Post 19 20

#19. Can you think of anything that:

1) should not be photographed? Why?

People dying. That's just wrong and down right disgraceful. I'm sure its the fastest way to get haunted. I think that it is okay to photograph a dead person, like crime scene investigators do, but photographing a dying person has got to be some kind of illegal.
 
2) cannot be photographed? Why?

I don't think a regular citizen could photograph area 51. I'd love to get in there and poke around, maybe see a couple aliens, but I don't think that's allowed at all. Every time I see people get close to Area 51 on TV, a jet flies in and makes them turn around.

3) you do not want to photograph? Why?

Nudity. I'm new to photography and I'm just not comfortable with nudity yet. Male or female, it doesn't matter. I've never been comfortable with that sort of thing. I think that in the future, that might change, but if you as me today, nudity is a no no. 

#20 Describe at least one photograph that you could take for each of the following “place” prompts.

• An image of a synthetic “place” such as Disney World, Las Vegas, a Hollywood set, a diorama, etc.
• I think I'd take a picture in the Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory set. The colors are so vivid and I'd love to get some shots of the chocolate lake.
• An image of a fantasy/fictitious environment concocted from your imagination. 
• I'd create a new planet where everything is neon and bright and the sun is black. Everything would work in reverse.
  
• An image of a placeless space such as the Internet, cell phones, e-mail, e-bank, surveillance, etc.
•  I'd like to take a pic of twitter and find out who unfriended me and why. I need closure.
• An image of a public space.
• I always love taking picture at parts, all the leaves make really great shadows. I'd also like to take pics at an amusement park or carnival. I love bright colors. 
• An image of a private space.
• I don't know if it's possible, but under the covers in my bed, with the lights off. It's my favorite place in the world! 
• An in-between space that brings to mind one of the following ideas: nomadic lifestyles, displacement, rootlessness, out-of-placeness, boundaries, movement, expansion, etc.  
• I think it would be fun to do pictures of an heiress in a tent or stranded on a deserted island. I think that would make for some cool images. 

The Second Assignment

Though Your Heart is Breaking (2011). Kimber Bowman.

PART 1
The image plays with contrast, the white in the background plays against the black in the character's shirt. The lighting here is a combination of daylight and indoor lighting. The image is framed to that the viewer can see the subject as well as a few objects in the background, adding context to the image. The perspective of this image is of the photographer, almost as if the image will accompany a interview or article. This image is about the thought of something happy or exciting, and the feeling one gets while thinking about that thing. The natural and indoor lighting adds an air of relaxation to the scene. I also left the subject un-centered to create a more natural image. The overall goal of this image was to capture a moment of pure happiness and I feel I achieved that. I think this image is different from other photographers because it but considerable emphasis on both the subject and background.

PART 2
The class seemed to like this image. They liked the expression of the subject as well as the objects in the background. Based on the critique, I think the color in this image works. To change things up I might try taking the photograph again, but making sure the subjects eyes are more open. A continuation of this photograph may center on groups of portraits of people in very candid moments.

 Delicate (2011). Kimber Bowman

PART 1 
There is very high contras between the white of the light and the dark of the background. The framing of the image includes the background, hand, ring and light. The amount of darkness in the frame gives the impression that there is something else out there. Th only lighting for this image is the light that the subject is holding. The concept of this image is to show a bit about jewelry of today, in a more abstract fashion. The scene was lit with my desk lamp, and shot with the camera in my left hand. The goal of this image was to create an image as delicate as the floral ring. Finally, this image is quite similar to others I have seen. I think the black and white gives the image a nostalgic feel.

PART 2

The class liked the delicate nature of the photograph. The softening of the light compared to the softness of the ring. They also thought a softer light could have worked well. If I could make any changes, I would try to diffuse some of the light. I think this image would be a great jumping off point for a series on hands. Hands do so many different things and it would be nice to capture that.

Don't Let It Slip Away (2011). Kimber Bowman

PART 1

Contrast in this image comes from  the darkness of the subject and the lightness of the snow in the background. The framing includes the subject and wintry scene, so add context to the image. The lighting is natural and comes from the blazing sun in the background. The concept of this image was to capture a candid moment. This image was capture while subject was thinking about how to pose. Taking the image in front of the sun added a really great sun flare to the image and created a really nice golden blacklight. The goal of the image was to capture a scene in the during the golden hour. I think this image responds to issues of natural beauty. Other than mascara, the subject is completely natural and beautiful. 

