Orgin Of The Header
Ordover Gallery
This small gallery exhibited a variety of artist, Elizabeth Carmel's Tuscany series left me with the greatest impression. Her work displayed in the main room uses a unique method where her photographs look more like paintings. These dreamlike scenes give a new insight to landscapes making them more interesting to me. This type of photography truthfully has not been my favorite but she does a great job making me look at landscape in a new way.
Balboa Park
Expedition 2 of 2
Where: Balboa Park
Context: Ordover Gallery
Baja California - Natural History Musuem - Ordover Gallery
This exhibit showcased multiple photographers work in the Baja wildlife and landscape category. The different types of photos included wildlife such as birds fish and whales, ranging from conditions of the arid desert to the mountainous regions and the ocean. The featured artist Ralph Leek Hopkins, a National Geographic photographer had many amazing works. His photographs detail the subject with amazing clarity. He type of camera joined with a really expensive lenses must aide in these types of photographs. In contrast his photo of the cactus has little to do with an expensive camera and more to do with the creative side. I respect him exploring these two realms because it gives his photography variety.
Beloved Daughters -
Fazal Sheiks touches on some dark subjects as a photographer. His exhibit Beloved Daughters is far from the title being about the mistreatment of women in India. In his portraits none of the subjects are smiling, looking tattered in one way or another, making you wonder about the story of each person. This black and white series has text attached to each photo detailing the horible accounts of each person's life. From a photographic standpoint the portraits are really clear with the subjects eyes as the focal point. Seeing these photos and not knowing what to expect made my day less vibrant.
Where: Balboa Park
Context: Ordover Gallery
This exhibit showcased multiple photographers work in the Baja wildlife and landscape category. The different types of photos included wildlife such as birds fish and whales, ranging from conditions of the arid desert to the mountainous regions and the ocean. The featured artist Ralph Leek Hopkins, a National Geographic photographer had many amazing works. His photographs detail the subject with amazing clarity. He type of camera joined with a really expensive lenses must aide in these types of photographs. In contrast his photo of the cactus has little to do with an expensive camera and more to do with the creative side. I respect him exploring these two realms because it gives his photography variety.
Fazal Sheiks touches on some dark subjects as a photographer. His exhibit Beloved Daughters is far from the title being about the mistreatment of women in India. In his portraits none of the subjects are smiling, looking tattered in one way or another, making you wonder about the story of each person. This black and white series has text attached to each photo detailing the horible accounts of each person's life. From a photographic standpoint the portraits are really clear with the subjects eyes as the focal point. Seeing these photos and not knowing what to expect made my day less vibrant.
Balboa Park
Expedition 1 of 2
Where: Balboa Park
Context: Museum of Photographic Art (MOPA)
3 Concurent exhibitions - Photograph As A Whitness, Ansel Adams, Jo Whale
Photograph As A Whitness -
This part of the exhibition displayed documentary style photos by different photographers. Highway Camp Encinitas, California by Don Bartletti left me walking away with the greatest impression. Knowing Encinitas as a picture perfect place gave contrast to a less than perfect situation. This added context to the photo, shedding light that horrible things happen everywhere.
Ansel Adams -
"A Life's Work" by Ansel Adams displayed photo works ranging from the Yosemite valley to the Japanese internment camps as well as other well known photos. I like the deep contrast created in the photographs, making the blacks seem like they void more light than they should. To achieve these deep blacks a type of process using silver, common to black and white photography is used. His photographs seem to enlighten the viewer to the beauty of nature from an outsiders perspective, almost in a documentary fashion.
Jo Whale -
"Theatre Of Insects" Whale takes insects out of nature and puts them up against a themed, man made background. This process makes your mind wander because the two do not go together. Through this process the viewers thoughts are changed of how things are viewed in the world. This can be associated to how Richard Avedon took the beekeeper photo.
Overall, the three concurrent exhibitions provided great differences between different styles of photography.
