Color - Week 5

The first photographer that I chose for this week is David Favrod. I choose these images because of there intricate detail and in the top the geometric shape within the frame. I hadn't seen anyone do this with their work before I attempted it and so when I found this I was excited to see another take on it. I also end the overall color cast interesting. I think the snow plays a big role in the success of these images. The reflection of the snow acts like a bounce card that helps illuminate the surroundings making an image like this possible during such an overcast and dark point of the day. Favords work is frequently a look not his memories in Japan (where her was born) after moving to Switzerland. Randomish fact about the work... its from his series "LE TREMBLEMENT DU TEMPS" translating to "THE EARTHQUAKE OF TIME" another fairly interesting way to look at memory. To view more of his work click here.

My second photographer is Shimin Song and her series Between Reality and Fantasy. Song was the first generation to go through the "One Child" law in China. This experience highly influences her work. The images are usually masked with sorrow and anxiety although few include some humor. They are always of children and their experiences of carrying their parents hopes one their shoulders. Therefore most of her work shows children preforming adult tasks frequently unhappy. I liked these for the conceptual and different depiction childhood. I think that most countries view childhood as the best portion of their live but with these children and now adults in China we have a different opportunity to see childhood. I found Song in the book reGeneration2 in the library.

In contrast to Song we have Su Sheng. Sheng's series "Chinese Childhood" is also about the One Child policy in China. She also was born in 1979 when the law was enacted and yet her images show a fairly different view of the situation. While Song shows the anxiety of being the only child Sheng shows the burden and yet benefit. Her portraits are surrounded with toys and lavish belongings. She refers to them as "little emperors and little empresses". However no matter how lavish their lives are depicted their is one very obvious emotion... loneliness. While the images are completely different they show the same thing and both in interesting ways. I found Sheng in the book reGeneration2 in the library.

Color - Week 4

I choose to read about Philip Lorca Dicorcia in this article: Attentive Contradictions: The Photographic World of Philip-Lorca diCorcia

The most interesting thing I found in this article is about Dicorcia's books Thousand and A Storybook Life (which is where my images came from). It was said that he intended not to give a chronilogical sense of time but rather a slowly developing time frame for both and for Thousand one that is at time completely random and mundane. These image than respond to one another and force the viewer to reconsider the relationships between images, the point of the book, and the emotion within it.

I find that idea extremely interesting and inspiring. My book project is something that I'm having a hard time figuring out and knowing that books that are successful by artists whom I admire can be so random at times is freeing.

He also stated that his sequencing relies on the either direct satisfaction or denial of the viewers expectations including the use of his family members in some of them. I think that because of the title of A Storybook Life the viewer is lead into this idea of fantasy or perfection and met with the mundane reality or insignifcant moments of a persons life. This to me makes the more or less interesting depending on the viewers willingness to have their expectations rejected. On one hand it's a disappointment for those looking for whimsy. On the other that rejection then sets in a whole new interest in the reality of the images.

All in all I would suggest reading the article.

Color - Week 2

I think that this photo is successful. I would say the reasons for its success is one the lighting of the photograph is fantastic. It real brings depth to the space even though the viewer is only really seeing a corner. The second reason I think this photo is a success is the off set blue of the tv screen against the yellow which also pairs nicely with jeans.

I choose this photograph because of its humor. After looking past that I found that outside of the humor it is successful as a photograph. Shores decisions in placement of the camera from the clouds to the nearly invisible electrical lines meeting perfectly with the billboard are crucial to the image. Along with that the repeating lines in the image attempt to pull you in only to be blocked by the billboard which allows the viewer to recognize the subject quickly as does centering it. Finally the use of color in the warm against the cool tones makes the details pop.

Finally I have the image for unsuccessful. I think that the most interesting thing in the photograph is the relationship between the flowering bush and the house. However the other foliage takes away from the house and makes the subject confusing. The pop of the blue against the yellow while nice doesn't really salvage much and I find it a bit boring to be honest.