Blog Prompts 9, 10, 11

9. Pick a sculpture that you like. Write a description of how you might use 3D modeling in Photoshop to make this sculpture part of a photographic image. 

I am not very educated on the art of sculpture, so I do not know very many different ones. With that being said I will just say that I really like the steel-like sculpture outside of Kresge (and I do like it! It's weird!) To make this sculpture part of a photographic image, I would probably take a photo of it, make a cut-out of it (using pen or magnetic lasso), and then place it in to another image. Let's say for instance I want to put this sculpture on top of the moon. I would put the cutout on top of the moon and then I would probably do a free transform or transform the perspective of it so that its bottom surface mimicked the round surface of the moon. I would probably also add a drop shadow (is that the one that adds a shadow to the bottom?) to the image to make it appear to be more grounded. I would also transform the object to make it look more 3-dimensional by making part of it protrude towards the viewer.

10. Describe an impossible scenario. Describe how you can create this scene using digital photographic compositing. 

I always think it is very hard for artists to do things such as turn objects in to other objects (at least I know this would be hard for me. Say for instance, making an image that is of a tree, then the roots on the ground turn in to different peoples' hands and the leaves of the trunk turn in to eyes. So in a sense the tree becomes a collaboration of many different human physical characteristics. This seems impossible to me because I am a very amateur Photoshop user, and the whole idea of having a tree whose leaves morph in to eyes and whose roots morph in to hands is just insanely awesome. I guess to do this one could try morphing the pieces of the tree using the liquify tool or maybe the puppet animation tool (is that what it is called?)...I really like the idea of things turning in to unexpected things, and really want to try something like this!

11. Collages, montages, assemblages, and composites often bring together disparate items, objects, scenes, places, and people. The process of combining seemingly unrelated or unexpected items can be inspired by spontaneous thoughts/experiments. Describe some ideas, thoughts, and things that come to mind when you think of “combination” or “assemblage”. Try to perform this brainstorm using a stream of consciousness technique in which you list anything that comes to mind. You can add to this list… Here goes… fractured/combined identities, old newspapers + grass, constant bombarding of images via mass media, looking through a kaleidoscope, doll + baby, cut a bike in half and add a tree, etc. …

Real and artificial objects, vision in the dream world vs waking life, a tree with a body of water sitting on top of it, a human with wings flying over a city, a house with arms and legs, grass as sky and sky as grass...I hope I did this right, it was hard to think of things on the spot!!

Light/Shadow/Projection

Composition: For the first two photos, I was interested in framing the photo to make it look as though there was a shadow in the distance and a person was peering through the blinds. The first image is framed more fittingly for this than the second one, however I like how you can see the entire shadow figure in the second image. The rest of the photographs are framed to show the figure within a particular setting. In some images, the subject is centered; in others, the object is off to the side, paying homage to the golden mean (2/3 - 1/3 composition). The vantage point of all these images is slightly below eye level, as I was restricted on where I could shoot from because of the laptops and getting in the way of the projector. All lighting is done by the projector, so it is very even. I used the projection as the background of my image and as the light source of my photographs.

Concept: For the first two photographs, I was interested in creating a sense of fear/eerieness by placing a shadowy figure within the frame and by having Carly peer though blinds, much like we do when we are discretely looking outside for something out of the ordinary. Of course we do not want the figure to see us so we peep through the blinds. The projector helps emphasize this idea by allowing me to make the shadowy figure larger than normal. For the second set of images, I chose to project different photomicroscope images of close-ups of cells. By placing a figure in front of the images, I hope to emphasize the connection between the cells and the body. By putting a sheet over the figure, I hope to create a sense of emergence from the background, so as to further illustrate the connection between the two things. The projector worked as a light source and it also projected the images of these cells in a larger scale so that I was able to place human figure in the front.

Method: For the first images, I attached some blinds to the ceiling. I then reflected a large image of a shadow on to the wall. I then had a person stand behind the blinds and peep out of them. For the second set of images I projected photomicroscope images on to the wall and had them act as the background. I placed a figure with a sheet over his head/body in front of the images in different fashions so as to show the subtle emergence of the figure from the background.

Motivations: While the first images are just my form of playing around, the second images are very important to me. My goal was to show the relationship between cells and the body and to do so by having the figure emerge out of the background in a sort of surreal way. I wanted the 2D image to subtly appear 3D in certain areas. I believe this idea works best in the blueish image.

Interpretation: My viewers did not really understand my concept until I explained it to them. This is probably because the sheet is very loose and does not mimic the human figure very well. This is something that I will have to further explore and try again so that I can get my message across better

Evaluation: ...

Extension: I actually am going to reshoot these images as soon as I can. I realized half-way through the shoot that if I had a "green man suit", a white one realistically, that I could have the figure emerge from the background in exactly the way I want it. When Andy had the white sheet on, the image projected on to it perfectly, so I  think if I could somehow come up with a white suit-like garment that more accurately accented the human figure, I would be able to get my point across more efficiently.

