Reflection on blogs. (entry 11)

I personally believe the E-portfolio experience forced me to research and engage more within the world of photography. It also allowed me to reflect on the topics through diverse
perspectives : the artist's , the student's and the educator's. Playing these diverse roles, it helped me to create links between photography and education. Furthermore, by reading new articles and doing research on various topics such as memories, identity and documentary photography, it allowed me to discover artists from all decades.

Being active on a blog forced me to be responsible and up to date. Not only the blog itself had to be up to date but it kept me aware of the current trends in modern photography. Additional research made me discover news methods of working, using photoshop in ways that are beyond amazing.

I am sure students from any level would benefit from an exercise such as the E-portfolio, for the same reasons as I did. Overall, I would qualify the whole process as rewarding.

When Reality is not Good Enough : Digital Photography (Entry 10)

In the age of Instagram and smartphones, it seems anyone can be an artist. Add a filter to your cluttered concert photo and the image suddenly transforms into a nostalgic, moody scene straight out of Rolling Stone. Digital artists are pushing the boundaries further by not only setting moods but by staying away from using those stereotypical filters but rather relying on their imagination to create unique masterpieces.

I always believed that you have to start with a fairly good image, it is important to make that image as strong as possible, and then use technology to enhance the vision you're trying to say. ( If you want to create surrealist art) Since people are now able to push the imagery so much further with digital retouching, the technology got in the way of the idea and students nowadays tend to think that a poor picture can be fixed in photoshop. As educators, it is important to talk about the importance of using good pictures. It is not photoshop that makes the photographer a professional.

Retouching photos in quite an ancient concept.Ansel Adams, one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century, retouched his images. In the darkroom, Adams would burn his shadows darker and dodge the brightness lighter to create dramatic black and white photos. This is comparable to using the High Dynamic Range technique or the Dodge and Burn tools in Photoshop.

The digital age made that possible and offered a way for artists to bring life to images that previously existed only in their imaginations. 

I found multiple impressive images created based on photography on the web which recquire incredible skills in photoshop. Most are by unknown artists, but they are quite beautifully done, here is the link: 

http://121clicks.com/inspirations/75-most-creative-digital-photo-manipulation-art-works

Classroom discussions (Entry 9)

I believe that the topic of digital photography is an important subject to cover with students of all ages. We see modified images everywhere and regularly. Posters, magazines, television and Internet, all modes of communication are bombarding us with images of a contemporary idea of what reality looks like.

 As educators, we need to educate students and have them double look at these images to identify what is real and what is not. We need to raise a general awareness that most images are digitally enhanced or transformed.  

I enjoyed tonight' s discussion. For the first time, everyone interacted and it was stimulating. We discussed mainly the new concerns about photography and what teachers should know to pass accurate knowledge to their students. I think it is also interesting to see things on different perspectives and think about the other side of this situations. We are criticizing the artist for transforming reality but this person must be working hard and professionally to achieve that gorgeous result. Ina  way, cant he be recognized for his talent and skills at using Photoshop in such a clever way?  I believe it is important to seize the opportunity to use digital technologies to our advantage. In which circumstances? This could also trigger an interesting debate. When is it appropriate to use manipulation, other than for sales?

In engaging students in discussions, they learn , exchange ideas and get inspired.It allows each individual to share their perspective and their understanding of how they perceive photography and its relationship to the medias. 

Memories Contact Sheet ( Reflection 3)

  Reflection -  Memories Never Die

Concept

From a scientific point of view, it is fair to say that memories are simply the results of the synthesis of two proteins in your brain in response to stimuli that originates from the unconscious. (http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/human-memory.htm)  From en emotional point of view, I believe memories are reminders of past experiences that make an individual the person he/she is in the present. Memories, positive or negative, leave profound marks on the soul and forever play a role in one’s decisions, ideas and preferences.

In my photographs, I am demonstrating the concept of repressed memories. For the first photo, I chose to photograph and empty room with a door slightly open, representing the human brain retrieving an idea and letting it explode to the surface. Not only I used confetti to exaggerate the effect of explosion but also indicate that the memories are positive since the confetti are usually part of joyful events.

