Mood Board:

Intent Statement: The striking contrasts and the emotions that shadows could add to the photo increases the intensity, depth and visual appeal of it; it’s flexible quality also makes it easier and more interesting to work with. Furthermore strong focus or application of shadows could help set the mood and atmosphere of an image.  The theme and feelings that I want to convey would be softness and melancholy, I also want to create a dream-like effect. Some items that I would want to use might include flashlights, paper, or some kind of object that could reflect color when in the light.

-My photos are all inspired by Barbara Cole’s series Appearances and Beat. Her delicate use of water and flowers to explore transformation, nature, and beauty  -the themes self-perception and identity, has inspired me to use the same mediums-water and flowers

-In this photo I used macro photography, taking an extreme close up on the two flowers that I’m specifically focusing on and the water droplet on top. My choice of macro photography allows for a close-up view of all the details of the petals and the water droplet-including texture-the veins and the soft, delicate surface of the petals are clearly visible-this conveys the theme of the intimacy with nature, it shows/highlights the small, often unnoticed details that make up the natural world, inviting viewers to appreciate the beauty in the minute aspect of plants. The transparency and reflective quality of the water droplet makes it act like tiny lenses, showing a distorted version of the petal beneath, this reflects how we perceive and interpret the world around us; the water droplet also  creates a sense of fluidity and softness, conveying themes of the freshness/vitality and delicate of nature. I also applied balance and color contrast, in which the white flower is placed on the corner on the right while the pink one is placed on the left, this contrast adds depth  and visual interest. The overlapping of the petals of different colors and the focus on the water droplet further adds complexity to the image.

-The theme that I wanted to convey is the fragility, vitality, and beauty of nature, which I chose to reflect through focusing on the motion and using natural elements-water, flowers-in which the delicate flowers with the gentle water not only would create a calming and soothing mood but also could reflect the connection with nature. In this photo I set the flowers on a mirror and poured water on top of it, I lowered the shuttle speed to capture the motion of the flowers getting washed away by the water and the rough but fluid texture of the water by capturing the moment in which the water splits into droplets when coming in contact with the mirror. I increased the ISO and also the contrast between light and dark when editing to guide the viewers’ gaze/attention towards the flowers and the water droplets.

-In this photo the flower is placed on the wet mirror covered with water droplets, like the photo above I lowered the ISO and increased the contrast between light and dark when editing. This contrast between the light/bright flowers and the dark background creates a striking visual effect, immediately grabbing the viewer’s gaze/attention towards the flowers. I also used negative space, in which the large, dark, area in the corner on the right gives the flowers room, making them stand out. This also contributes to the overall mood of the photo, emphasizing the isolation, tranquility, and mysterious of the flowers. This evokes themes of the elegance of nature.

-Increased ISO

-Decreased ISO

-Negative space

-Rule of thirds

-Balance

-Rule of thirds

–

-Decreased shuttle speed

-Increased ISO

-Contrast between light and dark

–

-Decreased shuttle speed

-Increased ISO

-Lowered ISO

-Increased ISO

-Contrast between light and dark

-Depth of field

-Increased ISO

-Framing

-Lowered ISO

-Negative space

-Contrast between light and dark

Intent statement:

In this project I personally really want to focus on water and the reflections that it could create. Water’s fluid and ever-changing nature makes it a mirror physically but also symbolically, reflecting not only portions of the real world but also the complexity of human-nature and self-perception. It’s surface is smooth and undisturbed, offering a breathtaking illusion of the truth and clarity of the environment around. However it is fragile, the slightest interference could distort this reflection, just like how external influences could shape and alter the identity of human. Beneath the calm surface, water holds depth, movement, and mystery, this fluid and constantly changing nature mirrors just how the human mind hides thoughts and emotions-a true self that remain unseen beneath a composed exterior. Through it’s constant flow, water reminds us that identity, like it’s own form, is never static but constantly evolving.