High Dynamic Range Photography

An Alteration of Reality

 


Composition: For these images, I wanted to create a frame that would emphasize the hi-lights and shadows, while also accentuating the main objects in the image. I wanted the contrast to be surreal and to reflect the extreme aspects of HDR photography. I chose extreme lighting so that when merging the photos in HDR, I would be able to create extreme areas on the image.

Concept: The most interesting attribute of HDR to me is the ability to manipulate the surreality of the outer world. With that being said, I hope to portray a surreal presence of reality with these images.

Method: I put my camera on a tripod and took several images of one subject, ranging from very underexposed to very overexposed. I then merged these images in Bridge, brought them over to Photoshop, and applied a surreal aspect to them. I wanted to keep as much color as possible, so in order to do that I altered the exposure and radius of the surreal effect on the image.

Motivations: My goal for these images was to create a surreal atmosphere. I wanted the images to appear overly colorful and saturated so as to create a somewhat eerie presence.

Interpretation: Of the few people that have viewed my images, all of them agree with the surreal aspects of my photos. The images are said to be somewhat cartoon-like (the arcade ones) and look like reality that has been painted over graphically.

Evaluation: ...

Extension: I plan on continuing with HDR photography, as I love the end result. I wold love to take this idea into portraiture, that is, if I can find a very still person!

Blog Prompt 2

#5. Think of various cultural, religions, political, personal, scientific associations and symbols of “light” and “darkness”. Discuss some that come to mind. http://www.umich.edu/~umfandsf/symbolismproject/symbolism.html/

In the Chinese culture, the Yin-Yang is the understanding of how things work. The Yin (black) is the "dark" energy, referring to the passive, downward, cold and weak. The Yang (white) is the "light" energy, which is bright, hot, strong, and active. The shape of the symbol alludes to its continuous energy, as both of these energies need each other to make things happen. 

Personally, when it is lighter outside I am more productive, when it is darker outside I feel as though I am more relaxed.

In many cartoons, an example being Snow White, the lighter white symbolizes the good as the dark symbolizes the evil (The queen wears a black clock and her chamber is full of darkness).

#6 Think of some experiences that you have had in which you felt a sense of “lightness”. Describe one or some of these experiences.

When I have gotten a lot accomplished or I achieve something that I am very proud of, I feel an adrenaline rush and begin to feel lighter or somewhat floating (literally lighter in weight). When I am very happy my head feels lighter and it feels as though my stress levels are much lower, thus making my energy feel lighter.

#7. Think of some experiences that you have had in which you felt a sense of “darkness”. Describe one or some of these experiences.

I lost a close relative to death a few years ago, and when this happened I felt a sense of darkness within me. My entire energy became very dull and gloomy and I didn't want to do anything productive. Darker things seem more natural in this mind state, and I would always keep my blinds closed so that sunlight couldn't get in. Loss is a huge ignitor for darkness in the mind.

#8 From the reading on light and shadow, pick an artist/photographer whose work inspires you. Describe why you like her/his work.

The photograph by Bapak Gogon Margono, Javanese Shadow Pupper of Hanuman, is the most interesting to me. It reminds me somewhat of a Tim Burton character and I think it be isolated from anything else enhances its eerie-ness. The distortion of scale in this photograph is very successful in that it could appear to be 10 feet tall, instead of the few inches high that it probably is. It would be cool to see this photograph in large scale, and this photograph makes me want to explore scale distortion.

Scannography

Reflections of myself through Scannography

Composition: For these images, I chose to keep all of the subject matter within the center of the frame, as I wanted the images to feel somewhat balanced. Since these images are taken with a scanner, the vantage point remains pretty frontal and the depth appears incredibly shallow. For the first image I wanted to create a sort of ethereal presence in the subject, whereas for the second image I wanted harsh lines and bold colors protrude from the black space. Both images reflect a sense of movement and time within the frame.

Concept: In producing these images, I aspire to portray a sense of my personality to the viewer. In the first image, I have chosen to create a portrait of my face and hands moving through the frame. I consider myself to be an active person, so movement of objects captured within a still frame is a good reflection of my aways-moving mind. This is portrayed in my second image as well, where the movement of the image captures your eye and makes it wander up and down the frame. I am also a huge fan of color, so the colors within the movement of the second image help to portray the energy within me.

The use of the scanner reflects my ever-moving mind and body as I am able to drag the objects of my images along the light of the scanner in order to create a sense of movement. 

Method: To create the first image, I took one scan while moving my face along the scanner light. I then took another scan of my hands both in motion an still. I took these two scans, layered one on top of the other, and adjusted the opacity levels on each, thus making a sort of ethereal effect. For the second image, I took a bracelet that I wear every day and dragged it left and right along the scanner. I have done scannography in the past, and from it I have learned that when you move objects on the scanner, it will ALWAYS create a prism of color. With trial and error, I have learned how to control how many colors will show up in the scan based on how fast and how much the object is manipulated and moved.

Motivation: My goal in creating these images is to give a sense of my personality with regards to the aesthetics I enjoy and the ways in which I approach the scanner.

Interpretation: I am sure others will see my first image as a portrait of myself. The second image will be a bit trickier to grasp, however I think viewers will see it as something I find beautiful, which in turn reflects my thoughts and ideas.

