Idea Post -- Sexuality -- 3.24

During my mid-term critique, I had mentioned not wanting to over-sexualize my model because I thought that may detract from my work as it is not really about sex.  Jenn White, though, said maybe it was something I should explore and I could probably do so without being pornographic (which I think may have been my word, I don't know). Something I'm concerned about here, though, is it becoming a little too forced as far as the strange factor goes. I fear that my images may become funny and that's not what I want at all so I'm a little nervous going into this area but I'm not walking away from it yet.

Unaffiliated Post: Notable Quotables

“It’s a hard thing to take a picture of something we look at and do every day and do it in a way that will ask to be scrutinized. So for me this is where the fine art and document come together, that I am creating something based on a social and political idea and making it into ‘art’.” - Brian Ulrich

“I drive around. I sit in donut shops. Walk malls. I look at people. Once in awhile someone catches my eye. Why? It is a hard thing to describe, but I think it is similar to the feeling you get when you see, you know, the attractive person across a crowded bar.” - Alec Soth

“[A] kind of wandering curiosity seems to be embedded in the medium in some way. It is part of the DNA of photography. For me, making pictures is a little bit like gathering research data. Editing is the part where the analysis and interpretation occurs. That is also the part that gives me an ulcer.” - Todd Deutsch

“Photographs are open to multiple meanings and you have to allow enough space for that multi-dimensionality to have room to breathe, that’s true. But photographs sometimes need words to unlock their deeper meaning, or words help bolster the artists intent too.” - Jeff Brouws

“The issue of why one chooses to photograph a particular individual over another individual is a very complex issue one I find difficult to answer. Ultimately the choice involves a whole host of subconscious and conscious decisions. It is almost as problematic as the question of why one colour or taste is more appealing than another.” - Roger Ballen

“In all my pictures of people or places I see something of myself. I see the same qualities or troubles that I faced growing up.” - Todd Hido

“I think we retain that flame of idealism that I spoke of earlier, but it must be tempered with realism - we’re not going to change the world, but occasionally we can have a small impact, or short-term impact.” - Bruce Haley

“I don’t think in terms of having a ‘role’ as a photographer, nor do I consider my purpose to ‘record.’ I am compelled to interpret, not record the world around me.” - Mitch Epstein

“I don’t try to make pictures that refer directly to anything I have in mind, except in the way of self-editing a group already begun - or deciding where to go. When I’m photographing, I’m responding to what things look like, which is always different than what’s already in your head, even if you’ve managed to find what you were looking for.” - Adam Bartos

“The lucky thing about being a photographer is that you usually have the photographic evidence of your worst memories. It took me a long time to look at some of my pictures, especially of the Baghdad ER, but I’m making peace with my experiences. It helps hugely that I genuinely believe in the power of photojournalism, even if its effects are completely abstract.” - Peter van Agtmael

“Ever since I was a child, I remember wanting to create things that might move people, or show them something new. I’ve always wanted to SAY something with the things I create. I’m just lucky that occasionally people seem to be interested.” - Phil Toledano

“I am not sure if I believe that photographers can effectively take responsibility for such things. I do believe in the power of bearing witness, but I see it more as responsibility to ourselves - that we each have a responsibility to try and make ourselves as conscious as possible.” - Mikhael Subotzky

“The physical space I inhabit with people has always been interesting. There’s a reason I like to work in this space, it is very intimate, but on the whole people react well to it. Sometimes, they show amusement, which may be a foil. It’s the space where usually we only allow loved ones. It’s a place to respect.” - Steve Pyke

“You can’t eliminate chance from cards but there are different ways of dealing with it. I think it’s the same for artists.” - Bradley Peters

“My job has always been to comment on what I witness as opposed to the reporting of an event. I am subjective. I have a point of view. There is no such thing as objectivity in photography. I don’t believe in facts, but I AM obsessed with truth.” - Chris Anderson

“I want to show something of people’s inner lives. I think for portraiture you have to be completely certain that you are interested in photographing this or that person. You can’t be wishy-washy in your motivation.” - Mark Steinmetz

These quotes come from the conversations posted in the extended portion of J.M. Colberg's Conscientious blog.

Artist Blog -- Toby Burrows' "Fallen" -- 3.22

from "Fallen"

from "Fallen"

from "Fallen"

Toby Burrows is based in Australia and constructs beautifully edgy and often melancholy images.  While this particular body of work seems a bit out of the norm when looked at in conjunction with the rest of his work, Burrows has created a graceful and unnerving series.  In these images, the woman spans from looking like a rag doll tossed carelessly about by an unseen force to soaring in throes of ecstasy.  Part of what makes these images successful is the unexplained nature of the woman. We can only speculate why she is being soaring through the air and the story that we give her -- whether it is focused on her ascent to the heavens or rapture or what-have-you -- is likely a root of series.

