While doing research for my photographer presentation on Michelle Bates, a northwest Holga photographer, I came across this article about giving Holga’s to the people of Haiti in order for them to capture life from their perspective. I am really interested in other cultures and ways of life, so I thought this was an awesome project and an excellent use of the cheaper photography technology we have available. “If You Teach A Man To Photograph: Haiti, As Seen By Haitians”
I really enjoyed reading this section on lighting and shadows. It is very interesting how all the different techniques came about, and the different ways to interpret lighting. This is very helpful going into this next assignment of body shots, and using the lighting studio. There are so many different ways to use the different lights in there. And I am excited to use the techniques of shadow, and how my group can interpret that. The lighting studio has alway been interesting to me, so I am glad that we get a chance to use it and experiment with it. And this reading helped me get the creative paths going.
Photographer Sacha Goldberger asks passing joggers to step into a professional lighting studio and have a photo taken. Then, they are asked to return one week later to the studio to replicated the pose and lighting f the shot, this time dressed up. The outcome is fascinating, click for more.
since we’re trying to think creative for the body shots project…
Plato’s “Cave” is mentioned right away in this reading, which was also brought up recently in my English class while we were discussing Reality versus/and Illusion. I like the multifacetedness of shadows, and the reading highlights the idea of ignorance and hiding (negative connotations) whereas they can also be mysterious and intriguing. The text also described film noir as revealing truth, not hiding it. I look forward to using meaningful shadows as graphic elements.
I thought it was interesting that “color temperature has to do with the actual temperature of the physical process taking place”. I never thought of it that way and just assumed that this aspect was purely visual. This interaction of physical environment on what we see in a color photo would be an interesting idea/concept to explore further.
I’m also very interested in film making, so I was glad there were so many references to movies and film styles (like film noir). Hopefully I’ll get to explore some of the characteristics of these styles in future projects in this class.
I would like to try back lighting or overhead-lighting a subject. They aren’t very conventional for everyday photography (advertisements etc). The rest of the technical information about equipment will be a good reference for the light room project.
I really enjoyed the quote by Patrick Maynard on pg. 112 that says of photography, “a clever and economical invention- using abundant, free light to capture and permanently fix still images.” I thought that this was an interesting view to have of photography because it is something that is so easily overlooked. In essence, a photo is literally just the capturing of light at a certain moment in time, this is a beautiful way of looking at photography in a new way.
Fantastic technical instructions on light and shadow photography. These factors are extremely important to take into consideration when shooting photography in the Pacific Northwest. Great ideas for future shooting locations- I’ve already down plenty of forested areas and overcast. I might try working with mixed light.
The photos in this section showed that use of light and shadow can play tricks on the observer’s eye. For instance, the girl in the photo on page 122 caught my eye, as she appeared to have very deformed legs. It took me a while to realize that she had just tied her stockings together.
I appreciated the Allegory of the Cave reference that Plato attributed to the “unknown”, and the way it caught my interest as a chapter opening. The common theme in the reading, that light is mysterious and partially a void, reminds me what photographer Diane Arbus stated, “A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know.” This mysterious quality to light and shadows is so intriguing, and has kept our interest since photography’s beginnings. I like what photography historian John Bloom wrote about shadows, saying “…Belief in their magical powers was connected to their sun-origin and their ability to evoke significant form.” I had never really thought of shadows as similar to negative space, and I found this connection really interesting. I also enjoyed reading about the typical symbolism between light and dark, the good and evil references we associate with tones.
