Photography – Page 2

Category: Photography (page 2 of 3)

Portrait Photography- Irving Penn

Penn was among the earliest photographers to pose subjects against a grey or white backdrop and he effectively used its simplicity (Wikipedia). According to Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, a magazine for which Penn worked for more than 60 years, he ‘changed the way people saw the world and our perception of what is beautiful’ (Christie’s). His artworks are simple, and sophisticated, and evoke a strong emotion. He clearly captures the character or the style of different people. Irving Penn was one of the most important editorial photographers of the mid-twentieth century, breaking all the rules and going beyond fashion.

Elements in her photos:

close-up
black and white
different expressions
different angles
tone
shadow
simple background

I picked Irving Penn as my inspiration photographer because he took photos that contained elements I wanted to capture. I like how he presents close-up shots of different people in his photos, and his unique composition makes his photos interesting. The black and white in his photos helps the audience to focus on the people’s faces. For the ones that captured older people, the black and white color scheme can emphasize the wrinkles and emotions on their faces. He uses mostly simple black or white backgrounds, allowing the audience to focus on the people’s faces. He made the models do different dramatic facial expressions, evoking strong emotions in the audience.

A famous quote from Irving Penn: “A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective.” This quote has a straight connection to his photography style, because it shows how he likes to communicate effectively. For example, he uses a simple background to contrast with the people in front and uses close-up shots to create strong emotions. These are all straightforward techniques that can effectively emphasize the characters of models. Another quote from Irving Penn is: “I always thought we were selling dreams, not clothes.” This is the main thing that led to his success in fashion photography and portrait photography. He is very passionate about fashioned clothing and photography. Working at Vogue is not only his work, it’s his dream to become a passionate photographer and explore beyond fashion.

Irving Penn was inspired by many factors. From his early student years, Penn wanted to become an artist. Art was something highly valued in the Penn household; Penn’s father, though a watchmaker by trade, loved to paint. While attending the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Arts, Irving met Alexey Brodovitch at Harper’s Bazaar. The renowned teacher, photographer, and art director later became his mentor (The Collector). In, 1938, he began experimenting with fashion photography. Inspired by Surrealism, modern dance, and film noir, his images register as provocative visual statements, not just commercial photographs. “With a firm grasp on the geometry of the body, the psychology of consumerism, and an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of art, Penn lifted fashion photography into the realm of high art” (The Art Story).

This is one of my favorite photos of Irving Penn. It is a portrait of Pablo Picasso taken for Vogue Artists. In this photo, Penn used the technique of close-up, black-and-white, and large aperture. I like how the person fits the whole image, making the composition balanced and full. Picasso in this image is staring at the camera, making the audience feel he is staring right at them. The audience’s eyes are directly drawn to Picasso’s face and eyes. I also like how the hat is tilted, adding more shapes and dimensions to this image.

MEANING /INTENT

•Mood: How does this picture make you feel? What elements (lighting, colors, shapes, texture, the subject) make you feel that way?

•Intention: What are the intended effects of the photographer’s choices?

•How do you want the photograph to make us feel?

•Why artistic choices did you make to enable this?

• Do you think you have achieved this?

Street Photography- Photo Selection

November 21, 2023 / Summer / 0 Comments

All Photos:

Yellow Selection:

Green Selections:

Red Selection:

I heard lots of Hutong from my parents, they always say Hutong is where they grew up and Hutong culture is the root of the Beijing spirit. There are many stories to tell and abundant memories to cherish…… From the photos I picked, there is a sense of the Beijing Hutong culture, the truth is the people; who are warm-hearted, passionate, loving, inclusive, and diversified. They enjoy their routine lives to keep the core values of the traditional culture, and also to embrace the changes to progress to the future. It was fun talking to the hutong Ye-Yes, they were very nice, extroverted, and allowed us to take photos. Hutong might disappear in a year’s time, but the Hutong culture and values will be preserved and transferred to the new generations.

