“Photography As ART” script shows how James creates his art using only light, camera, and optics, in addition to considerable logistical planning, technical experimentation, patience and dedication.
NARRATOR:
Time lapse is a photography technique; in creating art it is also a photographer’s reality. There’s no telling how much time passes in thought and preparation before all the ingredients that are needed gel for a creative idea can be realized.
CUT back to a diffused slow motion sequence of Double Vision, Aliens, and Fossil photos…
It was 1999 when Cleveland, the Muse for DOUBLE VISION, ALIENS, and FOSSILS, gave James fifty small oval mirrors, after he told her of his idea of photographing her reflection from collective of multiple mirrors.
CUT to some old-time photos of beautiful Hollywood starlets. CUT to B/W of a young boy looking at pin-up photos.
JAMES:
I wanted to visually depict the complexity of the female. I’ve always had a respectful fascination with the opposite sex since I was a young boy. I still remember when living in Holland, my Mother calling me “stop chasing the girls, and come home!” She startled my curiosity.
JAMES:
It wasn’t inspired by Picasso, but I think that’s what he was aiming when painting his 1932 masterpiece GIRL BEFORE A MIRROR, in which he depicts the many facets of a woman’s beauty and personality. The Muse in FRAGMENTED is a kaleidoscope vision, multifaceted, not completely knowable or a perfectly delineated vision, yet recognizable.
CUT to a video of the large mirror being put on to the set. CUT to initial stills taken at the beginning of taking this series.
NARRATOR:
It was in 2013 when the ingredients finally gelled. He had the Studio necessary for such a project, and it was that year when he found the perfect Muse in Jonie, sister of the fabulous artist and web designer, Madalina Iordache-Levay. He decided to call it the FRAGMENTED Series.
CUT to un-wrapping the oval mirrors then DISSOLVE to the box of square/rectangular mirrors with many shapes laid out.
NARRATOR:
Although, he had the gift of fifty oval mirrors, my initial visual venture would use square and rectangular mirrors.
CUT to a video clip of using putty to adhere pieces to another mirror with some falling off, needing to be re-fixed.
JAMES:
We had a lot of fun. Sticky putty was used to position and angle several dozen mirrors onto one large base mirror. They had to be angled for the right reflection. Then, you’d hear one and another disengage and fall to the floor.
JAMES:
By holding our collective breathe they all finally took hold and I was able to take the upper body B/W FRAMENTED and my favorite, the “piece de resistance,” the full length FRAGMENTED. We took a few more to wrap this session.
NARRATOR:
Jonie, originally from Romania, was exploring other places to live in Europe. On her next visit to S Florida in 2014, other series takes were added using the oval mirrors.
NARRATOR:
She eventually settled in London, England. In 2018 she scheduled to return again to South Florida in October. With plenty of notice, preparations could advance in constructing the right setting. This time his “photography as art” piece would find inspiration from art’s historical past, to include the work from among others: Rembrandt van Rijn’s “Danae,” Titian’s Venus of Urbino,” Alexandre Cabenel’s “Birth of Venus,” Edouard Manet’s “Olympia,” and most notably Francisco Goya’s “La Maja Desnuda.” James decided to call his version MAJESTIC FRAMENTS.
JAMES:
One idea leads to another, and the process of creating the Fragmented REFLECTIONS it dawned on me that REFRACTIONs offered another light altering phenomena to carry on the theme; finding visual ways of capturing the multifaceted aspects of women. This expressed through depictions of the female form makes for a fascinating photographic subject.
The final shoot would be on a vertical axis, but in order to determine the right position for the transparent medium before they were fixed, I used a Barbie Doll set to
scale
NARRATOR:
James took pages of notes over several months were he experimented with different refractive possibilities that included acrylic pieces, glassware and glass blocks. The set-ups proven to be successful were then fixed, and from there when Jonie came to model the photo session could move along with a predictable outcome.
Here are samples from the outcome photographing the female form through a variety of transparent shapes.
THE END of Scene Fourteen
NARRATOR:
The latest series documenting “photography as art” by James was the first with no pre-visualized concept; it was a developing process. During the COVID pandemic he befriended a neighbor, a lady called Ava. She was 72 at the time, but for her that age could have been expressed as the new 50’s. James did always think there was something about the sun- shine State of Florida keeping senior women living there to have a younger appearance, and that would make a terrific subject to photograph.
He mentioned this in conversations with Ava, but another year passed before she agreed to pose. Without a clear concept, but to establish an artist-model relationship the sessions began with boudoir photography.
