When I think of photographers of the everyday, the first that springs to mind is of course William Eggleston. Eggleston has always been one of my favourite photographers. I decided his work would be a good starting point as I begin to obtain inspiration for my project. It was also very interesting to read about his life and the motivations for his photographs in Nicholas Huggins’ article.
What I like most about Eggleston’s work is of course his ordinary subject matters. But I’m also fascinated by his use of colour. I like the bold blocks of colours he focuses his camera on. Although his setting is very different to what I have in my close surroundings, I will certainly take this into account when shooting my own work.
I’ve chosen a few of my favourite Eggleston photos to display as examples. The phone on the bed and the window photo are more reminiscent of my own style – I would like to achieve a similar feeling and sense of the ordinary, everyday in this project as it progresses.
The angles and viewpoints of Eggleston’s photos are I think, another great feature that make Eggleston’s work so successful in capturing a sense of the everyday. His subjects are usually shot as if from the perspective that a person would usually see them. His camera points downwards on the salt and pepper on the table, as if shot from the perspective of the person seated at the table, whilst the bus is shot as if being looked up at from the pavement. These angles make the subjects all that more familiar and normal – just as the everyday should be. Whilst the bright colours and aesthetic lighting make those everyday objects into something worth noticing.
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