The full Potential of the House

If only we were SMALL...

For my final project my goal was to create miniature scenes of skateboarders skating items found around the house. Kind of of what fufilling a fantasy of what I would do if i was small during the harsh Michigan winters. For all my photos the two most important elements are lighting and scale. I wanted to portray a sense of realism with light and shadow, but then ground it, by showing a very small object that was large in scale.

For this photo I really tried to challenge myself by having the board be separated from the skater. This was achieved by taking a wire and hanging both the skater and the board from the wire independent of one another. I also tried to incorporate a different sense of lighting for this image by adding a small l.e.d light. It really give the photo a "night time" feel that I enjoy. I incorporated shoes into the composition to achieve the element of scale, and because shoes are a very important and essential part of skateboarding.

[mini Steeze]

[miniSTEEZE]

Blog prompt 25

bLOG{25]
Write a detailed description of your “motivations” for your final self-proposed project. Why are you interested in this subject? What do you want to convey? How do you want viewers to respond? Why are you inspired to make these images/this project? Do you want to evoke emotions in viewers? Shock viewers? Make them laugh? Make them think? Inform them? Reveal something about how you see the world? Reveal something about yourself, a person, a place, a feeling, a memory, a moment in time?

Skateboarding is a very huge part of my life and has been for quite sometime. Anytime I can implement it into a school assignment is a great privilege and i always try to take advantage of it.  I think there is a lot more to skateboarding then how it is portrayed by popular culture. Skateboarders are generally seen as punks, where I see them as incredibly athletic artists who use the urban landscape to create breath taking moments in photography and film. I want to capture and expose this beauty on a highly manipulable miniature scale.

[5] constructed Reality Finals

For my social critique prompt I really wanted to do something that would revisit the BP oil spill. It is something that continues to affect our environment and is hardly touched on in the news. I needed to capture a large body of water and some BP imagery which was quite the challenge here in Michigan.  I went to Lake Lansing which is the largest body of water in the area and photographed the lake. I also passed a BP on the way there and took several photos of both the gas station and its customers. I masked off the water and darkened the water quite a bit in order to show an dark oily water. I also lightened the sky a little bit to cast a sort of polluted mood. I then placed a BP gas sign in the center of the lake do to represent the high amount of BP oil in the water and how it would be easily accessibly.

Part 2: 

Interpretation: Students in-class definetly understood the imagery as an oil spill created by b.p.

Evaluation: During class critique it was brought up that i had darkened the water to much, and that it might have been much more affective to rather darken the highlights.  The water may be a touch extreme, but i'm not sure if highlights would produce the desired effect.

Extension: Social critique is very important, and needs to be brought to the eye more often. I think it is very interesting to take a current event(s) and make a relevant series that makes fun of or critiques it.

For my miniature prompt I really wanted to show a fantasy I have always had about skateboarding in the  sink or the bathtub.  I constructed the set set by cutting out a good picture from a skateboarding magazine and taping it to the edge of the sink. I took several shots in order to get a unique shadow cast, which I think helped add to the realism of the photo.  The light was cast from overhead, using just the tungsten light from the bathroom.  I think some distracting elements of the photo would definitely have to be the areas I've photoshopped.  The area on the sink that I drew just doesn't have that crisp edge.

Part2:

Interpretation: Students in-class saw this image as a very cool image of a small person skateboarding in the bathroom. A few people thought that it was a real person and not a magazine cut-out, which I think was a great thing.

Evaluation: I think the image really works well but there are a few areas that are photoshoped quite poorly.  For my final project I need to put in more time to create a more seamless smooth photo.

Extension: Like i've mentioned before this is the launching point for my final project where I am either going to fufill miniature fantasies or do a series based just on skateboarding.

