Alex

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

Category: Photography (page 1 of 2)

PRESENT

December 11, 2024 / / 0 Comments

“Everything I Own”

The final images successfully answer my original intent of exploring identity through personal belongings by showing the stories and emotions connected to each item. My goal was to demonstrate that our possessions are not just objects; they reflect who we are and what we care about. Each of the 225 images captures a unique item, inviting viewers to think about the memories associated with it. To develop my ideas for this project, I experimented with different ways to organize and present the images, trying out layouts like grids and clusters to see which worked best. I also focused on lighting and backgrounds to make each photograph visually appealing while keeping them connected as a collection. Throughout the project, I listened to feedback from peers and mentors, which helped me refine my approach and emphasize the emotional significance of each object. As I worked on this project, I learned to pay attention to details like color and texture, which helped create a stronger visual story. Overall, these final images come together to create a powerful narrative about identity and the meaningful connections we have with our belongings.

IDENTITY

December 7, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Vision for the Set

My vision for this set is to explore how our possessions connect to our identity. Each item represents a piece of the artist’s life, creating a story that highlights the importance of both ordinary and special things.This set will focus on how these items not only tell us about the artist but also make us think about our own lives. By showing everyday objects alongside thoughtful reflections, the set aims to encourage viewers to consider what they keep and what those choices say about them.

Simon Evans

Simon Evans is known for his creative collages that mix humor with deep ideas. His work often uses concrete poetry, where words and images come together, allowing people to enjoy both the visual and thoughtful parts of his art.In Everything I Have, Evans organizes his belongings in a grid format, which can be seen as a way to create a self-portrait. This method not only shows what he owns but also makes viewers think about their own connections to material things. His playful yet serious style reflects a humorous distance from consumerism, encouraging people to reflect on their lives and the stories behind their possessions.Evans’s art combines personal experiences with big questions about life, often using humor to tackle serious topics. This mix makes his work easy to understand while still encouraging deeper thought about who we are and how we relate to the things we own.

Everything I Have

Everything I Have shows a collection of everyday items like clothes, food, and household objects arranged neatly in a grid. This particular illustration showcases Evans’s skill in turning ordinary things into something visually striking.The repeated patterns in this image create a sense of order that draws viewers in, inviting them to look closely at each item. The attention to detail allows us to see not just the objects but also the memories they hold. For example, an illustration of an old pair of shoes might remind someone of past adventures or important moments in their life.Additionally, this image comments on consumerism; by displaying these items so neatly, Evans encourages viewers to think about their own shopping habits and the emotional value of their belongings. The mix of humor and reflection in this piece captures Evans’s artistic style, making it a powerful example of his work.

Contact Sheet:

Introduction to portraiture

November 29, 2024 / / 0 Comments

What is a Portrait?

A portrait focuses on a person or group of people. It shows their face and expression. The goal is to capture their personality. Yes, selfies can be considered portraits. They show the person’s face and emotions. However, they are often less formal than traditional portraits. Portraits should include the subject’s face, expression, and sometimes their body. Background elements should not distract from the person. Avoid clutter that takes attention away from the subject. A good portrait captures the subject’s personality. It has good lighting and focuses on the face. The composition should be balanced and engaging.Yes, a close-up of a hand can be a portrait. It can show character and emotion, even if it’s not the face. A blurred figure or a torn photo may lose its identity as a portrait. If it’s too abstract to recognize the person, it may no longer be considered a portrait. Yes, you can represent a person through objects that belong to them. This can still be called a portrait if it reflects their identity or personality. No, a portrait does not have to be just one photo. A series of images can tell a story about the person and can also be considered a portrait.

SET 1 Contact Sheets:

November 25, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Contact Sheet:

“YELLOW” contact sheet:

In my photography, I want to explore how human emotions connect with HuTong life. Inspired by Bruce Gilden’s close-up style, I aim to capture unique moments that reveal surprising contrasts in everyday life. Each photo will tell a story about daily life in HuTong and how people relate to their surroundings. I chose these images because they are all under the category of my vision and are all considered black and white street photography that demonstrates the people of HuTong and their day.

“GREEN” contact sheet:

The approach I was going with this set of pictures was making them black and white, and in focused on the people of HuTong. As well as the lighting in each images, I intended to imitate Bruce Gilden’s close-up style of the use of Focus and Light use. Each images I took could be represent an glimpse of the HuTong life. I aim to explore and capture the special moments that show the surprising contrasts in everyday life by focusing on the people of HuTong and the details of what they’re doing, without interruptions, and in addition with the black and white tone of the images, it makes everything stand out. For example if you look at image 11 and 12,  these causal yet special scenes are what is going on within HuTong. And with the filter of my vision and technics, these day-to-day activities like chatting or playing cards stands out as a moment that might seems ordinary and insignificant, but will now live on in the form of an artistic black and white photo.

