Blog Prompt #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. - I want to take some traditional place in my home country, South Korea. Specifically, the name of the place that I am thinking is Kyung Bok Gung(Castle).

·                     An image of a fantasy/fictitious environment concocted from your imagination.

- If it's possible, I want to take some photographs of aurora.

·                     An image of a placeless space such as the Internet, cell phones, e-mail, e-bank, surveillance, etc.

- I can't think of placeless space but I probably take some e-dictionary photos for this prompt.

·                     An image of a public space.

- I want to take some photos of inside of museum. The reason for that is because I really like their reaction or their concentration towards works(such as painting or drawing...). 

·                     An image of a private space.

- I want to take photos of my room.... nothing special but the most special for me...

·                     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 really want to take some photos of street people. It can be homeless people or walking people.. I think it will gives the idea of nomadic lifestyles. Or, I want to go to South America to take some photos of people's bag that tells they are traveling around the world.

Blog Prompt #19

1) should not be photographed? Why?
2) cannot be photographed? Why?
3) you do not want to photograph? Why?

1)    Violation of privacy. For example, take photographs of others’ room without any permission. Also people’s body or face without any notice or permission from them.

2)    Cannot? Hmm… I guess it can be President photographs, any celebrities without permission. The reason for that is because they are public men.

3)    I don’t want to take photographs of death… Many people actually taking photos of dead body or dead person but I don’t want to take it. 

Blog Prompt #18

 “Photography can only represent the present. Once photographed, the subject becomes part of the past.” Berenice Abbott

Precisely true quotation. We are taking photographs for capture the moment of present and after just 0.00000001 second later, it become the part of our memory. I think its very interesting process. I personally think that every medium have same process with photography. Television, Radio and other painting, drawings represent the present thoughts and present passion but after that it becomes part of our past. This can be advantage to keep our memories clearer than before but I’m kind of thinking about wasting….. I don’t know why   

Blog Prompt #17

“Photography, as we all know, is not real at all. It is an illusion of reality with which we create our own private world.” Arnold Newman

Since I really like they way express my thoughts and feeling by using photography, I personally agree with that photography is about creating our own private world. Using photography, I can tell my mind without any words explanation. I really like the sentence of ‘illusion of reality’. I think ‘illusion of reality’ can be perfect explanation for photography. I can make my own world by taking what I saw and what I did and what I want to see. By using my perspective, I can draw world in huge different way. Everybody can do this and I think this make motivation, inspiration for people’s self expression. 

Blog Prompt #16

“Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer—and often the supreme disappointment.” ~Ansel Adams

I personally agree with this quote. The reason for that is because I am really enjoying taking landscape photos. However, when I look up gorgeous landscape photographs on the webpage or other professional landscape photographers’ images, I really disappointed because real landscape is beautiful than what I saw on the LCD monitor and also I cannot capture amazing landscape like expert photographers’ images.

Contemporary Photographer research

Uta Barth

Uta Barth was born in 1958 in Berlin and currently lives and works in LA.
Barth has used photography in her own aesthetic way. Such as experimenting with depth of filed, focus on framing to take photographs that are suggestive rather than let viewers know the description of her photos.
She usually capture interior setting by using diffuse shot.
In her early work, she focused on simply interiors, fashioning images of spaces resonant with emptiness and this theme she is calling as 'Ground' which created around 1994. Also she has 'Field' exhibition that concentrated in cinematic photos.
She actually has been a professor in the Department of Art, University of California, Riverside since 1990. She started her work in the id-1980s and had been exhibit her works in galleries and museum. 
I really like the way she uses the tone of color. Also I like the emptiness of her photographs. I was really amazed by her age. The reason for that is because my mother also was born in 1958. I really impressed that she is actually working on her career. Also, since I am interested in mounted color photographs that capture nature subjects, I impressed the way she express the tone and emotion of photos. 

Historical Photographer Research

Joseph Nicephore Niepce

Born in March 7, 1765 and died July 5, 1833. He was a French inventor and also the most noted as one of the inventors of photography. In 1825 he produced the world’s first known photograph.

He was born in Chalon-sur-saone, located in eastern France.

He served as a staff officer in the French army under Dapoleon and spent several years in Italy and on the island of Sardinia.

He actually invented Heliography which earliest known permanent photograph from nature.

The process of Heliography is coating on glass or metal, which hardened in relation to exposure to light. When the plate was washed with oil of lavender, only the hardened image area remained.

He actually used camera obscura for capture the scene. He placed the sheet inside a camera obscura to capture the picture, and after 8 hours later, he removed the sheet and washed with oil of lavender only hardened image area.

Now, we recognized his “heliographic” process as the first successful example of ‘photography.’ However, at that time, he only got little credit from French government, even though French Government purchased his invention.