This photo is both a sort of constructed collage and social critique. This is the critique on society and how they have become to destructed to perform easy everyday tasks, such as braking at a stop sign. For this photo I wanted to construct a second warning stop sign to alert drivers of the stop sign 15 ft in front of them.  I think I achieved the sign quite nicely but the composition still suffers a great deal. It would have been real nice to show a car passing by or even colliding with another car. I shot this in natural light in the middle of the day, and the yellow square sign was captured on the opposite side of the street and the digitally placed in front of the stop sign.

Part2: 

Interpretation:   Student's in class didn't really interpret this message anywhere nearly as well as i hoped. I guess if you live at my house or on the my street the message is a lot more obvious. I really think a more interesting angle/simle composition might of helped sell it much better. Like i said above being much more literal with cars would really help the message hit better.

Evaluation: I would definetly choose different imagery if I were to reshoot.  Like I said without prior knowledge abut the location, the message is almost missed entirely.

Extension: I think it would be very cool to do a series of imaginary or created street signs that critique popular culture.

For this photo I really wanted to try and create something that was similar to sandy skoglund's highly manipulated and repetitious photos using snacks from around the house. I wanted there to be a very loaded composition which also was high in contrast so the shapes would be recognizable.  I shot the photo from overhead with a low flash borrowing the light from the kitchen as well.  I tried to get the flash to reflect off the table in the middle of the composition to center the attention on the prey. I really think my photo is comic in the sense that the processed food in animal form has taken on a rather predatory role and is acting out it's function as if it were in a natural setting.

Part 2:

Interpretation: Student's in class didn't really have a whole lot to say, but the viewed it as a photo with good contrast. I'm not sure if the message of consumption was conveyed at all.

Evaluation: I think that after taking this photo, I would have liked to have shot it on a much larger scale. I enjoy the contrast and lighting. I think overwhelming the single worm with more goldfish would make the concept stronger.

Extension: I think it is very cool to capture food in non-traditional ways. Whether it's arranging a composition, or by physically manipulating the food.

Blog post 24

A. Pick two images from any of the “constructed reality” photographers presented in class or linked on the assignment sheet. Describe how you could recreate these two images on a “smaller scale”.


I think that anything that Sandy Skoglund creates is just about that most amazing photograph ever taken. Her ideas are so out there and she always achieves a shocking constructed reality with insane perfection. Her true fiction series feels very layered and related to pop art.  I think a very affective way to recreate this would be to make a very small mockup using a shoe box.  You could then layer images at different depth inside the shoe box to create a some realistic depth.  Her shimmering madness series would also be very interesting in attempting to create.  I think that in order to do this i would purchase a decent amount of sprinkles and glue and roll miniature figures until they were completely covered.  I would then use the remaining sprinkles to construct the stage out of more glue and of course cardboard.


Final Project Proposal:
 I have a couple of ideas for my final project. The newest most recent idea plays off of my miniature prompt for Assignment 5.  For that set I cut out a skater from a magazine and placed him on a object that looks "skateable".  I would push this further by attempting dramatic light and interesting locations.  I also thought of playing with sequenced shots steming from 9 fps photos.


My other 2 proposals i mentioned in the last blog.  The first being a set dealing with the apocalypse, inspired by my photo of the capital building down town.  The third proposal I had was dealing with popular culture, and the repetition of Mcdonalds and Starbucks which dominate our towns.

Work-In-Progress Crit

Blog Post 23

Blog Post 23


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

You construct your identity through several elements. The most obvious being your visual identity through your appearance.  This can include clothing, hair, hygiene, energy, and posture.  Your identity is then also determined by your passions and interests, along with the people you enjoys those with.  Identity is constructed through several contributing elements along with the way you perceive yourself and the way you want others to perceive you.  You perform all these elements every second of every day.

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

Personal and social environments are very constructed for me at the moment to due to a hectic and over bearing schedule.  Everyday I am confined to a schedule dominated by class and homework.  My actions for the day consist of going a university with a planned agenda and curriculum, and attending to the vast amount of work they construct for me.  Social environments such as parties are constructed or planned by another person so all of their friends and converge and partake in enjoyable activities. The skate park was also a place built where me and my friends interact socially with one another, along with other members of the community.

