Self Assignment

For my project I wanted to capture what it is to be in our word at this time. Most people go to places and do not realize the unique time we live in. A lot of people do not about things such as Walmart that we take for granted, and yet even twenty years ago we did not have Walmart the way we do today. And this is true for many other things that people seem to take for granted. Times will change and I want today to be remembered. So for my project I want to attempt to capture the times today, and hopefully record it so that people will not forget it when things inevitably change tomorrow. I plan to take pictures of the places some people take for granted, and try to capture the people that live today.

My inspiration is from Walker Evans and Helen Levitt, both of whom to me tried to capture the same thing in the respective times that they lived. Things have changed much since their time, and yet because of photographers like them, the people and places of that age have been recorded. People like them are needed so that the history of our culture and people can be remembered, which are just as important as the history of wars and politics. I would like to try to emulate them somewhat and travel around the surrounding areas to try to capture our current culture and people the way that great photographers like them have.

Portrait Assignment Response

For the first portrait assignment I chose a different picture than what the rest of the class picked as the nicest piece. The one I chose is of my friend Nathaniel sitting in a tree looking off into the distance. I liked this piece because I enjoyed the contrast of the colors with the darker browns and greens around him with his lighter colored clothes and skin complexion. I also liked the mysterious gaze that that he has in the piece. It makes me even wonder whether he is daydreaming or actually looking intently in something off the edge of the photo.

 The piece that the class chose as their favorite was of my roommate doing a strange impression of Tonto from the Lone Ranger. They were able to look past the silliness of the piece to see its artistic value. They were intrigued about how he is obviously on a road, but with no idea of what kind. Is it a street in a small town or in a large city. Plus the colors were interesting with the way his clothes were able to match the ground somewhat and still contrast. The one thing that was recommended to change is to possibly move the manhole in the back and to also try taking the photo vertically so that more of the ground in front of him is showing.