrong Anticipations and Misreading Facts........................................................................................294

            Memory Jogs..................................................................................................................................295

            Compulsive Reactions......................................................................................................................295

            Stock Answers.................................................................................................................................296

           Verbalizing......................................................................................................................................296

           Doctrinal Adhesions..........................................................................................................................296

           Sentimentality.................................................................................................................................297

          Inhibitions........................................................................................................................................297

          Feelings of Inadequacy.......................................................................................................................297

          Apathy.............................................................................................................................................298

          Either-Or..........................................................................................................................................298

         Avoidance of the Issue When Under Pressure.........................................................................................298

         Emotional Blocks Through Analysis.....................................................................................................299

     TYPES OF RESPONSES AND WHAT THEY INDICATE...............................................................................299

          The Identification of Subject Matter....................................................................................................301

          Multivalence....................................................................................................................................301

          The Person Who Doesn't Want To Do Self-Searching..............................................................................302

          Oblivious Response............................................................................................................................302

          Verbalization....................................................................................................................................302

          Rejection..........................................................................................................................................303

          No Comment....................................................................................................................................304

         I Like It-I Don't Like It.........................................................................................................................305

         I just Love It......................................................................................................................................305

         The Changers....................................................................................................................................306

         The Bluffers.......................................................................................................................................307

         It's Been Done Before...........................................................................................................................307

         Neutral Responses..............................................................................................................................308

         Literal Description.............................................................................................................................308

         Technical Analysis.............................................................................................................................309

         Description of Graphic Design..............................................................................................................309

         The Historical Viewpoint.....................................................................................................................310

         Pertinent Responses............................................................................................................................310

         Sense of Presence................................................................................................................................311

         Deduction from Visible Clues...............................................................................................................312

         Recognition of an Immediate Symbolism..............................................................................................313

         Conversion........................................................................................................................................313

         Anthropomorphizing..........................................................................................................................313

         The Photograph as a Source of Experience.............................................................................................314

         Exploration of the Mirror Nature of Photographs...................................................................................315

         Responses as if the Photograph Were an Equivalent............................................................................... 315

         Intellectual Responses..........................................................................................................................315

    EVALUATION OF THE RESPONSE............................................................................................................316

         The Study of One's Own Photographs.....................................................................................................317

         Collation of Photographer's Experiences.................................................................................................318

         Collation of Viewer's Experiences with Your Own....................................................................................319

         Prediction of Visual Experience.............................................................................................................320

         Evaluation of Photographs....................................................................................................................321

   SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.................................................................................................................323

         Photography as an Art Form..................................................................................................................323

         Straight Photography...........................................................................................................................324

        Straight Photography and Previsualization..............................................................................................325

        Previsualization.....................................................................................................................................325

        Essence vs. Projection.............................................................................................................................326

        The Photographer's Response to Subject Matter.........................................................................................327

        The Subconscious Mind in Photography...................................................................................................328

        The Equivalent.....................................................................................................................................329
.
        Experiencing a Photograph....................................................................................................................330

        Major Theoretical Contributions.............................................................................................................334

       Major Conclusions To Be Drawn from the Study........................................................................................335

   BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................................................................................338
Notes: Microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mich. : University Microfilms International, 1971. 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.
Bibliography: p. 338-347.
Thesis (M.A.)--American University, 1970.