#19: Can you think of anything that:
1) As for things that should not be photographed, I first thought of how it is not allowed to have cameras in public restrooms. This is an area that I agree should not be photographed-it is too personal to become public under the pretenses of safety and is sad if it actually has to come into question. As far as other things not being photographed, I am not sure if it is easy to say. There are things that I can think of that I wouldn't want to see a photograph of, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be photographed. I believe that things are inappropriate to photograph only under certain situations.
2) For things that cannot be photographed, similar to my above answer, I do not know if there is anything that cannot be photographed. Only things such as physical in-capabilities preventing a photo from being able to be taken due to something such as location, laws, or privacy issues should prevent a photo from being taken. If photos aren't taken then things become lost over time.
3) I do not want to photograph pretty obvious things such as things that go down the toilet, chid pornography, etc. As I am sitting here trying to think of other things I may not want to take photos of, I am torn. If an opportunity came up, it could be an experience to take photos of something that I may not have thought of to take on my own. Therefore, I don't want to extend this list.
#20: Describe at least 1 photograph that you can take for each of the following "place" prompts:
1) In a "synthetic" place such as Disney World I would like to take a photo from almost the ground level looking up. I think this view would exaggerate how crowded the place is, as well as how it must look to a small child. I would hope to capture a bigger ride in the background, along with a mix of people. I would keep it in color, since in such a place, color is usually a main attractor.
2) For something from my imagination, I would try and set-up this department store like library scene that has been a part of a dream I have had multiple times. The setting is actually this large house that has very unrealistic connections between its spaces, along with the spaces being unrealistic in themselves. The library room is odd and haunting though, which is why I would want to use that as a photo.
3) For a placeless space such as the internet, I would probably layer photographs to create one photo. This would not only capture multiple aspects of the technology behind it and internet use, but would give a sense of its structure. I would try and use some digital coding like images, photos off different computer screens, and photos of computer parts-inside parts.
4) A public space I would like to photograph would be the downtown of a city. I love how there are remaining pieces of the past in the downtown of most cities, and it would be neat to capture the past/present feeling of the buildings and the people going about their day. This photo would probably capture the feeling best in black and white.
5) A private space that I like taking photos of is someone's "work" area. For example, the place a writer writes his books, or a musician composes his music. The place that people go to get away and be themselves.
6) I think that outdoor photos that include the sky, and tree/field like settings usually capture a lost nomadic sense to our culture. If you were to include props into this setting, you could easily capture an out of place, rootless feeling. The setting just provides you with many angles to work with.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Contemporary Landscape Photographer Presentation: Wolfgang Tillmans
Wolfgang Tillmans was born in Remscheid, Germany in 1968. He studied at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design. Throughout the years he has lived and worked various places, but since 2007 he has lived and worked in London and Berlin. He is looked at as a "chronicler of his generation" and makes the observer feel that every photo he takes is important, no matter what the subject matter is. He is also a photojournalist, and has worked for the magazine i-D. He became known for shooting London's street culture, the rise of gay pride and the nightlife of the clubbing generation. Interestingly enough, his first passion in life was astronomy, which he returned to some in some of his photos, such as those of Venus. Tillmans' work is focused on observation, perception, and translation. His work is about being able to bear reality. He doesn't have one repeated style, his work has changed over the years. He has an approach of trying to study something carefully and then reveal a greater essence of truth about it that doesn't have to have an exact meaning. He believes that every image should be significant and able to stand alone. In a review by Laura Cummings she states about his work: "...where you are, who's depicted, what exactly you are looking at: the answers are not always declared in the images." and "He is drawing your attention to the making, and viewing, of photographic images more than the things they depict." Wolfgang displays his work in a variety of forms and sizes commonly. Typically that is part of how he conveys the message of his show.
Some quotes from Wolfgang himself:
"...art is always different from life. You can try to get close to the feeling of what it's like to be alive now, but the result of that is an art work, and that has its own reality."
"It's really the biggest challenge not to believe your own system, so the discipline is, strangely, to be undisciplined."
"Look at things the way they are."
"The experience of relative perception is something that keeps turning me on."
'I don't want to get over you' - 2000
Some quotes from Wolfgang himself:
"...art is always different from life. You can try to get close to the feeling of what it's like to be alive now, but the result of that is an art work, and that has its own reality."
"It's really the biggest challenge not to believe your own system, so the discipline is, strangely, to be undisciplined."
"Look at things the way they are."
"The experience of relative perception is something that keeps turning me on."
'Chaos Cup' - 1997
Historical Photographer Presentation: Gustave Le Gray
This photograph was an albumen silver print from a glass negative. It is also different in that it was made from a single negative, and later on Gustave Le Gray would use two negatives for one photograph so that he could get the proper exposure for both the sea and the sky. This photo was among the most famous and widely distributed photographs of the nineteenth century. It was popular in both England and France.
