Author: Michelle

FULL 798 CONTACT SHEET – photos labelled with time and minute

YELLOW SELECTION – My 50 Photos

These photos have been chosen for my yellow selection for multiple reasons. Throughout the 798 trip, I was exploring different photographer’s techniques, and I was attempting to focus on various different styles of photography. Many of these yellow section photography share a similar style, while the other ones are completely different.

GREEN SELECTION

I tried to see how some of the images would appear in black and white using the green selection because that was my photographer’s style at the time. In addition, I selected these images with the goal of assembling them into triptychs, so I paid closer attention to those that shared characteristics. I examined color, texture, and shapes, for instance. Both ones that were more about shadows and ones with an architectural vibe caught my attention.

RED SELECTION

I will use these pictures for my triptychs, and they are among my last few. In addition to having striking contrasts and shapes that highlight the aesthetic of my selected photographer, I believe that many of these images successfully convey the architectural ambiance of 798.

The title of this project is “Threads of Tradition, Scissors of Change.”

The societal/cultural issue I want to explore with my photographs is the conflict between traditional Chinese cultural expectations and modern feminist ideals. I want to show how women balance family roles, marriage pressures, and career goals while fighting for independence.

I want my audience to feel the struggle and strength of Chinese women. I want them to see both the weight of tradition and the hope of change.

I will get inspiration and develop my ideas by looking for photographs that use symbols to tell stories. Examples include red threads (for束缚) or scissors (for freedom). I will study Luo Yang’s honest portraits, Pixy Liao’s playful gender role reversals, and Li Zhensheng’s documentation of social shifts. Feminist portraiture and social documentary styles will guide my approach.

 

 

 

Pixy Liao:
Her project Experimental Relationship changes typical gender roles. She poses as the leader in her relationship with her male partner. Her creative and funny setups encourage me to question traditional roles. I want to use staged scenes and humor to do this.

My photography project explores the conflict between traditional Chinese culture and modern feminism. I want to show how Chinese women deal with society’s expectations. These expectations include marriage, family duties, and career goals. At the same time, I want to show their efforts to express independence and strength.

I will contrast symbols of tradition with modern settings. For example, I might photograph qipao dresses or tea ceremonies alongside images of women in offices, protests, or making personal choices. This comparison shows two sides of Chinese women’s identities. One side keeps cultural traditions. The other side fights against old-fashioned gender rules.

What is a Portrait?

A portrait is more than just a photograph. It captures the essence of a person. It reveals their character and emotions. A good portrait connects the subject with the viewer. For example, Richard Avedon’s portraits show how expressions and poses can communicate identity and place.

A portrait usually focuses on the subject’s face. However, context matters. Other elements can add to the story. Annie Leibovitz’s portraits often include props and settings. These details help tell a story about the subject. They merge personality with environment.

Selfies can be portraits. They express identity and emotions in a moment. The intent behind a selfie may differ from traditional portraits. A selfie captures self-expression. A well-composed portrait often has more depth and narrative.

In composition, a good portrait considers lighting, background, and framing. Steve McCurry, known for the “Afghan Girl” image, uses natural light and strong backgrounds. This enhances the subject’s features and story. A strong portrait captures physical attributes and personality. It engages the viewer emotionally.

Portraits can also focus on small details. A close-up of a hand can tell a significant story. For example, a close-up of an elderly hand shows experience and time. This approach broadens the idea of portraiture. It shows that intimacy can come from specific details.

Abstraction can change what we see as a portrait. A blurred figure might evoke emotion but may not be a traditional portrait. Images that are torn or faded can symbolize loss or memory. These can push the boundaries of portraiture while still connecting to the subject.

It is also possible to represent a person without them being present. Still-life photography can achieve this. Arranging objects that matter to the subject can create a strong representation. For example, a writer’s favorite books can show their intellectual life. This connects the viewer to the absent subject.

A portrait does not have to be a single image. A series of images can effectively portray a subject. This shows different parts of their personality or life. In this way, a series can give a fuller understanding of the individual.

My triptych features a notable interplay between abstraction and realism, highlighted through the distortion of familiar objects. I aimed to create this effect to emphasize movement and emotion, which I believe is successful due to the blurred and fragmented appearances of the swings and figures. My success criteria involved drawing inspiration from contemporary photographers who explore themes of memory and identity, and I think I was successful in capturing a sense of nostalgia and fleeting moments.

My original theme revolved around the concept of childhood and the passage of time. I believe I was able to encapsulate this idea through the use of swings—a symbol of play and innocence—that also evoke a sense of longing. Although the swings are ordinary, the distortion creates an almost dreamlike quality, emphasizing how memories can fade and become less clear over time. From this work, I hope viewers can reflect on their own childhood experiences and the emotions tied to those memories.

If I had more time, I would have liked to experiment with more variations of distortion and abstraction in other sets. I think next time I would want to be more deliberate in how my images interact with each other and deepen the connection between the themes of memory and identity.

Connection to Artist:

My triptych explores memory and childhood through distortion and abstraction, drawing strong inspiration from Jeff DuPonte’s photography. Like DuPonte, I used reflections and warped surfaces to turn ordinary subjects—swings—into emotional, dreamlike images.

Technique & Influence:

DuPonte’s work blends qualities of pictorialism and straight photography. His use of soft focus, distortion, and mood aligns with pictorialist ideas—where emotion and atmosphere matter more than clarity. At the same time, his images often capture unplanned, urban moments, a key trait of street photography.

Inspired by this, I used reflection, motion blur, and monochrome tones to create a painterly feel while still referencing real-life scenes. This helped me express how memories, like street scenes, are often fleeting and unclear.

