Sam Taylor-Wood

 

By: Sam Taylor-Wood 

1. Sam Taylor-Wood did a collection of photos titled "Crying Men." She photographed famous men asking them to play a role and cry for the camera. Each role that the men are playing is different, but we know that it is all an act.  Overall, the collection shows what it looks like when Hollywood men cry. 

Taylor-Wood explains, “Some of the men cried before I even finished loading the camera, but others found it really difficult. People can decide for themselves which they think are the authentic tears and which they think are fake. It’s about the idea of taking these big, masculine men and showing a different side.”

2. This photo, and collection, stood out to me because you don't see men crying everyday. Everyone builds up the stereotype that men are big, buff, manly people who aren't suppose to show their emotion, let alone cry. This photo of Daniel Craig is just amazing to me. The main film I associate Craig with is James Bond, the sexy, arrogant, British spy. I would never think to see James Bond cry. The other photos in the collection are all of tough men you would never think to see crying, such as Sean Penn and Laurence Fishburne.


3. One reason I think its a good portrait is the composition. She uses a small aperture so that only Craig is in focus. Then, I think she does well in capturing the sadness in the photo. If I didn't know that he was acting or that he was an actor, I would believe he really was crying. Although, because its a photograph, and he is looking directly at the camera, most people would guess that it was staged, and those aren't real tears. But the collection as a whole was also an interesting idea to photograph. It is something that the public doesn't see everyday and gives them something to ponder.

I also liked photos from another collection of hers: http://www.whitecube.com/artists/taylorwood/ 

All portraits are there...

“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 definitely agree with the first sentence. A main reason people take photos are to remember people. The second and third sentences I disagree with. I think that painting and photography are different but not opposites. I also don't believe that paintings are just relying on what the painter remembers. Most painters are sitting directly in front of the scene they are painting. Then, they paint what they see/what stands out to them using their own style. Photographers chose what they want in the photo much the same way. Also, one photographer may have a completely different style compare to another. And I believe that any piece of art can change meaning based on who is looking at it. The first painting that pops into my head is the Mona Lisa. This is one of the most mysterious paintings. There are so many interpretations on what the woman is thinking, who the woman if, if she even is a woman... So I do believe that paintings as well as photographs can be interpreted differently. 

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

I do believe that it is the photographer's "vision" that makes the photograph, but I also think that a good photograph can happen on accident. I'm not a very good photographer yet and sometimes photos that I take without having a real meaning behind it turn out really well.

However, most photography, the photographer thinks about how the subject should be standing/sitting...then the props that should also be in the photo, and what the background should be...There are so many thoughts that have to go into good photography.  And photography really is a piece of art.

My photographs

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

Although I do believe that portraits do express certain qualities and characteristics of the photographer, I think that portraits are mainly about the people who are being photographed. It is their expression and feelings that are trying to be expressed. I guess if the subject is being told what position to sit or model in, then it really isn't showing anything about them, but their facial expressions usually give away what they are feeling. When I got my senior portraits taken, the photographer was always saying make sure you are comfortable, when I posed. He even asked where I would normally put my hands when if I were sitting a certain way. This made it seem like a more "normal" pose or a pose that didn't look forced.

Recreate2

photo by Koto Bolofo

My creation.

I loved the collections of Bolofo, especially his collection of Venus Williams. This photo was intruiguing to me because of the way it cut out part of the face/head. The face is not supposed to be the main focus of this photo, but rather the hat. Also, the way the eyes look up makes the audience follow the gaze up.
So, I thought it would be interesting to add books instead of a hat, because at our age, most people are juggling a lot of classes and other things. I think it turned out pretty well. The original is in a sepia tone, so it doesn't look quite the same, plus there isn't a shadow in the original. So I think I could have worked on the lighting in my photo more to match the original.

 

I just wanted to add this because I thought it was odd. The first image is from a collection by Koto Bolofo that he did of Venus Williams. So he has this photo of her on a large screen playing tennis. I was in Paris this summer and I want to the Roland Garros tennis tournament, where she played. I just happened to have this photo (bottom) and I just thought it was funny how I randomly had this photo that is really similar to his. 

Pay close attention...

Pay close attention to the types and number of photographic portraits you see in one day. Where did you see them? How do you think that the content of the portrait changes based on the context in which you see the image? What is the difference between the portraits you see on facebook vs. those on the news? What is the difference between the "viewpoint" of the photographer in each situation? What is the difference between their "intents"?