Evaluation: I was absent for critique.

Extension: I would use the first image as a jumping-off point for a larger series of images by playing around with different ways in which I can make portraits of myself with the scanner. I would notice my weak areas and try to strengthen them (content, sharpness, layering).

Kaleidoscopography

Kaleidoscopography: Photography through a Kaleidoscope.

Compostition: For this set of images the framing is pretty loose, as I was more concerned with the design within the frame. I was not too worried about the inevitable flatness of the images, as I wanted the image to be more about color and design than depth and focus. The colors within the frame give the image its sense of depth. I pattern-like aesthetic of all these images give a sense of flatness, as if something should be placed on top of them (maybe these images could work as a background to a different foreground).

Concept: These images reflect seeing through the eye of a kaleidoscope. We are so used to putting our eye up to the view box and looking at an image and clicking the shutter, that we sometimes forget how fun it can be to alter the eye of the camera. These images are mainly about color, pattern and repetition of image. Some are portraits of friends (bottom two) and some are mere abstractions of colors and shapes portrayed through the kaleidoscope. The use of the kaleidoscope relates to my idea of an altered vision in that it stands between the subject and the camera in a way that changes the outside world.

Method:  For these images, I taped a kaleidoscope to the outside of my macro lens. I then walked around while continuously looking through the kaleidoscope until an appealing image presented itself to me. I then focused the image in the way I felt was most successful (a lot of times it was out of focus) and then I took the photograph. Once I found an image that I admired, I would also turn the kaleidoscope around so that I could see different shapes, patterns, and colors.

Motivations: In creating these images, I hope to create a more abstract approach to photography. I wanted to do something that appealed more to color and design than depth and focus, and I also wanted to try something that I had never done before this class.

Interpretation: So far, my friends that have seen these images see them as somewhat psychedelic and unusual. I admire these comments, as I like to do things that are out of the ordinary and more abstract.

Evaluation: ...

Extension: In the near future I plan on making more of this type of photograph. I will plan more accordingly by arranging color in a certain way so as to create a sense of depth. Before I was not concerned with depth and focus, however for future photos I would like to see what the outcome would be if I paid more attention to color combination (to create depth) and the plane of focus within the kaleidoscopic image.

Pinhole Photography

Composition: The composition of each image is very different from the next one. For the first image I wanted to frame with an emphasis on the instruments. For the second and third images the frames are more improvised and random as I moved the camera during the exposure. All of these images are brightly lit as they are long exposures, however they all seem to be of low contrast. Each image encompasses soft edges and a fuzzy atmosphere, both of which are aspects of pinhole photography.

Concept: My first image is about music and abstraction by using the pinhole, while my second two images are about movement of the camera body during the exposure. The second two images reveal my concept of abstraction through lighting and camera movement. In the third image I accidentally created an owl-like face, which I found to be very successful. The use of the pinhole relates to the content by reflecting the qualities of a pinhole such as softer edges and a fuzzier presence. The content in these images is very fuzzy, as though you are looking at everything through a bed sheet. I wanted to take a more abstract approach to the pinhole photos, so I decided to move the camera during a 5 second exposure and see what would happen.

Method:  For the first image I set the camera on a tripod and took a long exposure of my friends playing instruments. There is not much in focus, however I like the quality of the fuzziness. The second image is of a colorful lightbulb; it is a 5-second exposure and I am moving the camera in a zig-zag motion during the exposure. For the third image I am moving the camera in circles during a 5-second exposure while focused on a ceiling fan. This is my favorite image, as it appears as though there is a haunting face within the image.

Motivations: My intention was to create abstract pinhole photographs that incorporated movement in the image.

Interpretation: My friends have said these images are incredibly abstract and hard to understand. I agree with them on this, as these images are incredibly cloudy and hard to interpret with regards to what is in the image (excluding the first image---in that one the subject matter is distinguishable).

Evaluation: ...

Extension: If I were to create more pinhole photographs, I would focus more on creating a still and focused image rather than an abstract, blurry image. I would imagine it is much easier to do what I did than to create an image based on still subject matter.

Blog prompt 1 by Shea

1. Think of various ways in which your “view” or visual perception of the world is altered, distorted, manipulated, reframed, blurred, disrupted, obstructed, etc. List some. 

Impaired vision, sickness, hallucinogenic drugs, putting on someone's prescription glasses, lack of sleep.

2. What objects “change” the way you “see” things in the world? 
Eye glasses, contacts, having a scratch on your cornea :)

3. What experiences change the way you “see” things in the world? 
Art classes (painting, drawing, photography), taking hallucinogenic drugs, natural disasters, religious experiences.

4. What is the relationship between the way you visually “see” the world and the way you “experience” the world? 
 For me, being an artist, I see the world in color, line, shape, and dimension (this is how I currently see things because I have trained my eye to see the way that a painter/photographer sees). I experience all of these things in the sense that when I see certain colors, shapes, etc. that are appealing to me, I want to either photograph or paint them. I experience what I see in a way that makes me want to retell the story of what I see through art.