Born in 1820 in the Villers-le-Bel, France Gustave Le Gray was trained as a painter in the studio of Paul DeLaroche. He became recognized as a photographer, as photography was an emerging field at the time. Le Gray established a reputation for himself with portraits, photos of the Fontainebleau Forest, and scenes of Paris. Gustave was also well known for his photography instruction manuals. He became one of the first five photographers to work for the Missions heliographiques, which was a government sponsored commission to document the state of repair of important French monuments and buildings. He also had a studio in France which was known for its lavishness. During the 1850's he taught many French photographers, many who are well-known today. In 1851 he was a founding member of the Societe Heliographique which was the first photography organization in the world. At his studio, Le Gray also offered printing services to other photographers. His studio had many wealthy clients but he ran up a debt with his studio, so between 1856 and 1858 he took more photos of the Fontainebleau Forest. These photos are some of his most famous. Eventually, the money he was making wasn't enough and portrait photography was no longer a venue for him so he closed his studio on February, 1, 1860. Portraits had become easy to mass produce and it wasn't something Le Gray was willing to do. By May of 1860 Le Gray took on a new adventure. Leaving his family behind, he set sail with Alexander Dumas to see famous places. Two months in, there was a conflict between the two and Le Gray was abandoned in Malta. He eventually made his way to Lebanon and then Egypt. He spent the rest of his life in Egypt-never returning to France- working as a drawing tutor to the sons of the pasha and continuing photography.
Gustave Le Gray worked with the paper negative, and developed a wax-paper negative which gave him sharper focused prints. By 1851 he was also using collodion on glass negatives which increased the clarity of his prints further.
As for motivations, Gustave himself said: "It is my deepest wish that photography, instead of falling within the domain of industry, of commerce, will be included among the arts. That is its sole, true place, and it is in that direction that I shall always endeavor to guide it. It is up to the men devoted to its advancement to set this idea firmly in their minds."
Written Statement Part 2: Assignment 2
Interpretation: During critique there wasn't as much said about my images as I would have hoped for, but I am sure that had something to do with the fact that I was the last to be critiqued. It also means that nothing was amazing. If something would have been that great, it would have provoked a strong response- people would have felt compelled to really say something. Interestingly enough, people found that the photo of my back said more about the gender role than the other photo from that set. The realness of the bakery photos was something that made people like the photos I chose from that set.
Evaluation: For my images I feel that trying to candidly capture people is working. During our group critique I had a few more photos that I thought captured this well, but excluded because of no great response. Some of the photos I ended up choosing didn't have the same contrasts in lighting so I regret some of my photo choices now. I was trying to show them in pairs though, to not feel so all over the place. I think a lot of my photos had a grey range, but not a ton of white or great contrast. It wasn't large enough. I would try and change this in my photos next time. I would like to make my photos smaller when printing next time also. Or maybe have only one large statement piece. I was drawn to people's who were all the same size in critique.
Extension: All of the photos I took I could see my self extending into a larger project. I think it would be neat to try and capture the "essence" of more people in a series of portraits. I would also do another project working with distorting body images or capturing someone's sexuality/capturing the asexuality of the human body. With the right people and resources either could turn out neat. Manipulating the body in photographs is a neat gift which is slightly harder to do with something like a plant. At some point, you have captured all there is to a plant.
Evaluation: For my images I feel that trying to candidly capture people is working. During our group critique I had a few more photos that I thought captured this well, but excluded because of no great response. Some of the photos I ended up choosing didn't have the same contrasts in lighting so I regret some of my photo choices now. I was trying to show them in pairs though, to not feel so all over the place. I think a lot of my photos had a grey range, but not a ton of white or great contrast. It wasn't large enough. I would try and change this in my photos next time. I would like to make my photos smaller when printing next time also. Or maybe have only one large statement piece. I was drawn to people's who were all the same size in critique.
Extension: All of the photos I took I could see my self extending into a larger project. I think it would be neat to try and capture the "essence" of more people in a series of portraits. I would also do another project working with distorting body images or capturing someone's sexuality/capturing the asexuality of the human body. With the right people and resources either could turn out neat. Manipulating the body in photographs is a neat gift which is slightly harder to do with something like a plant. At some point, you have captured all there is to a plant.