Toby's Website 

Idea Post -- Contextualizing Location -- 3.10

One thing that was mentioned in my critique that I really grasped onto was what can be said for the amount of creature that cannot be seen outside of the frame.  In a comment on my critique blog post Sarah Hauser commented that perhaps I should contextualize the location in order to show where the prop is coming from. For example, in the tentacle image, perhaps have the model in a pool or bathtub.  In the image with the chicken foot, maybe have a table next to the model with the foot extending from that.  While I don't think this is necessarily a bad suggestion, I think it would take something away from the mystery that stems from not knowing where the object is coming from or why.  I think it is much more eerie and unsettling to have a kind of phantom limb coming at you from an unidentified place.

Unaffiliated Post: Izabella Demavlys Quotation and Work

“I want to disturb people’s oblivion; like I’ve pointed out before, I want to make people feel something. It’s easier to turn to the sport channels when news about the war comes up. It’s easy to talk about how depressed we are as a rich nation, and we do this even though 1.4 billion people live at the poverty line or below. Many of us in the West live in a bubble, but I still believe we can shake people up from their daily routines.” - Izabella Demavlys in a conversation with Paul Schmelzer

from "PAKISTAN: Without a Face"

from "AFGHANISTAN: Bamyan Hospital"

from "NEW YORK: Portrait"

Izabella's Website

Artist Blog -- Klaus Thymann -- 3.8

Klaus Thymann is an internationally recognized photographer who works mostly in commercial fields.  Although it seems like often in art related conversation, commercial work is frowned upon, Thymann's work is more than able to stand separately from any advertisement or campaign that it may have been created for. His images, despite having characteristics of artifice, are still very believable with some even having a documentary feel to them.  I'd like to believe that my work has something that is somewhat similar, at least as far as the artifice/reality aspect goes.  Although it's clear that what is happening in my image isn't really happening as it appears to be happening, the items that I am using are real so it may seem as though it is actually happening.  

Klaus' Website

Idea Post -- Agency -- 3.3

Going back to what I'd said in my individual meeting post, Paul and I had discussed the necessity for my objects to have the illusion of agency, or rather,  the ability to make a decision to touch or not to touch.  This factor is what we decided made the tentacle image more successful than that of the strawberries or the portobello.  With this in mind, I've come up with a few ideas (not without help from the ever lovely Ms. Hobson & Ms. Hauser) that I will list below.

fox tail
coyote paws
beaks
chicken feet
fish heads
jelly fish
pig feet
cow tongue

My favorites so far are cow tongue and chicken feet so I plan on shooting those first. I really think this is going to recapture the glory of the tentacle picture that I haven't been able to repeat thus far.

Artist Blog -- Elene Usdin -- 3.1

"Garance" from Femmes d interieur

"Ines" from Femmes d interieur

"Marianne" from Femmes d interieur

"Solange" from Femmes d interieur

"Sylvie" from Femmes d interieur

There isn't a lot I could find about Elene as far as a biography goes, but her series Femmes d interieur was very clever to me.  The way she uses the furniture as the body for all of these women was quite clever, especially Sylvie and the way the pillows are used to create her gown.  Solange is also interesting as the form of the chair echoes the form of a sitting woman so well that I almost see an actual woman before I see the sculpture.  I appreciate the sculptural aspect of her work in conjunction with the photographic aspect as both are achieved spectacularly. It's a bit funny how these women are combined with furniture that seem to relate back to their garments. The only one that is a bit asynchronous in that regard is Marianne but I can almost look past that because her adornments are quite minimal as is. Usdin's imagery remains fresh despite the similarity of the content which is paramount in a series where the same sort of things are appearing in all of the images.  My series is ultimately going to be in the same vein, so creativity of vision is going to have to be something I am considering throughout (as should always be the case, I suppose).

Elene's Website

Unaffiliated Post: Repost from Blake Andrew's Blog (kind of)

http://blakeandrews.blogspot.com/2010/02/northern-exposure.html

I think it's rather interesting how the same type of photograph can be a grand prize winner year after year. This is also a bit disheartening to those of us who do not find ourselves compelled to photograph the lifestyles of winter bound folks.

Unaffiliated Post: Repost from Stasia Burrington's Blog

A simple to-do list

2010 MARCH 1

tags: advice, art, artist, attitude, business, etsy, play, work

by Stasia Burrington

After a solid month of working on etsy, reading countless business articles and interviews with successful artists, here is what I’ve distilled and found most helpful.

Be nice.

Make beautiful work that you believe in.

Package carefully, and ship quickly.

Research your shipping costs.

Pay attention to how much time you spend on your art, and price accordingly.

Keep innovating.

Love what you do, and it won’t feel like work.

Stay organized, and take yourself seriously.

Create an inspiring space you love to be in.

Find other Etsyians who have been successful, and find out why.

Stay true to your vision.

Work/play hard.

____________________________________

While she is speaking here about etsy artists, I think it's safe to say that this pertains to anything (except maybe shipping costs). Just a bit of inspiration for the day.

Stasia's Blog