Link to my creative mood board: Street Photography creative mood board 

In my mood board, I tried to get photos of Wynn Bullock, my artist of inspiration. I also tried to gather photos that show different techniques and concepts that we have learned in previous lessons such as portraiture, abstraction, etc. (specific example: Intentional Camera movement, tone and lighting, etc.)

This is my link to the mind map: Canva Mind map 

As for my second mindmap, the website did not save, so I could not upload the link to my mind-map. However, In the mini-mind map, I found some photos related to the vision that I want to pursue. In my first mindmap (the mind map with the link), I tried to document my entire process of getting inspiration, and taking photos in this unit, and I also tried to document my process of choosing which type of photography I want to pursue.

1. In my photos, I wanted to photograph the facets of daily life, specifically photos of infrastructure and nature that we see everyday, and take and edit the photos, to include a little bit of everything that I learned during this course such as formal elements of photography, abstraction, and portraiture. My success criteria were, in the photos that I take and choose, I should 1. Include the different techniques, while focusing on the facets of daily life 2.Match and try to emanate the photographic style of Wynn Bullock, and 3. Make my audience reflect on the hidden rhythms of daily life, and in the four photos that I chose, I think that I did a remarkably good job of taking the photos that I wanted to take, and initiating my success criteria. My photos included modern infrastructure, different aspects of nature such as trees and plants. I successfully included those elements in my photographs to a sense of abstraction, for example through repetition, and delivered ideas that allowed for reflection using the elements that I learned from portraiture. As for the second criteria, I believe that I emanated Wynn Bullock’s style of photography very well. Wynn Bullock was a passionate man, trying to deliver creative aspects and the extraordinary of everyday to his audience through photographing various subjects and backgrounds. Although the subject that I could take photos of were limited, I was still able to get the same amount of diversity that Wynn Bullock had in infrastructure, and nature. In the same way that Wynn Bullock’s photos show the wonders and beauties of the world, allowing the viewer to look and marvel at, my photos set a calm and quiet aspect, revealing the hidden rhythms of daily life, allowing the viewer to reflect, and think about the world that they live in.  I also emanated Wynn Bullocks lighting style, as he often adjusts the tone of the photograph to convey a strong contrast in the photos, allowing the viewers to focus purely on the subjects and background itself, rather than judging the color.
2.  The artist of my inspiration is Wynn Bullock. Born in Chicago Illinois, Wynn Bullock developed his interest in photography during the late 1920s while living in Paris. Originally pursuing a career as a concert singer, Bullock became fascinated with the works of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painters, which led him to discover the photography of Man Ray and László Moholy-Nagy. This exposure sparked an immediate affinity for photography as an art form uniquely based on light and as a creative means to engage with the world. He bought his first camera and began taking pictures, marking the beginning of his photographic journey. Taking a look at his photos, it is clear that tone and lighting is his forte, as he alters the tone and lighting to convey a sense of abstraction and creativity in almost all of his photos. We can see he also finds creative ways to engage the world with the setting or subject of the photograph. The settings of his photo aren’t just a specific genre or field, it is rather anything that comes to his mind. An apple, mountain, dinosaur skull, you name it! He has taken photos various places around the world, which is a method/technique that I admire, and is what I tried to emanate as much as possible in this unit.
3. I think that I indeed explored the theme of “working the scene” in this unit. This is because, when I was traveling around Shine, everything was random. Everything seemed wrong and out of place in my eyes, and I did not know what photos I should take in order to get the best out of each and every one of them. So, I just took random photos, whatever came to mind still considering the fact that I needed to focus on my theme, and the concepts that I created. And, suddenly, out of pure chance, photos began to appear. Out of pure randomness, all the techniques styles and different concepts that I had explored in my months as a photographer began to appear. Some only had one technique, or style, while other had all of them. I think that in my trip to Shine, I took some wonderful photos with wonderful techniques, which I did not know would happen at the start. I think that I “worked the scene” and made the best out of it.
4. As for the display, I am planning to display 3 of my best photos in a tryptich, or have 4 “best” photos that I took. I have 3 really good photos that have modern infrastructure, or nature as a background with a touch of portraiture, to establish a powerful sense of connection with the photo to the audience. However, I also have a really good photo that has modern infrastructure as the background, and has an empty road, with an endless, and quite road that leaves the viewer in reflection about the hidden rhythms of daily life. I think that I could do 4 photos, the first three being the portraiture-related photos that establish a strong connection with the audience through different subjects, and end with a quite endless road, full of infinite possibility, leaving viewers reflecting and wondering about the hidden beauties and rhythm of everyday life.
5. As for things that are personal about my work, I really enjoy taking pictures of modern infrastructure and nature, so that made a big impact on my decision of which facets of daily life that I want to photograph. The second thing that is personal about my style of photography, is the calm setting, that does not have a lot in the image, allowing the viewers to sit back, reflect, and focus on the small part of the photograph, or in my interpretation, the “small parts of life” that really matter. I like to photograph this way because it reminds me of when I was really young, and me and my family would go to quite urban cities in Korea and Japan. The quite ally way, with the sun shining down in the late afternoon, just allowed me to sit back and reflect on what I have and the beauties of life, and I really enjoyed that experience. So, I am also trying to emulate that aspect through my photography in this unit.
6. I hope that my viewers would understand and reflect the rhythms of daily life. One of my photos named “by-passer” has a picture of a statue staring at all the buildings and modern infrastructure, allowing the viewer to watch with him all the beauties of daily life, the clock in the photo symbolizes the endless passage of time, and the routine-like events of our daily lives. However, the photos later on, have nature, peace, and calm in them. By looking at my photos I hope that my viewers could understand that no matter how some days seem, there is a moment of peace, a moment of calm allowing us to reflect on the beauty and hidden rhythms of daily life, and I hope my viewers can also understand that they should be thankful for these moments in life.
7. If I had more time, I think I also would have liked to try experimenting with shadows, and how they could affect my photographic style of everyday life. Shadows often symbolize darkness, and could portray an aspect of darkness, and the bad events that we experience in everyday life. Another thing that I want to try is trying to have the subjects in my photos expose their face a bit more, (which is very hard in street photography) that will allow more analysis, and better interpretations of the photos that I took.

