“The joiners were much closer to the way we actually look at things, closer to the truth of the experience.”
- David Hockney
“Ordinary photography has one way of seeing only… which simply cannot be.”
- David Hockney
'Joiner' Self Portrait, 1982
David Hockney
Gregory Swimming Los Angeles 1982, 1982
David Hockney
The Desk, 1984
David Hockney
Still Life Blue Guitar 4th April 1982, 1982
David Hockney
David Hockney is a British artist best known for his experimental approach to photography, particularly his development of "joiners" in the early 1980s. Joiners are photographic collages made from multiple individual images, arranged together to form a single, fragmented composition.
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Interestingly, Hockney did not originally set out to create this technique. The idea emerged accidentally when he began taking multiple Polaroid photographs of the same subject to study composition. When he placed the images next to eachother, he realised that the slight shifts in angle and perspective created a more dynamic and realistic representation of how we actually see.
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This marked a shift away from traditional photography, which captures a single frozen moment, toward something more fluid and human.
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This idea connects closely to earlier art movements, particularly cubism, as seen in the work of Picasso, where subjects are depicted from multiple viewpoints simultaneously. However, Hockney translated this concept into photography, making it feel more immediate and grounded in reality. His work also related to photomontage and broader modernist ideas that challenge traditional ways of seeing, questioning whether a single image can ever fully represent truth.
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Beyond technique, joiners represent a deeper exploration of perception and time. They reveal that reality is not experienced in a single, fixed frame but is constantly shifting. The slight inconsistencies between each photograph - changes in light, position, or expression - highlight the instability of the moment itself. In this sense, joiners move away from the idea of permanence and instead embrace change as an essential part of visual experience.
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This is particularly relevant to my own project, which focuses on the idea that change is constant, even when it is not immediately visible. I am interested in using a similar approach to capture the same scene at different moments and combine these images into one composition. By doing this, I can extend the narrative of a single image by providing greater context. Rather than presenting a scene as fixed, this technique allows me to reveal its progression over time.
'Joiner' Self Portrait, 1982
David Hockney
This image, created by David Hockney as a part of his joiner series, presents a fragmented portrait of a man constructed from multiple photographic moments. Rather than capturing a single, fixed expression, the composition allows us to see a range of subtle changes across his face. His expressions shift slightly between each fragment - his gaze moves, his mouth changes position, and his posture adjusts - giving the impression that we are witnessing him over a period of time rather than in one instant. This creates a more dynamic and human portrayal, as it reflects the way a person naturally exists in motion, rather than frozen.
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The inclusion of the cigarette becomes particularly significant in building a sense of his identity. It suggests habitual behaviour, adding to the impression that we are observing the subject in a candid, almost unguarded state. Combined with his repeated glances in different directions, he appears distracted or occupied, as though his attention is divided between multiple things. This introduces the idea that he is a busy individual, rather than someone posed purely for the camera. Reinforced by his clothing - a suit and tie with connotations of professionalism, authority, power, and importance - this adds to the impression that he is a busy and preoccupied man at work.
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Lighting also plays an important role in the image. The upper fragments appear noticeably darker than those below, suggesting that the photographs may have been taken at slightly different times or under changing conditions. This variation subtly introduces the passage of time into the image, further supporting the idea that the portrait is presenting a period of time rather than one moment. It could also imply movement between spaces, which, when considered alongside his formal clothing, allows us to infer that he may be someone moving between environments, possibly for work.
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A key aspect of this image is the subject's lack of eye contact with the camera. At no point does he fully engage with the viewer, which removes any immediate sense of connection or intimacy. Instead, the viewer takes on a more observational role, piecing together an understanding of the subject through fragments of information - his expressions, gestures, clothing, and surroundings. This shifts the portrait away from a traditional posed representation and instead turns it into a study of behaviour and presence.
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Ultimately, this image extends the narrative of what a portrait can be. Rather than offering a single, definitive version of the subject, it presents multiple overlapping moments that provide greater context and depth. Through this layering of time, expression, and perspective, Hockney transforms the portrait into something more complex - not just an image of a person, but a glimpse into their presence over time.
“Hockney’s joiners dismantle the illusion of a fixed moment, replacing it with a visual experience that unfolds through time.”
- The Art Story
Building on my research into David Hockney's joiners, I experimented with creating my own variation of the technique. However, rather than constructing an image from multiple photographs taken at the same time from different viewpoints, I chose to combine two images I had taken of the same subject at different times. This allowed me to adapt the concept of joiners to better suit my project, which focuses on change over time.
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To create these images, I aligned two photographs of the same scene and selected areas that matched most closely. Using a selection tool, I copied and layered fragments from one image onto the other, creating a composite that blends two separate moments into a single frame. This process resulted in a fragmented composition where certain areas remain consistent, while others reveal subtle differences.
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I think this technique is particularly effective in visually representing change. Instead of presenting two images side by side, which requires direct comparison, combining them into one image allows the viewer to experience the differences more naturally. The fragmented overlays encourage closer observation, as the viewer begins to notice slight shifts in elements. This reflects the idea that change is often gradual and easily overlooked unless attention is drawn to it.
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In the first image, the focus is primarily on the branches against the sky, where the differences in cloud formation and blossom on the tree become more apparent through the layered fragments. In the second image, the addition of the bird introduces a stronger focal point, while still maintaining the fragmented structure. This contrast not only highlights physical change within the scene but also shifts the narrative of the image, adding a sense of life and momentary presence.
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This approach also extends the narrative of a single photograph. By combining multiple moments, the image becomes more than a static representation - it holds a duration of time within it. This links closely to Hockney's idea of moving beyond a single, fixed viewpoint, but instead of showing multiple perspectives, my work explores multiple moments. In this way, the technique has been adapted to align more directly with my theme of continuous change.
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I see this as an important development in my project, as I had previously been presenting images separately. This method allows me to move beyond a conventional approach and explore a more experimental way of combining images. Given that themes of nature and change have been widely explored, I wanted to push my work further by experimenting with less traditional techniques that make the concept more visually engaging.
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Overall, I am pleased with the outcome of these images and believe the technique has strong potential. With further refinement, I think I could make the transitions between fragments more intentional and emphasises the differences between moments more clearly. Moving forward, I plan to continue developing this approach to create images that communicate change in a more controlled and impactful way.
