Final Project

 

 Here I wanted to take the human figure and attempt to turn body parts, more into objects. I did this by lighting the figure very dramatically to emphasis only parts of the body. I think this evokes a very unique emotion through these high contrast images.

Blog prompt 26

Brainstorms! (In an effort to expand, improve, add complexity, and push your final projects further, please pick 10 of the following to discuss.)

1. What is the “opposite” of your final project? How can you rework your project to include the “opposite”?                    I could create images that are depicted with the lighting as the main subject, and having figures that help bring out the light.
2. What is a consistent theme/visual element in your project? What would be the opposite of this? How can you implement that into your project?  The consistent theme in my project is the manipulation of light, possible I could manipulate the darkness in some of my photos to create a eerie and mysterious effect.
3. At the deepest core, describe why you like this project. Dig deep! I really enjoy photographing people, and I believe that minimal lighting with direct lighting on the figure brings out the beauty of the human form.
4. Expand your project. If time, money, materials, etc would not affect you, how would you expand your project? I would photograph several people over the span of their lives to create a montage of their life.
5. Contract your project. What would it boil down to if squeezed and contracted to its simplest form? The form of lighting.
6. What would your project look like 100 years ago? What would your project look like 100 years in the future? 100 years ago would have been difficult to do because of the long exposure times. But in the future I could see new technology playing a big role in lighting, and the different effects that one could create with it.
7. Remove something from your project. How does it change? Removing the figures from my project would leave the mind to wonder what the context of the image is more about.
8. Think of one of your most memoable dreams. How could you add elements from this dreams to your project? One of my most memorable dreams is playing with my older brother when we were younger. I could create a dream effect through lighting, and light painting to make this possible.
9. How would you connect your images physically and conceptually? How would you make them disconnected physically and conceptually? I could connect these both physically and conceptually by either using similar subjects or similar lighting. To break this I could use different variations of both.
10. Name an artist/photographer/designer/videographer who would love your project. Why? Lindsay Adler would love my project because she uses the same idea to abstract the human form and brings the human form back to the simplest nature, nude.

In class assignment...

Assignment 5 Final Images

Composition: I used framing to emphasis the subjects and the beautiful landscape in the background. I kept the lighting to a minimum to focus on the figures and the landscape at once.

Concept: I wanted to create a violent, humorous, and romantic scene all at once.

Method: This was during my trip in California with my girlfriend and we made plenty of videos like these just for fun. These were all very spontaneous.

Context: I could see this being related to social issues on what people expect out of relationships.

Motivations: The only motivation here was to create something fun to remember.

Interpretation: No one really viewed this during the critique because it was set up at my computer. However, a few people did watch it and the only reaction I received was it was violent, cute, and romantic all at once.

Evaluation: Apparently the emotional value that is taken away from this piece is working well.

Extension: I could see this as a series of stop motion films, narrating my life.

Composition: I used framing and cropping to create this unique multiple personality constructed identity.

Concept: This image is about a constructed identity that everyone has, everyone has multiple personalities.

Method: I simple just took mug shots of my girlfriend with changing her expressions to create this piece.

Motivations: The subject is very outgoing and spontaneous and I wanted a way to depict her appropriately.

Interpretation: Classmates saw this is a humorous image that gave of her identity.

Evaluation: I wish I would have made the background white instead of the tan tone. I think this would have been more successful.

Extension: In the near future I think I would want to piece different ages, different genders, and races.

Composition: Here I wanted to the emphasis to focus on the camera lens and the image depicted in the lens. The lighting and contrast helps the focus as well.

Concept: This image is about being able to enter a new world through photography.

Method: When I take pictures I feel that I can create something new, abstract, or never before seen. So I began to think and this is what I came up with.

Motivations: I wanted to show that there is another world through photography.

Context: The relates to the world of photography, and helps show that there are no limits. 

Interpretation: People saw this as there is another world through photography.


Evaluation: I wish I would have made the image within the lens brighter, however leaving figures out of focus helps emphasis the image in the camera.


Extension: Possible starting a series on different perspectives that individuals see through their lens.

Composition: I used perspective, framing, and lighting to create something that is thought not to be possible.

