Works in Progress: Advertising, Part II

Works in Progress Critique: Advertising

The first image is in with the Polaroid prompt, inspired by this set by Parker Fitzgerald on Flickr.

The following three images are with the Snapshot prompt.

Advertising

The image on the fourth page of the PDF is the image I used for my recreation inspiration. Instead of looking at the image straight on I decided to go for a more angled view, but like the image I chose I didn't show the entire cup - I cropped off some of the top of the lid.

Biggby coffee = delicious.

Aesthetic Aspects

A. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of “news”-related photographs.

News-related photographs tend to be very straightforward in what they show. There is rarely an artistic-hidden-meaning, so that the photograph goes along with the article. They have a large depth of field so that the entire image is clear.

B. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of “snapshots”.

"Snapshots" are not always pleasing to the eye compositionally - they are more focused on capturing the moment and sometimes the photographer does not have time to "plan" their shot. Sometimes they are unfocused because the moment needs to be captured quickly.

C. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of advertisement photographs. Fashion photography? Product photography?

Usually advertising photography is very simple, to avoid distractions from what they're trying to sell. There will usually be an attractive person with the object, especially with fashion. Product photography will sometimes have a model with the product, but not always. Simplicity is key.

D. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of film or movie stills.

Film and movies have a more artistic viewpoint - they will go for interesting angles to keep the viewer drawn into the movie. They will vary between large and shallow depth of field, depending on the situation, but the depth of field is important to give the viewer a direct idea of what to focus on and what is important to look at in the scene.

E. Describe some common aesthetic aspects of yearbook and/or senior pictures.

Yearbook and senior photos will want to be focused on the figure - in the yearbook, everybody has a bust shot. Senior photos are a bit more interesting because everybody handles them differently, but usually there will be nice sitting portraits with a soft focus on the figure.

Written Statement

The window is starting to be obscured by the ivy. The window serves as a portal of sorts - almost as if you were to go through it you would enter Alice's Wonderland. Or your own Wonderland. The window is the only serious highlight; it becomes a clear emphasis of the picture, in addition to being in the center of the composition.

The plant is growing next to the wall. I would imagine if I were to pan out to see more, I would see a cute little house that has plants growing all around the side of the house. There are no strong contrasts, but there are extreme darks and subtle lights. There is an asymmetrical balance with the taller plant growing above the rest.

The reflection is underlaid by concrete, giving a strange look. It has the feeling of a painting with the texture of the concrete coming through the glass. I'm not sure what kind of feeling I get from this photo - a sort of feeling of uncertainty and calm. I burned and dodged the pipes and myself so that there was more depth to the photo instead of a lot of gray area.

The legs of the ostrich are strange. They're so prehistoric looking - just two toes to balance 6 feet tall of feathers. One would look at this photo and they would wonder what kind of animal that these legs belong to. I took this photo at the zoo when I went with my drawing class. I increased the contrast so that the texture on the legs and leaves were very clear.

In all of these photos, the only one with a symmetrical balance is the first image; the rest are asymmetrical. There is a range of varying contrasts among all of them as well.

Works in Progress: Place 2.0

Should, Would, Could (Not)

Is there anything that:

1) should not be photographed?
2) cannot be photographed?
3) I do not want to photograph?

I think that:

1) there probably are things that should not be photographed, in the context that people would not want to see them. But, sometimes I feel like we do need to see these things - the poverty, the sadness, the broken roads. "We need to just stand in it." - John Green

2) that there is not anything that cannot be photographed. There are things that don't physically exist, like love for instance, but we can look at a couple who is truly happy together and see love through them.

3) I would not want to photograph at a funeral.