Brett Weston review
The reason I have selected Brett Weston is simple, his photographs seem to capture the viewer and offer black and white art that fascinates. His famous father Edward Weston ensured that Brette received an artist’s tutoring in the black and white photographic genre, and one can on occasion feel Edwards presence in some of Brett’s artistic works. He is best known for his close up work, landscapes and natural forms in the dunes around Oceano, California.
His art lends itself into abstraction, emphasizing line and form over subject matter. He was also known as a master printer and technician and printed all of his own work, mostly on high contrast papers, ensuring sharp clarity. My inspiration is to emulate his layered approach to record something interesting in each part of the frame, some refer to it as “asymmetric impressionism” in the black and white element.
Brett was born in Los Angeles, California December 16th, 1911, the second of four sons to Edward Weston; he died on the 22nd of January 1993 in Kona, Hawaii of a massive heart attack. He did not leave a large body of work, and may have offered much more, (note more later, he burned many of his negatives on his 80th birthday). He decided to put his own work aside in the 1950s and devote himself to printing and promoting his father Edward Weston’s artistic work. After his father Edward’s death in 1958, he returned to the field to refine his art.
Any analysis of Brett Weston’s photography work must also include some mention of his very famous father’s (Edward Weston) art. In this piece I’ll attempt to compare and contrast Edward and his son Brett Weston’s photographic work. My effort will be to offer some photographs work in the style of Brett Weston’s black and white genre.
Initially, what strikes everyone about Brett and Edward Weston artistic work is the amazing detail in their black and white photographs. I appreciate that Edward’s emphasis of light, shadow and curvature did not escape Brett. While Edward’s work always has some aspect of a human form, whether people or in nature, Brett escapes and offers a bit of a broader approach in his work. Edward seemed to pose human subjects in postures found in nature, as sort of wind carved and softened human form. Whereas Brett’s free forms and tree forms offer some sensual and evocative scenes not necessarily found in the human condition.
Edward seemed to find hints of natural processes typically associated in weather exposure in his photography of models. Brett’s work offers soft exposures with some sharp relief, the focus may emphasize softness or a harsh contrast, in some cases, hard edged photographs not really seen from Edward Weston.
Brett Weston focuses on form, reflection and sensual lines. His landscapes appear somewhat influenced by his father, yet more of a sharp relief to gather the softness of a subject. While the father Edward enjoys a swooping asymmetry, Brett prefers bilateral symmetry and repetitive elements easily captured. Brett has mastered the mechanistic feeling with organic landscapes masquerading as subjects.
Brett’s underwater images offer a type of chrome effect; less in elements of wood and stone of the father, but fashioned as a type of metallic underwater creation. Water series reflections are difficult to determine if they are human. Brett gets high and deep contrasts in his work, in particular his “Hawaii 1979” photograph, a bilateral mimic offering Edwards softness.
Some have suggested that Brett commanded the negative space in an image, making it the subject. The emotional impact of discovering methods, possibly ways to view negative space in a natural environment was Brett’s art. He was well known for his work in the dunes around Oceano, California (note: also a favorite of his father Edward), yet he could find form, depth and some fine abstraction in any element.
Brett commands the elements of art, his understanding of point, line, shape, form, space, texture and value show in his work easily. Often there are sundry elements in one image. I suspect his father Edward had a strong influence on him with respect to these elements and Brett took it to the next step and made each of these features his own. His most popular images were black and white; therefore color is seldom seen in Brett’s work.
Regarding principles of design, Brett would often use balance and contrast bringing a unity to some spectacular avant-garde images. The eye flow is often a linear perspective as entire horizons are viewed from one point. There appears to be some movement and rhythm in some of his water photography. Brett had quite a variety of work, spanning from the surreal, (called “abstract surrealism” by some), to the mundane, which he found a way to make an image interesting.
His photographs around the Monterey peninsula often appear to be with a large format camera. He mentions an 8 x 10 view camera in some interviews, and there is a photo of him in back of an 8 x 10 view camera. Some of his 8 x 10 photographs were contact prints from his large format camera. For medium format work, he used a Rolleiflex SL66 and a Hassy, and towards the end of his life, it is reported that Brett used a Pentax.
