Music Photgraphy

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Research Genre of Music- Jazz 3 Artists Bing
Crosby-One of the First white Jazz vocalists,
helped set up recording industry, hold the
biggest selling single of all time White
Christmas, Biggest selling artist and biggest
selling box office of the 1940s Nat King
Cole-Popular Singer and Piano player from 1940s
onwards, suffered racism, helped to invent
smaller band Jazz, sung pop songs which were
highly successful, played in Las Vegas Jamie
Cullum- British best selling jazz artist of all
time, piano player and singer, records a mix of
jazz and pop, records on a mix of modern and
traditional instruments, has a Jazz show on Radio
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Props Bing is holding a Lute (left) and smoking
a Pipe (right). The lute is significant of his
status as a musician, he recorded songs in many
genres and is trying to project an image of
musical diversity. The Pipe was one of his
trademarks and shows his stereotypical
appearance, making him easily identifiable to his
audience. These props also act as lines to aid
the composition by adding symmetrical geometric
design form to the subject. Focus The focus in
both photographs is on Bing, there is soft focus
around him, showing that he is the key signifier.
Light He is in contrast with the light in the
background of the photograph, both are black and
white and so use light effectively to highlight
the subject. The angle in both is direct showing
direct communication with the audience, although
he is looking away form the camera in both.
Dress He is wearing clothes typical of the era
in both texts, symbolic code of dress signifies
him as being a smart, clean cut professional. He
is in a more formal suit on the right, showing a
level of professionalism and is less formal on
the left, this coupled with the use props shows a
more informal and intimate approach. These two
photographs suggest that his public persona has
more than one aspect. His face occupies the
middle third in both photographs along with the
centre of the lute (Left) and his bow tie
(right) which are also of interesting to the
audience.
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The setting of the photograph on the right is
real, whereas on the left it is artificial. Nat
is the focus of the photograph in both texts,
setting him as the key signifier. He wears
similar code of dress in both, suggesting a
stereotype and typical image that is portrayed of
him, smartly dressed. He, as with Bing, is at a
direct angle to the audience but is looking away
from the camera, suggesting an unavailability to
the audience and strengthening his communication
through music rather than through body language.
His clothes provide lines in the photographs, the
black tie and braces help to divide the image on
the left into thirds, as does his coat and hat on
the image on the right, these props, especially
the hat try to project an image of Cool. He is
smoking a Cigarette on the left, which was the
norm at the time, although could be considered a
prop as he was renowned for heavy smoking of
menthol cigarettes to improve his voice. The
light is different in each, on the right he is
sat in a room with natural light so it varies
within the shot, on the left however, the light
appears more controlled and is a gradient top to
bottom/dark to light with a glow around Nat
suggesting importance.
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The photograph on the right is in colour, whereas
on the left it is in black and white. This, along
with Cullums dress and use of props indicates
that on the right he is trying to project a sense
of modern pop music and up to date material and
on the right he is trying to mimic the classic
styles of the other artists I have analysed. He
wears no tie on the right and holds a modern
synthesiser and wears a more traditional shirt
and tie on the right. The use of light on the
right makes his face and synthesiser stand out
whereas his jacket blends in to the background,
this makes the important points of the photograph
stand out and helps the audience to receive key
information from the text quickly. The lighting
is more consistent on the left and his features
are a similar tone to the background showing a
connection between the era/ style of photography
he is trying to mimic. The bold geometric shape
of the synthesiser on the right contrasts with
the flowing lines of his arms inside the jacket,
as does his shirt collar. The shape is much more
flowing on the left, his hair and shirt give a
more relaxed form to the photograph. He appears
to be taken from a slight worms eye view on the
right and isnt looking at the camera, whereas on
the left he is taken at a direct angle and is
looking straight at the camera and thus directly
addressing the audience. He seems to occupy the
middle third on the right, and similarly to Cole,
his face and tie create the middle third on the
left. The setting appears to be artificial on
both, mimicking Cole and Crosby.
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Charlie parker is pictured in the stereotypical
suit of the and tie of the era with his
instrument as a prop to show the audience his
profession and specialism. The Duke Ellington
band are pictured with their band leader dressed
in a tie and tails and the band in matching white
suits, they all have their instruments (which are
props) at the ready, this shows the audience that
they are professional jazz band as their setting
is a stage. Frank Sinatra is pictured in the
studio in his trademark suit and hat with a
cigarette. His setting indicates his profession
as is typical for jazz musicians as is his code
of dress.