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

Physical environments are constructed by their creators.  For example you construct your own environment by the means of decorating your room.  You design the layout, color, and objects you want to fill your room with.  The same way your room is designed, a house, neighborhood, and entire city is constructed for efficient and controlled living. I suppose I feel as if we live in a sort of constructed society.

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

The things that I consider to be real in my everyday life would have to be engaging in fun activities.  Creating art, Skateboarding, and engaging with people are the "realer" or more organic parts of my life.  Unless I am using my brain to either engage or challenge myself I feel as if I am simply existing. I feel as if Popular media is over saturated with advertisements and censors, and is the most constructed element of everyday life.

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).
Something that i find very interesting is that how a majority of girls on campus all girls on campus tend to wear the exact same thing, a black NorthFace pullover and ugg boots.  I don't particularly have a problem with this I just find it odd that no one minds looking like everyone else.  It reminds me of other groups of people that tend to where the same thing such as: prisoners, soldiers, cults, teams, Manufactured items.  I would like to have a photo that parodies this fashion craze, with a large number of girls all wearing their winter get up in some type of line or formation.

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).
An interesting image that I think I am going to recreate is cutting out 9 fps sequences from my skateboarding magazine and placing them on very interesting large scale items.  

Inspiration: Miniature

Henk Tes and Ellen Brooks

Ellen brooks and Henk Tes both do some really interesting things with scale.  They construct miniature worlds where elaborate scenes take place.  Ellen brooks seems to deal with striking moments of suburbia or every day life.  Henk Tes on the other hand is still working in the miniature but is doing something completely different.  Here creates more surreal or abstract scenarios and actions.  He also plays with collage elements much more by incorporating foreign backgrounds.  Henk Tes is obsessed with popular culture and it shows consistently through his photos. Henk Tes pictures don't feel as "miniature" as Ellen brooks because of the play with lighting and abstraction.

Historical Image

Harold F. Kells Death of Cleopatra 1934

This photo was constructed by Harold F. Kells in 1934.  It is draped with female nudes in front of ancient egyptian art.  Idea of photography as theatre.  Early pornography.  Harold Kells used themes from literature and history as a way to showcase their photographic nudes.  An amateur photograph,  Harold Frederick Kells (1904-1986) gained international prominence in the mid-1930s for his composite figure studies and pictorial landscapes. In the late nineteen twenties he became interested in photography and in 1931 his print Design was exhibited at the Toronto Salon of Photography. Kells was awarded prizes at salons in England, the United States, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, and Spain as well as awards for competitions sponsored by American Photography and Camera Craft. A member of the executive of the Camera Club of Ottawa during the thirties, Kells was instrumental in organizing the first Canadian International Salon of Photographic Art. In 1938, Kells was awarded the Stephen Tyng Foundation Award by the Royal Photographic Society for his print Grecian Nocturne. Kells' work was not confined to photography, many of his oil paintings were used as vignettes for bank notes, stocks and bonds by the Canadian, British, and American Bank Note Companies. Kells turned to colour photography in the mid-1960s which he pursued until ill-health forced his to curtail his activities.

Assignment 4

Composition:  This photograph was inspired by an old CD cover from a band called the groundhogs.  I tried my very best to recreate the sound wave distortion effect they achieved by making several selections in the shape of a circle then copy pasting, and rotating them.  I liked this affect because the distortion seemed to radiate from a central point like that of a speaker or amplifier.  I choose to center my guitarist because i wanted the sound wave to radiate from the center of the composition.  I feel as if the wall with the graffiti could be slightly distracting but isn't to bad.

Aboutness & method:  In creating this message I hoped to create a sense of distortion.  I wanted to create an image that made the viewer feel sound and distortion radiating from a point.  I think this image does achieve this feeling, however I believe to have technically failed in trying to recreate the original cover.