I selected these photos as my final set because they visually look balanced and connected. The close-up of the faces made the audience focus on the people and elicited a stronger feeling. These photos are connected in different ways; the ages of the old man and lady, and the background- the trees in both photos of the old man. After I picked these photos I realized a funny detail: the background of the old lady shows the sign of “no smoking,” however, the Ye-ye in the last picture is smoking. The close-up and black-and-white techniques made these photos more focused and created a timeless atmosphere. The faces of the elderly further establish the emotion of calm and the sense of story. This is because people commonly believe that the elderly have more experience and stories, and they are often quiet and calm. Moreover, the wrinkles on their faces and their expressions made the image very strong. My vision was to show the Chinese culture and daily life in hutongs. In my opinion, these old- Beijing grandpas and grandmas are the best way to show the hutong culture. Connecting to the photographer I picked Vivian Maier, I used similar techniques and elements in the composition. For example, close-ups, black and white, and big aperture. These photos are similar to the photos I picked from Vivian Maier; where she used a big aperture to focus on people’s faces, and how she took many photos of old people. Although it’s not the same as his style, I think it’s a combination of mine and his style. To conclude, these are my three most successful and strong photos for this set, which can communicate my vision and connect with the photographer I picked.

I eliminated photos from the green selection because they don’t have a good composition and don’t match my intention. For example, I eliminated the photo on the right (second row), because although the faces in the front created a focus on the center, the composition is a bit too much. I deleted the bottom row middle and right photos because the angle is “normal,” and there are no unique perspectives, so it doesn’t create a strong emotion. Also, some photos have high exposure, which makes the image unclear or too white. I removed photos that created different emotions. For example, I deleted the photos that contained too many elements, which might distract the audience.

Street Photography- Practice in School

November 11, 2023 / Summer / 0 Comments

We tried the techniques of close-up, triangle composition, low angle, high angle, and shutter speed. I think it was hard to capture a clear photo when people were moving. It was also challenging when I asked different people if I could take photos of them. The black and white made the photos look better and more textured. I think the close-up shots had the best composition and result.

Street Photography- Vision Statement

November 8, 2023 / Summer / 0 Comments

The message conveyed through my triptych will be to show the Chinese culture and the daily life in hutongs. I will reveal this message by capturing different people living in hutongs and using a black-and-white color scheme. I want to focus on shooting the elderly because I think their faces show different stories and experiences. I will use the style of Vivian Maier, which focuses on close-up shots of people in daily life, monochrome, and different compositions. My aim is to elicit a sense of calm in the audience. The use of a black-and-white color scheme can evoke a timeless atmosphere and lessen the distraction of colors, letting the audience focus on the main subject. On the photography trip, I will also try to use Maier’s way of capturing moments of strangers; where she stayed in one spot, tested the aperture and shutter speed, and waited for people to pass by.

Street Photography- Vivian Maier

November 8, 2023 / Summer / 0 Comments

Vivian Dorothy Maier was born on February 1, 1926, she was an American street photographer whose work was discovered and recognized after her death (April 21, 2009). She took more than 150,000 photographs during her lifetime, primarily of the people and architecture of Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles, although she also traveled and photographed worldwide (Wikipedia).

Elements in her photos:

– Black and white

– Close-up shots

– Focus on people

– Low point of view (sometimes)

– Composition- people in the center

– Waited for people to pass by

I picked Vivian Maier as my inspiration photographer because she took photos that contained elements I wanted to capture. I like how he presents close-up shots of different people in her photos, and her unique composition makes her photos unique. The black and white in her photos helps the audience to focus on the people’s faces. For the ones that captured older people, the black and white color scheme can emphasize the wrinkles and emotions on their faces. I also like how her compositions are unique and have a different vision than normal; some photos are taken from a lower point of view.

A famous quote from Vivian Maier: “We have to make room for other people. It’s a wheel – you get on, you go to the end, and someone else has the same opportunity to go to the end, and so on, and somebody else takes their place.” This quote doesn’t have a straight connection to her photography style, but it shows her personality and her views of humanity. It could be seen as a call for empathy, compassion, and fairness, urging individuals to recognize that everyone deserves a chance to pursue their dreams and contribute to society.