I guess I usually see portraits in the newspapers, magazines, and on social media sites during the day. In some photos, one can tell from the subject's expression that he/she is happy or the feelings that were going on when the photo was taken. Sure, it does help to have some context before I see photographs. Sometimes I see a really random picture on facebook. However, after I see some of the other photos in their album, the photo doesn't seem quite so random.

On facebook, photos are usually full on or a silly candid picture. Facebook photos usually have a fun atmosphere to them. In the news, the subject is usually more serious, therefore there are more serious pictures. Of course, it also depends on the newspaper. The local paper's usually don't have that great of photographers compared to the New York Times. Also, in the newspaper, the photographer is usually photographing things that are not related to them. So, the photographer is usually on the "outside" of the situation and their intent is to show an event that is happening the world. Plus, these photographs usually have meaning to more than just the photographer, but all the viewers. On Facebook, the photographer is usually in the situation and it is usually with their friends/family. It is also just the photographer and people in the photo who care about it and who will see it.

When is it beneficial, ethical, or appropriate to digitally alter photographic portraits? When do you think it is inappropriate or ethically wrong?

I wish I were photography came naturally to me and I every picture I took always looked amazing. However, my photos don't always have the correct lighting or exposure and basically don't look as good as I had imagined. So, in my opinion, photos can be digitally altered if it is trying to get a different effect that the lens originally used couldn't do. I also think that most of the time the raw/original photo looks cooler and has more to it than meets the eye. Now, portraits are a different thing. I would like to say that I think that portraits should not be digitally altered because it is how the person actually looks. However, for my senior pictures I liked the digitally altered images, plus if I don't like a photo that I'm in because of my skin or something, I would like to go in and change it.
Sometimes, the way the skin or the portrait is displayed holds the entire meaning of the photo. So, then it would inappropriate to change.

"I just think it's important..."

"I just think its important to be direct and honest with people about why you're photographing them and what you're doing. After all, you are taking some of their soul." ~Mary Ellen Mark

I have mixed feelings about this quote. I think some of the best photographs are candid. If you always tell the subjects that you are photographing them, then they are prepared for the photos. It will turn out completely different then if it were completely candid. Just the other day I was looking at the famous photo of V J Man in Times Square where a sailor kisses a nurse in Times Square at the end of WWII. I was reading that it was totally candid, and the sailor was just going around kissing random women because he was so happy about the war ending. This is one of the most famous photographs and it wouldn't have had the same affect if it weren't candid. However, maybe they should be told after the photo is taken, because I do think that people want to know who is taking photos of them. I'm not sure if a photographer is "taking some of their soul." That is an exaggeration to me, but photos do last a lifetime and more. Plus, emotion and feelings are portrayed in photos which can be considered part of people's "soul."

Final Photos with statements

While I was walking around campus on a sunny day, I came across this berry tree. The berries looked really pretty in the sunlight and there were so many berries just dangling on the branches My emphasis was on the one brand and bunch of berries that are in focus. I knew it wouldn't be as cool of a composition if I just photographed all of the berries together, so I decided to focus on a grouping of them. I used a small aperture and a low shutter speed since there was plenty of natural lighting.
This image could relate to an environmental issue such as non-processed foods; maybe focusing on eating organic foods.

This image was supposed to represent chaos, so I wanted the subjects to go outside of the frame. Chaos to me means unorganized, sporadic, and jumbled. I thought the composition turned out pretty close to what I pictured. To get this angle, I stood directly over it. I think this angle shows the reflection of the silverware as well as gets across a chaotic feel.
The concept for this photo came to me with the prompt of "chaos". After brainstorming about the prompt, I realized that silverware would be the perfect subject because it displayed the prompt but wasn't too literal. It was during the day that I shot this photo, and the lighting from the nearby window fell perfectly on the silverware. I suppose that this image could relate to the issue of the roles of housewives.

This image is of the capital building in Lansing. It was actually a series of pictures that I took using my zoom lens. However, it was the furthest away photo that turned out the best. I wanted to show the life/area around the capital so the audience could see the atmosphere around the building. Compositionally, I like I like how I centered the capital, and there are more of the business buildings on the left, but on the right are the old-fashioned lamp posts. So, one see's different sides of the city. I drive down this street every day for work, and I thought it would make a great photo.
I think this image could relate to the topic of the effects of politics on a community.

