in-progress critique

Corinne Day

 Corinne Day (1965-2010) was an influential photographer who pushed the style known as grunge and gave a hard edged documentary look into fashion photography.  She was a self taught photographer who was known to grow long and close relaitonships with many of her models, including Kate Moss.  She became a highly sought photographer, regularly commissioned by British, Italian and Japanese Vogue, often incorporating biographical material/concepts into her shoots. Her work has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate Modern, Saatchi Gallery, The Science Museum, The design Museum, Photographers Gallery, Gimpel Fils London and included in The Andy Warhol exhibition at the Whitney Museum NY.  Unfortunately, Corinne Day passed away on Friday 27th August at 4pm peacefully at home, after a long illness.

I was interested by Corinne Day's interesting take on women's bodies.  Many images cause the model's body to appear extremely large in comparison to the set, distorted, or broken, yet the image is still beautiful. Her works display a wide range of style, between her crisp studio shots and the soft glow of the Summer days series. 

Entries #5, 6, and 7

#5 “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







I feel that, as according to Edward Steichen, photography is a major force in explaining man to man.  An image well captured can describe and record emotions and feelings that cannot be described in words.  It allows us to communicate with those of the past, by seeing images from history.  Having heard of the myth that a photograph takes a piece of one's soul, i wondered a bit at the idea behind it.  I understand the importance that Mary Ellen Mark is emphasizing on honesty in photography, so that you the individual in a portrait may shine.  However, i feel that sometimes it is not necessary to inform the subject of your exact thoughts when taking a photo because sometimes it is that element of the unknown that can change the outcome.

#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 think that it can be beneficial in correcting minor flaws in complexion or softening edges that seem awkward.  I think it is ethical to a certain extent, however there is a limit.  I feel that it is inappropriate and unethical to digitally alter the size or shape of one's body to what is "ideal".  It creates a false image/representation of the subject, and has the possibility to create impossible or unhealthy ideas among those influenced by the image.  I also believe that photography shouldn't rely on digital alterations, but on the ability to capture the beauty that already exists in a subject.

#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 see photographic portraits most often on facebook, billboards, magazines and advertisements. They exist all around campus, school, and at home.  The portraits i see on facebook may be snapshots of an event, candid shots, or posed.  Those on magazines and advertisements are often set up to sell a product, emphasizing on the product not on the person.  The viewpoint of the photographer is typically at a 3rd person observing point of view for the news, capturing candid moments or events in action in order to report what is or has happened. The viewpoint of a photographer on facebook varies, because the "intent" of the photographer isn't necessarily to tell a story about what happened in one image. They can be goofy photos from a webcam, just for fun, or they could be posed images from a night out, to record important stuff like everyone's cute outfits... :P

Recreate (Portrait)

I chose to recreate a studio image by Robert Randall.  I found his website through the assignment sheet, and was quickly drawn into his work.  The photo that i chose to recreate is the image of a woman's bare back, contorted into a comfortable yet unnatural looking pose.  I was interested by the way the light and shadows emphasized the musculature in her back, as well as creating a sensual but classy image.  In my recreation, the subject's back and arms are twisted and placed somewhat differently, but i feel that the movement of created by the shapes of her body create a similar effect to the portrait by Robert Randall. 

http://www.robert-randall.com/content/

Assignment 1: Explore

Final image #1

I chose to crop in on the shed and the logs because of the fullness that it gave the subject.  just a little further out from the subject, you could see that there wasn't much else, this image was not shot at a barn though it may appear to be so.  After taking the image, i found that the vertical lines from the shed contrast but balance with the horizontal stacking of the logs. 

Though normally i would define myself as a bit of a minimalist, in taking this photo, i feel that my love for tradition and nature side shows through. The image was taken at my home, and again though the rest of our home is not necessarily "country" style, i feel that this image shows the comfort and safe feeling that I get from my home.  

Others who viewed this image immediately assumed that i had ventured out to a barn of some sort to take the photo.  I hope that the association with barns and countryside also incorporates the association of memory, comfort and simplicity. 

I was told to crop a little off of the side, which i did, and found that the subject was much more interesting.  Another critique that i was given was to consider the perspective of the image, and though i agree that this may have made an interesting shot, shooting from below (as the suggestion went) may have caused the image to be more cluttered and not as balanced.  I feel that perhaps the log to shed ratio may be a bit unbalanced.

I may consider extending this idea of home, and comfort to other areas around my house and perhaps indoors, showing different aspects and feelings that i get from the word "home".

Final Image #2 

I chose to crop the subject off just at the end of the ladder to help the feeling of going off into infinity.  The one end disappears into darkness, while the other end may seem to continue off beyond where the photographer is standing.  

