Mariela Gavino - Xyza Cruz Bacani - Post 8 (week 10/19/18)

Xyza Cruz Bacani

Bacani's choice in shooting in black and white adds another element of weight and melancholy to the photographs. I'm not normally drawn to black and white photography but lately I've been sitting with it a little more. I found it interesting how she utilized the drastically dark and light spaces in the compositions. They act as these big shapes that move my eye around the photos, almost in a circle. She also has careful consideration for where she places her subject. For the most part, they are centralized, but they look and feel small. The photos have a strong sense of isolation.

I believe Bacani is displaying these quiet, still moments from a voyeuristic view. The subjects don't seem aware of the camera, except the woman in the first photo. She is capturing these personal, mundane moments, in black and white which definitely communicate a sense of gloom. I can see the isolation that she is emphasizing and how she was careful on how to present it.

Sometimes, I feel that black and white can be too heavy handed in terms of creating a dramatic photo. But as I look at these pictures and others, I better understand the beauty of it. Bacani's composition and aesthetically choices are not necessarily utilized uniquely, but I do feel that her composition makes the photos stand out more. And if anything, I felt that the black and white elevated it.

Niko Fernandez- Alec Soth: Broken Manual

 Alec Soth
1)  Technical decision/moved by said tech decisions?
The way Alec captures the life of these societal outcasts who seek to escape their everyday lives and uses good framing techniques and captures scenes of their living environments and uses these weird composition to make you look through the image and you can scan and enjoy the composition as a whole, Well exposed and a slight use of selective focus that make the images more interesting.
2)  What I believe the artist's intentions and concept are? 
He is trying to tell the story of these people and also just show how they live when they do get to go to their private areas and their living spaces when they go there. Making an emphasis on on how these people are not outcasts or runaways full time but they like to get away from the life they usually lead and I believe this was Alecs way of escaping from the constrains of his usual work he elaborated in his work that he felt as if he was constrained and this was his way of breaking out of a box he felt was made for himself. 
3)  How do I personally respond to the intentions and concepts?
Personally I think it speaks well to me because I find myself pushing myself into subsections of photography and placing titles on myself but need to be everywhere and experiment and create for myself. These photos really showed a good story and helped describe these locations and ways the people lived and to be able to tell this information without only using portraits is a important skill to have. 
4) Why I chose this artist?
In dark room I'm doing an assignment on telling stories about someone without taking a photo of them at all and this was a good inspiration of that as far as taking photos of their environments and things they consume. It tells a bit of how these people work and is a powerful way to talk about someone without directly taking an image of them. 

Ruben Pagan - R.J. Kern - The Sheep and The Goat

R.J. Kern really made sheep and goats very aesthetically appealing to the eye in this series. I admire the technical decisions he made in regards to the composition of the subject(s). He prioritizes the animals as they are obviously the emphasis of the work, yet he doesn't forget the importance of the landscape/setting. The sheep and goats are all put up against different terrains and are usually intrigued by the camera and the photographer and stare into the lens. In some images they are running from what appears to be the photographer. In these instances I appreciate his usage of the slower shutter speed which gives a blur and provides a sense of motion and action. Each image also deals with a wide depth of field which captures the sharp, detailed, saturated areas of the settings which are very important as they are the habitats of these animals.

I believe the artist's intention is to emphasize the natural beauty of the landscape in which these animals live in. based on what I read, he likes to bring the painter's eye into all of his projects. Meaning, he likes to bring "old master lighting to the natural world." He does that well in these images through having softly, evenly lit scenes through the use of what appears to be solely natural light. Natural light is definitely the way to always go if possible.

Personally, I appreciate works like this that focus on the beauty of the natural world. That is because they always have an underlying message of the importance of the natural world and how we need to preserve it because it is the most amazing thing that we have been gifted with. The natural world is something that can't quite always be renewed. If we aren't careful we could be staring down the business end of climate change destroying many environments are killing species. This message is one that stands out to me in this work and I think it should not be overlooked even if it isn't the artist's main point.

Ruben Pagan - (working) post_layers

Denver Edmonds-Michael L Abramson "Southside Chicago"

1)  Technical decision and why I'm compelled/moved by said tech decisions?
I feel as though the images are compelling to me because composition consists of moving action, but it is planned well. The contrast is heavy between each body and the lighting seems to be natural. The subjects are never looking directly at the camera, which allowed me to immerse myself in the scene as a viewer. I feel as though these elements add more character to the setting.  

2)  What I believe the artist's intentions and concept are?
I believe that Abramson was trying to display the natural liveliness of Southside. Southside Chicago is known as a place filled with crime (specifically associated with black people). Yet, I believe Abramson wanted to show the beauty that black people bring to Southside. Exposing the audience to its counterparts unrelated to crime allows them to see Southside with a new perspective.  

3)  How do I personally respond to the intentions and concepts?
I feel as though I gained a new sense of understanding from Abramson's take on Southside. I enjoy the lighting of the black bodies in these images. It highlights them well, which allows me to focus on the action and the fashion within each frame. The immersive environment Abramson captured reflects the 70s and the hidden beauty of Southside. During those times, America had a limited view of black culture, but this opened the eyes of many people to black lifestyle. 