In my second photo, I am demonstrating the same concept but in a slightly different way. I am depicting the theme of bad memories. By throwing a box in the snow, I am representing one’s thoughts being forgotten behind intentionally like empty, useless boxes or trash, left on the street.  It can also display the idea of trying to forget, trying to force thoughts in a box so they never resurface and hunt the individual.

In both images, I tried to use the rule of third,  placing the main subject on an important interjection. I also wanted to be minimalist and use empty spaces to illustrate the pureness of the mind, how transparent it is. Furthermore, by doing conceptual minimalist images, I wanted to create images that would intrigue the viewer and create a mysterious atmosphere.

Technicalities

I did my shoot with a Leica R4s and Ilford 400 35 mm film.(I did not use Delta 400, so I ended up having more grain in my images) I spent numerous hours in the dark room. The first roll of film that I developed ended up being underexposed. I believe my second roll was more successful, for that reason, I made the contact sheet based on that shoot. My contact sheet recquired and unequal exposition. I exposed the first rows for twenty seconds and the bottom rows for ten seconds, using an aperture of 2,8 an no filter.

  

For the Good Memories shot, I tried multiple times to achieve a decent amount of exposure. My picture was a bit underexposed so the exposure time was quite short. I tried 10 seconds with no filter, it lacked contrast. The most successful print has been exposed for ten seconds, with an aperture of 2,8 and I use a filter of 3.

For the Bad Memories shot, I also tried multiple exposures before I reached a decent time, giving me decent tones. It was difficult to achieve a good exposure because most of the image is white. (snow)   I started with an exposure of 12 seconds and it was obviously not enough. After several tries, I achieved a decent result using an exposure time of 55 seconds, an aperture of 2,8 and a filter of 2. I tried using a filter of 3 and the snow became extremely white and I lost all tones. I had to burn certain areas to accentuate the different grays. I exposed the portion where the box is for an additional 12 seconds and the lower border of the image for 10 seconds, allowing me to obtain a pale gray at the bottom, defining the image from the photographic paper.

.

Mikayla Whitmore & Memories (Entry 8)

'Taking a picture for posterity at a birthday, wedding or concert may harm our ability to remember the event fully, researchers believe in a phenomenon known as 'photo-taking impairment effect' `

(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/10507146/Taking-photographs-ruins-the-memory-research-finds.html)

Dr. Linda Henkel of Fairfield University in Connecticut conducted the study, in which participants toured a campus art museum. Some were assigned to take photos; others were asked to simply remember what they saw. Subjects were tested on their memories of the museum a day later.The students who took photos fared significantly worse at correctly identifying items from the museum, and recalled fewer details of those they did remember

A second study by the team of researchers  also presented an interesting twist: Taking a photograph of a specific detail on the object by zooming in on it with the camera seemed to preserve memory for the object, not just for the part that was zoomed in on but also for the part that was out of frame.

"These results show how the 'mind's eye' and the camera's eye are not the same," says Henkel.

The concept of memory is fascinating and can be explored in many ways. While researching the topic, I discovered a photographer who uses the idea of memory as her main theme. Her name is Maykayla Whitmore.

Whitmore was born and raised in Las Vegas and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2010. Her work has been exhibited and curated at multiple venues in Clark County. She currently balances her studio practice with work as a concierge on the Strip. She most recently presented new work in a solo exhibit at Kleven Contemporary in downtown Las Vegas.

 She is fascinated by memory and how our minds record and file away seemingly insignificant details. She says also being interested and how the brain seems to reconstruct memories whenever we are explaining them, we are re-imagining them. She mentions in an interview : 

“We pass by overlooked objects until something alters our perception,” Whitmore said. “Individual memories fall by the wayside, figments merge together, dreams become possible and truth is no longer cemented by fact.”

Her artwork is focused on capturing, analyzing and romanticizing moments that no longer exist. They are the results of significant moments in her life.

http://www.mikaylawhitmore.com/

http://lasvegascitylife.com/sections/ae/art/artist-mikayla-whitmore-talks-about-her-work.html

The Truth, Photography & Social Networks (Entry 7)

 We live in a generation in which everyone has a access to a cellphone a similar digital device which he can use to take photographs.Digital photography is now accessible to most and this accessibility has definitively changed the definition of photography over time, in positive and in negative ways. As discussed in Lasen & Gomez-Cruz's article, this modern aspect of photography is redefining the meaning of terms such as privacy and public and the identification of the casi non-existent boundaries between the concepts. It is now a frequent practice to publish self portraits to strangers on the web or images of where we are located at any times, displaying our lives to every stranger who wishes to see.

