Works in Progress: Place 2.0

Assignment 2: Critique, Part I

For the first image, my self portrait, I re-cropped it differently, which improved the balance of the photo. I'm quite pleased with the amount of detail in my eyes and the amount of light and the reflection of the window. I like my inquisitive-happy expression. I feel like the diffused lighting from the window of my dorm worked really well, and provided good values.

For the first portrait of my friend Allegra, I am happy with the range of values. I feel that the composition of her is interesting, and is not your traditional portrait. I like the little highlight of her necklace and the subtle value changes.

The second portrait of Allegra is one that I feel has an excellent show of contrast. I am pleased with how the morning light from the window is reacting to her form. Everyone has commented or noted her expression to the viewer, who is looking down at her, but she is giving a look as if though she were the one looking down on you.

The final image (again of Allegra) is my favorite of the three portraits of her - I like the almost blown-out background, and I like the blurred out trees to give the photo some depth. I feel that the values are good, and I like her somewhat-blank expression. I like the asymmetrical balance of the photo, and I also like that the darkest darks are on her so that it creates a focus of emphasis.

Works in Progress- Portraits (2.0)

Works in Progress - Portraits

Arthur Tress

From 1962-66, Mr. Tess traveled throughout Europe as well as through Egypt, Mexico, Japan and India, documenting the culture and customs of each place. He was fascinated by the roles that the shaman, the range of beliefs and practices to communicate with the spiritual world, within the cultures would play. Ultimately this played a large role in influencing his later works. Several of his portraits have a sense of surrealism - this one, Bride and Groom, is an extreme example. I think the intent of this photo is a statement of how the bride and groom, once married, become an "item." They become one. These two people could be thought of simultaneously - you mention one person and automatically think of the other. It's a gain and a lost of identity. It looks like the figure is standing inside a church, which strengthens the intent of this photo driving toward the message of what results from marriage. What makes this portrait good is not only the use of contrast between lights and darks so that the figure stands out against the background, but also how the figure is expressed as two people. The figure is standing at the center and creating a strange balance. It is an asymmetrical balance through the figure, but it's through this that creates the implication of two separate people. If the figure was off to one side of the frame, the effect wouldn't be nearly as strong.

"Photograph"

Imagine a world without photographs. Describe what this world would be like.

A world without photographs would be a world full of paintings. Photographs have become the new and quicker way to document life, paintings were the old way. Paintings have now become a luxury, photographs the necessity. I feel like our lives would slow down.

What does the word "photograph" mean to you?

The word "photograph" would be a synonym to "memory" for me. It's a moment in time that was frozen, and you can take that out and look at it and remember that moment. And it's not distorted, in a way. It records everything as it was - our memories about a particular event have a tendency to change over time. So if you forget about something, you can pull out the memory and look to see what was the color of the shirt you were wearing, or if it was your boyfriend that you were with, or if it was raining that day.

That's the main thing for photographs for me. They can be art and illusions too, but being a memory is the most important to me.