I am taking Photography 101 this semester, which has lent itself great knowledge to a once self-claimed proficiency of photography I have had.
The implied focus point of this photograph is inherently the blackbird, a striking bold bird, sitting upon cherry blossom trees. The rest of the picture, however, is not a focal point, leaving it to the realm of negative space. It’s almost as though with photography there are multiple layers to the composition. The positive and negative space of the photo, and the positive and negative space created by the objects themselves (such as the sky peeking through the branches).
Photography was not as easy as I thought it was.
While I was home for vacation a while ago, I headed to the downtown area to get a few city shots for a graphic design project I have been working on. I wasn’t really thinking too much of how the environment was interacting with the various atmospheric conditions of that day. In fact, I am just now noticing how beautiful these shots are two weeks later.
It’s humbling when you come back to a project you didn’t see much potential in and in turn, you discover something that was so valuable to you.
I wish I had more time to stop and look at what I see. But, that is the life of a college student :)
I have been doing my best to stay on top of my work that is slowly piling up to my desk. I swear Art History will be the end of me. I find the class to be immensely interesting, but in retrospect, I notice the content is so heavy and dense that it throws me for a loop. I have never been that good in remembering facts, but when it comes to describing abstract ideas that have no concrete way of being said, I have a much easier time.
Illustration is also going to be the death of me. I have never once proclaimed to be an illustrator, and I am the first to mention that my drawing skills are not quite up to par. It seems as though my confidence as a designer is slowly being unraveled as I push through this course. Granted, this type of course has always been the type I have wanted to take. But, it makes me question how much I really know when it comes to creating successful solutions. And how exactly does one grade the successfulness of solutions? It appears to me that this is a matter of personal relevance, as my experiences are plugged into my work and make sense to my classmates. But, externally outside my generation, my viewers have a hard time understanding exactly my transportation tactics regarding the message I hope to evoke.
All in all I am prematurely balding. This is really stressful, and I am glad that I have this glimpse into what graduate school may be like.
Midterm vacation is upon me! I shall be home for the next four days, which is a break in my incredibly hectic semester.
I am calling this an extended mental health day. Hoorah!
Photography is a field of art that I have mixed feelings about. I believe these feelings of mine stem from the ubiquitous spreading of the digital camera, where anyone can call themselves a photographer. I am not proposing a specific requirement in order for the name “photographer” to be applicable, simply recognizing the incredible feat traditional photography is and how the conversion to digital has destroyed a time-honored art.
I signed up for photography 1 this semester hoping I could learn more about the traditional ways of photography. Come to find, its complex and the process of developing photographs within itself is where the art lies. Of course, there is also the prerequisite of composition, good lighting, and the visual communication sent out via the medium, but that is all external to the process.
Developing film, enlarging negatives, correct exposure times; these are all things that lend itself to the tedious and sometimes gastly process of photography. Despite all of this, I have come out with a pure respect for traditional photography.
Digital photography, on the other hand, is something I have been privy to my whole life. Ever since I purchased my first digital camera have I been running around taking shots and calling them art. College itself has challenged me to keep me in mind the exact definitions of the words in which I use. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, photography, is defined as:
the art or process of producing images by the action of radiant energy and especially light on a sensitive surface (as film or a CCD chip)
Simply by taking a picture and processing it traditionally or digital gives enough ground for people to call themselves photographers. This is where my strife lies. Myspace has become the biggest destroyer of all things artful. Clashing colors, scrolling text, and preteen girls with pictures of every angle of their face plastered into an album called “photography.”
The point of my entry is for people to slow down and learn as much as they can about their fields, not to hum along to the buzz of the populace. I have been privy to this and only in recent years have I begun to question everything I possibly can. That is how we learn. Photography for me has become such a strong love in my life now that I have struggled with the photoshop vs. darkroom aspect of the field.
I think all digital photographers should have a traditional darkroom photography class to heighten their awareness, not only for the history of photography, but for an intense awareness and appreciation for their love.
Fall is starting to manifest itself. I walked outside my door today and was greeted with a cold blast of wind that ripped through the trees. My breath was visible as it left my body hot and dissipated as it cooled.
I can’t wait for the leaves to change. It fosters a lot of past memories and overall, autumn is my favorite season. The colors amaze me every year.
There is some intense beauty in some of the American Express commercials. More recently has been the Furstenberg commercial.
I remember a few years prior to this commercial, the marvelous Kate Winslet commercial that featured her career. I think there is a something so substantial to these commercials. The music, the story told, the interactions of the dialogue and the environment. All are spectacular.
I hope more companies take this direction when it comes to creating commercials. The effect leaves me with a higher image of American Express.
I open this fresh install of my blog with a capture of a moment that was far and fleeting. This is a photograph from a study abroad trip that occurred a little more than three years ago. Coincidentally, a lot of my photographs are taken of interesting design elements that I could not have explained prior to my current education.
A lot of London revolves around Sans-Serif fonts. The Underground and the modernist street signs feature some popular font-families.
Sans-serif fonts have been finding their way into a lot of my recent work for classes. I am not too sure, but I think this is the beginnings of me finding a style. While I love the classical look of the Serif font families, there is an allure that comes from the Sans-Serif modern and clean tone that makes me appreciate their relevance to our current period of history. I also love anything Bauhaus related.