Recreation #2 Portrait

The Boss photograph by Prentice Hall Polk, 1933

Prentice Hall Polk was born in 1898 in Alabama. His family society status was working class and when he was eleven, his father died. When he was thirteen, he attended to boarding school in Alabama and after secondary education, he enrolled  Tuskegee Normal and Technical School. While he was attending Tuskegee Normal and Technical School, he wanted to learn painting but his school didn't provide fine art classes. However, he met C. M. Battey, the photography instructor, he spent his three years under C.M. Battey instructor. After three years, he dropped out school and moved to Chickasaw, Alabama. He married with married Margaret Blanche Thompson and he moved to Chicago with his wife in 1920s.

He came back to Tuskegee with his wife in 1927. He became a photography instructor at Tuskegee Institute. In 1938, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia and he opened his own portrait studio however, he ran the studio only one year. After a year, he came back to Tuskegee and became official photographer of Tuskegee Institute. He spent his forty-five years in that institute.

The reason why I choose Prentice's photo is because, through her motion, face and her clothes, I was thought about many different things for my re-creation.

Here is my re-creation

My recreation theme is a child. Even though I didn't use real child face as my model, I wanted to express nervous and frighten emotion by using light and my face. When I saw my original photo, I felt that the woman looks very strong and scary. Since she is wearing some kind of apron in that photo, it reminded me the director of orphanage. Not just normal head director of orphanage but to children, she seems very scary and straight. I capture my face with frightening emotion. Even though I used tripot for make it look clear and sharp, accidentally I got this out of focus shot. I think the out of focus convey the idea of frighten better than my other focus shot. I set my light down right side of my body and I think it worked well to express some pureness of child and at the same time the scare feeling. It can be better recreation when I use a child along with my concept, however, I satisfy the result of my second recreation project.

Blog Prompt #7

 Pay close attention to the types and number of photographic portraits you see in one day. Where did you see them? How do you think that the content of the portrait changes based on the context in which you see the image (news, facebook, magazine, advertisement, television, youtube, etc)? In other words, what is the difference between the portraits you see on facebook vs. those on the news? What is the difference between the “viewpoint” of the photographer in each situation? What is the difference between their “intents”?


I think I saw countless portraits through commercial, poster, my own pictures, Facebook and other locations today. 
When I compare several portraits along with medium, I can interpret same portraits in different perspectives. For example, if I saw one specific portraits in both CNN and Facebook, I might have different viewpoint with same photo. When I see some portraits in the news, I usually think some kind of criminal issues. When I see some photographic portraits in Facebook, I feel like it's more about personal and memorable issues. Every portraits have their own reason and their own perspective. I think it's hard to choose specific portrait is better intent than other one. However, depends on situation and how well photographer took the photos can make difference of quality.

Blog Prompt #6

In your opinion, when is it beneficial, ethical, or appropriate to digitally alter photographic portraits? When do you think it is inappropriate or ethically wrong?

I personally think it is inappropriate when people use photographic portraits make composite photograph. For example, use photographic portraits as pornography or inappropriate commercials. I think we can use photographic portraits beneficially and ethically when we approved by models or educational purpose.

Blog Prompt #5

Give your thoughts on one or both of the following quotes.

“Photography records the gamut of feelings written on the human face, the beauty of the earth and skies that man has inherited, and the wealth and confusion man has created. It is a major force in explaining man to man.” ~Edward Steichen




“I just think it's important to be direct and honest with people about why you're photographing them and what you're doing. After all, you are taking some of their soul.” ~Mary Ellen Mark




     After I read the second quote, I thought about documentary film. Photo can be documentary film along with Mary Ellen Mark’s quote. When we have conversation with people who we want to take pictures, we can get more information than before chatting. When we take some pictures after conversation with model, I think it can help us take more dramatic picture with that model. This process is what documentary film usually does. Director or producer has conversation with characters to have their thoughts and information. When they have conversation each other, producer or director can get more information and they can capture more emotion scenes. Photography also can use this process to capture more attractive moment. I really agree with Mary’s quote and I realized when we know enough about somebody then we can capture some of their soul or deep inside.