Blog Prompts #16-18
"I think photographs should be provocative and not tell you what you already know. It takes no great powers or magic to reproduce somebody's face in a photograph. The magic is in seeing people in new ways." - Duane Michals
This quote reminds me of the photographs that you see that make you want to stare at them forever. It also reminds me of some of the photographs we have had hung up on our walls over the years/still do. There is one that still is up that is just of this girls shoes. From the photo you get a sense about what type of person the girl was though. It captures something neat. This quote also makes me think of the difference between the photos people have hundreds of that they post on facebook and the photos that people have that really meant something. The photos you were trying to take for photography's sake. It is a change in mindset. I think that this effort is what Michals is referring to.
"I believe in the imagination. What I cannot see is infinitely more important than what I can see."- Duane Michals.
I am not quite sure how to read this quote. I wanted to respond to it because I agree in the importance of imagination. I think the only times I have problems with things is when I become close-minded. When you realize you are not even using your imagination and only looking at the problem from one perspective you see how easy the outcome can be if you just do something different. The whimsical sense of childhood imagination is something that is always a devastating loss because I believe that it is what contributes to the happiness that kids have. Michals second sentence is what I couldn't decide upon though. I understand what he is saying in the sense of your imagination is full of things that aren't solid objects in front of you, and that it is important. But at the same time, if it is your imagination you can see it, and therefore it becomes a tangible thing for you to try and express if you chose.
"Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer-and often the supreme disappointment."- Ansel Adams.
Adam's quote reminds me of all the historical photographer presentations that we have had. I think this quote is even more applicable to an older era. Then, a photographer was tested physically just to capture a great landscape photograph- no longer in the safe haven of their studio. It was a greater test of skill and patience. With the unknown so large and so many added factors to their endeavor, I believe this is why he also refers to it as a disappointment. I also think that even today there are challenges to landscape photography, because it is still an uncontrollable environment. There are always going to be endurance tests, lighting issues, and the fact that you are trying to capture something that could be gone in an instant or changed (sun, animals, wind, etc.), and you can't go back always and have the moment the same as the last.
This quote reminds me of the photographs that you see that make you want to stare at them forever. It also reminds me of some of the photographs we have had hung up on our walls over the years/still do. There is one that still is up that is just of this girls shoes. From the photo you get a sense about what type of person the girl was though. It captures something neat. This quote also makes me think of the difference between the photos people have hundreds of that they post on facebook and the photos that people have that really meant something. The photos you were trying to take for photography's sake. It is a change in mindset. I think that this effort is what Michals is referring to.
"I believe in the imagination. What I cannot see is infinitely more important than what I can see."- Duane Michals.
I am not quite sure how to read this quote. I wanted to respond to it because I agree in the importance of imagination. I think the only times I have problems with things is when I become close-minded. When you realize you are not even using your imagination and only looking at the problem from one perspective you see how easy the outcome can be if you just do something different. The whimsical sense of childhood imagination is something that is always a devastating loss because I believe that it is what contributes to the happiness that kids have. Michals second sentence is what I couldn't decide upon though. I understand what he is saying in the sense of your imagination is full of things that aren't solid objects in front of you, and that it is important. But at the same time, if it is your imagination you can see it, and therefore it becomes a tangible thing for you to try and express if you chose.
"Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer-and often the supreme disappointment."- Ansel Adams.
Adam's quote reminds me of all the historical photographer presentations that we have had. I think this quote is even more applicable to an older era. Then, a photographer was tested physically just to capture a great landscape photograph- no longer in the safe haven of their studio. It was a greater test of skill and patience. With the unknown so large and so many added factors to their endeavor, I believe this is why he also refers to it as a disappointment. I also think that even today there are challenges to landscape photography, because it is still an uncontrollable environment. There are always going to be endurance tests, lighting issues, and the fact that you are trying to capture something that could be gone in an instant or changed (sun, animals, wind, etc.), and you can't go back always and have the moment the same as the last.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
R03: Memory
For my re-creation I worked with a memory from elementary school. There was a boy in my class that got a cow for 4-H and I was jealous because I wanted a cow! I used the top image to show this memory with a girl taking care of a cow, to represent what I wanted. To make it interesting I also took the Animal Farm play on my memory and replaced me, the one in charge of my cow and the other animals, with a pig like in the book. I tried to make the pig look evil and the cow look like "what the hell" in the second photo in comparison to the soft neutrality in the first photo. I used natural lighting coming in from the window for my photo.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Part 1 Written Statement: Assignment 2
I chose to show my photographs in sets of two, showing two photos of each setting. One group was from the bakery across the street from my house and the second was from my set of photos that worked with gender. I liked the two photos that worked with the gender prompt better, probably because I worked with them more and put more thought into them, but the bakery photos have a candid, raw quality that I also love in photos.
