RED PHOTOGRAPHS

These are my three “red” images, chosen from the “green” ones, to reveal the three that best relate to Angie McMonigal and show my vision. Out of the three photographs, the image I would like to highlight is the first and second photographs. These two photographs are similar to one of Siskind’s photos I evaluated in the blog post Sets 2: Artist Selection because of the deep contrast in the texture of the background, especially the rock wall.

In my photo, you can also see the texture of the rock wall, and the horizontal perspective is revealed very well. This slowly pulls the audience in and parts of other buildings into the frame.

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ALL

YELLOW

I chose the photos I did for the yellow pictures because I think they fit the requirement of being inspired by an abstract photographer while having my own style. Although the images aren’t exactly in the style of Aron Siskind, the artist I chose, since some of my photos are in color while his are all black and white, I include similar elements that he has formed. I also try to use this style of finding shadows to capture the detailed type.

GREEN

Below are my “green” photos selected from the “yellow photos.” I chose these images because they best relate to the artist and include my style. Following this vision, I took photos of architecture, scenes, and objects, such as buildings, humans, chairs, and walls.

I chose this image because I love the texture of the wall and the outstanding contrasts with the letter and gray background.

I think the texture is the most important because the texture is very apparent and can create the general mood of the photograph. I also like how the shape is positioned excitingly to create depth and make the piece more interesting.

Siskind’s photos are abstract because although you could know what the object in the photos is, it is hard to understand the meaning behind it, making the piece ambiguous and abstract.

I like the different textures and contrasts shown through Siskind’s work, especially how his photographs feel raw and organic.

Aaron Siskind is perhaps one of the best-known abstract photographers and pioneers of the Abstract photograph movement. As a New York City native, Siskind began his career as a social documentary photographer but continued emphasizing modernist, abstract elements within his works from the 1940s on.

Characteristics in Siskind’s Work

Close-up composition: The photos are fairly close-up to the point where you can see the details of the subject taken.

Black and white colors: The colors in his photos are all colorless to emphasize the forms of the objects. The use of black and white shows more excellent contrast, and the colors in between, like shades of gray, show less difference.

Exciting and various textures: Some photos have a crinkly texture, some are smooth, and some are organic.

Shape and shadow of an object: The shape and shadow of an object are the most prominent features in his photograph. Using the forms of shadows that change according to the angle of the light being revealed, Siskind divides a section between objects and objects, creating new objects and atmospheres through shadows rather than just taking a moment of one object.

Unique angles and forms in his photographs: Siskind’s striking gaze on objects is one characteristic different from other artists. Taking pictures of objects in equal parts, horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, to excellent proportions is one of the great features of his pictures. In addition, similar to texture, Siskind’s photos emphasize the various forms; some are flat (which is more graphic), and others are more three-dimensional (which has more depth).

Here are the photos I took during our 798 field trip:

“Yellow” Photographs

I chose the photos I did for the yellow pictures because I think they fit the requirement of being inspired by an abstract photographer while having my own style. Although the images aren’t exactly in the style of Angie McMonigal, the artist I chose, since some of my photos are in color while his are all black and white, I include similar elements that she has formed. For instance, most of her photos are of buildings and nature, with obvious contrasts of tones. I also try to use this style of finding shadows to capture the detailed type.

“Green” Photographs

Below are my “green” photos selected from the “yellow photos.” I chose these images because they best relate to the artist and include my style. Following this vision, I took photos of architecture, scenes, and objects, such as buildings, humans, chairs, and walls.

“Red” Photographs

Finally, below are my six “red” images, chosen from the “green” ones, to reveal the six that best relate to Angie McMonigal and show my vision. Out of the six photographs, the image I would like to highlight is the first and last photographs. These two photographs are similar to one of McMonigal’s photos I evaluated in the blog post Sets 1: Artist Selection because of the deep contrast between the structure and the background.

In my photo, you can also see the tone of the building contrast with the gray sky, with a shadow and the empty spaces. This slowly pulls the audience in and parts of other buildings into the frame. I think black and white tones create a sense of loneliness and lack of contact with people.

