Book Format

For my "book," I think it would be interesting if I did an interactive scrapbook.  I would use the prints  I have already printed and incorporate them into a scrapbook that uses different variations of interactions. I would either buy scrapbook pages that have sections of paper that you can lift and reveal an image or I would make my own using different colored paper and paste the prints onto the pages. I would also include "pockets" into my book where you can physically take out the printed image and examine it closer. I would bind them together in a scrapbook that I have purchased. I would also incorporate AR, where the user scans the image using an AR device and another photo will pop up on the digital screen. When you click the image, it provide more external information such as where the image was taken, if it was taken at an event, etc. I think this fit well into my theme of people interacting with objects.

Here are some inspiration images on how I plan to present my book:

Some of my best images that I would include are:

Final Book Theme

For my final book, I would like to continue with my theme of people interacting with objects. Many of my photos were taken at pop up shops as well as in unique and everyday spaces. In many of my photos, the subject is interacting with everyday objects such as a glass, a mirror, or candle as well as unique objects such as a button, a piece of art, or unique light source. I have found that the use of light is a prominent element in my photos as well as reflection, as many of my images depict a reflection of the subject from a mirror, a metal object, or through glass. I would like to incorporate the use of Augmented Reality in my final book. When the user scans my images with an AR device, another image that I have taken from the same location will pop up and when tapped, it will bring up the location of where the image was taken as well as background information on what event/pop up the images were taken at to provide more external information for the viewer.

Some images that I think best reflect this theme are:

Ideas for Final

For my final, I would like to focus on the theme of the relationships between objects, colors, light, and people. The photos will consist of objects of different colors in different lighting scenarios as well as photos of people interacting with objects. A lot of my inspiration and ideas for this project have derived from pop ups and how they display objects and products. Most of the images that I have taken so far were at pop ups. I have decided to include people into my theme because I am very comfortable shooting portraits and I want to explore taking photos of objects while still incorporating people. I am interested in capturing objects as well as how myself and other people interpret and interact with them. Here are some possible images I would like to include thus far:

An idea for my book includes using Augmented Reality in HP Reveal to allow different photos of the objects to pop up on an AR devices' screen when the trigger image initiates them. I am currently working with AR in another class and I think it could fit well with my theme and inspiration of pop up shops. The hard copy of my book might be a standard photo book of the images that I have taken and when someone uses an AR device such as an iPhone or iPad, another image of the object or a visual of the object itself will "pop up" on the devices' screen when it scans the image. This idea is a take on my theme of objects, light, and people interacting with them.  The viewer is interacting with the objects on their device through the images that I have taken.

Another idea could be to have a "book" that would be a 3D model of a pop up shop or will include an arrangement of objects (or pieces of objects) that I have captured in my photos. Using AR, when the trigger object is scanned, the photos that I have taken will pop up on the devices' screen. The "book" could also be an actual pop up book that consists of objects and the images that I have taken. My photos could be printed in the book and the objects could pop up with them. These ideas incorporate my theme of objects and interaction with people which also relate to my inspiration of pop up shops. Some visuals for this idea are below.

Photographer for Oral Presentation

The photographer I've chosen for my presentation is Alessio Albi.

Lighting

Hard
aperture: f/1.4
shutter speed: 1/80
ISO: 800

Soft
aperture:f/1.4
shutter speed: 1/60
ISO: 800

Front
aperture: f/1.4
shutter speed: 1/400
ISO: 1600

Side
aperture: f/1.4
shutter speed: 1/500
ISO: 1600

Back
aperture: f/1.4
shutter speed: 1/80
ISO: 1600

Above
aperture:f/1.4
shutter speed:1/400
ISO:1600

Below:
aperture: f/1.4
shutter speed: 1/500
ISO:1600

Exhibition Review

Ryan McGinley’s show “Mirror, Mirror” was displayed at Team Gallery in Soho. The venue was very minimalist as a wide space with three white walls and gray flooring. The photographs were taken on a Yashica T4 camera with 35mm film and were displayed on canvases. The photographs were displayed in groups of two, with ten canvases total on opposite walls and four canvases on the adjacent wall. McGinley’s work consists of nude “selfies” taken by subjects of all different sizes between the ages of 19-87, in the privacy of their homes. The subjects were “provided with a camera, a set of instructions, five rolls of 35mm film, and 20 mirrors that were delivered to their homes. The undeveloped rolls of film were returned to McGinley, who sorted through the material and selected a single image to represent each participant.” (press release) The participants decided how much of the body and their personalities they wanted to show.

