In all of my final photos this year, I’ve noticed that I like to take away color or make the image darker and more dramatic in order to make the audience focus on the intricate detail and composition of the photo. I believe that if a picture has too much color or if it is too bright, the audience won’t take time to look at the picture in depth since the color is more vibrant than the detail that the photographer worked very hard to include. When the color is taken away, the audience can take their time to focus on the details and composition of the photo.
Other than taking the color away from an image, I’ve noticed that I don’t place the focal point/main subject of the photo in the middle of the picture. In other words, I tend to use the composition called Rule of Thirds. I place the subject adjacent to the center on either the right or left side. I do this because, our brains are fixed to look to the side of things in pictures. If you drew a 3-by-3 grid on the photo, your eyes would gravitate towards the intersections of the grid. While I take photos, I think of the grid's intersections and move the camera so the subject is lined up with them. With this trick, I get people to look at the photo longer.
When I shoot photos, I adjust the camera to be at the objects approximate level, se the camera to my eye level or get shoot up towards the object from underneath it. Naturally, I am drawn to things that don't move, like trees or flowers, as well as murals that I find hidden in the alleyways in the city. I believe it is easier to take pictures of things that don't move and shoot the object from different angles rather than adjusting a living thing multiple times. To take these still-life pictures, I either use the macro setting (full zoom depending on what camera is used) or I use the macro setting to blur out the background. While shooting I can also place multiple still objects into the photo following the rule of odds. As I shoot, I don't focus on anything besides what will work for the project I was assigned and the elements that I want to work into my final photo(s) as well as persective and the amount of detail in the item being shot.
An interesting photo for me has a mixture of rich light and dark tones along with plenty of texture and an interesting perspective (worms-eye, macro or birds-eye). When I look at other people's photography or art piece, I focus on the main subject and analyze how it fits into the photo, what the main idea for the piece is and what enhancements the person did to the photo to make it appear as it is in front of me, along with edits that they could make to further improve the photo. As I analyze the piece, it starts to make more sence and I get to experience it in a different way every time I look at it. There is always something new to find in someone's ark piece with each analyzation.
Other than taking the color away from an image, I’ve noticed that I don’t place the focal point/main subject of the photo in the middle of the picture. In other words, I tend to use the composition called Rule of Thirds. I place the subject adjacent to the center on either the right or left side. I do this because, our brains are fixed to look to the side of things in pictures. If you drew a 3-by-3 grid on the photo, your eyes would gravitate towards the intersections of the grid. While I take photos, I think of the grid's intersections and move the camera so the subject is lined up with them. With this trick, I get people to look at the photo longer.
When I shoot photos, I adjust the camera to be at the objects approximate level, se the camera to my eye level or get shoot up towards the object from underneath it. Naturally, I am drawn to things that don't move, like trees or flowers, as well as murals that I find hidden in the alleyways in the city. I believe it is easier to take pictures of things that don't move and shoot the object from different angles rather than adjusting a living thing multiple times. To take these still-life pictures, I either use the macro setting (full zoom depending on what camera is used) or I use the macro setting to blur out the background. While shooting I can also place multiple still objects into the photo following the rule of odds. As I shoot, I don't focus on anything besides what will work for the project I was assigned and the elements that I want to work into my final photo(s) as well as persective and the amount of detail in the item being shot.
An interesting photo for me has a mixture of rich light and dark tones along with plenty of texture and an interesting perspective (worms-eye, macro or birds-eye). When I look at other people's photography or art piece, I focus on the main subject and analyze how it fits into the photo, what the main idea for the piece is and what enhancements the person did to the photo to make it appear as it is in front of me, along with edits that they could make to further improve the photo. As I analyze the piece, it starts to make more sence and I get to experience it in a different way every time I look at it. There is always something new to find in someone's ark piece with each analyzation.
Personal Artist Statement for the 2017 Semester
Throughout this semester, I have noticed growth in my photos as I have acquired new skills and techniques to take the photos that will work with the projects I was assigned. One thing that I noticed that all my photos continue to have in common is the use of darker colors or using dark settings with pops of color for contrast. For example, I had my extended exposure photo (for the motion project) set at night with bright colors to contrast the dark hue of the sky. I also tend to shot things that I can relate to personally. An example of this is in my Narrative photo 'Voices' which gives the audience some insight as to what a certain panic attack might look like and it raises mental health awareness in the viewers.
This entire year I've noticed that I use dark colors or take away bright colors from photos, with few exceptions like my portrait photographs. I do this because making photos darker brings a mysterious feeling to the photo and makes the audience imagine what it might look like with colorful elements. When I look at pieces of art, I gravitate towards the darkest parts of the photo and I wanted to include many dark elements to make my audience feel this feeling as well.
This semester, I have photographed people and nature for each of my projects. I use people to convey a message with the audience that is difficult to communicate with words by posing them in different areas with different types of expressions. With nature and animals, I show the audience how the world should be viewed in a still, calm manner in order to appreciate the beauty that we are all surrounded by constantly and continue to take for granted. I am always drawn to capturing still things since they can always be captured in their natural form. When something is posed, it feels wrong to capture a, what I like to call, 'false moment'. It seems to me that when you capture a false moment, you are lying to your audience or trying to tell a made up story, which shouldn't be how nature is captured or shared with the people; By posing things that grow naturally, you take away their natural stance and beauty, making them flawed in the audiences eyes.
To get an interesting photo, I like to capture an exact moment. Since life is just full of moments that we can't stop or change, I like to shoot my photographs that way as well. When you capture the right moment, you let the audience see what you saw in that moment and they will hopefully feel what you felt at that moment as well.
This entire year I've noticed that I use dark colors or take away bright colors from photos, with few exceptions like my portrait photographs. I do this because making photos darker brings a mysterious feeling to the photo and makes the audience imagine what it might look like with colorful elements. When I look at pieces of art, I gravitate towards the darkest parts of the photo and I wanted to include many dark elements to make my audience feel this feeling as well.
This semester, I have photographed people and nature for each of my projects. I use people to convey a message with the audience that is difficult to communicate with words by posing them in different areas with different types of expressions. With nature and animals, I show the audience how the world should be viewed in a still, calm manner in order to appreciate the beauty that we are all surrounded by constantly and continue to take for granted. I am always drawn to capturing still things since they can always be captured in their natural form. When something is posed, it feels wrong to capture a, what I like to call, 'false moment'. It seems to me that when you capture a false moment, you are lying to your audience or trying to tell a made up story, which shouldn't be how nature is captured or shared with the people; By posing things that grow naturally, you take away their natural stance and beauty, making them flawed in the audiences eyes.
To get an interesting photo, I like to capture an exact moment. Since life is just full of moments that we can't stop or change, I like to shoot my photographs that way as well. When you capture the right moment, you let the audience see what you saw in that moment and they will hopefully feel what you felt at that moment as well.