How I chose the photos: In  my green and yellow contact sheets, I tried to categorize the photos that I took to reflect different facets of our daily lives. As I was going through my contact sheets, I felt like the photos that involved some aspect of portraiture were my best photos. The essence of the subjects in the portraiutre-street photos captured my attention. Through the use of various photographic techniques, they allowed me to see the hidden rhythms of daily life, the extraordinary in the ordinary. These are four of my best photos that I chose at the Shin trip.

Photograph Name: Passer-by

The photograph masterfully employs abstraction and juxtaposition, both important aspects of Wynn Bullock’s approach to street photography. By capturing the statue from behind, it invites viewers to see the world from its perspective, blurring the line between observer and observed-a technique reminiscent of Bullock’s fascination with perception and reality. The statue, dressed in a trench coat and hat, becomes a stand, in for the everyday passerby, gazing up at the clock tower, a universal symbol of the passage of time and the routines that structure daily life. The composition is carefully balanced: the strong diagonal formed by the statue’s arm draws the eye upward, leading naturally to the clock tower, while the modern storefronts and parked cars anchor the scene in the present. The use of black and white enhances the sense of timelessness and abstraction, stripping away distractions and focusing attention on form, light, and shadow-a technique Bullock often used to reveal deeper meanings in ordinary scenes. The interplay of the static statue, the fleeting presence of people, and the ever-ticking clock subtly comments on the rhythms and anonymity of urban life. Through these choices, the photograph not only documents a moment but also invites contemplation, echoing Bullock’s belief that photography can reveal the unseen dimensions of everyday existence.

