Set 2 “Modern” Red Selection

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Higher quality PDF: Modern Set 2

The above photos are the red selection of my second set. All of the photos are taken within my house due to the Covid pandemic. Therefore, the background/setting of the photos isn’t the most important part. The most important aspect is the facial expression of the subject. This is contrary to the intent of Set 1, where the silhouettes had hidden expressions and facial features. Since these photos are all brightly colored and obnoxious, I decided to call this set “Modern” since it reflects the current situation in the modern day. These photos are based on street photographer Eric Kim’s colored street portraits. These photos focus less on the background and more on the subject’s expression. He does this by getting extremely close to the subject while using an assortment of lighting effects. The photo below shows a shocked-looking woman with fizzy hair and excessive makeup. I can’t really distinguish what is in the background because the aperture is focused on only capturing the subject, who is closest to the camera.

The first photo I will analyze is the one on the very left of the contact sheet. It shows a boy with his mouth wide open. The photo is extremely bright due to the fact that it was taken facing the sun. The brightness was further increased by adjusting the exposure. The background is just white space and virtually shows nothing. Parts of the subject’s face are combined with the background, making him look like a part of the background. Apart from that, the other colored parts of the photo are flamboyantly illustrated as the sunlight reflects upon them. For example, the originally black hair of the subject is made multicolored. Other parts of the subject’s face, such as the forehead and lips, are exemplified. The clothing of the subject is also shown quite distinctly. The sudden appearance of bright colors in a seemingly white space illustrates the intent of this photo, the element of surprise. Formal elements include Color, Tone, and Space.

The second photo (middle) features the subject of a screaming human wearing a bear mask. The environment within the photo is dark and green. It seems both eerie and toxic. The effect of the environment is supposed to symbolize the claustrophobia that people experience during the pandemic as they are trapped in their homes. Since the subject is screaming in an eerie and toxic environment, it shows that they are overwhelmed by their current situation. The tilt and lopsidedness of the subject and the camera angle are to emphasize the feeling of instability. Moreover, the mask that the subject is wearing symbolizes an anonymous identity. It implies that nobody knows of the subject’s current situation. My guess is that this might be the situation for everyone at some point during the pandemic. Formal elements include Color, Texture.

The third photo (right) features a person who wears a huge pink robe, green sunglasses, and a blue headband. In general, the photo is quite eye-catching as it features flamboyant colors. A black gradient surrounds the perimeters of the photo and juxtaposes the bright colors. The gradient also emphasizes that the subject is the center of attention. The photo itself is quite self-explanatory. However, since it was taken during online learning, it communicates the message of trying new/unconventional things to enlighten everyone’s mood and break free of the monotonous cycle. Formal elements include Color, Tone.

Set 1 “Seaside” Red Selection

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Higher Quality PDF: Seaside Set 1

This is the red selection of photos I took at the seaside in Sanya. The rising sun in the background gives off cool lightning effects and makes it possible to take photos of silhouettes. This is possible because the sun is illuminating one side subject, and the other side that has not been illuminated is cast in shadow. The concept of capturing a silhouette is inspired by Swiss photographer Nicolas Bouvier. His silhouette photos usually include a single subject in an expansive natural environment. The setting within the photos looks unearthly. For example, my favorite photo of his is of a child treading on rough and icy terrain. However, it looks as if the child is walking on clouds.

The topmost photo is taken with medium/low exposure. It can be divided into halves. The upper half is the sea and the sky, and the lower half is the beach. Upon closer inspection, there are many footprints on the beach and some small archipelagos in the distance. The subject’s hands are just above the skyline, almost separating the sea and the sky. They also graze over the archipelagos but do not cover them. The subject is looking towards the left side of the photo, into the more illuminated side. Just like in Bouvier’s photos, the identity and facial features of the subject are obscured. The subject is only used to juxtapose the surrounding natural environment. The intended message of this photo is freedom within nature.

