Critical and professional studies: photography research

This is a piece of functional photography taken by Lindsay Kreighbaum. She is an American photographer who specialises in food and advertising products. I chose this photograph because although its main purpose is to advertise a brand of ice cream, I enjoy how well the objects are arranged. The way that the plants are organised in this photo makes this picture look very exotic and seasonal; the blue background also adds to this. Furthermore, I believe this photograph does a good job of advertising an ice cream brand. Because when you look at the photo it makes you think of the summertime as this is the time when people usually indulge in ice cream. Therefore, as much as this photograph has a very functional purpose to advertise an ice cream brand, it also showcases an artistic element in the way that the plants are placed and the use of colour.

This photograph was taken by Kyle Thompson who is a surrealist American photographer. Surrealism was a style of art and a cultural movement that developed in Europe after World war 1. It allowed artists to make art in a strange way that almost looked dream like or out of the ordinary. Thompsons work showcases an ephemeral narrative which means something that only lasts for a split moment. His work is not meant to have a defined story line to it, rather it is meant to interpreted by the viewer. When I look at this photograph it makes me think of the climate crisis, it is almost like this photo implies that people are sleeping on the severity of it. Although there isn’t anything in this photo that explicitly shows climate damage, I believe this is one of the ways that you can interpret this photograph. This photograph is a piece of art because of its composition and strangeness. It is unusual to have a mattress on the beach near the shore as it makes a bold statement to the viewer. Furthermore, I think the photo could also show a sense of vulnerability because there is a naked man laying down on a mattress with the tide pulling him in. To conclude, I think this photograph is a very good piece of art work as it leaves a room for interpretation for the viewer.