Reflection:

Looking at DuPonte’s work helped me think more critically about how to use texture, shape, and light to tell a story. If I had more time, I would push the abstraction further and experiment with more deliberate compositions that enhance the theme of fading memories.

1. Photographer Inspiration

Photographer: Jeff DuPonte

Jeff DuPonte is known for his stunning abstract photographs that often play with reflections, light, and water, creating mesmerizing images that challenge perceptions of reality.

2. Gallery of Abstract Photographs

Here’s a collection of Jeff DuPonte’s abstract photographs:

1. Image 1
   Jeff DuPonte, Title: Reflections in Water, Year: 2020
2. Image 2
   Jeff DuPonte, Title: Shimmering Patterns, Year: 2021
3. Image 3
   Jeff DuPonte, Title: Liquid Motion, Year: 2019
4. Image 4
   Jeff DuPonte, Title: Distorted Reality, Year: 2020
5. Image 5
   Jeff DuPonte, Title: Waves of Reflection, Year: 2021
6. Image 6
   Jeff DuPonte, Title: Abstract Ripples, Year: 2020
7. Image 7
   Jeff DuPonte, Title: Refraction, Year: 2021
8. Image 8
   Jeff DuPonte, Title: Fluid Forms, Year: 2019

3. Analysis of Photographic Style

Characteristics of Jeff DuPonte’s Abstract Photographs:

1. Use of Reflection: Many images play with reflections in water or glass, creating layered visuals.
2. Fluidity and Movement: The photographs often depict flowing shapes and patterns, emphasizing motion.
3. Monochromatic Tones: A preference for black-and-white images that enhance the contrast and depth of forms.
4. Focus on Texture: Textural elements are prominent, inviting viewers to explore the surface qualities of the images.
5. Minimalism: A clean, uncluttered composition that highlights the abstract qualities of the subject.

Ways the Photographs are Abstract:

• The images often distort reality through reflections and water, making it difficult to discern original subjects, thus encouraging viewers to interpret the forms and patterns personally.

Personal Connection to the Style:

• I appreciate the way DuPonte captures the beauty in the abstract, transforming everyday elements into art. His focus on texture and movement resonates with my vision of finding beauty in simplicity.

Quotation:

“I find beauty in the unnoticed.” – Jeff DuPonte

This quotation captures the essence of DuPonte’s work, emphasizing how he elevates ordinary subjects into captivating abstract forms. It inspires me to look beyond the obvious and discover hidden beauty in my surroundings.

4. Connection to My Vision

I chose Jeff DuPonte because his abstract style aligns with my vision of exploring the unseen beauty in everyday life. I am inspired to adapt his techniques of using reflections and textures in my photography.

How I Will Adapt This Style:

• I will experiment with capturing reflections in water and glass, focusing on the interplay of light and texture to create abstract images that evoke emotion and curiosity.

5. Evaluation of One Image

Chosen Image: Selected Image
Title: Shimmering Patterns, Year: 2021

Why I Chose This Image:

• I find this image particularly captivating due to its intricate patterns and the way light dances across the surface.

Surprising or Unusual Aspects:

• The fluid shapes and shimmering quality create an almost dreamlike effect, challenging my perception of the subject.

Formal Element: Light

• The way light interacts with the water creates dynamic patterns and reflections that are central to the photograph’s impact. This interplay adds depth and movement, drawing the viewer into the image.

Revised Vision Statement

My vision is to capture the beauty in the unnoticed details of everyday life.

I will take photos in the style of Jeff DuPonte, focusing on reflections and textures. I am particularly inspired by “Shimmering Patterns” and will try to take pictures that transform ordinary scenes into abstract works of art, inviting viewers to see the world differently.

Jeff DuPonte’s photograph blends elements of pictorialism and street photography in a creative and thoughtful way. At first glance, it feels abstract—like a distorted painting—but it clearly comes from real life, likely taken through textured or rippled glass. You can still make out human figures, possibly walking or interacting on the street, but their forms are stretched and warped, making them feel ghostlike or dreamlike.

How it relates to Pictorialism

Pictorialism is an early photography style (late 1800s to early 1900s) that focused on making photos look more like art—especially paintings. Photographers in this style cared more about mood and feeling than about capturing sharp detail.

DuPonte’s photo fits this through:

• Soft focus and distortion – The warped lines and unclear shapes give the image a painterly, emotional feel.

• Use of light and reflection – Light plays a big role in shaping the photo’s texture, something pictorialist photographers like Alfred Stieglitz used a lot.

• Mood over detail – Instead of showing clear reality, DuPonte creates a sense of mystery and atmosphere.

• An example of Pictorialism is:
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How it relates to Straight Photography

Straight photography focuses on showing the world truthfully, using sharp focus and minimal manipulation. While DuPonte’s images look abstract, they still connect to this style through the way they’re created:

Unedited reality – DuPonte captures actual reflections and distortions in real environments, without heavy digital editing.

In-camera techniques – The abstract effects come from how the photo is taken (through glass, water, or other reflective surfaces), not from post-production changes.

Clarity through complexity – Even though the images feel dreamlike, they’re built from real-life detail and texture, staying true to the straight photography goal of honest representation.

• An example of Straight photography is:
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6. Citation

DuPonte, Jeff. Untitled. 2023 https://0c91ab6.netsolhost.com/

Gemmae. “Art Movement: Straight Photography (Unit 5 and 30).” Gem Mae, 25 Mar. 2016, gemmaephotography97.wordpress.com/2016/01/28/art-movement-straight-photography.

https://padlet.com/michelleliu19/mind-map-k1acqy18cd7u435s

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.