What Photography means to me

  This is the photograph by Lee Freidlander that I chose to talk about. I chose this one because unlike most of the photos thus far it is one that I have kind of taken before. I think everyone who starts out with a film camera does at least one photo of themselves in a mirror or a reflection where you are holding the camera and maybe waving at the audience. I took one of these types of photos at the AC. I think I even took another one similarly somewhere else. What got me interested were the aspects of this photo that differed from mine. Using specifically a wardrobe mirror in a bedroom makes this kind of photo more intimate and personal feeling. There's also something to be said about the mask. Perhaps it is speaking to a kind of anonymity in photography, but it gives off an uncanny and unsettling feel whatever the purpose is.

  Now this is a magnificent photograph. The use of mist/smoke in the air and the framing with the god rays streaking across the elephant's body are so well done, you'd think it painted. The effort that had to have gone into this, spending all day in the jungle to find the right spot. Then waiting in that spot for the perfect moment while sweating to death from the heat and humidity and being eaten alive by mosquitoes. I'm getting itchy just thinking about it. The contrast is also just so nice, as ive said about other pieces its just a marvel of craftsmanship.

  I chose this photo by Mary Ellen Mark for a couple reasons. For one, it just looks good. It's a well composed group shot, almost looks like it could be an album cover for a band from the 70s. The use of a wide angle lens is also very captivating. The wider angle serves two purposes. It lets you see more and take in the scale of this bustling downtown area, even with our focal point near the center and respecting the rule of thirds. We also get a better sense of where the camera is, putting us on this street corner with them, like you are there. It's a very immersive effect and the photo simply would not have been as effective without it.

  For my final Blog, I chose to write about one of the works of Zeke Burman. Part of  why is that he makes studio photographs. I am not exactly making portraits with that level of control and precision, but I can relate to the desire. I find going out and “Finding” my photos very frustrating, and would rather compose my own when creativity strikes me. As for this piece, I love the use of negative space. They very cavernous and deep blacks used are the perfect use of black and white. Its the kind of shadow that I strive for in my work a lot of the time. I cannot imagine how Zeke managed this frame though. It appears to be some kind of representation of a smoking device, perhaps an allusion to addiction? There is something evocative about how the smoke lingers upwards and crests below the top of the frame before descending off of the table. On top of being aesthetically pleasing, it certainly makes me think.

  I chose this picture by Alec South for a number of reasons. I looked into his work via a trusted source, google images, and wanted to find one that really popped in my eyes. To that aim I feel this photo is very special. No shade to Alec’s other work but this one really piqued my interest like no other. Just the composition of the photo alone is genius. We talked a lot about shooting our subject as a part of their environments but this goes a step beyond, blurring the line between subject and environment entirely. The idea to shoot out of a hotel winder in a big city with the tiny buildings below in focus and your subject reflected onto the window out of focus is genius. Im extremely impressed that Alec found a way to capture this picture without making him or his camera visible in the frame. It almost looks like a double exposure or two photos overlaid over another. I just love how the composition makes it look like the man is sleeping a top the sky above the city, on a pillow o...

  I chose this portrait by Ralph Gibson because I like guitars.  Ok that's partially a joke but I’d be lying if I said that the guitar aspect of the photo did not attract me at all. Ralph Gibson has made a couple of photos with guitars featured prominently, between this State of the Axe and Impressions of Strings. It is to the point where I couldn't help but wonder if Ralph Gibson had any relation to Gibson the guitar manufacturer. I looked into it and I don't think that there's any relation and it's just a coincidence.  I really enjoy the framing of this one. It feels very carefully composed, but not in an artificial or staged way. Its a really good use of the rule of thirds and draws your eyes to the important bits like each of the characters hands. I also like the kind of portrait it paints of frontier life. I don't know if Gibson was intentionally going for a western vibe, but between the beat up classical guitar and the old timey baby crib that's wha...

  I chose this piece by Michael Kenna to talk about for both face value and technical reasons. First off, I find it a very aesthetically pleasing portrait. That much should be obvious just by looking at it, Kenna’s composition is quite beautiful and takes great advantage of the landscape. He could have chosen many areas in England, where I would assume this would have been taken given it is his home country, and I think he picked the best possible location. The open landscape, water and mountains create a nice dividing line between the sky and earth that creates a contrast between the plain and the extraordinary.  On top of its aesthetic merits I also find this piece an astounding feat of technical mastery. God knows how much trial and error, time and experience went into getting this shot. This is a long exposure, unless the nature of the universe changed at some point and I didnt notice. As somebody who has tried long exposures before they are extremely difficult to pull o...

  I’ve decided to write about this piece from Gary Schneider. It is part of his Genetic Self Portraits Series, which was showcased in class, although not this particular photograph(Or Photogram?). I don’t have a particularly deep or meaningful attachment to this photograph on an emotional connection. I am simply in awe of the craft on display. It boggles my mind that somebody can just create this, how? I’m guessing the images were made using a combination of dust, water and dyes on top of a piece of photogram paper. Maybe a shorter exposure time was used to increase the depth of the image? However it was made, the look of it is really spell binding. It almost looks like a head or a watermelon being blown apart, or a nebula in the far reaches of space.  I imagine the actual method used to create this photogram is vastly different from what I am describing. Or alternatively I got it right on the first try and I am overthinking things, which is certainly possible. Either way ...

  Defining what Photography means to me is extremely difficult. Heiferman spends 13 pages rattling off use cases, historical events and quotes in thorough detail. And yet I am still not convinced that he made much headway in answering this question. So I can only tell you what photography is to me. Photography is interesting to me because it is so permeated into my life and daily activities that I don’t think about it most of the time. It’s weird stopping to analyze how many photos I see everyday, in our brave new world of social media. It has to be over a thousand a day at this point.  However, in terms of l application there are a few standout categories. I have a hard time remembering a lot of things. Specific dates, times, homework, and names. I am awful at remembering names, I have a couple of cousins who can attest that. I'm not even censoring their identities on purpose, I just genuinely don't recall what to call them. So a lot of the time I use Photography to capture i...