#19. Can you think of anything that:

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

1. I think it's important to be conscious of the feelings of the people being photographed and those viewing the images. For example Felice Beato photographed many dead Chinese people during the Opium war. Those photos were well received by the British however were insensitive to those effected by those deaths. In these types of circumstances I think photography is an unnecessary truth.  

2. Though some ideals and spiritual ideologies cannot physically be photographed many photographers have found ways to represent the unseen. For example it is impossible to photograph thoughts however by staging facial expressions and different scenes many can interpret the thoughts of those being photographed. Photography has advanced to the point that almost anything can be photographed or represented.



3. Again, I would not want to photograph anything that would hurt someone emotionally. Many photographers have gone above and beyond to demonstrate ideals or photograph truthful images. However, I would not want to upset someone by the images I take.

 #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 plan to take photos of my Uncles theater. It's a very recognizable place with the big screen and the staggered seating. Though I'm excited about the kind of angles I can create with this typical place.
• An image of a fantasy/fictitious environment concocted from your imagination.
• It would be fun to create an image with a cookie house. I know there are boxed kits that allow you to create houses out of candy and cookies. It would be interesting to photograph the image as a real house. It would play with the imagination and make one think about if houses were made of candy.
• An image of a placeless space such as the Internet, cell phones, e-mail, e-bank, surveillance, etc.
• the simple way to create this image would be to take a photo of a cell phone an image of an email or the physical computer. It would be interesting to edit the photo in such a way to create the idea of motion in that object. This motion could indicate the power and principle each of these objects have
• An image of a public space.
• The public space I would like to take a photo of is a coffee shop. The lighting is always somewhat diffused and its usually a calming space.
• An image of a private space.
• A private space to photograph could be my shower. After seeing many of the images of faucets displayed in this class it could be interesting to see the type of photos I could take of a shower head faucet. The fall of the water and the spacial differences could create unique photos
• 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 may photograph a man alone on a bench. This gives the impression of out of placeness or that he is lost. I think his expression would have to be one of looking out and he may be facing the opposite direction of the camera. This may even give an impression of movement, like he is looking for somewhere to go.

Blog Prompt #16-18

“I believe in the imagination. What I cannot see is infinitely more important than what I can see.” Duane Michals

I like this quote because it emphasizes the importance of creativity. So much of the world is consumed on what they can see feel and touch, which can sometimes restrict us creatively. Michals appeals and challenges artists to focus on the unknown rather than relying on sight. 

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

Abbott has an interesting opinion on the permanency of photographs. She states that once the photo has been taken it immediately becomes part of the past. I agree with Abbott, though photos can attempt to be recreated it is difficult/near impossible to take the same photo twice. In class, we have been asked to make a recreation of a memory. Though images are similar to the time period they are referring to, they tend to not emulate the memory to the fullest. Photos are past after they have been captured, that's what makes photography so unique - it can capture time.

 “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

Michals has direct view of what art and photography should be. He wants the photo to have a purpose to it. He wants the artwork to affect the person who views it by enlightening them in some way.

I disagree with Michals. I think that art always has an effect on someone. I don’t think that art can necessarily be something everyone already knows. To each his own when it comes to art. What one person gets out of an image another may get something completely different. So the art he complains about is nonexistent.

Recreation of a memory

I did a recreation of a typical day at home. My dog has been taught not to beg but has not given up hope. My family is pretty messy when it comes to food so Miles, my dog, frequently finds our mishaps on the floor. In this image he is scaling out the kitchen for food.

I put this image in black and white and in color because although I think the black and white accomplishes more artistic goals the color version captures my memory better. The red rug and the wood floor are the colors in my kitchen and to me it feels homey.

Historical Photographer

Auguste - Rosalie Bisson

Born 1826 in Paris France

Died 1900 Paris France

Came from a family of photographers
- father and brother

Took many expeditions to photograph various places

First to take pictures from the summit of Mont Blanc

Known for landscape photography

I originally picked this photo because they looked to me like toy soldiers. On closer speculation they were people in dark shadows. But I thought the play of light and zoom was interesting in this photo. The people almost disappear in the crevices of the rock, which give us an idea of how big the mountains are. 

Contemporary Photographer

I choose David Spero as my historic photographer.

He was born in 1963

Graduated from Royal College of Art in London

Here are a few images from his Garden series:

The pictures were taken from a North London flat over a long period of time. He photographed while there were different owners and throughout the seasons. Many of his photos are used to document time or variations. In the garden collection he documents time, while other collections document different types of things. For example he does a series on living rooms which documents many types of living rooms. He keeps close to the themes he creates.

http://www.davidspero.co.uk/imagepages/garden/001garden.html

Assignment #2

Caught

I wanted to create an image that had a bright central focus with darker edges. I was happy with the expression on his face. I think it played nicely into creating a feeling of calmness, as if he had been caught for a crime he had committed. 

February

This photo was taken during the first snow day Michigan State University has had in over thirty years. I wanted the subject to be dressed for the occasion. The bare trees in the background made a nice background for the asymmetrical layout of this photo. I made the focal point in the far right hand corner of the photo to create this layout.

       

Face Off

In this photo I wanted to have equal focus throughout the frame while keeping the primary focus on the subject. The intense gaze catches your attention but there was no blur in the frame. The photo was broken evenly with the person the rails and the doorway.