            The subject of the photographs was how the self-portraits transmitted intimate information about the subjects’ emotional state as well as who their idealized physical self is. The subject matter consists of the models, the mirrors, and the intimate privacy of their homes. In terms of form, the self-portraits portrayed straight lines from the mirrors as well as curves from the subjects’ bodies. The shape of the subjects’ bodies was saliently captured. The color scheme of the images varied from the difference in backgrounds of the subjects’ homes. The natural light coming from the windows and the artificial lights of the rooms gave the subjects shadows which added depth and contrast. The photographs portrayed individuals of different races, body types, and gender in a nude state in front of, behind, or with different amounts of mirrors. The style of the photos is consistent with McGinley’s previous work as his themes consist of nudity, sexuality, gender, beauty, and fantasy. In terms of internal and external context, I had been following McGinley on social media and found out about his show through Instagram. I also received external context from the press release. At the show, none of the photos had descriptions so the viewer had to interpret the photos by paying attention to its subject matter, medium, and form while pulling from your own experiences and knowledge. Subject matter was significantly important when interpreting this photo because the people in the photos were also the one’

            The idea of McGinley’s work made me feel uncomfortable because I was technically looking at random strangers’ nudes but after seeing the photos in person and seeing the subjects’ personalities through how they took the photo, how much they wanted to show, and the context of their room made me have a better understanding and appreciation for what McGinley’s subjects accomplished.

 A particular image that stood out to me was of a man named Hunter. His photograph consisted of what seemed to be seven or eight mirrors of different sizes lined up in a row as well as a few behind him in his room. In the photo, Hunter is fully frontal nude and he is posing with his left arm up while his right hand presses the shutter. What stood out about this image is that the placement of the mirrors lined up next to each other creates repetition within the image as the viewer sees Hunter from multiple angles in all of the mirrors. Although there is a sense of repetition, each angle allows viewer to see different sides of Hunter and the viewer essentially sees him fully nude from looking at his reflection captured through the mirror. Compared to the other pieces shown, the viewer can tell that Hunter was really comfortable with his body because of the amount of skin he showed as well as the multiple angles he set up within the photo. His personality shows in this portrait through his pose; he’s looking directly into the camera with a straight face, his left arm is above his head and his right leg is slightly inverted.  

Overall, I enjoyed the photos that were shown. Although I have never taken a nude, I can appreciate the intent of the message Ryan McGinley attempted to achieve; that mirrors can promote body positivity and how the media influences how we see ourselves. I thought the use of a film camera was a genius idea because the models couldn’t look back and censor themselves. The project promotes body positivity and self-confidence which I find worked well as the viewer got to see the subjects in their element. Although McGinley provided the instructions and the materials, I think that by allowing the subjects to be in control of the project, the results were more authentic and relatable. I would definitely want to see more of his work.

References

http://famedriver.com, Fame Driver. “Mirror, Mirror.” Ryan McGinley : Mirror, Mirror, Team (Gallery Inc.), 2018, www.teamgal.com/exhibitions/391/mirror_mirror.

