web gallery

www.msu.edu/~boothtar

final images- assignment 5

In this image, I constructed an unusual scene. It is unclear whether the girl is coming out of the pumpkin, or if she found it as is. The emphasis is on the girl, which was cut out of a magazine and pasted onto cardboard. I used natural light and balanced the subject between the smashed pumpkin. I wanted this image to play with reality. The viewer is to determine which is normal size, the pumpkin or the girl. To create this image, I cut open a pumpkin, spread its innards everywhere, and put my subject in the middle of the scene. The background is obviously a pumpkin, so my goal was to question reality. Through this image, I was channeling many other photographers with constructed scenes. One of the artists I researched played with reality as I did by using subjects that appear to be real humans, but are not.

This image was a response to a “still life” prompt. To create this image, I set up pairs of leather boots on the floor and took pictures at different angels and depths. I wanted to have a unique perspective, since still lives are generally depicted with a straightforward viewpoint. It is hard to tell what exactly was photographed in that the boots took on an abstract shape. Since still lives are easily recognizable, it was interesting to create an abstract scene. Morandi, an Italian painter, is known for his simple still life compositions. To differ from his work, I photographed my subject in an unusual way, making the viewer question what he or she is looking at.

This image was a subtle disturbance in a place or setting. To create this one, I cut out different body parts to form the figure on the left. I glued the figure into a magazine ad and photographed it. The girl on the right is part of the original ad, while the girl on the left is not. I wanted the viewer to be unable to tell which figure is real and which is not. I tried to mimic the original girl’s body language in my composed figure, making it fit with the ad. This could also be taken as a social statement in that we change into who the world wants us to be. Especially with tools such as cosmetic surgery and airbrushing, it is hard to tell what is “real” and “fake.”

This was a narrative I created by using a magnet my friend brought back from Italy. The emphasis is solely on David and his clothes, due to the plain background. I wanted this narrative to be about why David is naked since he is such an iconic figure. I photographed him, putting him in different combinations of clothes each time. My goal for this image was simply to solve the mystery of how David got to be sculpted without clothes. I put a modern spin on this classical piece, tying in art history to today’s world.

#24

Both of these photographs are by Rommert Boonstra. In order to recreate the first one on a smaller scale, I could construct my own room like this out of food objects. I could also create a person, or use a doll or figurine, to fit inside the room. I really like the idea of the second photograph in that it plays with reality. It looks like the hand is holding a cloud and it takes a moment to realize the "cloud" is cotton, a simple household object. It would be interesting to do a series of photos like this, playing with reality.

For my final project, I want to expand what I did for the "crime scene" prompt. I photographed my model with a slow shutter speed while she changed positions during the exposure. It would be interesting to expand this concept with different models and settings, creating "ghosts" in each image. 

Artists

James Casebere: interested in the history of architecture throughout the world and the myth of the American West
http://jamescasebere.net/

Rommert Boonstra: inspired by theater set designs and abstract compositions.
http://www.rommertboonstra.nl/

crit response

Image 1
Here, the one-point perspective is working well. The lighting and position of the model are also working to my advantage. At first, my classmates didn’t realize the two figures in the image were the same person. After further inspection, they were intrigued to know how I created this image and what shutter speed I used. This image was interpreted as a death scene, suicide, or a haunting ghost. Since this was a response to the “crime scene,” prompt, my image was well interpreted. From here, a jumping off point could be creating “ghosts” of us by shooting people in different settings with the same eerie aesthetic.

Image 2
What is working in this picture is the contrast of my model’s face and clothes. Her outfit is very edgy and tough while her expression is relaxed and soft. Since she is dressed uniquely, this image was received as a fashion photo. It was mentioned that the whole dumpster should have been included in the frame, but I think it would take away from my subject. The dumpster in the background compliments the roughness of my model’s clothes, making the image complete. From here, more fashion photos with background matching the subject’s clothes could be created.

Image 3
The background and composition is working well in this image. It is interesting to see how the life behind my model is normal, engaging in every day activities. This image appears to be more like a snapshot, rather than a fashion photo. This was interpreted as an energetic girl rebelling against the camera by showing off her necklace. Combine with the previous picture; these images work well together, depicting the personality of my model. It was said that this photo could benefit from a crop since the eye has a hard time knowing where to look. From here, more fashion snapshots could be created in public settings.

Image 4
This image wasn’t interpreted as well as I had hoped. The lighting needs to be a touch lighter and I could have placed my light source in a different place. My models, however, are working well. The image with their eyes closed makes this set of photos appear as a silent movie or narrative. I wanted to mock photo booths, which was obvious to my viewers. From here, another photo shoot with masks could be created or more photos put together to make a silent narrative.

#23

1. In what ways do you “construct” your identity? In what ways do you “perform” in your daily life?
Ways in which I construct my identity are through involving myself in activities I love, such as art. My life revolves around these things, so having friends and family involved in them as well is part of my identity. Furthermore, surrounding myself with friends who have the same sense of humor and lifestyle as I do is part of my identity. One can tell who a person is by his or her friends, which is why it is important to create healthy relationships. Ways in which I perform my identity is by maintaining relationships and immersing myself in the art world. More importantly, I find it important to keep myself grounded and not let myself forget who I am and where I came from.

2. Describe some ways in which your personal culture and social environments are “constructed”.
A way I construct a social environment is through the friends I have made and who I chose to engage in activities with. I know what social situations I enjoy and what situations I stray away from. By choosing whom I hang out with and where we hang out, I can construct my social identity. As for personal culture, one creates this through which aspects of popular culture relate to them. For example, Facebook is a huge part of today’s society. Since I use Facebook, it is part of my personal culture.