JAMES:
Ava, was not completely at ease at first, exposing herself to the world. To deal with this I had her looking into a mirror, thinking she feel more comfortable not directly addressing the audience.
There were other considerations. Like all of us living a long life, she also carried the scars of life and lacked the agility of youth. At this stage my only solution was soft focusing, spot retouching, and suggesting a more sculptured statue like pose.
NARRATOR:
Initially Ava did not take to the sculpture pose idea, but when James showed her a photograph of Venus de Milo taken in 1849 by Charles Negre, her feelings changed.
James still had to keep searching with ways to overcome the scars of living that was in keeping within photographic traditions of all his artwork.
JAMES:
In attempts to soften the scars of living I tried softening and blurring using gels on glass filters. Another approach was to surround the subject with distractions, with colors for instance.
JAMES:
I found this a bit gimmicky and kept on looking for other solutions. Thinking things through I had another project shoot in mind using multiple exposures that required dance athletic moves. It was not suitable for Ava, but I thought I’d try the technique for this shoot. I’d often aimed at ways of showing women as multifaceted in a visual way.
NARRATOR:
James used his studio mannequin to test the best approach for this technique.
JAMES:
Daisy isn’t light. I must have lifted her to the different positions about 60 times. I did determine the best camera settings to use, but for the next few days my back was so sore.
With Ava posing I ended up with these results I called “Woman with Mirror – 70’s is the new 50’s.” Using this technique, I found not only did it convey the multifaceted aspect I’d hope for, it had the added benefit naturally covering and softening the scars of living.
I was happy with the results, but still looking for one more take using the multiple exposure technique.
NARRATOR:
James decided to drop the mirror prop, and to closely copy the Venus de Milo statue with a couple of twists. He would continue with the multiple exposure technique to show the multifaceted aspect of looking at her beauty in all aspects. And this, as mentioned before, naturally softened and covered her scars of living. One final twist came in the naming. In the name Venus de Milo, the latter is the name of the place where this statue was discovered. It seemed appropriate, since Ava is a Floridian, and this is where Ponce de Leon’s searched for the Fountain of youth, she would well represent the ancient sculpture, accept now from Florida.
JAMES:
To experiment this time, I got a much lighter weighing torso, wrapped it in skin colored medical gauze, and applied letters A thru E as I photographed it in five positions to determine the best camera settings. When Ava came for that final shoot, I wrapped her arms in black gauze. The original Greek statue did have arms that were lost, and the black gauze to emulate the sculpture as she stands today. And here’s the result… a modernized version of the classic sculpture, Venus of Florida. Afterall, a classic is defined by age, and as such becomes ageless.
THE END of Scene Fourteen
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
The enlightened thinker, Benjamin Franklin, quoted “History is a tale, not of immutable forces, but of human endeavors.” For James, this presentation of “photography as art” is his endeavor in art history. With this in mind, I interviewed James to find out how he sees his photographic artwork from a historical perspective…
SHOW James talking and mix in his art photography as well as other photography, from a historical perspective, complimenting the topic being mentioned/discussed. Photographs will be selected from the list below to cover photographers from the 1830’s, through Descriptive Naturalism, Subjective Naturalism, Experimental Modernism, and concluding with Romantic Modernism towards the end of the 20th Century.
JAMES:
The inception of photography began in the 1830’s. This was early in the Industrial Revolution, which brought about sweeping changes in industry, science, and philosophy, leading towards our modern life.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
What roll did photography play?
JAMES:
Photography at this early stage is the in era of Descriptive Naturalism. It was an entertaining and edifying instrument; fast, factual, reliable, and replicable in ability, it was a technical accessory and a true witness to transcribe accelerating historical events.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
So, at first photography was a novelty and essentially a recording device. When did this change?
JAMES:
The interest in photography shifted near the end of the 19th Century. Artists with cameras became determined to introduce the artist’s mind and master’s hand into picture taking. Between the 1880’s through the 1920’s photography became identified as Subjective Naturalism.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
And how is “art” viewed during this period?
JAMES:
It is viewed as introspective, subjective, an exclusively human endeavor based on the maker’s psyche. Experimental psychology emphasizing the will experience, came into prominence around the same time. This validated the photographic artist to interpret and transform a visual experience into an expressive subjective statement and meaningful picture.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
Photography was still technically young at this time. How did photographic artists achieve their interpretations and transformations?
