Theory Research- So exotic, so homemade: Surrealism, Englishness and documentary photography- Ian Wa

This book is an introduction to Surrealism, Englishness and documentary photography. I chose to read this book because it connects the theme of Englishness to the documentary photography approach. These two aspects are very important within my project to show the theme of Englishness in a truthful manner. It was also useful because it highlights some of the important photographers and their work e.g. Humphrey Spender, Julian Trevelyan and Bill Brandt.

The important chapter for me was '6- Up north' because the three photographers mentioned all examine cultural charcteristics of the north of England. All of their work connects partly to the 'Mass-Oberservation' movement of 1938. This movement was a social research organistation where they would record everyday life within Britian. For example "The north of England, the manufacturers, the people, the wild and bleak country". Pg 115 what I found interesting was that there were writers that were examining Englishness in their books. For example 'J. B. Priestley's English journey' published in 1934. As a result the photographers read these books and became interested in the theme and whated to create their own visual records, inspired by the Mass-Observation movement.

One photographer that has been inspiring is Bill Brandt with his photography work, which explored everyday life in Britian. This included his book of photographs called 'The English at home', 1936. I found this book really interesting because of the documentation of family life in the English home. Nowadays the book is a social eduaction of the era can teach the audience about family lifestyles and culture.

The photographs that are discussed in this chapter (6) are when Bill Brandt went to the North of England to capture life. "Close up pictures of dirty children in a Sheffield slum or of unemployed miners". Pg 131 The photographs show real life stituations and capture the social identity of the place and people. They now are important documents that show historical charcteristics of Englishness and can also show change when re-visited nowadays. A photograph that I like of Bill Brandt's is 'A Snicket', Halifax, 1937. The composition is dramtic with the use of harsh lighting, which highlights the old pebbled streets. The main idea of the image comes across as being in an industrial area with a working class tough lifestyle, surrounded by buildings.

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