On Photography Reflection

Photography is one of the newest forms of art and one of the most life changing of them all. It is one of the most popular forms of art now, used by almost anyone and everyone. Photography is a way to capture real life while still altering and setting a mood or relaying a message. Although they are captured on a flat, sometimes small and glossy, surface. This in comparison to painting seems to take away from the photographs slightly, because they are able, at times, to show more depth. They have also developed into having so many different uses in almost any field of study or work. Photographs mean the most when meaning is given to them, because they are statements about reality and can be so life-like they take on so much meaning to every day life as well as the picture itself.

Masters of Illusion Relfection

The artists of the Renaissance created several of the techniques used by filmmakers and photographers today to create an illusion to the eye. They use these basic skills every day that we take for granted, such as linear perspective, which adds depth and perspective to an image, forever changing how paintings were crafted along with architecture, and movies and photos today. Another technique created was systematic perspective, using octagons to create different complicated shapes out of perspective. Vanishing and multi-vanishing point perspective, having a point or multiple point where the linear perspective lines match up to give the correct perspective. There was also much research done by artists such as Da Vinici about how light reflects and how it enters the eye rather than radiates around it, with many studies about light and shadow as well. Rules with light and shadow were also developed at this time. Starting with the basics of drawing and shading a sphere and then were applied to more difficult objects such as people. This also led to atmospheric perspective, first explored by Michelangelo, stating the deeper or farther away the more blue and hazier the image becomes. Anamorphic art was also mastered during the Renaissance, which is looking at an image at al angle to be able to see the true image. Angled perspective, especially used by filmmakers today, was also used at this time and caused very dramatic results. 

Errol Morries Reflection

There are many different arguments about how photographs should be taken, and how the photographer should take one, what is and is not allowed making photos into photography. Such as whether or not the picture is posed, whether or not the photographer is allowed to manipulate the area being photographed or if it needs to be naturals, etc. These arguments and questions will always be around, especially as technology advances.

A Viewer's Guide to Looking at Photography Reflection

When analyzing a photograph there are 4 major points to make a clear and full analysis. Those four points are about the description, formal analysis, interpretation, and evaluation. All of them have their own important parts, although description is the most important. This is because sometimes photos only have description, where it is all about the form, so the other forms of analysis of the others don’t matter.  The main points of description are the objects in the picture, lines/planes/volumes/ tones, the frame, textures, perspective, motion, mood, space, lights and shadows, blur and fog, reality of photo, exotic appeal, time/place/locale, unknown aspects, color, and route of the eye. All about analyzing the content of the picture. Looking at all the details, this is the most time consuming part of analysis.  Formal analysis is the second part of a full photo analysis, and the parts of this are geometry, parallels/repetitions/rhythms, theme and variation, contrasts, composition, balance, unity, and value standards.  The third part is interpretation; the parts of interpretation are specific or universal, symbolism, manner of statement, feelings, the metaphor, the meaning, subject matter, and photographer’s viewpoint. Interpretation is all about finding of a photo, what it means to the viewer and to the photographer and what causes the meaning and the feelings or moods that are brought about by the context. The final part is the evaluation of the photo. There is not a set list of parts of evaluation because there is not a set standard. It is all about the judgment of the viewer.

Last Idea for Photo Collage

My third idea came from a drawing I did of a ballerina dancing. So i thought I could do a collage of the process of drawing her. Originally I thought  I could make a big collage of just her and then use pictures randomly that were at different stages of the drawing. I took lots of pictures but none of them were working how I wanted them to. So at our critique, I was asked about maybe showing her moving, by having more drawings and collaging them together. And I ran with that idea more and did a few more drawings after this one that I thought might work.

Popcorn Photo Collage Idea

My second idea I really was looking for simple things that represented the passing of time and change over time. And I thought the process of popping of popcorn showed this well. So i took several pictures of the different stages of it popping in the microwave, then the bag being eaten. I really liked this idea at first but being able to capture what I was trying to portray is what I struggled with and I didn't know where to take it from there. So that idea was out quickly.

Mass St. Idea for Photo Collage

My first idea for our photo collage project was doing a collage of Mass St. I thought showing passing of time while also showing the uniqueness of Mass St. and the stores that are they would be interesting. I wanted to do a sort of panorama of Mass, then adding front views of random stores every once in a while that might not have went there but were interesting to look at. Then making these photos be at different times during the day and night, with different people randomly in them. At first I really loved this idea, but then I decided to take a more original approach and location/theme.