Composition

Complementary Color
aperture: f/3.5
shutter speed: 1/200
ISO: 1600

Line
aperture: f/4.5
shutter speed: 1/2000
ISO: 3200

Shape
aperture: f/4.5
shutter speed:1/160
ISO: 3200

Monochromatic color
aperture: f/4.5
shutter speed: 1/125
ISO: 400

Repetition
aperture: f/5.6
shutter speed: 1/1600
ISO: 400

Texture
aperture: f/5.6
shutter speed:1/320
ISO: 400

Contrast
aperture: f/5.0
shutter speed:1/250
ISO: 1600

Rule of thirds
aperture: f/5.0
shutter speed: 1/5000
ISO: 3200

Reading 2

1. The author argues that interpretation is an ongoing process. There isn't necessarily a wrong or right way to interpret a work of art, but there are better ways than others and there are more than one possibilities of interpreting art. By using personal experience and information provided to us, interpreting a photograph becomes more meaningful and relevant.
2. The author mentions Jeff Walls photograph and Susan Sontag's review of it as he describes her interpretation of his work in great detail. He also mentions Joel-Peter Witkins' work and how it draws questions and is more difficult to interpret. He also mentions Nelson Goodman's concept of the "innocent eye" in that we tend to look for things we see as facts as he argues that we need to use prior experience and knowledge.
3. Barrett defines interpretation as an act of identifying objects in a photograph and judging their significance. Interpretation is comprehending the information provided in a photograph to have a better understanding and appreciation of the meaning.
4. Barrett argues that interpretation is important in criticism of photographs as it influences one's thinking about the image. Critics tell others what they think is most important about the photo and how everything works to influence others' interpretations of the photo.
5. Formalist interpretation is the critical position in which the most important aspect of analyzing a work of art is by its form. This interpretive strategy stood out to me because I thought it was interesting that everything you need to interpret a work of art is within the work itself rather than comparing it to the real world.
6. In the section, "'Right' Interpretations," the author argues that some interpretations are better than others and it is beneficial to look at multiple perspectives to have a better understanding and appreciation of the photograph. Barrett argues that not all interpretations are equal in that they are "right" or "wrong." However, some interpretations can be seen as being more plausible than others. Considering a wide range of multiple perspectives is beneficial because it can better your understanding of the art and create more meaning.
7. In the section, "Interpretations and the Artist's Intent," White argues that interpretation is more of the viewers' responsibility than the artists' to make sense of the photograph. He argues that intentionalism is faulty and a weak method as it is interpreted how the artist intended. It is hard to determine what the artist intended to convey, as many don't explain their intent and aren't available to comment. Critics judge the photograph based on if they think the photographer was successful in conveying his or her intention. Many photographers make art with the intention to leave interpretation for critics, as they could have added unintended meanings. He argues that that there are many possible interpretations of a work and the viewer should not privilege one more than another because of who it comes from. It is ethically the viewers' responsibility to interpret an artists' work and to take into consideration the makers' interpretation if it is provided to better understand and appreciate his or her work.
8. The author argues that a piece of art can have a personal significance and a meaning. A significance places more value on what the photograph means to us, whereas meaning is the underlying theme or portrayal. There is a difference in what the photograph means to the viewer and what it is actually representing. If more emphasis is placed on personal significance, it becomes more about the viewer and less about the work itself. The author also argues that interpretation should take into account for our life experiences, intuition, and how we perceive the work to be. How we feel about the image allows us to learn more about it, decipher it, and appreciate it to a higher extent.
9. The author concludes that interpretation is an engaging exercise that requires the reader to put effort into understanding the photograph. We should look for and consider multiple perspectives to increase our own understanding of the art and create meaning. Interpreting a photograph isn't necessarily figuring out what the artist wanted us to see, or what the photographer saw. Photographs provide information, but it is up to the viewer to decipher it through their personal experiences and associations with it.

Depth of Field

shallow depth of field
focal length: 85mm
aperture: f/1.4
shutter speed: 1/5000
ISO:1600
meter: 0

greater depth of field
focal length: 85mm
aperture: f/22
shutter speed: 1/125
ISO: 6400
meter: 0

Reading

1.) The author argues that description and interpretation are two separate experiences that are often confused when they are perceived. Analyzing with a narrow mindset can hinder your ability to fully interpret and decipher a photograph.
2.) Barrett gives examples of different photographers and how they present their work as well as how critics judge their photographs. He also offers alternative viewpoints to the reader as to how to look at photographs.
3. a) Barrett defines description as a written representation and explanation of the context and subject of the photograph.
   b.) Barrett defines subject as the overall theme or depiction of what's represented, whereas subject matter is the objects that are portrayed and make up the picture.
   c.) Form is the shape the subject takes as light hits it.
   d.) Medium is what the photograph is made out of which can be manipulated to increase meaning and understanding of the image.
   e.) Style allows the photographer to be able to have a distinction from other artists by what they shoot, what they use to shoot with, and how the image is composed.
4.) a.) Comparing and contrasting is looking at one or two photographers and observing similarities and differences in their work.
    b.) Internal resources of information. External information is when critics use outside sources to help them have a better understanding of the photograph.
5.) a.)Barrett argues that it is hard to interpret an image without first having read the description because it is unethical to judge the picture without knowing what it is you are judging.
     b.) Barrett argues that people should be more neutral while taking into consideration the artists' description and the critics' judgment to decipher their own opinion more accurately. He suggests that critics influence others' opinions of artwork and encourages the "reader" to have their own opinion.
6.) The author reiterates the importance of descriptions of photographs. They allow the reader to have a better understanding and appreciation of the artists' work. It allows them to see something they might not have taken away from the photograph if they had not read it. They give context and important information to the reader and allow them to see the photograph in a different perspective while drawing their own conclusions and interpretations. I learned that the subject and the subject matter of a photograph are different. I always thought that what was portrayed in photographs was the subject, but the subject matter is what makes up the photograph. I also learned that descriptions are so important for the viewers' interpretation. Whenever I post on instagram or any form of social media, I don't think too much about the caption or description because I assume that people don't read them and are more interested in the content. The author concludes that the reader has to be able to analyze a photograph accurately through research and compare and contrast. This reading made me think of photography in a different light. I always assume that when people look at photographs, it is obvious as to what the photo is of but I understand that that isn't the case. I think we've become socially conditioned through social media to assume that people always "like" your photographs and they don't necessarily take the time to interpret them or have their own opinion. I think this mentality carries over into other experiences when looking at photographs by other artists in different contexts.

Shutter Speed and Motion

fast shutter
aperture: f/3.5
shutter speed:1/500
ISO: 3200
meter: 0

slow shutter
aperture:f/22
shutter speed:1/25
ISO: 800
meter: 0