Context: This image definitely plays with your senses.  It creates a struggle for the eyes and puts the viewer in the setting of the photograph.

Interpretation: Students in class responded to this ad quite well.  Everyone said it related to guitar amps well, and portrayed the visual element of distortion.

Evaluation: Based on critique, I believe the message of distortion was conveyed but i would still like to go back and attempt different techniques to achieve a more accurate recreation.

Extension: Shooting advertising photos is a fun opportunity that allows for a lot of digital manipulation. I wold love to shoot a campaign for any particular project.  Whether it is a mock or professional campaigns are a great way to shoot a variety of photos.

Composition:  For this photo I was walking back to my car in downtown Lansing when i noticed this peculiar fallout shelter sign.  In the reflection of the marble i saw the silhouette of the capital building and found it to very ironic.  I choose to up the contrast and do a slight color burn to try and get a dirtier effect, like the pictures of Hiroshima ash shadows.  I also debated whether or not leave the white lines of the marble building in the photo.  I decided after much peer input that they were much more dynamic then distracting.

Aboutness & Motivation:  In creating this image I hoped to portray a grim future for the urban environment.  The shadow of the capital building is quite dark and disturbing, while the fallout shelter sign compliments the mood and helps push the message of destruction and gloom.

Context:  I think this image is a political statement.  I feel it is quite ridiculous that there are fallout shelters in major cities.  So unless they were intended on being used which is a pretty grim and scary thought, what is the point of them?

Interpretation:  Students in class interpreted this as a gloomy nuclear threat photo.  The message hit directly on the head, and they said the dark contrast and graininess helped add to the quality of the photo.

Evaluation:  Based on critique I believe the idea of impending nuclear doom was conveyed.  Of the two pictures i printed this one was liked more because of the contrast.

Extension:  I was actually thinking of using this photo as  jumping off point for my final project.  I think the idea of apocalypse or the end of the world coming up in 2012 is on everyones mind so i was think of doing a series about that.

Composition:  For this photo i was standing in the arch opposite of the one in the center of the frame.  I set the camera on the ground and shot the two people who were entering the room.   I choose to crop out some of the left of the photo to center the bright light in the middle of the photo.  I think this is an interesting light that leads you into the photo.  It also puts emphasis on the interesting silhouettes created by the people.

Aboutness & Motivation:  For this photo I went to the capital building and wanted to take pictures that were newsworthy.  Since the elections were going on, I wanted to get a picture were it appeared that people were heading towards a brighter tomorrow.

Context:  I think the image is strictly just a visual.  It portrays the capital building in an interesting way that you might see on the cover of a magazine.

Interpretation:  this photo wasn't really interpreted as anything besides just a photo with cool lighting. I think if i would have focused more on the people then the overall room this message may have been conveyed better.

Evaluation:  Based on critique i think i went for something that was more abstract then newsy.  I think my photo works for a cover but not as a typical news photo.

Extension:  The capital building is a very beautiful and highly photogenic place.  You could easily do an entire series there.

Composition:  This photo was my Polaroid picture.  For some reason when i think of Polaroids, I think of pictures of toys for one reason or another.  On my desk I have these three toys that i think are cool to have around.  I took a very up close picture because i wanted it to seem like they were less toys and more of characters hanging out.  I also added a little bit of blur to try and make the picture feel a little surreal or nostalgic.  I also felt it helped playoff the fact that it was shot with a "Polaroid".

Aboutness & Motivation:  In creating this image I hoped to show three interesting toys that would help remind people of their own action figures they owned when they were a child.  We all had action figures or dolls as kids, this image provides an interesting look back or into the life of a toy.

Context:  

Interpretation:  In class, students saw this pictures as "Toy's day off".  A sort of narrative as to what the toys are discussing and what they plan on doing.

Evaluation:  Based on critique I believe the idea of a narrative was conveyed, but the feeling of nostalgia wasn't portrayed as well.