JAMES:
It is said that the Artist’s intention was asserted throughout the process, but most of the transformation- manipulation occurred in developing and printing with methods more akin to painting.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
So much for the photograph being a true witness…
JAMES:
Actually, these Photo-Successionists/Pictorialists, which are other names associated with Subjective Naturalism, thought their painterly manipulations to photographs combined the real and ideal, while sacrificing nothing of the Truth.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
Hence the appropriate name, Subjective Naturalism, for this period…
JAMES:
It solved another problem in overriding photography’s other Achilles heel of being reproducible. Having been completed by the artist’s hand, as well as thereby being completely unique, they could claim their results to be “High Art.”
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
That notion of Truth, at best, is truth to oneself, and always subjective.
JAMES:
I agree. In comparison my “photography as art” does have an affinity for the Subjective naturalist and today’s digital Compographer, my term for artists who use photos as substrates to produce images by computer software algorithms.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
Compographer… You’ll have to tell me more about that! And what was your affinity?
JAMES:
Let’s discuss Compography later… My affinity is in their experimental determination to achieve creative symbolism; however, I’m not a Pictorialists or Compographer. The essence of my art is not in post-processing or printing or by applications of computer software.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
Isn’t post-processing and printing part of photography?
JAMES:
Yes, as practiced before the digital age of computer software that is capable of creating virtual realities. The process of my personal expression, my art, has always been through the applications of the camera, optics, lighting, and the employed methods of pre-staging.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
But we haven’t yet found the place for your work in art history?
JAMES:
No, we haven’t. Subjective Naturalism fell out of fashion in the early 1920’s, when an icon of Photography, by the name of Stieglitz, remarked “Claims of art won’t do. Let the photographer make a perfect photograph.” This new perspective brought on the rise of Experimental Modernism.
This period lasting into the 1970’s had two approaches: One followed by The New Bauhaus, now the Chicago Institute of Design’ It was established by Laszlo Moholy-Nagy in 1937. He introduced a new perceptual structure or “new vision,” allowing formal strategies of abstraction, fragmentation, and defamiliarization.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
And the other approach?
JAMES:
It viewed photography as “possessing no qualities of technique, composition or idea, or derivatives of any other art form,” and it was espoused by members of renown California Group f/64.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
So, this is the view of “pure” photography?
JAMES:
Yes… Right, a product without manipulation, pure, devitalizing the influence of the hand. Weston expressed it this way, when “feeling and recording are simultaneous. I express, this could be the definition of a “snap-shot.”
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
Seems like two competing approaches…
JAMES:
There’s actually a third twist to this phase. Both were defined by Gestalt Psychology, which emerged
around the same time, which was a theory to formalizing human perception of art.
This meant the art of photography was not subjective expression, but had the objective of making it universal for purposeful action, in order to create a balance for our social existence. The camera was the “third eye,” the utopian communicator between the practitioner and the viewer.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
Do you have any affinity in this phase?
JAMES:
NO, this practice of requiring an intrinsic power of persuasion and the ultimate acceptance of the viewer seems more useful for advertising or propaganda. My work is experimental, but it not a visual manifesto with an aim to advance any social improvement or societal change, and it doesn’t seek to rise to expectations or please the “eye of the beholder.”
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
I get the feeling this is a bone of contention with you!
JAMES:
Yes, one. We’ll come to the other soon. With respect to the acceptance of the viewer, my view is eyes can see, but this does not make beholders “seers.” To rise to levels of extraordinary photography means acquiring by endless pursuit the highest powers of visual literacy.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
Therefor you are not an Experimental Modernist…
JAMES:
I am experimental, in part, by making photography about photography, but I’m not a Modernist, as this style is defined in the history of photography.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
Then where do we go from here?
JAMES:
Well this bring us to Romantic Modernism, which overlapped and followed in the latter 20th Century. It’s here my “photography as art” finds its place. My artwork is a visual literary imagism of the fanciful, mystical, whimsical, and the legendary, confined within photography’s autonomy and purity; The purity of its capacity as art and science.
I like to compare my art photography to a song. If music, as an art and science, is a universal language for the ear, my contention is photography, likewise a combination of art and science, is a universal language for the eye.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
Concluding to say, your “photography as art” is not found in its function as it is with Experimental Modernism, or going back to its painterly representations of Subjective Naturalism, or to its basic roots as a transcribing true witness of Descriptive Naturalism.
