Ashley Kronsberg Weekly Artist Post

Hannah Altman

Hannah Altman is a photographer from Pittsburg. Although she is still a developing artist, she has gained much praise for her photo series "Everything is nice." In this photo series, Altman aims to give light to every day struggles of women by emphasizing those struggles with glitter. The glitter represents a woman's need to feel pretty during any given situation because of the expectations set for her by society. I enjoyed this series because it is a refreshing take on representing an issue that so many people have done before, but by still adding her own creativity to the issue. It is clear not only from this series but other photographs she has made that both color and light apply heavily during her creative process. She seems to value a deep depth of field as well by the way she captures a scene in its entirety which leads me to believe she may also use a tripod to allow her to acheive the depth of field she desires in otherwise compromising light situations.

Erin Copeland- Weekly artist post 9

Justine Kurland

Justine Kurland is a photographer that travels, making photographs of women, children, and men in nature. She creates amazingly vivid photographs with the color and light of vaste landscapes with the subjects placed in them.

Kurland uses a 4 x 5 camera, traveling and living in her van to create these photographs. She really emmerses herself in the world, with the landscapes and her subjects.

Ayana Chavis - Weekly Artist Post

Vivianne Sassen

Vivianne Sassen's medium seems to be a digital camera. She makes use of lighting in many different ways including flash to create silhouettes, dark places with limited amount of and focused light in order to create illusions and color in things that ordinarily are drowned out by light. Her use of color is also unique in its dark, hollow sense to create images that look haunting. She experiments with aperture as well to emphasis elements in the photo as they relate to the subject.

Sassen's work focuses on the representation of the "other". She makes photographs that explore the ideas and stereotypes of the non-white or European descendant from the viewpoint of the West. Specifically, focusing on black children she portrays the stereotype of the pickaninny, dabbling into the idea that they are of nature, and savage-like.

I am an African American studies major and personally, I am glad that Sassen chose to represent this stereotype. She makes such beautiful shots of the children she photographs, particularly I love the way their skin looks with all the colors she emphasizes. Her photo with the boy traced in blue powder oddly reminds me of the postcards from antebellum times reflecting on how black children were used to lure in alligators. Sassen presents a shameful, but inevitable truth about the foundation of racist acts in our country.

Erin Copeland- Weekly artist post 8

francesca Jane Allen

Francesca Jane Allen is a portrait photographer that studied in London. Her subject matter is portraits of both men and women. She really pays attention to the light and color surrounding her models. Not only does she pay attention to that, I think she brings out the personality and emotions of that person through the picture. You almost know who they are and their personality through the photo. Some photographs look somewhat posed, but never all the way.

Weekly Artist Post

Petros Koublis 

Koublis has a passion for capturing the natural, Greek landscape on the outskirts of Athens. Obviously he is using a deep depth of field in all three images to capture the full detail of each landscape. Also, in all three images he chose to have the horizon line centered. There is a dynamic nature to each image so that there is always something interesting to look at. By this i mean almost every part of the image adds a different value, whether it be a different color, texture, subject, reflection, etc. Although the place that always holds the most of this value is the center of each image. In the first image it is a tree that is full of color, in the second it is the moving birds, and the third is a ripple. 

In all three images i believe he is trying to make a statement about the mystical nature of the Greek landscape. In all three seems he wants to show the beauty of the landscape but there is always some almost imaginary field in the image that raises curiosity. I believe he might be trying to make a statement about how easy it is for artificial illusions or unlikely revelations and fantasies to tend to overwhelm people and their appreciation for the natural beauty. 

This series of images really inspired me to add elements to my landscapes that weren't there before, as seen in the second and third images. These dynamic elements make the images more powerful by adding energy that wasn't there before ore isn't likely to be there. This might be seen in the third image, where im guessing he threw a something in the water to create the ripple. Also i really appreciate the diversity in light values and textures as you go deeper into each plane of the landscape. Making these images must've been very difficult because it looks like each one required a lot of patience, in the first image, the time of day was crucial to have the fog, in the second he had to wait for birds to pass at just the right time, and the third seems like it wouldn't work  as well in the middle of the day or without the clouds as an element. 

Selasi Fynn- Weekly Artist Post

Gabriel Orozco
http://www.artnet.com/artists/gabriel-orozco/

Gabriel Orozco is a Mexican American photographer, sculptor, and painter based in both New York and Mexico City. Orozco uses water, sculpture, and everyday objects in may of his photos, with one of his more famous projects, titled Cats and Watermelons eying composed of 11 cans of cat food sitting on top of watermelons. Orozco has been featured in many international museums and allows his extensive travel history to influence his photos as well as the rest of his work. 

