Lawrence Kok – 111079614

Pecha Kucha Summary

Bernice Abbot was an American photographer who focused on portraits and New York city photographs of urban design and architecture. The photos that interested me the most were the microscopic and close up photographs of objects and phenomena that we don’t see in our daily lives. An example is this shot of a clock’s inner mechanisms. The intricacy and designs portray a feeling of amazement and awe. From the etchings to the tiny gears, to imagine the amount of precision and work that goes into assembling each clock can be clearly seen in all the tiny parts that have to line up for everything to work in unison. The photo gives more depth and appreciation to a product most take for granted.

Abbott’s photos of urban landscape were taken very well in terms of scale and in capturing the essence of New York. From this photo taken in West Street, the scale of the tall buildings are displayed. You can see the people on the very bottom, and the buildings become increasingly taller the further into the distance. The photo is focused on the tallest building, towering over the rest of the city both physically and artistically.

This is my favorite portrait from Abbott. It portrays James Joyce, one of the most important Irish writers. The portrait conveys a solemn James with his hand propping his head up. When this portrait was taken, he had been taking criticism for his latest work and had a painful eye condition. You can sense the hardship that he was going through through his pose and visual features. The rule of thirds is also important here, as his one eye lies on the upper left intersection, making it the focus of the photograph. 

Abbott’s ability to capture depth and a message in every photo is one of the reasons why her photos are still relevant today. Her work in science, urban design, and portraits displays her versatility and talent, and it’s clear to see that she was very dedicated to her craft. Her career is filled with pure photographs that have little to no alterations, and clearly depict the development of technology as well as the growth and awe of New York City.