Naoya Hatakeyama:

Hatakeyama is a Japanese photographer born in 1958, in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture; he studied at the School of Art and Design at the University of Tsukuba in 1981, and later completed his post-graduate studies there in 1984. Hatakeyama admired the countryside and the natural beauty of the mountains in his home region, and he explores the meaning of landscapes in the present day when all land is affected by human activity, maintaining that even landscapes that we admire for its untouched beauty, such as the craggy mountaintops of the Alps, has already been altered by human use by their portrayal as idealized nature.  Therefore, Hatakeyama’s works mostly embodies humans’ intervention/interactions/relationships with the environment around-landscapes and cities-its past, present, future and the impact upon it.  To Hatakeyama,  photography is a medium to document and analyze these changes,  it is a method of exploring humanity’s place in the natural world and the consequences of its interventions. His river series created in 1993-1994 pairs Tokyo’s built structures with the luminous and mysterious waters on which the buildings are constructed. The reflections are shown through rivers-in which mostly are in urban settings where human activity intersect with nature; this choice of location possibly reflects the tension between nature and urban development, criticizing humanity’s persistent effort to control nature while being depending on it at the same time. The symmetry and balance created by the water conveys a sense of calmness and harmony, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the photographs; the contrast/diverse/layering of the various textures-the smooth, rippling, flowing water with the geometric rigidity of the industrial structures, and the thoughtful use of natural lighting-which creates a mysterious and shimmering scene, evokes emotions of awe, calmness, and tranquility.

Lee Friedlander:

Friedlander is an American photographer born in July 14, 1934, in Aberdeen, Washington; his style has focused on and is also known for his asymmetrical black and white pictures of the American social landscape-everyday people, places, and things, capturing daily modern life.  Already having passion for photography in the age of 14, he studied briefly at the Art center school in Los Angelos and moved to New York city in 1956, starting his career by taking pictures of jazz musicians-including Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and John Coltrane for the Atlantic records; he also worked as a freelance photographer for magazines such as Collier’s, Esquire, McCall’s, and Sports Illustrated. And in 1960, Friedlander emerged as a street-photographer, capturing glimpses of urban life with unflinching realism-including the chaos of the city and also dense natural landscapes, focusing on countless objects from cars to trees to monuments. Friedlander took black and white pictures using a Leica 35mm camera, using reflections in storefront windows, plate-glass doors, and side-view mirrors to complicate the viewing experience; he also incorporated street signs, doors, and windows as framing devices. To Friedlander, his fascination with photography stems from deep engagement with the materials and the enjoyment that he derives from the process, he emphasizes of capturing images as they present themselves, maintaining that compelling photographs are available in everyday life, requiring only an observant eye to recognize it. Friedlander’s photographs stand out aesthetically due to their complexity and use of visual elements. The reflections add depth and ambiguity to the images, creating a sense of visual tension-this complexity creates a dynamic viewing experience, evoking interest and curiosity. The contrast between black and white enhances the texture, structure, and shapes, which adds depth to the image, enriching their visual impact. The thoughtful and unique use of windows and mirrors to establish the scene is innovative, eliciting emotions of amusement and delight, prompting a deeper engagement. And the isolation of the figures within the urban backdrop also evokes emotions of melancholy and loneliness.

Summary:

Overall. these two artists have various differences-their experience, the way they see photography, and their focus-in which Hatakeyama sees photography as a method of documenting the changes of nature and the human interference upon nature, and Friedlander is more eager and interested to use it to capture glimpses of modern day urban life-all result different effects presents in their artworks; the style that they show and the methods that they use are also nothing similar-while Hatakeyama chooses to use the shimmering river water to present hazy and distant reflections, Friedlander, on the other hand, uses windows, glass, and mirrors to present unique shadows and reflections-this also creates differences in the emotions and meaning conveyed-the symmetry and stillness of the water creates tranquility and peacefulness, while the glasses and mirror reflect amusement and isolation. Despite being different, both are interesting and worth referencing art pieces.