“RED” contact sheet:

Following my vision of exploring stories about the daily life in HuTong and how people relates to their surroundings, I mainly focused on texture (black and white), depth of field, and focus to capture glimpses of what the people of HuTong experiences. By closing in on the details of these people, the thing that our eyes originally disregard as a common sight, like seeing a old person sitting on an chair (like in picture 2 or 3), suddenly stands out. Take Photo 1 as an example (my personal favorite): I was walking alone the river, looking for interesting sites, when I notices an old man sitting on an small wooden chair, alone, selling pins for a very cheep price. I thought it was an very interesting scene, for the old man has probably been sitting here for ages, only selling pins with no one in his company. So I adjusted my camera’s setting and quickly snap a picture of the close-up of the old man. He was fine with it after I told him I took a picture. As you can see, the texture of the old man’s face stands out because of black and white. Especially when we look closely into the old man’s eyes, we could see the a bit of tears on the bottom side of the eye and the reflectived view the lake, making the image, in some extent, reflective. Illustrating the deep emotions of one of the elder resident of HuTong.

SETS PART 1: Select and Analyse an artist and their work

November 18, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Analysis of the Artist: Bruce Gilden

My vision is to explore the dynamic relationship between human emotions and urban environments. Inspired by Bruce Gilden’s close-up style, I aim to capture unique moments that showcase the surprising contrasts found in everyday life. Each photograph will tell a story about daily life in HuTong, emphasizing how people connect with their surroundings.

Characteristics of Bruce Gilden’s Photographic Style

Bruce Gilden is known for his bold and striking approach to street photography. Some key characteristics of his style include:

Close-Up Shots: Gilden often takes photos very close to his subjects, making them appear larger than life. This technique captures intense emotions and details that might be missed from a distance.

Emotional Engagement: Gilden’s portraits often reveal deep emotions, showcasing the stories behind his subjects’ faces. He aims to capture the real lives of people, often focusing on those who are marginalized or overlooked

Unconventional Compositions: His photographs sometimes cut off parts of subjects or are taken from unusual angles, which creates a sense of urgency and energy in his work

Evaluating One of Bruce Gilden’s work:

I chose this photo because it showcases his unique style of capturing raw emotions in urban settings. What is surprising about this image is how the man’s intense gaze and expression stand out against the blurred background of the bustling city, creating a striking contrast that draws the viewer in. The important formal element in this photograph is light, as Gilden uses flash to illuminate the man’s face, emphasizing his features and emotions while adding depth to the image. This use of light not only highlights the subject but also enhances the overall mood, making it a powerful representation of street life and human connection.

WORKING THE SCENE 01 – RESEARCH

November 6, 2024 / / 0 Comments

My definition of Street photography:

Street photography is a type of photography that captures everyday life in public places, focusing on people and their interactions. It often shows candid moments, meaning the subjects are not posed or aware they are being photographed. This style of photography tells stories about real life and helps us appreciate the beauty of ordinary moments.

Mind Map: 

Mood Board:

Statement of Intent:

The concept I want to go for with my pictures is the dynamic between human emotion and the urban environment. Using similar Bruce Gilden’s close-up style, I aim to capture moments that reveal the surreal juxtapositions found in everyday life and highlight a new perspective. Each photograph will serve as a narrative of a moment in the daily life of HuTong, highlighting the connections between subjects and their surroundings, evoking a sense of wonder and curiosity. I want my audience to feel a connection to the images,  prompting them to reflect on their own experiences within urban spaces.

By capturing raw, unfiltered (colourless) moments of HuTong life, I hope to evoke emotions and reveal a whole new side/perspective of HuTong. I will get inspiration and develop my ideas by looking for scenes that explore the daily life in HuTong and, in some extent, juxtaposition, especially scenes that contrast different elements within a single frame. This includes depth of field, shadows, and unexpected compositions to create visual tension. Additionally, I will analyze techniques used by photographers who capture decisive moments, emphasizing timing and context to convey powerful stories within a single image. By examining these styles, I aim to refine my approach and push the boundaries of traditional street photography.