For the bakery photos I just had to work with the lighting they had, but it turned out well because the cases had great lights that added to the overhead lighting. I also couldn't plan very well because my subjects were either not paying attention to me, or unaware I was even photographing them. I thought these photos captured daily life well in an un-idealistic way. They just showed people for who they really are instead of who they would like to show. I went over to the bakery to take photos in the first place because it has a great atmosphere. A whole bunch of old women work in there and it is family operated. I have also been in there enough over the past 4 years to feel comfortable asking to photograph.
For the body shots that I used to work with the gender set/prompt I primarily used only one light source coming from the right side. Coming from the right also was a bit of light sneaking through my window blinds. For the photo of my back, I was working with the idea of body parts that are generally asexual. I just find the body an interesting subject because of how you can distort it so readily-the meanings behind it as well. I was working with the curves of the spine and the body lines following the lines created with the chairs structure. For the frontal body photograph with the clutch I was trying to work with the idea of how open we make our bodies. I was trying to capture this in a not very sexually appealing kind of way. That is why I chose to have the photo revealing and yet not really showing more than you may see of somebody on the beach. It is more implied, because you know there is nothing there to cover. I found that the blue tint enhanced the shadows and did a good job of keeping a soft feeling to the photo.
For the bakery photos I just had to work with the lighting they had, but it turned out well because the cases had great lights that added to the overhead lighting. I also couldn't plan very well because my subjects were either not paying attention to me, or unaware I was even photographing them. I thought these photos captured daily life well in an un-idealistic way. They just showed people for who they really are instead of who they would like to show. I went over to the bakery to take photos in the first place because it has a great atmosphere. A whole bunch of old women work in there and it is family operated. I have also been in there enough over the past 4 years to feel comfortable asking to photograph.
For the body shots that I used to work with the gender set/prompt I primarily used only one light source coming from the right side. Coming from the right also was a bit of light sneaking through my window blinds. For the photo of my back, I was working with the idea of body parts that are generally asexual. I just find the body an interesting subject because of how you can distort it so readily-the meanings behind it as well. I was working with the curves of the spine and the body lines following the lines created with the chairs structure. For the frontal body photograph with the clutch I was trying to work with the idea of how open we make our bodies. I was trying to capture this in a not very sexually appealing kind of way. That is why I chose to have the photo revealing and yet not really showing more than you may see of somebody on the beach. It is more implied, because you know there is nothing there to cover. I found that the blue tint enhanced the shadows and did a good job of keeping a soft feeling to the photo.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Blog Prompts 11-15
#11____Memory of a Place:
The place of my past that I thought of first was a house I lived in while in the first grade. I moved around a lot growing up, so houses we lived in are easy to think of as time capsules. I don't know if there are any pictures of the house on its own, but there are pictures of things like easter, etc. that went on in the house while we were there. If I were to go back and see the house, and photograph it, I know it wouldn't have the same quality or fondness as it once did. There may be remodeling, or it could be falling apart, and whoever lives there now would show through by however they have it set up. A photograph if I was looking at it would only show the changes. In the past, it was just a simple white house, with 2 stories that is off of a semi-main road. It is right in town. It has a huge bathroom upstairs that was carpeted. The bathroom is almost like a bedroom turned into a bathroom. The tub has claw feet and was fun to play in. My bedroom had a little seat in the window that looked out into the backyard. The backyard had two layers, and was fun to go sledding in during winter because you would fly off the first level onto the second. The living room had wooden floors and there was a swinging door off the kitchen. It was a good house to be young in. In many of the rooms I recall, I think of things that my mother and I did together in them, besides my room where I remember making up my own books. It was something we did in class and I would come home and make my own by stapling together printer paper.
#12____Memory of a Photograph:
When I think of the past, I think of early childhood, I suppose because I am not that old yet. I cannot think of a particular photograph that I remember more than another, but after responding to the prompt above, I am now thinking of a polaroid photo of my mother and I at church on Mother's day. We went to the church with my best friend and her mom, it worked out well because we were best friends and our parents were best friends. We would always go do girl things together. The photo is simple. It was at the pancake breakfast after the service, and my mother is sitting in one of those old metal fold out chairs and I am standing up, leaning into her. We are both wearing dresses and I have my hair in two french braids. The photo reminds me of the things my mother and I used to do together and how we used to be so close. I have changed in that I am no longer that little girl and my mom and I do not get along. I haven't been back to that church in so long, I am sure that it has been changed since. A re-enactment of the photo would not be as special, because the girlhood relationship I once had with my mother is lost. We would also look very differently because we are both at least 10 years older now.
#13____Human-Made Space:
I most frequently see people interact with the land in city life. I see people litter, walking through snow and slush, building new things where there used to be land...but my favorite place to see people interacting with the land, and to be myself, is the beach. At the beach, you still see littering, etc. but there is more. Now you have people in the water, getting seaweed goop stuck in-between their toes, building sand castles, digging holes, just laying on the sand, going for walks along the water, climbing on rocks...