Sources used:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lee-Friedlander

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Friedlander

https://photoquotes.com/search?search_text=Lee+Friedlander

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naoya_Hatakeyama

https://www.takaishiigallery.com/en/archives/5925/

Initial thoughts on project:

-A mirror of an image created by other elements/could also mean the reflection of the truth-true self-could be an interesting topic

What immediately comes to mind/what interests me:

-Water, mirrors, glass

-The reflections of buildings in puddles of water during rainy days/reflections of human faces in the water/mirror

This is my final choice. The lighting and overall tone of this photo appears soft and gentle, the blue tones of the sea are consistent and harmonious, giving the whole photo feelings of tranquility and calmness; the natural texture of the fabric and the folds and curves created also enhances the sense of peace and serenity; and the black and white beach add contrast without disrupting the overall color scheme; the elements are effectively balanced-interacting with each other to create a mysterious and engaging underwater scene-the fish figure is clearly the focus point, and the background provides context and depth without being distracting at the same time.

This is the second round of the selection, in which this time I chose 5 best photos out of the ten selected in the first round. Personally the first and second photo in the first row are my favorites, therefore I chose them out without any hesitation-they consist of a unique composition and perspective-the first photo uses the elements of leading lines, rule of thirds, and negative space, making the photo seem neat and balanced, giving it a natural and engaging feeling-the elements are arranged in a visually balanced way-the fish figure is positioned on top of the blue fabric and on the left half of the photo with some ice cubes placed behind, with the white pebbles positioned on the right side of the photo; because the blue fabric and the white pebbles are neatly separated, showed side by side, this also creates contrast between the colors and texture-the blue fabric and the white pebbles; the smoothness of the figure and the fabric with the solid and grainy pebbles, creates a visual appealing and harmonious balance-making the photo eye catching and giving it a soothing feeling while without being too overwhelming and covering the main object-the fish figure at the same time-as the focus is sharp on the figure and the empty space on the right will draw the viewer’s attention towards the main object. The second photo also stands out for various reasons-to begin with, this photo has a clear focus on the fish figure, clearly and fully capturing all details of it, and in most other photos the face of the figure is either not visible or not as prominently displayed, as the perspective of other photos were from behind-this focus makes the figure stand out, emphasizing its importance as the main element of the photo; furthermore, in this photo the elements are placed in a tilted way, the beach-composed of the black and white pebbles take up a corner, the sea takes up the rest of the space, and the fish figure is placed in the center of the sea-with folds and curves of fabric resembling the running water and waves surrounding it, as if the fish figure is “swimming” across the sea, this interaction between the fish figure and its background adds life, realism and movement to the photo, making it more dynamic and giving it a sense of depth and story, moreover, the waves also act as leading lines, naturally drawing the viewer’s attention towards the fish figure in the center. From rest of the 8 photos I eliminated the three in the last row (could be seen in last blog) for the same reason, although they all consist of unique perspectives and compositions, the overall color and tone of it is way too dull-there aren’t any lighting or color contrast present, and this will make it difficult for the viewers to find a center or feel evoked in the scene.  In the rest of the 5 photos I then eliminated 2 that are took at the same angle and perspective as the third photo in the first row but not as well. This is because although all three are took using almost the same placements and perspectives, the third photo effectively uses depth, lighting, and composition-the beach is in the foreground, the fish figure is in the middle ground-positioned off-center, using the rule of thirds, and the sea is in the background-this placement-enhancing the interaction between the elements, not only creates a sense of three-dimensionality but also makes it more dynamic and naturalistic; furthermore, the black and white pebbles, the ice, and the various shades of blue-some appear brighter while others darker-which mimic the shifting tones of the sea-all enhance the richness of color, and this color and texture contrast-diverse yet harmonious-makes the photo more visual engaging.

