Tag: contact sheet

Creating+Critique of Red Photos: Set 1

Posted on by Josh

An old saying: “Pictures are worth a thousand words.” Although it sounds cliché, it is true in the context of photography. Photos are used to convey messages to the audience in a non-textual fashion. However, photos can be made stronger when certain words are added. These words can give the audience an interpretation of the photo they never expected. Using Barbara Kruger as inspiration, I took a total of 22 studio photos. 22 may seem like a limited amount, but each studio photo is taken after detailed posing directions.
There are three differently colored selections. The green selection: photos that are not aesthetic or hard to express a message. The blue selection: photos that are decent but could be stronger in expressing a message. The red selection: photos that have good aesthetics and can strongly convey a message.
Green photos are photos that would definitely not be considered for the final presenting part of this project. They are photos with no subjects. They are photos with failed or blurry poses. There are 5 green photos out of the 22 photos.
The blue photos are good photos, but they are not the best in exemplifying my starting point of signs and messages. The poses of the subject might be relevant to the message in mind, but they are not the most convincing. There are 8 blue photos out of the 22 photos.
The red photos are the best photos because they have good aesthetics and lighting/tone. The poses of the subject are to the point and accurately convey the message I am trying to communicate. I will consider these photos for my final presentation project. There are 9 red photos in total. There are so many red photos because each photo belongs to a collection of similar photos. For example, the first 3 red photos looking down from the top of the contact sheet belong to 1 collection. Red photos 4-8 looking down from the top are also a part of 1 collection. After selecting photos from the red selection, I decided to edit my photos based on my starting point: signs and messages. In total, I have three different photo collections.

  1. High PH

Sometimes, we experience a moment that can be represented in a single color. This photo collection focuses on the color pink. The main elements that were focused on are color, form, and depth. Color is the main aspect of this photo collection since the entire photo collection is based on one color. Aside from the pink background, the most interesting aspect of the photo is the subject in the middle of each photo. They give the photo more character as opposed to just a pink background. Noticeably, the subject in each photo has a different opacity or depth. In the photos at the side, the opacity is low, while in the middle photo, the opacity is high. This emphasizes the middle photo. In addition, each photo has a single word with an exclamation mark, giving each word a little bit more excitement. However, the photo collection only makes sense when photos are put together side in a particular order so the individual words form a sentence. This photo collection relates to my starting point of signs and messages because it conveys a specific emotion and message to the audience. It relates to my inspiration for Barbara Kruger because it has text captions, something you will rarely see in photography. These photos were taken with a Nikon D750 in the studio at ISB. I named this photo collection “High PH” because the photo collection looks like a PH-level testing paper when placed in acid, which turns pink. This is very applicable because the audience of these photographs is most likely going to be students. So, they will need prior knowledge in order to understand how the name of this photo collection correlates with its visual appearance.

2. Reality Show!

Using photography, we can communicate issues in our society with fewer repercussions than if we were to communicate them verbally. Out of the three photo collections, this one is the most prominent because its messages are heavy in nature and make the audience think critically. The main elements used in this set are color, form, and shape. The color of all of the photos is black and white. This was a stylistic choice since brightly colored photos would allow the audience to be distracted from the messages. There, the black and white color was used to highlight textual messages. The form is very important in these photos since it is what gives each photo a story. The characters in each photo have a distinct poses. These poses help convey the message in each photo. Characters’ positions/actions in each photo are symbolic of certain events that happen in reality. However, when accompanied by the black-and-white tone and critical text caption, these everyday events seem all the less ordinary. They become somewhat surreal. Furthermore, the shape is an important part of this photo collection because it is how the form of the subjects relates to the text captions. Randomly putting text captions on the photo will make the photos lose their aesthetic appeal. Therefore I decided to place text captions at a place on each photo that looks the most cohesive. For example, I put text captions vertically in photos with a portrait or square frame. I put text captions horizontally in photos with a landscape frame. Overall, these photos are the most representative of Barbara Kruger’s style since they have a black-and-white tone with red and white captions. They connect to my starting point because they convey messages about society and psychology. As a result, I decided to call this photo collection the Reality Show!