In the middle of the contact sheet is a landscape photo with extremely low exposure. The subject is a silhouette with a hood that stands roughly in the middle. The photo can be split into three parts, or in other words, it uses the “rule of thirds,” however, the thirds do not cover the same area. The navy blue sky is one-third. The multicolored horizon is the second third. The sea and beach are the final third. The sea and beach are separate parts in real life, but in the photo, they look indistinguishable due to the exposure. If no context is given, it is intended that the audience would not be able to distinguish the fact that the final layer is the coast. From what is given, it could possibly be a desert. The exposure of this photo can create a sense of uncertainty, while the ambiguous subject adds to the feeling of mystery and makes it somewhat unearthly.

The bottom photo on the contact sheet is a photo without the dramatic exposure adjustment. It features a wide horizontal view of the sunrise. The photo can be divided into two parts using a line that separates the sea and the sky. This line is almost parallel to the top and bottom of the photo. However, the angle is off by a bit. This imperfection supports the angle of the coastline, which is the line that separates the sea and the beach. It emphasizes the idea that not everything is parallel. At the same time, it makes the photo interesting. Most importantly, two small silhouettes are at the bottom left of the photo. One is touching the water, and the other is watching from behind. This is important because it shows that some people like to interact with their surroundings while others prefer to watch from the side. It shows the characteristics of someone’s identity. To further create the feeling of unearthliness from Bouvier’s photos, countless footprints on the beach are captured in this photo. This is unearthly because there are no other people in the photo except for the subjects, meaning many people have walked on this beach but have all left, leaving the place for the subjects alone.

Identity: Responding

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ARTIST

The artist I chose to analyze is Irving Penn. He is an American-born photographer known as one of the twentieth century’s great photographers.

Penn mostly created photographs for fashion magazines such as Vogue. The intent of his photographs is to capture the key characteristics of the subject to present a certain style.

Irving Penn is accustomed to focusing on the face of the subject. He also likes to incorporate the gestures of the subject. In many of his photographs, the subject is either holding an object or touching their face. Most of his portraits are in black in white. He does this to capture the features of the subject. 

I selected Irving Penn as my artist of inspiration because his images are naturally stunning because of their simplicity. They consist of only the subjects and do not rely on too many props and a flashy background. Also, they seem unedited. The photographs capture beauty in their simplicity. 

All of the photos have the subject touching their faces with their hands. They are black and white. The expressions of the faces are distinct because the geometrical features of the subjects’ faces are effectively captured. Irving Penn accomplishes this by using the formal elements of shape and tone in these photographs. 

CONTENT

The subject of the photograph seems to be a middle-aged man.  

There is only one person in this photograph. He is the subject of the photograph. He looks like a middle-aged man. He has long and curly hair that looks combed back so that his forehead is showing. If the photograph wasn’t black and white, the man would have several white hairs. The features of his body are strongly highlighted. For example, his strange chin and wrinkles on his hands are very noticeable. The man covers one of his eyes with one of his hands. His body seems to be tilted, so one side of his face shows more than the other. His uncovered eye looks directly at the viewer. 

PHOTOGRAPHIC ATTRIBUTES

Irving Penn would have seen the entire subject instead of just his upper body. He would also be able to see the subject in colour instead of black and white. 

When looking at this photo, the attention of the viewer is directed to the eye of the subject. The focus of the photograph is the eye of the subject because it is at the center. Naturally, the audience will look at the center of the photograph. 

Lines highlight the textures in this photograph. Textures range from the hair of the subject to the shirt and jumper that he’s wearing. Moreover, the dark shades contrast the light shades of this photograph and make lighter portions stand out more. The surrounding areas in the photo are mostly dark shades, and the light shades are mostly in the center. Then, in the middle of the light shades, there suddenly appears to be a black eye staring at the viewer. It stands out. As a result, the use of lighting further draws the attention of the audience to the center. 

STYLE & GENRE

If I could describe the style of the photograph using one adjective, it would be “intimidating.” This is because I feel taken aback every time I look at the photo. 

MEANING /INTENT

Mood: This picture intimidates me because the lighting and focus force my attention to a certain part of the photograph. It’s like I have no control over what I’m focusing on in the photograph. 

Intention: This photo was most likely used in a fashion magazine, so the intention of Irving Penn was to make it capture the attention of the audience. I could use the same intention in my photographs to capture the attention of the audience. 

 

Identity: Connecting

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The focus of my project

I would like to focus on the identity concept of “self-image” vs. “self-esteem.” Self-image is an identity concept that is basically the version of yourself that is given to you by others. Self-esteem is totally internal within yourself and isn’t reliant on any outside forces. 