ABSTRACTION – FINAL TRIPTYCH: “Fleeting Glimpses”

October 25, 2024 / / 0 Comments

These three photographs are chosen from my SET 1 images and I think they best represent what I am trying to achieve and best connects to my vision of challenging the traditional views of visual perception meanwhile capturing the hidden beauty in everyday life moments that could easily be missed or slipped away. The title of my project is “Fleeting Glimpses”. I have developed my own individual approach to this title by combing my chosen artist’s photography style and connecting it to my own vision to illustrate the “easy to miss” moments in life that are sometimes more beautiful than we imagine. The artists that have inspired my work the most are Uta Barth and Aaron Siskind (although all of the photographs chosen for the final triptych is from SET 1 and inspired by Uta Barth). Uta Barth has inspired my use of out of focus and the exploration of light to make what seems to be an everyday moment become something more, and Aaron Siskind has mostly inspired me ideologically, mostly my visions and my approach when taking these pictures. In order to develop my ideas for this project I experimented with light, tone, and texture on over 600 pictures I took during the 798 trip.  After experimenting, I have brought together the best parts of my project to create my final series of images by eliminating the 100 Yellow contact sheet photographs and leaving 3 that best connects and represents my vision. To create my final series of images I wandered around 798 to search carefully for sights that could be beautiful but missed easily.  I chose to work like this because of my vision of capturing the hidden beauty in everyday life moments that could easily be missed or slipped away, so I look time to find these hidden beauty by looking carefully.  Overall, I think the strengths of the project are that the photographs have mostly connected and illustrated with my vision and intents. The areas that I will need to work on in future projects are being more efficient with my time, because in retrospect, I was kind of searching aimlessly. So maybe in the future, I could plan out more to then discover and take even more photographs.

SET 2 Contact Sheets

October 25, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Contact Sheet:

“YELLOW” contact sheet:

My vision is to show and capture the hidden beauty in everyday life moments that could easily be missed or slipped away. Combined with Aaron Siskind’s unique style of black and white picture with focus on texture and shallow depth of field, I want to create images that are challenging the traditional views of visual perception meanwhile being also beautiful and unique in its own way. I chose these images because they are all under the category of my vision and are all considered abstract photography.

“GREEN” contact sheet:

The approach I was going with these set of pictures was making them mostly focused on texture and black and white. As well as the lighting and shallow depth of field in each images, I intended to imitate Siskind’s style of the use of Texture and Tone. As you can see, each images I took could be considered as an sight that normally you would just walk pass or see but just glance by. All of these images can be found easily,  but I intend to capture these moments that could be overlooked and try to explore the beauty within it. By placing the camera close to the surface, it magnifies the details of these moments: the thing that our eyes originally disregards which makes up the “boring images”, texture, suddenly stands out. For example if you look at photo 7 and 8,  when you see a balloon on the ground, because it is such a common thing to see, you would view it as another casual object that you might kick away like a football. But when it gets up close and in focus,  the subtle details of the objects and fundamentals of what makes up an interesting image appear, viewers will now take time to examine the photo more carefully and perhaps even have their own interpretations after seeing the object up close with another perspective.

“RED” contact sheet:

Following my vision of challenging the traditional views of visual perception meanwhile capturing the hidden beauty in everyday life moments that could easily be missed or slipped away, I focused more on texture and shallow depth of field to make what seems to be an everyday moment become something more. By closing in on the details of these surfaces, the thing that our eyes originally disregard as a common sight, suddenly stands out. Take Photo 2 as an example (my personal favorite): when I was first taking this photo, I thought the ballon reflecting the ceiling lights looked like Jeff Koons’s Balloon Dogs and was interesting so I tried to capture it. It was pretty challenging because I had to wait for cars to find the right angle the correct depths that would fill the whole image. But eventually, I found the “money shot” and got the image. As you can, the texture of the lights being reflected by the balloon really makes the surface stand out and looks very abstract and interesting. Especially the lines on the left parts of the balloon’s surface, which combined with the close-up of the surface and depth of field, created a sense of mystery and a dream-like ambiance as we see lights bouncing off the sides of the ballon and the dreamy “wrinkles” of its surface.

Although the lighting and the black and white aspects of the entire set was overall successful, I do have to admit that some of the photos would look even BETTER if the shading and darkness of some parts of the images was further increased. Next time, I would try to also change the lighting of the surrounding even more and change some of the settings of the camera as well.

SETS PART 1: Select and Analyse an artist and their work_(SET 2)

October 25, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Aaron Siskind:

Characteristics of Aaron Siskind’s Photographic Style

  1. Flat Picture Planes: Siskind’s photographs often look flat, which makes the viewer focus on the surface of the image rather than the depth. This approach challenges how we usually see things and encourages us to appreciate the two-dimensional quality of the photograph.
  2. Focus on Texture: He pays a lot of attention to textures in his work, capturing the details of everyday objects. This makes ordinary things interesting and shows their unique qualities.
  3. Shallow Depth of Field: Siskind uses a shallow depth of field, which means that only part of the image is in focus while the rest is blurry. This technique helps to highlight specific details and makes the viewer feel closer to the subject.
  4. Close-Up Framing: He often takes extreme close-up shots, which abstract his subjects and remove them from their usual context. This allows viewers to see familiar objects in a new way, making them feel fresh and exciting.
  5. Gestural Composition: His photographs often have dynamic shapes and lines that remind us of abstract paintings. This adds an emotional quality to his work, making it feel alive and expressive.