For a photograph I would probably make some kind of structure out of beach glass that is found along the beach. It would look great outdoors as a structure, and is something that has become a natural part of almost all beaches. Also, it is a piece of the beach that is hard to come across, and takes real dedication to procure a collection. This I think would show some of the beauty found on the beach and focus back on the beach itself instead of the people on it.
#14____Unknown vs. Familiar Space:
To convey the difference between a faraway place and a familiar place I would include different subject matter. In the familiar place I would probably take a closer up shot that included familiar people doing everyday things. Possibly a shot from Christmas would work well, or family members doing daily activities. You would have to show the connection between the subjects and make the location feel close and lived in. For my faraway place it would be ideal to have no people in the photograph, but if they were they should be distant, and just be in the photo, not a part of it. I would also try and take a wide angle shot to capture as much of the image as possible- to really show the location. Small islands are what I think of when it comes to places that haven't really been touched by humans, or the middle of the jungle. I would try and capture these places in both a familiar and faraway way. First, faraway to capture it as a whole, and then in a familiar way to capture what makes it unique and special.
#15____In-Camera Collage:
This prompt makes me think of my Grandma's house, and my fiance's parents house. I have/do spend a lot of time at both of these places, and they, along with the people in them make up who I am. To create this photo, I would try and include the people I am in contact with in both of the houses in the photograph to make the scene more descriptive. I am not sure how it would work to capture the essence of what both of these places have meant to me...
The place of my past that I thought of first was a house I lived in while in the first grade. I moved around a lot growing up, so houses we lived in are easy to think of as time capsules. I don't know if there are any pictures of the house on its own, but there are pictures of things like easter, etc. that went on in the house while we were there. If I were to go back and see the house, and photograph it, I know it wouldn't have the same quality or fondness as it once did. There may be remodeling, or it could be falling apart, and whoever lives there now would show through by however they have it set up. A photograph if I was looking at it would only show the changes. In the past, it was just a simple white house, with 2 stories that is off of a semi-main road. It is right in town. It has a huge bathroom upstairs that was carpeted. The bathroom is almost like a bedroom turned into a bathroom. The tub has claw feet and was fun to play in. My bedroom had a little seat in the window that looked out into the backyard. The backyard had two layers, and was fun to go sledding in during winter because you would fly off the first level onto the second. The living room had wooden floors and there was a swinging door off the kitchen. It was a good house to be young in. In many of the rooms I recall, I think of things that my mother and I did together in them, besides my room where I remember making up my own books. It was something we did in class and I would come home and make my own by stapling together printer paper.
#12____Memory of a Photograph:
When I think of the past, I think of early childhood, I suppose because I am not that old yet. I cannot think of a particular photograph that I remember more than another, but after responding to the prompt above, I am now thinking of a polaroid photo of my mother and I at church on Mother's day. We went to the church with my best friend and her mom, it worked out well because we were best friends and our parents were best friends. We would always go do girl things together. The photo is simple. It was at the pancake breakfast after the service, and my mother is sitting in one of those old metal fold out chairs and I am standing up, leaning into her. We are both wearing dresses and I have my hair in two french braids. The photo reminds me of the things my mother and I used to do together and how we used to be so close. I have changed in that I am no longer that little girl and my mom and I do not get along. I haven't been back to that church in so long, I am sure that it has been changed since. A re-enactment of the photo would not be as special, because the girlhood relationship I once had with my mother is lost. We would also look very differently because we are both at least 10 years older now.
#13____Human-Made Space:
I most frequently see people interact with the land in city life. I see people litter, walking through snow and slush, building new things where there used to be land...but my favorite place to see people interacting with the land, and to be myself, is the beach. At the beach, you still see littering, etc. but there is more. Now you have people in the water, getting seaweed goop stuck in-between their toes, building sand castles, digging holes, just laying on the sand, going for walks along the water, climbing on rocks...
For a photograph I would probably make some kind of structure out of beach glass that is found along the beach. It would look great outdoors as a structure, and is something that has become a natural part of almost all beaches. Also, it is a piece of the beach that is hard to come across, and takes real dedication to procure a collection. This I think would show some of the beauty found on the beach and focus back on the beach itself instead of the people on it.
#14____Unknown vs. Familiar Space:
To convey the difference between a faraway place and a familiar place I would include different subject matter. In the familiar place I would probably take a closer up shot that included familiar people doing everyday things. Possibly a shot from Christmas would work well, or family members doing daily activities. You would have to show the connection between the subjects and make the location feel close and lived in. For my faraway place it would be ideal to have no people in the photograph, but if they were they should be distant, and just be in the photo, not a part of it. I would also try and take a wide angle shot to capture as much of the image as possible- to really show the location. Small islands are what I think of when it comes to places that haven't really been touched by humans, or the middle of the jungle. I would try and capture these places in both a familiar and faraway way. First, faraway to capture it as a whole, and then in a familiar way to capture what makes it unique and special.
