In Progress Critique Assignment 5

Blog Prompt 23

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

Makeup is one way that I construct my identity. It started when I began High School and while it is not as important to me as it was then, it has become a part of my identity, because it has become a part of my every day routine. 

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

I think that our social environment is constructed by keeping in touch. Our cell phones, computers and facebook construct our social environments. Also, the people that we surround ourselves with.

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

My physical space is constructed by the walls around me, my belongings, my furniture, my car.... the trash i keep in my car, etc...

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

To me nature is real. the friendships and relationships that i have with people are real. Products are fabricated. 

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 would take several pictures. In each picture a different person is in focus. All the people i photograph would be pieces of a much bigger picture. They would all be doing something that influences the next picture. Like someone throws a banana peel, another person slips on that banana peel, someones belongings are thrown around after someone falls on them by slipping on a banana peel etc...

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 would take a picture of a doll house, or maybe a bath tub filled with sea animals, having it look like the ocean.... or maybe i would take a picture of a life size room and make it look like it's a fake room. 

Blog Prompt 22 (did we skip 21?)

A. Series: Brainstorm various ways to make a “series” of photographic images.


A series of photographic images should be a series of photos that all share some sort of same aesthetic or subject. I think if I were to make a series of images it would be, perhaps "a day in the life", or maybe a series of images exploring the way light plays off on human muscle and skin... maybe even a series of abstract photography. Or a set of pictures with a slow shutter speed, capturing light streaks, like left by cars, flashlights etc...

B. Final Project: Your final project in this class will be designed by you. If you could tackle any photography project, what would it be? You could combine other media with photography (video, sculpture, drawing) or you could take one of your earlier assignments and expand it to create a larger project. If you are expanding an earlier project or creating an entirely new series of images, shoot for a series of at least 5 images. Describe an idea you have for your final project.

Im not really sure what I would want to do for my final project. I think im leaning towards capturing the way that light plays with the contours of the human body, but i'm not 100% sure yet. I think im gonna research it a little bit more. Now that im thinking of it I really was inspired Chip Forelli's photography. I tried to tackle it in Assignment 4 but did not succeed whatsoever. So maybe I would refocus on that. Oh, or maybe a occupational set; focusing in on different occupations...not exactly sure yet. Plan on researching it over break though.

Assignment 4: Final Images

Poster

Composition:

I used perspective and high contrast for this picture because I knew I wanted to use this for a poster, and I wanted a grungy, high contrast look.

Idea:

I wanted to create a rock concert poster/ flyer... so i thought it would be best to capture an image of a guitar, and use high contrast.

Method:

I titlted the guitar against a wall and laid down on the floor. I used flash to get the detail. 

Motivations:

To capture an interesting shot for a flyer to advertise a rock concert.

Context: 

To be used for a flyer... probably a rock concert.... 

Part 2:

People generally like the design of the poster, but suggested that I should burn in one of the guitar strings ... I was also suggested that I try a different angle.

Advertisement

Composition:

For this image i wanted to be sure to fill the frame, It was important to get a lot of detail, and also the "Seasonal" part of the tap. I also wanted to keep the background blurred, focusing in on the beer.

Idea:

I wanted to get a shot that would show someone pouring a delicious Sam Adams Oktoberfest. 

Method:

I asked the bartender at my restaurant if she could call me over, when she was getting ready to poor a Sam Adams.... I lined up my shot, and simply took the shot. The picture is meant to be taken in a bar, and the lighting was already perfect. No flash or other lighting needed.

Motivations:

I figured the best way to sell a delicious Sam Adams beer, was to show one being poured. 

Context:

Definitely to be used for a Sam Adams advertisement.

Part 2:

People really liked this shot, and felt that it sold the product well. A few people suggested removing the wine glass. Upon printing the picture came out with a warmer tone, so im not sure what happened... probably the color profile. 

