Separated from Society's Sight

Artist Statement

            I am expressing the strength and independence of women in contrast to society's distorted view. Society, in general, views women as lesser than men; women are not seen as capable. From grade eight through Junior year of high school my mother took care of the family. My dad was going through many surgeries, and those had their side effects. When the family business started to fall it was my mother that took care of everything, and she did not feel as she was doing enough. She constantly felt down and out, but she tried to maintain positivity. My mother, in that time, was trying to break free of societal suppression; she was becoming more independent than the she thought she could. The dancers are breaking free from society’s view and becoming more independent and confident. The dancers represent the small part of women who truly feel independent, and the broken environment shows how shattered society’s view of women is. 

Peter McKinnon's Photography

The first person that really caught my eye once I got into photography was Peter McKinnon. I was, and still am, drawn to the way he edits his photos. The edits of his landscape/cityscape photography appear so subtle as to just bring the darks a little darker and the brights a little lighter. The photos really have a glow and a depth that, I feel, other photographers lack. His portraits are every bit as impressive. If there is water you feel like it will drip from the page, and if there is dust you feel as if it is beginning to fill the room. He really captures the essence of the scene while creating this feeling of being present at that moment the picture was taken. Below are a few of my favorites.

Assignment 4

I chose this sports image, because it worked well with the idea I had of drawing all of one's focus to the ball.

Starry Night.

Death is not as easy to cope with as everyone says. 

There is a beauty in the hidden heart.

The arts are not as barren as society thinks.

The camera is our paintbrush, it is our pencil, it is our way to express.

Floridian Sunset.

Game Day - Assignment 3

In this series of pictures I want to show how different sports athletes prepare for games in different ways. Even athletes within the same sports prepare different for games. I used three guys from the hockey team and three girls from the volleyball team to exhibit my theme. Each player is identified by team apparel. I used Jill Greenberg lighting on each subject except Brooke, because I feel it gives a more intense look of the subjects' faces while exhibiting detail.  

Curtis

Daisy

Noah

Jessy

Matt

Brooke

Rosie's Contrary Personalities

Here are two photos I took in class within the past week or so that I believe show Rosie's personality. The first picture colder and a bit darker. The hair light draw focus to Rosie's face. The cold dark mood in this pictures, I believe, shows her more reserved side. The second picture uses natural light at her back that acts as a strong key light from the back left and doubles as a hair light. I had someone hold a grey/gold card to reflect the light onto the front of her face which acts as a fill light. To me this shows Rosie's bubbly laughing side that you encounter when she gets in front of the lens rather than behind it.

In Class Portraits

On this picture of Rosie I ever so slightly enhanced a some color, and I sharpened the picture a little too. The original photo was pretty good, so I did not want to mess with its integrity.

On this picture of me I really played with the contrast of the background. I tried to push the boundaries of the highlights and shadow of my face without losing too much detail.

Peter McKinnon

My brother, Gavin, showed me a YouTube video a few weeks ago that he thought I would like. It was a tutorial for PhotoShop,  but even more than that it was about a guy who immersed himself in photography and cinematography. Peter McKinnon vlogs on his YouTube channel, and he gives advice to artists. His photography captures what we have been recently learning in class about color. He brings in color to add emphasis on certain areas in his work. In some of his videos he talks about the importance of cool tones versus warm tones. Peter McKinnon shows how cool tones or warm tones can completely change the feel of a photo or video. Below is one of his pictures I like that is posted on his website.