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Anyway, I have selected three of my favorite. I don't think they're amazing or anything. I definitely think there is room for improvement, but I'm okay with that. With some things I want to be immediately good, but photography isn't one of them. I'm excited to experience the learning process and improve.
The concept for the first image, the bowl with the morning light coming in through the window, I tried several different framing ideas. This one I liked the best because I really like the edge of the table and the perpendicular edge of the tray. And then the bowl sitting nicely underneath. I think my image almost looks like it belongs in a cook book, but the actual food is too dark, like it's a rejected recipe. I didn't have a concept, but in writing this I kind of let my mind wander and I started to personify the reject cereal. I'm imagining that it is watching the successful recipes over yonder while they get nice bright lights and proper attention.
Erm... oookay, anyway, so, I did not plan this scene beforehand. I had used the cereal bowl in a constructed scene and shot several photos of that, then I moved the cereal bowl here, and it turned out I liked this a lot better. My goal was to capture a peaceful image of a bowl of cereal. I think all of my images were inspired by Uta Barth's peaceful images, at least the first two. The dull muted tones create a mood that's kind of sad, but kind of happy.
The second images composition I really like. It is very simple while being very asymmetrical. I think this image has a very peaceful, unmoving mood. I was lying on the floor and I thought this would make a nice image. I took several shots, some in focus, others completely out of focus, and I turned the camera to get different compositions. I wanted to have a very very calm, high-key image. This one is 100% most definitely inspired by Uta Barth; completely.
The last image I set up this way because I felt it followed the rule of thirds, and generally, the rule of thirds produces some pretty nice images. I think this image is kind of sad, as if this elephant has just been found dead at night and the authorities have just arrived with a huge flood-light. But also, it's kind of funny, because it's a stuffed animal. And I set up the photo, so I know it's not real, and I'm almost laughing at the doll as if it's making a fool of itself. I took lots of shots, but I only moved around the doll once or twice, so mostly the changes were moving the camera and lighting around. My intention for this image was actually just to relate the texture of the doll to the pattern of the sheets, I felt they went really nice together. Any other meaning came about accidentally. This image reminds me of cartoons and comics that have a darker humor that adults enjoy and kids don't notice.
Its funny. Looking at the stuffed animal image alone I think it is kind of a comical pose.
ReplyDeleteI think its when it is with the other two images that it takes on this very lonely abandoned quality. In any case, very beautiful.
My written statement on my final images after a week:
ReplyDeleteImage 1: I think the way my images all look so similar in color, together they express a kind of sad, lonely state. However, separately I think they convey very different meanings. The first image of the breakfast bowl expresses simply a calm lazy morning. I think what works in this image is the soft light and the comforting food (yuuum).
Image 2: I think this image made the other two images look lonely and sad, but on it's own I think this image works mostly on it's formal elements, that is, where the light and smoke alarm are placed, the light, and the pale colors. I would love to continue taking simple photographs like this in the future of calm areas where the chaos is cut out of the images.
Image 3: Again, next to the other two images, this one looked quite sad. But on it's own I think it's actually pretty funny, but in a sad way. Like I asked the stuffed animal to pay dead and he feels ridiculous. But he's not even alive! Which is probably just another reason why I find it so funny - that I'm attributing these feelings onto him. I think it works because the texture of the doll and the design of the bed sheets are so similar and they work well together. For some reason I love photographing my stuffed animals (part of me hates that about myself), so I think I would have a lot of fun making a series from all my dolls... oh boy...