#15____In-Camera Collage:
This prompt makes me think of my Grandma's house, and my fiance's parents house. I have/do spend a lot of time at both of these places, and they, along with the people in them make up who I am. To create this photo, I would try and include the people I am in contact with in both of the houses in the photograph to make the scene more descriptive. I am not sure how it would work to capture the essence of what both of these places have meant to me...
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Contemporary Photographer Presentation
Mona Kuhn- Nude Photographer
Biography: Mona Kuhn was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1969 but is of German descent. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California but spends her summers in France. She received her BA from Ohio State University, then going on to the San Francisco Art Institute in 1996, and afterwards went to The Getty Research Institute in LA in 1999.
- the photos that I chose were from her Black and White 1996-2002 portfolio.
Significance: Mona Kuhn has become internationally recognized for "her alluring renderings of the human form."
Composition: Kuhn does a great job with placement and focus when working with multiple people for a photograph. She frequently has photos with three people in them- one in focus and the other two not. The two people out of focus in these photographs always seem to be important to creating the scene or mood that Kuhn has set up. She also focuses on hands in many of her photos. Each of Kuhn's portfolios contains nature scenes that complement her portrait scenes. They show you the atmosphere of the location that the portraits were shot at.
Concept/Motivation: "Mona Kuhn's work is figurative. She is interested in redefining ways of looking at the body, as a residence to ourselves."- www.monakuhn.com
Method: Mona Kuhn is said to create works that are sensual but never overtly sexual. I think she does this with modesty in some of her photographs and taking the focus away from the nudity in others. It is not a raunchy sex scene or Picasso like. Her photos focus on appreciating the human form or capturing people's emotions/actions while they just happen to be naked. The people that she photographs are a part of her life, not models that she hires and this is reflected in her work. Some of her work seems to be something that she is just doing for herself. Her recent portfolio from Brazil was a personal journey for herself as she revisited the place of her youth and tried to capture pieces of the past (while ending up capturing things new to her).
My Opinion: I think that Kuhn has a knack for capturing people in a natural setting without it seeming forced or unnatural. You are able to focus in on the emotion of the scene because the nudity does not always overwhelm her photographs. I do not think that her photos do a great job of capturing her concept, but it still doesn't take away my ability to appreciate them. I think that she has great raw photos. They do not seem to have been digitally altered, or at least not to any great extent. I like her photos that seem more setup with an artistic focus on parts of the human form in comparison to some of her photos that have a larger focal area.
Biography: Mona Kuhn was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1969 but is of German descent. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California but spends her summers in France. She received her BA from Ohio State University, then going on to the San Francisco Art Institute in 1996, and afterwards went to The Getty Research Institute in LA in 1999.
- the photos that I chose were from her Black and White 1996-2002 portfolio.
Significance: Mona Kuhn has become internationally recognized for "her alluring renderings of the human form."
Composition: Kuhn does a great job with placement and focus when working with multiple people for a photograph. She frequently has photos with three people in them- one in focus and the other two not. The two people out of focus in these photographs always seem to be important to creating the scene or mood that Kuhn has set up. She also focuses on hands in many of her photos. Each of Kuhn's portfolios contains nature scenes that complement her portrait scenes. They show you the atmosphere of the location that the portraits were shot at.
Concept/Motivation: "Mona Kuhn's work is figurative. She is interested in redefining ways of looking at the body, as a residence to ourselves."- www.monakuhn.com
Method: Mona Kuhn is said to create works that are sensual but never overtly sexual. I think she does this with modesty in some of her photographs and taking the focus away from the nudity in others. It is not a raunchy sex scene or Picasso like. Her photos focus on appreciating the human form or capturing people's emotions/actions while they just happen to be naked. The people that she photographs are a part of her life, not models that she hires and this is reflected in her work. Some of her work seems to be something that she is just doing for herself. Her recent portfolio from Brazil was a personal journey for herself as she revisited the place of her youth and tried to capture pieces of the past (while ending up capturing things new to her).
