John Riddy

"I find this point of stillness in relation to what I’m photographing that seems to be absolutely and completely right. There’s only one place for the lens to go."

Maputo (Train) 2002

Chandigarh (Capitol Complex 4)

John Riddy is a British Photographer born in 1959. His interest in photography began at the age of 14, and later studied Fine Art at the Chelsea School of Art from 1980-84, where he earned a BA and MA. His first solo exhibition was featured at the Cairn Gallery in London in 1993, and not long after he began a partnership with the Frith Street Gallery who would continue working with him. Riddy has consistently worked in series, photographing the urban environment and architecture. Camden Arts Centre hosted his first survey exhibition in 2000. Six years later in 2006, his project ‘Views from Shin-Fuji’ was displayed in the Victoria and Albert Museum. In this project his photographs were in colour, contrasting his typical work in black and white; he explored the relationship and contrast between the traditional landscapes in Japan with the newer modern, urban architecture. Throughout his career, Riddy has had his work featured in various solo exhibitions, including ‘Rome” in 1999, Praerterita in 2000, ‘Low Relief’ in 2009, ‘Palermo’ in 2013 and ‘Of Things Placed’ in 2015. Palermo was displayed in the Frith Street Gallery, and reviewed by The Guardian and Aesthetica Magazine. Adrian Searle, the critic for Guardian, stated that “If his photographs have anything to do with Cartier-Bresson's "decisive moment", it is a moment that has taken months and several visits to present itself. It is the moment when everything seems alive but precisely nothing is happening." He praised the artist, saying that “Riddy's work is nuanced and enigmatic: his images of underpopulated Sicily are magical, wretched and unforgettable.”

John Riddy’s work is typically in black and white, or at least very desaturated, although he has done work with colour as well, especially in his ‘Views from Shin-Fuji’ in 2006. He explores urban environments and architecture, and has also examined its relationship with nature through his photography; the relationship between photography and the history of art and photography is another concept that he looks at. Riddy has taken several photographs of the same scene at different times of the day, and also has taken series of images of the same wall or pieces of architecture. Riddy has expressed how he aims to “find this point of stillness” in his photography and environment around him, contradicting to a city’s typical noise and chaos. This contrast is very obvious in his work, and allows audience to focus on the fine details of his photography. An example of this stillness is in his ‘Palermo’ project, where he photographed the city of Palermo in Sicily, visiting places where no one was there. Adrien Searle commented on this, stating that Riddy’s work is “filled with endless detail. No painting could record so much.” His photography does not feature people or movement at all. Riddy's work is typically very textured, which is very obvious in his Palermo project. Palermo focused on the historic centre, characterised by its ruin, renovation, working class communities, and street markets. He focuses on capturing scenery, with the absence of life adding to the stillness of his work. His black and white imagery also removes any vibrancy to his photography, and the same applies to a lot of his coloured work, which is often very desaturated.

Palermo (Palazzo delle Poste) 2012

Palermo (Carmine) 2012

To the left is one of Riddy's photographs from his Palermo collection from 2012, named 'Frangiai'. Palermo, like many of his other projects, was inspired by 19th century art, specifically French photographer Gustave le Gray, who photographed Palermo himself, the capital of Sicily.
Whilst everything in this image is in focus, the car that is centred in the middle seems to be the subject of the image. This photograph features natural lighting, meaning that the shadows are very soft. There is contrast between the highlights and darkest shadows, however like many of Riddy’s photographs, this image features a range of tones from dark to light, with a lot midtones. There are also a range of textures in this piece, especially since the walls are differently textured; the left side of the image seems much more course compared to the smoother left side. There is a strong sense of symmetry that seems to organise the different elements in this photo, and there are clear lines that start from the four corners of the image and lead the eye inwards, creating a depth of field and making the buildings and car appear more 3D. Because of the perspective and

positioning of the car in the very centre, the audience’s eyes are drawn to the car and the background behind it, which appears to continue. Riddy has cleverly composed this photograph, cropping it so that the corners of the building align with the corners of the photograph and photographing the car in the centre, making it seem out of place.