I chose this photo because I liked the feeling of a collaboration between nature and the city. I wanted the tone of the building to contrast with the gray sky, with a shadow similar to the sharp peaks of the mountain.

The deep contrast between the structure and the background is unusual because the difference is significant. I also like how the shadow is positioned excitingly to create depth and make the piece more interesting.

Angie McMonigal’s architectural photography is a visual indulgence as she gives a warm and organic nature to the inanimate buildings she meets while wandering the streets.

McMonigal is challenged by every building she deems worthy of her vision because you can see diverse styles in her abstractions. Every structure differs from the others, yet her style is still tangible in each of them. Whether she goes for color or monochrome, a reduced portion of a building or the entire structure, she captures a rare and unseen beauty that will make you stop and stare.

Characteristics in McMonigal’s Work

Lines: The clear image lines in her photograph lead your eyes. The straight lines and curves that follow the shape of the building serve as the baseline for the picture and appear in her photographs. For me, it feels like the lines in her photographs emphasize the moment and situation of the thing and draw attention to the picture.

Black and white colors: The colors in her photos are all colorless to emphasize the forms of the objects. The use of black and white shows more excellent contrast, and the colors in between, like shades of gray, show less difference.

Close-up composition: The photos are pretty close-up to the point where you can see the details of the object taken.

Shape and shadow of an object: The shape and shadow of an object are the most prominent features in her photograph. Using the forms of shadows that change according to the angle of the light being revealed, McMonigal clearly divides a section between objects and objects, creating new objects and atmospheres through shadows rather than just taking a moment of one object.

Unique angles in her photographs: McMonigal’s striking gaze on objects is one of the characteristics that allows her to take contrasting pictures with other artists. Her photos look up, down, or at an object’s combination from above. Taking photographs of objects in equal parts horizontally, vertically, or diagonally to perfect proportions, called golden ratios, is one of the great features of her pictures.

Reason for Selection

I chose Angie McMonigal for photographic inspiration because her regular but unique composition photographs caught my eye. I also want to take a picture of 798 with my own striking gaze, unlike the standard 798 factory photos others took.

Below is a Photo Safari I conducted to determine which composition of photographs is the most successful and abstract. Usually, I just freely took various angles of pictures of what I wanted to take; this time, it took a lot of time to make the same composition perfectly because I had to take an image according to the set design angle.

Paul Strand, Abstraction, Twin Lakes, Connecticut’

Perhaps the photographer who took this picture was interested in the shadow on the object and took the picture. It also seems to have been taken around a disk object with a round curved line opposite to the rough surface of the object felt through the photograph. The V-shaped pattern formed as the light passes through the bent wall also seems to have been noted.

If I were the photographer, I would name the photograph ‘good and evil.’ The dark shadow side seems to mean the evil mind of humans, and the bright side of light indicates the good heart of humans. It seems to express human ambivalence by contrasting the bright and dark sides.

Formal elements are the different aspects and styles in photography, including line, shape pattern, texture, tone, and focus. 

Lines are the clear imaginary lines that lead your eyes. They can be straight or curved.

In the photos below, the straight and diagonal lines of the road and railroad tracks lead your eyes. 

Shape is the combination of geometric and organic shapes. 

In the photo below, the shape of the cat shows the organic shape. 

The pattern is the repetition of an object to create rhythm. 

In the photo below, the conical bamboo hat bells hang in the pattern. 

The texture is what the photo would feel if you could touch it; for instance, the surface could be rough, smooth, sharp, etc. 

In the photo below, the ocean waves have a smooth and natural texture as they move. 

The tone is the shades of lightness and darkness. 

The sky has a shade gradient from dark to light in the photo below.

Focus is what leads the viewer to see; this usually creates a contrast to the rest of the photo. 

In the photo below, the plum in the center is the focus because it has the most remarkable contrast. 

All the pictures above are the pictures I took myself 🙂