Name: Down the Road

This photo focuses on the person who was delivering takeout on a segway, as it captured the person in action and how they are doing their daily jobs. I took the photo while the person was moving, as it shows the naturalness in the photo. The segway that the person symbolizes the theme that I want to express through my photographs. It shows how new and modern the world is and how there are so many new ways of getting from one place to another. The changes from the past to the modern world add uniqueness and curiosity for the people who haven’t seen the new technology. The helmet of the person and the lights in the background add to my statement of intent, “Bright”. The bright colors of yellow and orange draw the audience’s attention, as they create a sense of freshness but also add depth and detail to the photo. The brightness pops in the dark shadows of the photo, also showing the daily life of people. It creates a big contrast because the background is very simple, making the bright colors shine in the photo. I also used the rule of center, as the person is relatively in the center of the photo, to make the audience draw attention to him. As the composition in the background is busy.

Name: Red and Yellow

This photo also shows a person doing his daily job, as he is using an ice machine to make desserts. I captured the photo quickly, as he was moving through the store, so it made the photo look natural, just like the first photo. There are many parts of this photo that relate to my statement of intent. The person doing the job is wearing a red shirt and uses bright colors to add depth and detail to the photo. The color red draws the viewers to focus on the person, as it shows him naturally doing daily activities. In the photograph, I used the rule of thirds, as the person is in the right side of the photo, while the audience can see other details in the background of the photo. The horizontal lines that create the lights in the background also add brightness to the photo. These symmetrical lines make the photo flow and brings a sense of newness. It makes the photo look more modern, which is a key theme that I want to express through the photographs. Overall, through the different colors and lights, it makes the photos dynamic and show contrast between the busy backgrounds and the people doing their daily work. This makes the focus and center on the person, showing the story of people in the modern world.

Contact Sheet:

Yellow Shots:

I chose these yellow shots because they capture the essence of the colors and brightness in the modern world. These images capture different scenes that show people in action, as the shots were taken without them knowing. It makes the photos look more natural and flow better. I tried to find places where there were interesting actions or colors so that made my images grab the audience’s attention. This relates to the artist I chose, as Herzog tried to capture photos with neon colors/lights.

Green Shots:

The green shots I chose support more of my vision than the yellow photos. Because the photos were taken outside, some of the photos weren’t in focus or they were over exposed/under exposed. I chose the ones that were focused the most and the lighting made sense in the photo. These photos also look more natural and showed some decisive moments. I used different rules, such as the rule of thirds, to keep the subject in the center, as it draws attention to the details in the photo and the colors that pop. Most importantly, these photos were able to capture the natural movement and expressions of people as they are doing daily activities.

Red Shots:

I chose these 2 red shots from the green shots. I believe that these two photos show my vision. Though they aren’t connected, these two photos show different perspectives of my vision and connect to my artist. There are different pops of color in both photos, especially bright colors. The orange lights in the first photo and the red shirt in the second photo attract the audience, as it shows similarities with the neon colors in Herzog’s photographs. Both photos also show people in action, doing their daily jobs. In the first photo, I was able to take a picture of someone delivering takeout, as I captured the person in motion. The placement of the person in the photo shows the rule of center, which is one of the 20 concepts that I studied before taking the photographs. It draws attention to the motion of the person in daily life, creating a sense of calmness. The second photo uses the rule of thirds, as the worker is in the right side of the photo, gathering ice from the machine. I was able to capture the worker in motion, making the photo look natural. There are also lights on the wall that add texture and brightness to the photo.

The title of my project will be “Bright” because I will be taking pictures of the modern world and trying to find interesting colors that add brightness to the photos. The concept/story I want to tell with my photographs is to spread creativity and capture shots of the modern world to show how our world has changed from the past. I want to use colors in the photo to symbolize the modern world and changes from the past. The colors also add dimension and depth to the photos, as they bring focus to the details in the photo. I want my audience to feel a deep connection to the photo, as I hope each picture can bring back memories of past personal experiences. However, it would also create a sense of freshness and newness as the colors draw the audience’s attention. I will get inspiration and develop my ideas by looking for photographs that focus on the lighting and uses strong contrasts to show make the colors pop in the background. One of the photographers I looked at was Fred Herzog. He took a variety of pictures showing the liveliness of people and the environment. He was one of the few photographers who used color, especially the neon pops of red. I like his style a lot because the pops of red in his photos make them more dynamic and show contrast with the busy lifestyle. It also makes the audience feel excited, creating an emotional impact for the audience.

Fred Herzog was born in 1930 in Stuttgart, Germany; he survived World War 2 before emigrating to Canada in 1952. After moving to Vancouver, he worked as a medical photographer, but his passion lay in photographing the everyday life on the streets. Using photography as a personal exploration, he captures scenes that were often overlooked. It’s what makes him have a unique vision in his photos. Herzog’s use of color was unusual in the 1950s and 60s, as fine art photography was considered black and white photos. His photos were appreciated in the 2000s when technology was more advanced and his colored photos could be printed more effectively. Herzog’s style is known for its rich, saturated colors and attention to the details of life. The cameras he used captured the colors in neon signs, stores, cars, and people. Unlike photographs in black and white, Herzog took advantage of colors to make ordinary photos seem significant. His compositions focus on the streets of Vancouver, showing busy people passing by in life. It portrays an atmosphere of nostalgia, community, and transformation.

This photo focuses on the man in the foreground, as he is naturally waving for something nearby. The midground and background are filled with other colors and signs that add more to the photo. It creates a structure/environment for the man doing the action. Through Herzog’s photographs, there are a lot of details, colors, and shapes that create a busy environment on the streets. This has inspired me to find similar points to take photos of at Shine Hills.

Vision:

For my street photography at Shine Hills, I want to incorporate the vibrancy of the people there, as it emphasizes the modern parts of the city. I aim to show different unique signs, colors, and buildings that show the busy lifestyle in China, and also creates a sense of abstractness through the details.

Works Cited:

Out of the 20 concepts in street photography, I chose these 6 techniques to experiment with:

Street photography is a genre of photography that records everyday life in a public space. It is when photographers take photos of strangers, often without their knowledge. Street photographers usually don’t have a social purpose, they prefer to capture moments that may be unnoticed. Street photography doesn’t need to have a street in it, as this term is quite misleading and limiting. A better name for street photography may be “Candid Public Photography”, as it can be taken anywhere and shows a real moment in life. There are many techniques that can be used in street photography. It is important to capture an candid while they are unaware of the shoot, so that the photo looks natural and not stiff. The focus and proximity on the camera is very important while taking street photography, as it can change the style. There are many other styles, such as taking the photo in a interesting angle, or having different lighting that can tell a story in the picture. Utilize the background in the photo to highlight the subject or the environment. A part of street photography is to anticipate moments and reacting fast to capture the photo that you want. Each photo can capture a different part of human conditions and tell a visual story. While people are a common subject, street photography can also focus on architecture, objects, and shadows that also reflect the culture, emotion, and rhythm in life. Street photography is a blend of art and observations: it is about being in the present, noticing the unnoticed, and capturing those moments that reveal something meaningful or visually striking.

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