VERNACULAR PHOTOGRAPHY

By Darcey Foulser - Brittany Chippendale - Amy Gillespie – Eirin Røsand

VERNACULAR PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE CREATION OF PHOTOGRAPHS, USUALLY BY AMATEUR OR UNKNOWN PHOTOGRAPHERS, WHO TAKE PHOTOS OF EVERYDAY LIFE AND COMMON THINGS AS SUBJECTS.

EXAMPLES

WHAT IS VERNACULAR PHOTOGRAPHY?

• It can be travel or holiday images of family and friends or photo booth pictures.

• Similar to found photography (collection of old photographs). • Is popular with art collectors and collectors of found photographs.• The idea of a media that is informing the every day and is naturalised.• It can encompass anonymous, industrial photography, scientific

photography, authorless photography, advertising and what can be perceived anonymous everyday photographs.

HOW DID IT START?

• When photography first stared people would not experiment with cameras because the method was complicated so professional photographers would only be able to operate the cameras there leaving little room for experimentation.

• Photographs that can represent home and family, taken by amateur photographers are rarely shown and displayed at museum - This popular face of photography has been largely ignored, although important to amateur photographers and their families and they hold memories.

WALKER EVANS

• Was Born in 1903 and died in 1975• American photographer• He collected vintage post cards and signs in the 1930’s and 40’s which inspired him

to partake in the art of vernacular photography.• Vernacular photography addresses the issue of authorial anonymity (unknown

photographer).• He admired the mystery behind the post cards and photos which sparked his

interest in taking up vernacular photography.• He liked to find different expressions on random peoples faces.• He kept a scrap book of clippings of pictures of other artists. These are known as

non art illustrations.

HIS WORK AND COLLECTIONS

WALKER EVANS AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION ON VERNACULAR

PHOTOGRAPHY• Walker Evan was assigned to document small town life and

demonstrate how the federal government was attempting to approve the rural communities during the time of the Depression.

• Most of his photographs are of roadside architecture, rural churches, small town shops and cemeteries .

VERNACULAR PHOTOGRAPHY IN MODERN DAY

• In modern day vernacular photography is a lot more popular as cameras are easy to use and more readily available making vernacular photography a lot more common and less iconic as it is perceived in every day life

• Examples vernacular photography being broadcasted to the public is through Snapchat and Instagram.

• Photography is entering digital age which means vernacular photography has migrated to a more online platform and printed copies are not as common as they are no longer the only form of presenting a photo.

THANK YOU