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.