Saturday, October 9, 2010
In-Camera Collage (#15)
The two items I would choose to collage would be my room at home in Midland, and my room in my East Lansing apartment. I think these places would really symbolize how much I've grown in the past 4 years and it would show a big step in my future. I'm not entirely sure how to do a double exposure, but once I had taken a picture of each room, I would place my room from home under my apartment room to show which place I am currently in.
Unknown vs. Familiar (#14)
I usually think that when comparing photographs, it is most affective when they are right next to each other. So, I would put a photo of the "unknown" next to a photo of the "familiar." Also to show the difference between the two, there could be a color overlay on each photograph, although I'm not sure how that would look. I'd have to experiment. Or, the lighting and exposure could be drastically different between the two to show a difference.
When I think of places that have been touched very little by humans, I immediately think of outer space in which we photograph by satellite. I think satellite photos would be very interesting to try. Plus, satellite photos are usually more affective when the audience has never seen or been to the place before.
When I think of places that have been touched very little by humans, I immediately think of outer space in which we photograph by satellite. I think satellite photos would be very interesting to try. Plus, satellite photos are usually more affective when the audience has never seen or been to the place before.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Statements for Portrait assignment
Image 1: painting recreation
The composition was pretty easy to set up for this photograph because I was trying to make it look the same as the actual painting. The only difference with mine is that I'm facing the opposite way, and that was simply because my light source was on the other side. The painting has a simple, one-color background, with the main focus sitting on the subject.
I was following the prompt "portrait painting" and this was the first thing that popped in my mind. when I was researching the painting, there wasn't a lot known about the girl in the painting. So, it was sort of a mystery. However, from the clothes she is wearing, I would guess that she isn't someone from high class. What is interesting, though, is that she is wearing a pearl earring, which makes the viewer contemplate who she might be to have something that is probably very expensive. But, it is probably her gaze that is most powerful in this painting, and I'm still not sure the emotion that comes across to the viewer.
I only used natural lighting coming in from a window for this photograph.
Besides it being based on a painting, I think a lot of photographers go this route in having a simple backdrop so that the focus is on the subject. I really think about pictures from middle school/high school, but a lot of professionals do these photographs as well.
I think that this photo could represent status of women, especially during the time the painting was created, which I think was the late 1600s.
Image 2: Books
I played around with the composition of this photo for a while. I took a lot of photos of my friend, then, I would crop it to see what I liked best. I think this was my favorite because it was different, and for some reason it just appealed to me, only seeing half of her. I also just wanted a simple lighting, so there is just light from a window shining on her. And I think the contrast of the bare wall with the books and the girl, worked out really well.
I think my image could be taken many ways. I guess my first thought was of school. I'm taking a lot of classes, and so much of my life is consumed by studying and doing homework. So, this is the stress and everything else weighing down on people. I had found an image by Koto Bolofo that was a similar photo of Venus Williams wearing a bizarre hat and looking up at it. I think it was really affective having her look up because it created movement to the photograph. I loved the photo that Bolofo did, so I did a few things similar. Again, I had the subject looking up, and I had a simple background. I switched the cropping and the prop that was used.
I think this photo could represent the affect of society and education. We learn things based on our environment, and based on the things we see and read. Then, we form our opinions and ideas based on what we see and read.
Image 3: Self portrait 1
When we had researched portrait photography, my photographer was Sam Taylor-Wood. She did a composition of Crying Men, in which I really liked one of them with Daniel Craig. He was sitting in a chair and the background was out of focus. I decided to try it, but the result wasn't quite the same. I believe that my elbow is actually in focus, the rest of me is a little blurry. However, I decided I liked the result because it had a sort of soft and subtle appearance. Plus, it was only when you enlarged the photo, or got up close that you could see the imperfection, which I also liked. I experimented a lot with natural lighting for this project, so again, there is only natural lighting.
This image was supposed to be an experiment with a self portrait. So, it I wanted just a gentle picture of me. I'm pretty easy going and not a very outgoing person, so I think this photo got that across.
As I was experimenting, I was just trying different positions. There is a sofa chair in my apartment, so i decided to try that as a different position. That's really how I thought of this photo, plus I was trying to mimic Sam Taylor-Wood's photo.
I think this photo could be looked at from a psychological stand point, because when I look back at this photograph, I almost look sad in the eyes. So, maybe the subject is hiding something and she doesn't want anyone to know (even though it's me :) ).
Image 4: Self Portait 2
This was my favorite self-portrait because I feel like it really does capture one of my characteristics. Again, I used a simple black background because I like the high contrast photos. It puts more of an emphasis on the subject. And again, I used natural lighting.
