Pictorialist Photography by Year 11 students

As part of their studies, the Year 11 Photography students have been learning about photography’s historical, technical and cultural development. For their first practical assessment task, students were required to research the codes and conventions of Pictorialism and The Photo-Secession – aesthetic movements that dominated the later 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Students then applied their understanding to produce work using modern technology that explored and recreated the stylistic features and techniques found in the photographic imagery of this time. The Pictorialists sort to align themselves with painters and believed that like a painting, a photograph was a way of projecting an emotional intent rather than a straightforward record.

Typically, Pictorialist photographs contained subject matter similar to that of paintings at the time, lacked sharp focus (due to the types of lenses available) and were printed in one or more colours other than black and white (ranging from warm brown to deep blue).

Take a look at some wonderful student work samples below – an excellent showcase of their skills and creativity!