Week 4 Blog

Josef Sudek - Egg

http://5magazine.wordpress.com/2010/11/06/over-the-photographs-by-josef-sudek/

What may seem as such a simple picture is not. This minimal choice of subject matter has, in my eye, created an excellent photograph. It also demonstrates how something simple such as a plate and an egg can make a photograph. The information given in this image is amazing, the scratches on the sill, suttle reflection in the glass, bright whites and dark blacks. All of this information creates a complete pleasing photograph that has a great tonal range and composition.

Emmet Gowin
http://raphaelgianellimeriano.blogspot.com/2011/04/emmet-gowin-photographs.html

The use of a wide angle lens really captured the emotion in this image. The elongation of the body with the same feeling from the room makes both the figure and environment become one. The two windows also add two highlights that really make the image pop. The horse in the left window also makes the viewer ask questions. Is that a decoration? The kids? So is she in the kids room? Gowin uses the curtains and clothing to relate to each other as well with the shadows and ripples.

Lewis Baltz - Park City

http://www.artnet.com/artwork/426108364/title-park-city-1980-a-sequential-work-with-102-elements-element-no-80.html

Here we have another image with simple subject matter. Although there are not many objects in this photograph there are still some very interesting things going on. For starters even though there are only five surface planes there is still a full tonal range. The black rectangle is almost centered in the photograph but not quite. The small creases between the dry-wall and screws add more of a texture breaking up the light gray space in the background. In the foreground we also have debris which adds even more texture, the debris is not over powering in this photo due to the high contrast in the center and to the right side of the photograph.

Week 3 Blog

Alfred Stieglitz

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/stgp/hd_stgp.htm

This photograph just reminds me of Batman/Gotham City. Usually I am not fond of a lot of noise in an image but it works for this one. It adds texture and a luminescent feeling around the two lights on the closer building. Stieglitz also captures a high sense of depth of field. I suppose I am getting a "Batman" feeling from the this image because of all of the building tops and mystery it portrays. An overall well composed image with a great tonal range.

Jerry Uelsmann

http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/6aa/6aa342.htm

Jerry Uelsmann is a master of the Darkroom and someone I look up to. His images are one of a kind and are unmistakably his. The way he can make a picture so believable is insane. Not only is the figure in this image accepted by my eye but it captivates it. The light on her body seems to be exactly of that of the background. Not only does he add the figure but he adds the reflection, this is what sells the photograph and makes it so intriguing to me. The reflection is also distorted and blurred to appear as if it was actually there. All in all he has great craftsmanship and an eye/brain for believable unbelievable images.

*dans'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dans180/178435614/sizes/o/

I picked this last one because lately i have been shooting a lot of long exposure photographs, and seeing this made me ask even more questions on how I can make my long exposure's my own. My assumption would be that he had the long exposure on the buildings/cityscape. After leaving the shutter open a good while I'm thinking the photographer either zoomed in or out to get the streak effect shown. The composition is there, the color is very vivid and creates a focal point and it just stands out from the bunch which seems to be a common trend for me lately. 

Week 2 Blog

Bruce Davidson

http://stu89edwards.blogspot.com/2011/08/bruce-davidson.html

This Picture stood out to me when looking through Davidsons work. The reason being he uses Point Of View, Shadow, Objects and Texture all to his advantage. These four things make this photo an individual. The texture of the brick makes a usually common surface we walk on to something that contrasts the figures walking in the frame. This brings me to the shadows of the figures. Looking back at the "four" things I thought were important there is another the time of which he took this picture, at anytime right after or right before this picture was taken the shadows would not be as involved. Due to the timing he captured most of these figures in mid-step. I am then wondering to myself... what are these objects in the frame? The shadows help give it away but hats and collars seal the deal.

Justine Kerland

http://hautecouturetaxonomy.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/photography-by-justine-kurland/

I kind of stumbled upon this photo. and the thing that attracted me to it was the idea of how real it could be. This photograph has a "shock" factor, if you will. A boy floating in a river pale as can be with no notion of fear. For anyone who has a sibling or child this can be a real big fear. Going out to enjoy the river and then tragedy hits. What happened to johnny??? To me this photograph tells many stories and asks many questions. Where are they? Is he dead? Do they see him? Are they gonna look for help? The list goes on for me. This photograph is also very well composed and has a range of Shadows and Highlights that attract my eye.

Tokihiro Sato

http://www.tonkonow.com/sato.html

Tokihiro is a master of manipulating light to his advantage. As one could see in this photograph portrayed above. He not only brought a new style photography but owned it as his own. In the photo above he uses a long exposure to add fluid lines over and over through out all of the steps on the hill. Tokihiro influenced my work for my assignment this week for class "Fact or Fiction" I introduced light and long exposures into the work I put in this week. I am not sure I will fabricate it quite as well as he does but I will see. I also like the strong lines he has in most of his photographs very geometric with buildings, stairs, walls, walkways, etc. I am attracted to these things myself and it just amplifies my enjoyment from looking at his photographs.

Manuel Alvarez Bravo -- Instrumental 

1931, Gelatin silver print, printed on Agfa paper

The reason i picked this picture was because it caught my eye. The strong highlights and shadows along with texture just give the picture a great feel. Along with the design aspect i just think it is a complete idea with great dynamics. Nothing feels out of place. I also can relate to the wear and tear that these tools show because I have used wrench's many times before and i think it captures the durability and strength they have.

George Tice -- Country Road

http://asherneimangallery.com/george-tice/#id=tice&num=1

I find this photograph interesting because I have never seen one like this before. The high contrast of the road and space surrounding it leads your eye right to the car. The road almost looks like a light streak or paintbrush just swept across a black canvas. Although there is a a lot of negative space it doesn't overpower the picture and drown out the car and road. Overall  think it is a great composition and use of light.

Brett Weston -- Dunes

http://www.visiongallery.com/index.php?tPath=1_3_161_230

The reason I am attracted this photo would be the rim highlights on the dunes, they have definite shape with even just two tones, as the dunes recede into the background the less the range of tones but the still keep the same definition. The clouds are also mimicking the dunes with the same rim highlights and contrast. With the little tonal range in this print it accomplishes a lot of depth of field. Even though the background sky is almost the same as parts of the front dune there is still a distinct seperation.