Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
"Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens"
I could not agree more.
That quote, followed by her recognition of how often times something that never seems like it could turn into anything actually turns out to be something--something great--rang incredibly true to me on so many different levels. And as I continued to watch, I noticed an incredible similarity among my methodology of utilizing facial expressions to inspire my subjects and Annie's way of making faces at her subjects, whether it was to purposefully direct them to make a specific face or to simply losen them up and have them relax. Every single time I witnessed this, a huge part of me lit up inside, because I've been known do the exact same thing when shooting. Regardless of the specified "field" of photographic work one gravitates towards, I have always believed there to be a tremendous amount of difference in the outcomes of shoots where there was clear incorporation of humor on the photographer's end to do whatever he or she felt to be necessary in order to get his or her model to exude the particular mood or visual effect the photographer originally had in mind on camera. As was said about Leibovitz, "she makes a difference, in part, because she provokes people."
Another quote that caught my undivided attention was that "there are photographer's out there, but they don't really obsess and annotate their work like Annie does." I could heavily relate to this, as my own reputation for perfectionism and over-analyzation practically mirrors Leibovitz's personal reputation in conjunction with how she has always gone about criticizing her work. It is very comforting knowing that another professional photographer who has "made it" in the majority of the eyes of the public is just as nit-picky and particular about the quality of her work as I am with mine, and that she will not hesitate to remain stubborn until she gets her way, with regards to both the conditions of a photoshoot before its commencement, as well as the expected shots afterwards.
There are too many things in life that are mediocre. The way one feels about his or her artwork should not be one of them.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Duane Michals
Duane Stephen Michals is an artistic prodigy when it comes to the aesthetically daring realm of creative photography.
A fellow University of Denver alumnus, Michaels went on to continue his studies at the Parsons School of Design in Greenwich Village, New York--though his sole focus at the time was in graphic design. Finding questionable solace in the United States Navy after his incompletion at Parsons, it wasn't until a holiday well-spent in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics(USSR)when Michals first discovered his innate passion for photography, the photos of his trip coincidentally comprising his first exhibition of works at the Underground Gallery in 1963.
Known for his innovative story-telling photographic sequence series with hand-written, descriptive text, Michals' work is a captivating mix of literary and philosophical visual portrayals of his ideas relating to the subjects of death, emotions, gender, and sexuality.
"No American has the right to impose his private morality on any other American."
"Christ cries when he sees a young woman who has died during an illegal abortion."
"Frederika wanders across the field at dusk looking for the moon. The wandering moon crosses the sky looking for Frederika."
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
A Day in my Life
When it comes to the practice of photography, I
truly believe that all subject matter—if captured in the right light and taken
with a fair amount of technical skill—has the potential to make for a quality
photograph. It is the intent behind said photograph, however, and the schematic
capturing of this conceptual intent which has the potential to make a true impact
on one’s perspective audience and urge them to experience a specific set of
feelings—quite possibly the very same emotions felt by the photographer when
the photograph was taken. Before the commencement of this class, I was
genuinely satisfied with going out and aimlessly taking photographs of
everything and anything, for the sole motive of proving that I could, in fact,
make anything look artistic and meaningful.
Over the course of this trip, however, I realized that I was only halfway
correct. Yes, a skilled photographer really can make anything—a garbage can, a
homeless man, the bright blue sky, you name it—look artistic, but one’s ability
to capture something and portray it in a truly meaningful way that moves an
audience towards a specific mixture of emotions is an entirely different story.
I really loved how each of our photography assignments were themed throughout
the trip, as this tamed my curiosity just enough so that I was able to have at
least some direction in mind before aimlessly documenting the captivating
cities of both Paris and London. In terms of my relationship with photography changing over the course of this class,
I would definitely say I am a lot more confident with regards to my photos
pre-editing process. I’ve always been a perfectionist when it comes to my art
and modes of self-expression, and this has always led me to edit each of my
photos until I am literally blue in the face—pretty much taking all of the
enjoyment out of the process. This class really opened my eyes to the beauty of
my pictures the way they were originally taken, and I am proud of my transition
from what was once possibly over-editing to the point of digital manipulation,
to only necessary touch-ups that merely enhance what was strategically
captured.