Through his invention, he actually worked with the light. He created image on a light-sensitive surface, by the action of light. He had goals that using the light look color correctly. Even though he figured out eventually, he had to work with UV and other sources of lighting. Also he want steady shot so he also worked with camera obscura.

This image is the first known as photograph.

Recreation of dream

Before I tell you my dream story, I have to say that I am a 'Dream' person. Almost every night, I dreamed about something. Even though I have sweet dream stories, first I thought about my one of creepy dream. 

It was really long time ago (when I was in kindergarten). As usual, I went to bed and try to sleep. I still don't know whether this is dream or real happen. I woke up because of the sound, 'eh, oh,eh,oh...'. I was kept calling my cousin's name because we spent time together on that day. I thought my cousin joking around. He didn't answer my call and I came down from my bed and I opened the door little bit. When I opened my room door, green light came into my room. I still believe this is real happening.

Mother

Composition: I took it at my house kitchen. Using a model, my mom, I was thinking about take photos of who I really know well. I asked her to wear apron and stand middle of kitchen. Because of some potteries and her apron setting, that gives the idea to figure out her job, housewife. I set the light in front of her and focused on her face. There is also high contrast between values.

Concept/Idea: I wanted to show what mothers usually doing in the kitchen. They are usually wearing apron, washing dishes, cooking, cleaning, and so on.

Method: Nothing special method but setting up her costume (only wearing apron top of her clothes), change the location for shooting, kitchen. Along with the setting, I shoot it in different angle and I end it up with this image.

Motivation: Simply, I wanted to show what moms doing often time. Most of people said that when mother working on something in the kitchen, she become the most beautiful woman in the world (I just heard, not quite sure though). Therefore, I wanted to take some photos of my mom while she is in the kitchen.

Context: I personally like the natural shot but when I was taking this photo, I was really sensitive about the setting. Depends on how I angle, the setting changed totally different. Also the wall on the right side of image, I was really worried about not being straight. However, since I had to show her arms and other stuff, I need to take it as that angle eventually. What I want to talk about is, since different setting makes different expression in photographs, setting is huge part in photography.

Mother

Composition: Sitting on the couch more comfortable way. Using light stand left side of her sitting. Focus on her face and background out of focus. Make it huge contrast between color of couch and her clothes color and her hair color.

Concept/Idea: Another shot that wanted to express the moment of her life. Even though the model is my ‘mother’ I was thinking about her as a ‘woman.’ Being a woman in this world, she has stories and she has emotion to express. I want to capture that moment and convey to viewers.

Method: Setting up the light left side of her sitting. I asked her to do not look at the camera. While she sitting, I just took it photo many times and I’ve got this photo.

Motivation: Again, my motivation is all about the relationship between me and my mother. Also, I want to show her real moment without the nickname of ‘Mother.’ Being a woman, I want to see and observe her thoughts, emotions and everything by using camera.

Context: After I saw this final image, I amazed by what she has done for my project. I think this image definitely tells that she has her own life rather than her ‘mother-being life.’ This photo not only makes me understand her thoughts or life but also viewers can understand along with my explanation that people have their own life even though they have their own occupation or own nickname.

Mother

Composition:  I took this photo at my house living room. I used my mother for my ‘Portrait Assignment’ model. In this image, she is sitting on the couch and looking at the side of my living room. I used the light comes from back side of her sitting. Focus on her torso.

Concept/Idea: I actually took her photos a lot and I just gave her some kind of theme and she expressed(or not) I want to shoot it not only warm feeling but also some other feeling that she might feels every day.

Method: Setting up the light on her back side and I ordered her to look at where she wants except camera. I tried to shoot natural shot that contains the emotion of her life.

Motivation: Even though the fundamental motivation is my longing towards her. However, I also want to know her more deep inside. Even though I always talk to her and hanging out with her, I feel like I need to know her more than as a ‘Mother’. I wanted to know who this woman is, rather than my mom is like…… I hope you understand what I’m explaining…

Context: From this image, I think it would be great to have some specific background that can show her moment in detail. Kitchen can be good but since I want to show the image of woman, I would like to show her in different position. Just a normal woman but after women got married, their name is change as ‘mother.’ I want to show her as ‘before mother’ even though she already used to live in mother life. 

Mother

Composition:  I took this photo at my house living room. I used my mother for my ‘Portrait Assignment’ model. Even though I was setting up studio light stands on the floor, this image didn’t contain dramatic expression. Using close up shot and focus on her face then out of focus on the background.

Concept/Idea: Simply, I really want to take my family’s portraits. Since my mother currently visiting my house for a while, I wanted to take photos of my mom. There wasn’t specific concept but I wanted to express some kind of warm feeling. I kept asking her smile while I was taking zoom set.

