Part 1
Part 2
1. "In the preface to the second edition (1843) of The Essence of Christianity, Feuerbach observes about 'our era' that it 'prefers the image to the thing, the copy to the original, the representation to the reality, appearance to being'. For the images that have virtually unlimited authority in a modern society are mainly photographic images..."
In a country where scumbag paparazzi and respected professionals work side by side, sometimes I don't know what to think about a photo I see. When I look at a cover of a popular magazine, I automatically assume it's fake or deliberately misleading. When I see a work in a gallery, I feel positive it's edited, but it doesn't matter because it's art. Works in galleries are consistently more interesting than the actual subject. I don't believe that edited photos are completely real because they have been adulterated by layers of touch-ups. The only genuine records of time are ones that have not been edited.
5. "There is an aggression implicit in every use of the camera. This is as evident in the 1840's and 1850's, photography's glorious first two decades, as in all the succeeding decades, during which technology made possible an ever increasing spread of that mentality which looks at the world as a set of potential photographs."
I see the intricate details of everyday objects more than I ever have before, which is saying alot because I am an extremely detail-oriented person. My desire to record every detail on every interesting thing I see by taking pictures of it may cause me to be distracted more easily than I already am. Seeing the world as potential photographs may make the world seem mediocre and bland in comparison to edited photographs. This view spreads as cameras and editing programs become more accessible to everyone.
Part 3
1. Why do you take photographs?
I take photographs to remember something significant or interesting or to show others something significant or interesting. It's so easy to just snap a button and have a record of something or someone forever. That may be some of my motivation to actually take the picture instead of just staring at the scene and hoping I'll remember it. If I open the shutter, maybe other people will remember a place they have never been to, a person they have never met, or an emotion they have never felt.
2. How has your photography changed because of your work this semester?
It's hard to put words on how my finished works have changed, but I do know how my processes have evolved. I am more willing to go out of my way to take a picture instead of capturing what lies right in front of my face. I have always kept my camera in my purse, but I use it much more than I ever have. Because I take more pictures, I get more good and bad shots, but the good ones are golden. I have mastered many basic tools in Photoshop to make my good shots even better, and I can now edit and save a decent photo in about a minute. I hope to continue using the archiving process I picked up this semester to organize my photos in the future.
3. What aspects of your photography do you want to/need to continue to develop?
My pride would cause me to say that I have reached an adequate stopping point in my artistic development, but I know there are some techniques I should improve. I won't have access to Photoshop at home, so I need to start paying attention to the lighting and color of my photos more because I may not be able to fix severe mistakes on otherwise good shots. I need to stop relying on photo editing programs to fix all my mistakes for me. Instead, I need to take more shots of the same subject from different angles and with different lighting to try to get the best representation of it. I can use these techniques in the future when I go on vacations or mission trips to produce strong, lasting representations of the things I experience.
4. How will you continue to remain active as a photographer? What tendencies do you need to avoid to remain active? What positive habits do you need to cultivate?
I will take pictures when I travel (because Akron can be extremely dull) and even when I don't go abroad. I want to record all I can about the places I go because I may never be able to go there again. I need to have the motivation to actually pick up the camera to record these memories though. Most of the time I don't record the things I want to photograph out of laziness or lack of interest, so it would be a smart idea to physically carry my camera in my hand all the time so it would be impossible to have a lame excuse for not taking the shot. I also have few excuses for posting the photos on my blog. Once my laptop gets fixed, I have unlimited access to the internet. I need to start taking advantage of this so I can share my work with anyone willing to view it.
5. In your photographs this semester, give examples of instances that your photography has reached the level of art. Attempt to explain what caused these works to be successful. How can you continue to create such works?
Many of my most artistic photos came about through chance or realizing they were actually better than the first photos out of the shoot I liked. Sometimes, the editing, not the subject, made the photo "art", like in True Grit. Many of those shots were less than mediocre originally, but the editing made them look amazing. Many other shots were good right from the start, like many in Depth of Field. Most of the photos I submitted needed little editing to make them look better. About half of all the photos I even attempted to edit this semester looked crummy at first glance or almost didn't make it onto the memory card. By taking more photos, I get more good ones, the origins of art. I can continue trying to get these amazing shots by taking more and more pictures and hoping for the best every time I click the button.