Concept: Here I wanted to create a view that the viewer would have to think about. Things that are not easily depicted I feel hold more interest.

Method: I began to manipulate lighting and adding lighting to other images that had little or none.

Motivations: This is along the same lines of my final project so that is what motivated me.

Context: I feel this can speak to a social issue on how people care too much about how they look, and everyone wants to be in the spot light.

Interpretation:  Others had a hard time interpreting this image.

Evaluation: Not many people understood what this was without a description which I think adds to the confusion and what I was going for. So that is working well as well as the contrasting elements.

Extension: My final project is along the same lines, and hoping this will help me in that aspect.

4.14.11

Projection In-Class photo

Assignment 5 In Class Critique

 

Blog Prompt 25

Grace Oh - I chose Grace because of her compositions that she created with lights through a prism which i thought was very interesting and unique way to portray these otherwise simple compositions.

Keith Lewis - I really enjoyed Keith's work because he portrays the beauty of the human female figure in a fashionable and acceptable way.

Chris Frazer Smith - Smith like Lewis portrays the beauty of the human figure, but displays groups of human figures doing everyday activities in the nude, which I found to be quite interesting.

Francesca Catastini - Created some very odd and interesting compositions using masks and awkward situations which makes the viewer think about what exactly is going on. This is was one of my two favorites.

 Ray Lego - Ray throws together four separate Polaroids to create his compositions. I'm not exactly sure how they fit together, but it makes you wonder.

Michael Maher - I tried to select different genres of photography, and what really caught my eye about his photography is the movement that is created through his imagery.


Kathy Shapiro - A very interesting color composition is created through the use of minimal colors and once again leaves the interpretation up to the viewers.

In class 4.6.11

Recreation 05

Jan Kriwol

Here I wanted to create a feeling like something was coming out the photograph through a piece of torn paper. The paper with a whole in it symbolizes the limits and constraints that people may put on photography. I believe there are no limits to what people can portray through photography and encourage people to keep trying new things.

Constructed Reality Semi-Contemporary Photographer Presentation: Thomas Demand

Thomas Demand

Born 1964 in Munich, Germany.

Thomas Demand is a German sculptor and photographer. He commutes back and forth from Berlin and Los Angeles. He is most known for making photographs of 3D models that appear to be real images of rooms and other various spaces. He studied sculpture, and began photography to record his elaborate life-sized paper and cardboard constructions of different environments. He would not display his actual models, but only the images of his creations. He works a lot with pre-existing press images and or culture and political relevance to society. He did not only do photography and sculpture, but also his work consisted of films, working with architects on projects, and comprehensive exhibitions.

Constructed Reality Historical Photographer Presentation: Baron Wilhelm Von Gloeden

Baron Wilhelm Von Gloeden

Born: September 16th, 1856.

He was a German photographer that worked mostly in Italy. He was most known for his pastoral nude works and studies of the Sicilian boys. He work is said to be commendable because of his controlled use of lighting and the elegant poses of his subjects. He also used special body makeup on his subjects to hide blemishes to try for a perfection in his works. Also Baron Wilhelm Von Gloeden used  an innovative technique  of photographic filters to also help disguise the skin along with the body makeup. After his death his work soon disappeared, but recently has come back up and revived as the most important gay visual artists of the pre-World War I era to some. Most of his images were made before World War I.

Blog Prompt 24

A. Pick two images from any of the “constructed reality” photographers presented in class or linked on the assignment sheet. Describe how you could recreate these two images on a “smaller scale”.

 James Casebere and Cindy Sherman. I would create both of this images together on a smaller scale by creating a image of constructed person who resembles a piece of architecture with the ghost like emotion that one is given by viewing that of Casebere's work.

B. Describe your plans for your self-proposed final project (if the plan is the same as before, paste it here again and give a bit more detail). During the final critique for Assignment #5, you will discuss/present these ideas to the class.

Think I would like to do a series on architecture, structures and natural architecture over the coarse of the day to play with different lighting. Otherwise, I would like to create a systematic catalog of stock images that people could actually use some day.

