Jayden

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

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Introduction to Portraiture

A portrait isn’t just a photo of someone, it’s more about capturing their feeling, identity, and presence. It’s not just about how a person looks, but also about the story behind them. Some portrait focus on a person’s face, while other ones use body language, shadows or even objects to express meaning. A portrait is suppose to show a connection between the subject and the viewer. It can be by eye contact, but also gestures, background, or even lighting can be powerful. For example, Steve McCurry’s Afghan Girl is one of the most famous portrait because the girl’s green eyes really make you feel something. Another example is Yousuf Karsh’s Winston Churchill photo, where he looks strong and serious just because of the way light and shadow is used.
Selfies can be portrait, but they are not always deep or well thought out. A real portrait should have more planing behind it, like what kind of lighting or composition is used. Some selfies may be strong because they show emotion, but most of them is just about looking good in a picture instead of really telling a story. A powerful portrait makes the viewer feel something and reveals a person’s character. A good portrait usually have strong connection, revealing character. And emotional impact as well. A portrait can be abstract but if it loses too much connection with the person, then it’s not really a portrait anymore. If a image is blurred or ripped but still shows something about the subject, it can be a portrait. But if its just completely unrecognizable, it becomes more of an artistic experiment rather than a portrait.

Steve McCurry’s Afghan Girl

Yousuf Karsh’s Winston Churchill photo

“RED” CONTACT SHEET – SETS PART 3

My images effectively used geometric patterns, depth, and creative angles, which aligned well with Angie McMonigal’s style. For me to improve, I focus more on incorporating red elements, experimenting with extreme angles, and mixing different patterns. For my next shoot, find red architectural surfaces, shoot at different times for lighting effects, and edit to enhance contrast and color focus.

“GREEN” CONTACT SHEET – SETS PART 3

The vision artist I’m following is Angie McMonigal, who really likes to take photographs of various geometric shapes and buildings, therefore I chose to pick images that includes lines, shapes, and buildings.

“YELLOW” CONTACT SHEET – SETS PART 3

FULL CONTACT SHEET – SETS PART 3

STATEMENT OF INTENT – BLOG POST 8

The Beauty of Abandoned Factories

This project looks at the hidden beauty of old, abandoned factories. Through abstract photography, I will focus on their textures, shapes, and details to show how they tell stories of the past. I want my audience to feel curious and thoughtful, seeing these factories not just as empty spaces but as reminders of history and change. I will look at photographers who capture abandoned places, using light, shadows, and patterns to show their unique look and atmosphere. Abandoned factories are not just old buildings they hold memories of work, progress, and time. Through abstraction, I want to show their beauty in a new ways.

SELECT AND ANALYSE AN ARTIST AND THEIR WORK – SETS PART 1

Angie McMonigal

Angie McMonigal is a architecutral photographer that is know for her abstract approach capturing urban landscapes. Her work transforms buildings elements into compelling images, focusing on shapes, patterns and light interaction.

Gallery of Abstract Photographs

  1. Concrete Cathedral – Tall building structure with vertical lines and symmetry emphasis
  2. Urban Waves – A close-up of undulating metal with repetitive patterns.
  3. Interwoven Structures – Detailed look at overlapping beams, making complex geometry.
  4. The Broad Facade – A futuristic looking building with lots of small holes in surface.
  5. Stacked Angles – A sharp, angular look of a building’s structure from unique perspective.
  6. Zigzag Elevation – A design with a zigzagging patterns of lines going upwards.
  7. Twisting Reflections – A photograph focusing on reflections in glass making distorted visuals.
  8. Skyward Curves – A minimal curved facade going towards the sky.
  9. Textured Layers – A rough concrete wall with linear patterning.

Analysis of Photographic Style

  1. Geometric Patterns: Many of her images focus on shapes and lines from buildings, creating strong compositions.2.
  2. Light and Shadows: She uses contrast with shadows and lights to add depth in the images.
  3. Minimalism: Most of her images remove extra things and focus only on important structures and forms.
  4. Reflections: Glass, metal, and other materials reflect light, adding new layers to the photos.
  5. Unique Perspectives: Capturing things from weird angles, making normal buildings look different.

