Contemporary Photographer - Martin Parr.

Martin Parr - "With photography, I like to create fiction out of reality. I try and do this by taking society's natural prejudice and giving this a twist. ”At first glance, his photographs seem exaggerated or even grotesque. The motifs he chooses are strange, the colours are garish and the perspectives are unusual. Parr's term for the overwhelming power of published images is "propaganda". He counters this propaganda with his own chosen weapons: criticism, seduction and humour. As a result, his photographs are original and entertaining, accessible and understandable. But at the same time they show us in a penetrating way that we live, how we present ourselves to others, and what we value. 

Leisure, consumption and communication are the concepts that this British photographer has been researching for several decades now on his worldwide travels. In the process, he examines national characteristics and international phenomena to find out how valid they are as symbols that will help future generations to understand our cultural peculiarities. Parr enables us to see things that have seemed familiar to us in a completely new way. In this way he creates his own image of society, which allows us to combine an analysis of the visible signs of globalisation with unusual visual experiences. In his photos, Parr juxtaposes specific images with universal ones without resolving the contradictions. Individual characteristics are accepted and eccentricities are treasured. 

The themes Parr selects and his inimitable treatment of them set him apart as a photographer whose work involves the creation of extensive series. Part of his unusual strategy is to present and publish the same photos in the context of art photography, in exhibitions and in art books, as well as in the related fields of advertising and journalism. In this way, he transcends the traditional separation of the different types of photography. Thanks to this integrative approach, as well as his style and his choice of themes, he has long served as a model for the younger generation of photographers. 

  


Parr explained the reasons for choosing to now work in colour negative and with the Plaubel 6x7 wide angle camera: "Colour was regarded as something for snapshot photography or the professional, not for the serious photographer in the UK. After William Eggleston's Guide, it had the official stamp of approval, and people like myself started to see this work where colour was such an integral part of the pictures. I use colour negative film because you can get the exposure wrong and still get a decent print, the prints are very attractive, and it's the best material. I find transparency [film] difficult to expose well, and too contrasty."

"The idea of using flash combined with daylight was to create a surreal effect, using those very bright colours. It's amateur film I use, so it helps give it extra saturation. Then the camera is a wide angle so you're in very close. All those things contribute to the look and feel of the photograph. I can't remember who actually introduced me to the Plaubel 6x7 camera, but when I saw it I thought, "God, this is fantastic for a 6x7 and very good quality!".

Ive chosen to attempt to re-create the above image, or at least, practice a Martin Parr approach to Photography. His bright saturated colours are vibrant to the eyes, also, the flash is evident on the cakes giving a sheen glow accross the image. Parr photographs in a very British way, anything British subject or meaning appeals to him so this is something I shall think above. Parr photographs on colour film, although I will be practicing with colour digital.

My Images: 
My images, I photographed from an above composition but also some different camera angles. I used a flash inside my kitchen, quite dark light. I saturated the colours in post production. I used pink cakes similar to the ones in Parr's images. I also gathered up some fish + chips products like ketchup + vinegar because I know Parr photographs the seaside a lot, and the images represent that. I haven't chosen a final image yet because I want to experiment more with Parr's style + techniques.