Assignment 4 Finals

Composition: Here I framed these flowers to create an emphasis on their natural beauty. I contrasted the dark background with a very vibrant red.

Concept: This is image is not really about anything. I wanted to use this as a stock photograph. I feel this could be seen in a magazine, or encyclopedia

Method: The process I went through to create this image was trial and error using macro photography.

Motivations: My girlfriend and I were walking through San Francisco and these caught our eyes from a distance and she basically made me take pictures of them. I'm glad she did.

Context: This work relates to other stock photography of simply things that are captured in close perfection.

Interpretation: Other people interpreted this photo basically the same way I did. They saw this as a perfectly fine stock photo that could be in a magazine or encyclopedia.

Evaluation: Classmates really enjoyed the contrast between the vibrant red and the dark black background. Overall the composition worked great.

Extension: I could see this as a jumping-off point for a series of images of flowers, or just a simple stock album.

Composition: I used this perspective to create a larger sense of emotion and emphasis the cigarette on the ground.

Concept: My idea here was to create a scene that could be interpreted either good or bad about smoking.

Method: I always enjoy photography when something is in focus and something is not. I saw this walking one day in San Fransisco and thought it would create an interesting composition.

Motivations: I have always been neither against or for smoking and wanted to create some type of image that would portray my feelings towards smoking.

Context: This is very similar to other artists who try to evoke emotions out of people, and count on interpretations to finish the composition.

Interpretation: People saw this as neither a anti-smoking ad, or a smoking ad at all.

Evaluation: The framing and perspective of this image is what made it what it is, however putting the cigarette in more focus would have maybe made this a bit more successful.

Extension: I think this would be a very interesting series to do such that ads a depicted in a vague manner that allow the viewers to made the final decision in which way the ad goes based on their experiences.

Composition: I framed this dock with the boat in the back along with the contrasting elements of the dark water and bright lights reflecting to create this composition.

Concept: I used this as a travel photograph and believe that this depicts a night time scene about to begin an adventure.

Method: I had found this spot earlier in the day while it was light outside, and decided that I would return at night because I thought the composition would be stronger with the reflection off the water. I think I was correct.

Motivations: I love water, and this inspired me simply because water was involved in this image.

Context: I think this relates to the culture of the United States and the traveling aspect that follows.

Interpretation: People interpreted this image as a romantic scene at night, due to the reflections of the lights and the boat in the background.


Evaluation: In the photo the reflections and lights are working well, however I think I would want to darken the sky.


Extension: I would include this is a series that I have already started, which is a series having to deal with reflections off water.

Composition: I framed this child on the side so the viewer could see that he was looking at nothing. Natural lighting.

Concept: This could be used as a paparazzi photograph or even a stock photograph because of the simplicity, and of course that it is of a person.

Method: My girlfriend and I were taking pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge when this kid starting fooling around near us. It was just a simple and quick decision to take pictures.

Motivations: I had my camera in hand, and there was a great opportunity to take pictures of this precious child.

Context: I believe this can speak to the youth of the world, and how curious they really are.

Interpretation: Classmates really did not say much about this photo besides the framing of the image and how cute this child was.

Evaluation: What works well is the framing and the sharpness of the child's body in general.

Extension: I could see this working in a series about children, about their playful and curious nature.

Blog Prompt 23

1. In what ways do you “construct” your identity? In what ways do you “perform” in your daily life?

I try to construct my identity in a professional matter when it comes to things in my life that represents me in the public's eye to make a better reputation for myself. I perform this by being sincere, courteous, friendly, giving, and while showing selflessness. 

2. Describe some ways in which your personal culture and social environments are “constructed”.

My person culture is probably a little different from my social environments due to me liking my time alone, and I do cherish it because of growing up in a large household. I see my personal culture as very calm and collected, while in social environments is where I have a more outgoing personality. Social environments may be constructed with everything that is involved in my life.

3. Describe some ways in which your physical environment/space is “constructed”.

My physical environment space is constructed with materialistic objects that may or may not carry sentimental value.

4. In your daily life, what would you consider to be “real” and what would you consider to be “constructed/fabricated”?

I would consider my friends, family, and other people in my life to be real, except the fake people. Things that I do not consider to be real would be of anything created through the use of technology. Unless something is handmade without the help of technology it is considered constructed, or fabricated to me.

