LO1 - Analysing photographers

Each of the photographers I have chosen to look at are incredibly different. To begin with, their photographs tackle completely different genres: Philpott's is action adventure, Parr's is social reportage and Teller's is fashion. The only obvious similarity between their works is that they use people in their images, although each for contrasting reasons; whether it be to model an outfit or to capture the 'human condition'. In Parr's works the people are his focus, he wishes to capture them in odd situations. However, Teller uses his model majorly in order to highlight the clothes they are wearing and make the outfit appear more appealing so the viewer will buy it (he photographs for advertisement purposes). In Duncan Philpott's work the scenery is his focus, as well as the action happening within it, but it's about using these two elements together to create an attractive image. Unlike both other photographers, he also tends to manipulate his images more by majorly altering them to add depth and focus the detail- whereas Parr and Teller only noticeably edit the colours of their images. Even the mood/vibe given off by each photograph is different! Martin Parr has a darkly comedic effect with the bizarre events taking place within the image's boundaries whereas Philpott's work oozes adventure and wonder. Teller's work is professional, with 'casually cultivated' situations and intimacy- similarly to Parr, his work draws the audience into the moment and makes them a part of the image and events taking place.

The three photographers I am looking at approach the theme of identity in separate manners: Philpott for instance, focuses more on the identity of the world around him than the people in it. He uses the Earth and the lighting and the location to carve out a personality within the setting which humans within the lens merely partake in and are of no true part of. Parr focuses entirely on the nature of people within their natural habitats or out in an unnatural setting, exposing this offers more of a gritty presentation of the human condition which can be quite gruesome at times yet still entertaining. My final photographer, Jürgen Teller, reflects the models personality through their outfits- he focuses on the clothes and interprets the outfits as having identities of their own in order for them to become more appealing, but unlike Philpott the models in his work are also a focal point and their personality serves to add intrigue to the images.
For my own work I don't particularly like the idea of looking at the identity of nature or Sheffield as I'm not entirely sure how attractive the pictures I get could be! I'd much prefer to work the way Parr and Teller do by taking more of an interest in the people within the photograph. I like the idea of using clothes that either I or somebody else is wearing (along with the background) to emphasise different emotions and do a set of images. I could also photograph other people doing normal things like speaking to a co-worker or doing daily rituals but with another person stood by dressed differently to represent how they actually feel or what they're thinking in their head.