Pictorialism - Soft focus and alternate processes

[Toyon]

Artistic styles, like fashion find there way back to the main stream. Pictoralism is alive and well and incorporating itself into our modern time. Check out the amazingly beautiful game LIMBO and the wonderful photographs of Rocky Schenck.

Artistic genres do not come back. Do you know any art history? The only attempt at that was the pre-Raphaelites, and they based their work on a philosophical approach to art, not mere style. What you call "pictoralism" may be alive and well as some kind of kitschy nostalgic genre (as exemplified by the gimmicky Schenck), but it is not pictorialism. The game Limbo is certainly interesting, but its an improbable stretch to say that is a new form of pictorialism.

[durr3]

This is fantastic. Frame worthy for sure!

Well, thank you very much Tim!

[durr3]

I'd been eyeing that book but hadn't pulled the trigger on it. Then it got mentioned I think on "Art of Photography" youtube channel. After that, the price has been too high for me. (I do plenty of reading on photography too.)

Yes, Durr's photo is excellent!

Thank you

[durr3]

Did someone earlier in the thread recommend the book Impressionist Camera - Pictorial Photography in Europe, 1888-1918? Because of that, or reading a post somewhere else, I bought the book and have been reading it. It's not just of a picture book, though it does have them. The bulk of it is essays on pictorialism, and I'm finding them fascinating. I'm seeing pictorialism as more of a movement than a style at the moment. Good read, anyway, for those of you who read.

By the way, Durr, your dancers photo is epic!

Thank you

[durr3]

Cool. Like it!

Thanks

[durr3]

That is GORGEOUS!

Thanks Jim

[mdarnton]

Artistic genres do not come back. Do you know any art history? The only attempt at that was the pre-Raphaelites, and they based their work on a philosophical approach to art, not mere style. What you call "pictoralism" may be alive and well as some kind of kitschy nostalgic genre (as exemplified by the gimmicky Schenck), but it is not pictorialism. The game Limbo is certainly interesting, but its an improbable stretch to say that is a new form of pictorialism.

A bit brutal, but probably accurate. This problem has been bothering me lately. I've been doing the portraits I shoot (which are bare-faced retro) as an exercise, and I think the exercise has run out. Finding a new new direction is a difficult problem, which I am trying to rationally work my way through. Thus the book Impressionist Camera, which is proving inspirational in an unexpected way.

[MDR]

Renaissance ring a bell the rebirth of antique ideals, thoughts and yes art, british gothic architecture 200 years after the end of the gothic/medieval architecture in the rest of Europe, neo-romanic, neo-gothic, etc.... I almost forgot St. Ansel and the rebirth of mid to late 19th century landscape photography. They all have one thing in common they are reinterpration just like good modern pictoralism is a reinterpretation of the real thing and not 100% identical with original pictoralism. Also soft focus has very little to do with pictoralism it was just one of the many tools in the pictoralists box,

I agree with toyon when he says that a lot of what is referred to as modern form of pictoralism is kitsch that is missing the philosophical approach the original pictoralist had, but this is not always the case. But like in any photographic genre the number of bad work is much higher than of good work. But then again all that really matters is that the photographer is happy with result and had fun creating it.

[papercam]

Attachment 145030

In camera pictorialism attempt. Shot with a Graflex Super D and a 10" Dagor lens on expired Adox 100 film.

Any help or advice?

You could focus closer to you, so the lens will be able to do its
"wide open" thing, or unscrew one of the elements a little bit, or
introduce a ziplock bag into the field of focus (shoot through it )
these things might add diffusion and softness. Nice photograph BTW!

[Toyon]

Renaissance ring a bell the rebirth of antique ideals, thoughts and yes art, british gothic architecture 200 years after the end of the gothic/medieval architecture in the rest of Europe, neo-romanic, neo-gothic, etc.... I almost forgot St. Ansel and the rebirth of mid to late 19th century landscape photography. They all have one thing in common they are reinterpration just like good modern pictoralism is a reinterpretation of the real thing and not 100% identical with original pictoralism. Also soft focus has very little to do with pictoralism it was just one of the many tools in the pictoralists box,

I agree with toyon when he says that a lot of what is referred to as modern form of pictoralism is kitsch that is missing the philosophical approach the original pictoralist had, but this is not always the case. But like in any photographic genre the number of bad work is much higher than of good work. But then again all that really matters is that the photographer is happy with result and had fun creating it.

Those are interesting examples, but architecture is a somewhat different story. The revivalists selected retro features then synthesized them with modern construction materials and uses (e.g. railroad stations). Some of the results are remarkably beautiful, but the real progress was made by architects who used it as a jumping off point for a new creativity. Louis Sulivan's riff on renaissance skyscrapers, Frank Furness' creative use of Romanesque masses and Gaudi's wild take on Gothic are the most striking.

As for what you call "modern pictorialism", please bring out some examples.......