5. Describe a narrative tableaux that you might create to be captured by a photograph. A narrative tableaux can be defined as “Several human actors play out scenes from everyday life, history, myth or the fantasy of the direction artist” ( Constructed Realities: The Art of Staged Photography Edited by Michael Kohler , 34).

I could see a simple first meeting for a pair of people on a first date. Such as a meeting extending from an online dating site or something. I would depict these people in the stages of "hitting it off" and not "hitting it off" and possibly other variations. 

6. Describe an idea for a photograph that includes a miniature stage or still life. A description of such an image is “The tableaux reconstructs events as in the narrative tableaux, but in miniaturized format, using dolls and other toy objects” (Kohler, 34).

I believe I would do the same thing as the above question just to be able to create a paradox between the two to exemplify how people act differently around individuals. 

Blog Prompt 22

Jim Fiscus' "The Unfortunate Moment of Misunderstanding"


This was a very interesting subject in general. I enjoyed how they connected their environment or setting in 3d through exploration through photography. Also the connection and style they used of Art Nuevo and Art Deco is quite interesting to me because I have studied these in previous courses. In the end this video is quite inspiring, "If you can imagine it, you can create it."

Recreation 04

Golden Gate Bridge Original

My recreation:

In the original the Golden Gate Bridge is depicted on a clear sunny day, in my recreation I wanted to bring out the gloomy side of the area. Most travel ads and posters have perfect settings. I went for a more true feeling of what I felt of the Golden Gate Bridge while I was there.

Semi-Contemporary: David Levinthal

David Levinthal was born in California in 1949. He attended MIT, Yale, and Stanford graduating with a degree from each institution.

Levinthal has many public galleries around the United States and foreign nations as well. He worked with subject matters from Barbie to baseball to x-rated dolls. He constructed all sorts of scenarios with small toys that depict racial and political references to the pop culture of America. Using shoeboxes he also creates some sort of diorama.  He was really interested in the emotions that these settings would evoke out of people. Also he enjoyed photographing toys to depict that way society socializes its young.

"“Ever since I began working with toys, I have been intrigued with the idea that these seemingly benign objects could take on such incredible power and personality simply by the way they were photographed. I began to realize that by carefully selecting the depth of field and making it narrow, I could create a sense of movement and reality that was in fact not there.^"

American Beauties

 

Bad Barbie

 ^{These are examples of his images of toys and how he depicted them...
 http://www.davidlevinthal.com/}

Historical Photographer: Cecil Beaton

Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton was born in the year of 1904, in England. He was an English fashion and portrait photographer. Also he was an Academy Award winning costume designer for film.

Audrey Hepburn

He took photographs of celebrities such as the one above while working for Vanity Fair and Vogue in Hollywood. Beaton also photographer Royal Family for official publication, which included Queen Elizabeth's family and friends. During WWII he was assigned to take images of the home front and other war images.

I enjoyed Beaton's work especially the images of celebrities and war images because of the intriguing subject matter that he depicted in his own way.

Blog Prompt 21

A. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of “news”-related photographs.

 

Aesthetic aspects of news related photographs, are that they are clear, simple, and to the point. They usually try to depict as much information as quickly as possible. 

B. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of “snapshots”, including family photographs, cell-phone shots, photos posted to facebook, 

 

Common aesthetic aspect of "snapshots" could include a spur of the moment aspect, being very spontaneous or just to simply capture something that one may hold close to them.

C. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of advertisement photographs, including fashion photography, product photography, etc

 

Common aesthetic aspects of advertisement photographs include catchy subject matter that really draws in the viewer, and leaves them wanting more.

D. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of film/movie and television stills.

 

Aspects of film/movie and television stills tend to tell part of a story, or a snapshot of a story. Sometimes this can be used as an advertisement as well.

E. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of yearbook photos, senior pictures, and team/club/sports group shots. 

 

Common aesthetic aspects of yearbook photos and so on are usually depicted as portraits of an individual looking as they wish to see themselves in their current state.

F. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of stock images. http://www.corbisimages.com/ http://www.gettyimages.com/

 

Aesthetic aspects of gettyimages.com include a high variety in color and form in a cartoonish manner. 

G. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of fashion photography. 

 

Common aesthetic aspects of fashion photography is to show off the product that is being displayed. To see the product in its full glory, it will be lit very well and framed to show off what is needed to be seen.

H. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of paparazzi shots or celebrity photographs. 

 

Common aesthetic aspects of paparazzi shots and celebrity photographs are trying to get something out of the ordinary that someone would find interest in.

Assignment 3 Finals

 In this image I used the framing of an emphasis on the red hues in the foreground, creating a balance of the tonality of the image. My concept in this image was of an individual peering through a small tree line at bridge depicting their connection to the world. When thinking of what I wanted to create for this photograph I merely began to walk along a trail near a river. I came to many bridges and found this particular location to express what I wanted to get across with the help of the reflection of the water. My intention for creating this image was to evoke an emotion from the viewer that is unique to them; not wanting each individual to share the same impression from this single image. The context's intent here was to be personal to each viewer.

Interpretation: Other people enjoyed each of these photos because of the strong color of red depicting itself through most of the just simple black and white images. Some people saw this as a connection to my past and my future.

Evaluation: In this image the bright reds, and dull greens work well to create a scene that lets the individual imagine something of his or her own. People said they will they could see either one side or both sides of the bridge.

Extension: I could see this as a series of images of bridges depicted in different colors along with reflections that reflect on what the bridge stands for.

I intended to create a sense of not knowing how long this bridge may be, while trying to create an emphasis on the reflection of the bridge on the rippled water. This image is about how one sees him or herself as a reflection of other people, corresponding to the large reflection that is given. I took the time here to carefully choose a spot where one could not see the end of the bridge but could see what I believe to be the journey, the middle of the bridge, the important part. The intention of this image was to possibly make people think about their reflection on others. I believe that this image correlates to psychological issues within oneself.

Interpretation: People enjoyed this image as well because mostly of the reflection in the water. Some found this to be an eerie image due to the dark reflection of the water.

Evaluation: The reflection and perspective of the bridge works very well in this image. There was a suggestion about framing this image which I can agree with.

Extension: Again this could be part of a series with the image above of bridges. Also it could be in series of railroad tracks because these are actually railroad tracks over the river.

With my use of framing here I intended to create an image from where the viewer feels as if they are in a dark or dreary place looking out into the light. This image is about finding the light in the dark place while finding a way out. As I was walking a trail by a river I found myself emerged in darkness, yet surrounded by all sorts of light. This inspired me to create this historic and psychological image about finding that path to the way out of your darkness. Again I used red to emphasize the importance of structure, and hope within an individuals life.

Interpretation: A lot of people saw this as finding a way out of a dark tunnel. Some people saw this as escaping from underneath the bridge, and also hiding away underneath the bridge.

Evaluation: The contrast of the dark blacks clash very nicely with the deep reds. A point of a different perspective, such as from the ground, may have given this a stronger emotion.

Extension: Once again this could be of a bridge series, or a dreary or dark series. Other possibilities could escaping and or hiding.

The use of framing and contrast here brings my concept from the last image to a whole new level. Here one feels like they are in a tunnel with a light at the end. However, at the end of this dark tunnel there is a pool of a reddish hue. I believe that this image is about the journey of one's life and that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, but one might have to go through obstacles and or pain to reach this goal. My goal of this photo, and most others, was to evoke a personal emotion within the viewer. This image correlates to issues outside of art and photography and could fall into the social or psychological issues that people fight with everyday.

Interpretation: A lot of people saw this image as a dark image. This is mainly because of the "pool" of blood at the bottom of the slide. Also a few people saw this as a very feminine image, a vaginal image.

Evaluation: The contrast of the dark and light works very well here, with a "pool" of red at the end of the so called tunnel. A suggestion was to play around with the light in the tunnel in which I wish I would have done more of.

Extension: I could see this as an extension of either feminine depictions in nature/society. Or I could see this as a series of dreay/dark, escaping, hiding, or anything having to deal with death.