Vision 

There are many people with different looks in this world; some people look average, some people look normal, and some people look beautiful but also normal. “Normal” in this set of photography defines what a person would look like, people who look like what they should look like; for me, that would be dark eyes and black hair, which defines my mother and father, which makes me look normal. However, there are kids in this world who look different from their parents or different from society in general; they might feel excluded from society based on their looks. They might look different, but in the eyes of their parents and the people who love them, they are still angels, beautiful in their ways. Angels have their characteristics; they symbolize purity, kindness, and love. Their looks vary, but the version that appears most of the time is a person in all white, their hair, their eyes, their body, their clothing, everything. Children and people with Albinism are also often defined this way, as they are most known for their angelic appearances; they are beautiful just the way they are; they are beautiful in a unique way, in their own unique ways.

Statement of intent

A week ago, I saw a video about a young girl who has Albinism being ignored by the children of her age because of her white hair and blue eyes. She was sad about it, and instead of ignoring this matter, her mother took her to a comic event, where cosplayers saw the young girl and loved her; she was happy being surrounded by people dressed in unique costumes and people who looked different from what young children think is “normal”, and the young kid felt delighted.

She was a beautiful young girl, and she was finally able to make friends. People at the event accepted her difference but still treated her the same, with friendships and love. I want to use this photography set to show the different beauties of humans who may look different from what we call “Normal” people. They might look different, but their hearts are angels, and they also look like angels. I will be taking pictures of Angels and showcasing them with the same style of photography as Barbara Kruger, whose photos are communicated with bright words that advocate for people who might not have voices. I will showcase that people who look different should not be judged by looks but by their hearts and should be treated equally. I would be using a color contrast of Black and White with portrait as well as color contrasts of different bright colors to showcase this set. 

Barbara Kruger is an American conceptual artist and designer known for her visual art which combines text and imagery to address social issues, identity, and power dynamics. She was born on January 26, 1945, in Newark, New Jersey; she gained fame in the 1970s because of her bold graphic style, which often includes black-and-white photographs overlaid with bold text in white-on-red or white-on-black formats.

Her work frequently includes themes related to feminism, consumerism, and patriarchy, conveying important messages for viewers as well as advertising to the media.

The photos that I have shown at the top include concepts of light and dark contrasts, as well as using color contrasts, in general, to make the important and interesting parts of her photo stand out. However, even with the color contrasts of the photos, it makes both the background of the photography and the text standout, leaving the photography still being able to be pictured in the viewer’s eyes as well as reading the text at the same time. She also uses the words and the photographs to collaborate together to tell a story. In the second photo, it shows the text saying that it is a “small” world, and in the photo, the woman holds a magnifying glass in her eyes as if looking at the earth, which also communicates that the earth is small.

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Carrie Mae Weems is a American artist and photographer best known for her work with themes that include race, gender, and identity. She is born on April 20, 1963, Portland, Oregon. her work focuses on the idea of  the African American experience, using her work to challenge stereotypes and highlight the complexities of identity and heritage.

In the photos above, the Kitchen Table Series, the photographer invites viewers into personal spaces that reflect important social issues. She challenges traditional stereotypes of Black identity through irony and uses dramatic lighting and thoughtful composition to create visually striking images. She also loves emphasizing the voices of minority people that don’t have loud voices by using photos to show their daily lives.

Her photo style also focuses on the black and white contrast and having someone at the center, conveying the messages of the voices using movements and the lighting contrast. Each pose that the models do showcase a different message they are trying to convey. Her style of work really emphasize the the style of modern but also vintage, with the tables and gate in the first photo showcases the vintage, while the contrast of black and white showcases the modern.

The reason why these are my top 3 photos is because the images create a sense of fluidity and grace. The flowing fabric highlights the movement, adding drama and elegance:

• Symmetry and Balance: The dancer’s pose creates a visually harmonized balance, with her extended arms and legs forming elegant lines.

• Negative Space: The dark background provides negative space, making sure the subject remains the focal point without distractions.

• Reflection: The subtle reflection on the surface beneath her adds depth and dimension to the image.

The timing i think is also done really well because i was able to capture the dancer’s movements. The fabric’s positioning is particularly effective, as it appears weightless yet intentional.

The use of black and white improves the visual impact by highlighting contrast. The dancer’s light-toned legs and fabric stand out sharply against the dark background, creating a dramatic lighting between the light and shadow. This contrast highlights the subject while maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.

• The subject is a female figure standing in “en pointe,” a ballet pose highlighting grace and strength.
• She holds an umbrella-like object draped with fabric that partially covers her face, which makes the dancer looks very cool and mysterious. 

In these photos, I was able to merge Ballet dancing, fashion (which states the minimalistic view), as well as the reflection and abstraction in the texture and the mood.

Another reason this is my top 3 is because of the modernity it brings in these photos, as it shows the contrast between the Japanese and Chinese styled umbrellas, with the sharp contrast of the modern minimalistic images of the modern age. It also makes Ballet, a smooth and elegant sport, into something sharp and stone-like.

Vision

As a beautiful dancer is dancing in the abyss, covered by darkness, a white silk sheet gently floats towards her, covering her with light and happiness. As she dances, her figure changes and becomes more and more vibrant and graceful. I want to portray the athleticism and fluidity of the ballet dancer, with bold and flexible movements to showcase the light and how the light can change a person and their general perspective of the beauty of a dancer. As well as showcases the feminine view of the dancers while contrasting the darkness. As most stereotypes are told about women, they are mostly seen as weak beings. This photo showcases the power and strength that women have. The stark contrast of the black and white contrasts becomes yin and yang, the dance between life and death, creation and destruction.