The selfie phenomenon opens the door to instant gratification. Often, images are posted to serve a purpose such as displaying a certain aspect of the self or to validate it by receiving likes or comments. Only what we want the 'others' to see is shown and a whole new self is projected online. In the article, the author says that teenagers especially often take hundreds of images before selecting a single one that will be posted. I find this particularly interesting and it demonstrates how much individuals are interested in their own image and how photography depicts their lives to others in order to impress them. It is interesting to compare how years ago, the selfie was not even a concept people would have thinking of, I can see no images of me at ten years old holding the camera, pointing to my face.

This whole idea of the perfect self makes me question the role of photography nowadays. Even professional photographers, trying to push further the boundaries are creating amazingly surreal digital photography, which again is not depicting the truth, Or sometimes, images are intentionally manipulated to make the society perceive a reality that has been created. The media are sending these messages of beauty and perfection which is not reflecting the reality to a audience who is self absorbed and who is spending its time taking selfies. Vicious circle!

It is an interesting topic that could generate debates in classroom. I would discuss photo manipulation, the selfie generation and how the media accentuate the desire to show an invented self on the medias with students,

The Selfies - Reflexion (Reflection 2)

I consider the pinhole assignment to be more of a challenge than a traditional assignment.  I Think it was a fun exercise to do but in all honesty, I doubt I would use the concept to grade students  in a classroom because of its lack of preciseness . I believe pin hole photography requires a lot of practice and unless you are an experiment vintage photographer that uses that process, chances are the results will be mediocre.  I find the whole process is based on guesses and luck.

I would do that type of activity in an after school program , simply for pleasure. I’m not going to lie, we were pretty happy when we saw our first images appearing on the paper.

Our group decided to focus on the Instagram culture of “Selfies” . We chose that topic because it is a mode of self-portraiture that is relevant to teenagers, it is definitely part of their today’s youth’ culture.

As mentioned in my blog about working as a team, we began the project by creating multiple pinhole cameras to shoot multiple at a time.  We also wanted to try out different model so we find what works best in terms of shapes and sizes to capture our subject. Honestly, we had a hard time to take decent photographs. We tried different approaches : we used a chart to determine the exposure time, we used an application  (lightmeter) on the Iphone, we guessed exposures based on the amount of clouds and we did ultra long exposures inside.  It took multiple times before obtaining ANYTHING on our paper. As soon as we notice a shape, ( or was it a dot?)on the paper, we began to determine the exposure times based on the previous image results. 

We developed the images that seemed to be the sharpest. We did tests like we previously did in the photogram assignment to evaluate the proper exposure times. We obtained a decent amount of gray tones, black and white in our two final photographs.  The technical process was extremely lengthy .

Developing the lesson plan as a group was  great, it allowed us to divide the tasks and to take charge of a particular part instead of the whole document.

I think this project would be difficult to execute in the school setting because rare are the schools equipped with a darkroom. Overall, I find working in the darkroom interesting for older students but I believe it can be quite complicated for younger students and demanding since that experience as been quite difficult for us to accomplish and we are university students. Also,  using the darkroom demands the students to buy photographic paper and equipment that can be expensive. I am not sure I would feel comfortable asking the student (or their parents) to buy expensive photographic paper, especially for a project that often offers mediocre results.

I also feel the need to mention that winter is not the best season to do pin hole photography. We only has a very limited amount of sunshine per day, adding additional anxiety.

Even if I found this assignment a bit frustrating, I found that doing that assignment in groups  was definitely  a good idea. It was also interesting to see how it is possible to create with a simple box as a camera and the first results are quite memorable.

Working as a Team - Pin Hole Project (Entry 6)

   How we shared tasks throughout the process and thoughts about working in groups

     From beginning to end, we worked as a team which I found was alright, considering I usually am I lone wolf, having a preference for individual projects. Firstly, all members of the group provided a variety of boxes as  prototypes. All boxes were differently shaped permitting to obtain various results giving us options to chose from. We shared equipment such as black matte paint, scissors and tape to build the boxes in class. We also shared the materials in the darkroom.