Inspiring Artists and Genres

Some inspiring artists include Matt Stuart, Alex Webb, Elliot Erwitt, Gary Winogrand, Diane Arbus, and Eric Kim. Inspiring genres for this project include street photography, portraits, black and white, symbolism, and surrealism. I chose these artists and genres because they are effective in showing the concept of identity through a graphical representation. 

Statement of intent

The title of this project is “Inter-scope,” with the focus on exploring the identity concepts of “self-image” and “self-esteem. I decided that “Inter-scope” is a good title for this project because it reflects the action of looking inside oneself, which is the basis of identity. In my photographs, I will try to simplify the complex aspects of identity so the audience can understand it in a more direct way. I will get inspiration and develop my ideas by looking for photographs that portray self-identity and the way that one person categorizes themselves within a group of people.

Abstraction: Final Evaluation

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PDF LINK: Final Triptych

Which artists have inspired your project and how?

Ernst Haas inspired my project because his style encouraged me to take colored photographs of urban areas. He also inspired me to use the formal element of focus because he used this formal element in many of his photos in “New York in Color, 1952-1962,” which had stunning effects. 

How do your images link to your inspirational images?

My images link to Ernst Haas’s images because they are vividly colored photographs that consist of multiple focal points. Furthermore, they are taken in the bustling places of urban areas. 

What have you experimented further with to help you develop your ideas for the project?

I experimented with different saturation levels to see which lighting best enhances my photos. 

How have you built on what you have done before?

I built upon my skills with snapshots. During the first time in photography class, I learned how to use sport mode to capture objects in motion. The first two photos in my triptych have distinct moving objects. The moving objects are slightly blurred because it wanted to create more contrast with the focal points in the photo. In addition, it also gives the photo a surreal vibe. 

What is the idea behind your final series of images and how does it bring together the best parts of your previous projects?

The main idea in my final series of images is the transition from day to night and the transition from suburban to urban. Starting from the photo on the left of the triptych was taken in the afternoon at around 4-5 pm from the inside of a car. I was entering the city at that point, and the sky was still blue, and the sun was visible. Then, the middle photo was taken around 7-8pm in the middle of a crosswalk in downtown Beijing. Lastly, the photo on the right was taken at about 9-10 pm in a populated commercial area. Overall, my final series of images illustrates the transition from day to night because of the chronological order in which the photos were taken; the transition from suburban to urban because of the change in location of where the photo was taken. To answer the second part of the question, my final series of images brings together the best parts of my previous projects because it was the outcome of learning and improving from set 1 and interpreting the style of a new photographer. All in all, my final series of images demonstrates the best of my photography for now. 

How did you create your final series of images?   

First of all, I was quite puzzled about which photos to choose for my final series. Since I was interpreting the style of Ernst Haas, all of my ‘good’ photos had a variety of main focuses. There were some photos that contained the same objects; however, they were not the best photos to display the influences of Ernst Haas. After finishing my red selection, I looked at the photos to see if there were any connections. After rearranging the photos to see if there was a pattern, I noticed that there was a common idea of transitions in three of my photos. Essentially, that’s how I came up with my final series of images. 

What are the overall strengths of your project and why?

The main idea is quite intriguing because it makes the audience interpret a relationship between three seemingly unrelated photos. 

What are your areas for development – what do you need to work on in future projects?

I would need to learn more on how to use aperture and exposure, so I can use them right in the moment of taking the photo. This way, I can take quality photos that are more specific to my statement of intent. Also, I might focus on taking more photos of a single scene or object, so I have more to choose from in the end. 

 

Full Contact Sheet+Yellow Selection+Green Selection+Red Selection

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The Full Contact Sheet:

The full contact sheet consists of 32 photos in total. I took the photos in various places, so the scenery in the photos can appear quite diverse. All of the photos are colored and mostly abstract. Most of the photos target the formal element of focus through optical effects.

The Yellow Selection:

For the yellow selection, I discarded 12 photos of the 32 photos from my full contact sheet. They were discarded because they didn’t align with my vision or because they didn’t fully incorporate the formal element of focus. For this selection, I chose 20 photos.

