Recreation 3

 

Growing up I was always playing dress-up at home. I would wear gaudy blue eye shadow and those plastic heels you can buy at Wal-Mart with the purple feathers and rhinestones on them. If I wasn't playing dress up at home I was at ballet practice in a tutu and leotard.

Since I've gotten older not much has changed except for my taste in fashion has improved. At my fashion show this past weekend I still feel like I'm doing the same thing I was when I was six and playing dress up. 

I've chosen to use the light from a mirror in a dressing room to indicate a more adult like form of dress up. The fake eyelashes and sequins demonstrate a more advanced makeup application. The model is  more mature.

Describe at least one photogr Describe at least one photograph that you could take for each of the following “place” prompts (#20)

#20 Describe at least one photograph that you could take for each of the following “place” prompts.

• An image of a synthetic “place” such as Disney World, Las Vegas, a Hollywood set, a diorama, etc.
• Las Vegas: I would photograph poker chips, cards, alcohol, maybe a feather boa too laid out on a surface.
• An image of a fantasy/fictitious environment concocted from your imagination.
• The inside of a doll house extremely zoomed in so at first glace you question if you're looking at a real room or not.
• An image of a placeless space such as the Internet, cell phones, e-mail, e-bank, surveillance, etc.
• When I hear the word placeless, I think of the colors white or black right away. One photograph could be an all white empty room with no windows, doors, or anything.
• An image of a public space.
• A coffee shop. I can image someone reading a magazine, relaxing in front of a fire place, curled up in a chair with a cup of coffee next to them.
• An image of a private space.
• Probably one of the most private spaces for anyone is their bedroom. I picture something similar to my coffee shop picture, someone curled up on their bed, with a cat at their feet, relaxing.
• An in-between space that brings to mind one of the following ideas: nomadic lifestyles, displacement, rootlessness, out-of-placeness, boundaries, movement, expansion, etc. 
• I picture a homeless person, sitting against the side of a building on the sidewalk. All you can see is their holey shoes, torn gloves, holding a cup.

Assignment 2

Prints

Visions

Pinned

Determined

Prints: 

Part 1: When I took this photograph I was thinking about all of the different textures, fabrics, graphics, and accessories happening in this image. It's also about the creative process.

Part 2: I would change the the colors in this images. It seems a little dark.

Visions:

Part 1: This photograph is about working creating a garment and a behind the scenes look as to what goes into the creation process. I really enjoy the center composition of the subject.

Part 2: It would have been interesting to have taken some zoomed out photos of the same scene.

Pinned:

Part 1: I like that the subject it really clearly in focus. It's a candid shot.

Part 2: It would be interesting to have the subject looking at the camera.

Determined:

Part 1: I like the center composition of the foot. It's a interesting zoomed in composition. It's about putting in hard work. I think the metal equipment helps represent that.

Part 2: I would take some shots from a different angle. May on the opposite side of the machine, looking through the chains.

Assignment 1

Paws

Crystals

Twirls

Nature

Simplicity

Can You Think Of Anything That...(#19)

#19. Can you think of anything that:

1) should not be photographed? Why?

I remember reading about the artist Guillermo Vargas who tied a already half dead dog to a rope in an art exhibit and put it on display for people to watch suffer. With the words "You Are What You Read" written on the wall above it in dog food. I think it's wrong to cause things to suffer for the sake of art.

2) cannot be photographed? Why?
Something that cannot be photographed...well I can't really think of anything that cannot be photographed. I feel like we have so many ways to photograph so many things ranging from cameras to xrays to night vision cameras...

3) you do not want to photograph? Why?

I would never want to photograph anything that would make me extremely uncomfortable. For example I would never want to photograph something or someone being physically harmed. 

“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(#18)

People are seen a certain way by themselves, their peers, family, and coworkers with in their everyday life. It's up to the photographer to bring those views out with a camera or create a new one.

“Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer—and often the supreme disappointment.”-Ansel Adams(#17)

I think Ansel is saying landscape photography is something that's hard to master. Some day you will have good photos others bad. Like all art with out failures, we could not have our successes.

“Photography can only represent the present. Once photographed, the subject becomes part of the past."- Berenice Abbott(#16)

I think what Abbott is saying is that all things are constantly changing in some way. You only have one chance to capture something as it is in a particular moment before one small thing changes.

Laura Gilpin (Historical)

Biography: 

-Birthdate: April 22, 1891

-Passed Away: Nov. 30, 1979

-Country & State of residence: She grew up in St. Louis and Chicago and eventually moved to     Colorado.