   As for determining the project's concept, we spoke about our options, our methods and about every details of the lesson plan before engaging in the process. We communicated at school or via emails. All responded and participated equally in conversations, throwing their ideas.

   The tasks have been divided equally and according to each group member’s schedule. The majority of the group took pictures outside whenever they had time. Some returned for more tests. We took pictures over multiple weeks to get the best result we could achieve with the pin hole cameras. As for the developing process, it went similarly. All those available went to the darkroom in groups and perform the task. Since we did work mostly in groups, we were all present in most parts of the process.We used group work to draw on each member's knowledge and perspectives, frequently using people's different strengths. ( From darkroom knowledge to text formatting skills ) 

Working in group was motivational and forced us to be responsible and to put greater effort to satisfy the group’s expectations. I found that it was harder to procrastinate when working with others. Overall, the most beneficial aspect of working in group has been the breakdown of the work into chunks, allowing everyone to contribute while lightening the task.

Using Documentary Photog in the classroom (Entry 5)

I truly appreciated how Gina L. Wenger started her article on documentary photography by mentioning : ‘Art educators have multiple roles. We are artists, researchers, and teachers.’  That saying was inspirational for me and made me reflect on how to present and how the introduction of documentary photography as a topic in the classroom could be beneficial for the students. Wenger's article mentions that this particular type of photography can be used as a powerful tool that offers the students a possibility of learning about historical artworks that relate to contemporary topics.
‘By approaching historical artworks that relate to contemporary topics,students may learn more about themselves, their world, and history. students may learn more about themselves, their world and history. `

What I found particularly interesting is how the author engages students into a reflective practice about the role of the photographer and have them think about the idea of authenticity, a topic frequently discussed in class. I personally believe that documentary photography has to display the truth, it is one of its characteristics. But again, by selecting images with the most powerful compositions aren’t we slightly modifying the meaning of the image by amplifying emotions displayed?

In the article,Wenger highlights how the three photographers, despite photographing and documenting the same subject, each approached it in unique manner. In summary, Dorothea Lange was hired by the War Relocation Authority to document the entire evacuation process of the Japanese American internees. Lange documented the difficulties in the camp (death, illness, obstacles, etc.) and the narratives of its habitants. On the other hand, photographer Ansel Adams documented the positive response of the Japanese Americans in Manzanar. Photographer Toyo Miyatake was incarcerated at Mazanar and successfully hid a lense in his bag to record every aspect of the subject and the narratives of others prisoners to make sure “this would never happen again”

I believed as discussed in the article, students  would love to reflect about the content of the images and write down what they thought the photographers might be trying to say about the event documented. It is a great way to engage everyone and to share ideas.

Ulric Collette Identity and Photography (Entry 4)

During this week's class discussion, I discovered the work of an interesting photographer: Ulric Collette. 

At first glance, I thought they were silly, but the more I looked at them, the more the images interested me. It became very interesting to me when I understood the relationship between the faces that were being meshed together. The link with identity is obvious. Ulric uses the idea of genetics and by creating these mash ups make us realize how the physical body is simply an envelope destined to become similar with time to our parent's. Looking at the pictures he creates by merging portraits of two close relatives, you can see how their genetic overlap creates striking visual echoes across decades and genders. Strangely, some siblings morphed into one face appear to be more identical than twins Scary and interesting. My personal favorites are in fact, the photographs utilizing two faces from different adult generations. I find it less interesting when he uses children and adults combined because it lacks coherence and seems disproportionate. It is not as pleasing to the eye and take away the beauty of the look alike aspect.

Overall, he is a great discovery with original ideas and I would definitively show his photographs to students if we think of engaging in a lesson about digital art. I would use his work as an example of how Photoshop can be used to create interesting effects that not only are beautifully achieved but that are also not that complicated to do and possible for students to learn in class.

Pin Hole Project - Research (Entry 3)

http://www.lomography.com/magazine/reviews
/2009/10/14/home-made-pinhole-camera

The Pin Hole Camera

Before engaging in the assigned project about pin hole photography , I decided to do some additional research on the topic. Here is a summary of what I thought was interesting.