Its not that I don't like people taking pictures of me, but that I don't like being in the spotlight. I had being put on the spot, and what makes it worse is that I'm a redhead, so I blush, which gives me away when I don't know an answer or I am embarrassed. I'm not a person who loves attention, I'm the exact opposite. So, I stuck out my hand to shield my face, but you can still see my eyes.
I think this could relate to photographers who show emotion or action without showing a subject's face. I know there are photographers who do this, but I can't think of any off the top of my head.
I think this photo has a political aspect to it. When there are certain conflicts going on in the world, and the US just turns their head and doesn't get involved, and that could be the same for any country.
The composition was pretty easy to set up for this photograph because I was trying to make it look the same as the actual painting. The only difference with mine is that I'm facing the opposite way, and that was simply because my light source was on the other side. The painting has a simple, one-color background, with the main focus sitting on the subject.
I was following the prompt "portrait painting" and this was the first thing that popped in my mind. when I was researching the painting, there wasn't a lot known about the girl in the painting. So, it was sort of a mystery. However, from the clothes she is wearing, I would guess that she isn't someone from high class. What is interesting, though, is that she is wearing a pearl earring, which makes the viewer contemplate who she might be to have something that is probably very expensive. But, it is probably her gaze that is most powerful in this painting, and I'm still not sure the emotion that comes across to the viewer.
I only used natural lighting coming in from a window for this photograph.
Besides it being based on a painting, I think a lot of photographers go this route in having a simple backdrop so that the focus is on the subject. I really think about pictures from middle school/high school, but a lot of professionals do these photographs as well.
I think that this photo could represent status of women, especially during the time the painting was created, which I think was the late 1600s.
Image 2: Books
I played around with the composition of this photo for a while. I took a lot of photos of my friend, then, I would crop it to see what I liked best. I think this was my favorite because it was different, and for some reason it just appealed to me, only seeing half of her. I also just wanted a simple lighting, so there is just light from a window shining on her. And I think the contrast of the bare wall with the books and the girl, worked out really well.
I think my image could be taken many ways. I guess my first thought was of school. I'm taking a lot of classes, and so much of my life is consumed by studying and doing homework. So, this is the stress and everything else weighing down on people. I had found an image by Koto Bolofo that was a similar photo of Venus Williams wearing a bizarre hat and looking up at it. I think it was really affective having her look up because it created movement to the photograph. I loved the photo that Bolofo did, so I did a few things similar. Again, I had the subject looking up, and I had a simple background. I switched the cropping and the prop that was used.
I think this photo could represent the affect of society and education. We learn things based on our environment, and based on the things we see and read. Then, we form our opinions and ideas based on what we see and read.
Image 3: Self portrait 1
When we had researched portrait photography, my photographer was Sam Taylor-Wood. She did a composition of Crying Men, in which I really liked one of them with Daniel Craig. He was sitting in a chair and the background was out of focus. I decided to try it, but the result wasn't quite the same. I believe that my elbow is actually in focus, the rest of me is a little blurry. However, I decided I liked the result because it had a sort of soft and subtle appearance. Plus, it was only when you enlarged the photo, or got up close that you could see the imperfection, which I also liked. I experimented a lot with natural lighting for this project, so again, there is only natural lighting.
This image was supposed to be an experiment with a self portrait. So, it I wanted just a gentle picture of me. I'm pretty easy going and not a very outgoing person, so I think this photo got that across.
As I was experimenting, I was just trying different positions. There is a sofa chair in my apartment, so i decided to try that as a different position. That's really how I thought of this photo, plus I was trying to mimic Sam Taylor-Wood's photo.
I think this photo could be looked at from a psychological stand point, because when I look back at this photograph, I almost look sad in the eyes. So, maybe the subject is hiding something and she doesn't want anyone to know (even though it's me :) ).
Image 4: Self Portait 2
This was my favorite self-portrait because I feel like it really does capture one of my characteristics. Again, I used a simple black background because I like the high contrast photos. It puts more of an emphasis on the subject. And again, I used natural lighting.
Its not that I don't like people taking pictures of me, but that I don't like being in the spotlight. I had being put on the spot, and what makes it worse is that I'm a redhead, so I blush, which gives me away when I don't know an answer or I am embarrassed. I'm not a person who loves attention, I'm the exact opposite. So, I stuck out my hand to shield my face, but you can still see my eyes.
I think this could relate to photographers who show emotion or action without showing a subject's face. I know there are photographers who do this, but I can't think of any off the top of my head.
I think this photo has a political aspect to it. When there are certain conflicts going on in the world, and the US just turns their head and doesn't get involved, and that could be the same for any country.
Part II: Interpretation
Interpretation: The other people in my group thought this was a great interpretation of the actual painting "A Girl with a Pearl Earring." The key to this portrait is the gaze/the look in the eye, which others found hard to capture. However, they thought that I captured it perfectly.