The angle for his Monterey scenic work and his photographs around the Oceano, California collection is generally straight forward around eye level; yet his more avant-garde work may offer most any point of view to capture an image. Shutter speed must be slow to capture such detail and the aperture as small as possible. Film speed also seems to be very low as many of Brett’s photographs have a very fine edge. Lighting in the Monterey peninsula collection is soft.
Internal analysis suggests that I attempt capture Brett’s style he captured in the Oceano, California collection. There are no dunes here on the North Shore; therefore I’ll attempt to utilize sands, waters, rocks and the natural surroundings. As I attempt to capture some alluring images, I will try to develop with the black and white capabilities of Lightroom to develop some high contrast images. I will experiment with the lower ISO settings in an effort to obtain extraordinary detail in my subjects. My theme will be, “Within two miles of Chun’s Reef” therefore describing a procedure to emulate Brett will remain elusive, I’ll have to wait to see what comes to me.
How well did I emulate Brett Weston’s work? I feel I approached his photographic art with reasonable detail and a connection to the natural environment. Note, Brett printed much of his work in contact prints from an 8 x 10 view camera, the detail is unapproachable with my nascent camera and Lightroom skills. Additionally, Brett used high contrast papers that allowed his images to “jump” off of the paper into the viewers psyche.
The reasons I could not approach his artistic quality; I suspect is my still developing technical skill certainly, and in my minds eye, my freshman understanding of linear perspective, and all of the elements of art and principles of design. At this point it occurs that I lack the ability to recognize visually interesting photographs through the lens as Brett’s nurtured and natured talent so readily exposed (pardon the pun). And even if I do find something interesting, it often transforms or morphs as the development process......develops.
Final thoughts, Brett took what Edward bred into him with softness and natures ease and created a strongly favored symmetry. There does not seem to be much crossover between father and son, other than the use of the black and white photography genre. I will attempt to stylize Brett Weston with some strongly contrasted and detailed black and white photographs. An interesting note: possibly worth some discussion, Brett burned his negatives before he died, possibly to prevent others from researching his work, or maybe to leave just his best work behind.
William Moore
ART207D
The reason I have selected Brett Weston is simple, his photographs seem to capture the viewer and offer black and white art that fascinates. His famous father Edward Weston ensured that Brette received an artist’s tutoring in the black and white photographic genre, and one can on occasion feel Edwards presence in some of Brett’s artistic works. He is best known for his close up work, landscapes and natural forms in the dunes around Oceano, California.
His art lends itself into abstraction, emphasizing line and form over subject matter. He was also known as a master printer and technician and printed all of his own work, mostly on high contrast papers, ensuring sharp clarity. My inspiration is to emulate his layered approach to record something interesting in each part of the frame, some refer to it as “asymmetric impressionism” in the black and white element.
Brett was born in Los Angeles, California December 16th, 1911, the second of four sons to Edward Weston; he died on the 22nd of January 1993 in Kona, Hawaii of a massive heart attack. He did not leave a large body of work, and may have offered much more, (note more later, he burned many of his negatives on his 80th birthday). He decided to put his own work aside in the 1950s and devote himself to printing and promoting his father Edward Weston’s artistic work. After his father Edward’s death in 1958, he returned to the field to refine his art.
Any analysis of Brett Weston’s photography work must also include some mention of his very famous father’s (Edward Weston) art. In this piece I’ll attempt to compare and contrast Edward and his son Brett Weston’s photographic work. My effort will be to offer some photographs work in the style of Brett Weston’s black and white genre.
Initially, what strikes everyone about Brett and Edward Weston artistic work is the amazing detail in their black and white photographs. I appreciate that Edward’s emphasis of light, shadow and curvature did not escape Brett. While Edward’s work always has some aspect of a human form, whether people or in nature, Brett escapes and offers a bit of a broader approach in his work. Edward seemed to pose human subjects in postures found in nature, as sort of wind carved and softened human form. Whereas Brett’s free forms and tree forms offer some sensual and evocative scenes not necessarily found in the human condition.
Edward seemed to find hints of natural processes typically associated in weather exposure in his photography of models. Brett’s work offers soft exposures with some sharp relief, the focus may emphasize softness or a harsh contrast, in some cases, hard edged photographs not really seen from Edward Weston.
