The underside of a matchbox; modest photography

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The underside of a matchbox

 

 

 

 modest photography

 

 

What is modest photography?

Modest photography is an approach to taking and presenting photographs. In modest photography both subject matter and means of depiction are humble and unspectacular.

What is a modest subject?

This is open to discussion and, naturally, has a subjective aspect. What is modest to one will be immodest to another.

 

 But, as a general guide, it's a photographic subject that does not immediately draw attention to itself- this could be because it is undramatic in its form (unsophisticated construction methods and materials, muted colours, small size, commonness, unexciting shape, lack of interactive aspects, low cost). 

 

 It could also be because it is not an item with an important history i.e having no link to a famous person or event, or little or no symbolic value (religious artefact, talisman, monetary unit)

 

It's a subject that does not have obvious and immediate emotive aspects (such as weaponry, medical instruments, associations with criminality, moral or behavioural perversion or lingerie).

 

 It could a place which is passed though daily but rarely really observed, or consciously experienced.

What is the point of modest photography?

The purpose of modest photography is to engage both viewer and maker with the commonplace. Modest photography seeks to encourage appreciation of the everyday  with images that are unadorned, plain speaking.

Does modest photography have a political aspect?

In the sense that all communicative forms attempt to direct the people's attention to specific  ideas, and induce changes in consciousness we can say that modest photography is political. 

By increasing appreciation of the commonplace and the overlooked we likely will reduce interest in the melodramatic, the self important and showy, and gain greater appreciation of what is around us. We can argue that this is political since it eschews the celebrity culture and the cult of obvious wealth that currently belabours the west.

Can anyone do modest photography?

Yes. Modest photography is for everyone. Modest photography can be pursued with a cheap celphone, or a costly Hasselblad.

What are the favoured styles in modest photography?

Modest photography has no dominant voice. It can be in colour,  black and white, square, or oblong.  But obviously, the effect of a modest photography must be commensurate with its message: that is undramatic, humble.

What are the origins of modest photography?

The origins of modest photography are in the still life photography used for product catalogues, in Dutch 17th century painting and its appreciation of the ordinary daily life and the School of Paris photographers such as Kertész or Brassai.

What about titles?

Modest photography encourages the use of explanatory titles and writing. These should, naturally, be in a plain style.

Is modest photography boring?

Probably to some.

  Modest photography proposes that the constant need for sensation apparent in contemporary culture is tedious and demeaning both intellectually and emotionally. Modest photography challenges the idea that what is most  worth of attention is what is noisiest, most expensive or most dramatic.

 Modest photography does not, however, impose itself as mainstream culture imposes itself.

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The contents of a box 3; The British Grenadiers

My English Language teaching business cards. These are left all over the place to get private students.

From a distance they look a little like Warhol's famous soup cans.

Here they can be seen in formation, ready to march conquer Santa Catarina. I hear the rousing song of the British Grenadiers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsW4FoRzhQw

Some talk of Alexander, and some of Hercules
Of Hector and Lysander, and such great names as these.
But of all the world's brave heroes, there's none that can compare.
With a tow, row, row, row, row, row, to the British Grenadiers.

Whene'er we are commanded to storm the palisades,
Our leaders march with fusees, and we with hand grenades.
We throw them from the glacis, about the enemies' ears.
With a tow, row, row, row, row, row, to the British Grenadiers.

Then let us fill a bumper, and drink a health of those
Who carry caps and pouches, and wear the loupèd clothes*.
May they and their commanders live happy all their years.
With a tow, row, row, row, row, row, to the British Grenadiers.

I particularly like, "we throw them from the glacis, about the enemies' ears".

*I cannot understand what "loupèd clothes" are, though "loup" derives from the French for wolf, which suggests clothes made of wolfskin, perhaps?

The contents of a box 2; Ten paper clips

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The contents of a box 2

The photo above contains, from top left, clockwise:

1. Liquorice box, top and base (Paris, 2002)
2. Safety pin (probably British, c. 2000)
3. Orange plastic covered paper clip (probably British, c. 2000)
4. Screw eye (probably British, c. 2000)
5. Saftey pin (probably British, c. 2000)
6. Safety pin (probably British, c. 2000)
7. Two Clip-frame clips (London, 2003)

Ten paper clips

The items "speak" more loudly when placed beside other similar items.

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The Contents of a Box - 1

One of several boxes contain things which cannot be thrown out, nor which have any immediate use: items in limbo.

Clockwise from lower left-

1. Wooden box, which used to contain figs (Maida Vale, London, 2004?)
2. Cut Pieces of paper used as stencils for monotypes (Florianopolis, 2009)
3. Plastic Key, used for stretching canvases (Maida Vale, London, 2005)
4. Brackets used to hang pictures (Maida Vale, London, 2003)
5. Nuts (Florianopolis, 2007)
6. Bolts (Florianopolis, 2007)
7. Little screws used for brackets (Edgware Road, London, 2004)
8. Two Shells (Florianopolis, 2009)
9. Spiral shell fossil (gift from unknown donor, London, 2003)
10. Pencil eraser (Aberdeen, 2000?)
11. Part of a scalpel blade (Florianopolis, 2006)
12. Little scissors (Florianopolis, 2007)
13. Device for attaching telephone wire to skirting board (unknown)
14. Part of telephone wire (Florianopolis, c. 2008)
15. Small box of staples (Aberdeen, 2003)
16. Crumpled pieces of chocolate wrapping (Florianopolis, 2009)
17. Dennis the Menace Badge (Finsbury Park, London, 2008)
18. Two little strips of grey paper (Florianopolis, 2010)
19. Cat's Eye Bicycle Torch (Florianopolis, 2009)
20. Batteries (Florianopolis, 2009)
21. E45 Skin Cream (Aberdeen, 200?)
22. Rubber Body Parts (Bermondsey, London 2003)
23. Brackets used to hang pictures (Egdware Road, 2004- see little screws above)
24. Device used in Flower Arranging to help anchor stalks (Florianopolis, 2007)
25. "Stopper" used to close a tube (unknown provenance)
26. Two Brazilian coins * 5o and 10 centavos (Florianopolis, 200?)
27. Brown plastic "button" of uncertain function (unknown).
28. China Doll's Head (Copenhagen, 2004)


*N.B. the terrible design quality of Brasillian coinage.