Riddy would have taken this image in daylight, resulting in natural lighting without any additional lighting. Since there is a larger area of focus and deep depth of field , except for the furthest parts of the background which may be slightly blurrier, Riddy would have used a higher aperture, meaning less light entered the camera so more is in focus. This would also mean that he would have used a slower shutter speed to allow more light to enter the camera, so he may have used a tripod to prevent the image from blurring. The image is not grainy, so he did not have an overly high ISO. Overall, the image is noticeably very textured and clear, with a lot of fine detail.

This is my photoshoot plan that will help guide me with my first John Riddy photoshoot. It helps having a plan laid out as I can move forward with ideas that I originally had, and also build on them during the actual photoshoot.

The photoshoot went as planned, and the camera settings I followed and shots I created related to my photoshoot planned. Something that I should have included more was the experimentation with camera angles that I mentioned, however the other challenges such as creating quiet and symmetry I managed to complete.

Contact Sheets

This is the resulting photoshoot based off of my photoshoot plan. I think that I could have chosen a better location, and I will look into this for my next photoshoots, however this was the best choice for what was available at the time. I focused on capturing different architectural structures, as well as the nature around them. There was also a small section where I photographed the sky above buildings, where I adjusted the ISO, shutter speed and aperture to create a silhouette effect. I annotated this contact sheet by

drawing onto it myself on my phone. This will allow me to write down my thoughts when deciding which pictures I should edit or not, and also allow me to remember my thought processes and what I originally intended for the photograph when annotating.

I think that this photoshoot was successful because I managed to capture different architectural structures, and some images had contrast between urban structures and nature. Another successful aspect was how I controlled the camera settings: to accommodate for the higher f stop number of about 22 I had a higher ISO (at around 1200), and a higher shutter speed to make sure the images weren't blurry. I did change the settings if the situation required me too, as photographing scenery that didn't have access to as much light came out darker than I wanted. I also had some shots focusing on the sky, which I think is a nice contrast to the urban setting around it; these shots will hopefully be successful when using them for double exposure. This photoshoot also resulted in images with a deep depth of field and perspective, which is something that related to Riddy's work directly.

There were some less successful aspects to this photoshoot, for example I think that I could have photographed an even more industrial setting, emphasising on the urban architecture found in the centres of cities. I was previously just trying to focus on finding a sense of stillness in my photographs by photographing quiet streets, however I think that I can improve this photoshoot by beginning to incorporate a city's typical chaos, contrasting to Riddy's work. For my next photoshoot, I will take both of these ideas into account, taking pictures of both quiet streets and busier roads. I have access to a roof so I will also see how I can take pictures of a city from a higher perspective. Another less successful aspect of this photoshoot is that in general the first half was slightly overexposed and had a lower aperture. This was due to my camera being on the automatic setting initially, but my images improved after I begun adjusting the settings.

Overall, whilst the photoshoot was generally successful, I think that I am lacking the industrial photography that John Riddy also works with. He takes images of cities and its characteristics that can be considered a part of its identity, and I want to reflect of this and do something similar. This photoshoot alone does not give me enough material to work with, so I will be developing my work further with a new photoshoot. Before doing this, I will be editing the images from my first photoshoot, and then experiment with how I can build on these developments with double exposure.

Developments

These are my initial developments from my first photoshoot. I tried to create variation with colour, by editing some pictures black and white. This was to see which pictures looked better; after editing I have realised that the black and white edits are more successful, as the lack of colour is something that emphasises the stillness of the image. I also think that these edits link the most strongly to John Riddy's work. To edit these, I added the black and white filter onto the image, which allowed me to adjust the brightness of separate colours despite being in black and white. This was particularly helpful when editing images with trees, as I could brighten the yellow and orange in the leaves to make them stand out more. If I was editing in colour then I adjusted the saturation by desaturating the image slightly. For some images, I wanted only sections of the image in colour, for example a sign or the blue car. To make everything black and white except this, I used the quick selection tool to select the object, inversed the selection so that everything but the object was selected, and then added a saturation layer and turned the saturation down all the way. I could then adjust the saturation of the object by adding other hue/saturation layer which only affected the colour in the image. Finally, something that I did for all of my edits was adjust the brightness and contrast, occasionally adjusting levels so I could go into more detail when creating contrast.

I think that these images were successful because I managed to recreate the way John Riddy would edit his own photographs, especially those from his 'Palermo' collection. Although I wasn't able to capture the same amount of detail that he does due to the different locations and settings, many of these images are still detailed and have a very deep depth of field. Another successful aspect of this photoshoot how I managed to create a stronger sense of symmetry in some photos by cropping the images and rotating them slightly so that any obvious horizontal lines were completely level. I think that the experimentation with colour selection worked quite well, however the black and white edits will be the most useful in the future when double exposing.

