an ‘Ism’ is a a distinctive practice, system, or philosophy, typically a political ideology or an artistic movement.

Realism

Realism is a type of approach that captures the world as it truly is, without idealisation, manipulation or exaggeration. It represents subjects in a straightforward and honest manner that is focusing on authenticity and truth. This style often emphasizes the ordinary, everyday aspects of life, and presents images that reflect the reality of human experiences, environments, and emotions.

Characteristics of Realism in Photography:

Honest Representation: focus on capturing subjects in their natural state, without altering them. This means photographing people, objects or environments as they appear in real life.

Focus on Everyday Life: Realist photographers often choose subjects from daily life—street scenes, everyday work, simple domestic life—highlighting moments and details that might go unnoticed.

Social and Political Commentary: Realism has often been used as a tool for social and political commentary. By documenting real life, photographers can draw attention to societal issues, inequalities, or struggles that people face.

Lack of Idealisation: realism avoids soft focus, heavy retouching, or any other methods that could romanticise the scene. It’s about showing life as it is, including its rough edges.

Technical Precision: Realist photographers often aim for sharp, clear images with a high level of detail, paying attention to technical aspects such as lighting and composition to accurately capture the subject.

Photographers Associated with Realism:

Henri Cartier-Bresson: Known for his “decisive moment,” Cartier-Bresson captured candid, unposed moments that reflect real life and human nature, often with a focus on social context.

Dorothea Lange: Famous for her documentary work during the Great Depression, Lange’s photographs, like Migrant Mother, document the harsh realities faced by displaced families, with an emphasis on empathy and human dignity.

Conceptualism

Conceptualism is an approach that prioritises the idea or concept behind the photograph rather than the aesthetic qualities or technical aspects of the image itself. It’s about creating an image that communicates a particular message, thought, or concept, often requiring the viewer to interpret a deeper meaning behind the visual elements. This approach challenges the traditional idea that a photograph is simply a representation of reality, instead focusing on the intellectual or symbolic aspect of the image.

Characteristics of Conceptualism in Photography:

Idea over Aesthetics:

In conceptual photography, the idea or message is more important than the visual beauty or technical quality of the photograph. The photographer may create images that challenge conventional beauty or have minimal technical perfection in favour of communicating a specific concept.

Symbolism:

Conceptual photographers often use symbolism to convey complex ideas, abstract thoughts, or social commentary. These symbols are meant to provoke thought and interpretation beyond the image.

Staging and Construction:

Many conceptual photographs are staged or constructed. The photographer often arranges the scene or props to communicate the message, and the final photograph is more of a planned idea than a spontaneous moment.

Personal and Intellectual Themes:

Conceptual photography often explores personal or intellectual themes, including philosophy, identity, memory, language, or politics. It can reflect the artist’s inner world or address societal issues.

Viewer Interpretation:

The meaning of a conceptual photograph might not be immediately clear. Often, these photographs encourage viewers to engage and interpret the image themselves. They may have multiple meanings depending on the viewer’s perspective and context.

Characteristics in Conceptual Photography:

Identity: explores how identity is formed, perceived, and constructed. This could involve themes of gender, race, and personal identity.

Social and Political Commentary: address issues like consumerism, inequality, environmentalism, and power structures. The photographs themselves are not always documentary in nature but serve to make statements about social issues.

Memory and Time: explore how we remember the past or how time affects human experience, using symbolism and visual cues to provoke reflections on memory, loss, or historical change.

Examples of Conceptual Photography in Practice:

Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills: These are self-portraits where Sherman adopts various personas, examining the roles of women in cinema and the stereotypes associated with them. The photographs are not just of her but explore the concept of identity through the lens of media and cultural expectations.

Barbara Kruger’s Text-Based Photography: Kruger combines photography with bold, thought-provoking text to address issues like feminism, consumerism, and power. Her iconic style questions social norms and forces the viewer to engage with the conceptual layers behind the images.

Feminism

Feminism in photography is used to explore and challenge issues related to gender, women’s rights and the representation of women in society. Feminist photographers have used photography to question traditional narratives, challenge the objectification of women, and give visibility to female perspectives and experiences. Feminism in photography is also about exploring and deconstructing gender roles, power dynamics, and societal expectations.

Characteristics of Feminism in Photography:

Challenging the Male Gaze:

A central concept in feminist theory, particularly in photography, is the male gaze, a term coined by film theorist Laura Mulvey. The male gaze refers to the way women are often objectified and portrayed from a male perspective, making them passive subjects for male desire.

Self-Representation:

Feminist photographers often take control of their own images and bodies, using self-portraiture as a means of expressing their own experiences, identities, and emotions. This helps to stop traditional, often male-dominated, portrayals of women.

Exploring Gender and Identity:

Feminist photography often investigates gender fluidity and identity. Photographers examine how societal norms influence the way we understand and perform gender, and often challenge binary conceptions of gender (e.g. male vs. female).

Critiquing Traditional Roles:

Feminist photographers critique how women have been traditionally confined to certain roles—such as the domestic sphere, motherhood, or beauty standards—and challenge these stereotypes.

For example, Shadi Ghadirian’s series Like Every Day portrays women in traditional Iranian dress, performing everyday tasks while obscured by everyday objects. The images raise questions about the roles women are assigned in Iranian society and the way they navigate their identities within cultural restrictions.

Raising Awareness and Social Change:

Feminist photography has often been a tool for social and political activism. Through their work, feminist photographers highlight gender-based inequalities, violence against women, and the intersectionality of race, class, and gender.

Body Positivity and Rejecting Beauty Norms:

Feminist photographers challenge traditional beauty standards, promoting body positivity and the acceptance of diverse representations of women’s bodies, including those that don’t fit conventional standards of beauty.

Feminist Photographers:

Cindy Sherman:

Known for her self-portraiture, Sherman uses photography to explore themes of identity, gender, and the roles women play in society. Her Untitled Film Stills series deconstructs the stereotypical roles of women in Hollywood films, questioning how these roles shape the way women are viewed.

Shadi Ghadirian:

Ghadirian’s work is a critical commentary on the restrictions placed on women in Iranian society. Her photographs, such as those in the Like Every Day and Qajar series, use visual metaphors and symbols to address gender roles, tradition, and modernity in the context of Iranian culture.

Barbara Kruger:

Known for combining text and image, Kruger’s work critiques consumerism, media, and the objectification of women. Through her use of bold text and iconic images, she challenges societal norms and makes statements about power, gender, and identity.