Madeline Edwards Joshua Sinn

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

I am interested in Sinn's use of long exposure film photography to capture crisp images of nighttime scenes. I'm just imagining how complicated it would be to take these photographs. First setting up outside a strangers house at night with a camera could be considered threatening if seen. Sinn would also have to leave the camera in place for a while to get the correct long term exposure, so he wouldn't be able to snap a photo quickly and move on. In addition Sinn would have to use a separate light meter to determine the correct amount of exposure. I admire his dedication to capturing the image he envisions.

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

I can't quite distinguish his conceptual intentions. I'm not even sure if he had any specific intentions when taking these photographs. The images are so poignant with their use of light, color, and subject. They seem to have made themselves. Theres an immediate feeling of intrigue, foreboding, caution, and loneliness. A feeling of being a wanderer, stranger or outsider. Sinn recognized the feelings the light, color and subject evoked and decided to capture the moment in time so that the viewer may experience the very specific, very poignant feelings of these particular places in time. 

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

These images have stuck with me through time. I don't remember when I first came across them. The specific images didn't stay in my mind, but the feelings they produced did. I feel like these images aren't just images. Sinn captures an experience. When I see these photos I think of long car rides at night where you're not close to your starting point or destination. You're somewhere lost in the middle. Sinn captures this wavering middleness. Every warm light seems both friendly and foreboding. The welcome light fights away the intimidating night, but there is a sense of caution. Would the people you meet taking shelter in such light be as warm and welcoming or as strange and dark as the foreign place you've found yourself in. Is the light just a friendly lure to your demise? You're in such a strange no man's land that even comforting light cannot be trusted.