Im unsure as to whether or not all three of these photos are from the same project, but they look like they could be. I feel like water could definitely be one of his themes or something Orozco feels is important to make photos of. Some of his other works shows, hat seem like handmade clay bowls filled with water. I think it's interesting how he finds a way to frame the same element in ways that differ so much from each other. It's either water as it sits in it's environments, or he finds a way to isolate water, be it with an actual container against a white background or just blurring the rest of the photo like what he seems to have done in the first photo. 

Each of these pictures makes me feel a different way. The first one make me feel very small, in comparison to there things, almost like I am the same size as the container the water is in. It makes me feel very aware of the space I'm in. The second photo seems very abstract to me. The more I look at it, the more I start to think that it's not even a photo of water. The third photo for some reason reminds me of the photos I've seen from when Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. I feel like I should be seeing people on the rooftops instead of water. It makes me feel a bit uneasy but I also think that the way the sky reflects off the water on the rooftop is really beautiful. 

Weekly Artist Post - Helen Westergren

Horst Ademeit

Horst Ademeit's work is different from many of the artists I have looked at most obviously because he never identified himself as one. He was a German artist who, after being rejected by teachers like Joseph Beuys, turned to more concrete methods of working, leaving any type of artistry behind. As he grew older he became constantly plagued by the idea that there were "invisible rays" of radiation emanating from his surroundings. He turned to his camera as a means of documenting these sources but also in an attempt to understand what was happening to him.

Ademeit's work is primarily in polaroid, though it moved to digital later. As a documenter he was interested in the immediacy of the process as well as the space on each image where he could take notes on what he had seen. As an artist, or one trained to think artistically, he became interested in the life of this type of photographs. Polaroids, like no other image, have only one true replica (this was mostly true when there were no scanners, digital cameras, etc). With film negatives there was a potential for many replicas, but the polaroid offered a one-shot development that could only exist in that one space. 

I saw Ademeit's work this weekend and, although, subtle, the sheer amount of them is striking to me. They have an interesting existance, especially because they were made by someone who has never considered himself an artist (although they are now priced at over $1,200 each). This idea of documenting things and taking serious not of them is intriguing to me in so many ways. I also just think the images are beautiful. Though they can be banal, or seem like snapshots, they have an intentionality that I think is applicable in any photographic medium. 

Weekly Artist Post- Michal Chelbin

Michal Chelbin

Michal Chelbin's series "Sailboats and Swans" was shot over 6 years in prisons across Ukraine and Russia. This series is mostly made of portraits of the prisoners and depending on the subject, Chelbin uses the appropriate aperture to make sure they are in focus. Chelbin probably uses a quick shutter speed to ensure there is no motion blur from his subjects.

All of his portraits appear posed, but Chelbin has clearly gotten the person in the picture to a place where their face is making really incredible expressions. The body language seen in these pictures is off-putting and strange and speaks to themes of confinement and defiance. The clothes the wear- such as the girls in the flowered dresses- are not what we would typically expect prisoners to wear. The whole series is very revealing about the prison culture in Russia and Ukraine. I like Chelbin's style of portraits where the subject appears uncomfortable and awkward because it makes the viewer feel something and think about why they are in that state. 

Mary Pforr- Week 9 Artist post

Artist: Marco Lamberto
Photo cred: https://www.flickr.com/photos/marcolambertomobile/


i. Lamberto's work consistently studies different focal points and depth of field. The focus is either on the subject or the environment that is directly effecting the subject-therefor careful consideration of aperture size is needed. There is also wonderful understanding of color contrast in each photo. Whether it be complementary color schemes, light to dark, or monochromatic, there is careful consideration in each decision of color.
ii. There seems to be a constant centralized organization in the photos. Keeping the focus on the subject or the interaction of the subject and its' environment centerfold of the photograph makes a statement about each person. Whether they are traveling, preparing, or gazing- the views of single moments in the daily lives of these people can translate to each viewer as a personal recollection on how they interact with that space in those day to day situations.
iii. Marcos' photographs help me consider a bigger idea or overarching concept he may have while he makes his photographs- as we discuss in crit about our own possible subconscious ideas. I feel as though there is a story to be told in each photograph he makes, and a definite perspective on humanity as a whole is kept in mind while they are being made.

Ratcliffe- weekly artist post

Robert Adams

His project i looked at was "A portrait in landscapes".  His photos were in black and white, so you could tell he really looked for good light to make the photo interesting. He used a deep depth of field to incorporate the subjects in the photos as well as the background landscape. This also allowed it to look sharp all throughout the photo. Some of the photos had selective focus to draw your attention to certain parts of the photos.


The content of his photos were mostly of people interacting with spaces. Nature spaces, like forests or clearings. In a couple of the photos there was this older woman with her white dog.

I like this set of photos together in the book. I'm not sure if i like all of them individually, but when put together they tell a story of a woman and her dog traveling to interesting places in our world. I like his choice of the black and white as well, in made it more intriguing and made you think more of the purpose of the photo. 

