blog promt #24

James Casebere

Victor Schrager

Final 4 Popular

Composition: I took this image from miniature figures of the history of Egypt. I used macro setting to capture this image and I ended up with this image. Focusing on only few figures and after took this image, I adjusted little bit with the color ( to make it brighter and vivid)


Concept: What was thinking was capturing postcard image. Even though it didn't match with my idea perfectly, I like what I got for final. I was trying to concentrate on the color when I did this set and I satisfy with what I got for color.


Method: Focus on only few figures of whole and I took it when I could reach as close as I can toward figures. Zoom all the way in and shoot it various angles and I ended up with this image for my final.


Motivation: When I look at this miniature construction of the history of Egypt, I really liked about the colors. I thought that it organized well on color. 


Concept: It was really interesting exercise that capturing miniature figures. I saw many photos that deals with miniature figures and balancing with real figures. I think it gives that kind of idea. 

Final 3 Popular

Composition: low angle camera shot so that shows both book pages and the sky. The orientation of this image is 'still life' setting photography. I used window, book and sky for my background setting. After I took it, I used Photoshop to make it softer than original image.


Concept: The concept is polaroid photography and I want to express the feeling of calm, peaceful, fresh, and cool breeze.


Method: Used low angle shot and I used Photoshop to make it look softer and brighter and it helped me to show my thought better than original photo.


Context: This image deals with calm, fresh, peaceful moment of our life, I am hoping that this image gives viewers peaceful moment. Many photographers do polaroid look like photography. I think using polaroid photography expression gives the best expression of nostalgia.

Final 2 Popular

Composition : Focusing on the book and make depth of field between book and the background. Only used natural light that come from the window. I choose a book that has similar color with the weather and the color of sky.


Concept: I was thinking about polaroid photography for my idea. I tried to set my setting and colors as vintage theme.


Method: I picked one of book from library and I set on the window shelf. I was focusing on the title of the book and it gave me depth of field view.


Motivation: My motivation for this image is polaroid photography and the color of polaroid. When you look at polaroid image, you can recognize that need of color correction and need to be sharpen. However, I think vintage color, blur effect and other characteristics of polaroid photography give enough attraction to viewer and I think that's the reason why people still want to use polaroid.


Context: Through this image, I want to convey some kind of nostalgia and pureness feeling. Nothing special meaning but the image as itself gives the mood of memories. The only thing that I'm concerning about is the text. If the text gives the hint of interpretation to viewer, I think it might gives the clear thoughts to viewers and also attract them more.

Blog Prompt #23

1. In what ways do you “construct” your identity? In what ways do you “perform” in your daily life?

- I think this is kind of bad way but... I am keep thinking myself alone... It's really hard to find the answers but.. I actually don't like about having deep conversation with someone therefore, I am usually construct myself by alone. Performing.... I think 'thinking' is the most usual way of performing in my life. 

2. Describe some ways in which your personal culture and social environments are “constructed”.

- Coming to the United State changed my life environment whole lot. I think social environment made me change to live in different thought or point of view than other people who live in my country. My personal culture has been changing over and over again. I think it's because of too much thinking about myself. I am not talking about care about myself but... after I came here, I always care about self-realization. 

3. Describe some ways in which your physical environment/space is “constructed”.

- The way my physical environment/space can constructed would be simply, every place that I visit. Not only every moment but every place that I visit gave me inspiration and it helped me to construct my identity and helped me to be more mature person.

4. In your daily life, what would you consider to be “real” and what would you consider to be “constructed/fabricated”?

- I think 'real me' always live inside of me. I can't show other people...... it's not because of I am a bad person but because of my memories.... I am kind of hard to believe somebody. Having conversation with someone I don't know can be fabricated moment in my life. I can't show them my character right away because they are not my friend...

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).

- "Every day of our life... we live in real moment but at the same time.. we live in constructed moment.."

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).

- I think the photographs that include miniature stage or still life gives the idea of third person point of view. As we looking at the photos of still ife or miniature stage, not only we sympathizing but also thinking about their own condition. For example, I saw a photo that shows all the Barbies.  First time when I looked at it, I was flashing back to my youth life but after thinking, I was try to think about Barbie's point of view... what are they thinking and what are they trying to say??.

Final 1 Popular

Composition: I placed my camera as close as to the subject (mask). Focusing on the mask and it ended up having depth of field view. As it is, there is huge contrast in value. Therefore, I wasn't much worry about contrast for this image. I only used spot light from the museum ceiling.