4) Why I chose this artist?
I chose this artist because I gained a new perspective of culture and what it means to capture a moment. I've heard of stories during this time in American for black people, but seeing it caused me to feel differently. The hardships and struggles Black Americas faced during this time are not present within these images, this says a lot about the specific environment Abramson was in. The culture of black Americans was/is so vibrant, which moves me in a direction of appreciation. Each image displays beauty and fashion that can not be replicated, which speaks a lot to me.  

Blog 7- Hana Pearlman

1)  I think the decision for the first image to overlay a picture over the drawing was a very interesting choice. It gives a very important twist. It makes the image feel more important and more dynamic. It shows thought and integrity was put into the picture.   

2)  What I believe the artist's intentions and concept are, is that they wanted to create childlike wonderment while using the body of a nude woman. I also believe they wanted to capture the complexities and patterns that the ocean can bring forth. 
3)  These pictures stood out to me for the single reason of tone. The overcast skys paint such a natural, even light on the subject, its just breathtaking. 

Sydni Stearns - Will Darbyshire Post 7

 1. Which of the artist's many technical choices are of interest to you and why?

I am interested by Will's choice to photograph mostly everyday type settings in a more intriguing way, in my opinion, than an average everyday shot. They are very well exposed and remind me of the light and color project that we just recently had a critique for. He captures light and color in such a stunning way and his editing is so nice from my perspective. His photos are simply moments captured from his everyday encounters rather than from something such as a photo shoot. They all have a moody, high contrasted look to them which I really enjoy. I am very interested in his ability to photograph ordinary things and make them look so beautiful yet simple. The depth of field and exposure seem to be spot on, in my opinion, and they are so pleasing to look at.

2. What do you believe are the artist's conceptual and/or thematic intentions?

I believe that Will's intention is simply to capture aspects of his life on camera. I think that he sees compositions in his everyday life that are compelling to him so he decides to photograph them. He makes photos that are very simplistic and contrasted, but also colorful in a subdued way. Each photo is simply a slice of his life displayed for people to see. He works with digital photography and also film photography. It seems that his photos mostly convey a sense of simplicity and peacefulness. They feel genuine and as if he really is just thinking "I think this composition would make a nice photo" or "I like what I am seeing so I will make a photo".

3. How do you personally respond to these choices and intents?

I ,personally, appreciate Will's craft greatly. I think that his photos are so beautiful to look at and could easily be seen in a gallery or even as a phone background. I love the editing of his photos. They are so contrasted yet colorful. His eye for a good composition is exceptional to me. Each of his photos gives me a sense of peace and a longing for a feeling of home or adventure. I want to explore photography such as his more rather than just photographing people. I think he is wonderful at what he does and I appreciate him as a photographer and a cinematographer as well since he also makes films.

4. Why I chose this artist:

I chose this artist because Will is someone whose work I have kept track of since about 2014. I have been inspired by his films and photos for a long time. I think he creates beautiful images and the light and color assignment we critiqued in class reminded me of his work because I think he does a remarkable job at composing light and color together. I look up to him and hope to use a version of his editing style in my own work and create work of object/everyday setting compositions rather than just portraits which I primarily do. I truly am enamored by his work and I felt that I needed to include him in my blog posts because he is someone I have appreciated for years.

amanda burton - Erik Madigan Heck, James Harden GQ series post 7

Erik Madigan Heck

1.Which of the artists many technical choices are of interest to you and why?

With this series the technical choice that Erik made was matching the outfit to the background of the image. I was really drawn to these pictures because it look like it took a lot of thought and time to execute. Its not just an editorial shot but art form. I also like how some shots are of the model turned around so it almost looks like he is blending into the wall.

2. What do you believe are the artists conceptual and/or thematic intentions?

I think his intention was to bring the viewer into a new perspective of editorial images. The focus is not only the model but the whole set. My eye is constantly traveling around the picture and I am intrigued at every aspect. Each pose and outfit are considered carefully. 

3. How do you personally respond to these choices and intents?

I respond to this series by wanting to recreate it. I am not into bright colors very often in my photography but seeing these images makes me want to give it a try. Since the shots are so extreme in color my eyes are drawn to them even more than a picture with just a pop of color. I wish he continued this series outside of taking it for GQ but who knows he could create more down the road. 

4. Reason why I chose this artist.

I chose this artist because I was searching for an artist that I would not usually pick. I came across his website and was immediately drawn to this first series. The first photo uploaded was the one that really made me want to share this with my classmates. I want people to know of his studio work and hopefully check out his other editorial stuff as well.

Bettina Rheims - Abby Chambers - Post 7

Bettina Rheims - Gender Studies

1) Which of the artist’s many technical choices are of interest to you and why?  

I was first drawn to Rheims' style of portraiture; they are very white and clean looking. I was also drawn to the concept of breaking "gender roles" in regards to appearance. 

2) What do you believe are the artist’s conceptual and/or thematic intentions?  

I believe that Rheims is trying to make a statement on gender and how it relates to appearance. I know that Rheims worked a lot during the AIDS epidemic and I believe that had something to do with the content of her work. She did a lot of work based on androgyny.

3) How do you personally respond to these choices and intents?  

I personally enjoy her work very much. Not only are they beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, they start a conversation on something I feel passionately about.