Weekly Artist Post: Edward Burtynsky

These photos were taken by Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky (http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/). Burtynsky brilliantly captures these striking landscapes, while communicating powerfully emotional imagery as well. Take, for example, the bottom image of an oil spill site. The frame and closed down aperture sharply display the chaos of the site, while also capturing interesting colors that contribute to the photo's artistry. 

Not only does Burtynsky capture beautiful terrain, but it's evident that he makes images thoughtfully and considers the importance of angles (seen in the top image with the waterways extending to the top of the frame, giving depth to the image). Though his images are set so high in the air, presenting a somewhat dominating nature, I feel that they present a sense of smallness in comparison to the vast landscape of the world. 

In looking at these images, it's evident that Burtynsky takes his photography seriously, not hesitating to take to new heights (pun somewhat intended...) in order to produce breathtaking art and present a view that is otherwise inaccessible in everyday life. This presentation of things unable to be viewed by the naked eye is something that intrigues me immensely in photography, and I believe it's what makes quality photography so captivating. 

Lindsey Mott - Weekly Artist Post

Raymond Meeks

Raymond Meeks album titled "2 Solitudes" contains photographs of natural settings, along with people in these settings. Many of his landscapes contain what is clearly intentional motion blur. Using this technique so skillfully requires a lot of practice and experimentation, in order to know how long the shutter speed should be, how to move the camera best, and even an intention to focus. What I find the most interesting about his technique is that there is one spot of each picture that is almost clear... I would love to learn exactly how he does that.

"2 Solitudes" is an exploration of the concept of solitude, as both a place and a frame of mind. As a place, solitude manifests as quiet natural settings. However, the motion blur adds instability to a concept that should be concrete. Solitude has two sides to it: the bucolic and peaceful, as well as the isolating results for introspection. His portraits further explore the concept of isolation. The people he photographs are far away, facing away from him, or completely uninterested in him, often in barren landscapes. You can't see their faces clearly. 

Looking at "2 Solitudes" I can see why one of my photographs was compared to Meeks' work during last week's critique. Looking at his work gives me an idea of a direction that a skillful employment of motion blur can take me, and how I could use this to develop my own unique aesthetic. Also, his portraits are definitely not "too tight". They show how photographing a person from a distance can create an extremely effective visual language, and how this creates distance (both literally and figuratively) between the photographer and the subject.

Selasi Fynn- Weekly Artist Post

Dana Washington

Dana Washington is a portrait photographer based in Los Angeles. A majority of her portraits are centered around people of color. Washington seems to make use of natural light is a lot of her photos and from they way her photos looks, she enjoys using windows or just making photos outside. 

Washington tries to celebrate and portray different skin tones in her projects, one of them being named  Awa awo, which is solely dedicated to "celebrating men and women of color." She uses light in a very specific way to portray different skin tones and people.

Dana Washington is really young (still probably older than me) so it's interesting to see how she uses her skills to make pictures. She plays a lot with light by creating shadows across people's faces. I usually am not a huge fan of that technique, but I see how it can work in some photos.

Ayana Chavis - Weekly Artist Post

Sharon Montrose

Sharon Montrose mostly uses a shallow depth of field and increased shutter speed to capture the animals she photographs. The increased or faster shutter speed it necessary due to the animal or dog moving frequently. Her medium seems to be from a digital camera.

Thematically, she utilizes color and light within all the photos she makes. Her use of light particularly highlight the colors of the coats of the dogs she photographs as well as the color of their eyes and texture of their noses and coat. She captures the personality, laziness and playfulness of her subjects, making them varied but it feels as if you know the dogs she photographs.

Aside from the colors, awesome angles and lighting, these photos made me extremely happy. I feel as though I know these dogs personally, like they're my pets. They all look so cute and snuggly, definitely evoking emotion.

Weekly Artist Post - Daniel Potes

Bruce Weber

Bruce Weber is a fashion photographer who gained notoriety in the 1980's. He has worked well into the modern era and has kept relevant status in the industry by continuing to create powerful works of art. His work started in theater, shifted to film-making and finally ended with photography. In the three images, Weber simultaneously draws attention to, and away from his models through the use of strong contrasts in colors.  Because he uses physically beautiful models, the eye is instantly drawn to them. However, by crafting his images in a realm full of color and imaginary settings, he manages to keep the eyes bouncing through the whole of the image, a perfect example is the goat and small asian child in the final photo.

Conceptually, Weber explores several themes throughout his images. It could be argued that  the most important of which is his almost feverish use of color amidst beauty. By bringing the world of fashion into a collision course with fine art, Weber managed to transition fashion photography into the mainstream. His use of masculinity and femininity are also interesting aspects of his work. In the second image we see the male in a dress wearing normal sneakers with very very well manicured hands. This contrasts the normal recapitulation of heteronormativity by other fashion photographers.