Concept: No special concept for this image but I was try to capture the mood and the characteristic of this specific mask. 

Method: When I was checking out mask exhibition at the museum, I wanted to capture some different masks' expressions. I took it almost every camera angles and I ended up with this close up shot. I cropped little bit so that helps to attract more viewers.

Motivation: The reason why I wanted to take some photos of mask is because I inspired by one of my favorite drama's synopsis. This drama is talking about masks, arts and other artistic subjects. 

Context: To me, this image gives me some kind of sadness feeling. Looks like person inside of the mask is crying right now. This photo is open interpretation photo so that viewers can interpret this photo as what they want and what they had feel from this photo

Blog Prompt #22

It is true that photography is printing medium but it will change when it deals with CG. I am totally agree with CG is limitless but it needs to be a more attractive subject to viewers. Since the moto of society has been changed to groundbreaking, simple and easy, photography should develop as society change. I think this is great method to make photography survive in this world.

recreation

Recreation image

Since the topic is popular media.. I was thinking about magazine actually. I went to library to check out some magazine photographs but I inspired by different idea.
when I looked at magazines and book covers, those were old and damaged from this moment, I decided to use the idea of new and old for my recreation. I stacked books and captured and I changed to black and white so that gives the idea of more 'old books'.
My original image is more like a new and up-to-date magazine images but I just want to show the meaning of popular media, one of the most passionate medium but at the same time one of the most waste medium in this world...

written assignment part 2

 Interpretation: My classmates gave me I’m usually capturing similar lighting image. For example, tone down images,  warm feeling images. I didn’t mean to use similar setting of lighting but because I think I am capturing what I want to capture, it gives viewers to  same idea or same expression. 

Evaluation: For this topic, place, I think I did well on capturing the representation of specific place. However, I think I need to be more creative image capturing instead only capture what I saw generally. I think I need to observe more the subject that I want to take photos.

Extension: I might want to focus on some color contrast images like what I did for my library image. Also using some black and white, I want to keep trying on contrast.

extras..

Place 4

Composition : I took this photo at Owen Hall. Emphasizing the contemporary construction shapes and used indoor light.

Concept: For this photo, the concept is contemporary. Even though I love contemporary art works, to me, it’s very hard subject. Therefore, I wanted to capture some contemporary place.  

Method: As constructed, it gave us the idea of contemporary; however, I wanted to make it more sharpy and more urban feeling. So, I changed the color from yellowish to bluish and make it huge contrast between dark side and light side.

Motivation: Simply, my motivation came from challenge. I love contemporary and I really enjoy going to contemporary museum. However, to me it is very difficult subject to try out. To me contemporary seems like closer to urban place so I was looking for some urban-looking space. I took several photos of constructions, building and I ended up with this photo.

Context: Even though I mentioned that I was trying to capture some contemporary moment, but I think I capture some urban place and there is huge differences and wrong interpretation between contemporary and urban. Therefore I need to working on more to figure out the meaning of contemporary.

Place 3

Composition : Zoom in and emphasizing the flower peak and it made depth of field. I used only natural lighting. 

Concept: I used the concept of spring. At that time, I’m waiting spring season so badly so I wanted to express the season of spring. It was hard to find out specific spring moment but I was pretty happy with what I found. Even though snow is still covering the ground, trees are preparing for the spring. 

Method: Nothing special but zoom all the way in to emphasize the flower peak.  Also, I used photoshop software to make peak color brighter.

Motivation: As I mentioned at concept part, I thought about spring. I was looking for the place that shows early spring. I was walking down the street and I found out the moment that explains early spring season.

Context: Capturing the moment of nature need sensibility. Many photographers capturing beautiful moment of nature and I think this is very time-consuming job but at the same time one of the most memorable job in the world. I usually taking photos of nature subjects and I think it helped me to improve my sensibility.

Place 2

Composition :  I went to main library fourth floor and I found the section that covered by yellow LPs and I found the one light blue LP cover. I thought that color of yellow and light blue match each other perfectly; I just pulled out half part of light blue LP and took it with natural light.

Concept: For this image, I focused on the color. The lemon-yellow color was very attractive and the light blue gave me some kind of nostalgia feeling.

Method: As I mentioned above, I tried to focus on lemon-yellow color and I found out light blue cover LP. I want to combine together for my image. Therefore, I pulled out half part of light blue cover LP and tried to show up both color together.

