Final, for real ;D

After last week's feedback I was in a little bit of a funk, but once I sat down and really stared at my last attempt, I couldn't have agreed more with your comments. It just felt like I was trying to say too much with too much. I took a slightly more simplistic approach this time around, and honestly, the message is just as strong, if not stronger in my opinion. I hope you like this one better, because I certainly do! :)

 

 American Sins/Stereotypes

A little explanation for the design choices made.

Even though I have already explained my reasoning and purpose for my execution of this assignment, since we won't be meeting in class until we present, I thought I would explain some of my design choices in advanced. I chose the font specifically because it reminded me of old type writers that were commonly used through out the 19th and 20th centuries. Faith, morals, and the overall outlooks on life back then were so different than they are now. While all of the above subjects/topics existed back then, they weren't nearly as common, important, or accepted as they are by our society today. However, even though faith and morals seem to be slowly fading out of our society (represented by small font size), our country is still a united country, people are still fighting for their rights, and as a country we are always changing and growing. So while we are certainly not perfect, and while it definitely wouldn't hurt to change these particular aspects about our country, we are still all united (represented by the circle).

Nearing Completion!

Hello! Alrighty, so I have made my layout with the images I took over Thanksgiving break, however I have three different variations which I need help deciding from. Below are my three different variations. What do you think? The text going around the images is the quote from the movie Se7en that I've included in the last few posts. I wasn't sure if I should include what each picture represents, but I figured with the additional elements of the piece that the topics would be fairly obvious.

I would love all thoughts and comments!

Thanks!

Update! :D

Hello! So I did my photo shoot over Thanksgiving break, and I just want to keep shooting this theme forever!! Haha, I had SO much fun and am loving how this is going so far! 

Here are my finalized images for each of my "American Stereotypes/Sins"

Frivolous Spending

 Promiscuity

 Ignorance

 Vices

 Gluttony

 Vanity

Like I said, I had a blast shooting these.

From this point, I will be playing around with the quote from the movie, Se7en that I referred to in my last post;

"A woman... so ugly on the inside she couldn't bear to go on living if she couldn't be beautiful on the outside. A drug dealer, a drug dealing pederast, actually! And let's not forget the disease-spreading whore! Only in a world this shitty could you even try to say these were innocent people and keep a straight face. But that's the point. We see a deadly sin on every street corner, in every home, and we tolerate it. We tolerate it because it's common, it's trivial. We tolerate it morning, noon, and night. Well, not anymore. I'm setting the example. What I've done is going to be puzzled over and studied and followed... forever."

 

I was also thinking about using an overlay of the American flag over these images, just to keep playing with my concept. 

Interesting story:

I was talking to my friend Marjuan, who is an immigrant from the Middle East, and I was discussing my project with him. I didn't realize at the time how great it was to discuss this with someone who had originally lived in another country that saw and heard these stereotypes about Americans all the time. He shared with me that those were ALL things that were joked about Americans. He told me that when people in the Middle East imitate what Americans look like, they pull on their ear lobes and puff our their cheeks, AKA playing on the idea that we're all fat and over indulge. I have to say, after speaking to him, it made me even more motivated and love this project even more! Hopefully by viewing these images, people who are desensitized to all of the above can take a step back and look at themselves, any perhaps change some of their habits? Who knows, but I love thinking it could happen. :)

 

 

Thanks! I hope you enjoy!

Project Ron Saks: Progress!

Hello! Alrighty, so I have spent some time thinking a lot about layout and specifics. I will be shooting a total of six portraits of the following categories:

• Promiscuity 
• Obesity/Glutney
• Vices; Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking
• Ignorance
• Frivolous Spending
• Vanity

Again, what I hope to bring to light through these images are things in our society that we all know that we shouldn't be doing and that we are all, more or less, completely desensitized to.

A quote that I would love to incorporate into this piece is a quote from the movie, Se7en.

                         "A woman... so ugly on the inside she couldn't bear to go on living if she couldn't be beautiful on the outside. A drug dealer, a drug dealing pederast, actually! And let's not forget the disease-spreading whore! Only in a world this shitty could you even try to say these were innocent people and keep a straight face. But that's the point. We see a deadly sin on every street corner, in every home, and we tolerate it. We tolerate it because it's common, it's trivial. We tolerate it morning, noon, and night. Well, not anymore. I'm setting the example. What I've done is going to be puzzled over and studied and followed... forever."

This quote is exactly what I'm trying to say through my images.  Sure, its said pretty bluntly, but I think its still a rather powerful statement, and if displayed with images, I think the message will just be that much more powerful.

I will either be displaying this piece in a 2x3 fashion, or a 3x2.

I'm really looking forward to shooting this project! I'm currently arranging for models right now with some friends. I will be shooting both male and female models for this, and depending on how I feel about the individual portraits as I'm doing them, I have a new Macro lens that I would love to use for some of these images! Eeeeee! ^_^

--------  I commented on Alex Trimpe's Blog! -------

Project Ron Saks: Innitial Ideas!