 

PART 2
The class really seemed to like the sun flare in this image. They also seemed to like the expression on the face of the subject. One of the complaints was the graininess of the actual printout of the image. I would definitely go to a better printer for thenext assignment. This image could also be a could jumping off point for a series of candid shots. 

 

 Stranger (2011). Kimber Bowman

PART 1

The context of this image is a person on a bus. The person other rider gives the idea that the subject is not alone. Contrast occurs between the darkness of the bus and brightness of the world outside. The lighting from the window gives the subject's face a nice glow. The concept of this image is being alone, while surrounded by people. The image was very candid, and taken on the fly. This adds to the idea of strangers; the photographer and the subject are strangers to one another. The motivation for this image was to simply capture an image that tells a story about strangers on a bus. This image reminds me of photographs by the contemporary photographer, Axen. He focuses on images of strangers and contrast created by lighting. 

 

PART 2

Based on the critique, the class seemed to like the expression on the subjects face. She looks very contemplative. The other rider seemed to help and hurt the image. Some people wanted her to seem more alone, and suggested omitting the other rider. Other students felt that the other rider added context to the scene. If I could redo the image, I would try creating the image without the other rider, if only for comparison purposes. Finally, I think this image could be a good jumping off point for a series of stranger photos. I love candids and I think strangers offer the ultimate candid photos.

POST 16 17 18

#16 “I believe in the imagination. What I cannot see is infinitely more important than what I can see.” Duane Michals

I agree with this quote. I have always thought that I have a great sense of imagination and I think that has a large effect on my photography. It is important to imaginw different things and figure out how to implement them in your photography. Currently, I have this idea about doing a hanged woman photo. I don't know how to do it, but I imagine I'll figure it out without hurting someone.

#17 "Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer—and often the supreme disappointment.” ~Ansel Adams

This is true. I recently started the landscape assignment, and it's been really tough. I know what I want to capture, but nature has so many variables. I can't control the weather, or a random leaf blowing through the scene. I definitely ended up a bit disappointed. There are also a ton of lighting considerations that make it all the more difficult. I perfer situations that I have more control over.

#18  “I think photographs should be provocative and not tell you what you already know. It takes no great powers or magic to reproduce somebody's face in a photograph. The magic is in seeing people in new ways.” Duane Michals

I disagree with this quote. The single image of a person's face can say alot. I don't believe it's always necessary to see people in deifferent ways. Sometimes people are completely interesting on their own. I think the magic is in capturing the true nature of a person.

Recreation 3: Memeory

Impressed in Old Town (2011). Kimber Bowman

This is Old Town. It is one of my favorite places in Lansing. The memory I'm recreating is going to the see a play with my boyfriend in this area, when we first started dating. The play was an adaptation of a Mid Summer Night's Dream. but it was really boring. What I remember most is playing on the metal structures surrounding the stage, after the play was over. My boyfriend tried to jump through the opening and ended up banging his. . . area. 

I boosted the contrast of the graffiti on the wall, using burning and dodging techniques. I relied on the natural lighting of the overcast day. Composition-wise, I chose to include the metal structure, using it as a framing tool. The emphasis is placed on the graffiti, but if you look closely, you notice that the red circle tells a story as well.

Contemporary Photographer - KRISTOFFER AXÉN

BIOGRAPHY

Born in Stockholm,S weden  in 1984, Kristoffer Axén studied photography and motion picture for three years at an upper secondary school just outside the capital. At 2008 he began his one–year full–time program in General Studies at the International Center of Photography in which he graduated from in 2009. He currently lives and works in New York.

SIGNIFICANCE

Axén is well known for his manipulation of light, location and form. His work has been exhibited in countless galleries and magazines.

COMPOSITION

This photo, from Axén’s At Sea, At Night series, is framed to show a chain of shadowy buildings. The focus is on the center building, but the other two buildings add context, giving an idea that the photo is of a city. The perspective of this image could be of someone looking up or down, but the tilted nature of the photograph prevents the viewer from knowing for sure. Contrast is created by the white/gray lighting of the fog and the string of lights on the building’s windows.

CONCEPT & MOTIVATION

The image is about the obscurity of cities and building at night. It reflects the idea that night changes the nature of objects.

METHOD

The image seems to have been taken from the ground, looking up into the sky, on a foggy night. The image was then turned upside down to create disorientation and uneasiness.

OPINION

I love this image and I love this photographer. This image really forces the viewer to pay attention to what is going, and even still, it’s difficult to tell. The lighting here creates a complete sense of uneasiness, and makes the viewer wonder if something unsavory is lurking in the shadows.