-Used rule of thirds, light and shadow, focus is on ripple on the left, lowered ISO

-Used light and shadow/color contrast, lowered ISO

-Used light and shadow/color contrast, adjusted shutter speed, lowered ISO

-Used depth of field, lowered ISO

-Used balance, adjusted shutter speed and increased ISO

-Used depth of field, negative space, perspective, increased ISO

-Adjusted color-increased the shade of blue, used balance

-Used balance, perspective, negative space, contrast between light and shadow, lowered ISO

-Perspective, color contrast of black and white, adjusted shutter speed, lowered ISO

-Perspective, negative space, light and shadow, color contrast of black and white, increased ISO

Use of art elements: In “The Flowers” I edited it into black and white, using the art element contrast, light and shadow; In “The Curtain” I used the art element color-I adjusted the brightness, shade, and vividness of the colors/photograph when editing to make it more appealing/eye catching

Composition ideas: In the first and second photo I attempted to use framing-in “The Door”-the reflection of the city is captured within the bronze, metal logo on a door, framed inside it; in “The Flowers”, the reflection is on a glass-showcase, inside the glass is nature, with flowers blooming and vines and leaves tangled around and below, and outside-on the glass, is the reflection of a small, brick, cottage, the way the nature is arranged inside perfectly frames the cottage, with the flowers above, as if growing from the cottage, and the vines and leaves below, as if the cottage is placed on top of a snowy mountain. “The Flowers” also used the composition technique leading lines as the surrounding elements-the nature-guides the view of the audience towards the dominating element in the center-the cottage. In the third photo “The Curtain”, I attempted the composition technique perspective, the shape of the window itself was quite interesting, curved and folded, with the reflection of the blue sky and architecture on it, I took advantage of this shape and took the photo from a tilted (?) perspetive, standing/focusing on the right half of the window.

Links to artists: The two artists that inspired me were Naoya Hatakeyama – a Japanese photographer in which his river series-reflections – were mostly shown through water; and Lee Friedlander – who showed reflections through glass and mirror in the city; at first I was really attracted to Hatakeyama’s way of showing reflections – the reflection of the colorful and bright city in the rippling water gave the whole photograph a soft, gentle, and dream-like effect, making it seem fragile and mysterious, and I really liked this style and the emotions that it evoked and was really tempted to try it out myself. However, when actually attempting, I found out that this style and method was hard to imitate, there weren’t any natural large bodies of water around, and the water that I brought just wasn’t enough to create the same, artistic effect in Hatakeyama’s photographs. Just as I was wandering around 798, trying to find inspirations, I thought of Friedlander’s way of showing reflections, and therefore I chose to photo the reflections shown on glass or mirrors around the city instead. The way I chose to show reflections was inspired by Friedlander, and the feelings, emotions, and effects-dreamy, mysterious, artistic-that I was trying to evoke was inspired by Hatakeyama.

Themes and concepts: In “The Door” I captured the urban street through a small logo on the door, implying a quiet moment of observation. The sharp but soft edges of the logo, the contrast between the dark/dull color of the door, the bright logo, and the reflection captured within directs the audience’s gaze towards the reflection of city life and people walking captured in the center, giving the audience a feeling of gazing at a small portion, specific part of daily busy city life, the soft and muted light and the slight haze also gives this photograph a dream like quality. this conveys feelings of quiet solitude, stillness, and contemplation. In “The Flowers”,  I captured the scene of urban/city architecture within the frames of nature, this sharp contrast between humanity and nature, black and white, the delicate and gentleness of the flowers and the roughness of the texture of the modern, city architecture in the background reflects the concepts of the intervention, interactions, and relationship between human and nature.  In “The Curtain”, the outdoor scene of the blue sky and city is reflected upon the unique shape of the glass window, this creates a blurred, dream-like view, evoking a sense of fluidity.

Camera technique: In “The Door” I used the camera technique focus-focused on the reflection inside the logo of the door, blurring the background; In “The Flowers” I increased the ISO, making the whole photo brighter, creating a more diverse contrast between colors; In “The Curtain” I lowered the ISO, making the whole photo dimmer, this makes the colors look brighter and more appealing.

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