Weber's images speak to me for several reasons,  his use of models for instance brings new meaning to the "portrait"and paints a new picture for me to use as a basis for growth and development. Another important reason for my love of his work is that his assistant, along with her father, joined myself and my colleagues at Ink magazine for our Creative review/Release event and had only the most positive things to say about our style and our magazine. When showed our magazine, Weber said that we had a "great eye" and promptly offered to buy up several of the dresses we used for our fashion editorial! This close involvement with small talent from a non local university makes me believe that Weber really is in it for the art and for photography's sake. We at Ink magazine look forward to working with Weber in the future and have an artist talk in the planning.

Tyler Zheng - Week 9 Artists Post

Richard Bloom

Bloom most likely used micro lenses to photograph the plants. Relatively, the photographs have a deep depth of field, which means closed down aperture. The plants usually tend to be still, so motion blur shouldn't be an issue. It's likely that he saturated some of these photographs, because they look somewhat "too colorful".

The artist appreciates the beauty of plants in a micro scale, which majority of us would normally miss out. 

I chose this artist because my own interest in plants. Many of them may seem similar, but if you pay attention to something other than color, you'd notice they're as different as the animals. Many plants have different behaviors and preferences. It's great to photograph them because we easily have access to many varieties, unlike animals (they run/fly/swim, hide, etc...).

Weekly Artist Post

Itamar Freed

Itamar Freed has a wonderful sense of visual balance and composition. In the first portrait of the lady and the peacock he has found an amazing perspective in which all of the lighter, and brighter colors of the landscape frame or point to the subject. I enjoy seeing the bright yellows of the bushes on the left  in comparison to the bright clay-colored orange rubble on the right. It seems Freed has even placed some bright yellow lemons on the ground to do this and i like how the yellow works against the bright blues and greens of the peacock and has me thinking about how blue and yellow combine to make green. Also in this image there is a bright clearing in the top left corner, which contrasts with the dark corner in the bottom right. What i also enjoy about this image is that there is a very interesting vanishing point on the horizon in the center of the image that is framed by the peacock's tail and the curved stick on the ground. In the second portrait i noticed this vanishing point in the center , framed again, and maybe even pointed this time by a flying bird and its beak. Also in this portrait we can see the man surrounded by the bright green colors of the bushes. What i also enjoy about this image is how the man's body is placed so that it looks like he is naturally a part of the tree. This is seen again in the third image as the woman looks like she is naturally part of the brush. Whats more, although the last portrait does not have a great depth or vanishing point it has some stunning contrast between the bright colors in the bottom corners. I also enjoyed the subtle red berries hanging from a branch at the top and pointing down at the two subjects. 

I believe that Itamar Freed is playing with the idea of life and death, as birds are the intermediary between the earth and the sky. That's also why each portrait looks like a great mythical scene in nature. In the first portrait, the woman is holding what looks to be a dead peacock with an expression of discomfort. On the ground there is a skull on the left side and some bright yellow lemons on the right. I mentioned earlier how i was thinking about how blue and yellow combine to make green and i think that Freed's thematic intent was to show how the bird is also tied to the ground. Facing this idea of mortality, in something as free as a bird, may be why the woman looks so upset. In the second image there is an unconscious looking man being inspected by two crows. I mentioned earlier how the man looks like he has become part of the tree, almost like one of the tree's roots. Here i believe he is showing how humans are not immortal as they eventually become a part of the natural cycle as well. In the last image there looks to be a crane standing on top of an unconscious female body. Here I see a colorful natural bed but the color is not present under the body, where the crane is standing. This has med thinking along the lines of as if the bird has somehow drained the life out of the subject. 

Freed's style is so mysteriously mesmerizing to me. I believe almost every picture can be broken down into compositional and conceptual intents. With Freed, there was definitely a lot of thought and effort put into these pictures, so much so even that i have trouble fully understanding his perspective, thoughts, and intents. That is the very thing i find most interesting though, that i find myself staring at these images, wanting to know more, to feel what the artist felt or truly wants me to feel. 

Artist Post 9

Thomas Struth (http://www.thomasstruth32.com/smallsize/index.html) uses interesting composition in his family portrait images. While still making the images about the people in them, Struth uses elements of color and light in a meaningful way to serve as a frame for the images' main subjects.

I particularly like how Struth uses varying levels to add interest to his photos. The black and white image creates an interesting level comparison between the various heights of the family members and the messy stacks on the coffee table. In additon, the bottom image creates an interesting plane, connecting to the bottom right of the frame and extending to the window in the back of the image frame.

Struth manages to capture his subjects in a sort of in between state, half posed, yet still somewhat candid. Unconventional angles and levels of planes also bring a sense of depth and shape to each image. Overall, Struth has displayed impressive fluency in varying portrait styles.