Where: Balboa Park
Context: Museum of Photographic Art (MOPA)
3 Concurent exhibitions - Photograph As A Whitness, Ansel Adams, Jo Whale
Photograph As A Whitness -
"A Life's Work" by Ansel Adams displayed photo works ranging from the Yosemite valley to the Japanese internment camps as well as other well known photos. I like the deep contrast created in the photographs, making the blacks seem like they void more light than they should. To achieve these deep blacks a type of process using silver, common to black and white photography is used. His photographs seem to enlighten the viewer to the beauty of nature from an outsiders perspective, almost in a documentary fashion.
"Theatre Of Insects" Whale takes insects out of nature and puts them up against a themed, man made background. This process makes your mind wander because the two do not go together. Through this process the viewers thoughts are changed of how things are viewed in the world. This can be associated to how Richard Avedon took the beekeeper photo.
Overall, the three concurrent exhibitions provided great differences between different styles of photography.
Carrie Mae Weems
I feel like Richard Avedon and Carrie Mae Weems belong in the same category because they are trying to reveal something deep and emotional. Both of the artist seem to capture a moment where the subjects are not at there finest and not at there worst, something between. In this moment of be tweeness you emotions are evoked for the subject although you have no idea to the context or insight of the situation. Ultimately when you look at a photograph your expectations are based on what you have seen before. In the case of Avedon and Weems they portray something different, something I would not expect, this captures my attention. Most artist set out to capture the most beautiful landscape, portrait, or technical shot they can get these photos almost seem opposite of that.
Cindy Sherman
Cindy Sherman's artistic process is really interesting and her photos investigate some deep beauty issues. A lot of work is required on her part because she does a lot of the work by herself and is the subject in her photos. Sometimes she shoots in front of a green screen and digitally inserts several copies of herself into a scene.She leaves many of her photos untitled leaving them open for interpretation, giving the viewer a chance to think more deeply about what they are looking at and what is being said, usually open for interpretation. She expresses how film has influenced her greatly, more so than art.
Richard Avedon
If I had to give Richard Avedon a category it would probably be a Surrealist photographer based on his photograph of Ronald Fischer "Beekeeper". I try to see things in a way that no one has ever has, based on light angle etc, when taking a photograph. Avedon takes this idea to a whole new level combining two seemingly ordinary things, bees and people in an everything but ordinary circumstance, creating an uneasy reaction in the viewer. All of Avedon's other photos are interesting, capturing a moment that seems unscripted and candid, far from the expectation of what a perfect portrait should be. This makes the people in his photos seem more real with faults like the rest of us.
Rick Smolan
I appreciate that Rick Smolan does not glorify his work as a photographer and willfully expresses his shortcomings, he seems like a simple down to earth person.
I agree with the idea that creative people work the best under pressure. Some of my best work has come under deadlines, having to make a decision is half the battle. When you have time to make choices you tend to over think the situation ultimately shying away from your gut instinct.
I love Smolan's photographs having recently looked at Obama's time capsule Link exemplifying how vibrant and interesting his photographs are.
I agree with the idea that creative people work the best under pressure. Some of my best work has come under deadlines, having to make a decision is half the battle. When you have time to make choices you tend to over think the situation ultimately shying away from your gut instinct.
I love Smolan's photographs having recently looked at Obama's time capsule Link exemplifying how vibrant and interesting his photographs are.
Blurb Photobook
Received by blurb photo book and am pleased with many pictures, I want to rip two out completely so I guess that's not too bad. The experience of seeing them in a book versus on a computer screen is much better. The quality of the prints is great, choosing the premium paper and the full cover print makes the experience even better. The clarity of the photos is better than I have seen from Snapfish, Ritz or Costco. I have learned a lot in the creation of this book, mostly what looks good in a book and what doesn't! The experience has been great and I plan to print another.
Here's a link to the book if you you want a preview.
Blurb Photobook Link
Here's a link to the book if you you want a preview.
Blurb Photobook Link
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