Something that I have mentioned previously is photographing more industrial architecture to improve this photoshoot, and this is something that I will focus on in the future. The least successful edits were those that lacked architectural structure in the image, for example the image of the post box. Whilst it was edited well, the red post box on its own does not link strongly enough to Riddy's work. Despite this, the images of the bird in the sky surrounded by negative space above scaffolding is something that I would consider successful in relation to ideas and themes provoked, as it makes me think about the relationship between nature (animals) and industrial construction.

Overall, I think that these edits were successful, and have given me good material to work with in the future. This process of editing has allowed me to properly discover how I can use quick selection and saturation layers to leave certain areas of an image coloured. Next I will be creating double and multiple exposure images.

Double Exposure

Above are some double exposure edits that I created using my photoshoot's initial developments. To edit these I layered an edit onto another edit, and then rotated it upside down and chose a blending option. For some edits I layered an image multiple times, and for others I mirrored the image by flipping it over using the transformation tool. The editing process was quite simple, but there were several successful edits, including those where I layered the staircase above an image multiple times, and edits where I mirrored images by rotating and blending them.

These edits were successful because they manage to link back to Riddy's themes of stillness. With no people present (for the majority of the edits), the audience can focus on nature's relationship with urban architecture. The mirroring of some images also creates symmetry, and I like how this creates a landscape which has been transformed into something new.

Highlighting Successes

These edits are what I consider to be my most successful developments from my first photoshoot. They have a sense of stillness amidst an urban environment, similar to Riddy's work, and combine themes of nature with modern architecture. The first edit on the left is darker than Riddy's work usually is, however I like how the layering and rotation creates connotations of an upside down world, whilst maintaining the feeling of quiet with the absence of people. The middle edit is where I have successfully merged themes of nature and architecture, as the image depicts floating staircases surrounded by greenery. he lone lampost is also effective, adding to the stillness, and there is a contrast in tones between the white of the stairs and wall to do the darker coloured trees. The final edit on the right demonstrates how I used negative space to create the same sense of stillness, focusing on the architectural aspects of John Riddy's work. Edits like these have potential for layering in the future, and I am going to continue experimenting with this idea.

Second Photoshoot Contact Sheets

For this photoshoot I took images from the roof of a building rather than from ground level. I did this so that I could capture more structures from a different perspective and with more freedom. I was using a better camera as well, so I had more control over the camera settings and the quality was generally better.

Overall I think that the pictures were successful for several reasons. For example, with the lack of people and clear skies, I managed to recreate John Riddy's main themes of stillness. Another successful aspect of this photoshoot is the industrial theme that I managed to capture. I focused on photographing pictures of buildings that were typically more modern and industrial looking, featuring pipes, chimneys, metal staircases

and cranes. I contrasted this with some images of more traditional architecture as well.

Since this photoshoot was very simple, there was not much to improve on except the location since the last photoshoot. Instead I would like to experiment more with editing. Next I will initially develop this photoshoot with the simplest edits, and then I will see how I can develop further with layering.

Initial Developments

Above are my initial edits for my second photoshoot. To edit these, I adjusted saturation, the levels and brightness. The majority of them are in black and white because the images seemed much calmer this way, and it also links strongly to Riddy's work. These images are the starting point for my further development so I won't be focusing on them too much. I think that they are successful as they are all in focus and edited in the style of Riddy (with a high contrast and focus on the structure of the buildings). They also depict a landscape which is empty of life and de-saturated, which I think is successful in creating the sense of stillness that is present in Riddy's work. I also photographed areas that strongly portrayed urban industrial elements. For example, buildings covered in metal railings and pipes, as well as buildings mainly made of metal infrastructure and glass.

Next I will be experimenting with layering and seeing what works best with the images that I have produced.

Double Exposure

These are some double and multiple exposure edits that I developed from my initial edits for this photoshoot. I experimented with the different ways that I could create different shapes using the shapes of the buildings that I already had. To edit these, I duplicated the image, rotated it upside down and chose a blending option, or selected an area of the image that I wanted to mirror onto the other side, and duplicated one side so that I could transform and flip the image. I think that these images are successful because they create an abstract shape that is recognisable as a structure, but not as a shape. The fact that these images are (mostly) all in black and white and have high contrast also emphasises the lack of life and movement, and only the presence of a silent man-made structures. I think that to improve these edits I could have experimented further with layering, to create a sense of distance, or to create a scene that feels unnatural in its structure. I will be doing this next.