Repetition was naturally found and echoed throughout this composition. First in the rungs of the ladder, and then mirrored at the top in the lines at the roof of the shed.  I believe that this mirroring creates visual harmony, giving the image a balance.

When i went out to take this photo, i kept in mind the idea of leading lines, a basic concept that we were taught in early art classes as far back as middle school.

Some of the critiques that i recieved suggested that i boost up the contrast to make the image more interesting.  Upon doing so, i found a new mystery about the image that causes the view to wonder exactly where this photo was taken, as well as from what angel it was shot. I also like the feeling of eternity that the darkness lent to the image.

Final Image #3

I chose to exclude all other elements of the shed besides the stacked logs and the X.  This framing allows the subject to appear as though it is much larger than it is.  The shed itself is extremly small, however, the cropping causes you to believe that it is a large barn.  I also cropped off all other foliage because of how cluttered it made the image look.

In this image, others immediately saw the repetition of circles in the stacked logs.  I also saw some repetition in the way the plants on the right side echo the criss cross of the X on the barn.  X-like intersections can also be seen between the shapes of the logs, however these are much more subtle "X's".

When this image was taken, i had just discovered the interesting nooks and crannies of the shed.  I walked around the back and found this and like others, immediately took note of the repetition.  I did not decide to crop in on the image immediately however, this shot was found after zooming in and out several times. 

I think this image deals a lot of composition, i find that there is visual harmony in the shapes depicted.  Something that cannot necessarily be found easily until you experiment. 

I see that the subject matter is a bit boring, maybe if there were a person or model involved it would add to the composition and make it much more interesting to view. 

If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera.” ~Lewis Hine Do you agree or disagree with this quote? Why?

Words and images often balance each other out in story telling. There are times when using photographic images to tell a story are more effective than using words, and vice versa.  Sometimes the story can only be understood when the very scene is capture in an image. Or perhaps the very emotions may be conveyed through the lighting, or expressions of the subjects.  Somtimes the story can only be understood when words accompany the image.  However, i find that it is interesting to present an image and ask for a reaction before any words are used.  The power of an image is not something to be ignored, even if the reaction is "wrong" i feel that what the viewers feel and think may contribute greatly to "the story" of the piece.  

“Photography deals exquisitely with appearances, but nothing is what it appears to be.”~Duane Michals. Do you agree or disagree with this quote? Why?

I agree with this quote, in the fact that good photography is deceptive.  Images that have been well captured, even with no editing at all, have the potential to make reality seem completely different from what we perceive with our naked eyes.  Such a photo may simply be an amazing moment captured on film, or perhaps it is the way that the light hits the subject, something we may not notice unless it is presented to us in a still image. In that sense, photography deals with capturing the most beautiful, intrigueing and fantastic appearances in the real world, apperances that we may simply glaze over with our naked eyes. 

Describe what the word “photograph” means to you.

pho·to·graph

–noun

1.

A moment in time captured by the use of a camera.

–verb

2.

The act freezing time by the use of a camera.

The word photograph means many things to me;  Art, intimidation, memory, magic.  Photography is an art form, in which various things seem to play an important role (as far as my amateur eyes can tell) such as light, composition, subject, rhythm, flow, etc.  Despite my interest in the aesthetics of photography, I am intimidated and scared by the technological aspect of the art.  As the sharpness and quality of the image increases, it seems that the complexity of the machine does as well, a very foreboding idea to a hands-on type of person such as myself.  However, i realize that sometimes, the most beautiful images are not those taken by expensive cameras or an expert photographer.  Sometimes, they are simply a quick snapshot taken by a doting mother, or perhaps a group of close friends.  Sometimes, the word photograph simply means "Hey! remember this?" and that's what makes it magical to me.  The possibility to capture a moment in time, and keep it forever. 

-Sarah H

Imagine a world with no photographs, what this world would be like?

  A world with no photographs would be completely different from what it is today.  Photography has played a great role in the history of art in the movement toward modern ideas of composition and balance.

  Aside from the artistic point of view, photographs serve as memory devices that allow people to look back and remember/reminisce upon a moment of their past that is captured in an image.  Not only do they allow people to reminisce of the past, but it also provides people with a third person point of view of their own lives.  Without photographs, one would only have temporary things such as mirrors to view themselves, which would only allow them to witness each second as it passed.  Photographs on the other hand, freeze a moment in time so that it may be revisited repeatedly.

 Another aspect of photographs as a memory device is that they provide a confirmed recollection of the past. Since memory is, in fact, incredibly malleable, it is easy to remember things incorrectly.  Thus, without photographs, people would be less capable of remembering things as they were.  The mind could easily twist and change things without the use of photographs. Without photographs, who knows, your favorite red sweater could be remembered as your favorite blue sweater. That would be tragic.

-Sarah H