


Blog Entry #3
Ben Gest
Chuck,
http://www.bengest.com/page/work2003/work-2003.html
Subject Matter:
Three people in a room filled with books.
Form:
I. Perspective – Since this image is composed of multiple images, it is somewhat clear that different aspects in the image were taken at different perspectives, which causes the entire image to seem somewhat off.
II. Focus – The focus changes throughout the image in subtle ways, which tend to trick the eye about the space.
III. Relation of elements within the frame – Many of the elements don’t fit quite right with each-other.
IV. Proportion – The proportion of all things are a little off
V. Medium – photomontage/manipulation
Interpretation:
In his images Beg Gest shows people in domestic settings doing everyday tasks. He photographs his subjects separately and then arranges these images together into a space he has also photographed separately and reconstructed. He creates exaggerations in proportion, focus, and perspective to engage the viewer. His subjects show the story of an everyday person, but also intrigue the viewer by challenging how we traditionally look at space and images.
Although this space is obviously skewed, it’s hard to put a finger on which parts are manipulated. Gest does such a good job of piecing his images together, the space becomes somewhat believable. The way he photographs his subjects separately creates a disconnected feeling between the subjects in the image because they are not interacting. Many of Gest’s images could be easily looked over as an ordinary image because of how well they are constructed, but once studied, they become fascinating.