portrait vs. self

so this was probably my favorite assignment everrr. while i was shooting, for the first time i actually felt like i was a photographer. i was in total control of what was being captured. i played director and model [which in some way was indescribably humbling...idk]

i wasnt really focused on the mechanics of the camera which made the assignment more enjoyable. i was outside. the weather was bomb. the sun worked magically alongside my artistic genius [haha just kidding].it was perfect.

the pictures came out phenomenal and i say this in the most humble way possible. seriously i give all the credit to the sun...and a great subject matter :)

i wanted to capture sam, not like 'say cheese' pictures but like actually capture who she is. i wanted people who see these pictures to think oh i feel like i know this girl. some of the pictures legit look heavenly. she is outlined by the sun in several pictures...glorious!!

then in others you have no idea what the hell she is doing which creates a really lame sense of mystery, but fun nonetheless. there is this one photo where she is staring out of the frame, and her facial expression is indefinable... like what is she thinking? what is she looking at? it seems really thought provoking.

then my self portrait... initially i was thinking oh what props can i use since my biggest one [my face] is off limits. then i thought no keep it simple, what makes up you without your ravishingly stunning face [again totally jokinggg]? so i threw on a black tee, my oh so skinny jeans, and my usual array of rings.

i like reading people, whether it is their body language or hand gestures/facial expressions. so i thought id let everyone do the same. basically my photos are of my hands. when i saw how they turned out i feel like im telling a story with no plot, but i like it. so wonderful, right?

<3>

photographer extraordinaire

this is Sebastiao Salgado's "Greater Burgan Oil Field" taken during the Gulf War.

the photo is so intense and rich. i was staring at it for a bit, and i felt like i was looking at a photograph taken in color.

the lighting is amazing. the oil soaked clothes on the technicians serve as a great contrast with the rough texture of the ground. the emotion depicted is goose bump inducing. the oil falling like rain is just crazy. i love it

its engaging. great depiction of motion. great subject matter. great depth of field.

when i think of devastation, spewing oil doesn't exactly come to mind, but when i look at this i feel it

no words can ever give Salgado's work the justice it deserves

Afghan girl

I remember being just a small girl when seeing this photograph on the cover of National Geographic. I remember thinking this was the most beautiful girl Ive ever seen, like completely natural in her element.

Her eyes are insanely piercing and engaging; they tell a story but one that she will only fully know. Like I look at this and wonder what she must have been thinking when a complete stranger took this of her. And whats crazy is how famous this one picture became in the US and meanwhile she is living in Afghanistan without a clue.

So years later they [Im assuming the writer(s) of the original article] found the girl. Its nuts, the picture of her now its like looking at another person. The life looks drained from her face [which is understandable taking into consideration the standard of living in a country with such turmoil.] Be that as it may, it was still disheartening.

so this is the kind of effect I want to have when people look at my photographs. In high school we had to choose a photographer and imitate their work. I chose Sebastiao Salgado. He is this incredibly talented photographer who concentrates on third world countries. His work is phenomenal- raw, real, absurdly honest. I aspire to be him [really only in the artistic sense (I dont want to be a dude lol)]

so we finally got to use our real cameras... ball buster --> my photos were about as good as my pinhole ones.

so.... thats that. hopefully i will have better luck w. the framing assignment.

the other day i was in the library [hardly working] in the computer lab on the third floor. for what was probably the majority of the time i was there, i was staring out of the window. these two cars which were facing each other were pulling out of their parking spots at the same time in opposite directions. ... and although this seems like completely useless information, it caught my attention. i immediately thought of the photo Sonia showed us in class--> the movement one with the little girls and the car turning in the background.
...my mind wanders [quote for garden state fans...anyone?]

on a much different note, i have to express my new found appreciation for blogging. recently the wb aired this new show gossip girl. the basis of the show is this anonymous girl who gossips [hence the name] via blogging. so i thought that was pretty cool...

i was browsing other people's blogs which i found to be slightly more interesting than mine due to the fact that they actually posted pictures. so next time i'll make sure to spice mine up.

orange crush

the gallery opening basically reaffirmed my love for photography. all the photos were just so real. real in the sense that they were completely unpretentious yet naturally provocative.

each photo told a story that was completely up to interpretation. one of the artists Amy Montali revealed her tactic of deliberately telling the viewers nothing about the subject. i thought this was pretty brilliant. it makes it much more personal and then not at all at the same time. like you can create your own take on the photo creating some sort of meaning. and then not personal at all leaving blanks for the viewers to fill in.

as soon as i entered the gallery i immediately gravitated to Thomas Gustainis's "Orange Crush." the photo is bold and loud. it definitely agitated my senses [in a good way].

Ri Anderson's photograph "Natural Bridge State Park" also caught my attention. there is something serene about it. the woman lying down radiates gracefulness. the photo has a great depiction of motion. overall this photograph is inviting. one look and you want to enter in.