Chimney Sweeps Walking by Charles Negre is a captivating early photograph taken in 1851. The photograph appears to be named appropriately, as it shows three presumed chimney sweeps walking down the sidewalk with a cityscape behind them. The three chimney sweeps are pictured walking down a sidewalk next to a brick wall. Two of the chimney sweeps appear to be middle aged men, while the third appears to be a younger boy. This is a testament to the time that this photograph was taken, as child labor laws had not yet been considered. As the viewer ponders the identity of the three chimney sweeps, there is a strong correlation between the child and the photograph as a whole. Living as a child during this time would certainly be a dull experience.
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The daguerreotype process is what gives the antiquated appearance of the photograph. The way in which this type of photograph breaks down spatial representation is intriguing. It creates a separation between the foreground and the background, allowing the foreground to appear as if it is reaching out from the background. Because of the differentiation of space, it draws the viewers focus to the foreground of the picture more effectively. This is an effect that has been lost in modern photography we see today, adding to the level of curiosity the photograph instills in the viewer. This leads me to the topic of aura, which Walter Benjamin discusses in his writings A Small History of Photography. Aura, as described by Benjamin, is the atmospheric medium contained within a photograph. The aura of a photograph is the visual element that gives the unique appearance of space and depth. Aura is obviously evident in early photography, but throughout the evolution of photography it has gradually become …show more content…
It is my personal design philosophy that there is power in simplicity and including only the most essential elements. The creativity of the human mind is a powerful tool. By leaving specific details out in a design an artist can force the viewer’s mind to “fill in the blanks”, allowing the design to not only better capture the viewers attention but also relate to the viewer more closely due to a part of the design essentially being their own creation. In early photography the presence of darkness allows the light to fill in important details while simultaneously leaving other details up to the imagination. This can explain why when we view an old picture, particularly one developed via the daguerreotype method, there is such a level of curiosity and captivation. Photography today is realistic and reliable, removing any need for the mind to fill in what is not pictured. With the presence of darkness the mind is allowed to fill in the empty spaces. This brings life to the picture, as the mind is used to associating specific emotions with specific visual cues. This argument may best be applied to portrait photography, but we can also see these effects in Chimney Sweeps
The daguerreotype process is what gives the antiquated appearance of the photograph. The way in which this type of photograph breaks down spatial representation is intriguing. It creates a separation between the foreground and the background, allowing the foreground to appear as if it is reaching out from the background. Because of the differentiation of space, it draws the viewers focus to the foreground of the picture more effectively. This is an effect that has been lost in modern photography we see today, adding to the level of curiosity the photograph instills in the viewer. This leads me to the topic of aura, which Walter Benjamin discusses in his writings A Small History of Photography. Aura, as described by Benjamin, is the atmospheric medium contained within a photograph. The aura of a photograph is the visual element that gives the unique appearance of space and depth. Aura is obviously evident in early photography, but throughout the evolution of photography it has gradually become …show more content…
It is my personal design philosophy that there is power in simplicity and including only the most essential elements. The creativity of the human mind is a powerful tool. By leaving specific details out in a design an artist can force the viewer’s mind to “fill in the blanks”, allowing the design to not only better capture the viewers attention but also relate to the viewer more closely due to a part of the design essentially being their own creation. In early photography the presence of darkness allows the light to fill in important details while simultaneously leaving other details up to the imagination. This can explain why when we view an old picture, particularly one developed via the daguerreotype method, there is such a level of curiosity and captivation. Photography today is realistic and reliable, removing any need for the mind to fill in what is not pictured. With the presence of darkness the mind is allowed to fill in the empty spaces. This brings life to the picture, as the mind is used to associating specific emotions with specific visual cues. This argument may best be applied to portrait photography, but we can also see these effects in Chimney Sweeps