Monday, November 23, 2009

Monday, November 2, 2009

Book Project Proposal

For my book project, I really want to continue a project I began in Amsterdam which was focusing on the details and creating abstractions. I worked a lot with lamps, lighting, textures, and reflections. I would like to continue with this idea; zooming in on the obvious and recreating something which is not recognizable.

Book designs I like

Books from blurb.com that I liked the designs of:

Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 4
Book 5
Book 6

In many of these books the design works well. The photographs flow well with each other and are creatively laid out on the pages.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Project 2 Portrait

My idea was to portray the different aspects of a relationship, but mainly the struggles and negative aspects of a relationship between two people who are completely not meant for each other. Many people end up in bad relationships and for many different reasons end up trapped in this bad relationship. Whether it be because it becomes routine, denial, or something else. Some people make excuses, which makes him or her feel better about being in this relationship.

I began exploring this idea in the studio with the strobes, showing the models themselves, who are not actually dating. I then tried to incorporate shadows and showing this concept using only body language shown through the shadows. I also experimented a little with showing one subject and the shadow of the other.


For my second shoot I took my models outside and took images of them and their shadows on different backgrounds and textures. I had some trouble in the studio getting the shadows fully defined because of the defused lighting the strobes give off, and the direct sunlight worked very well to define the figures. I thought that the different contexts help show the progression of the relationship.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Blog Entry #4
Kelli Connell

The Valley 2006
http://www.kelliconnell.com



Subject Matter:
Two women
Form:
I. Point of View – The point of view is straight on to the subjects, who seem to be on a bed.
II. Distance to Subject – This is a medium shot, which is close enough to show the intimacy of the subjects.
III. Color– The colors are neutral and soothing, adding to the mood of the image.
IV. Positive/Negative Space – The negative space in this image is very interesting because of the light coming through which gives the background an interesting glow.
V. Balance – This image is very well balanced because of the directional lines formed from the way the women are facing.

Interpretation:
This image shows a very intimate scene. Knowing how the photographer works influences how this image is interpreted; that the “two” women is really the same women. It is a depiction of the relationship one has with themselves. The distance is quite important because the camera is far enough away were it can capture most of the scene, but close enough to show the intimacy and give the viewer the feeling of being close. The emotion in this image is what intrigued me; the fact that this looks so real, not only with the rendering of more than one image, but the actual expression and feeling I get from this image. It doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable that this is the same woman. The framing and positioning of the subjects is what makes this image so strong.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Blog Entry # 3

Blog Entry #3

Ben Gest

Chuck, Alice & Dale, 2003

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.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Blog Entry #2

Photographer: Tom Chambers


Winged-Migration 2009
Link to Image

Subject Matter:
A girl running barefoot and birds flying overhead.
Form:
I. Point of view – The camera is low to the ground, and looking up at the girl.
II. Depth of field – Everything is in focus, which means this image has an extended depth of field.
III. Color – The colors are neutral, dark, and muddy.
IV. Motion – The girl’s posture and the birds in the air portray the sense of motion.
V. Balance and framing– The image has asymmetrical balance because of the tilt of the frame, the offset position of the girl. The girl’s head is cut off by the edge of the frame.
VI. Medium: Photomontage

Interpretation:
This image portrays fear, gloom, horror, and peril. There is a sense of gloom and intensity to this image. There are subtle details, which really add to the feeling this image gives. The point of view is off kilter giving the image and even more offsetting feeling. The sharp focus of everything in the image shows that everything in the image is important to the meaning. The colors in this image are neutral and muddy, creating a gloomy feel. The feeling of motion comes across with the directional lines created by the girl’s legs, the way her right foot is flexing as her toes barely touch the ground as she lifts her foot to take another step. The lines of the girl’s flowing dress imply motion. The girl’s hair is blowing backwards which shows that she is moving forward and if the viewer studies the image enough, one can see that the girls face has a slight motion blur. The birds in the sky are also a indication of movement within the image, we are accustomed to seeing a bird in the sky as it flies. The balance in this image also adds to the feelings of danger or chaos. The image is asymmetrical with the girl off to the right side, showing more of what she is running away from rather than what she is running to. The girl’s face being slightly out of focus and chopped off by the edge of the frame seems to be intentional and significant to the meaning of the image. Lastly, one of the more important aspects of this image is that it is a photomontage. This means that the artist deliberately included, or excluded, each element within the frame. This helps to answer questions about the slightly awkward perspective, motion blur, depth of field, etc.
After reading a little about the photographer I learned that he does use photomontages to create a sense of peril, which he uses to symbolize life’s vulnerability. In his more recent work, he tries to portray the negative impact humans have on the animal kingdom because of their disregard for it. This particular image might make a comment on this. The fact that the girls head is chopped off might mean that it doesn’t matter who she is, she might just be there to represent humans as a whole. The birds could symbolize migration and how humans indirectly disrupt migration of birds as well as other species.