Vivian Maier was inspired by many factors. She was passionate about documenting the world around her through homemade films, recordings, and collections, assembling one of the most fascinating windows into American life in the second half of the twentieth century. She began taking photos with an old box camera, in 1952, she was possibly inspired by a show of contemporary French photography at the Museum of Modern Art. Maier was particularly interested in the work of early 20th-century photographers, such as Jacob Riis, Lewis Hine, and Dorothea Lange, who used their cameras to document social and political issues. She was known for her street photography, which was heavily influenced by the work of photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa.

This is my favorite photo from Vivian Maier because I like the effect of the low angle. Maier focuses on the person walking by, and the background is filled mostly with buildings. She captured the emotion of the stranger and the random movement of him. The capture of the old man smoking and smiling elicits a calm, relaxed, and happy mood. The use of black and white created a timeless atmosphere and reduced the distraction of colors.

Street Photography- #1

October 30, 2023 / Summer / 0 Comments

Define Street Photography: Street photography focuses on capturing people and unposed scenes of everyday life in public spaces. It does not have to include people, it can also be of an object or environment where the image projects a decidedly human character in facsimile or aesthetic (Wikipedia). It often involves photographing strangers, capturing their expressions, interactions, and movements. It is a dynamic and expressive form of visual storytelling of individuals and their surroundings.

Mind Map:

Interesting Photos:

By Tatsuo Suzuki

technique used:

– black and white/ contrast

– emphasize the background

– motion of people (old people)

– rule of thirds- composition

By Nicholas Goodden

techniques used:

– close-up to emphasize the person

– black and white

By Vivian Maier

– close-ups

– different angle (people looking down)

– unposed- middle of an action

By Lesya Kim

Interesting techniques:

– use of color

– Rule of thirds composition

– close-up

Set 2- Photo Selection

October 18, 2023 / Summer / 0 Comments

All Photos:

Yellow Selection:

Green Selection:

Red Selection:

I picked these photos as my final set because they visually look balanced and connected. Looking at the photos in order, it created a “V” shape. The close-up- and- black-and-white techniques made these photos abstract, which can trigger the audience’s curiosity and interpretations. It elicits curiosity because these images show uncommon and unclear elements; the viewers have to guess what all the shades are made from, which triggers their interest in finding the objects behind the scenes. Connecting to the photographer I picked, Aaron Siskind, I used similar techniques and elements in the compositions, for example, close-ups, shapes, and black and white. The photos don’t have a clear focal point or a main element to let the viewers focus on, and it’s all blurry, which adds on to the goal of triggering curiosity and interpretations. Furthermore, my vision was to remind people of simplicity and to elicit their curiosity. These photos show simple shapes of shadows with a balanced composition, which reached my goal. of being simple and making a contrast. Moreover, these photos are similar to the photo I picked from Aaron Siskind. Although it’s not 100% the same as his style, I think it’s a mix of my and his styles. To conclude, These are my three most successful photos for this set that can represent my vision and connect with the photographer I picked.

I eliminated photos from the green selection because they don’t have a good composition and it doesn’t match Aaron Siskind’s style. For example, in the last row of photos in the green selection, I eliminated them because they had too much blank space, and the composition was a bit too simple. The shapes in the photos were also too “normal,” like rectangles and triangles, which doesn’t fit Aaron Siskind’s style because he focused on capturing different shapes and unique objects. I also eliminated photos that were too blurry because Aaron Siskind captured clear shapes and made contrast; if the photo is too blurry, it cannot show a clear contrast between the shapes. Furthermore, I removed photos that created different emotions. For example, I deleted the photos that contained too many elements, which might distract the audience.