Pin hole cameras can be incredibly small or large. It is to me the most fascinating aspect about them. 
Cameras have been made of coffee cans, shoe boxes, coke cans, empty refrigerators, station wagons,
entire rooms etc. Pretty much anything can be used as
a camera as long as there is a tiny hole at one end and 
photographic paper (or film) at the other end.

Its special characteristics offer the users great experimental potential and a distinct possibilities. The pin hole camera is known to have an infinite depth of field. Also, exposures are long, ranging from seconds to several hours, offering the possibility of creating double exposure like images, or ghostly photos. The greatest thing is that pinhole cameras have widely differing image formats, permitting the photographer to create funky fish eye angles to better depict certain subjects or straight rectangular photos to illustrate the rigidity of a building's architecture.

Of course, every good thing has it's downsides. Those cameras are are not accommodating nor user-friendly and they require a lot of practice to achieve a good shot. A simple tremble or change in the sky can modify the final results.
Also, most likely, the pictures will be less sharp than pictures made with a lens.

Even if they are quite hard to use, they are still used by experimental photographers today such as Bogdan Chorostian , Brian Trevino and others. (http://www.pinhole.org/index.php/gallery)

It is believed to be on a summer day in 1827,  that Joseph Nicephore Niepce made the first photographic image (called sun prints at the time) with a camera obscura. 
Prior to Niepce people just used the camera obscura for viewing or drawing purposes not for making photographs. Niepce placed an engraving onto a metal plate coated in bitumen, and then exposed it to light. The shadowy areas of the engraving blocked light, but the whiter areas permitted light to react with the chemicals on the plate. When Niepce placed the metal plate in a solvent, gradually an image, until then invisible, appeared. However, Niepce's photograph required eight hours of light exposure to create and after appearing would soon fade away. (http://inventors.about.com/od/pstartinventions/a/stilphotography.htm)

This is an enhanced version of Niepce's work entitled
View from the Window at Le Gras from 1826,
retrieved on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
/File:View_from_the_Window_at_Le_Gras,_Joseph_Nic%C3%A9phore_Ni%C3%A9pce.jpg

The first published picture of a model of a pinhole camera obscura is apparently a drawing in Gemma Frisius' De Radio Astronomica et Geometrica (1545). Gemma Frisius, an astronomer, had used the pinhole in his darkened room to study the solar eclipse of 1544. Thus this type of camera differed from the pinhole camera obscura used by Frisius in 1544. In the 1620s Johannes Kepler invented a portable camera obscura. Camera obscuras as drawing aids were soon found in many shapes and sizes. They were used by both artists and amateur painters. (http://www.obscurajournal.com/history.php)

http://photoluminary.com/2013/03/past-photographic-processes-and-free-huge-set-of-vintage-film-lightroom-presets/

Influential Photographers- (Entry 2)

This week I have decided to write about photographers that I believe have made a difference in the history of photography. Even if there are plenty of admirable contemporary artists to look at , I think it is important to recognize the work of the masters and to learn from these classic figures.

1957

I am starting this list with a personal favorite, from the united states, Richard Avedon. (1923-2004)
Avedon is internationally known for his portraits

1967

in studio. He worked with well known celebrities and artists such as Marylin Monroe,Marcel Duchamp, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Bjork, The Beatles and much more. Avedon described himself as a portrait photographer that was not interested that much in the youth. He preferred characters with stories to tell in the studio, with physical marks left by time.

Interesting enough, he gained his initial fame as a fashion photographer for the popular Harper's Bazaar in the 1940's. He worked with fashion models and experimented with movement in the studio. He is known for using animals such as elephants and snakes as fashionable props. He was using a large-format 8x10 view camera.

http://www.richardavedon.com/

The Tetons and the Snake River(1942)

Ansel Adams (1902-1984) , an American photographer and environmentalist did beautiful black and white landscape photography that have been widely reproduced on calendars, posters, and in books such as National Geographic. 

During the early 1940`s , Adams joined photographers Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans in their commitment to affecting social and political change through art. Adams’ first cause was the protection of wilderness areas, particularly Yosemite.

