Blog 24

A. Pick two images from any of the “constructed reality” photographers presented in class or linked on the assignment sheet. Describe how you could recreate these two images on a “smaller scale”.

B. Describe your plans for your self-proposed final project (if the plan is the same as before, paste it here again and give a bit more detail). During the final critique for Assignment #5, you will discuss/present these ideas to the class.

Assingnment 5

Christmas Tree

The framing of this photograph was determined by another picture. There are certain cards that are supposed to be humorous by showing nudity. I tried to show that this person was in a normal setting and show that he was a distraction to the rest of the photograph. The contrast between the back of the guy and the dark tree creates a good break in the picture and lets your eyes wonder throughout the image. When looking at the image the concept could be about a guy being a “present” under the tree or could show him waiting for someone to find him by the tree. I wanted to portray a card like that. He’s standing against the blind almost looking like he’s waiting. To create this image I tried to make the background look home like and show the guy looking out of place. I think I portrayed that very well. I had the light almost look like a snapshot. The way the light hits his back shows he the main subject in the image.

Looking for Love: Comic strip

The lighting in this image was not how I really wanted it to be. It was getting dark but I when I used the flash it look weird also. I tried messing with the brightness and exposure in Camera Raw. I think I could work with it a bit more. I wanted to make this series of images look as if the girl is looking for a way to get to her lover up on the wall but when she finally gets there he turns to stone. To create this image I went around Grand Rapids and tried to find a good background to tell this story. There were no lights around so it was tough getting the right shot. My goal was to capture the emotion of the girl trying to get to this person. I wish I was able to get closer to her, but there was just not enough to be able to capture a good image. Relating this to other artists, it would go with either storybooks or comic strips. Telling a story is not easy but artists that create images for books are very skilled.

Different Identities

The framing of these three images were determined because of the weird lighting that I had in the entire frame. Each one is cropped just around her body. The actual image has an entire white background but the light creates stripping across the photo. I tried to reduce the problem but I think I could do more. These images are about representing different identities that one person can take on. I wanted the background to be plain so that the identity she was taking on was what the viewer would look at the most. To create this image I used a bright light shining right in front straight onto a white background. I experimented where the light should be placed and since I only had one light in front was the best since I couldn’t block out shadows well. These images I think can relate to ad style photos. The scuba could be for an aquarium ad and I definitely think the winter wear could be a commercial ad for something.

Assignment 4-Part 2

Birthday Snapshot

Others interpreted this at a perfect snapshot. They said if anything else was in the image it would be a bad picture. The way he’s holding his jacket makes a good shape in the image and makes it somewhere for the eye to be drawn to. The way the person is standing also fits the actual actor in the movie. Basically everything is working in this picture according to my group. This could definitely be a starting off point for other pictures in the movie and mocking other movies as well.

Under Armour Ad

Everyone interpreted the image as I wanted, an ad for Under Armour. It has good lighting, but could be better. They thought if I put a brighter light on the right side the shadow would disappear. The shadow is kind of what I was going for, but I could experiment with it and see how I could change it a little bit. One comment they said was about the fact that anyone can where a shirt but this image shows something different ad they thought it was composed very well. A jumping off point for this could be a series of different ads for mens’ clothing. I could work with different types of clothing, crazy and proper.

Passport Photo

They knew that this picture was a passport photo but said it was strange. I did have to explain to them that it was mocking passport pictures. They said I should fix the lighting. When shooting this photo I didn’t really use any particular kind of lighting. I thought the natural light was ok I tried to brighten it up on screen but it printed darker then I wanted. They also said she might want to wear another shirt because you can’t really tell the separation of her hair and the shirt. I definitely agree with that. A jumping off point for this picture might be put her in a bunch of different backgrounds doing the same face and see if the face changes effect with each background.

Credit Card

This way the angle is looks like it was slid across a surface as to be paying for something. It may be too blurred in the middle, but I think it works with the ebay effect that I’m portraying. Pictures on ebay are not professional and could be shot in any way. A jumping off point for this photo could be other cards with the focus in the middle. I like the fact that it’s blurred and when other cards would in the photos too or have a set of them together, I think it would work.

Blog 23

1. In what ways do you “construct” your identity? In what ways do you “perform” in your daily life?
    -You can construct your identity by doing multiple things. By showing what your good at, what you enjoy, and by what you wear. What you wear is one of the major ways your identity can be constructed. When people look at what you wear they automatically judge you and your attitude. If you're wearing bright, loud colors it shows you're welcoming and enjoyable to be around, If you're wearing dark colors, it may look like your upset or not wanting to talk to people.
   -Some ways in which you can perform in your daily life is how you walk and act in front of people. When talking to other people you're putting on an act. It may be the way you always are, but in general terms you are "performing."

