Final

 This is the first page of the story, I wanted to focus on the two of them to show them together and happy, which is why I centered them in the composition.  I set the table but didn't do much in the way of lighting.  For all of these images I arrived to them by story boarding and brainstorming.  I'm not sure if this relates directly to photography, I feel it relates more to film, which I am influenced greatly by studios like Ghibli and Pixar.

 In this scene salt and pepper are packed away into different boxes and they just get a glimpse of each other.  I tried to make it feel like there was sort of a great distance between the two even though they are actually very close. Again, very little manipulation of light, only setting up the figures. I'm not sure if this relates directly to photography, I feel it relates more to film, which I am influenced greatly by studios like Ghibli and Pixar.

 In this one you see salt being taken out of her box, and you clearly see that their separation is caused by some outside influence (the hand). I was trying to get some motion blur, I'm not sure how well it worked but I liked that it was obvious that salt was being taken out of the frame.  I'm not sure if this relates directly to photography, I feel it relates more to film, which I am influenced greatly by studios like Ghibli and Pixar.

 You see here that salt is place amid all the other spices.  I wanted a busy composition, as it's a new place for her and she's probably lost among all the other spices. Again, no manipulation of light just the scene.  I'm not sure if this relates directly to photography, I feel it relates more to film, which I am influenced greatly by studios like Ghibli and Pixar.

 Now you get to see where pepper was set.  He's somewhere on the counter far away from the spic cabinet.  I wanted this one to be relatively empty because he's alone.  No manipulation of light, only manipulating the set with some help from my roommate. I'm not sure if this relates directly to photography, I feel it relates more to film, which I am influenced greatly by studios like Ghibli and Pixar.

In this one you are seeing from peppers perspective and he sees the spice cabinet where salt is kept. It seems extremely far away.  No manipulation of light, only the set. I'm not sure if this relates directly to photography, I feel it relates more to film, which I am influenced greatly by studios like Ghibli and Pixar.

This is where pepper begins his long climb to reach salt.  Right here it already seems impossible to make it to the cabinet. No manipulation of light only the set.  I'm not sure if this relates directly to photography, I feel it relates more to film, which I am influenced greatly by studios like Ghibli and Pixar.

 He's almost there! It's the last stretch of the climb and he can see salt reaching down to help him up.  Again I wanted to create this feel of something that just out of reach.  There was no manipulation of light, only the set. I'm not sure if this relates directly to photography, I feel it relates more to film, which I am influenced greatly by studios like Ghibli and Pixar.

 And in the end he reaches her and they hug.  I chose a close up because it sort of is the opposite of feeling that something is far away.  It's right here, literally in their arms.  There was no manipulation of light only the set.  I'm not sure if this relates directly to photography, I feel it relates more to film, which I am influenced greatly by studios like Ghibli and Pixar.

This image is actually the cover for my book.  I was originally going to create a logo or title for the book but decided to leave it as only images  The only lighting was the overhead light and a light from the front coming through my balcony door. I'm not sure if this relates directly to photography, I feel it relates more to film, which I am influenced greatly by studios like Ghibli and Pixar.

Blog #25

I want to create a story with my photos.  I've always been really attracted to stories as they are a great way to convey emotions and ideas in an interesting way, while still allowing the viewer to interpret the piece in their own way.  Stories are easily to relate to so even if the exact message isn't conveyed it's still an enjoyable peice.

Project #5: Constructions

This image is part of a three part narrative sequence.  In this image the figure is alone, I wanted a lot of blank space to emphasis that fact that there's nothing there with it.

Part II:  This was well received, interpreted as a little alone little pepper shaker dude.  It was agreed that the lighting was good, especially considered without it he would blend into the background too much.  For a larger project I could explore the lives of the salt and pepper shakers.

This image is part of a three part narrative sequence.  This image is almost from the first figures perspective, where you see that he notices there's someone else there with him.

Part II:  This was well received, interpreted as a pepper seeing salt for the first time (in a long time maybe).  Again, they liked the lighting and the over the shoulder viewpoint.  For a larger project I could explore the lives of the salt and pepper shakers.

This image is part of a three part narrative sequence.  In this image the figures are together.  I shot it on an angle because a moment like this is a life changing moment for the little figures and I imagine they'd feel a little off balanced as well as happy.

Part II: Everyone liked this one as well, interpreting it as when the two finally meet again.  I was told that my angles are very cinematic, which I think works well as this is a narrative.   For a larger project I could explore the lives of the salt and pepper shakers.

In this image I wanted to try and convey that when learning a foreign language or culture, even if you don't intend to, you end up immersing yourself in it, and it quickly becomes a part of who you are.  I tried to make the image just a little chaotic because learning these things can be very confusing and constantly hard to understand.  In terms of context, this is very appropriate for a school like MSU as we're very internationally minded and are constantly trying to bring international experiences into our education.

Part II: This was interpreted as I intended it, as the language and culture becoming part of you.  Most people said it was successful.  Some suggested maybe taking the character to the extreme and having them go everywhere.  As a bigger project I could further explore the affect of learning about foreign cultures and languages.