JAMES:
That’s correct. Now I still would like to discuss that other bone of contention, and that is how many art critiques believe that photography is incapable of being art. Chapter 9 from a book titled “Photography: An Invented ‘Art,’ What photography Is” presents it this way… Would you mind reading this for me…
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
Photography is a “mechanical means of reproducing whatever is put in front of the camera,” the photographer is constrained in both his choice of subject and his treatment of it. Whereas a painter imaginatively “constructs” an image, a photographer merely “discloses” something that exists. In contrast with a work of art, which is created by its maker “on a ‘blank slate’ bit by bit over time,” the photographic image is formed more action of light on a chemically sensitized surface. The photographer–unlike the composer, painter, sculptor, or poet- -does not select and shape every minute detail of the work.
JAMES:
In part I do agree most photography “discloses” what is in front of the camera. However, exceptional photographers did/do so with great “artistry,” which is due to his high level of visual literacy.
I have many fine ‘disclosing’ photographs, such as the Horses (in Iceland), Tango (in Buenos Aires), and Electric Miami Skyline that can be seen in my ARTISTIC STOCK collection… (found on my web site http://jamesschotgallerystudio.com/stock-art/). They are not “Art” in my view, but artistic.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
And what is ‘Photography as Art?’
JAMES:
I apply this term in the production of making a photograph. “Photography as Art” is initiated by an original idea, then takes a ‘blank slate’ (a photo negative/file) on which to developed, artistically construct, and compose the idea (like a song) through the creative use of lighting, optics, and the camera, that is, the instruments of photography. This “Art” process is represented by my artwork here presented, and by its content, I place it in the era of Romantic Modernism.
NARRATOR INTERVIEW:
Art history has moved on. James finds his work in photography can be considered an analog bridge, a precursor into the new digital age we’ve entered into. This new age, where photographs are the substrates, is certainly open in the extreme to the artist’s hand and individual expression. It has yet to be fully explored and digested for its place in the history of the visual arts. It is already clear it is an amazing new artform for making virtual imagery, and worthy of its own identity. James suggest “compography as art.” When it comes to photography, we hope you have enjoyed the creative work of James Schot that genuinely represents its art.
Being an artist’s model is a difficult assignment. It takes trust, commitment, confidence, dedication, and more… They have to believe in the ideas, creativity, skill, and talent of the artist they are modelling for. They are often asked to pose under difficult and potentially risky conditions and/or circumstances. These artist models have been amazing as well as dazzling:
Ann plays her part in the Cabaret and the Illusions. The latter was a 10-year commitment. These photographs taken were often time consuming, or had to be repeated several times, and contingent on weather conditions, which was sometimes harsh. She’s an eleventh generation Martha’s Vineyard islander. Professionally she was a personal trainer to many celebrities.
Cleveland plays her part in Aliens, Double Vision, and Fossils. She approached me about modeling when I was taking a break on an assignment. Her intelligence, and her creative, effervescent personality were a definite attribute, as well as her reliability and willingness to participate in these visual projects. She now living in Connecticut with her husband and children.
Karen’s sweet home was Alabama, but she now resides in Florida with her son. She played her part in Streaked, Body Parts, and the Aurora wEos series, coming to the studio once, sometime twice a week, spending 3 to 5 evening hours, over a period of seven months for experimenting and taking those final shots.
Jonie has a twin sister, but is shown here being made up for Fragmented, by her sister and talented artist Madalina, with whom she works as the technical guru in their Internet development company. Born and raised in Rumania she now lives in London
Ava is a classic beauty. She was born in Pittsburg, but has lived in Florida for most of her seventy-three years where she apparently found its “fountain of youth.” She has a most pleasant easygoing personality. Being an artist in her own right, I think helped her decide to pose for this process of discovery in photography as art.
2.LOCATION SHOOTING – Location shooting for this video/film could be considered and provide interesting and beautiful scenic additions. The two locations for ‘photography as art’ were Martha’s Vineyard and James Schot Photo Studio in Fort Lauderdale. WINTER WONDERLAND is scheduled to be photographed in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado around Maroon Bells.
3. ADDENDUM – An addendum having a brief description of other selected ‘photographic as art’ pieces of interest will be added to this script in the future.
4. INITIAL DRAFT – This is an edited initial draft of the script “Photography as Art.” I am looking for interest in making this video/film in the form of talented production collaborators and art patrons interested in assisting with resources as needed for this project.
