Friday, February 15, 2013


11 Photo Montage

Activity 1


Briefly discuss why you think painters of the Victorian period might have criticized these early photomontages and why the pictures were popular with the general public. (This technique of piecing together separate images to create one picture is again very popular with both artists and the media).
What two reasons can you think of for this revival of an old technique?


  • I think that during the Victorian period people might have criticize photomontages because they didn't consider it as art, or too easy, or just plain strange. I think that the general public liked it because it was different and that it was a new technique to learn. Two reasons why this technique has been revived, i think, is because the technique is very useful when wanting to put things in a piece (like Photoshop) and the fact that it is an old technique and some Artist like the idea of going back to the basics or from its history.

Activity 2

  • Find two examples of political photo montages that are either from a historical or contemporary source




















  • paperbackswap.com
    Deesillustration.com























  • Discuss in what context they have been produced and how effective you think they communicate their intended message. 
  • - I think that the picture of the Obamas was to represent a very striking picture in order to make a point and to scare the public. The second image is to represent a higher power because it has a small man being carried by a giant hand.

  • Discuss the techniques that have been used to assemble the examples you have chosen and offer alternative ways that the artist could have put over the same message. 
  • - The picture of the Obamas would be recognizing the familiar and Contrast. The familiar image is the Obamas from the inauguration dance  and the contrast is the dieting animals surrounding them. The second image has Exaggeration of scale which shows a small Alexander Zhitomirsky  being picked up by a giant hand. 

Activity 3


  • As editors exercise their ever-increasing power over information control, what limits would you impose on them as to the extent to which they can manipulate the photographic image?
  • - The limits i would impose on them would be to manipulate the image that tells the truth and is respectful to your subject.
  • Devise a series of guidelines that will control the release of images that have been constructed for media use so that the public is aware as to the extent of the manipulation.
  •  -copy rights, permission from : owners, buisnesses, or subjects.

Activity 4

  • Find two examples of photo montages that are either from a commercial source or from a fine art background. Discuss in what context they have been produced and what techniques they share with political photo montages. 
  • www.humour-felin.com
  • http://rachaelkoscicaphotography.blogspot.com/2011/08/self-portrait-photo-montage.html
  • All these pictures have been obviously photoshoped. The techniques they share with political photo montages are it's attention to detail, their similes or metaphores, and their good use of catching viewers eyes.
  • What messages, if any, are communicated through these photo montages and how effective do you think they are? Consider different ways that each image could have been tackled by the artist and come up with an idea for ‘another in the series’. 
  • I think each photo montage has its own meaning behind it so i can't really say their is a specific message communicated through. They are effective by catching people's attention. I guess the before and after image could have been tackled differently by having a different background or just her covered with flowers not the background aswell. The next one in the series would be her with her eyes open.