His photos of landscapes are truly stunning. He achieved an unparalleled level of contrasts using the creative techniques in the darkroom.

http://www.biography.com/people/ansel-adams-9175697

My favorite internationally known female photographer must be Annie Liebovitz. (1949-  )
Annie is an american photographer renowned for her dramatic, quirky, and iconic portraits of a great variety of celebrities. Her signature style is crisp and well lighted. She mostly does portraits and documentary photos. She also does fashion and conceptual photography.She mentioned in interviews that her ultimate goal is to capture the moments others have missed. 
While she was still a student, she was given as a 1st commercial assignment to photograph John Lennon for Rolling Stone Magazine. Much later, she took the famous shot of Lennon and Yoko Ono , again for the magazine . It is probably one of her most famous work. This picture has been taken mere hours before Lennon's assassination.

On tour with The Rolling Stones, 1975

One of the biggest events in her career came when she was invited to photograph the Rolling Stones on tour. She took leave from her gig at Rolling Stone magazine (with no promise of a job on her return) to travel with the band in 1975. She was allowed carte blanche and she has permission to shoot wherever she wanted and whatever she wanted. The images from that tour are almost timeless. She came back from that tour with an addiction to cocaine but she managed to get sober after a while.

http://www.biography.com/people/annie-leibovitz-9542372

Death by Hamburger, 2010

The next photographer I am throwing in this list is commercial photographer David LaChapelle.           (1963- ) 

Lachapelle is to me the Salvador Dali of photography with a hint of Andy Warhol plus a particular twist. There are more than plenty of sexual connotations in his unrealistic colorful images. He usually references art history and sometimes conveys social messages through his photos.

When LaChapelle was 17 years old, he met Andy Warhol,who offered him his first job as a photographer at Interview Magazine.

LaChapelle worked with famous artist such as Elton John, Micheal Jackson, Madonna, Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj.

Fidel Castro 1971

http://www.davidlachapelle.com/

This list would not be satisfying without mentioning the talented Yousuf Karsh. (1908-2002)

His body of work includes portraits of statesmen, artists, musicians, authors, scientists, and men and women of accomplishment. Each of his portraits tells you all about the subject. He felt as though there was a secret hidden behind each woman and man. Whether he captures a gleaming eye or a gesture done totally unconsciously, these are times when humans temporarily lose their masks. Karsh’s portraits communicate with people.

During his career he held 15,312 sittings, produced over 150,000 negatives.

Karsh worked with incredible people such as Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Carl Jung, Pablo Picasso, Grace Kelly and Georgia O keeffe. 

http://www.karsh.org/

My Photograms - Reflection 1

These two artworks explore the theme of memories. They are both integrating the same objects but interpreting memories in a different way. In Loved Ones, I gathered objects that I value that remind me of specific individuals. In Summer Nights, I am using the same objects (some deconstructed) to depict a familiar scene based on memories from childhood. The image is created so the viewer can interpret the photograph in his own personal way and relate to the theme, bringing back his own memories.

In both cases, I selected a variety of objects of different opacity to create different tones. I achieved several tonalities of grey using glass, clear plastic, jewelry, artificial flowers and leaves. I created white zones with opaque objects such as feathers, chains, and a key chain in Loved Ones. The space left is black, reflecting the lack of objects permitting the light to hit fully the surface.

These photograms were an introspection that got me thinking of preciousness and the value accorded to objects. For this reason, I tried to dispose the objects in a gracious and interesting manner. I created a curve starting from a strong point, reminding me of a stream. I tried to give my image a sense if movement.

I kept that idea of movement in my second piece, representing the wind blowing during a warm summer night.

Further explorations should be done, exploring more in depth the patterns created by the transparencies. My challenge would be to create an abstract piece with a greater variety of objects.

Photograms are necessary to introduce the enlargers to the students. They require attention to details and conscientiousness in performing the task. The photograms involve a multitude of new techniques but there is also an important amount of new information attached to them. ( History; i.e Man Ray) Photograms could be meaninful artworks depending on the thematic imposed by the teacher. If they are no thematic imposed, they are still great practice in the dark room, allowing students to understand the principles of exposure.