5. Some of the Books of Influence on my bookshelf:
The ART of PHOTOGRAPHY 1839-1989 – Catalogue edited by MIKE WEAVER with Photographs selected by DANIEL WOLF
SEE THE LIGHT – photography-perception-cognition – BRITT SALVESON
the oxford companion to the photograph – edited by Robin Lenman
The Art of the American Snapshot 1888-1978 – From the Collection of Robert E Jackson
Still Moving – The Film and Media Collections of The Museum of Modern Art – 2006
Color and Meaning – Art, Science and Symbolism – John Gage
The Master Guide to PHOTOGRAPHY by Michael Langford
Light – Science & Magic – An Introduction To Photographic Lighting – Fil Hunter & Paul Fuqua PHOTO/GRAPHIC DESIGN – Interaction of Design and Photography – Allen Hurlburt
THE SCIENCE OF ART – Optical themes in western art from Brunelleschi to Seurat – Martin Kemp
Moholy – Vision in Motion – L Moholy-Nagy
Focus on SPECIAL EFFECTS – Creating Pictures that Exist Only in Your Mind – Don and Maria Carroll
VISION AND ART – The Biology of Seeing – Margaret Livingstone
THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY – by John Hedgecoe
SPECIAL EFFECTS PHOTOGRAPHY – by Kathryn E. Livingston
How To Create PHOTOGRAPHIC SPECIAL EFFECTS – Allan Harvath.
Outstanding SPECIAL EFFECTS PHOTOGRAPHY on A Limited Budget – Jim Zuckerman Professional Photographic Illustration Techniques – Kodak
Pro Lighting GLAMOUR SHOTS – Roger Hichs and Francis Schultz
How to Photograph WOMEN Beautifully – J Barry O’Rourke
The VIEW CAMERA – Harvey Shaman
Secrets of STUDIO STILL LIFE Photography – by Gary Perweiler A Primer of Visual Literacy – Donis A. Dondis
Professional Photographic ILLUSTRATION – Kodak
LIGHTING SECRETS For The Professional Photographer – Alan Brown, Jon Braun, Tim Grondin
The Photographer’s Guide To Using LIGHT – by Ted Schwartz and Brian Stoppee RIGHT BRAIN LEFT BRAIN PHOTOGRAPHY – Kathryn Marx
THE BODY EXPOSED – 150 Years Of The Nude In Photography – Edition STEMMLE THE NUDE by Kenneth Clark
THE MANUAL OF NUDE PHOTOGRAPHY – Jon Gray & Michael Busselle VISUALIZATIONS – The Nature Book of Art and Science by Martin Kemp COLOR THEORY – Jose M. Parramon
PHOTOGRAPHY – Upton and Upton
ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHY by Michael Langford
The Photographer’s Handbook – John Hedgecoe & Alfred A. Knopf
WORDS OF LIGHT – Theses On The Photography of History – Eduardo Cadava
LIGHT – Michael I. Sobel
EXPOSURE Photo Workshop by Jeff Wignall
CRISIS OF THE REAL – Andy Grundberg
IN/DIFFERENT SPACES – Victor Burgin
Photo SPEAK – A Guide to the Ideas, Movements, and Techniques of Photography, 1839 to the Present – by Gilles MORA
SUBLIMINAL Ad-Ventures IN EROTIC ART – Wilson Bryan Key, Ph.D. VISUAL THINKING by Rudolf Arnheim
THE END OF ART THEORY – Criticism and Postmodernity – by Victor Burgin
PHOTOGRAPHY A Concise History – Ian Jeffrey
PRINCIPLES OF COLOR – Fibber Birren
NUDE PHOTOGRAPHY -Masterpieces From The Past 150 Years – Peter Cornell Richtet LIGHT – Introduction to Optics and Photonics 2nd Edition – Judith Donnelly and Nicholas Massa REAL/IDEAL – Photography in Mid-Nineteenth-Century France – Edited by Karen Hellman SEE/SAW Looking at Photographs – by Geoff Dyer
NOTE: Two Series – Aurora with Eos and Fragmented REFRACTIONS have been published in the international magazine PHOTOPLUS.
Below are two (2) nudes each from a single photo session. The first (A) is called “Woman at the Spirals Center,” and the second (B) is called “Hustled at Pool.”
Check out https://jamesschotgallerystudio.com/artistic-stock/ on my website. There you will find many fine photographs. I see none of them as art; I do view them in artistic levels. Essentially, they are copies of what’s discovered and presented in front of my camera, and then photographed using all the intuitive and learned skills of visual literacy, and in this way they can highly artistic, but not art.
The two nudes below are not included as part of the “photography as art” script above (even though they are located in the Photo Art section on my website), neither are they included under the “artistic- stock” on my website. They are seen by me to be somewhere in the middle, having some merit to be called art, as well as being highly artistic.
Presently, I’ll leave it as an interesting subject for discussion.
