The definition of a typology is a classification according to general type, especially in archaeology, psychology, or the social sciences. What do you think we can learn by classifying things or, in our case, looking incredibly closely at and comparing objects that might fit into the same classification? Often when we take photographs of the same category of objects, each having distinctly different characteristics, we also call that a typology.
The first person who comes to mind when I think about photographic typologies is Anna Atkins. You can see some of her plant specimen prints here. Atkins is the first woman known to have been a photographer. Atkins had access to a camera as early as 1841--only a couple of years after photography is said to have been invented. She learned both 'photogenic drawing' and the calotype process from William Henry Fox Talbot, but it is her work with Herschel's cyanotype process that made her famous. Atkins applied the cyanotype to the study of algae by making cyanotype photograms of dried samples. She self-published her studies in October of 1843 in a book entitled Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions--the first ever book to have been illustrated with photographs. Looking at Atkins' work, why do you think this was an important study to do in 1841? What might have been gained by using the cyanotype process to record these specimen of algae?
A conversation about typologies wouldn't be complete without spending time with Bernd and Hilla Becher’s work. You can see their work here. They are probably the photographers who have the most obvious examples of how a typology can be beneficial for examining differences between objects. Notice that they take photographs of their objects from exactly the same place, with the same composition, same lighting, and same positioning.
What is the benefit of taking photographs of the same types of things over and over, even when they look quite similar?
Bernd and Hilla Becher seem to be most interested in architecture and industry--what are some things you can think of that interest you that you would be able to emphasize differences in by taking photos of many of the same type of thing?
If the Bechers haven't inspired you, there are so many others who make use of the typology technique to make work and many of them are not quite as straight forward as their work. Here are some other artists (although certainly not all) who make work that might get you thinking about a way you might want to explore this technique:
The first time I saw Shizuka Yokomizo's work, I was blown away at his presumption that writing a short note to a stranger could bring them to their front window so that he could make a typology of strangers. Take a look at his project here.
Among many other works of art, installations, performances, and sculptures, Christian Marclay is well known for his cassette tape cyanotypes which nod to the typology at the same time they pay respect to a now obsolete type of musical technology. Check them out here.
Angélica Daas elequently speaks about her typologies of skin tone in this TED Talk. See that vieo here.
Jane S. Noel is a local photographer who has played with the idea of a typological portrait. See her work here.
Michael Mergen does a variety of types of photography, but in his series, Deliberate, you'll see that he captures deliberation rooms in a familiar way.
Eric Tabuchi is worth spending some time on and, like Michael Mergen, does a wide variety of types of art, but his series using the backs of trucks to spell words is one of the most interesting to me. Take a look at his website here.
And certainly my favorite of the artists who come to mind when I think about typologies is Peter Menzel. His book called Material World is a cataloging of families from around the world who display every single thing inside their homes on their front lawn. The book contains statistics and details that shed so much light onto the different ways in which we live from one culture to another.
This is a non-traditional type of typology, but as an example of other ways we find typological evidence in the world, listen to this story about Fadi Boukaram, a guy from the real country, Lebanon--where bombs are falling and civil wars are being fought at this very moment--who decided to go on a road trip to all 47 of the towns called Lebanon in the USA. After realizing the mission of the man who wanted to bring little Lebanon communities to the US, he started planting the Cedar of Lebanon in each of these towns.
Have you ever wanted to make a typology of people with the same name you have? There are quite a few groups around the world who have done that in one way or another--sometimes just to correspond, but a guy named Alan Berliner actually tried to get everyone with his name together in the same space. He made a movie about it that you can watch here.
Now it's time for you to select a category to make a typology about for your project. The photographs of this category / typology will be the first part of the project. This category is wide open since what I'm mostly interested in you focusing on is making comparisons between each object by keeping every shot exactly the same. Select a very specific category of objects, places, or people that you feel strongly about. Select carefully and with the typology in mind. Be as specific as possible. You cam want to consider the second part of the assignment as you're selecting your category.
You will be graded on the things you're always graded on in photography such as correct exposure, intentional lighting, and creativity, but in this case it's also important that you maintain the exact same position, lighting, and composition. Furthermore, you'll need to include several photographs in your typology, so select a category for which you can make at least 25 photographs.
The second part of the assignment is a little harder, but it'll give us all a chance to dive a little deeper into Adobe Photoshop and it'll end up giving you a super impressive final piece to go along with your typology. With the images you shot and toned from your typology, make a single image. This composite of images will, most likely, end up being surrealist--or in other words, it'll look real, but will clearly not be realistic. Here are a few artists who do this incredibly well:
We'll take a look at a video showcasing the work of Jerry Uelsmann and Maggie Taylor that I think will also help as you're thinking about surrealist imagery and digital photography.
And lastly, here's a website that maps out the process quite well.
In the end, you'll need 25 stunning images for your typology and 1 final image that uses at least 10 of the images from the typology series. That doesn't mean that only 10 images will be good--it'll just mean that you'll use at least 10 in the image. Use all 25 if you can!
GRADING:
25pts. / Detail - How careful have you been about choosing your typology category; the environments for the people, places or things; and photographic composition that come together to create an image that works and gets people's attention? How purposeful have you been about all of the details of the images that make each one strong on it's own and in the larger group of 25.
25pts. / Lighting - How intentional have you been with the light you've chosen? Is the series lit from the same direction so that the composite ends up feeling realistic? Are the individual images ones where the light defines the way our eyes moves through them and makes us want to spend time with each one? Are the photographs unexplainably beautiful or dramatic or peaceful to people who may not understand how important light is to the photographic image?
25pts. / Creativity - How far have you gone to push yourself to be creative with the category you've photographed? Have you clearly given thought to these images and tried to bring them to light in meaningful and unique ways? Furthermore, have you put together your composite with the same attention to unique and creative imagery?
25pts. / Craftsmanship - How do all of the components of the project carefully come together in a well-exposed, intentionally color-balanced, perfectly seamless photograph that feels professional and purposeful?
The first set of photographs should be brought to class on March 9-10. Bring as many as you want to bring, but eventually we'll narrow them down to the top 25. Submit those 25 toned images on a contact sheet on or before March 26. We'll take some time to talk about composite images at that point and it'll take time to put them all together, so that final image won't be due until April 23. We'll be well into Art Show season at that point ; )
Credits:
Created with images by Daniel von Appen - "untitled image" • Erik Mclean - "untitled image" • Donald Giannatti - "This wind farm sits at the east entrance of the Anza Borrego Desert, west of San Diego." • Mnz - "Vans" • Niklas Veenhuis - "Tall" • Edgar Castrejon - "Succulent Frenzy" • darksouls1 - "woman girl young" • ArtTower - "architecture art building"