3. Only human

For this photo collection, there is only one main subject. I decided to take photos of him while he showed different facial emotions. To accompany his emotions, I used different color filters that were available to me. For example, the first on the left has the subject showing a neutral expression. In this photo, he is wearing a mask, so his facial experience is even more indistinguishable. In the middle, he is showing a hearty expression. This can be interpreted in many ways, but this photo’s main purpose is to show that the subject has the ability to show emotions. Also, the subject is not wearing a mask in this one, so the audience can see their facial expression. Lastly, the photo on the right shows the subject’s angry face. This is supposed to represent a human’s ability to express strong emotions, something that essentially makes us human. I believe color, form, and line are elements that play a big role in this photo collection. The color is important because it emphasizes the emotion being conveyed in each photo. The subject’s facial expression and position have everything to do with form, so therefore it is also an important part. Finally, line plays a role in the cohesiveness of the photos because the text caption is aligned directly above the subject’s head. This photo collection relates to my starting point because it conveys the message that all humans have the ability to feel emotions at different levels. The inspiration that was used when taking these photos is Barbara Kruger’s use of text captions.

 

Reflections: SET 2 Red photo analysis

Posted on by Josh

*Note: Couldn’t provide link to original PDF as it was too large to upload.

The above photos are the ones I selected to be a part of the red selection for set 2. As mentioned in a previous post, these photos were selected based on their correlation to my statement of intent and their overall aesthetic appeal. They are all taken in Shanghai.

Firstly, photos 1,2, and 3 focus on buildings at the banks of the rivers during nighttime. In these photos, most of the light is concentrated in the middle of the photo. This is where an imaginary line splits the water and sky. The tone of these photos is mostly dark in the surrounding perimeters, while there is a strong contrast between these dark parts and colored lights, causing a large tonal range. The range of view of these photos varies as some are taken in portrait, and some are taken in landscape. In general, photos 1,2 and 3 illustrate the reflections of light on water. It shows how modern technology can impact the beauty of nature.On the contrary, photo 4 focuses on the reflection of a shoe on the metallic side of a boat. The photo’s focal point is the light that shines on a white shoe. Apart from the focal point, the rest of the elements in the photo are not centered seemed positioned randomly. The tone and colors of the photo vary greatly, with no apparent pattern. I think this photo reflects the need to focus on one’s own identity and footprints in a society where everyone is reliant on technology and innovations. Next, photos 6,7, and 9 focus on the vast interiors of the Jin Mao Tower, one of the tallest buildings in Shanghai’s Pudong business district. The reflections in these photos mostly involve glass and light. Distinct geometrical shapes are defined in the architectural design of the building. These shapes are emphasized by the white line of light circulating around each layer. Photo 6 mostly displays the horizontal view of the Hyatt Hotel lobby. Lights from the interior and exterior of the building reflect on the spacious glass windows, creating abstract patterns and distortions. Photos 7 and 9 show the vertical layers of the building’s many stories. With a low ISO, even the uppermost layers of visible floors are distinct. The white line of light from each layer reflects off of the glass elevator shaft, creating a mesmerizing reflection. Overall, photos 6,7 and 9 display the beauty that can be found in the manmade structures. Next, photos 5, 8, and 12 show reflections of colored lights in different parts of the city. Photo 5 shows the reflections created by a purple structure by the sidewalk. The structure itself is clearly defined as a combination of 3-dimensional shapes by the purple light. In the dark lighting of the night, the purple light from the structure is reflected on surrounding objects, creating a completely purple biome for people walking by. Photo 8 is similar to Photo 5, but it displays subjects on a much larger scale. At a high elevation, I was able to capture a wide range of buildings. Using a low exposure, lights from the buildings were not overwhelming for the eyes and could be distinctly seen. Buildings reflected their light off of one another, but the most intriguing aspect of this photo is the subtle rainbow aura in the sky, created by the reflection of light on the air particles. This effect is created by using a narrow aperture, as all elements of the photo are in focus. In addition, photo 12 uses traffic lights and car lights to create an atmosphere of red. This effect is achieved by using extremely high exposure. In the foreground, a white car is captured at full speed, reflecting bright light off of its side and wheels, slightly blurry. This motion blur was achieved through a slow shutter speed. Overall, this photo shows the rapid bustle in the city. Altogether, photos 5,8,12 show reflections of light amidst different parts of the city and can be related to the photos of Craig Whitehead, my artist of inspiration. Lastly, there are photos 10 and 11. These photos depict reflections in areas that are less developed but still affected by modern infrastructure development. For example, Photo 10 shows the aerial view of a section of a hotel. Through a glass window, we can see a large green clover and the repetition of small wooden boards that form a section of the roof. Near the top of the photo, there are distinct rectangular shapes representing solar panels or small facility buildings. Above all, an unidentifiable object is reflected at the top left of the photo, making the seemingly normal aerial view feel surreal and uncanny. Photo 12 is also unique as it gives another perspective on the city’s suburban areas. The photo features a glimpse of an unclean back alley of a restaurant. However, filling up the entire space of the window is a reflection of the restaurant’s interiors. Reflections of perpendicular Chinese architectural designs can be seen along with a reflection of a silhouette. Combined with these reflections, the shadows of the spiraling stairs give an abstract feeling. Overall, the entirety of set 2 reflects the idea of how humans are influenced by modern innovations and carry-over techniques used by Craig Whitehead.

