Primary Research: Manuel Alvarez Bravo Book
Who is Manuel Alvarez Bravo? Manuel is A Mexican Photographer who was one of the most important and influential figures in America's 20th century photography. When Manual began photography he was only a teenager and while being enrolled in night classes for painting at Patricio Saénz boarding school would often seek the help of German Photographer Hugo Brehme while Hugo was in the dark room. The camera he used was a Graflex Camera which almost every photographer and journalist used for the first half of the 20th century. Manuel is most known for his portraits of Mexican people and places and in his work he would add a poetic aspect to set himself apart from the rest. He won 3 rewards in his career, the Guggenhein Fellowship in 1975, ICP's Master of Photography Infinity Rewards in 1987 and a Lifetime Achievement Reward in 1996.
I love the cover of the book. I feel like the shade of the black and white compliments the brown block covering the left side of the page and the black and white writing go well with the rest of the page. He made it so that everything works together with no harsh colours so it doesn't look off. The main image with the woman I feel is very powerful. From an outsider looking in on this image I see a mom or wife who is doing the laundry and something in the sky catches her eye (Because it seems like she is on the roof of her house), or, she is looking onto the street. Different people make different scenarios in their head of what is going on in the image so I feel it is very important to try and capture a story along with it to keep the viewers enticed. This main photo accomplished this.
In the book These images caught my eye. 3 images all sat next to each other and all with their similarities and differences. Looking into the first 3 set, we can notice that all of them are men, all with short hair. However, while the first 2 are wearing suits the third man is not and while the first and third man are smiling the middle man has a stern expression. All of them are in different poses, the first is looking right, the second is looking straight and the third is looking right. It almost looks like the first and third man are looking at the man is the middle and smiling at him. this could suggest they are mocking and ridiculing him. Another difference is the perspective, the middle man is the only one with an almost full body portrait. This could suggest the importance of the middle man and make your attention more fixated on him.
Now the second set of images. The first similarity I can see is that they are all women with curly hair. All of them have a straight expression on their face and are conveying no emotions. They all look to be wearing dark clothes though some lighter than others. The first difference I can see is the background. The background in the first image looks to be bricks but the second and third backgrounds are both stick walls. The other difference I can see are the poses. The first and second girl are looking straight on in the camera's lens but the third girl seems to be looking at the other 2.
With these sets of images though they are very different there is one similarity. One of the subjects is looking at another while 1 or more is looking straight on.
Now the second set of images. The first similarity I can see is that they are all women with curly hair. All of them have a straight expression on their face and are conveying no emotions. They all look to be wearing dark clothes though some lighter than others. The first difference I can see is the background. The background in the first image looks to be bricks but the second and third backgrounds are both stick walls. The other difference I can see are the poses. The first and second girl are looking straight on in the camera's lens but the third girl seems to be looking at the other 2.
With these sets of images though they are very different there is one similarity. One of the subjects is looking at another while 1 or more is looking straight on.
Here are 2 more images that were in the book. Looking into these images they are very similar as they are both wearing a dark coloured suit (Though wearing different ties), both sitting down with their hands resting on their leg (though in the first inage he has his hands on top of one and other) and the post they are sitting in is very similar. The images most obvious difference is the background which could tell us more about the people in them. In the first image the man is sitting on a bench in front of houses. This could mean he may be a landlord and the houses behind him are the houses that he owns. Or perhaps the land he is sitting on is land he owns. From his suit we can assume he is somewhat of a business man and this is the same for the second image. The background is a half white half grey wall and I believe he may be sitting in an office, so, his job would be an office worker. He could potentially be a manaer to have a photo taken like this.
These are 2 more portraits shown in the book and they are very different than one and other. I have put these images together to show the range of photo's shown in the book and how the photographer doesn't just stick to one specific style. The only similarity is that they are holding objects. In the image on the left the woman is seen sitting down in a corner holding a skull with the word 'Amor' written across the forehead using both her hands. The skull is seen with an intricate pattern running across the head and shiny crystals stuck under the eye. The woman is wearing a long, short sleeved dress and a cross around her neck while her hair is in a half-up half-down style. Her expression is also different portraying a smile with her head slightly going to the right and her eyes looking into the camera.
Next I am going to look into the man on the right, he is standing up a concrete brick floor and leaning his back against the solid wall behind him. He has his arms crossed and in his left hand he is holding a light coloured hat and resting on his right arm is a darker coloured bag. The man is wearing a light, stripe patterned shirt coupled with a collar and light coloured, ankle length joggers with no shoes and a straight hair style. His facial expression is completely opposite to the woman with a stern, blank expression in his eyes, mouth and eyebrows. His head is straight forward though his eyes are looking to the right.
This is my favourite piece in the book. The woman's facial expression is completely straight and she is looking directly at the cameras lens. from the position that the camera is it it seems as though she is taller than the person taking the photo, hence why she is looking down at the camera. This could represent superiority and that she is looking down on the viewer, judging them. Her hair is a deep, dark colour and it is in a straight style falling down her back, over her shoulders and over her chest whilst being tucked behind her ears. She is wearing a light coloured outfit with various different sized dots spread around it and large piece of jewellery around her neck. She is standing behind a forest and since the girl looks to be around 10-13 we can assume that she has been playing there, perhaps with friends.