All photos are uploaded to dx, these are the 10 photos selected from the 35 uploaded. When first asked to brainstorm ideas of the scene to create, the sea immediately appeared in my mind; no human could deny its natural beauty-the way the waves rise and fall, the shape of their crest, and the way they break against the shore or each other are all breathtaking views, and the rhythmic, soothing sounds of the waves crashing on to shore also creates a soothing and calming effect on our minds and bodies. This repetitive nature of the waves’ motion is like a natural form of meditation, even just the sight of the ripples gently, rhythmically lapping on to shore acts as a source of comfort and reassurance, helping us enter a state of tranquility and peace; its expanse stretches far beyond the horizon, as if it has merged together with the sky, giving the impression as if it is infinite; this eternal, endless, presence evokes wonder and revere, reminding us of how incredibly small and insignificant we are compared to the vast, natural world; its depths remain largely unexplored, hiding away things that only exist upon our imagination-ancient treasures, systems of life, shipwrecks…and so on, we never know what’s hiding underneath that ever-changing, calmly, rippling surface of blue,  beneath the waves, an unseen world thrives, and this mystery is also where the beauty of the sea lies.  My partner Erica’s idea of creating a scene of winter-which became our final idea-a sea with ice on the beach, so that includes both the beauty of the sea and the beauty of winter; and the works of a famous Japanese photographer – Tatsuya Tanaka inspired us of constructing the scene, the photo that we used as a reference consists of white stones as the sand/land by a river, and the river is created by a plastic wrap, giving it a glimmering effect;  We chose to use black and white stones of different materials and sizes to create the beach, add actual ice on top, and use blue fabric to represent the sea, to make it more realistic we also tried pulling a few foldings and wrinkles to create “waves” and laid another layer of white pearlescent silk cut from a dress at the bottom to create the shimmering feelings of the sea. The figure that we chose to use is a small, transparent, fish-since it will enhance the realism of the scene and the sense of story, bringing it to life, since fish are the most commonly seen figures within the sea; furthermore, the texture of it-which appears smooth and fluid, almost liquid like, gives it a sense of delicacy and fragility, because all the light could pass through it, and that the light will be refracted, it will create a unique kind of light that is incompatible with the rest of the environment, providing it with a soft and gentle glow. When selecting the photos I first quickly went through all and marked out the ones that stand out at first glance based on visual appeal-interesting composition/positions, is clear and shows detail, conveys emotions/feelings/sense of story-for example I really liked the third one in the first row because of the unique composition and placement of the elements-the pebbles in the left corner below transition into a row of ice, with the sea emerging from it and the fish positioned in the middle of the sea, as though the fabric were actual flowing water and that the fish is a part of this living, moving environment- this placement makes the photo more vivid and dynamic compared to the others; I then sorted the photos according to different perspectives-for example I might have took 5 from behind the fish and 5 from on top, and I would choose the best one taken from each group/perspective to maintain novelty and the diversity, since selecting too many photos with similar perspectives/angles can lead to aesthetic fatigue and dilute the overall visual impact; within the sorting and selecting of the photos in one group/perspective I will first choose to eliminate photos that have obvious defects, such as photos that appear blurry, and/or have poor lighting and depth of field (ex: I eliminated all photos of one group that showed the fish figure positioned on the right side of the photo with ice behind, since the poor depth of field made the ice behind the fish figure in focus and rather the fish itself)-in the photos left I will then prioritize the ones that convey stronger emotions and sense of story-for example,  the first photo in the second row is chose from three of the same perspective, this photo stood out because the in the rest the fish figure was either focused to the right or to the left, giving it a sense of distance, and in this photo the fish figure is positioned in the center-to me I think that the center position gives the figure a sense of importance and dominance, able to draw the viewer’s attention to it immediately. However if the photos left have no difference then I might just randomly choose one. I also adjusted the ISO and focus a bit, relatively low ISO was used-(Around 100-200). the low ISO in good lighting conditions can result in better quality photos. Also, the fish figure is captured clearly, which shows that it has been mainly focused.

-First two photographs in first row-elements used-perspective: In the first photo the koala figure is placed under the leaves of a flower pot, by focusing on the view from behind and above; and the contrast between light and darkness created that could be seen from this view-the shadows casted by the leaves and the koala figure and the area filled with light outside the shade of the leaves-since the light is also coming from above-it creates a mysterious and melancholy atmosphere, conveying a peaceful feeling;  In the second photo the koala figure is placed under a table, with no other element/(s) or objects surrounding, this creates a sense of space and also a harmonious feeling as the color of the koala figure and the background blends together well, isolating the figure and guiding the viewer’s attention towards it. Furthermore, through using a flashlight and illuminating the front of the figure while taking the photo from a perspective below at the other side of the figure, creating and highlighting the diverse contrast between light and dark, the photo evokes a sense of loneliness and isolation.

-Third and fourth photographs in first row-elements used-color contrast (I thought it was one of the required 8 elements and found out today that it isn’t): Although the koala figure itself might not create a contrast as bright with the background behind, the background that it is put in is an example of a high color contrast, as the water bottle is blue and the fire extinguisher beside it is red. This vibrant contrast between the two colors-the warmth and energy associated with red and the depth and calmness created by the shade of blue-makes the koala figure-which is in a shade of gray-dark and dull-to stand out from its surroundings,  drawing the viewer’s attention to it. The second photo, which I adjusted it to make the contrast even larger, makes the koala figure even more isolated from its surroundings, able to attract attention.