Play

Composition: shot with fingers on the acoustic guitar.  What I want to emphasis from this image is clear pushing the guitar string. Using depth of field, I wanted to show the focus more on the finger on the string. Also I used the high contrast between fingers and further background. Since I want to focus on the texture, I was focus on my fingerprint.


Concept/Idea: Since I choose my prompt for 'play' I want to show the actual playing with some instrument.


Method: I got my guitar when I had my 18 Birthday. My sister bought for me and I am still learning. When I think about the word 'play', first it reminds me instruments. So, I decided to use my guitar for my 'play prompt'. Nothing special meaning but I want to show the actual idea of play so I tried to hold the guitar strings to look like playing the guitar.


Motivation: Again, I really wanted to give the sense of 'play' so I try to hold guitar strings or I was thinking about other hand motions that I usually using while I play the guitar.


Context: There are lots of black and white instruments or fingerprint photos around the world, However, the difference can be this is all mine. My fingers, my guitar and I took this photo. I think compare between other artists' black and white instruments photo with my photo is nonsense. I have to work on more about focus, handle aperture, shutter speed.
But overall, I really satisfy with my final image of play

Confined

Composition:  I took this photo at my front yard and I used one balloon and sprigs for my models. high contrast shot between sprigs and balloon and also the ground and the branches. Using depth of field, I tried to viewer more concentrate on the balloon. Light is natural light on a cloudy day. 


Concept/Idea: Using the balloon and sprigs, I want to express my circumstances and my feeling. Balloon, as me, I want to set it in the air but at the same time, I would put some obstacles around the balloon. What I want to convey from this picture is, the balloon wants to be free and want to fly with the wind but because of hesitation, complex situation, it can't fly away from there. But the actual Obstacles are all come from own mind, not in the circumstances. So the branches are all my complicated thoughts and the balloon is me. Using the high contrast between a balloon and sprigs, I want to convey the idea more strongly.


Method: I set the balloon on the sprigs and I took this photo at the high eye level angle. I experiment with lots of other setting and shooting angles, several photos are took it from low angle and several photos are took it with different settings. 

Motivaton: First I tried to figure out how to show my emotion and thoughts more attrativly in my photo. The strong idea was self emotion and I looked through several photos that deals with self-emotion. Many of them are shoot model or portrait. I didn't want me in this project so I tried to figure out to find out which subject can be replace me. I found a balloon package and when I make a great circle of balloon, I set on the ground and sprigs.

Context: I think my idea in this photo can be understandable to viewers. Many people are struggling with their own situation and their circumstances. However, what I want to convey from this image is change own thought can be the best way to get out from struggles. Still, I'm struggling in some part of my life and I am keep trying to get rid of any passive and negative thoughts from my mind when I think of my struggles. Even though it's very strong idea, balloon and branches are very easy subjects in some way. Therefore, compare with other artists' photo that deals with some struggles, I used props that can make lack of conveyance.

Bubble

Composition: First I started with my slow shutter speed shot and then I tried to take couple of fast shutter speed pictures and I end it up with this photo as my final image. I just turned on the water and took close up shot with 1/40 shutter speed and 5.6 aperture. I only used toilet light for my lighting and I only shoot high angle shots. 


Concept/Idea: The reason why I decided to take water bubble photos is because I just want to catch one of the fastest moment in our life that we normally miss it. There is no specific meaning or interpretation but, from this image, I would like to viewers understand there is countless motion inside of quick movement.


Method: Used sink water from my house toilet and turn on the water and I took it as fast as I can with all aperture and shutter speed set up. 


Motivation: I motivated by one of milk commercial that I've seen when I was young. it has slow motion that shows all the bubbles of milk and also the shot of clear milk drop. So, I wanted to show the clearness of water flowing. 


Context: Normally, water or other leaking subject should take very carefully. Also the most important thing for the shooting is focus. Almost all of professional photographers are concern about focusing very much. I wanted to show the idea of clear focus through this image. Not perfectly got it but I learned a lot.