The Green Selection:

In this selection, I chose 10 photos that really demonstrate my vision. In these photos, the use of the formal element of focus is demonstrated by diverting the viewer’s attention to a certain part of the photo. For example, in the 10th photo with the cello bow and notes, the viewer is intended to on focus the elements of the photo separately. They either see the bow first or the notes first. At least, that is my interpretation. Different people might see the photo in a variety of ways.

The Red Selection:

  1. The photo is in the top left corner. I chose this photo to include in my red selection because it relates to my vision and uses the formal element of focus uniquely. At first glance, you might not recognize that the photo depicts a night sky. The photo consists of one very bright red light and another very bright yellow light; they greatly contrast the whitish light near the middle of the photograph (the moon). These are the most appealing elements within the photograph. They catch my attention almost immediately when I look at the photo. I tend to ignore the clutter of buildings, cables, and clouds in the background and only focus on the lights. Realistically, the viewer’s eyes should focus on the lights first, but again, the photo is abstract and is open to interpretation. I would call this photo: ” Vision.”
  2. The photo is in the top right corner. I chose this photo because it highlights the formal element of focus very abstractly. The photo does not focus on any element, as it’s an array of transparent spaces in a commercial building. Thus, the viewer must use their interpretation and focus on an element that holds their attention. It is similar to choosing an item from a store in the mall. Instead of selecting items, you will have to choose what to focus on in this photo. Due to the fact, there is a huge number of possible interpretations for focus, this photo is abstract and aligns with my vision. Because of the above, I would call this photo: “Selection.”
  3. The photo is in the bottom left corner. I selected this photo for the red selection because the elements in this photo because it consists of a variety of lines and shapes that split the photo into different sections. The focus on the different sections is part of my vision statement. I took these photos at the gym in the corner between two mirrors; the objects in the mirror are actually in the opposite position in real life. The large brown portion in the middle of the photograph looks as if it split the photograph into two pieces. A muscular man is walking on the right side of the photo; he looks as if he walked through the large brown portion in the middle. All the possible interactions between the man, room, and large brown portion make this photo abstract. I would call this photo: “The Barrier.”
  4. The photo is in the bottom right corner. This photo is special because it appears to be an ordinary picture of a horizon but has extra elements that hook the viewer’s attention. First, the photograph aligns with my vision because it is abstract and focuses on many elements. The different elements include the sky, the buildings, the trees, the river, the bridge, the motorcyclist, and the finger. Each unique element is made imperfect because another element is interfering with it. For example, the buildings block the view of the sky, and the finger blocks the view of the bridge and the river. The fact that you can’t focus on one element without focusing on another makes this photograph abstract. I would call this photo: “Cohesion.” The reason behind this name is up to the viewers. 

Artist Analysis: Ernst Haas

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A list of 5 typical things that are present in the above photos:

-All photos vividly portray some sort of color scheme

-Repetition of elements

-A unique level of focus in the camera.

– Different textures.

-Multiple parts, not just one main subject.

The photos of different types of architecture have a mesmerizing feel to them. The elements within the photographs look similar, but they have unique details upon closer inspection.

Other photographers whose photos reference these characteristics are Michelle Palazzo, Steve Deer, and Masayuki Yamashita.

Statement of Intent: I will take photos of imagery in ordinary public areas to show the different perspectives that can be found there. The audience should be able to notice the beauty of perspectives that they didn’t know existed.

I chose Ernst Haas because he was one of the most celebrated photojournalists and photographers of the 20th century. He was a pioneer of color photography and had coverage in major events around the globe. In his experiments with Kodachrome color film in the 1950s, he photographed large color photo collections in New York City, which were published by the LIFE magazine.

Ernst Haas relates to my statement of intent because his photographs depict beauty and introspection in ordinary landscapes. He captures the beauty in the ordinary and shows the audience perspectives that they didn’t know existed. 

A quote by Ernst Haas is:

“A picture is the expression of an impression. If the beautiful were not in us, how would we ever recognize it?”

I chose this quote because it reflects how photography is something more internal and less surface-level than one might think. Haas implies that photography expresses someone’s impression of something, making it more personal than a visual record of an event. Then he says the beauty of a photograph is also internal because if it weren’t for the recognition of the photographer, it wouldn’t even exist as a photograph. 

