Lizzy Oppenheimer

Again, Emily is on a roll finding GREAT photographers I loved. She told me to look her up when I was working on my artist statement completely frustrated that I couldn't write what I was saying out loud. Anyways, Lizzy photographs rest stops and after reading her artist statement, i cant help but think we're the same person. She decided to shoot this in a BARREN point of view without people, strictly SYMMETRICAL and GEOMETRICAL. Her idea came when she wanted to kind of immortalize her childhood through images of something that she was so attached to. She spent some time at rest stops as a child traveling and now since they are becoming extinct in certain states, shes using her art as a means of personal documentation. I think maybe this is what I was trying to say!!!

ED FREEMAN.

Ed is a working commercial and fine art photographer living in Los Angeles. Emily told me about him the other night, so I looked him up and I fell in love! His work is currently traveling for shows as large format prints and I think they're beautiful. The only problem I have with them is that he manipulates every single image. I find it kind of a down fall to it especially because he wants to heighten the abandoned feeling and he has to use photoshop to do so. Disappoint. The images I chose, were the ones I was most attracted to and didn't look at as if they were manipulated. From the series, Desert Realty and Urban Realty.

http://www.edfreeman.com/#a=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=0&p=0

Christopher Anderson

Anderson was born in Canada and raised in Texas. He first began photographing documentary style and then spanned his interests photographing portraits, fashion and even his own family. These images are from his series, Non Fiction, which came out in 2003. I was interested in these because they seemed to be kind of like a snapshot, family album document with a story behind them that could be read by everyone. I also think the colors are super funky and even though they aren't the norm, they capture the feel of the photographs really well.

Trent Parke

I chose Trent to put on my blog this week because this one series of street photography really interested me. Although this is by far not even close to anything I would be interested in, I was attracted to it because I could sort of relate it to my current series. I was drawn in by his centering in each frame which is focused on one pop of bright, saturated color. I also like how he has people his in shots but they aren't directly photographed head on. (I think this is kind of what I wanted to achieve with seaside!) The only thing I wish I could change would be the color saturation. It almost seems too strong or bright for my liking.

SOTH

Assignment 1:
Treasure Hunt

I put this image up because I was immediately drawn to it. I felt that the lighting was just right and the placement of the figure was perfect for what he was trying to say. The leading line of the blanket up to his movement of his arm and under his chin leads me into the main composition and keeps me attracted. The way it was cropped was fantastic. probably in post!

Assignment 2:

Short Story

I thought these images worked to tell a story because they depict this town in it's everyday settings. When I looked at them I felt as if I was standing there seeing these places as a normal townsperson would. I was also greatly drawn to the composition as color as a whole in the images.

Assignment 3:

Take a picture of a non-photographer, then have them photograph you

I was immediately drawn to this image for the fact that children took one. I've always been interested in how amazingly well some pictures children take, come out. I liked these two images placed next to each other because they both have the same kind of focus and lighting. I like the fall off around the woman's face next to the image of the 2 boys and the lighting shining in between them.

Assignment 4: 

Photo with words

I didn't like this assignment at all. I think it's because I like simplicity and I like the viewer to take the time to figure out what the image means to them rather than to take the time to describe it in a caption. I also didn't think they were tastefully done at all. I chose this image solely for the color and the fact that the caption wasn't hugely visible.

WEEK 5: George Awde

I chose George because I liked his work the most out of all the other photographers listed. I thought his photographs conveyed a true sense of emotion and they really told a story about how he felt. I understood what he was trying to say about his hometown or where he is now.
George originally got his BFA in painting and then his masters as well. He photographs what he believes to be his home or where is has ended up residing now. He believes home is something grounded and stationary and is often something hard to find. He strives to show a search for individuality and stability as what you would call "home" in his photographs.

I love love love this photograph! The shadows splashed across the house and along the floor of the patio reaallllyy jump out to me. I feel really drawn back into the space where they are sitting and very welcoming. The color is also warm and homey in a way. I feel emotion between the two people too almost as if they're safe and content on the patio and warm in the comfort of each other and their own home.

This picture stood out to me for the subject of it. A lot of his other images seemed to be very race oriented and almost religious? in a way. I was drawn into this because I found it interesting that women were on one side and men were on the other. Were they not allowed to cross to the other side or associate with each other or was it just a decisive moment to convey the idea of that specific culture? I also LOVE that line across the street in relation to the telephone wires. beautiful.