Brett Weston focuses on form, reflection and sensual lines. His landscapes appear somewhat influenced by his father, yet more of a sharp relief to gather the softness of a subject. While the father Edward enjoys a swooping asymmetry, Brett prefers bilateral symmetry and repetitive elements easily captured. Brett has mastered the mechanistic feeling with organic landscapes masquerading as subjects.
Brett’s underwater images offer a type of chrome effect; less in elements of wood and stone of the father, but fashioned as a type of metallic underwater creation. Water series reflections are difficult to determine if they are human. Brett gets high and deep contrasts in his work, in particular his “Hawaii 1979” photograph, a bilateral mimic offering Edwards softness.
Some have suggested that Brett commanded the negative space in an image, making it the subject. The emotional impact of discovering methods, possibly ways to view negative space in a natural environment was Brett’s art. He was well known for his work in the dunes around Oceano, California (note: also a favorite of his father Edward), yet he could find form, depth and some fine abstraction in any element.
Brett commands the elements of art, his understanding of point, line, shape, form, space, texture and value show in his work easily. Often there are sundry elements in one image. I suspect his father Edward had a strong influence on him with respect to these elements and Brett took it to the next step and made each of these features his own. His most popular images were black and white; therefore color is seldom seen in Brett’s work.
Regarding principles of design, Brett would often use balance and contrast bringing a unity to some spectacular avant-garde images. The eye flow is often a linear perspective as entire horizons are viewed from one point. There appears to be some movement and rhythm in some of his water photography. Brett had quite a variety of work, spanning from the surreal, (called “abstract surrealism” by some), to the mundane, which he found a way to make an image interesting.
His photographs around the Monterey peninsula often appear to be with a large format camera. He mentions an 8 x 10 view camera in some interviews, and there is a photo of him in back of an 8 x 10 view camera. Some of his 8 x 10 photographs were contact prints from his large format camera. For medium format work, he used a Rolleiflex SL66 and a Hassy, and towards the end of his life, it is reported that Brett used a Pentax.
The angle for his Monterey scenic work and his photographs around the Oceano, California collection is generally straight forward around eye level; yet his more avant-garde work may offer most any point of view to capture an image. Shutter speed must be slow to capture such detail and the aperture as small as possible. Film speed also seems to be very low as many of Brett’s photographs have a very fine edge. Lighting in the Monterey peninsula collection is soft.
Internal analysis suggests that I attempt capture Brett’s style he captured in the Oceano, California collection. There are no dunes here on the North Shore; therefore I’ll attempt to utilize sands, waters, rocks and the natural surroundings. As I attempt to capture some alluring images, I will try to develop with the black and white capabilities of Lightroom to develop some high contrast images. I will experiment with the lower ISO settings in an effort to obtain extraordinary detail in my subjects. My theme will be, “Within two miles of Chun’s Reef” therefore describing a procedure to emulate Brett will remain elusive, I’ll have to wait to see what comes to me.
How well did I emulate Brett Weston’s work? I feel I approached his photographic art with reasonable detail and a connection to the natural environment. Note, Brett printed much of his work in contact prints from an 8 x 10 view camera, the detail is unapproachable with my nascent camera and Lightroom skills. Additionally, Brett used high contrast papers that allowed his images to “jump” off of the paper into the viewers psyche.
The reasons I could not approach his artistic quality; I suspect is my still developing technical skill certainly, and in my minds eye, my freshman understanding of linear perspective, and all of the elements of art and principles of design. At this point it occurs that I lack the ability to recognize visually interesting photographs through the lens as Brett’s nurtured and natured talent so readily exposed (pardon the pun). And even if I do find something interesting, it often transforms or morphs as the development process......develops.
Final thoughts, Brett took what Edward bred into him with softness and natures ease and created a strongly favored symmetry. There does not seem to be much crossover between father and son, other than the use of the black and white photography genre. I will attempt to stylize Brett Weston with some strongly contrasted and detailed black and white photographs. An interesting note: possibly worth some discussion, Brett burned his negatives before he died, possibly to prevent others from researching his work, or maybe to leave just his best work behind.
William Moore
ART207D