-Education: Laura attended boarding schools overseas such as the New England Conservatory of Music. She studied photography later on at Clarence White School in New York. She was also a mentor to Gertrude Kasebier.

-Creation:

-Significance: Laura's work is significant documentation of the people and landscapes of the southwest.

-Composition: Laura uses natural lighting. Her finished images are usually high contrast. Her landscape photography is zoomed out.

-Concept/Aboutness/Idea: She photographs landscapes, buildings and people out west. 

-Method: Lighting is important part of Laura's photography. The timing has to be right in order to photograph the landscapes. Being able to capture natural events is also important.  

-Motivations: Laura was passionate about her work. She was inspired by the location and people of where she lived.

-Your Opinion: I like the idea of her images seem like a stranger took them. The subjects aren't looking at the camera it's more of a candid shot. 

Andy Goldsworthy (Contemporary)

Biography: 

-Birthdate: July 26, 1956... 54 years old.

-Country & State of residence: Andy was born in Cheshire, England and grew up in Yorkshire. Growing up he worked on a farm from the age of 13.

-Education: He studied at Bradford college of Art where he majored in fine art. 

-Creations:

-Significance: Andy is a sculptor as well as a photographer. He uses natural elements like: rocks, grass, leaves, trees, bark, dirt, twigs, flowers, snow, ice, and water to create over the top land art. 

-Composition: Andy uses a lot of circles, arches, and squares in his sculptures. He uses the rule of thirds and tends of use a center composition in a lot of his photography.

-Concept/Aboutness/Idea: And creates a piece of land art out of natural elements. Sometime the sculptures/land art is over the top or it's something very simple. It's can be on a very large or very small scale. Andy then uses these creations from his photography. 

-Method:Important techniques include sculpture and construction and natural lighting. 

Motivations: Andy is inspired by nature, seasons, naturally found elements, and the natural changes the earth goes through. 

-Your Opinion: I like the sculptures he creates the best and his inspiration behind the pieces.

In Camera Collage (#15)

Imagine an important place in your past...home in Sturgis, MI 


Imagine an important place in your present...living at school in E. Lansing, MI


Imagine who you were in both of these past and present places.
Sturgis: A lot younger, less mature. A perfectionist, always got perfect grades in school and a cross-country/track athlete. Depended a lot on material goods (clothing) to define myself in high school. I was also very quiet, starting to get into art, and shy.
E. Lansing: More defined artist. More laid back and my own person. Materials things mattered less when I became more comfortable with myself. Friendships and family started to mean a lot more and my relationships with them improved. 


Describe how you might use a slow shutter speed and/or double exposure to capture two moments in one image that tell a new narrative about these important places and how they relate to who you are and were.
The photos I see in my head are about growing up and becoming my own person. I think it would be interesting to have one expose of someone in their 20's hands cupped together from a bird's eye view and in the hands a picture of something from their past. Such as my home, art supplies, or a photo of downtown Sturgis.

Unknown vs. Familiar Space (#14)

Imagine a familiar place...MSU 4H Gardens


Imagine a faraway place...Pyramids


How would you use photographs to convey the difference? 
-The landscapes would convey the differences. The gardens would be lush and vast with bugs, people and plant life. The desserts in Egypt would be dry and the people there would wearing outfits to protect themselves from natural elements. 


Can you imagine any places that have been “touched” very little by humans?
-Antartica, Mt. Everest


How might you photograph them?
-Recreation in the snow & cold here in Michigan. A more zoomed up photograph on a very cold, snowy day. I would use dress to give hints to the viewer. For example, people in the photograph might be wearing heavy snow gear and have an ice pick.

Human- Made Space (#13)

Human's interactions with nature list:
-Homes & buildings
-Cars
-Roads
-Roller coasters & Amusement parks
-Electricity
-Telephone towers
-Satellites
-Street Lamps
-Boats
--------
I would take a youthful view on a human made space and create a sandcastle. I would take photos of the tools, the steps taken to create the castle, and the people who made it.

Memory of a Photograph (#12)

-Which photograph from your past do you remember most?
  It was a photograph from high school, my senior year. I was in a film photography class. On my trip to the Dominican with my family I went on a walk of the beach to take photos and play with my new camera.


-Describe this photograph. 
  Along the shoreline there was a man selling hand carved and colorful painted masks he has made. The masks were lined up and laid up against a piece of drift wood in the sand. There's 4 masks in the photograph. It's a center composition with early afternoon lighting.