Photograph Name: Shadows in Motion

The photograph thoughtfully blends abstraction with elements of portraiture to capture the quiet poetry of everyday life, echoing the spirit of Wynn Bullock’s work. The subject a middle aged man, partially turned away from the camera with his face obscured by shadow and a cap, embodies a sense of anonymity and universality, allowing viewers to project themselves into the scene. The use of black and white heightens the abstraction, reducing the visual world to patterns of light and shadow, and emphasizing the textures of the tree bark, the man’s clothing, and the sunlight on the ground. The vertical lines of the trees create a rhythmic backdrop that both grounds the composition and introduces a sense of order and repetition, reminiscent of Bullock’s fascination with the interplay between structure and chaos in nature. The inclusion of the dog, partially hidden in shadow, adds another layer of narrative and connection to daily routines. The man’s gesture-his hand slightly extended, as if reaching or guiding-introduces a subtle emotional resonance, a hallmark of effective portraiture. Altogether, these elements work in harmony to transform an ordinary walk in the park into a contemplative study of light, form, and human presence, mirroring Bullock’s ability to reveal the extraordinary within the everyday. The title encourages viewers to consider elements such as light and shadow, movement, human-animal interaction, and the interplay between subject and environment. It leaves room for interpretation regarding narrative, technique (like black-and-white photography), and emotional tone.

Photograph Name: Passing by

The photograph skillfully employs techniques that both abstract and illuminate the rhythms of daily urban life, resonating with the style of Wynn Bullock. The use of black and white strips the scene to its essential contrasts and textures, allowing viewers to focus on form and composition rather than the distraction of color-a hallmark of Bullock’s work. The arrangement of bicycles in the foreground, some upright and some askew, creates a dynamic pattern of lines and shapes that abstract the familiar sight of a bike rack into something visually compelling. The lone figure riding away on a cargo bike draws the eye into the middle ground, serving as a subtle portrait that captures the anonymity and universality of city dwellers. The vertical lines of trees and urban architecture in the background further layer the composition, adding depth and a sense of structure. The interplay between the static, parked bikes and the motion of the cyclist hints at the constant movement and change inherent in city life. By framing the scene to include both the intimate details of the bikes and the broader context of the cityscape, the photograph reveals the extraordinary within the ordinary, echoing Bullock’s fascination with perception, abstraction, and the hidden beauty of everyday moments. The title encourages the viewer to interpret motion, fleeting moments, and the transient nature of urban scenes.

Photograph Name: Standstill

The photograph employs abstraction and minimalism to reveal a unique facet of everyday urban life, resonating with the visual philosophy of Wynn Bullock. By choosing black and white, the photo strips the scene of color, focusing attention on the interplay of light, shadow, and geometric forms-a technique Bullock often used to heighten abstraction and emphasize the underlying structure of reality. The composition is dominated by strong leading lines: the white lane markings and the perspective of the buildings draw the viewer’s eye deep into the frame, creating a sense of infinite space and possibility. The symmetry of the empty road, flanked by modern buildings, introduces a contemplative stillness, transforming a typically bustling street into a stage for reflection. The traffic lights, frozen on red, and the absence of cars or people evoke a moment suspended in time, inviting viewers to consider the routines and pauses that shape urban life. This abstraction of the empty city street, encourages us to see the ordinary in a new light, much like Bullock’s work, which often sought to reveal the extraordinary within the everyday. Through these choices, the photograph not only documents a city scene but also invites viewers to meditate on space, silence, and the hidden rhythms of daily life. The title “Standstill” implies a temporary halt, both literally (red lights) and metaphorically (life on pause).

In this set of photos in my contact sheet, I wanted to take pictures of roads, and means of transportation, which is another important aspect of daily life. From most of the photos that I took, I can see two characteristics. One is that often times the roads and cars are juxtaposed next to a line of trees, creating a pattern and a sense of repetition in the photographs. The trees also create shadows in the photos, which I think if I change the tone and lighting of the photos to create a strong contrast in the different elements in the photo, could convey a sense of abstraction. Another set of photos that I like in this set are the pictures of the roads. I like how the white organic rectangles are lined up along the road, creating a uniform structure in the photo. One photo that I really like from the pictures of the roads is how an orange truck is juxtaposed to the road. The orange truck juxtaposed to the road does not go well with the rule of thirds, thus making the photo: “wrong”. However, I still think that this new element adds a sense of complexity to the photo, and allows the viewer to interpret the photos from a different angle. Another photo that I really like is the lady riding a bike interposed between the two set of roads. After applying greyscale to add a strong contrast to the photos, this photo conveys a peaceful feeling to the audience, allowing them sit back and reflect on the subject, background, and different techniques being used. In conclusion, I feel like this is another set of photos that shows the audience another facet of daily life. I am deciding whether or not to selecting some photos from these set of images for the final evaluation. (there was an error in Lightroom Classic that did not put a photo into the sheet)