Evaluation: Again, my group thought that the facial expression I captured was great and really worked for the recreation. Things that I needed to work on or change would be the lighting. The lighting on the face was good, but it would have been nice to see the hair (I changed the photo above after my critique.) Also, if the pearl earring were more pronounced, it would have had more of an impact/focus.
Extension: We could see this image extending into a series of recreations of famous portrait paintings, or paintings by the same artist.
Print Suggestions: It seems a little too dark, so try to lighten it up more.
Interpretation: People could see this photo being used as a book cover. There was even a suggestion that I submit it for a competition at the library for a poster (which I think I might do). And other people thought of exam week when they saw this photo; in that we have a lot of stress and pressure that is weighing down on use during that week.
Evaluation: Everyone loved the cropping that was used for the final piece and the lighting is subtle but works really well with the piece.
Extension: Having a series of movement based around this photo would be interesting. For example, showing the subject falling over with the books sliding off her head, frame by frame.
Print Suggestions: No one could think of anything to change with this image.
Interpretation: Since this is a self-portrait, it shows my personality: soft and kind.
Evaluation: The slight smile on my face gave a calmness to the expression and the feel of the photo which worked well. Also, it is slightly out of focus, which works well with the feel of the photo, along with the diffuse lighting reiterates the same feeling. My group suggested to try a different angle, to make the composition a little more interesting.
Extension: Maybe this could follow the prompt of shooting the same subject at different angles and maybe with different lighting.
Print Suggestions: None.
Interpretation: It really shows my personality, of not wanting to be in the spotlight or wanting their photograph taken.
Evaluation: My group suggested playing around with the cropping. They thought that the hand should be more off center. Plus, it would be more interesting to have more detail and better lighting on the hand.
Extension: This was a hard one to think of extensions for. Maybe having a series of photos that gives off the personality of the subject, but never really shows her face.
Print suggestions: Again, just play around with the cropping
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Memory of a Photograph (#12)
I think I remember my going away party when I was moving from Texas to Michigan. The photo is in my front yard, with the moving truck in the background, and my best friends, brother, and neighbors are all in it. And my one of my friends and I were really into finding toads/frogs when I was younger, so we are each holding a toad :) Anyway, this photo really brings a smile to my face because it has all the people that I loved the most from my old home in one photograph. Even, though I have lost touch with most of the people in the photo, it was a great moment and really expressed all the fun and happy moments I had living there.
I'm not really sure that this photo would be reenacted, but I guess if it were, all of us would be older, and it probably wouldn't show as much fun energy as the other photo since most of us had lost touch. I don't think I really look that much different except that I'm a lot taller.
I'm not really sure that this photo would be reenacted, but I guess if it were, all of us would be older, and it probably wouldn't show as much fun energy as the other photo since most of us had lost touch. I don't think I really look that much different except that I'm a lot taller.
Memory of a Place (#11)
One of the first places that pops into my mind is my old house in Houston. We have plenty of pictures of it since I lived there for 9 years. Most are from Christmas; my brother and I opening our presents. Although, there are also really special photos of my brother coming home from the hospital for the first time. There were a lot of memories in that house.
I can still walk through the whole house in my mind as if I were still living in it. In the kitchen, I remember always sitting on the counter top of the island talking to my mom as she cooked. Then, when she made cookies, I would sit at the table and lick the beaters. I think the thing I remember most about my old house was that my parents were always remodeling. There was always a project my parents were working on. I don't think any of our walls were white. The living room was a grey/blue, the dining room was cream and forest green, my room was yellow and blue, and the dining room was cream. Now that I look back on it, it probably did look like a typical 90s house but with more color than most houses. I loved my room. It was a little small, but I had a walk in closet, a window that looked out from the front of our house. It was a pale yellow, and my mom made the blue curtains. Then, I had a fish tank in the corner sitting on my dresser. It was really cozy.
I can still walk through the whole house in my mind as if I were still living in it. In the kitchen, I remember always sitting on the counter top of the island talking to my mom as she cooked. Then, when she made cookies, I would sit at the table and lick the beaters. I think the thing I remember most about my old house was that my parents were always remodeling. There was always a project my parents were working on. I don't think any of our walls were white. The living room was a grey/blue, the dining room was cream and forest green, my room was yellow and blue, and the dining room was cream. Now that I look back on it, it probably did look like a typical 90s house but with more color than most houses. I loved my room. It was a little small, but I had a walk in closet, a window that looked out from the front of our house. It was a pale yellow, and my mom made the blue curtains. Then, I had a fish tank in the corner sitting on my dresser. It was really cozy.
Monday, October 4, 2010
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