Motivation: When I was thinking about the topic, Place, I wanted to capture some artistic area.  I went some museum and auditorium. However, it just gave me ‘ART’ and that wasn’t what I want. I mean I want to capture the moment of art but I don’t want to capture the ‘complete art place.’ (Sorry for the lack of explanation.) I went to library to take a break actually and I was thinking about art department library. I went upstairs and looking for art, music books. I thought that fourth floor of main library is the place that I was looking for.

Context:  Many photographers using color for their expression; especially, using vivid color. Even though the main topic is ‘place’ I used color for express the moment of that place. 

Place 1

 

Composition :  I went to main library fourth floor and I found the section that covered by yellow LPs and I found the one light blue LP cover. I thought that color of yellow and light blue match each other perfectly; I just pulled out half part of light blue LP and took it with natural light.

Concept: For this image, I focused on the color. The lemon-yellow color was very attractive and the light blue gave me some kind of nostalgia feeling.

Method: As I mentioned above, I tried to focus on lemon-yellow color and I found out light blue cover LP. I want to combine together for my image. Therefore, I pulled out half part of light blue cover LP and tried to show up both color together.

Motivation: When I was thinking about the topic, Place, I wanted to capture some artistic area.  I went some museum and auditorium. However, it just gave me ‘ART’ and that wasn’t what I want. I mean I want to capture the moment of art but I don’t want to capture the ‘complete art place.’ (Sorry for the lack of explanation.) I went to library to take a break actually and I was thinking about art department library. I went upstairs and looking for art, music books. I thought that fourth floor of main library is the place that I was looking for.

Context:  Many photographers using color for their expression; especially, using vivid color. Even though the main topic is ‘place’ I used color for express the moment of that place. 

( Same written with first image)

Judith Golden (semi-contemporary)

Judith Golden grew up on Southern part of Chicago. Her life environment affect her works a lot. As a child, she attended Art institute of Chicago as B.F.A degree and she attended graduate school at University of California at Davis. When she was in California, the funk movement, often irreverent and humorous made her  to start work with self-portrait, role-playing and caricatures spoofing media.

In1980, she accepted a faculty position at University of Arizona, Tucson. In this year, she inspired by Native American's rituals. This became the basis for her images which has the explanation of connection between human and nature. 

Golden explores the intersections between reality and illusion by mixing traditional techniques and contemporary cultural references, handwork and technology, rational discovery and uncharted flights of fantasy. 

                                          I make images because they are my reason to be, because I must.   

   Judith Golden 

Philippe Halsman (Historical)

Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993)
Philippe Halsman
Gelatin silver print, 1954
National Portrait Gallery
Image Copyright the Estate of Philippe Halsman

Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962)
Philippe Halsman
Gelatin silver print, 1952
National Portrait Gallery
Image Copyright the Estate of Philippe Halsman

Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986)
Philippe Halsman
Gelatin silver print, 1967
Halsman Family Collection
Image Copyright the Estate of Philippe Halsman

Duke (1894-1972)
and Duchess (1896-1986)
of WindsorPhilippe Halsman
Gelatin silver print, 1956
Halsman Family Collection
Image Copyright the Estate of Philippe Halsman

Philippe Halsman (1906-1979) was born in Riga, Latvia. He actually studied engineering but after he moved to Paris, he studied photography and opened his own studio in 1932.
His portraits of actors, actresses, authors have strong and vivid feeling that attracted many other people. He usually worked with fashion magazine and also private commission. 
During the summer of 1940, when Hitler's troop invaded Paris, He and his family tried to immigrate to America but he didn't get a visa because he had Latvia citizenship. However, make a story shorter, since his sister met Albert Einstein around 1920s, he obtained permission to enter United States. 
He began working with magazine, Life. At that time, magazine, Life was only 6 years old. 
In Paris, Halsman studied the work of other artists and photographers, especially the surrealists, from whom he learned to make images that surprised his viewers.Halsman met Dali on assignment in 1941, and over the next three decades they became partners on many projects
Halsman enjoyed comparing his work to that of a good psychologist who regards his subjects with special insight. 
Halsman also pursued this project to discover something about himself. 
He also used Jumpology idea. When Halsman compared these comic images to more traditional portraits, he found that comedians often jumped and always stayed in character. Desperation (and good humor) finally drove him to ask others to jump.