 

 

Historical Photographer - Auguste Rosalie Bisson

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BIOGRAPHY AND SIGNIFICANCE

Auguste Rosalie Bisson was a French photographer, born 1826. He grew up in Paris and was raised by his father, Louis Francois Bisson. Bisson entered the photography world in 1840, along with his brother Louis. By the 1850’s, the brothers began working together, specializing in wet-plate photography. Their photos consisted particularly of portraits, architectural work, art reproductions, and Mountain photographs. The duo worked in several prestigious Parisian art studios, until 1856 when the opened a studio on Boulevard des Capucines as Gustave Le Gray. Just ten years later, the studio went bankrupt and the brothers severed ties.

During 1861, Bisson linked up with another famous photographer, Daniel Dollfus‐Ausset. Dollfus-Ausset was interested in mountain photography and often took Bisson along for the ride. In July 1861 and May 1862, the two braved harsh temps and damaged camera equipment to photograph pictures of the summit of Mont Blanc. These images, including Passages Des Eseleches, solidified Bisson as a prominent photographer.

Bisson passed away in 1900.

COMPOSITION

Framing

The framing of the image is very panoramic. The photographer shows a wide view of the mountain to give the viewer a sense of the location.

Perspective

The perspective of the image is someone watching from a distance. The distance makes it seem that a spectator is marveling at the excursion from a safe distance.

Contrast

There are a few areas of contrast within this image. The shadows contrast with the stark whiteness of the snow. Contrast is also created by the workers traveling through the white now.

Emphasis

Emphasis in this photograph centers on the people climbing through the snowy mountain. The climbers are so small that the viewer is forced to look closely at them.

Lighting

Natural lighting is used for this image. Brightness is created by the sun reflecting off the snow.

CONCEPT AND MOTIVATION

This image seeks to compare and contrast size and color. The light lights play against the dark darks, while the tiny climbers play against the large expanse of mountain.

The image is photographed at a distance to give the viewer an idea of the relative size of each component of the photograph.

MOTIVATIONS

This photograph tries to show the connection between man and nature. It reminds the viewer just how small each person is in the grand scheme of things. It also seeks to show regular people places that they may not get to see otherwise.

OPINION

I really enjoy this photograph. I love the contrast and the mystery created by the tiny climbers. You get a great sense of how tiny they are compared to the enormous mountain. The juxtaposition of size makes me uneasy, and hints at possible danger.

Post 11 12 13 14 &15

#11- I think about being on the Maverick roller coaster at Cedar Point. I'm just coming out of a loop and my face is contorted by a blood curdling scream. The bright blue sky is just visible beyond the roller coaster track. I'm wearing bright colors ( pink and yellow) and my hair is whipping wildly as well. Around me, everyone else is smiling or screaming as well.

If I  went back to this place today, it would be cold and covered in snow or tarps. The ride would be motionless against a steel gray sky. In the past, the ride wasn't even there, so it would just look like a blank space of sand on the banks of lake Michigan.

#12- The picture I remember most is one of me and my sisters on Easter. I was 8 and they were 13 and 16. We had on matching sailor suits. Why my parents thought it was okay to put a 13 and 16 year old in sailors suits I'll never know. I just remember standing outside of our house on a beautiful day, and my sisters look absolutely miserable. I remember my dad had to beg them to smile and they still wouldn't. I loved my outfit so I was grinning from ear to ear.

If I recreated the photo, the only change would be how my sisters and I look. We're all different height and weights and even if you put back into the horrendous outfits we would never be able to gain the same uniformity.

#13- I would like to photograph the art museum being built on Grand River. As it grows, I would like to find a way to show how it's taking valuable money away from programs and scholarships that could benefit the students.

#14- I would photograph the Paris hotel's Eiffle Tower in Vegas, and the real Eiffle Tower in Paris. To show the difference, I would photograph the real tower at night, with a view of the wide expanse of grass. For the hotel, I would also take the picture at night but I would be sure to capture all the people walking around.

If I could take a picture of something not typically touched by man, it would be somewhere is a desolate jungle. I photograph bugs and weird animals and beautiful plants.

#15- I would show myself graduating from high school and my self graduating from college using a double exposure. This would show that education is important to me and that I plan to graduate in the future.