2. Describe some ways in which your personal culture and social environments are “constructed”.
   -When speaking in terms of social environment like a get together or party, everything is definitely constructed. Setting up a party with food and places to sit and things to do is an example of how environments can be constructed.

3/4. Describe some ways in which your physical environment/space is “constructed”. In your daily life, what would you consider to be “real” and what would you consider to be “constructed/fabricated”?

   - Really in life I don't think anything is "real" in certain terms. Basically everything was placed and grown by humans. Trees were placed, grass was placed, homes and buildings were built, and most lakes were probably man mad hundreds of years ago. To me everything is constructed, there is nothing "real."

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).
    -If I were to narrate a tableaux I would chose some kind of fairy tale. If I had the right costumes I would have extravagant dress's and crazy makeup that made all the women sparkle. My thought would be to have versions of the most popular princess and have then doing their own story. It would be in the woods very mystical looking

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).
    -What always comes to my mind first when thinking about miniature stages is the circus. I would try to get little clowns and animals and set up a big top event.

Contemporary Photographer Research Assignment

Barbara Kasten
Architectural Site #17
The High Museum 1998

Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1936. She has done exhibitions all over the world, but mostly in the US. She has many different series of photos including places around the world and different uses of mixed media. She really likes to use color to exaggerate shadows. My favorite of them all was a series of images that were full of color and seemed to be added with images using photoshop. With geometric shapes, mirrors, and glass, she creates abstract interpretations of interior spaces and architectural details. You can tell that some things are unrealistic but that is what makes the image so interesting. The viewer just keeps looking through the image and discovers more and more.

http://www.barbarakasten.net/

Assignment 4

Birthday Snapshot

The framing of this photo was sort of on accident. This picture was literally a snapshot. I pointed the camera, which was around my neck, so it was lower then normal which is an explanation to why I only got half of his face. I was trying to get the decorations in the background so that is why the image is basically split in half. I feel like the balance between both areas works really well. The fact that he is only the right with his dark jacket on and the other half more light with less going on creates a good balance. I feel that the image could be about and ironic situation of having fun by yourself. This guy is alone in a room with party decorations all over the place but still looks like he’s having a good time and is having humor also. Wearing that shirt and having the jacket open shows a really funny concept. In this image I used a flash to put more lighting in the frame. There is a light in the background but adding the flash made the right things brighter and darker. This image could definitely be about a larger issue of religion. It’s is very comical but because of the fact that he’s wearing that shirt and the signs in the background it could be controversial.

Under Armour Ad

With this image I tried to interpret an actual Under Armour ad. The framing of it was important. The left side of the image had to be smaller and the right side had to have sort of a shadow. The lighting was also a huge aspect of the image. It had to be really bright on one side so I had to make sure had enough lighting to create the right shadow and highlights. The image definitely is about an ad of some sort. When there is a guy who has good muscles and posed, I think of modeling and advertising. I used lights on both sides of the model but had a stronger one on one side to show shadow. My goal was to recreate an ad and I definitely think I accomplished that. This image obviously shows the similarities to other photographers shooting ads for sportswear. The arms on the sides is a common pose that most models that model for underwear or anything form-fitting wear. This image could relate to larger issue such as strength and conditioning. This image could show the change of a person who was bigger before and now looked like that.

Passport Photo

In passport photos, the perspective is up close and personal. That is what I was trying to get the effect as. Another thing I tried to do was make the contrast distinct. Usually in passport photos people do not where white so I went as far as I could and chose black. The image is depicted as something that is not what you’d normally see in a passport picture. Every distinct part of our face needs to be normal for the photo to be proper for passport quality. Having your mouth squished and looking like a fish would not be allowed for a normal picture. When creating this photo, I knew I needed to have a white background. I looked at other passport photos and worked off of those. Well I don’t think that literally this image relates to other works but in sense it could relate to self-portraits.

Credit Card

My credit card photo was not put because my numbers were on it. The framing of this picture had to do with balance and what normal ebay pictures looked like. I framed it so parts of the card were cropped on both sides. I put emphasis on the center because I tried to blur out the numbers but not so it looked like it was on purpose. For this image I placed a bright light next to it to get a good contrast of the colors on the card with the white background.

Blog 22

A. Series: Brainstorm various ways to make a “series” of photographic images.
     -A series of photographic images can be shown in many ways. Some ways to make a series are to:
         -Have the same background with different positions
         -Show a set of people doing an action frame by frame
         -Have different people wear the same outfit
         -Use the same color as the subject with dull backgrounds
         -Have the same look on everyones' face
         -Use the same object and have different people hold it
  
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. 

-For my project I definitely would want to do something with a scenic theme. I feel I can capture better photographs without people. One thing I think would be really cool is to go to different places and take pictures of different objects that clearly do not belong there.  This idea comes from one of my earlier pictures of a guy doing a not so normal thing that guys should be doing. I feel that using objects would be a better and more noticeable. I could go to important places around campus with a toy or piece of equipment.