All of the images are similar as they are all of ‘The Flatiron Building’ in New York City, the building was built between 1901 and 1903. At the time it was constructed it was the tallest building in New York, the building was situated between Broadway and 5th Avenue which was a very popular area because of this it was a very popular tourist attraction. Each of the photographs show the building as a very iconic piece of architecture with the way they make the building the main focal point of the image. ‘The Flatiron Building’ is represented as a famous landmark in all of the images with how the photographers have chosen to show the scale of it compared to the rest of the city by using low camera angle. It is also represented as an important building by representing it as the main focal point in the picture. The set of images of ‘The Flatiron Building’ are all very similar because of how they show the sky scraper amongst the rest of the city. In all of the images you can see sections of other buildings surround the skyscraper as well as natural elements around it such as tree’s.
Edward Steichen, The Flatiron, New York, 1905
Steichen has composed the image so ‘The Flatiron’ building is in the background and has included tree’s in the foreground. By having tree’s in the foreground it gives the image a very picturesque feel which is an unusual way for the city to be pictured, Steichen used this effect because he wanted to promote photography as a fine art. The picturesque feel to the image is also emphasized by the natural elements such as the rain and the fog as it gives the photo a romantic feel especially with how the rain is reflected on the pavement. The romantic feel is also given by the time of the day the photograph was taken, by shooting at twilight enhances the lighting and the shadows and gives the image a very seductive and dramatic look. The lighting highlights the building in the background and makes it stand out this puts across the importance of the building as it is the main focal point of the image. Steichen has chosen to include human figures in the foreground this helps to show the scale of the building and could symbolise how the city has an effect on its citizens. It also looks as if the man is looking out over at the building, this helps to show how important and iconic it was in New York at the time. The low camera angle Steichen has chosen separates ‘The Flatiron’ from the rest of the city which symbolises the importance of the building at the time and emphasises the fact that it raises high above the rest of the city. Steichen has composed the image so the top of the building has been cropped of this gives an impression that ‘The Flatiron’ can’t be contained in the picture and is trying to escape from the rest of the city. Contrast is represented in the photograph between nature and the city through the use of the tree’s in the foreground. The silhouetted trees contrast against the brightly lit building and suggests how nature is being over taken by urban areas as in the image they are completely blacked out.
Alfred Stieglitz, The Flatiron, 1903
Stieglitz wanted to create a ideal and picturesque image of America, he has achieved this in his image of ‘The Flatiron’ building by using very soft tones and by keeping his image very simplistic by using simple shapes. It is also created by having tree’s in the foreground. The tree’s almost act as a frame around the building as they help to draw your attention to ‘The Flatiron’ in the background. This image emphasises the difference between nature and the city, by having the tree’s in the foreground demonstrates there importance, and with the building towering over them in the background symbolises the modernisation of the city as it looks as if the city is beginning to over take the natural areas. ‘The Flatiron’ building in the background has very little detail in it because its in the distance this adds to the softness there is to the image .The image has a very formal feel with the way Steiglitz has composed the image as its very structured with how the tree is in the foreground and cuts through ‘The Flatiron’ building. By taking this image on street level emphasises the connection there is between the city and the citizens, it also shows the scale of the building. The low camera angle also dramatizes the scale of the building as it towers over the rest of the city. The natural elements used in the image such as the snow and the tree’s give the photo a fine art feel to it which is how the photographer, Stieglitz , wanted it to be seen as because he wanted it seen in the art world. A soft atmosphere is created in the image by the weather. The evening light used in the image adds soft tones which gives the photo an artistic and painterly feel.