-Describe how it makes you feel when you remember/think about this photograph.
  Thinking of this photograph brings me back to that point in time and makes me remember where I was when I took it and how friendly the vendor was.

-How have you changed? 
  I've changed by this was a leisurely photograph I took I think that's why it was so good. It was something that was occuring on its own and I was just there to capture the moment out of my own enjoyment. It's something I don't do a lot of anymore.


-How has the place in this photograph changed?
  If I could go back I wonder if the guy would still be setting up shop at the same spot on the beach. I'm sure a lot of the natural elements have changed thanks to the ocean tide. 


-What would a reenactment of this photograph look like?
 A reenactment of this photograph would look like similar but slightly different objects would be lined up together. 


-Would you act or look differently if you reenacted this scene today?
I would get some more photos playing with the composition. Maybe more zoomed out to capture the surrounding area and the vendor himself.

Memory Of A Place (#11)

Memory of a Place: 


-Try to imagine a place from your past: 
  Lake Erie at Cedar Point. Overlook from the boardwalk.


-Do you have pictures of this place?:

  Photo from my cell phone...4 months ago.

-Describe this place as you remember it:
  I took this photo early in the morning the day we were leaving. It was a rainy/over cast day. I was on the boardwalk at the Cedar Point Park. This is my favorite place to go there. I love the view of the shoreline.
   
-What might a photograph look like of this place if you were to go back and photograph it?
  If I were to go back and photograph it I would love to get some photos on the boardwalk. Close up photos of the stones on the shoreline.


-What would it look like in the past?
  This place is always changing with the seasons. The wildlife along the shore would be different.  The lighting would always change with the weather and time of day. At night you can see the city lights from miles across the bay.


-What would it look like to you today?
  Today there would be snow on the ground the rocks along the shore would be covered in ice. Snow and ice crusted on the wooden planks and netting creating the boardwalk. No one would be around because the park would be closed. The fisherman wouldn't be there. It would be a really beautiful but lonely place.


-Where are you standing in this place?
  When I took the picture above I was standing on the board walk. A more interesting photo would be standing along the shoreline. 


-What other items are in this place?
  Other items are small cottages along the shoreline, benches, nets, fishing poles, families, tackle boxes.


-What colors do you see?
 I see blues, greys, greens, tans, and whites.


-Are there other people or are you alone?
 No one I know personally was there. There was are a few fisherman and families with younger children who were also taking photos.

"I don't want to reflect social change...I want to cause social change."-Nick Knight

Biography:
Birthday: 1958
Birth Place: London, England
Residence: London with his wife and three children.
Education: Bournemouth & Poole College of Art & Design in the UK. Class of 1982.

Self Portrait

Work: 

Significane: Nick is known for his concept fashion photography and fashion advertising campaigns. He has worked for numbers magazines such as Vogue, ID, and Interview. He has photographed advertising campaigns for such companies as Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klien, and Alexander McQueen. He's also credited with launching the popular fashion site named  SHOWstudio & for his book "Skinheads". 
Composition: Centered. Subject generally takes up most of the page.
Concept/Aboutness/ Ideas: Nick works a lot with studio lighting and shadows. He's know for using new technology when finishing his photographs.
Motivations: High fashion, conceptual design pieces, advertising, and fine artistry are always elements found in his photography.
My opinion: I think Nick is a significant photographer in the fashion and fine art world. His interest in unusual fashion, hair, and make-up captured on a simple background with unique studio lighting make his work recognizable. 

Refined Rebel Vogue

Naomi for V-Magazine

Body Language in Another Man Magazine

Source 1
Source 2

“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 (#10)

I believe any type of art, a photo or a painting, has a perspective. It has a perspective from the artist and the viewer. I think what Berger is trying to say is that photographs are more about what's happening in the moment and being there to capture something, while it's happening.

“You don't take a photograph, you make it.” -Ansel Adams (#9)

I think what Adams is saying is that it's one thing to "take" a thoughtless photograph. It's another thing to "make" a photograph. By thinking about your perspective on the subject, the composition, how you want the viewer to feel when they see it, and the story you want to tell as the photographer. 

"My portraits are more about me than they are about the people I photograph.”-Richard Avedon.(#8)

I think what Avedon is getting at is every photography has a viewpoint. When he's the one capturing the images he's imposing his viewpoint about the people he's photographing.

Snow Day!

"Snow Day". By Juliannah Schram. February 3, 2011. Kresge Art Center.