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| Graveyard, n/a One of my most successful Urban Decay photos, Graveyard contains strong perspective and a somber mood. The film contributes to the mood with graininess and a certain darkness that can't be replicated. The snow makes it seem serene and as dead as a graveyard can get. |
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| Crossword Puzzle, f/2.6, 1/100 sec. Crossword Puzzle contains strong perspective and competing focal points, holding the viewer's attention. The text, boxes, and big red pencil vye for the viewer's attention so the eye really sees the whole photo. I chose this photo for the cover of my book not just because of the quality, but of the personal significance it has. I love doing crossword puzzles, especially on Mondays when they're the easiest! |
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| Assault, f/2.6, 1/15 sec. This photo is by far the creepiest out of all the pictures I took for Tilt-Shift. I believe it is successful because of the viewpoint of the camera and how real everything looks except for the doll. Despite that, it looks just fake enough to confuse the viewer. The railings of the stairs force the focal point to be the assaulted doll at the bottom of the stairs, perhaps pushed down them by an irate sibling upstairs. |
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| Lock on Masoleum f/8, 1/2000 sec. Pure black and pure white bring out details that usually cannot be seen with a color or grayscale photo. This photograph has clearly defined details on the lock and contrast between the actual chain and the shadows made by it. One of the last photos I posted, I believe it shows how far I have come with this process through experimentation and True Grit. |
Part 2
1. "In the preface to the second edition (1843) of The Essence of Christianity, Feuerbach observes about 'our era' that it 'prefers the image to the thing, the copy to the original, the representation to the reality, appearance to being'. For the images that have virtually unlimited authority in a modern society are mainly photographic images..."
In a country where scumbag paparazzi and respected professionals work side by side, sometimes I don't know what to think about a photo I see. When I look at a cover of a popular magazine, I automatically assume it's fake or deliberately misleading. When I see a work in a gallery, I feel positive it's edited, but it doesn't matter because it's art. Works in galleries are consistently more interesting than the actual subject. I don't believe that edited photos are completely real because they have been adulterated by layers of touch-ups. The only genuine records of time are ones that have not been edited.
5. "There is an aggression implicit in every use of the camera. This is as evident in the 1840's and 1850's, photography's glorious first two decades, as in all the succeeding decades, during which technology made possible an ever increasing spread of that mentality which looks at the world as a set of potential photographs."
I see the intricate details of everyday objects more than I ever have before, which is saying alot because I am an extremely detail-oriented person. My desire to record every detail on every interesting thing I see by taking pictures of it may cause me to be distracted more easily than I already am. Seeing the world as potential photographs may make the world seem mediocre and bland in comparison to edited photographs. This view spreads as cameras and editing programs become more accessible to everyone.
Part 3
1. Why do you take photographs?
I take photographs to remember something significant or interesting or to show others something significant or interesting. It's so easy to just snap a button and have a record of something or someone forever. That may be some of my motivation to actually take the picture instead of just staring at the scene and hoping I'll remember it. If I open the shutter, maybe other people will remember a place they have never been to, a person they have never met, or an emotion they have never felt.
2. How has your photography changed because of your work this semester?
It's hard to put words on how my finished works have changed, but I do know how my processes have evolved. I am more willing to go out of my way to take a picture instead of capturing what lies right in front of my face. I have always kept my camera in my purse, but I use it much more than I ever have. Because I take more pictures, I get more good and bad shots, but the good ones are golden. I have mastered many basic tools in Photoshop to make my good shots even better, and I can now edit and save a decent photo in about a minute. I hope to continue using the archiving process I picked up this semester to organize my photos in the future.
3. What aspects of your photography do you want to/need to continue to develop?
My pride would cause me to say that I have reached an adequate stopping point in my artistic development, but I know there are some techniques I should improve. I won't have access to Photoshop at home, so I need to start paying attention to the lighting and color of my photos more because I may not be able to fix severe mistakes on otherwise good shots. I need to stop relying on photo editing programs to fix all my mistakes for me. Instead, I need to take more shots of the same subject from different angles and with different lighting to try to get the best representation of it. I can use these techniques in the future when I go on vacations or mission trips to produce strong, lasting representations of the things I experience.
4. How will you continue to remain active as a photographer? What tendencies do you need to avoid to remain active? What positive habits do you need to cultivate?
I will take pictures when I travel (because Akron can be extremely dull) and even when I don't go abroad. I want to record all I can about the places I go because I may never be able to go there again. I need to have the motivation to actually pick up the camera to record these memories though. Most of the time I don't record the things I want to photograph out of laziness or lack of interest, so it would be a smart idea to physically carry my camera in my hand all the time so it would be impossible to have a lame excuse for not taking the shot. I also have few excuses for posting the photos on my blog. Once my laptop gets fixed, I have unlimited access to the internet. I need to start taking advantage of this so I can share my work with anyone willing to view it.
5. In your photographs this semester, give examples of instances that your photography has reached the level of art. Attempt to explain what caused these works to be successful. How can you continue to create such works?
Many of my most artistic photos came about through chance or realizing they were actually better than the first photos out of the shoot I liked. Sometimes, the editing, not the subject, made the photo "art", like in True Grit. Many of those shots were less than mediocre originally, but the editing made them look amazing. Many other shots were good right from the start, like many in Depth of Field. Most of the photos I submitted needed little editing to make them look better. About half of all the photos I even attempted to edit this semester looked crummy at first glance or almost didn't make it onto the memory card. By taking more photos, I get more good ones, the origins of art. I can continue trying to get these amazing shots by taking more and more pictures and hoping for the best every time I click the button.