Set 2- Vision Statement

October 18, 2023 / Summer / 0 Comments

Similar with my set 1 vision, my vision is to remind people the simplicity that exists in the world, contrasting with the bustling and complex society. I will use inspirations from the style of Aarond Siskind, which focuses on capturing different shapes in daily life to make contrast, and using black and white filter. I am particularly inspired by the photo of using close- up shot and contrasting black and white using different shapes(no name), shown below. I will try to take pictures that make the audience feel a sense of simplicity; which allows them to step- out the complicated society. I also want to use the close- up technique to trigger their curiosity and let them make personal interpretations. I will also use black and white to evoke a timeless atmosphere effect.

Aaron Siskind

October 16, 2023 / Summer / 0 Comments

Aaron Siskind was born in New York City on December 4, 1903, and died on February 8, 1991. He was an American photographer. He focused on the details of things, presented as flat surfaces to create a new image independent of the original subject. He was also involved with the abstract expressionist movement. Siskind used subject material from the real world, for example, close-up details of painted walls and graffiti, asphalt pavements, rocks, lava flows, dappled shadows, etc. He worked worldwide: Mexico, Rome, Westport, Vermont, and more. He also took photos of high contrast of shadows and light.

Elements in Photos:

Shapes
Lines
Contrast
Shadow and Light
Close- up Shots

I picked Aaron Siskind as my inspiration photographer because he took photos that contained elements I wanted to capture. I like how he presents close-up shots of different shapes in his photos; his unique composition shows a sense of abstraction. The black and white in his photos helps the audience to focus on his shape compositions instead of being distracted by colors. I also like how his compositions are unique and have a different vision than the normal. Furthermore, his photos give me a feeling of simplicity and ease and will make me have my thoughts and curiosity. It relates to my message and intention by having similar elements and compositions.

Unlike Ray Metzker, my inspiration photographer for set one, Aaron Siskind took more photos of shapes. Ray Metzker captured the contrast between lines, and the composition was relatively balanced. However, Aaron Siskind preferred to capture close-up shots of different shapes to show the contrast between dark and light colors.

Aaron Siskind’s photographs are abstract because they make people interpret and trigger the viewers’ curiosity. I liked his composition style because I could not initially understand his photos; I had to look again to see what he was capturing. I also like how he experiments with different shapes and compositions in daily life to create abstraction. It is interesting how he uses monochrome, and it emphasizes the shapes in the image. His photos don’t have the common sense of “clean” or “balanced,” but it’s unique that he plays around with close-up shots. His photos elicit the viewers’ curiosity and let them make personal interpretations.

A famous quote from Aaron Siskind: “Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… it remembers little things long after you have forgotten everything.” I like this quote because it really links to the photo I want to take and my favorite photo from Aaron Siskind (photo below). Sometimes, when we take abstract images, we won’t remember every detail of where we took the photo, the angle, or the light… However, we can remember the feelings and emotions when we look at it. People live their whole lives looking at many scenes and objects; Photography helps them capture the most interesting part and store it forever.

This is my favorite photo from Aaron Siskind because I think it has a unique perspective and composition. He uses different abstract shapes to make people curious and make interpretations. When I first look at this photo, I was rotating the photo to try to see what the photographer actually captured. Curiosity of viewers are created when they cannot identify the element in a photo, in this case, they will try to guess what all the shapes are made of. Also, the black and white color scheme made the photo more mysterious and made the audience focus. The black and white made the shapes contrast, and highlights the white shape in the middle.

Set 2- Statement of Intent

October 15, 2023 / Summer / 0 Comments

The message conveyed through my triptych will be to remind people the simplicity that exists in the world. I will reveal this message by showing simple lines and shadows of architectures, using black and white color scheme. My aim is to elicit a sense of calm, simplicity, and curiosity in the audience. The use of a black and white color scheme can evoke a timeless atmosphere and lessen the distraction of colors, letting the audience to focus on the main subject; It will also trigger curiosity and personal interpretations. I will get inspiration from works of photographers who explore black and white imagery, simple shapes, and using close- up shots.

Summer.han

"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious" - Albert Einstein