My Opinion: I think that Kuhn has a knack for capturing people in a natural setting without it seeming forced or unnatural. You are able to focus in on the emotion of the scene because the nudity does not always overwhelm her photographs. I do not think that her photos do a great job of capturing her concept, but it still doesn't take away my ability to appreciate them. I think that she has great raw photos. They do not seem to have been digitally altered, or at least not to any great extent. I like her photos that seem more setup with an artistic focus on parts of the human form in comparison to some of her photos that have a larger focal area.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Blog Prompt 10
"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
This is one of my favorite quotes so far. I have different reactions each time I read it. In a factual sense, I agree with Berger. What you forget and remember is linked to the emotions you associate with whatever is going on in the photograph, or whatever was going on the day that the photograph was taken (if you were in it). In a memory you generally focus on your relation to the events, but looking back on a photo allows you to remember things like the bad haircut your aunt had just got, etc. Paintings are emotional artworks, they let you in on the painter, his viewpoint, or just give you a sense of appreciation for a technique used. All elements are reflective of the painter, where photos (especially of events) are not all reflections of the photographer. Photos reflect the people that are in them to a higher extent.
This is one of my favorite quotes so far. I have different reactions each time I read it. In a factual sense, I agree with Berger. What you forget and remember is linked to the emotions you associate with whatever is going on in the photograph, or whatever was going on the day that the photograph was taken (if you were in it). In a memory you generally focus on your relation to the events, but looking back on a photo allows you to remember things like the bad haircut your aunt had just got, etc. Paintings are emotional artworks, they let you in on the painter, his viewpoint, or just give you a sense of appreciation for a technique used. All elements are reflective of the painter, where photos (especially of events) are not all reflections of the photographer. Photos reflect the people that are in them to a higher extent.
Blog Prompt 9
"You don't take a photograph, you make it." - Ansel Adams
Only Ansel Adams could say this and it have so much meaning. He was a man devoted to getting the picture that he wanted. I only can agree with this photograph in a 50-50 kind of way. Sometimes the greatest photos are the unplanned ones, the ones that you only took to use up the last few photos on your roll of film. If you know what you want and are working with a setup then I think this quote is one to work by and use for motivation. If we could all just get landscapes like Ansel.
Only Ansel Adams could say this and it have so much meaning. He was a man devoted to getting the picture that he wanted. I only can agree with this photograph in a 50-50 kind of way. Sometimes the greatest photos are the unplanned ones, the ones that you only took to use up the last few photos on your roll of film. If you know what you want and are working with a setup then I think this quote is one to work by and use for motivation. If we could all just get landscapes like Ansel.
Blog Prompt 8
"My portraits are more about me than they are about the people I photograph."- Richard Avedon
After reading this quote I thought " Wow, it is amazing how much we all must do this." This relates to the photographers intent for even taking a photograph. It affects the angle you take a photo, how you set it up, what you focus in on. You can use photos to create a world that you want or remember something that you were attracted to, even a time, a moment. When taking photos for yourself, you are going to focus in on these things that attract you to even want to take a photo in the first place. If you are taking a photo of someone who thinks that their eyes are their best feature and wants you to capture them, but you really like how their hand is resting on the table, you are going to take a photo of their hand resting on the table. If you have to give them a photo, you will take a photo of their eyes just to have to give. This was one great thing about film in comparison to digital cameras. You could take the photos you wanted without having to show people what you took a photo of the instant after you snapped it.
After reading this quote I thought " Wow, it is amazing how much we all must do this." This relates to the photographers intent for even taking a photograph. It affects the angle you take a photo, how you set it up, what you focus in on. You can use photos to create a world that you want or remember something that you were attracted to, even a time, a moment. When taking photos for yourself, you are going to focus in on these things that attract you to even want to take a photo in the first place. If you are taking a photo of someone who thinks that their eyes are their best feature and wants you to capture them, but you really like how their hand is resting on the table, you are going to take a photo of their hand resting on the table. If you have to give them a photo, you will take a photo of their eyes just to have to give. This was one great thing about film in comparison to digital cameras. You could take the photos you wanted without having to show people what you took a photo of the instant after you snapped it.
Assignment 1: Written Statement Part 2
Interpretations: For the typewriter images people seemed to catch on to the idea of looking back in time. They seemed to like the editing I did on the second image to make the photo have an even more antique feel, but seemed to talk about the first photo more. I didn't show the close up images of the keys too much, but seemed to get a more positive reaction from those photos. They told more of a story. My third photo, of the basement walls/framed photo seemed to create more mixed reactions. The photo was talked about in a more pure structural sense in comparison to focusing on the idea/scene created. The lines created were given a lot of attention along with the frame as a focal point.
Evaluation: I was the first to present so I think I caught the easy end of the critiquing. Based off of everyones critiques, I feel that in all my photos I need to work on creating a sense of purpose and focus better. I shouldn't just keep a photo just because its format is working-people seem to really focus in on the attachment and meanings they can place with a photograph. I will probably work more with enhancing the lighting effects. I think my images are working in their setup and capturing the life behind simple subjects. I felt that my photos made parts of my everyday life more beautiful.
