TECHNICAL
Max Dupain’s simplistic and direct approach to his photography, focused on the shapes concealed within architectural structures. Dupain shoots a majority of his images in a monochrome form. In most of his works, his images are sensitive to the colour white. He creates a contrasting effect when using black and white. Dupain shows an interest in light, shadows, unusual angles and strong lines. He liked keeping things simple and he preferred black and white photographs. He achieves a creative documenting of the industry through the use of light and shade and dramatic composition. His use of double exposure, where two separate images disintegrate as they blend into each other, produced an effect where the form is immersed in the background. Dupain’s use of dramatic composition, light and shade result in a creative way of documenting industry. He didn’t always use shutter speed unless it was at the beach when people were walking around, in a queue if that’s what the image is and at the Sunday promenade.
VISUAL
Max Dupain uses shadowing as a photographic technique, this shows different angles and the many dimensions of the architecture. He creates images of sharp focus, boldness and graphic composition. Dupain’s direct and simplicity style allows him to compose works that are sharp, bold and graphically structured. His direct approach complemented the shapes inside engineering structures, he was viewed as the picture taker of design in Australia. Through his modernist approach, Dupain’s architectural photographs display an interest in light and shade, strong lines and unusual angles which reveal the ‘essence’ of a building. The Concert Hall in construction demonstrates Dupains visual practices. The black and white image is composed in a certain way that allows Dupain to manipulate the architectural structure of Concert Hall to produce a sharp and bold image. The lighting of the image draws the viewer to look at its centre before our gaze averts and starts looking at the wider image. The artist takes many of his photographs from the front of the architecture in which he uses lighting to create effects on the buildings such as contrasting to tones together to make the building look three dimensional. The direct approach to Dupain’s works complements the shapes that are presented. He liked to “keep things simple” and preferred black and white, to colour photography. Dupain stresses simplicity and directness through the “reduction of the subject to elementary or even symbolic terms” by selection of viewpoint, lighting and after treatment.
CONTEXTURAL
The Australian photographer shoots many photographs of Australian heritage buildings. He also takes many photographs of Canberra buildings, for example, the National Gallery. Many of these buildings have a historical element which reflects his style in photography.
Relationship with Harry Seidler who of which influences his photography. They both have worked together on some projects which include ‘Seidler’s House at 11 Northcote Crescent’. Dupain started a revolution in Australian architecture during the 60 years of his photographic career. Throughout his career, Dupain constantly shot architectural buildings that were iconic or a part of Australian history.
Concert Hall in construction was photographed by Dupain in 1968, during the time when the now iconic Sydney Opera House was being constructed. For him, the Sydney Opera House was an iconic architectural symbol of Australian modernity. Dupain had experiences in photography during the war. He originally joined as a camouflage photographer, he also participated in the photography with the air force to research work by both Australia and The US. At the end of the war, the focus was shifted to promote Australia to overseas. Dupain is known for his photographs of Australian beach culture. He believed in clearly and simply showing Australia’s way of life. The war affected Dupain and his photography, by creating in him a greater awareness of truth in the documentary. His architectural photographs are indicative of the modernist movement which impacted on Australian photography along with other art forms in the 1930s.
CONCEPTUAL
This artist believed in clearly and simply showing Australia’s way of life. Max Dupain’s 1937 photograph, Sunbaker, is quite an iconic image in the way that it shows what it means to be Australian
stressed simplicity and directness in his work. He shoots places of historical significance, for example, the National Library in Canberra which withholds historical importance. He likes to focus on modern and historic architecture. Dupain likes to print in black and white. This helps create a contrast of tones and to use shadowing as a technique. His works that are on display are an important visual record of the changes post-war Australian society went through, from capital cities, architecture and industry, to rural scenes and people. The images were designed to convey a country filled with promise for those wanting to create a new life. Viewing his images, we gain an enhanced and deeper understanding of the appreciation of his role in Australian photographic history. Among Dupain’s more straightforward photographs, several visual themes are present being mainly buildings at twilight, buildings reflected in water, buildings and gum trees, and also buildings under a vast Australian sky.
QUOTES
“I stress two things, simplicity and directness. This means a reduction of the subject to elementary or even symbolic terms, by devious selection of viewpoint, by lighting, by after treatment. I do not always print the total negative … I work mostly in black and white. It suits my will to interpret and to dramatise. I have more control with black and white without which the very personal element is lost forever” – Max Dupain, 1978
“Modern photography must do more than entertain, it must incite thought and by its clear statements of actuality, cultivate a sympathetic understanding of men and women and the life they live and create.”
“I find that my whole life, if it is going to be of any consequence in photography, has to be devoted to that place where I have been born, reared and worked, thought, philosophised and made pictures to the best of my ability. And that’s all I need.”
CCC Photography 2016 