For this assignment, I would like to do a narrative series of photos.
One idea that I had to execute this project would be to display the Seven Deadly Sins, but rather than whole figure shots, I want to be able to confidently express each of the Sins in a photo of just this much of the subjects:

I want to show the characteristics of each person in regards to body language, expression, and minor props. By leaving the eyes out of the frame, I believe that this would allow for the viewers to focus on all of those things greater.

Another sub-idea to that idea would be to photograph a bunch of "American Stereotypes", or even "America's Sins". I would want to photograph my subjects the same way as in my first idea, but the subjects would be doing things like smoking a cigarette, eating a sloppy cheeseburger, drinking a beer, smoking marijuana, caking makeup on, texting, perhaps throw in a politically motivated topic, etc.  Again, by leaving out the eyes, the subjects will be able to focus on all other elements of the images easier.

So, the purpose or 'story' that I will be conveying will be more or less pointing out the flaws in our society and generations today; the things that we all do so often and don't realize the affects these things either have on ourselves and/or the world around us! 

 

Let me know what you think! :)

- Also, I commented on Brenna Weinstein's post!

Project JFJ: "Bittersweet Beginning"

JFJ Project- "Mom" Progress

The progress that I've made on my project thus far has been figuring out how I want to depict my different visuals to help convey my message and illustrate my letter to "Mom". Examples of some of my image ideas are as follows:

• To create imagery of a child standing in a lit doorway (background) over looking a dark room. In the foreground, the camera will be shooting from on the floor and you will see a hand laying lifeless off the side of a couch with an empty bottle of vodka on the ground.
• To create imagery of a child standing on an old chair in front of a stove, stirring steaming pots. 
• To create metaphorical images using hills/steep inclines, etc, with positive icons at the top and negative icons at the bottom, all relevant to my original statement. The age of the person hiking/struggling up these inclines will vary in age depending on the visual "goals and struggles".
• Perhaps in all of the above images, hide the actual hand written letter in the photo.
• Write the original "letter" on paper by hand, and photograph the letter in elements relevant to the contents of the letter. 

I would like to do a small series and/or narrative to express this piece. I will post supporting images here in a little bit to help visualize my ideas. Please feel free to ask me questions, I'd love to answer them!

-EB

JFJ Project- "Mom"

Although it hasn't been an easy trip, I've somehow managed to stay by your side, love you, and respect you. Through your hardships I have learned tbe best lessons of my life, so no mistake went unnoticed. Our friendship has grown so much over the years, and while sometimes I wish you were more mother than friend, I still don't feel as though I should complain. Between the barricades, vodka, the occasional hot dinner, and the "forgive me" vacations, I don't feel as though I would change it if I could.
Thank you, Mom, for giving me a bittersweet beginning.

                         "A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts."  

- Washington Irving

Revisionnnnnn

After our discussion in class today, I have to say that I didn't realize that the panel one must be pattern and that panel two must be texture. After going back to the assignment sheet, I clearly did see that in the instructions and I apologize for not reading it in more depth! I went back and corrected my mistake by taking your advice and flipped the sides of the diptych. I hope this is better and I apologize for my error.

Finished!

Hello! I finally completed my final diptych. After a lot of thinking, time, and debating, here is my final piece. The texture dominant portion is the segment on the left, and the pattern dominant segment is on the right. I look forward to discussing this and explaining it further in class tomorrow!

Progress!

Alrighty, well I have made quite a bit of progress on this assignment since my last post. What I have decided to do portray three images for the texture diptych and three images for the pattern diptych. I will be displaying these images in a stacked fashion. For the textured images, I plan on photographing images of things that are rough, dry, and/or just plain nasty, but close enough so that you can see the rust, or cracks in the dirt, etc. In other words, things that make you feel icky and/or uncomfortable.)

For my pattern diptych, I will be photographing patterns in materials that are soft, comforting, moist/earthy, etc. For example, things like vintage wallpaper, old blankets, lawn furniture, lace doilies, etc. (AKA things that remind you of good/happy things)

To tie these two diptychs together, I will be having something rough, like barbed wire or a jagged stick, run across the textured diptych over top of the three photos, and on the pattern diptych I will have something soft with a pattern, like yarn, going across the screen as well. While there will be a break in the page between the diptychs, to create a little brain-breathing room when looking from piece to piece,  these two objects (barbed wire & yarn) will appear to meet in the middle to appear as though one is becoming the other.

I have attached a photo to give you an idea of what I will be doing! However, the images will be different, but like I said- just to give you an idea. :)

Enjoy!

Project Helen Hoffelt

For my panels, I have considered quite a few ideas for both the texture piece and the pattern piece.

For the textured piece, the idea of using "opposite textures" appealed to me. Like using something fluffy with something sharp and jagged, and/or something soft like a blanket with something rough like sand paper. If allowed, I think I would like to do my panels with photos. Perhaps a collage of a bunch of photos that reflect these opposite textures.
For the patterned panel, I was thinking about photographing a scene with tons of clashing patterns. Perhaps every surface is that of a different pattern, such as cups, clothing, furnature, wallpaper, table cloths, etc.

I haven't quite decided on if I want to do a series of portrait photography with a fashion flare, or a series of shots that are so close and so focused on these patterns and textures that you can hardly tell what is actually being photographed. I am very excited to execute this project and I look forward to posting my progress! :)

-EB