Jill Greenberg

 “Torture”, 2005

BIOGRAPHY

Jill Greenberg was born in Montreal, Quebec in 1967. At the age of two, Greenberg and her family moved to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; a suburb just outside Detroit. A few years later, she went on to attend the prestigious Cranbrook Elementary, where she was introduced to darkroom photography in the 5^th grade. In addition to her artistic studies at Cranbrook, Greenberg also participated in several art-related extracurricular activities. At 17, she received a scholarship to study photography at Parsons in Paris before continuing her studies at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1985.

After graduating with a BFA in photography, Greenberg headed to New York City to begin her career. There, she interned at Pace McGill, while taking other photography courses. After being rejected from the Whitney Program for fine art in 1992, Greenberg relegated to assignment work until 2001, when she began working on her “Monkey Portraits” series. The series featured several kinds of monkeys, with their images captured in a way that almost made them look human.

In 2006, she created the controversial photo series, “End of Times”. The collection of photographs was intended to illustrate Greenberg’s disdain for the Bush Administration, as well as, Christian Fundamentalism. The images showed toddlers with their faces contorted by rage, complete with tears and (in some cases) snot. The ethics of this series has caused high debate among the public. It was said the children were given candy and then had it forcefully taken away to drive them to tears.

In 2008, Greenberg made headlines again when she was commissioned to photograph one of the republican presidential candidates. She supplied the Republican Party with the desired photos, but posted several other undesirable images of the candidate on her website. She felt that it was her moral obligation to release the photos to the public and suffered a severe political backlash.

Jill Greenberg is a revolutionary photographer. Humanization of animals, social commentary, and political views are prevalent in her work. Though her photography is controversial, it is my belief that she has solidified her place in art history. 

END TIMES

 “Angry Country”, 2005

Composition

This photo is framed in such a way that the boy’s reaching hand becomes the emphasis of the photograph. Lighting for this image seems to combine diffuse and spot techniques. The perspective of this photograph seems to be someone standing off to side and watching the spectacle, while the child seems to be reaching off into the distance for something he can’t have. 

Concept

The concept of this photograph is to show the photographer's anger with the country, through the cation of the child. 

Method

The subject seems to be lit by back lighting and spotlighting and diffuse lighting.  To get the distressed effect, the children were given candy and had it forcefully taken away. The child is photographed slightly off to one side to create a distance from the goal. 

Motivation

The intent of this photograph is to illustrate the effect the current government and religious fundamentalist have on the people of this nation. 

OPINION

Jill Greenberg is one of the most amazing photographers I've ever seen. I'm impressed with her ability to give such human characteristics to the animals and the way in which she captures emotion. I'm completely baffled by how she creates the glossy effect on her images, but I would love to learn how. I love her commitment to using photography to show her views on the world. I'm also proud that she's from Michigan.

 

POST 8 9 & 10

# 8 My portraits are more about me than they are about the people I photograph.” ~Richard Avedon.

I think Avedon is speaking of his personal relationship with his photography. Perhaps his portraits are an extension of how he is feeling at the time. Perhaps he looks at them as interpretations of his own worldview. For example, he might take a picture of a homeless person to show the deterioration of his city.

I don’t feel that my photography is more about me that the subject. I think my photography is about capturing a moment in a person’s life. Then there’s the fact that my friends have commissioned me to take their Facebook profile pictures, which is all about them.

# 9 “You don't take a photograph, you make it.” ~Ansel Adams



I never thought about photography like this. When taking a photograph, you’re really not taking anything. If anything, you’re making a moment significant. When wind blows through woman’s hair, the sight is nothing out of the ordinary. When you make this image a photograph, It becomes something beautiful and important.

#10 “All photographs are there to remind us of what we forget. In this - as in other ways - they are the opposite of paintings. Paintings record what the painter remembers. Because each one of us forgets different things, a photo more than a painting may change its meaning according to who is looking at it.” ~John Berger


I agree with parts of the quote, but not all of it. Photographs do remind us of what we forgot. I stumbled across a photo of myself and an estranged friend, and seeing how happy we were in that photo prompted me to call her. Nothing ever came of that call, but the point is that it made me remember something I’d forgotten.

I also agree that painters record what they remember, but I don’t agree that the photos change their meanings more that painting. There is constant debate of the Mona Lisa painting. To some people she is smiling or smirking and to others, she is a sad and scorned lover. The only one who truly knows is the painter.

Eva Schlegel Recreation

The First Assignment Part 2

Interpretation
The class interpreted the subject as being deep in thought. They liked the darkness of the folds in the jacket and the rough edge to the photograph itself.

