Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Artist Statement

For my final project, I chose to do a series of portraits of my stepfather, Jimmy. To me, he is a figure that personifies and embodies ideas that only great and unique men possess. He is a great father, with a caring disposition and fantastic sense of humor. Jimmy is also a police officer, and has been for the past 41 years. He is protective, loyal, and upholds good morals. Te purpose of this project is to convey these different aspects that I believe most people do not get to see.

I looked to many photographers for guidance on this project. There are not many portraits of police officers. Usually, they remain anonymous due to being photographed in groups. I looked at occupational stock photos for some ideas on what parts of the uniform and other police tools I should focus on. To capture Jimmy's personality, I drew inspiration from Andrzej Dragan's portraits which display intense expression and enhanced light and shadows.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Photos of Jimmy







Final Project Proposal Again

Final Project Proposal

My final project proposal for PHO 111, Introduction to Digital Media, is to photograph and produce pictures of something that is dear or personal to me. I have chosen to photograph my stepdad. He is a police officer and a great father and I'd like to show that off through my photos.

Among the key issues that will need to be taken into account in developing a successful collection of images over the next five weeks are 
1. I need to scout a location and take photos during different times of day so I can be sure of the when and where.

2. I need to make sure I follow my timeline and not procrastinate on any part of the project.

3. I need to narrow my focus and stick with it because I'm super indecisive.

Stages of work
1. This proposed project entails basic research on the stylistic elements of other photographers. We've studied many fascinating artists and should I choose to follow in their footsteps, I'll need to study them more. I also need to study my camera manual again.

2.  A reflection essay discussing what has been achieved during the course of this final project assignment along with a self-directed grade for the semester will be completed by 7 May 2012.


3. A 1-2 page artist statement explaining the final project and the artistic choices employed within the final images.


4. Explain what you hope to accomplish by:
 Wed 4 April: Narrow down a topic and see if I need help from others to take these pictures.
 Mon 9 April: Take some preliminary pictures to figure out the when and where.
 Wed 11 April: Have size figured out and at least 4 pictures printed.
 Mon 16 April: Mid-point review of at least 5-7 pictures due
 Wed 18 April: If everything is going well, finish picking out pictures to print.
 Mon 23 April: Have all pictures printed and begin matting.
 Wed 25 April: Artist Statement Due by end of class
 Mon 30 April: Reflection Essay and Self Directed Grade Due
 Wed 2 May: Final printing and matting
The final 10-15 images will be ready to display for critique on or before 7 May 2012.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

New Final Subject

I'm changing my final project focus to feature my stepdad, Jimmy. He's a police officer and a great father and I want to capture his playful and caring side along with his occupation. I will be printing them 8"x10".

Monday, April 2, 2012

Final Project Proposal

Final Project Proposal

My final project proposal for PHO 111, Introduction to Digital Media, is to photograph and produce pictures of something that is dear or personal to me. Some subjects I have in mind are my friend Katie, who is fashion obsessed and a devoted vegan, pictures of Dallas or Austin buildings that express the character of the city, my dog, or shoes. I need to narrow down my subject but some of these will take careful planning and assistance that I may or may not have.

Among the key issues that will need to be taken into account in developing a successful collection of images over the next five weeks are 
1. I need to scout a location and take photos during different times of day so I can be sure of the when and where.

2. I need to make sure I follow my timeline and not procrastinate on any part of the project.

3. I need to narrow my focus and stick with it because I'm super indecisive.

Stages of work
1. This proposed project entails basic research on the stylistic elements of other photographers. We've studied many fascinating artists and should I choose to follow in their footsteps, I'll need to study them more. I also need to study my camera manual again.

2.  A reflection essay discussing what has been achieved during the course of this final project assignment along with a self-directed grade for the semester will be completed by 7 May 2012.


3. A 1-2 page artist statement explaining the final project and the artistic choices employed within the final images.


4. Explain what you hope to accomplish by:
 Wed 4 April: Narrow down a topic and see if I need help from others to take these pictures.
 Mon 9 April: Take some preliminary pictures to figure out the when and where.
 Wed 11 April: Have size figured out and at least 4 pictures printed.
 Mon 16 April: Mid-point review of at least 5-7 pictures due
 Wed 18 April: If everything is going well, finish picking out pictures to print.
 Mon 23 April: Have all pictures printed and begin matting.
 Wed 25 April: Artist Statement Due by end of class
 Mon 30 April: Reflection Essay and Self Directed Grade Due
 Wed 2 May: Final printing and matting
The final 10-15 images will be ready to display for critique on or before 7 May 2012.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Siskind Photo Paragraphs


  1.   Aaron Siskind was very active in shaping the New York Photo League. Not only was he a member of the League he helped reorganize it. While a part of the league, Siskind created many collections and exhibits that featured the hard lives of the working class. These photos contributed to both the photography world and the political one. Aaron Siskind also took photos that utilized the abstract expressionism style that was popular post WWII. Siskind’s photos displayed gritty and hard textures and worn and weathered subjects. Siskind later taught photography at various schools and published many statements and books.
  2. Abstract Expressionism is a movement that took flight in post WWII American. World powers had shifted and societal structure was changing, abstract expressionism was a way to convey feelings that had been festering over the war period.  The style appears spontaneous, free, and complicated. A great number of artists living in New York had a hand in shaping this movement which is why it is so diverse and unique.
  3. I plan to incorporate this style into my photos for this project by searching for worn and real objects. Looking at these objects in different ways. Some ways I will try to do this is through playing with my camera settings and shooting at angles that are not normally seen. I like the idea of shooting in black and white so I will try that as well.