Reflections: SET 2 Contact Sheet

Posted on by Josh

This is my contact sheet for my set 2 on reflections. In this set, there is a total of 47 photos. Some of these photos were inspired by the photos of Craig Whitehead. Similarly to set 1, I have decided to categorize photos based on how much they relate to my statement of intent and their aesthetic appeal. Photos might be very related to my statement of intent, but if their aesthetic appeal isn’t the best, it wouldn’t be considered a red photo. For the set as a whole, a portion of the photos was taken at ISB, a portion was taken at home, and a large portion was taken in Shanghai. At ISB, the photos were mostly of mundane objects that emitted light or had a glassy surface since they were capable of reflection. The photos taken at home are similar to the ones taken at ISB. The best quality photos were taken in the Pudong business district in Shanghai. They consist of reflections on modern architecture, which are made of glass and have LED lights, making them a great source of reflections when the lighting is dark (night hours). In this set, the categories of yellow, green, and red still apply. The yellow selection consists of photos that have little relation to my statement of intent and do not show interesting reflections. There might be some photos that show reflection, but they lack quality in other aspects, such as focus, angle, or clarity. There are 19 yellow photos in total. The green selection consists of solid photos related to my statement of intent. Some photos might qualify for the red selection but might not be that interesting to the audience. There are 16 green photos in total. Finally, the red selection consists of photos that fit my statement of intent and have excellent aesthetic appeal. These photos were all taken in Shanghai. We can see the majority of the photos in the red selection have a dark backdrop, as they were taken at night. There are 12 red photos in total. I will analyze these photos in a subsequent post.

Reflection Unit: Set 1 Contact Sheet

Posted on by Josh

 

This is my first contact sheet for the reflection unit. Most of these photos were taken throughout the school. In general, the main subject of these photos are mundane installments scattered throughout the school. Some of these photos fit with my statements of intent because they include reflections of different types of technology. In some of these photos I used reflection techniques inspired from my artist of choice, Lee Friedlander. However, unlike Friedlander, all of my current photos are colored. At the moment, these are all of the photos I have on the topic of reflection but I will gradually take more photos in subsequent sets and select photos that fit better with my statement of intent. The color categories for this set are yellow, green, and red. Yellow photos are the ones that lack quality or do not fit with my statement of intent. Green photos have quality, but may or may not be related to my statement of intent. Red photos have quality and strongly relate to my statement of intent. They are the best photos of the entire set. I will do an analysis specifically on the red photos in the next post.

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

Posted on by Josh

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. 

Photo Safari

Posted on by Josh

 

Dear viewer,

Down below is a link to a contact sheet with photos representing shapes 1-12 in the image above.

Photo Safari Oct 6

Photos 1-4, 6, 8-12 are successful in representing its corresponding shape because the subject stands alone within the frame of the photograph; the elements of the photo are distinct to a certain extent. However, some photos have a background that can be distracting. For example, the ground of photo 5 has leaves, which distract the viewer. Photo 7 also has a background that draws the viewer’s attention away from the main subject.