Extension:  I love monsters.  I think drawing and photographing anything monsters is always a treat.  Monsters are unique creatures that invoke both fright and humor.

Composition:  For these photos my goal was to converge several characteristics that make yearbook pictures so terrible.  Characteristics such as poor timing, ugly sweaters and glasses, wet combed hair, and just an overall cheesiness.  I centered every subject as a traditional yearbook photo normally calls for.  I then made everyone do various things such as cough, sneeze, blink, or just have a conversation.  the contrast in these photos is a little bit low do to the fact that i wanted to look a little dated so that the sweater and glasses would seem a bit more relevant.  

Aboutness & Motivation:  In creating this image i hoped to make people think of all the terrible cheesy yearkbook photos they have seen over time.  I also tried to give my photos a kind of revenge of the nerds fraternity vibe.  My original inspiration for the photo was actually the terrible plaques fraternities generally have hanging all over their houses.

Context:  I think this image deals with parody.  I am hoping to convey the inner nerd, or great potential for a terrible photo of importance in all of us.

Interpretation:  Students in classes responded to these very well.  Everyone really liked them and got the message right away.

Evaluation:  Based on critique i would keep my photos the way they are.  I may actually re shoot the one of me due to the glare on my classes, but that just adds to the overall nastiness of the photo.  I also haven't achieved a good design or layout for these photos and was told the ovals don't work well.

Extension:  My roommates and I, all had a great time doing this, and wanted to try and attempt to do a really cheesy family portrait of us.

blog post 21/22

A. Series: Brainstorm various ways to make a “series” of photographic images.
There are many ways to approach a series of photos.  The first would be to shoot several pictures of the exact same subject from various angles.  You could take that up a notch and do this with the same object from various angles in various settings.  Such as what Georgia was doing with her bridesmaid dress and tea pot.  Another way would be to shoot various subjects but relate it to the same topic.  For example you could do the beach, and shoot pictures of the water, sand castles, sun bathers, etc.  Yet another way you could do a series is of various subjects but portray a certain mood.  Such as in one of my earlier photos I took a photo of a Mcdonalds clerk who appeared to hate her job.  I could shoot various pictures of people who also hate their job.

B. Final Project: Your final project in this class will be designed by you. If you could tackle any photography project, what would it be? You could combine other media with photography (video, sculpture, drawing) or you could take one of your earlier assignments and expand it to create a larger project. If you are expanding an earlier project or creating an entirely new series of images, shoot for a series of at least 5 images. Describe an idea you have for your final project.

I've had quite a few ideas for my final project that i would like to mention.  The first being an inspiration off one of the most recent photos i took of the nuclear holocaust of the capital building.  With 2012 approaching the apocalypse is on every ones mind.  It also is transitioning to winter right now where all the beautiful foliage is dying off, which would  make for some interesting/ugly/depressing compositional elements.  

Another idea I have for a final project deals with my fascination of popular culture.  Basically i find it interesting how everyone likes the same thing over and over again.  My example specifically would have to deal with corporate  take over of towns.  They are becoming polluted and welcomed with open arms to towns.  Every town is losing its character and basically becoming just another place with a McDonald's.  I wanted to try and capture this with a large serious of McDonald's in various towns and then do a multidipdig(if thats a word) off all the McDonald's next to one another.  I also thought about trying to photo shop a street where there would be several McDonald's on one side and then several Starbucks on the other.  There are other possible outlets for a final project as well but I need to develop them a bit more and will discuss them with you further in class.

First Look: Assignment 4

Blog post 20

1. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of “news”-related photographs.

News related photographs are always very straigthforward.  The message is always very clear and tells a descriptive story.  They're always very strong contrast and colors to grab the viewers attention.  People are often in most news photographs as well.

2. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of “snapshots”.

A snap shot tends to be something that is less rehearsed or random.  It captures a moment in time.  It often is something that the photographer wanted to quickly shoot, or seemed interesting to them at that split second.  A snap shot also tends to be more abstract or open to interpretation since there wasn't any strong concept behind the photo in the first place.

3. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of advertisement photographs. Fashion photography? Product photography?

Common apsects of advertising generally include very strong lighting to highlight the product you are selling.  Most of the time Advertising photography takes place in the studio with a white back drop and very strong controlled lighting.  The goal of the shoot is to  get the most vivid and interesting photos of your product that are going to help sell and promote it.  Some photographers feel it is a strong motif to try and balance promotional photography.  That is not over emphasize the product but balance it out with the model and the composition.

4. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of film or movie stills.

Film and movie stills are interesting because they are moments in non-reality.  They're enviornments are always perfectly lit to capture the mood of the movie in which the director intended on.  The photos are always very dramatic and loaded in terms of scenery.  The most interesting aspect is that they allow for photos that would never happen in real life in a very professional setting.  You are never going to see a super hero or teerex outside of a movie studio.

5. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of yearbook photos and/or senior pictures.

Yearbook photos and senior pictures always come off as very cheesy to me.  They never seem to really truly represent who a person is, but who they want to bee seen as, or by the things they do.  Senior portraits seem to focus on the things around the subject rather then the emotions of the person.  Yearbook photos always have a very fake done up smile and hair do.  People also always have their head slightly tilted which is very frustrating.  They're is also always a classic navy blue or laser back drop behind the kids as well.

Assignment 4 (0)

Cheesy Year book frat house recreation

Photo Assignment 3

Composition:  For this composition i really wanted to focus on geometric shape, and let strong lines really take over the frame of the photo.  The entire photo is composed of almost all perfect geometric shapes consisting of squares and a few circles.  Sharp hard edge geometric shapes are what cities are composed of so i wanted to find a location where this would be both striking and obvious.  I wanted a straight on shot that centered the subject being the electrical box.  I also wanted to make sure there were elements that lead you off the page such as the blacks(windows and ground strip) along with the silver wire protectors.  It was also really important to focus on the sharpness of the edges.  So to emphasize this I took an HDR to create an almost surreal contrast.

Aboutness & Method:  In creating this image I hoped to emphasize the harsh repetitive shapes created by the urban landscape.  The image displays an absurd amount of straight lines, and perfect shapes.  When taking this picture I thought of the quote "there are no straight lines in nature" and set out to capture the opposite end of the spectrum.

Context:  The image clearly deals with the overwhelming amount of geometic shape and line that you encounter in the urban landscape.  I was inspired by a quote from the movie "bomb it" about how straight lines only exist in the urban landscape and how ugly they are.

Interpretation:  Students in the class understood that the emphasis of the photograph was shape.

Evaluation:  Based on critique, I would like to do a re-shoot from a tripod at a slightly higher angle.

Extension:  Like I have been mentioning the city is overwhelmed with geometry and line.  Focusing on line and shape within the urban landscape is quite beautiful and interesting already, making it a great project to pursue.

Composition:  What originally drew me to this location for this photo was the contrast between the yellow and red doors.  The unique arrangement and juxtaposition of colors I thought made for a really interesting composition.  I decided to place myself on the landing between stair sets so I could try and evenly balance the doors within the frame.  I also wanted to leave part of the wall in to invite you into the photo.  I choose to crop out all of the staircase information to try and confuse the viewer a little more as well.  I also choose to play with the distortion tool a little as well to try and make for a more confusing perspective.

Aboutness & Motivation:  In creating this image I wanted to show a confusing perspective that offered strong contrast, with a focus on shape and line.  The image portrays a sense of confusion as to where you are viewing this space from and how you are seeing it in this manner.

Context:  I think this image definitely deals with psychology and hopefully causes the viewer to struggle a little with what they are viewing.

Interpretation:  Students in class interpreted the photo as having cool contrast and an interesting perspective but, weren't really confused or even noticed the distortion.

Evaluation:  Based on critique, I would like to go back and exaggerate the distortion a bit more so my photo can achieve what it is try.

