Pure and Straight Photography

Pure and Straight Photography

This is an image called “Shell”,  1927 by photographer Edward Weston. The object in the image is a shell, against a black back ground. The shell itself is an obscure shape with many different tonal areas, a highlight on the top of the shell and some darker areas towards the bottom, which pick up on the texture.

There are many ways in which this particular image depicts the visual information of pure and straight photography.  One example, as mentioned, is the vast range of tonal colours. The key highlight being on top of the shell and the other extreme being the darker area used to back the shell. The distinct lines and textures that are shown on some areas of the object were also used a lot in straight photography, showcasing the strengths of a camera by offering a new detailed view of a shell. In addition to this there is also quite a large depth of field, not just focusing on one aspect of the item.

Edward Weston was known the want to be able to illustrate his love for life through his work,  he felt he may be able to do this by demonstrating nature truthfully.

“To clearly express my feeling for life with photographic beauty, present objectively the texture, rhythm, form in nature, without subterfuge or evasion in technique or spirit, to record the quintessence of the object or element before my lens, rather than an interpretation, a superficial phase, or passing mood—this is my way in photography. It is not an easy way.”- Edward Weston (taken from minimalistphotography101.com)