Further Experimentation with Double Exposure

To edit these, I first opened an image on photoshop as the building that would be the furthest away. I sometimes had to position this layer further upwards, so that I could layer the other images on top below it. I then added the second image on top, and used the quick selection tool to select the sky above the building and deleted the area of the image that I had selected. I then used the eraser tool to clean up any bits that had not been deleted when using the quick selection tool, and positioned this layer on top of the background layer so that what I wanted was visible.

I think that these edits are successful because they bring together ideas that I have had with layering and double and multiple exposure. I also think that they were edited well, as I made sure that the

buildings that I was layering on top had been cut out cleanly. The fact that they are in black and white is another successful aspect of these edits, as I have mentioned previously, as there is more focus on contrast, so I will continue doing this in the future. I also like how there is varying contrast and tones between the different layers. I think that this adds to the abstract nature already created, as the lighting seems unnatural, so things seem out of place. I think to improve these edits, I could have added even more layers, as I think I could have actually experimented with depth by creating shadow as well. I would like to do this, but I think it would more effective to create a physical piece, so I will explore this later.

Highlighting Successes

These are some of my favourite edits that involve double and multiple multiple exposure. I think they best demonstrate how I have used different techniques in manipulating different structures. My favourite edits are the ones that involve the most detail, so these include the three images on the top row, and the second image from the left on the bottom row. I think these are particularly more successful because they give the audience more to inspect. It also adds to the buildings structurally, and creates an industrial theme as the buildings are covered in metal pipes and railings. I think that the industrial theme is added to by the images being in black and white, and the audience are made to think of structures such as factories. I think that this is effective in emphasising the point about the stillness of an image, and the stillness of an urban environment that lacks the life of nature.

I think that I can explore these ideas further by creating a physical piece that involves layering my images. I would like to present the identity of a city by taking its buildings and creating my own setting or landscape that is unfamiliar, which I have already done previously.

AO4 Experimentation

Contact Sheets

This project is how I would see myself making a final piece inspired by John Riddy's work. To create this piece of artwork, I printed out some of my favourite images from my John Riddy photoshoots, both edited and unedited. I cut the buildings out usuing a scalpel, and stuck them onto cardboard. The most challenging part of this was not making the individual layers, but actually figuring out the composition and how I should put the layers together. I wanted the final product to look somewhat rectangular shaped, so that it could be framed or be presented with a border. I made sure that the shorter layers were in front, and then stuck taller layers on top slightly above. To make sure the piece wasn't going to fall apart due to the layers getting higher, I made up for the empty space left behind by sticking more cardboard underneath. This made sure that the piece was even and wouldn't rest on a surface at an angle. When I liked how the finished product looked, I photographed it in a small photoshoot to experiment with how I could present it. I took images from different angles and also experimented with aperture. I think the images with a deeper depth of field were most successful, however they also turned out to be darker due to less light entering the camera. I like how the layers also add a bit of depth to the image. Despite appearing flat, when images are taken from certain angles, there is some elevation.

This is the final presentation of the piece. I put the piece onto white paper and then cropped the image later to create an even border around it. When looking at the work from this perspective, it appears flatter. I like how the shadows already in the individual layers add to the piece looking like an actual city scape as it makes it appear more 3D and realistic despite being quite abstract.

I think that the piece successfully demonstrates how I have experimented with layering. I have created my own perspective of a landscape that does not exist, however the buildings actually exist away from this scene.

Presenting

This is how I see my piece being presented publicly. I would have the front view presented in the middle, with the other images I took surrounding the bigger piece on the walls. I would want the audience to see the different perspective of the piece, so that is why I included the other images that were taken from different angles. I would imagine that the room would be well lit, just like in the picture, and I would not have any sounds or music playing to accompany the piece. This is to maintain the idea of stillness that I have previously explored with John Riddy's work, and allow the focus to be on the structure of the buildings.

Overall I think that this project has been successful in bringing together my ideas and creating a final project that both reflects Riddy's and my own developments.