 This image I couldn't help but love (even though my dog looks so sad). For the composition, I decided to put him off center to make it more interesting. Although I wish he were on the other side, since his head is pointing to the right. The lighting is interesting in this photo. I'm not sure if I like it, but I' not sure if it could have been any better. The shadow is from my house, and I don't think it would have turned out the same or had the same tone if he were completely in sunlight. To create this image I was following my dog around the house and outside while I was trying to experiment with different angle and placement.
I think this image could relate to the topic of animal abuse since it does have a darker, sad tone.

“Photography deals exquisitely with appearances, but nothing is what it appears to be.”~Duane Michals

To me, this quote is saying that photos only show the "outside" of a person/scene, or the first impression of a person/scene, but they can't show the true emotions or feelings of person or know what is really going on. If this is what Michals is saying, then I disagree. Sure I believe that viewers can't know for sure what is going on, but that is what makes photography great; the viewers make their own assumptions and it makes them think. I think a photo can say it all. Some things may be up for interpretation, but that is also the mystery of photography. There could be more going on than the viewer first sees.

I think that emotion and feelings can be portrayed in the expressions of the subjects, but there are so many elements of photography that could change the meaning of the photo completely. For example, the lighting,  position of the subjects, or the colors can make a difference and reveal a lot to the audience.

“If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera.” ~Lewis Hine

I agree with this quote. I believe a story is always stronger with images that go along with it. I have always been a visual person, so it becomes easier to understand a situation or story when I can actually see it. In a story, there are always some things that are better left unsaid, but implied. It allows the readers/viewers to make assumptions on their own. For example, say a guy liked a girl. Instead of the story coming out and saying that he liked her, the photo would be of him looking at her while she laughs with some friends. His look should say everything to the viewer. 

There are situations where words become important to reveal the story. The only case I can think of where words could reveal things that a photo couldn’t, may be thoughts. For example, if someone is trying to devise a plan in his head to rob a bank, that might be a little hard to get across in a photo, and words would become a key component in this situation. 

Recreate

My task this week was to recreate a photo by Philippe Halsman entitled "Salvador Dali". The photo is one of a collection of photos taken by Halsman that represented Dali. Halsman did many pieces focusing on Dali's mustache, which was his trademark. Since his mustache was famous, I decided to create 4 photos where the mustache showed the expression. So, there is happy, pensive, angry, and sad. 

Original:

Describe what the word “photograph” means to you.

Photographs mean sunny days picking blackberries, hugging Tigger at Disney World, blowing out the candles at a birthday party, traveling to London for the first time with my family, being silly with best friends...memories. Photos are my way of remembering the past. Sure I can remember memories in my mind, but photos last longer than a life time, plus they can be shared. Yes, it is definitely a way to share special or fun moments. My aunt is always sending us photos of my cousins. Since they live far away and we don’t see them often, it is nice to see them grow up. 

Photos just make me happy :) There is no better feeling when you find a photo from years ago with friends. It is a little surprise in my day and it always puts a smile on my face. 

About a year ago, a friend from Texas (I used to live in Texas, but I’ve lived in Michigan for about 8 years.) found a photo of me and her when we were about 8. We had not talked for years. So, she sent me a message saying she had found the photo, thought of me, and wanted to see how I was doing. So, in a way, photos also bring people back together or keep them in touch. 

Photos are important in my life and I like to think that my photos will be passed on through my family line long after I’m gone. That way, a little piece of me will always be remembered. 

Imagine a world with no photographs. Describe what this world would be like.

This is a tough question and truthfully I've never thought about it. The first thing I think is there would be a lot of emptiness, blankness, and less color. There would be a lot less decorations in homes, or everything would be paintings/drawings. My house is filled with photos, both professional and fun family trips. We have a very colorful house, and without all the photos as decoration, there would just be painted walls and nothing else. 

People would have to rely more on their thoughts for memories than on pictures that will trigger a memory or a thought about a special moment. For families that live far away from each other, there would be a loss of communication and grandparents would miss out on seeing their grandchildren grow up.

Not only are photographs meaningful in our daily lives, but they are important for our history. They can be pieces of art and represent parts of history. Photographers express their opinions or feelings through photographs. Plus, if photos didn’t exist we wouldn’t be able to document our history, whether thats family history or our country’s history. The past would be lost, and you would only be able to know what something looked like or what happened at a particular moment if you had been there or lived during that time. 

We are very privileged to live in a society and a time where photographs exist.