-First and second photographs in second row-elements used-symmetry and patterns: This photo was actually taken on the ground, the koala figure is placed upside down in front of a closet with the pattern of lines, I adjusted it to create the effect as if it was actually on the white and black striped streets. This repeated pattern of lines highlights uniformity, creating a sense of balance, harmony, and order, making the whole photograph appealing to the eye. It also makes the main figure, which in this case is the koala, to stand out, as it appears in this photo as an element other than the repeating structures of lines, creating contrast. In the second photo I zoomed out a little, this makes the koala figure and the lines to appear a little further away from the camera, creating depth, this enhances the storytelling aspect of the photo, as if the koala figure were in a scene.

-Third photograph in second row and first photograph in third row-elements used-rule of thirds: In these two photos I attempted to create a scene by setting the koala figure on top of the branches of a tree,  I applied the rule of thirds by adjusting the position of the koala figure along the grid lines to the right side of the photo, and with the branches and leaves sticking out from the branches to the left side, creating a sense of space. Also, because the whole shade of color of these photos are quite bright, and the highly fit scene, which includes actual branches and leaves, it gives the photo a fresh and lively feeling, creating a sense of story telling, as if the koala figure is actually set in nature. Furthermore, the way how the koala figure is not placed in the exact center and that the leaves sticking out are surrounding it gives the photo a more balanced and harmonious feeling, drawing the viewer’s attention to the main subject, which in this case is the koala figure.

-Second and third photograph in third row-elements used-framing: In these two photos I placed the koala figure on top of a plant, using the leaves to frame it. This natural framing isolates the koala from its surroundings, drawing the viewer’s attention to it. The layers of leaves also add complexity to the whole photo, enhancing the three-dimensional feeling of it. I am deliberately trying to place the koala figure within surroundings that involve nature, as it is where most actual koalas exist, therefore the connection between the koala figure and its background creates and enhances the feelings of nature and vitality.

-First and second photograph in fourth row-elements used-balance: In these two photos the koala figure is placed between the handles of a slide, with the background showing the ISB building. (I’m sorry I didn’t have any thoughts when taking these two photos, it’s just that I really couldn’t find a place that shows symmetry/balance, I know that the figure doesn’t match with the background a lot.) This symmetry creates a sense of balance and stability, as the same structures exist on both sides of the koala figure, drawing the viewer’s attention to it. The perspective of which the photo is took-which is from below-also creates a sense of distance and space.

-Third and fourth photograph in fourth row-elements used-depth of field: In these two photos the koala figure was placed on a branch with moss surrounding it, and below the branch is water; I still attempted to create a scene related with nature, wanting to mimic the scenes that could be seen in real life. By controlling the depth of field, I put the koala figure into sharp focus while blurring the background, isolating the figure and making it stand out. This will draw the viewer’s attention directly to it while also creating a fresh and natural setting and atmosphere. Furthermore, the blurred background also emphasizes the details and texture of the koala figure, making it appear more vibrant and realistic. Both photos use a shallow depth of field, but have differences among the focus; while in the second photo the koala figure appears sitting on the branch and is closely shot, in the first photo the koala appears further from the camera and therefore more of the background is revealed, creating a sense of distance and depth.

-Last two photos-elements used-leading lines: I’m not really sure on how to present the effect of leading lines and I tried taking two groups of photos in different backgrounds, however it seems that I have failed to present this effect in both groups. In the first photo the koala figure was placed behind an old, colorful tire, while I took the shot behind two other tires in front, wanting to create an effect that the tires are guiding the viewer’s view towards the koala figure, however, I wasn’t able to keep the focus on the figure, and so the effect that came out wasn’t really what I expected-the figure appeared small, dark, and blurry, as if the main object wasn’t the koala figure and instead were the tires. In the second photo the koala figure was placed in a sand table, with other small decorative objects surrounding it, I have attempted to organize and adjust the position of the ornaments, wanting to let the ornaments lead the viewer’s gaze towards the figure, however, maybe because of the distance from which the photo was taken-which is way too close and the wrong focus of the camera-focusing on the plant instead of the figure, making it appear blurry, I wasn’t able to present the effect that I wanted to.