Method: I set up the light where she facing in this image. So.. Simply, she is looking at the light stand in this picture. I was standing very close to her and I captured her smile. Even though she didn’t like wrinkles in this image, I think that helps to convey warm and natural feeling to viewers.

Motivaton: I’m living in the United States about 6 years right now. Since my mother and I barely meet( which is not normal situations) each other, I want to capture her face, movements and others about her. My longing motivated to take my mother’s portraits.

Context: Many professional photographers and non-professional photographers are taking their families photos for their portraits work. People always want to capture their personal life, issues and moment. Through their photos, viewers can understand what photographers’ circumstances and motivations. 

Blog Prompt #15

In-Camera Collage: Collage brings together two or more items that were previously separate. The resulting piece usually visually references the fact that they were once separate entities. Imagine an important place in your past. Imagine an important place in your present. Imagine who you were in both of these past and present places. 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.

I might use my photos of my favorite arboretum which located Kyung Ki province, South Korea for my past and current would be Lake Lansing Park which located at East Lansing, Michigan, U.S. The reason for that is because, it's huge change between my youth and present. I came to the United States by alone on 2005 and I was 15 years old. Before 15, I have been so protected and so warm to live. However, when I get here, I learned so many things and I realized many things that I didn't realized before. So, I want to show the difference between my residential area. 

Blog Prompt # 14

Unknown vs. Familiar Space: When photography was invented, it became a way to document and reveal the specific aspects of both familiar and faraway places. Imagine a familiar place. Imagine a faraway place. How would you use photographs to convey the difference? Can you imagine any places that have been “touched” very little by humans? How might you photograph them?


I think the 'familiar place' photographs will contain my portrait and I will focus on specific subject with my hand or other parts of my body. But the faraway place photographs will contain only the natural setting and I would take it as wide shot. I can find many places that have been touched very little by human in Michigan. For example, since Michigan has lots of snow days, there are many ground that didn't destroy by human footprint or any other marks. I might photograph that setting as using sunlight to look shiny and using wide shot, I want to express pureness of nature.

Blog Prompt # 13

Human-Made Space: In the past, photographers who were interested in how humans impacted the natural landscape grouped together to form the New Topographics. “"New Topographics" signaled the emergence of a new photographic approach to landscape: romanticization gave way to cooler appraisal, focused on the everyday built environment and more attuned to conceptual concerns of the broader art field.”
In addition, at the same time in history artists created (and still do create) “land art” in which they use materials found in the landscape to make sculptures that remain in the landscape. Many of these works now only exist as video recordings and photographic documents.

Pay attention to the number of ways in which you encounter humans’ interaction with nature and the physical land. Write these down. Using these as inspiration, describe an idea for a piece of “land art” that you might create that would be documented by a photograph. Describe an idea for a piece of “land art” that you might make in a man-made landscape that would be documented by a photograph.

I personally think that built environment photographs are more conceptual and I can tell it's fake when I compare with natural landscape photographs. I'm not meaning that photographs of building or architectures are not great enough or not beautiful enough but compare with nature, I think there is a fake. Also architectures can be interpret as opaque and natural landscape can interpret as transparency. It's not negative interpretation. I never thought about "land art" but only natural landscape photography. 
Land art which man-made landscape can be different than building or architectural photography. Architecture photography can be more focus on construction and often use materials like cooper, iron. However, 'land art' which normally use and constructed by sand, leaves, gravel, flowers, and wood, express totally different feeling and meaning. Compare with architecture, land scape has the meaning more nature but architecture or building landscape gives the idea of modern and latest fashion. 
Along with the idea of nature, I think I don't want to make it but there are many places that made by wind, wave, water and other natural affects. I want to take photos of those natural construction by nature. Along with natural construction, I might put some colors of flower between holes that make look vividly and lively. 

Blog Prompt #12

Memory of a Photograph: Which photograph from your past do you remember most? Describe this photograph. Describe how it makes you feel when you remember/think about this photograph. How have you changed? How has the place in this photograph changed? What would a reenactment of this photograph look like? Would you act or look differently if you reenacted this scene today?




I can tell, I have tons of album that contains my life until now. It's hard to choose but I might choose One photo that took it by my father. The background story of my photo is,,, On that time, few months ago, my parents visited the United States for business and they came back with whole bunch of presents. They bought for me pink summer dress and brown Pocahontas hat. Few months later, when summer season came, my family went to resort. At the resort, my father and I went up to ski mountain which covered by clean green grasses. My father brought camera and took photos of me. I believe I was really happy at that moment and I remember the weather was great to stay outside. When I look at that photo, I can clearly see that I am happy. 
Compare between present and past, I changed too much. I think I became knew what I need to consider for my life but at that moment, I didn't know anything about stuff that I need to think about right now. 
Also, I feel like right now, I can't smile big enough like that time. Definitely my heigh changed and face changed little bit too. 
I might change my face expression and emotion if I go there and re take it my photo with my father. Still, I will be happy but I probably think about my father as who I am supposed to protect and I need to care about which definitely change over time. 