 Analysis of Ernst Haas’s work:

This photo is for Ernst Haas’s New York in color. I chose this photograph in particular because it’s interesting in the fact that it is an effective combination of multiple elements. I found this photograph particularly unusual because you tend to pay more attention to the things that appear further away from the camera. When I first saw this photograph, my attention was not focused on the curvy white object in the bottom center of the photograph. For some reason, I was rather focused on the tops of the people’s heads. I think there might be some option illusion that diverts the viewer’s attention in this photograph. Due to the above reasons, I think the most crucial formal element in this photo is the focus. Focus is important in photographs because it puts the viewer’s attention on something particular in the photograph. Sometimes, the focus is related to the resolution of the photo, but other times the focus is achieved through optical effects or angles that direct the viewer’s attention. For example, the photo that I chose has a resolution that is pretty much consistent, but the focus is achieved through the angle/optical effects. This photo is abstract because there is no defined subject present in the photograph. The viewer must look for it themselves and discover what they think is the subject. Stylistically, I like this photo because it seems to split into two by the grey line in the middle where people are standing. It looks as if it was edited using digital software. But again, I don’t think digital editing software was a thing back then. The slightly uncanny feeling I get when I look at the photograph is quite intriguing. I will adapt this particular style of Ernst Haas into my photography by making my photos look like they consist of multiple parts to make the photos more unclear and create a more abstract effect. I will experiment with multiple angles and levels of focus to enhance my photographs and make them look more convincing. 

Revised Statement of Intent: I will take photos of imagery in ordinary public areas to show the different perspectives that can be found there. I will refer to the photographer Ernst Haas and use option effects and different angles to accomplish this. My photographs will shock the audience with unique perspectives that they didn’t know existed. 

 

 

 

The Red Selection

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These are the photos I chose for the red selection. They are photos that best represent my statement of intent. They represent my statement of intent because they are black and white and show strong contrast to bring out the subject. Negative space is present in all photos, emphasizing sharp lines and shapes. They somewhat relate to the style of chosen photographer Albert Renger-Patzsch. However, the fact that the photos had to be abstract made me focus on abstraction rather than straight photography.

The first photo is a close-up of the side of a train. It contains a variety of complex machinery and mechanical contraptions. The shapes and features of the machinery are brought out through the shadows from things behind. The white negative space gives the shadows a variety of shapes. The main focus would be the large wheel that takes the center of the photograph. I could improve this photograph by making its shapes and features more abstract. If I were to give this photograph a name, it would be called “Space mechanics.” The reason for this name is open to interpretation.

The second photo is taken by leaning back with the camera. It contains two triangular edges of buildings and a large complex industrial funnel that emerges in between them. The triangles’ simplicity really brings out the middle funnel’s complexity. There is nothing in the background except for negative white space. This makes the focus of the photograph extremely obvious. However, there are still areas for improvement. It would have been better if the triangles at the bottom of the picture were symmetrical, so the formal element of the repetition would be more clear. Also, there seem to be small things that distract the viewer from the main focus. For example, there is a thin line at the top of the triangle to the left and a small block beside the triangle to the right. One of the edges of the triangle to the right doesn’t seem smooth. It makes the shape imperfect. If I were to give this photograph a name, it would be “The Junk King.” The reason behind the name is up to the viewer because it is an abstract photograph.

The third photo shows electricity lines. This photo mostly focuses on the formal elements of shape, line, and repetition. There is a thick black vertical line towards the slightly right of the middle of the photograph. It contrasts the mass repetition of thin black horizontal lines. In addition, there are two circles that have a cross in the middle. They are virtually identical in shape. Therefore, they emphasize the formal element of repetition. The white background and negative space bring out the shapes of the main subjects. To be honest, there are not that many areas of improvement for this photograph because the features are already oversimplified. All in all, this photograph is pretty simple in nature and requires the viewer’s interpretation. I would call this photograph “Lines and Circles.”

 

The Green Selection

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I chose these photos for the green selection because most of them are abstract in nature. They relate to my vision because they are black and white and show a contrast between elements. All photos link to industry, which has been my focus in this set. Next, in the red selection, I will choose 3 images that ultimately define my vision statement.