Alvin Langdon Coburn, The Flatiron Building, 1911
This image by Coburn is of ‘The Flatiron’ building, the photographer has chosen to include the building amongst the rest of the city. By using this technique symbolises how iconic the building actually is as he has made it the focal point of the image. It also shows the scale of the building which is also emphasised by the low camera angle as it makes you feel as if you are looking up at it. The image includes human figures in the foreground this symbolises the connection between humans and the city. By including the citizens in the picture shows you what urban life is like in the city and establishes the difference in scale between the buildings and humans and represents the buildings significance of the sky scraper as it towers over the rest of the city. By taking the image on street level Coburn also shows how the citizens are connected with the city. The human figures in the image have a slightly blurred effect as they were moving when the image was taken, this gives you a feeling of the rush of the city and what atmosphere there would be at the time. Coburn has created a moody atmosphere in his photograph by taking the image at twilight, and by using the lighting to create dark and dramatic shadows. However his photo also has a picturesque and traditional feel with the way Coburn has included tree’s which makes the image look like a very idealized version of New York. The composition of the the image makes the building look very important as it is positioned centrally in the frame, the path in the foreground also leads up to it which draws your attention straight to the sky scraper and shows how iconic it is. This image and the two images above, by Stieglitz and Steichen, all have a similar feel with the way they have all included a lot of the city around the building. They all include tree's as well which could symbolise the modernisation of the city and how its changing. The three above images also have a very artistic feel with the dramatic atmospheres they have because of the lighting and the shadows.
Walter Gropius, The Flatiron Building, New York, 1928
In this image the photographer has kept ‘The Flatiron’ building as the main focal point of the image by only showing a small amount of it’s surroundings which is different from what the other three photographers (above) have chosen to do. From the image you can tell that it was taken in a city because of the size of the building, you can also tell this because of the small part of another building that is shown. As this image only looks at ‘The Flatiron’ building and not its location makes it seem as if the photographer just wanted to just document it which is dissimilar to the other three images before as they all look at the area around the sky scraper. Compared to the other three photographs I looked at previously this image has a lot of detail in the building it self, which allows you to see the structure and all of the architecture. By using a large depth of field so the whole building is in focus also makes it look as if it is a documentary photo as its shows all the detail. The dramatic angle Gropius has given the photo documents the unusual shape of the building and emphasizes how flat the building is as you can see how thin ‘The Flatiron’ is. The low camera angle used makes you look up at the building which emphasizes the height as the height of ‘The Flatiron’ was very symbolic because it was the tallest building in New York at the time the photograph was taken. Gropius has used a wide tonal range in this image which gives the photo a dramatic effect as you can see all of the shadows and highlights.
Walker Evans, Flatiron Building seen from below, New York City, 1928
In this image Evan’s has photographed ‘The Flatiron’ building framed between other parts of the city. By composing the building so its centered in the picture and between other sections of New York makes the building the focal point of the image so it look very important which symbolises how iconic it is. Evan’s choice in taking the photograph on street level makes you feel as if you a there looking up at the building, the low camera angle emphasises the scale of the building. The way you are looking up at the building symbolises how the city has developed upwards and shows the modernisation of New York. By using other parts of the city in the photograph shows you that the photo was taken in a built up area which sets the scene and the atmosphere of the image. The inclusion of the tree at the top of the image contrasts against the building and symbolises the way the city has developed and become more urban and industrialised. In comparison to the first three images there is a lot more detail in ‘The Flatiron’ building itself which makes it stand out compared to the rest of the image, it also makes the photo seem more of a documentary style image instead of a fine art picture. The ‘flat’ style of the building is emphasised by the lighting and and shadows, the tonal range also gives the photo a very realistic feel because it makes it look 3-dimensional.
Berenice Abbott, The Flatiron Building, 1938
Abbott has photographed ‘The Flatiron’ building in a documentary styled way as you can see all of the detail in the building. In the image Abbott has included some surrounding buildings this emphasises the scale of ‘The Flatiron’ and how much taller it is compared to the other buildings. The scale of the building is also shown by the low camera angle the photographer has chosen as it makes you look up at the building. Abbot has also made the building look very iconic with the camera angle as it displays the building in a way so it looks as if it soars above the rest of the city. A small aperture was used for this image as there is a large depth of field as everything is in focus. This allows you to see all the detail in the building which makes the building stand out. There is a large tonal range in this image that gives the photo a very realistic feel as all the shadows and highlights give the image a three dimensional feel. Out of all the images I looked at this photograph shows the most detail in the building which makes it seem like the photographer wanted to document the building.
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