I got emotional attachment to this image too because it feels so empty and alone. I would think this is the photographers town and he found it empty and barren. I would go so far as to say that maybe his emotions mirror this emptiness, when he is searching for a place to call home. The drab, almost monochrome color mirrors that as well and brings me to a dark and empty emotional place.

I just put this image up just cause I liked it :)

WEEK 4: Stephen Shore

I thought this image was soooooooooooo successful. Watching Shore in the video compose was incredible. He was talking about how he pays attention to space and lines and shapes before he shoots and it is so evident in this picture. The green pops out from the brown wall and the white wall and the yellowy colored carpet. I was so drawn to how the background is separated into 3 shapes that mimic the table and the chair and the couch. Also the lines between the table and the chair and the couch and the blinds string. amazing.

I think this image is successful because the way he separated the spaces. I love how theres this foreground of road that feels like its closing in on you but it also brings you back into the middle with the red van and the green windows and then the background with the trees and the sky where it really opens up and draws you back. It feels so closed it yet so open at the same time.

I HATE THIS IMAGE. It frustrates me to no end. The space is too chaotic and I don't see any point of interest. Its just chaos and cars and gas stations. Argh.

COLOR WEEK 2

For this blog, I chose Helen Levitt, Todd Hido and Alec Soth. I felt their color images really related to what Szarkowski was talking about in the article and I was incredibly drawn to them.

HELEN LEVITT:

I chose this first image because I've had it hanging on my bedroom wall for years. I found it in New York Magazine a while back and was in love with it. I was so excited to find out who took it. I was drawn to it because when you first look at it, you see the blue car then the green car and then a person. Why was she there? What was she looking for or at? Why is she leaning down like that? It took me back to when szarkowski was talking about photographing people and photographing people you don't know and keeping their story private.

This second image held the same meaning for me. I also don't think this image would be anywhere near as interesting in black and white. The red car popping out from the building really stood out for me. Then when I noticed the woman on the steps and the cat under the car, it brought it all together.

I feel like this came right out of a family album. The candidness and the fun you see in their faces and body language makes you feel like it could be your family. The difference is, it's not cheesy and the color is fantastic. You also don't know their story which makes you want to know it even more.

TODD HIDO:

I'll admit it, I'm in love with Todd and all of his images so I don't think I can say anything bad about his images. In every single one, he finds this light that gets the perfect color EVERY SINGLE TIME. I have not found one where I cringed at it. The compositions are always fantastic and the subject matter is so mundane but he makes it incredible. 

ALEC SOTH:

I also have a crush on alec so deal with it while I go on about how fantastic the color is. And it doesn't hurt that my favorite one is symmetrical.

COLOR PHOTO, EGGLESTON

1. For me, the main focus of this image is the emptiness of the market parking area. At first, I was drawn back to the area in the background where the dirt seems to almost form into the composition with the sky, but then I started focusing on the area with the sign and the market and the line that connects the two in space. Also the shadow in the very front corner drew me in. I think in black and white, it wouldn't be the same sunny day with drab dirt roads and the bright yellow sign. It wouldn't welcome you in as much.  I love the subject matter obviously and the angle of the composition. I was really drawn in when I looked at the color of the market in relation to the dirt and the bright yellow sign. I think the sign really pops when placed in front of the bright blue sky next to the brown pole. I think he uses color to draw you into the background and lead you across the eye in the middle of the image.

2.  The main focus is the area underneath the street light and the car sitting there alone. I was so drawn into that small area of light and then that pop of purple in the sky. This image would probably be boring in black and white because the color kind of makes it pop out of the scene and draws you into the car. Makes you wonder why the car is there alone. My only dislike would be the angle of it. I would have shot it from the front and make the ground straight rather than slanted. I love the use of color especially with the purple sky next to the green building and the pale yellow car amidst the blackness. I think he uses his knowledge of color relationships and complimentary colors to really draw you in. 

3. The main focus would be the back bumper and the garbage next to the pole. I was drawn into the negative space between the pole and the car and the pole and the border as well as the shadows around them. I think this image wouldn't be any worse in black and white. I think it would work well, it's just probably more interesting in color. I love how bright the red tail lights are when placed on the green car next to the rusty colored pole. The blue on the garbage bag reacts well with the pole and the grass popping up on the cracks of the sidewalk. I think he was very aware of what colors were around before he shot and it turns out they pop in the composition very well.