To view this complete set of photos, click on the following link to my Flickr:
A Sense of Time and Place
I have always considered photography to be a much more
realistic portrayal of the world in comparison to painting, because no matter
how accurate one’s artistic abilities may be with a paintbrush (or any other
tool), the final product will never be a direct reflection of who that person
or object actually is on the physical surface, inevitably distorting their
being as well as their surroundings based entirely off the painter’s skill and
interpretation of his or her subject. I was wildly taken aback, however, after
meticulous observation of a painted portrait done with acrylic on linen by Jason
Brooks entitled, “Sir Paul Nurse,” that was on exhibit at the National Portrait
Gallery in London. I soon realized that it is skill, indeed, which can make or
break any medium’s portrayal of a
subject, whether it be painting as well as photography. Just as a painter can
entirely distort a subject with the wrong brush strokes, a photographer has
almost more of an ability to distort who or what something is, all depending on
the light the subject is captured in, as well as what that subject is captured
doing, who they are captured with, what they are wearing on that particular
day, what their body language undeniably expresses—the list really could go on
and on. Just because someone is captured on film, it does not mean that the way
they are portrayed in the picture is a direct representation of who they really
are or what they’re all about. A picture only shows what is on the surface at
that exact given moment in time, and it is up to onlookers to determine for
themselves how they wish to interpret the picture and circumstance captured;
and onlookers will be faced with this challenge with any artistic portrayal of “reality,” because that is so much of
what the enjoyment of art is all about—being able to determine for oneself just
what an artist’s work means, both in terms of what they think the artist’s
intention was for the mass public as well as how they interpret the message of
the artist’s work for themselves as individuals in relation to their personal
lives.
To view this complete set of photos, click on the following link to my Flickr:
The Human Street
“I think of a photograph as a receiver of
sensation. Sensations are intangible and I try to organize them through the act
of photography.”
–Tom Wood
Of all the photographers whose work was put on display at the
Photographer’s Gallery, I took special notice and appreciation for Tom Wood’s
knack for not only capturing people, but capturing feelings and the actual atmosphere of situations. I really began
relating Mr. Wood’s style to my own, in terms of capturing a subject’s light in a photograph and making a
statement based off of that subject’s “spark.” There is this fleeting spark in
each particular emotion felt which always seems to present itself, and there is
such a genuine pureness when a person’s true self comes out to shine. You can
tell so much from a person’s facial expressions and body language, and I really
enjoy taking portraits of people with this goal eternally in mind. I truly
believe this is what sets average portraiture apart from meaningful portraiture.
Anyone can snap a shot of someone, but not everyone utilizes their human
ability to urge another person’s personality to come alive. This is by no means
easy; I often do it by making a face at my subject (depending on what kind of
mood I’m going for, I’ll make a funny face, glare at them, pout, etc.) right
before I take the plunge and make the “click” (of my camera). Nine times out of
ten this immediately loosens my subject up and takes away whatever pressure
they were feeling in front of the camera.
To view my complete photo set from this day, click on the following link to my Flickr:
A Sense of Light and Time
Dear Sir William Henry Fox Talbot,
I would just like to start off by saying thank you—thank you
so, so much for allowing my fellow classmates and I to tour your magnificent
home and get a feel for the rich history that is so deeply embedded in its
walls. Chills began to consume every inch of me as I approached the sacred
oriel window where you snapped the earliest known photographic negative to
date. There was such a holiness—a sacredness, if you will—that came from not
only standing in front of that historic window, but actually being able to
capture as many angles of it as I could from my perspective lens, 177 years after you did. Learning about
history from a book or word of mouth is one thing, but experiencing history for oneself is something almost ineffable.
This most likely once-in-a-lifetime experience at Lacock Abbey gave me so much
pride in my interests and contributions to the world of photography, and I can
only dream to leave my own historic mark on the world through my art before I
die.
Sincerely,
Breanna Demont
To view this complete set of photos, click on the following link to my Flickr:
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