This photographer has a unique style, especially
being the first, or one of the first of his kind. The image itself is simply a
portrayal of shells on a shelf, but Daguerre seems to show them in full detail.
The crispness of modern photography isn’t there, but that is to be expected.
The technology he was working with during his time was the equivalent of our
highest quality digital camera. People from the 1800s wouldn’t notice the minor
dust spots and slight blurriness of some spots. He managed to pull off almost
perfect exposure, except for the over exposure on the top shelf and the
darkness of the shadow above the shells on the middle shelf.
The composition of the photograph is symmetrical,
but not overly monotonous. The shells are equal on each side of the image, although
they are not identical to one another. The three shelves fill the image and
balance the composition. There is no specific pattern to the shells, but it
makes the viewer consider the way they are placed on the shelves. There isn’t much
emotional appeal in this photograph, though. According to today’s standards,
this image wouldn’t be classified as creative, provocative, or unusual;
however, back in its reveal in the early 1800s, it probably would’ve turned
some heads.
No comments:
Post a Comment