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ARTS 3379.501 Photography and New Media blog

[bayangflores]

Photobook Final Project Interlude

I like to remember that superheroes aren’t just superheroes. The stories never show it, but there’s always the day after “happily ever after.”  As a kid, I never thought about the fact that fighting evil by moonlight and winning love by daylight meant that Sailor Moon never had time to save money for college. Kenshin Himura might be the greatest swordsman in the world, but eventually even he has to stop and wash dishes. I created this photo book to reinforce the idea that life isn’t always as glamorous as others might make it seem. Seeing iconic characters do menial everyday tasks is a refreshing sight, and it’s a nice reminder that everyone deserves to simply be happy.  Real life is harsh. Not everything can be fun and magical all the time--and that’s okay. There is beauty in simplicity and joy to be found in the mundane. I don’t have time to watch cartoons religiously like I did when I was young, but imagining my favorite characters going to the park posing for group selfies like I do with my friends remind me that heroes aren’t all heroic all the time. It’s okay for me to take a break. It’s okay for me to have an interlude from life, as it is for them, too.

[bayangflores]

Women’s Work Exhibit

Today I went to the SP/N art gallery on campus to see the Women’s Work Exhibit. 

There were photographs, video installations, and soft sculptures on exhibit. Below are two of the works that stood out to me the most. 

I love the framing of each of these portraits, as well as the increasing amount of splatter on each of them. I enjoy the simplicity of it, but it’s still visually interesting to look at. 

This one caught my eye due to the colors. Similar to neon lights, the reflections in the water are brightly colored, and putting it against the stark blue water gives a nostalgic 80′s new wave aesthetic to it. 

Finally, I have an image of me standing beside a cutout of Ms. Libby Rowe. In accordance with her feminist message, I chose not to smile in this image, as (ironically enough) someone told me to smile as I was walking to the exhibit. 

It was a nice day, and I’m glad to have experienced this exhibit myself. 

[bayangflores]

For my artist research assignment I did Nam June Paik.

A Korean-American artist, Paik became known as the father of video art by bringing to so-called “fool’s box” into the art gallery. He also coined the term “information superhighway”and was prophetic in his worldview of the internet, technology, and how things would progress in the future. He was a man ahead of his own time, and as most of his works are technology-based light installations, they naturally caught my eye. I appreciate his ability to turn something mundane into something beautiful, and never underestimating the potential of the things around him to be turned into something spectacular. 

[bayangflores]

This was for my .gif assignment in class.  I took this while someone was playing Total Nuclear Annihilation, so my phone was hovering over their head and I was trying not to get in their way. 

Was a fun little process, and I feel the fact that the camera isn’t in the same place adds a sense of chaos to the image.  

[bayangflores]

So I’m deciding to change directions in my final project. I’m going to be taking location shots and editing in manga characters interacting with the world as if they existed in it as well. I really like the paper doll aesthetic, and I’m having a lot of fun working on this so far.

[bayangflores]

Photobook Review

I found that reading the introduction and context actually helped a lot. I jumped into Martin Parr’s The Last Resort without any context and was utterly confused. Loretta Lux’s Aperture, on the other hand, had a fairly straight forward format and a really cohesive color palette. 

I want to make sure that my photo book works together both thematically, conceptually, and with color flow. Loretta Lux’s colors were the only thing that kept me going despite how uncomfortable I was with her actual subject matter. 

[bayangflores]

Went to visit San Francisco over Spring Break to spend some time with my cousins.  I shot this right before putting my cellphone on airplane mode during the flight. 

[bayangflores]

Following Cig Harvey’s presentation at the University Theater about a month ago, I’ve been looking at photography differently. Instead of it being something that comes to me, I’ve started to go out and look for it, putting matters into my own hands. Harvey’s talk reminded me that not all art is luck and talent--it’s hard hard work too. I’ve kind of been resigning myself to not having good photos because I didn’t have “good” subject matter, but in reality, I just haven’t been trying hard enough to approach things with enough creativity.

She has a very striking way of using color, and it baffles me that she doesn’t use any kind of editing software. The striking boldness of the red against the white and cold grey hues is so pleasing to look at. Even the hints of footsteps near the bottom center left helps add depth to what almost seems like a white void.

I’m inspired by her work and craftsmanship.

[bayangflores]

For my final project I’d like to do something regarding cosplay photography, as it’s something I’ve been interested in for a while.

I like to make costumes and go to conventions, but I’ve never really had dedicated photos of any of my work, despite having cosplayed quite a few characters now.  For the final product I’d like to make something along the lines of a photo book with images I can be proud of. 

[obnubilant]

神龍

[bayangflores]

.on In the Future, We Will Photograph Everything and Look at Nothing

With the introduction of free photo editing software, I believe that this is a necessary step in the evolution of art and photography. I don’t think it’s a matter of technology controlling the creator, rather it’s technology allowing the creator more power to build and control the final outcome. Cars don’t control people, they just allow people to get from point A to point B faster, through whatever route they may choose. 

Our relationship with photography is evolving. We don’t have to carry around massive antique cameras anymore. Each generation of smartphone is incorporating increasingly better cameras with every new model. While photos are becoming more and more commonplace, Photography is still an artistic medium that requires skills and knowledge to master. Everyone might be able to take photos, but not everyone is a photographer.  

[bayangflores]

Kiki’s Delivery Service, Movie Stills Assignment

For my narrative photos assignment, I decided to try to depict and recreate scenes from the classic Studio Ghibli animated film, Kiki’s Delivery Service, adapted from a novel of the same name by Eiko Kadono. The film follows a 13 year old witch named Kiki and her magical cat familiar Jiji, on her journey away from home to pursue and hone her magical skills. 

In this photo set, each photo represents a plot point from the film-- Kiki leaving home, arriving at the port city Koriko, feeling lost and isolated, and eventually falling into a state of depression.

In creating these photographs, I found images of the background art from the Ghibli film and projected them onto a wall. I then posed in front of them, some photos being taken with a tripod and a timer, and others being taken with the help of my boyfriend. Of the ones we took, I found I enjoyed these four the most, especially how the color schemes of each background help portray the narrative of Kiki going from being comfortable and confident to slowly feeling more unsure and isolated. With each photo, I also positioned myself left to right to help tie together the progressing narrative between each photo.  

[bayangflores]

before and after photoshop

[bayangflores]

.on the Charlotte Cotton reading

Cotton writes about the process of prep work in modern photography in which set up is required to portray narrative within a single image. This process is compared to traditional painting in that creating a scene takes just as much work and effort to properly convey a story within a photograph. 

From a personal standpoint, working with cosplay photography, I understand part of what these photographers have to work with. To have to create insane angles and awkward situations and show that in a proper picture is difficult. Especially when it comes to cosplay photography, trying to emulate the ridiculous angles and proportions lots of fictional characters have is ridiculous.

[odioart]

Probably my favorite pieces. I went back over them and added a noise filter to give it more of a vintage look.  Oh I am back btw….  O D I O 

[bayangflores]

menagerie.

For my Photomontage project, I used a photo of myself compiled with parts of shots I’ve taken in the past. The polaroids, the number 8, and all other images play a part in who I am. It’s a messy sort of selfie. 

link to original images used for this photomontage

[bayangflores]

.scavenger hunt

line, space/form, texture, color, pattern/repetition, balance, emphasis, movement

*photos aren’t mine, just threw some together considering I registered for this class like 2 weeks late haha