Blog Prompt #4

“If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera.” ~Lewis Hine.



Write a brief reaction to this quote. Is this quote applicable to your experience with photography? What does it mean to you? Do you agree with the idea presented or disagree? Describe situations when photographic images reveal “the story” (as compared to words). Describe situations when words reveal “the story” (as compared to images).

     I personally agree with what he said. Sometimes, I feel like one picture can involves more stories than any other essays or books. I have seen his photography before and also his following comments. The title of that photo was ‘Child Cotton Picker.’ Only one photo told me the details of the child life and even it let me think about that child’s situation. From his comment, I found the definition of reason why that child holding a sack with some cotton and everything. Using the words, it already defined and didn’t give the chances of thinking about the other way. Sometimes, people talks about television or movie or even photo mediums decrease people’s imagination ability. It can be true but I think photo based medium didn't define as clear as words or stories, so that gives viewers to think about photo based medium in various way. 

Child Cotton Picker photography by Lewis Hine

Blog Prompt #3

Photography deals exquisitely with appearances, 
but nothing is what it appears to be.”~Duane Michals. 
Write a brief reaction to this quote. Is this quote applicable to your experience with photography? What does it mean to you? Do you agree with the idea presented or disagree?


      It is true that everybody looking at same thing but interprets differently. For example, people looking at same shape of cloud but people talks about the shape in different perspective. People have different perspective and people have been grown up with different circumstances and background, people looking at subjects what they want to see. I think this make the photography as more artistic medium. 

Blog Prompt #2

What does the word "photograph" mean to you?

Photograph is memory to me. I have lots of album that cover by countless pictures in my house. Through my photos, I can see how I grew up until now and what I did at that time. Also, not only I can see my life, through my parents album, I can see them how they grew up. Photography is history for us and memory that tells us why we here right now. 

Blog Prompt #1

Imagine a world without photographs. Describe what this world would be like......

Without photographs...... 

I personally think that photographs contributed to world development. Therefore, without photography, world wouldn't develop as much as today. Inside of photos, there are numerous stories tell our moments and it become our history. Our history make live better and more meaningfully. In history, video, films or other moving images were motivated by photographs. Without photography we can't see movies other video clips that help to connect all around the world.

Recreation

    This is my original image, German Metal Worker, photograph by Helmar Lerski on1930.

Helmar Lerski was the photographer who focus on portrait and the technique of of photography with mirror. Also, he concentrated on the close up portrait shot and tight cropping shot during his photograph career. 

He was originally born in Strasbourg and then his family moved to Zurich, Switzerland on 1876.

In 1888, he emigrated to the United States and he worked there as an actor in Chicago several years. He wasn't start his photography career until 1915. He started photography when he moved back to Europe. He was not only work as photographer but also cameraman and film director. 

In 1932 he emigrated to Palestine with his second wife and he still concentrated on photography and also film directing. After his career, he went back to Zurich, where he spent rest of his life. 

    During his career in Palestine, he concentrated more in light towards people's face at various angle. I think using the technique of light in photography attract viewers more and because of light and shade, gives 3-Dimensional perspective. This one metal worker's close-up portrait shows not only his close-up face but through his face, I can understand the difficulties on that time or his own distress.

Recreation

    Using the idea of light and shade, close-up shot, cropping technique, I want to create the next scene of this image for my recreation. I was thinking about two different perspective to create my net scene. First one was about 'hope'. Using the candle or other bright subjects, I wanted to express encouragement, hope or other positive feeling that cheer him up. 

I also thought about more passive and hopeless perspective. Using coin on the ground, I want to show his mind sight(or can be actual sight). 

Here is my Recreation image 

   The reason I choose more passive way of expression is because I wanted to show the difficulties in that time. I personally think that coin and ground can express the life of working class people. The coins that covered by dirt gives the meaning of difficulties of earn money on that time and the ground gives the meaning of their life status during that time. Since he is looking down in this picture, I wanted to show what his looking at. On the ground he saw his life.

( I made one more... just for fun)