1970’s – THE YEARS OF SEDITION
The 1970s was a decade of cultural and social change in the world. It was a time of experimentation and innovation in photography and saw several important movements and styles emerge.
One of the most significant trends in photography during the 1970s was the rise of color photography, driven by advancements in technology and the growing popularity of color printing in magazines and newspapers, allowing photographers to capture the vibrant energy of the world around them. Photographers like William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, and Joel Meyerowitz embraced color photography and helped to establish it as a legitimate artistic medium.
During this period, Norman Parkinson began capturing his subjects in more natural and spontaneous poses. He also experimented with different lighting techniques, incorporating brighter and more saturated colors into his images. He also began incorporating more movement, capturing his subjects in motion.
Another significant development in photography during the 1970s was the emergence of new documentary styles. Photographers like Diane Arbus, Mary Ellen Mark, and Larry Clark used their cameras to document people's lives on society’s fringes. Their images were raw, honest, and often controversial.
Rose Hartman turned a documentary lens to the emerging elites and other denizens of New York City's social scenes, with now iconic images of party-goers at Studio 54. She had a guerilla approach to photography, using a point-and-shoot camera to catch intimate, unposed moments of about-to-be celebrities such as Andy Warhol, Jerry Hall, Mick and Bianca Jagger, Kate Moss, and Johnny Depp.
The 1970s was also a time of experimentation and boundary-pushing in photography. Photographers like Cindy Sherman, who became famous for her self-portraits, and Robert Mapplethorpe, who created provocative and sometimes controversial images of the human body, pushed the limits of what was acceptable in photography.
In fashion photography, the 1970s saw the rise of the "Glam" style. Photographers like Helmut Newton, Guy Bourdin, and Chris von Wangenheim created provocative, sensual, and often highly stylized images. Their images helped define the era’s look and influenced a generation of fashion photographers.