Extension: If I was to work with these photos for another project or a larger project I would probably work more with lighting, adding special effects on the computer to enhance the drama, and add other subjects/props. I feel like the basement angles and typewriter both could be used to create a weird scene with the addition of an oddly placed person or out of place addition to the photo. Other people/objects would also add to the depth of some of the photos which could create interesting comparisons.
Evaluation: I was the first to present so I think I caught the easy end of the critiquing. Based off of everyones critiques, I feel that in all my photos I need to work on creating a sense of purpose and focus better. I shouldn't just keep a photo just because its format is working-people seem to really focus in on the attachment and meanings they can place with a photograph. I will probably work more with enhancing the lighting effects. I think my images are working in their setup and capturing the life behind simple subjects. I felt that my photos made parts of my everyday life more beautiful.
Extension: If I was to work with these photos for another project or a larger project I would probably work more with lighting, adding special effects on the computer to enhance the drama, and add other subjects/props. I feel like the basement angles and typewriter both could be used to create a weird scene with the addition of an oddly placed person or out of place addition to the photo. Other people/objects would also add to the depth of some of the photos which could create interesting comparisons.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Re-creation Information
In my re-creation I wanted to emphasize the masculinity and strength of the male form as Sarony's image does so well. I find that a man's shoulders and back always seem to be a measure of strength, which is why I chose to focus in on this area. In this photo I also had a spotlight coming in from the right side, but after cropping it is not as evident the difference in lighting between the right and left sides of the body.
Original: Photographer Information
Napoleon Sarony
born: 1821 Quebec, Canada
-Moved to New York around 1836
Photo for re-creation: Eugene Sandow with a Leopard Skin (posing as the Farnese Hercules)
Year of creation: 1893
Napoleon Saroney was a lithographer who became involved in photography. During the later half of the 19th century theater was taking off on Broadway and in America which created an industry. Photographers for the actors and actresses became a hit profession since it was a way to get your face out in the public and advertise for shows that were upcoming. Photographers would pay the actors to be photographed and then, having the rights to the photos, would sell the photos for profit. Sarony realized that he could get in on this, and in 1866 opened up a studio on Broadway. For the next 30 years he photographed almost every New York actor, which led to him becoming America's best-known portrait photographer. He made use of lively backgrounds and had the actors pose dramatically.
Just another image for a Broadway actor, this photo seems to re-create the ideal man of Greek and Roman sculpture along with a sense of royalty given by the leopard skin. There is lighting coming in from the right hand side of the photo, but it is subtle, only prominent in the shadows on the left side of the body. The photo is full, giving you Sandow's entire body from what appears to be only a few feet away. With Sandow's name at the bottom, along with additional writing this to me is the equivalent to a comp card today.
I like how well Sarony did of keeping this photo simple as his subject is supposed to be Hercules and it could have easily become lavish and cheesy. I do not like the look on Sandow's face or that he is looking down. He looks contemplative and submissive and not strong and manly like the rest of the photo is emphasizing. This could have had something to do with the role he was playing, but I am not sure and from just looking at the photo this is what stands out as feeling wrong to me.
born: 1821 Quebec, Canada
-Moved to New York around 1836
Photo for re-creation: Eugene Sandow with a Leopard Skin (posing as the Farnese Hercules)
Year of creation: 1893
Napoleon Saroney was a lithographer who became involved in photography. During the later half of the 19th century theater was taking off on Broadway and in America which created an industry. Photographers for the actors and actresses became a hit profession since it was a way to get your face out in the public and advertise for shows that were upcoming. Photographers would pay the actors to be photographed and then, having the rights to the photos, would sell the photos for profit. Sarony realized that he could get in on this, and in 1866 opened up a studio on Broadway. For the next 30 years he photographed almost every New York actor, which led to him becoming America's best-known portrait photographer. He made use of lively backgrounds and had the actors pose dramatically.
Just another image for a Broadway actor, this photo seems to re-create the ideal man of Greek and Roman sculpture along with a sense of royalty given by the leopard skin. There is lighting coming in from the right hand side of the photo, but it is subtle, only prominent in the shadows on the left side of the body. The photo is full, giving you Sandow's entire body from what appears to be only a few feet away. With Sandow's name at the bottom, along with additional writing this to me is the equivalent to a comp card today.
I like how well Sarony did of keeping this photo simple as his subject is supposed to be Hercules and it could have easily become lavish and cheesy. I do not like the look on Sandow's face or that he is looking down. He looks contemplative and submissive and not strong and manly like the rest of the photo is emphasizing. This could have had something to do with the role he was playing, but I am not sure and from just looking at the photo this is what stands out as feeling wrong to me.
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