3. Describe some ways in which your physical environment/space is “constructed”.
I construct my physical space by decorating in a way that pleases me. I like to cover my walls with pictures I have taken on trips or of loved ones. I like to have bright colors surrounding me and interesting things to look at.

4. In your daily life, what would you consider to be “real” and what would you consider to be “constructed/fabricated”?
In my daily life, I consider relationship and emotions to be “real.” It’s difficult to fake true emotion and it’s obvious when true relationships are tangible. In my daily life, my art is constructed. All art must be fabricated in some form. Since I am taking only studio art classes and create my own art every day, constructing new concepts and projects is my normality.

5. Describe a narrative tableaux that you might create to be captured by a photograph. A narrative tableaux can be defined as “Several human actors play out scenes from everyday life, history, myth or the fantasy of the direction artist” ( Constructed Realities: The Art of Staged Photography Edited by Michael Kohler , 34).
I would create a narrative tableaux by recreating iconic photographs from history in modern life. I have already done this for a couple assignments (such as my recreation of Rosie the Riveter), but it would be interesting to expand this idea into a larger concept.

6. Describe an idea for a photograph that includes a miniature stage or still life. A description of such an image is “The tableaux reconstructs events as in the narrative tableaux, but in miniaturized format, using dolls and other toy objects” (Kohler, 34).
After researching the artists I was assigned for this week, I was really interested in the way James Casebere created his own cities and photographs them. It would be interesting to create my “ideal” house and city on a small scale to photograph.

final images

In this image, I was responding to the “crime scene” prompt. I had my camera on a ten second shutter speed and had my model move positions half way through the exposure. I positioned her by the wall to make a one-point perspective. This photo can be interpreted in numerous ways. It looks as though there are two different people in the picture, when really it is the same model. Overall, the image is eerie, due to the lighting and the obvious fact that my model looks like a ghost. I used a very slow shutter speed to create this image, and had my model fall to the ground half way through the exposure. By doing this, two figures can be seen, but neither are fully in focus. My goal for this image was to have my model in two different positions in the same frame. It is hard to interpret this image correctly, but it could be a representation of one being outside herself or feeling defeated by oneself.

In this fashion photo, I posed my model in front of a dumpster to get a unique and interesting background. I wanted the emphasis to be on her clothes and style, so I captured her whole body in the frame. My model is known for her innovative fashion sense, so I told her to wear whatever she wanted and to put on anything and everything she wanted. I posed her in many different places, even Starbucks, and had her pose in her best “model” positions. I used natural light for this photo. My goal for the image was to emphasize my model’s clothes and personal style through photography. This photo shows that anyone can be fashionable and models don’t have to be alien-looking stick figures.

This image was a complete mishap; I was moving my camera and accidentally took a picture of my model showing off her necklace. Luckily, the picture turned out well and has a nice snapshot feel to it. My model’s expression matches her clothes in that they are both edgy and bold. Before I took this, I was taking pictures of my model on the sidewalk and wanted to depict her with “normal” looking people. I was simply trying to take my camera off of my tripod when I accidentally took this. I like the aesthetic of this image and how the composition isn’t perfect.

Here, I was mocking photo booths. Generally, photo booth pictures consist of crazy poses and faces. I put my models in matching clothes and had them wear masks to be very un-photo booth. I wanted to play around with our knowledge of a photo booth and what a photo strip would look like without crazy faces and smiles. I used one diffused light source to create this image and paired my models with a white wall. With this image, I wanted to break preconceived notions of a common aspect of photography we are all familiar with.

in progress

#22

A. Series: Brainstorm various ways to make a “series” of photographic images.

A series of images should be related in some way and have a correlating theme throughout. This could be through a place, a subject, a specific lighting situation, etc. A series can also tell a narrative or capture the essence of an event.

B. Final Project: Your final project in this class will be designed by you. If you could tackle any photography project, what would it be? You could combine other media with photography (video, sculpture, drawing) or you could take one of your earlier assignments and expand it to create a larger project. If you are expanding an earlier project or creating an entirely new series of images, shoot for a series of at least 5 images. Describe an idea you have for your final project.

I’m not set on an idea for my final project yet. I like the idea of expanding an earlier project, but I’m not sure which one. In order to accomplish this project, I’ll have to try numerous photo shoots to see which project I am able to expand the best.

in progress- assign. 4

crit response

Image 1
This was interpreted as a portrait of a horse. It was noted that the leading lines from the fence to the horses were a nice way for the eye to travel. The shadow from the horse in the front of the picture casts an interesting shadow, creating an intriguing element of the photo. The horse in the front might need a little dodging, just to amp up the contrast. From here, a jumping off point could be capture images of animals in contemporary society and how their lifestyle contrasts to the olden days.

Image 2
The message of this image was well received. The correlation between the couple and the carvings in the tree was obvious to my viewers. The concept behind this image is working well and makes the photo work. The tree needs some burning and dodging to make the carvings stand out. Also, the background could use some work since it is a little over exposed. From here, showing how humans change the environment without noticing could be a jumping off point.


Images 3&4
These images work well together. Since the branches cover the doors from opposite sides, it is interesting to put these images next to one another, connecting the branches. Both of the compositions are working well and are successful together or apart. It was said that these two images should be make into a diptych, rather than being displayed on their own. Furthermore, the composition in the bottom photo seems to be working better in that the viewpoint is more realistic and relatable. From here, it would be easy to do a series of doors and how they are covered or not covered by nature.

recreate #4

inspiration: lolcats.

recreation: realcats.

when did cats become illiterate?