Evaluation
Based on the class critique, it seems that the class enjoyed the bits of contrast within the image and the personal feeling created. One student expressed that they would have like to see the person's entire face, stating that losing part of the person's face puts more emphasis on the clothes and location.

Extension
I would be interested in shooting a series of candid images of strangers in urban areas. I enjoy capturing the true nature of people.

 Interpretation
The class immediately knew that the image was a guitar. One person said that the image looked almost like a ladder or a stairway.

Evaluation
The jury was split on this image. Some students enjoyed the delicateness of the strings and the sharp contrast. Some students thought the contrast was too sharp. Others like the way the neck of the guitar led to the light, while some students felt that the image would have been better with out the light from the window.

Extension
I would like to create a series of images that show ordinary objects in obscure of abstract ways.

Interpretation
The class interpreted this image as very modern, urban and upbeat. They felt that this image was the highlight of the three images presented.

Evaluation
The class loved the contrast in this image, especially in the graffiti. They also liked the motion created by the legs as compared to the stillness of the back ground.

Extension
I would love to do a series of graffiti photographs. I know that graffiti is a common subject, but there is a lot of beautiful artwork around campus to capture.

Recreation 2

The Original

 Margrethe Mather, Pierrot (1917)

Biography

Margrethe Mather, born in 1886, was the daughter of Scottish immigrant, John Mather. Affectionately called “Maggie” by her father, Mather gleaned an early interest in photography from him.

In 1913, Mather began her work with Edward Weston, a famous photographer of the era. In addition to serving as his studio assistant, Mather also became one of his models, a muse of sorts. Together they formed the Camera Pictorialist, a group modern photographers based primarily on the east coast. Over the next decade, Mather appeared in several of Weston’s risqué photographs, and honed the craft herself.

Mather, who specialized in portraits, focused on manipulating light and form in her photography. Her interest in Asian aesthetics rubbed off on her work, adding an air of simplicity and serenity. Natural lighting and dramatic shadows were common threads between most of Mather’s photographs.

The photograph, Pierrot, was taken in 1917 during her time with Weston. Depicting what seems to be a sad clown, Pierrot, is one of her most famous images.

After parting with Weston, Mather teamed up with William Justema, who goes on to reference her in his memoir. She hosted her final exhibition in 1931 in M.H. de Young Memorial Museum in San Francisco. The exhibit featured a bunch of random objects (seashells, beads, glass eye, etc.) organized together in patterns and photograph. She attempted to show that those object could be put together to form pattern line those on fabrics.

In December 1952, Mather passed away from natural causes.

Composition and Method

The framing of this object is quite odd.  In the upper left corner is a sort of tassel, and in the bottom right is a sort of sad clown. The two are spaced far apart and would seem disconnected, if not for the shadow that makes a straight line toward the tassel. The shadow emphasizes and draws the eye toward the tassel. Lighting is a key player in creating such a dramatic shadow. The lighting seems to be quite harsh, yet slightly spread out, forming a kind of cone shape.  Contrast is evident as well. The tassel and the clown’s dark eyes and shadow, stand out against the white background.

Concept and Motivation

I believe that the idea behind the image is to depict a sad clown. Pierrot was a troupe of performers from the 17^th century. They were always putting on a show, so it is odd that the performer would be sad. The darkness of such a bright character coincides with the contrast of darks and light in the image.

 Opinion

Initially, this photograph turned me off. I didn’t particularly care for the vast separation between the tassel and the clown, in fact I wasn’t sure why the tassel was there in the first place. After looking at the image a bit closer, I realized that the light created a shadow leading up to the tassel. I thought this was a great way create emphasis within the image.

RECREATION 

Composition
For this image, I chose to create contrast by manipulating the dark and light areas. Particularly the area around my subject's eyes. I also did some cropping on the bottom and right side of the image to cut back on unnecessary space. For lighting, I used a single household lamp, and pointed it directly at the wall to brighten the whiteness of the wall and darken the appearance of the subject.

Concept
This image is quite different form, Pierrot, but mimics some of the same elements. I chose to have a scarf hanging from the wall, to imitate the tassel hanging in the original. I made the subject wear a large scarf to resemble the collar worn in the original. Make-up was used to darken the eyes as well.

Compositionally, I strayed away from the original. I started by using a blank and expansive stretch of wall, but I liked this angle much better. In the original image, the shadow is used to guide the eye up to the tassel. I chose to guide the eye to the tassel by making the subject grab for it. I'm pretty happy with the results.