Blog Prompt #11

Memory of a Place: Try to imagine a place from your past. Do you have pictures of this place? Describe this place as you remember it. What might a photograph look like of this place if you were to go back and photograph it? What would it look like in the past? What would it look like to you today? Where are you standing in this place? What other items are in this place? What colors do you see? Are there other people or are you alone? Make a “written photograph” of this place using words/description.

Even thought I have countless places that have my memories, I would choose the play ground in front of my house. On 2000, I moved to different county in Seoul. When I moved there, everything was new. While my parents started unpacking, I went out and found out play ground in front of my house. It was public play ground and looked very old.  I was sitting on the swing chair and listened music( I brought CD player with me when I went out). It was very little play ground that only had three swing chairs and one seesaw. I believe it was 5pm and sky was getting darker and darker. Since I was stay there by alone, first I felt excitement and enjoyment but at the same time, I was really scary about being alone. 

If I can go back to that moment and take photos of that place, I would take few photos of swing chairs far away from swings Also, I would take photos of sky; because when I played on the swing(while listen to music), I naturally looked at the sky. If I was young and take photos of that place, I might use black and white color or orange-ish color because of light from stand light. 

If I can go back there right now, I definitely take photos of swings and seesaw and I would take photos of children playing around at the play ground when sunset. Also,  I would set up some specific situation. For example, I might put earplug and CD player on the swing chair. Or I might use a child as my model and ask her to just sitting there with face down. I think this would express my emotion on that time. I might use real vivid color or I would use black and white. 

Portrait

Matt

Elina Brotherus

 Elina Brotherus

She was born in Finland in 1972 and she lives between Helsinki and Paris.

She began studying photographic art in 1995 when she is in science major in University. She has Master Degree in chemistry and she figured out she has tremendous burst of creativity inside of her mind.

Elina is one of Finland’s best-known artists. Her work deals with her own personal circumstances, and self-portrait. Her main goals for in her photographs are vulnerability and agoraphobia.

I had hard time to pick one photograph from her work.  

According to her interview, she mentioned that her works is almost all about her life. She took wedding portraits because she got married and she took divorce portraits because she got divorced. She usually inspires by her personal circumstances. However, it's very creative and enough to attract viewers. 

Still, I want to show more about her works but this is what I choose.

Model Study1 photograph by Elina Brotherus.

Before I write about technical stuff, I want to write about the reason why I choose her for my favorite contemporary portrait photographer.

Since, my favorite artist is Andrew Wyeth, when I saw her works, it reminds me Andrew Wyeth’s works. Using abstract explanation, both Andrew and Elina has wind, solitude, memories, nature, and life inside of their work. Technically, I felt that they have similar tones of color even though the medium is different (painting and photography).

This ‘Model Study1’ created in 2002, which is her 6-edition photography work.

According to her explanation about this ‘Model Studies’ series, she mentioned that this is neither about personal stories nor a documentary about someone’s life. She concentrated in more technical things like, light, colors, the rhythm of the masses and to subject matters with classical notions.  The reason why figure turns her back is because Elina wants to give the peaceful contemplation. 

I totally got the peaceful concept from this image. However, I personally thought about the loneliness from her shoulder. Also because of the color of her coat, it gives coldness and sadness too. 

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


It is true that painting record only what the painter remembers. Through painting there is lack of explanation. However, photography tells more history of not only ourselves but also the world in details. Each people have different memories so it is hard to interpreted with only one painting. However, because of real situation, in photographs, we can catch more clear information and memories from photograph.

Blog Prompt #9

“You don't take a photograph, you make it.” ~Ansel Adams



I think this quote tells the actual photography. Even though we are just taking the photos. We make the setting, emotion, action and other circumstances to express specific concept. There is huge difference between make it and take it. Artistically, I think photography is more about 'make it' progress. I believe that photography is also one of the most great medium that tells the aesthetic creativity. Therefore, I totally agree with Ansel's quote.

 

Blog Prompt #8

My portraits are more about me than they are about the people I photograph.” ~Richard Avedon.


It's little bit confused when I read his quote but I think he tells that his portrait works tells more about him than the people he photograph. I forgot the number of prompt but I mentioned earlier that before taking somebody's portrait, we should know that person enough so that helps to capture more than just a person. However, after I read Richard Avedon's quote, I also agree with his idea that photography can be for other people but also it comes from photographers' mind and thought so, it's all about photographer's matter.