    Why is Siskind’s work considered Abstract?

    Siskind’s photographs are abstract because they don’t always show things in a traditional way. Instead of just capturing what something looks like, he focuses on shapes, lines, and textures that can change how we think about everyday objects. By using close-ups and unusual angles, he invites viewers to see things differently and appreciate their beauty beyond what they normally notice.

    Why Aaron Siskind? 

    I really like Siskind’s style because it makes ordinary objects seem special. The way he captures textures and forms inspires me to find beauty in simple things around me. His abstract approach allows for different interpretations, so every time I look at his work, I see something new and interesting.

    “What I am conscious of and what I feel is the picture I am making.” — Aaron Siskind. This quote shows that Siskind believes photography is about expressing personal feelings and ideas rather than just showing reality as it is. It helps me understand that his work is more about emotion and abstraction than just taking pretty pictures.

    I chose Aaron Siskind because his style connects with my vision of showing the hidden beauty in everyday life moments that could easily slip away. His ability to turn everyday objects into art inspires me to look closely at my surroundings and find beauty in them.

    To adapt Siskind’s style in my own photography, I will focus on capturing textures and forms by taking close-up shots that highlight the abstract qualities of my subjects. I will try using shallow depth of field and flat compositions to create images that invite viewers to engage with them more deeply. Siskind’s work inspires me to discover hidden beauty in ordinary scenes and express my own feelings through abstraction.

    Evaluating One of Aaron Siskind’s work:

    I chose this photograph because it beautifully captures the textures and tone that tell a story of the decay of time. What I find unusual about this image is how the peeling paint and rough surfaces transform a simple wall into an artwork, making it feel alive with history. The important formal element in this photograph is texture. The surface creates a rich visual experience that draws the viewer in. This focus on texture is crucial because it emphasizes the wall’s age and character, allowing us to appreciate the beauty in what might normally be overlooked.
    Citation: “Aaron Siskind.” International Center of Photography, 15 Dec. 2023, www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/aaron-siskind?all/all/all/all/0.

SET 1 Contact Sheets

October 16, 2024 / / 0 Comments

     Contact Sheet:

                     “YELLOW” contact sheet:

 

My vision is to show and capture the hidden beauty in everyday life moments that could easily be missed or slipped away. Combined with Uta Barth’s unique style of out of focus and exquisite light use, I want to create images that are challenging the traditional views of visual perception meanwhile beautiful and unique in its own way. I chose these images because they are all under the category of my vision and are all considered abstract photography.

              “GREEN” contact sheet:

 

The approach I was going with these set of pictures was making them mostly out of focus. As well as the lighting in each images, I intended to imitate Barth’s style of the use of Focus and Light. As you can see, each images I took could be considered as an sight that normally you would just walk pass or see but just glance by. All of these images can be found easily,  but I intend to capture these moments that could be overlooked and try to explore the beauty within it. By blurring out the details of these moments, the thing that our eyes originally sees which makes up the “boring images”, light, suddenly stands out. For example if you look at photo 8 and 9,  when you look upon the sunset clouds or the sidewalk lights slowly turning on as darkness sets in, you would view it as another casual evening night. But when the it is out of focus and what “matters” is disappears and the fundamentals of what makes up an image appear, viewers will now take time to examine the photo more carefully and perhaps even have their own interpretations after seeing the scene with another perspective.

        “RED” contact sheet:

Following my vision of challenging the traditional views of visual perception meanwhile capturing the hidden beauty in everyday life moments that could easily be missed or slipped away, I used out of focus and the exploration of light to make what seems to be an everyday moment become something more. By blurring out the details of these moments, the thing that our eyes originally sees which makes up the “boring images”, light, suddenly stands out. Take Photo 1 as an example (my personal favorite): when I was first taking this photo, I thought the car and evening lights were interesting so I tried to capture it. It was pretty challenging because I had to wait for cars to come by and I also had to blur the focus myself because there was something wrong with the camera. But eventually, I found the “money shot” and got the image. As you can, the texture of the lights after being blurred looks very abstract and interesting. Especially the car light at the bottom left conner which projected a weak but visible string of light, combined with the out of focus, created a sense of mystery and a dream-like ambiance.

Although I took a couple of successful photos in the span of two trips,  I have to admit that I was just wondering around most of the times looking for interesting scenes to capture. It was pretty time-consuming so perhaps next time I could have a more specific idea in mind when taking photos and be more organized.

 

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