Snapshot

Composition & Idea:

For this shot I wanted to keep it simple. Snapshot aesthetics, so a relatively slow shutter speed. And for me it was important to just capture the subject as natural as possible. 

Method:

We went for a walk with my dog, and my friend was playing fetch with her. I simply took the shot, because I wanted it to look as snap-shot-ish as possible. 

Motivations:

To capture the snapshot aesthetic of photography.

Context:

I could see this being a starting point for a snapshot series, just a bunch of photos exploring the same snapshot aesthetic.

Part 2:

People thought that the snapshot aesthetic was definitely achieved. Again, same problem with the warm black and white tones. 

Photobooth

Composition:

For this image it was important to have plenty of light, fill the frame. Also, adequate contrast.

Idea:

We kind of just had fun with it. To capture the photobooth aesthetic it was important to be goofy, natural, not posed. 

Method:

I set up my tripod, and set the camera to multiple shots.

Motivations:

Photobooth pictures remind me of good times, with friends just being really goofy. 

Context:

I think this could fit in very well with a bunch of photobooth pictures, just like a series of them. 

Part 2:

People felt that the photobooth aesthetic was definitely achieved. No comments of improvement. 

Ralph Eugene Meatyard

Found a lot of his inspiration in Literature.  He would take pictures of his friends, family and children and use props. Sometimes he used masks, and people didnt prefer to look at his pictures back in the 1950's because they felt that they were not beautiful. He was interested in challenging the aesthetics of photography that were being explored by other photographers during his time period..

Barbara Kasten

Barbara Kasten Studio Construct 2008

She has been featured in multiple collections including the Chicago Art Institute, as well an extensive list of exhibtions.  She was very interested in recording the way light would bend, and focused on what the naked eye could not see...

"The occurrence of light hitting a plane is distinctive from the recording of the same light thru the lens of a camera. A unique vision occurs through the optical prism that can be captured and ultimately printed, yet cannot be seen by the naked eye. As I directed light on various parts of transparent planes and studied it in the back of a view camera, multicolored abrasions activating the surface appeared. The scratches become a color field of drawing over a normally invisible sheet of plastic. The perception of a ‘thing’, a recordable reality of representation, is basic to the photographic process. In the series “Incidence”, the rendering of light becomes abstract interpretation of surface and form. However, I do not think of the photograph’s construction in terms of abstraction but as an event. Many abstract notions are conjured up as we view this unique recording of materiality. The synthesis of abstract form and our imagination presents a means of seeing the process of lighting. This phenomenon is the subject of my new work and exhibit ‘abstracting…light"

Barbara Kasten

She was very inspired by the bauhaus concept that encouraged experimenting with new things. She started out in theater lighting and staging. In the 80's she played with mirrors and colorful lighting which would sometimes cause for very psychadelic pictures. She kind of plays with confusion, because sometimes the objects are not in scale..

From Architectural Series

In Progress Crit Part 2

Snapshot

Photobooth

Advertising

Blog Prompt 20

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

News related Photographs are usually attention grabbing. They might show a hectic scene. They may or may not be accurate to the story. Their purpose is to make you want to find out what is going on in the picture... even though the picture may not always be straight up about it. They are usually in focus. 

2. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of “snapshots”.

Snapshots are usually blurry. The photographer has less control over them, as they are not usually taken with a fancy camera. They maybe be blurry, grainy, overlit, underlit etc. They are usually not staged, or staged very very little. Someone might use flash. They usually have a lot of depth of field.... everything is usually in focus, rather than just one thing....

3. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of advertisement photographs. Fashion photography? Product photography?

Advertisement Photography may include the product it is advertising. At the very least it will portray the idea that is trying to advertise. It may be artistic like fashion photography. It can vary greatly. The photographer may or may not chose to implement interesting lighting. The quality is usually very good as it is usually printed all over the place, such as magazines, posters, billboards, etc....

Fashion Photography is similar, but might hold more artistic expression. And Product photography tends to follow the same aesthetics as advertising photography.

4. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of film or movie stills.

Movie stills sometimes tend to be kind of like snapshots. They tend to be unposed, and spur of the moment, taken between breaks. LIKE snapshots, but maybe a little bit higher quality. 

5. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of yearbook photos and/or senior pictures.

Common Aesthetics of Yearbook/ Senior Pictures are that they usually are very posed. There is a lot of preparation that goes into yearbook and senior pictures; lighting, staging, posing...etc... They tend to be higher quality...

Assignment 4: In Progress

BEFORE

AFTER

For Polaroid Prompt

inspired by David Hockney

Assignment 3 Final Images

Composition:

I used perspective and contrast to achieve an interesting picture. 

Idea:

I wanted to capture the famous bean from an interesting perspective. I think that the angle and perspective make the bean look like we are looking into a planet or something.... like an orb of some sort....

Method:

I moved somewhat underneath the bean and directed the camera upwards. It was a pretty bright day so i had to make sure to let in just the right amount of light. 

Motivations:

I wanted to capture interesting images of places. I chose the bean because it is a very famous icon of Chicago. 

Context:

I feel that this image could be used for a tourist pamphlet for Chicago. 

PART 2:

People generally liked the angle of this image. They did think that the angle was very interesting. People also were very pleased with the contrast of the image. People felt that this image could be the start of a chicago series, as the image below could fit right in....

Composition:

For this image i also used perspective and angle to complete the image. 

Idea:

We were walking by and noticed all of the fire escapes against the building. It was just an interesting shot. They almost just ascend into the heavens, and i wanted to capture that perspective. 

Method:

I directed the lens upward and framed the picture a couple times to make sure i was getting adequate contrast and not just too much sun, as it was a very bright day.

Motivations:

I wanted to capture the height of the building and the way the fire escapes just rose into the sky. 

Context:

Like the previous image i feel that this one could be used in a series about Chicago. Along the lines of urban city life. 

PART 2:

People really liked the perspective of this image. They felt that the contrast worked, but it was suggested to try and dodge out the top of the building to really make it look like the fire escapes were ascending into the heavens, and then additionally to maybe add a little more contrast. 

Composition:

I used perspective, and contrast for this image. I did try to use a small depth of field, but actually felt that a larger depth of field worked better for this image. 

Idea:

The idea behind this image was to capture the perspective of the railroad track winding off into nothingness as they get further away.  I guess that to me landscape and city scape photography has a lot to do with perspective for some reason....

Motivations:

I wanted to play with perspective.  The telephone wires, the railroad tracks... they both run parallel. At one point in the horizon they meet. I guess it goes back to high school art class when we learned about perspective.

Context:

I think this image speaks a little bit about possibility. The entire horizon is before you.

Part 2:

People felt that the contrast worked for this image. The perspective seemed to work as well, but it was suggested to try to get a little bit more in the center. Also, while manipulating in Photoshop, for some reason between messing with the layers, the clouds seemed to come in front of the telephone wires. So it was suggested to try to play with this a little bit, so that the sky does not look fake. 

Composition:

I used high contrast and tried to use the surrounding to my advantage. So i used an interesting vantage point to give the image a "new surrounding" kind of feel.

Idea:

I wanted this image to feel like we were exploring a new place. 

Method:

I tried to get really close to the ferns, so i stepped maybe a little too close to the water, cause i almost fell in (haha). I also had to angle the lens downward a little bit to capture the water, because i felt the water was just capturing a very beautiful reflection of the ferns. 

Motivations:

To create an image that speaks about new surroundings. The swampy look of the image adds to this feel. 

Context: 

I think this image speaks of exploring new places. Although it could also be about hiding from something... or hunting for something....

PART 2:

People liked the contrast from the dark swampy water to the light color of the ferns. And how the blacks kind of grow into the lightness of the ferns as well. Higher contrast was suggested. If I could change one thing i think i would add more ferns to the front.... and probably add more contrast as said.