Winter Color

I added a splash of color to this otherwise black and white photo. The small dashes of red in the left corner to the full color house in the right corner add interest to the photo. I kept the person in this photo blurry and almost unnoticed. I like that he faded into the background.

Written Statement Part 2:

If I were to redo this project I would make my images more diverse. Two of my images had very similar facial expressions which I didn't really realize till I had the prints out in front of me.

Also,

I may have added a piece of color to all the images to create a better sense of unity.

Blog Prompt #11

#11____Memory of a Place: 

The place I thought of photographing is the cottage we used to rent out on Platte Lake. The cottage is near Traverse City Michigan and is a great vacation spot during the summer. As a family we rented one cottage and my aunt, uncle, grandparents and cousins rented the cottages next door. The cottages were pretty old but styled in a way that made them feel quant.If I could go back and photograph the images would be full or people and sunshine. The lake was extremely blue and sandy. 


I went back recently to that same cottage and they had made a lot of improvements on it. The cottages were larger and repainted. At the time no one was staying at them so they seemed almost lonely. This is nothing like how I remember the old rickety cottages that housed my entire family. 

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#12____Memory of a Photograph: 


The photograph I remember most is of a picture of my family in Hawaii. My dad took it from the roof of the hotel and it contains my brother sister mother and I. We're tossing a frisbee to each other. We all look so happy in the blue water with the palm trees surrounding us. (I should really move to a sunnier climate ). Not a lot has changed since the photo was taken other then the fact we have grown up. The waves may not have knocked us completely over since we've all grown in height. But reflecting on the vacation I think we would have a round two of frisbee. 

#13____Human-Made Space: 

In my home town of Grand Ledge theres a place called 'the corey' which used to be a cement pit. The pit is now filled with water and ledges surround it. The man- made cement pit which has now been covered by nature has turned into a unique and beautiful place to go. This would be an interesting piece of land art to photograph since some of the man made cement still surfaces in some parts of the giant pond. 

#14____Unknown vs. Familiar Space:

I think of Diana's artist presentation when thinking about this question. Her artist photographed Chanel handbags and the differences in their worth here in America and in France, the fashion capital of the world. The photographer showed us through a stream of images how different items of fashion are presented uniquely in different countries. If I were to do a project to show differences in places I would try to find a common item found in both such as a Chanel bag or a food chain such as Mcdonalds and see the differences in how those common items and places are treated.

#15_ Collage 


If I were to create an in-camera collage I think I would unite the images of various friends I've had. Each one of my elementary to college friends have made an impact on the person I have become today. Using a slow shutter speed I would an image of many of my friends and make a collage like image. 

Recreation #2

 

Biography: This artist was unknown

Significance:This photo is significance to me due to its demonstration of innocence. It gives me a sense of peace. Ironically, the photo is titled 'dead child', so the artist may have had a different intention.

Composition: The child is centered in the photo creating a direct focal point. In my recreation I positioned my focal point differently. I wanted a more asymmetrical photo so I placed the subject higher in the frame.

Motivation: I wanted a similar feeling to my photo, peaceful and innocent. I used my younger sister, though she didn't appreciate modeling in her sleep, as a model in this photo. After taking this image at different angles I found that I liked the ones with the focal point off- center best.
My Recreation:  Again, I wanted to create a peaceful photo using a similar subject at a more unique angle.

In Class Activity

Contemporary Portrait Photographer

 

Bio

Larry Sultan was born in New York in 1946

Attended San Francisco Art Institute in 1973

Got his B.A. at University of California in 1968

He was known for his play on human stereotypes and personal opinions resounding through his photographs.

In this photo he uses the common mother and daughter having a calm disagreement.

His use of perspective and framing make this photo fun to look at

I think his goal was to create a dynamic photo of mother/grandmother and daughter. How they may not see eye to eye but are still together. Stuck together in love and their relationship.

I really like a lot of Larry Sultans work. many of his pieces are comical as well as entertaining to look at. He uses many celebrities in his work and it's interesting to see them in such unique settings. His ideals ring though his imagery and I enjoyed looking at his work

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


This statement could be true for most amateur photographers. My mother takes pictures to capture her kids growing up. These pictures are rarely rehearsed and they look very natural. Though she has control of what images to capture she spends no time trying to create an image, she lets the pictures happen. This type of record of our youth is contradicts paintings, since the pictures are real and unbiased.  John Bergers statement works well with amateur artists however those trying to make a point or use photography in a way to convey something more would disagree.

Though John Berger makes a good argument, its important to remember that the photographer has ultimate control over what the viewer sees. The photographer chooses what to capture and at what point to capture it.  Many times photographers use imagery as a way to convey something more or deeper. The motive of the photographer must always be in question when observing photography

Blog Prompt #9

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



Ansel Adams is referring to photography as a form of art. Though the subjects and objects in the photo already exist photography has the power to change how those objects appear. By using modification techniques and various angles an object can portray anything the photographer wants it to.

Blog Prompt #8

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

I like this statement because it captures the true motives of a photographer. The point for most photographers is to capture a certain moment or to prove a point, which doesnt always mean that the subject in the photo is flattered by the image. For most photographers those being photographed are props, merely used to demonstrate a deeper meaning.