Loved Ones

1st test - F8 2 secs interval
 

2nd test- F8 7 secondes - too dark
3rd test - F8 5.5 secondes
4th test - F 4.5 secondes - good
5th test 4.5 secondes on bigger scale

test 6, 7 - F8 4.5 secondes, trying different compositions

Summer Nights
1st test F8 2,5 secs interval

2nd test F8 5.5 secs. good 8x10
test 3, 4, 5 Different compostions

Photogram #2 (Reflection 1)

Summer Nights

Photogram

8x10

2014

Photogram #1 (Relfection 1)

Loved Ones

Photogram

8x10

2014

Ethan Jantzer : Photogram Artist ( Entry 1 )

Ethan Jantzer

Photograms are images produced without the use of a camera by placing objects directly on photosensitive paper and exposing the assemblage to light. 

Artist Ethan Jantzer creates photograms that take photography back to its roots.

When we think about photograms, Man Ray is usually a name that comes to mind. We often think of this practice as an old fashion photography technique. Man Ray's work included experimental photography, assemblages of objects exposed, using stationary and moving light sources. Is is absolutely logical and normal to associate photograms to old school practices since the first chemically photographic process, considered a photogram, has been accidentally discovered in 1725. (Yes, way before Man Ray) Johann Heinrich Schultze, a German physicist, found that silver nitrate impregnated on gypsum in a jar when left to sunlight. It turned dark on the side facing the window.

Let's go back to Ethant Jantzer. Jantzer used to work at a photo lab. He once mentioned  in an interview that it was pure boredom that led him to try fooling arounf with the equipment in the dark room. He experimented with lights and raw films. After multiple experimentation, he started creating images using organic content and a variety of accessories such as fish (as seen on the picture above), grass, flowers and also liquids such as Gatorade and Windex. He said the liquids are used to achieve translucent colors.

 

 In the same interview he explained hi process: ''...in total darkness, I lay objects on top of or in front of large sheets of photographic film or paper. Once the composition is in place, I flash light through colored liquids like Gatorade or Windex. This burst of saturated colored light creates shadows that are captured on the film or paper. By combining multiple flashes of light from various angles, I am able to create unique photographic images. One thing I really like about the process is how it forces me to pay attention to subtle changes in an object’s form or texture. I guess the same could be said about the images. The lack of detail makes us address or at least acknowledge the often overlooked and subtle details..''

His work can be found throughout a number of galleries, notable collections, and public environments. 

References:

http://www.ethanart.com/

http://www.seedsandfruit.com/2010/01/ethan-jantzer-photogram-artist/

http://www.photograms.org/Chapter-3.htm?m=83

Introduction (Week 1)

Jessica Paquette 

    

Welcome home
digital photography

Hi everyone, I am an Art Education student currently studying at Concordia University in Montreal. 

I can honestly say that I have been forever passionate about visual arts, anything from drawing cartoons to film making. I chose photography as a career. Unfortunately ,I had to put on hold (almost!) my career to fully concentrate on my studies. Since graduation, I have been working with all sorts of clients, from aspiring fashion models to punk rock singers. 

Working a la pige offered me the opportunity to expend my horizons and to discover all the possibilities and different genres of photography. I have been photographing weddings for the past 4 years and I am now photographing events and concerts whenever I can.

Vitam Mortem I : Dreaming
35mm

My personal favorites are conceptual photography and portraiture. I like to think of a concept or message and to find an innovative and subtle way to visualize it. I like creating set ups and scenes. My most recurrent themes are life, death, the inner self, consciousness, memories and dreams. The whole idea is to capture more than emotions, it is to create an ambiance.

Pascale
digital photography

 As for portraits, I am very interested in capturing the intrinsic properties or traits that characterized the identity of the individual through the body and the eyes. I'm as interested in fierce fashion shots as I am interested in street photography where I will be walking outside for hours and waiting for that perfect sincere moment offered by total strangers. My tastes are extreme opposites, either I am spontaneous or I set up the mood.

Grey
digital photography

I mostly work with digital equipment but I have done series on film as well. I am strongly attracted to film's properties such as grain, vignettes, and I'm interested in double expositions.

While studying at Concordia, I have discovered the joys of painting, which is now also a passion. I enjoy mostly expressionist portraiture and abstraction. The subjects of my paintings are similar to the ideas behind my photography. 

I consider artistic practices as a way of liberating the self.Also,as a powerful tool that gives the opportunity to diffuse ideas, messages, innovation, and to connect with others through emotionally charged pieces. It's an occasion to think and get creative, to imagine then develop strongly thought concepts or to be free and to let go, to be spontaneous. 

Untitled
oil on canvas