I've been looking for something to watch on TV while I run on the elliptical. The answer is MTV (6-10am they still show videos). Why is this multitasking? Because the music helps me get a better workout and the videos give me some interesting ideas for portraits.
I think I've been a little too worried about making art-y portraits so I am letting the need for a concept hold me back. Time to just go out and shoot, shoot, shoot.
And by the way blackberry + mobile blogging = awesome!
My photography, wedding planning tips, foodie things, and life's other little happenings.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
Touchy-feely Art
I was thinking about how personal art is. In the past I have posted about my own exploration of self-identity through my photography. It seems to me that the more personally aware artists are about their work the more they can progress. Sometimes it seems to make them more successful. While the mysterious artist who doesn't address their motivation can be intriguing, I'd argue that it's much more powerful to hear an artist's true motivation behind their work.
I never posted about Stephen Wilkes' talk that I attended at the Griffin Museum of Photography. I've hear him speak about his Ellis Island photography when I was at Syracuse and now again at the Griffin. In speaking about his work - he has you believing in ghosts. I am very skeptical when it comes to the supernatural, but the stories he tells about his experiences seem too honest to be anything but true to his experience. He has a sense of the place that is truly as if it is speaking to him. I remember that he had said (at Syracuse) that he felt people had been interrogated in a particular room. In researching his book he found this was true - but when he previously spoke about it these thoughts were only based on his feeling about the place. I found this amazing. I loved his honest, touchy-feely, gallery talk. I am learning how important it is to be truly connected to your work and to be able to speak about it. I'm sure success is possible without this - but when an artist can speak so well abut their work... people want to listen!
I never posted about Stephen Wilkes' talk that I attended at the Griffin Museum of Photography. I've hear him speak about his Ellis Island photography when I was at Syracuse and now again at the Griffin. In speaking about his work - he has you believing in ghosts. I am very skeptical when it comes to the supernatural, but the stories he tells about his experiences seem too honest to be anything but true to his experience. He has a sense of the place that is truly as if it is speaking to him. I remember that he had said (at Syracuse) that he felt people had been interrogated in a particular room. In researching his book he found this was true - but when he previously spoke about it these thoughts were only based on his feeling about the place. I found this amazing. I loved his honest, touchy-feely, gallery talk. I am learning how important it is to be truly connected to your work and to be able to speak about it. I'm sure success is possible without this - but when an artist can speak so well abut their work... people want to listen!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Residency Reaction
My residency reaction can be summed up as this - I came up with a great concept but overall the photos I produced were not strong enough to create the body of work. Now that I have a framework and idea I need to make more compelling images. Previous semesters I've had a few really strong images but they lacked a concept; now it's time to pull it all together!
My ideas about how to proceed this semester are derived from notes of my critiques from the residency. Facebook will be the structure for selecting subjects as well as a way to learn about each subject before photographing them. I will use the information provided on their profiles to pre-compose elements of the photograph and give direction for the location, wardrobe and any props for my shoot.
I will shoot one portrait a week and go into each shoot with a conceptualized image in mind. I will ask my subjects to be models, caricatures of themselves. I will not be afraid to type-cast them. What I mean by this is that I will look at profile photographs on facebook. What are some of the types? The insane Sports fan, party guy/girl (out at bars), people with their Pets, Travel /Vacation Photos, Outdoor enthusiast, The bride, The new Baby, People who have other people in their photos, The girl in mirror trying to look sexy, The Muscle guy, Unemployed, Perpetual Student, nerdy guy… to name a few. I will be tackling issues of modern relationships, technology, voyeurism and personal identity in this work. I should develop ways of working that are successful. Using different lighting situations, lenses, camera angles, and other shooting styles I will develop a connection from photo to photo that will create a cohesive project.
I will further my artistic education through suggested readings and artists as well as museum/gallery visits and artist talks. I will post images online to keep my mentor and adviser updated between meetings; and to receive feedback form them as well as my classmates. I will research social networking as I begin to form the basis for my thesis paper. Finally I will explore ways to present the final images. My initial thoughts are that the photographs will be between 13”x19” and 20”x30”.
My ideas about how to proceed this semester are derived from notes of my critiques from the residency. Facebook will be the structure for selecting subjects as well as a way to learn about each subject before photographing them. I will use the information provided on their profiles to pre-compose elements of the photograph and give direction for the location, wardrobe and any props for my shoot.
I will shoot one portrait a week and go into each shoot with a conceptualized image in mind. I will ask my subjects to be models, caricatures of themselves. I will not be afraid to type-cast them. What I mean by this is that I will look at profile photographs on facebook. What are some of the types? The insane Sports fan, party guy/girl (out at bars), people with their Pets, Travel /Vacation Photos, Outdoor enthusiast, The bride, The new Baby, People who have other people in their photos, The girl in mirror trying to look sexy, The Muscle guy, Unemployed, Perpetual Student, nerdy guy… to name a few. I will be tackling issues of modern relationships, technology, voyeurism and personal identity in this work. I should develop ways of working that are successful. Using different lighting situations, lenses, camera angles, and other shooting styles I will develop a connection from photo to photo that will create a cohesive project.
I will further my artistic education through suggested readings and artists as well as museum/gallery visits and artist talks. I will post images online to keep my mentor and adviser updated between meetings; and to receive feedback form them as well as my classmates. I will research social networking as I begin to form the basis for my thesis paper. Finally I will explore ways to present the final images. My initial thoughts are that the photographs will be between 13”x19” and 20”x30”.
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