What Makes Her Work Abstract

Angie McMonigal’s work make buildings look less like buildings and more like art. She does this by finding lines, textures and forms in the places people normally don’t notice. Instead of whole structures, she makes you focus on the details, changing how they look in her images.

Personal Reflection on Her Style

What I like about her photography is how she makes simple things look amazing. She finds interesting parts of normal buildings and makes them art just by how she frames them. I never thought that something so normal can be turned into something so unique and eye catching.

A Relevant Quote from Angie McMonigal:

“A city is composed of so much more than just buildings and streets; it’s a living organism with endless perspectives waiting to be discovered.”

This quote stands out to me because it shows that photography isn’t just about taking pictures, its about seeing the world in different ways. You can always find new ways to look at things and make them interesting.

4. Connection to My Vision

Why I Chose Angie McMonigal

I chose Angie McMonigal because her work inspires me to see buildings and cities in a new way. I like how she takes parts of structures and makes them into patterns and shapes that feel more like art than just photos of buildings.

Adapting Her Style to My Photography

  1. I want to try taking close-up shots of buildings to focus on the patterns and abstract details.
  2. I will experiment with light and shadows to make my images more dramatic.
  3. I plan to keep my compositions simple, so the subject is clear and strong.
  4. I will try taking pictures from strange angles to make normal things look fresh and new.

Conclusion

Angie McMonigal’s photos turn architecture into abstract art using composition, light, and perspective. Her work inspires me to think outside of normal photography and try to see things differently. I hope to take her techniques and apply them to my own photography in my own unique way.

 

Fully Evaluate One Image

Why did you choose this image in particular?

I picked this photo because I like the way the wooden pieces are arranged in a wave pattern. The shapes and lines look interesting, and the way they fit together caught my attention.

What do you find surprising or unusual about this photograph?

What’s unusual about this photo is how the curved wood pieces create a smooth, flowing look. Even though the material is hard, the photo makes it seem soft and natural, almost like a wave.

Formal Element: Line

The lines in this photo are important because they guide your eyes around the image. The curved lines make the photo feel like it’s moving, which gives it a sense of energy. They help make the pattern look interesting and fluid.

Describe why you think it is important.

I think the lines are important because they help create a sense of movement and flow in the photo. Without these smooth, curved lines, the image would feel static and less engaging. The lines also connect the different parts of the pattern, making the whole image feel unified.

MIND MAP – BLOG POST 7

PHOTO SAFARI – BLOG POST 6

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Which element are best represented in each of the pictures below?

Contrast, shape, patterns, lines, and texture

Compare your images with the drawings. Which ones worked and why?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, these worked because it all have common figures that we can find normally, as don’t need special angle.

Which ones didn’t work so well, and why?

8, 10, 11, because special angle needed so it’s hard to look similar as the examples, also these figures and patterns are kind of hard to find.

PHOTO ANALYSIS – BLOG POST 5

Edward Weston liked to take photos of simple objects in a way that made them look more special. In these picture, 3 things the photographer might have been interested in capturing in this picture are:

1. The shell is smooth, while the rocks are rough, it shows a contrast of difference in texture.
2. The curved shape of the shell stands out against the uneven, bumpy rocks, interesting shapes.
3. The bright shell contrasts with the dark rocks, making it the main focus of the picture.

 

A Different Title and Why

I would like to change the title as Nature’s Contrast because the picture shows how nature creates different kinds of textures and shapes. The soft, smooth shell looks very different from the rough, dark, and cracked rocks, making it an interesting image created by nature.

 

Description of Various Techniques

Lines: The shell has soft, flowing curves, while the rocks have more random, jagged lines.
Shapes: The shell has a clear, smooth shape, while the rocks are rough and uneven.
Patterns: The rocks have repeating bumps and cracks, while the shell is a single, smooth shape that stands out.
Textures: The rough, bumpy surface of the rocks contrasts with the smooth, shiny shell.
Tone: The only bright white shell stands out against the dark background, creating a strong contrast.
Focus: The shell is the main subject and is very clear, while the rocks in the background are slightly less sharp.

 

Citation

“Shell and Rocks Arrangement.” 1931. Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/15298498@N08/2969536219. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.

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