Compositon:  For this photo I was underneath the graffiti bridge on farm lane, pointing straight up into this big nasty spider web.  I had to zoom in a little bit so i could pick up some of the spiders better.  This was also an interesting photo to shoot as well because it was a pitch black night, and the subject itself is a green light covered in spider gunk.  I really tried to get a close up view because i wanted the viewer to feel the texture of the spider webs.  I feel as if the texture is strong but due to the contrast doesn't achieve the nasty feeling so well.

Aboutness & Motivation:  In creating this image, I thought to myself what inflicts a strong emotion, and the first thing that came to my mind was spiders.  Spiders create fear, paranoia, and disgust.  I really tried to focus on the spiders and their webbing.

Context:  The image deals with emotion.  I'm hoping that image will elicit a negative emotion towards the picture.  I was inspired by my own paranoia and feelings towards spiders.

Evaluation: Based on critique, I believe the idea of negative emotion is conveyed as, i overheard some girls saying gross.

Extension:  Disgusting and vulgar is always fun, so why not pursue strong negative emotional responses in a series of photographs.  It would also be interesting to do a narrative showing your own personal fears.

 

Composition:  For this photo shape and light are the very strong visual elments that tend to dominate the composition.  The photo has very interesting water color, enchanting feeling to it.  I believe this was achieved due to the unique tungsten light, and heavy shadow cast by a outdoor pavillion.  The blur of the camera also helps to create the digital noise that is creating the very interesting textures.  I was also very drawn to the strong triangle shaped shadow created by the tree on the left.

Aboutness & Motivation:  In creating this image, I just happened to notice this bizarre light coming off the roof so i decided to shoot a couple of photos.  When I saw what i had captured i was very excited and shot several more.  The image portrays a very gloomy setting.  It is very hard to understand what you are seeing because it blends an urban structure into nature.

Context:  This image deals with light and shadow.  I am hoping to convey the juxtaposition of rural and urban scenery.

Interpretation:  Students in class interpreted the photo as something very beautiful and interesting to look at.

Evaluation:  Nobody had really anything to say negatively about the photo but I would of liked to personally print multiple copies to find the most interesting print.

Extension:   I am very interested in taking pictures that look like paintings.  I think it would be very cool to play with light and color and try to get things to appear more painter like.

Blog's 19,20,21

1) should not be photographed? Why?
2) cannot be photographed? Why?

and

3) you do not want to photograph? Why?

I really don't that there is anything that shouldn't be photographed.  You as a photographer have a right to capture anything and everything you want.  Of course there are restrictions as to what you can do with your photos after the fact.  However on site, and at that moment you are free to capture a naked person, death, misery, happiness, a clown, a person crying, animals reproducing, etc.  Basically something shouldn't be photographed because it is risque or one person finds it vulgar. Shoot everything.

There is nothing that cannot be photographed.  The only thing that comes to mind is if there is a once in a life time moment and the photographer wasn't quite prepared or got the shot that he intended.  Things that are rare or momentary must be approached with careful planning other wise they will not be captured.

As far as things go that I don't want to shoot, I really don't have a preference.  I have a bad gag-relfex so I wouldn't want to shoot anything with an overly intense odor.  Personally though, there isn't anything out there that offends or I find to be so ugly i wouldn't shoot.

  

Jeff Wolfram

The photographer that I choose to research was Jeff Wolfram.  He takes a lot of beautiful photographs of urban architecture and landscape.  The particular set that I looked at was called industry.  Every photo in this set is spectacular.  They all show how industry and mankind is overtaking the beauty of nature.  Jeff's brilliant saturated colors and careful attention to the sky are what really help make his message of beauty being overcome at the forefront of every image. Every photo in the set shows a unique division  of horizon and ground, and also compare man made form(right angles) to natural curves.  I think his images are so strong that they work just as well individually as they do as a set too.  


http://www.jeffwolfram.com/