Blog Prompt #23

1.  Personal identities can be constructed in how we display ourselves everyday.  This can include how we dress and how we act in different situations.

2.  Personal culture or social environment can be extremely affected by the media.  Even those who are part of a culture often don't understand the reality because of the fabrications that the media has provided for them.

3.  A personal space can be constructed in terms of what we choose to display and what we choose to hide.  The objects we put on display are those that say something positive about us, and we hide the ones that may be negative.

4.  In my daily life I suppose most of how I act towards people I'm not close to is mostly constructed.  Rarely do I lie but I will often omit things and allow others to fill in the blanks as they see fit.

5.  I might possibly use my roommates to show certain scenes from our lives, maybe trying to show certain small aspects of us, or maybe create imaginary characters.

6. I like the idea of using food to create funny images (I just kind of really like food), or images that have some sort of meaning.

This piece is from a sausage series done by Peter Fischli and David Weiss.  The pair have been working on collaborative work since 1979 and this series is one of the first series they've done together.  I found the series very entertaining, it shows simple everyday moments using all types of sausage.  As well as this one there are images of sausages looking at different slices of sausage "carpet" and there's even a sausage car accident.  I'm not sure why they chose to use sausage to show everyday lives but it's quite entertaining.

This image was done by William Lake Price, it is a scene depicting Don Quixote in his study.  Price liked to recreate scenes from both literature and history and photograph them.  Price was originally a painter who specialized in watercolor but he started photographing in 1854 and is well known for using combination printing.

Final Images: Pop Culture

In this image I wanted to focus on the child so while most of him is off center his face is almost centered in the frame which really emphasizes his expression.  This image is part of a snapshot set so I just wanted to try and show a little bit about him and this day, to record the memories.  The method was rather candid, just taking shots whenever I could or felt they would turn out well.  In terms of context these images as a set show the relationship between a young father and his son, especially on a day like his first Halloween.

Part 2: This one was well received, everyone liked the tones and the subject.  It was interpreted as confusion the child looks confused.  His first Halloween ever and he doesn't quite understand what's going on.  In terms of a larger project everyone just commented that this set is in itself a project so I would only have to take it further.

In this image I wanted to capture both father and son in the frame.  I was sitting in the passenger seat of the car and the father of the child was pumping gas.  This moment reminded me of times when I was young and you'd spend the day doing something exciting and when the day was over and your half asleep your parents inevitably have to stop at the gas station to fill up.  It's a calm sort of tired feeling for the child and I wanted to try and show that.  In terms of context these images as a set show the relationship between a young father and his son, especially on a day like his first Halloween.

Part 2: Some people like this one, some not.  A few liked that the figure in the back was blurred while the child was just sitting still, and a few like the shapes and angles the windwos and the figures make.  It may have been a little too dark when printed.   In terms of a larger project everyone just commented that this set is in itself a project so I would only have to take it further.

This image is also focused on the face of the child to show some emotion.  This is another one that I just shot randomly, as these are all rather candid.  I feel that it shoes a good deal of emotion and the personality of the child.  I wanted to create a snapshot that would be the type of picture that parents would frame or put in their photo album.  In terms of context these images as a set show the relationship between a young father and his son, especially on a day like his first Halloween.

Part 2:  This one was also seen sort of in terms of confusion but just incredibly cute.  Some wished that the tones were more similar to the first one, maybe lighten it up a bit but others questioned that as it's obviously a photo taken a little later. In terms of a larger project everyone just commented that this set is in itself a project so I would only have to take it further.

 

This one has an angular composition that was partly on accident.  As it is a snapshot not all framing can be perfect and the father tended to be a little camera shy so I snuck this one.  I wanted to show father and son together, and maybe show a little piece of their relationship.  In terms of context these images as a set show the relationship between a young father and his son, especially on a day like his first Halloween.


Part 2: This was seen as a calm end of the night kind of thing.  I'm not sure how everyone felt about the angle, and again they wished the tones were more like the first.  It may have been that when printed out it looked darker.   In terms of a larger project everyone just commented that this set is in itself a project so I would only have to take it further.

Aesthetics

1.  Most news photographs are either candid images of events or posed images like portraits, but not as worried about making the subject look good as snapshots or traditional portraits.  It's about trying to portray the truth, or the truth that the newspaper wants to show.

2. Snapshots also portray what is, though usually a personal memory not an important event.  They are usually light-hearted with little or no thought put into the formal issues of the photograph.

3.  All sorts of fashion, ads, and product photography are trying to sell you something.  They create a world that their product is the center of and make it seem as if it's a necessary item.  They are normally very focused on the product, highlighting is good points.

4.  These are also creating another world, whatever world the movie is making.  The exact aesthetics vary dramatically from the different genres of movie, but it normally focuses on an important or interesting moment in the movie.

5.  Yearbook or senior photos are for the sole purpose of remembering a person.  Because of this they are very focused on the person and their different aspects.  It's often, though not always, a plain or unfocused background to place emphasis on the figure, which they try to make look as good as possible.