I will use different effects and props to showcase the beautiful flows of the ballet dancers. The sheet that is used will be used as a “dress” that will have a rippling effect on the dancer, as well as reflection and water papers to showcase the reflection of the dancer, which will make the dancer seem like she is walking on water and in an abyss full of nothingness.

Statement of Intent

The title that I am using for this set is バレエ, which means ballet in Japanese; I am using this name because the Japanese font is beautiful, and it is one of the prettiest languages in the world. Ballet also symbolizes grace and beauty, which resonates with a lovely language. The person who inspired this set of photos is Richard Calmes; he uses stunning flows of the dress and the elegance of ballet to showcase the athleticism of ballet.

Reflections Set 3

In these photos, the theme portrayed is the beauty of ballet and the athleticism; the sheet contrasts black and white and portrays the graceful flow of ballet and the dancer. As the dancer dances in the scene, the ground is like an abyss; she is in the darkest part of the universe, spreading light with the sheet flowing next to her. The light is the only thing keeping her company.

Another theme this photo is trying to communicate is from a past book. I have described the heartbreak of a girl as she stated, “If you never loved me from the beginning, why did you find me and make me fall into this false river of love?” This photo can be used as the blackness to symbolize the girl’s original form, a blank black canvas, so pure and dull. However, as the person is giving the girl more love, using the sheet as a symbol, the white sheet symbolizes purity, just like love. Alternatively, how love is supposed to be like, as it envelopes the girl, as she gets enveloped in the heartbreak, she starts to struggle and then breaks free from this cage of love and pain. The dancer’s movements are the struggle she is giving, both painful and graceful.

Technique:

• Contrast (black and white)
• Rule of Thirds
• Reflections
• Lighting (the use of smaller more concentrated lighting) on both sides of the dancer, one where she is facing and another behind her
• Negative space

Props:

• Umbrella (Qin dynasty umbrella style)
• Mirror paper 5 x 1.2 meters
• 10meter long sheet

Room for improvements:

• the brightness + exposure
• the capturing of the poses: although there are some very good poses that are captured, a lot of fast ones were hard to capture as the shots taken at that rate tend to be a bit blurry.

other photos: 

Richard Calmes

Richard Calmes is a photographer known for his ability to highlight the beauty and athleticism of dancers, particularly in the realm of ballet. His work captures the fluidity and grace of movement, drawing inspiration from the intricate details of a dancer’s performance. The inspiration derived from the artist is the stunning flow of a dancer’s dress and the boldness of their movements. In many of his photographs, he includes these elements to show the elegance of ballet and also the technical movements. The way the dress swirls around the dancer creates motion that increases the composition, making it feel as if the dancer is soaring in the air. In this photo, the dancer’s flowing dress appears almost like wings, adding a angel like image in the photo. This imagery creates a sense of freedom and grace, emphasizing the beauty of ballet as an art form. The dancer’s athleticism and the delicate fabric of the dress creates a beautiful dance that captivates the viewer in. The colors in the background play a crucial role in shaping the photograph’s mood. Shades of white and gray from the dress which adds texture and depth.

This inspires me to use an umbrella and also a dress to showcase the technical movements of ballet while have the ground be reflecting the beauty of the dancers and the dress. I am going to us an umbrella with silk-like and cotton fabric that expresses the beauty and the flow-like dress to show a flow-like to the dancers dramatic moves.

Reflections set 2

The colors of this photo are red and white as the primary colors; the person in this photo is wearing all red while the setting is white; this brings the viewer’s eyes directly to the center of the picture as Red is a bright color that human eyes will focus on. The concept of this photo is the beauty and sadness of girls back in Chinese dynasties. They constantly suffer from being used as a tool for marriage and for families as competition. They drown in despair and sadness as they wonder what they must do to be the best in their town. That is why they sit in the water, constantly reflecting on themselves and embracing the sadness they feel at every step they take when facing criticism. This links to the artist I chose as all of the photos that she has taken are underwater or surrounding water to show the suffocation and beauty of the girls in those dynasties. The reason why Red is chosen as the title of this set is that Red both means hope and despair for these girls as they both hope that they can become the best but also despair due to the vast and dangerous steps that they have to take and have to go through to achieve the great success (as if lying and walking through the blood). The red dress and umbrella are also chosen because of the blood and the symbolism of blood as if their whole body is covered in blood; the usual white and shiny colors of their dresses being coated in blood also symbolize the despair that they are going through.

Technique:

Rule of thirds

Color contrast

negative space

Reflections set 1:

This photo was taken in Siem Reap, Cambodia, a rural village our class visited. The river that flows through the photo is a leading source of income for those who live in this village. In the dry season, the season this photo is taken, the river dries and decreases. In the wet season, the river then rises, and everything you see in this photo is gone. This photo does not reflect on the people’s lives in this village but demonstrates the past and future of how this village would look in the dry seasons. It is also used to reflect on this village’s cultures and different traditions. One example of that is the houses, the houses as u can see far in the distance and around the river are built taller, and these houses have been built like that for centuries, the boats as well reflect the ways of transportation the people have in the village. The reflections of the boats also reflect into the water as if they are one with the water as if they are mixed into the water and reflect on their uses. This photo demonstrates the older styles of houses from the past centuries and seems to be held back in time, like the first ways they were built.

Techniques used:

• Color contrast (Black and White)
• Rule of Thirds
• Depth of Field
• White Space

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