Nathan Sawaya

This contemporary artist has gone from paintings, to photos, to sculptures of legos. He currently has an exhibition in Chelsea, New York.

A Need for Social Change

Filling a museum with artistic photographs and memorable moments was not Jacob Rii or Lewis Hine’s idea of photography. Taking snap shots of poverty and reality to promote social change constructed both Jacob Rii’s and Lewis Hine’s view on photography. To them, the camera was used to as weapon for social change.

Jacob Rii’s used photography to “illuminate the horrid details of grim poverty: dirt, trash, peeling paint, and the starkness of having nothing” (219). He was not concerned with the detail or the sharpness of a picture, but instead; he wanted his

pictures to reveal problems in order to make the unseen visible. This way, his audience would feel the responsibility to act. Rii’s did not feature the subjects face front on, he captured them in action to expose their true facial expression. Rii’s began giving lectures and pairing his photos with words demonstrating “that photographs, in combination with words, coul

d directs social activity.

Taking a look at his photo of these three children he reveals an ignored reality for so many. The boys look sad, cold and maybe even hungry. If Rii’s were to use this photograph in a lecture or publication the words would create a “photo story.”

While Rii’s presented the need for social change, through his candid photographs, Hine begged to reform child labor. His photographs were far from candid. The subject

was not only posing for the camera, but Hine also collected the information of the children photographed, such as: name, age, height, weight, work-related injuries, etc. As seen in the “Human Junk” photograph Hine supplies the picture with a few small phrases. Like Rii, Hine explained the use of a photo coupled

with words “directed viewers to a premeditated conclusion. So, when examining this photo it is easy to side with his opinion.

Both Rii and Hine constructed social change and reforms by using the camera and text to express societies need for change.

Analyzing John Berger's "Appearances"

In John Berger’s book, “Another Way of Telling” he purposes various aspects of a photograph. Determining the “good” aspects from the “bad” he presents us with the exceptional photograph. He interprets that an exceptional photograph should provide a desire to create further truth, curiosity and knowledge. The photo should arouse meaning although meaning, like the photo, is always ambiguous, in other words the photo has a form of uncertainty. For Example: If I were to show someone the photograph of these five girls laughing many questions would shuffle through their mind, especially if these five girls were unknown to the viewer. But, if the viewer knew these five girls he would have a much closer connection to the picture. In order to explain this concept Berger introduces the idea of a circle and its diameter. He explains, “The diameter of the circle depends on the amount of information to be found in the event’s instantaneous appearances. The diameter (the amount of information received) may vary according to the spectator’s personal relation to the photographed event” (121). To clarify his quote review the illustration below.

When a picture is taken it stops time:

Before the picture Picture taken After the picture

------------------------------O---------------------------------à

The dotted line represents our imagination of before and after the picture. For instance, for someone who does not know these five girls they would probably image the time before this picture as the good life and something extremely funny was said. Since there is not much to base the actual time period of the photograph on, one would probably ponder what was so finny. To someone who does not know these girls the photograph would be ambiguous but they could still have some sort of emotional connection to it. This is because we have a primal instinct to make meaning with our eyes. Berger explains: “We must take literally what vision teaches us” (116). We normally look at a photograph and immediately distill some sort of meaning. When the viewer begins viewing the photograph he would probably describe and interpret it. Stating:

-There are five girls, three blondes and two brunettes.

-They all have long hair and are laughing at something, but that something is ambiguous. -They are sitting on something like a couch because they are all seated lower than the picture and lamp behind them.

-It looks as though one of the middle girls said something funny because they are the ones looking at each other, maybe an inside joke? Or maybe they were all watching something in front of them that was funny because they are all seated facing the same direction.

-It looks like these five girls are friends and have probably been friends for quite some time.

While describing and interpreting the photograph the viewer begins to realize the picture has a sense of language. This is because he and anyone else in the universe can connect emotionally to it. Everyone knows what it is like to laugh with friends. We have all experienced the emotion and feeling of comfort when we are surrounded by people who care about us. The photograph is universal because it relate to anyone. While the picture does have a portion of language the facial and body expression of the girls along with a quote or caption would create a sense of a narrative to/about the photograph.

If I were to change roles and say the viewer knew these five girls, or was one of these five girls everything explained would change. The diameter of the circle would expand along with the viewer’s knowledge of before and after the picture was taken. The viewer would be able to interpret the picture and have a solid emotional connection to it. This image becomes a particular image because it is a wash of history to the people who knew the girls along with the girls in the photo.

This next photograph resembles a sort of truth. Berger states, “As one looks through the camera on to the experience of others, it is the “utter truth.” “In fact, when a photograph is used scientifically, its unquestionable evidence is an aid in the coming conclusion: it supplies information within the conceptual framework of an investigation” (98). Therefore when looking onto this picture of the x-ray of a broken leg, if is extra evidence for doctor assessing the patients leg. There is no need for captions or quotations the picture is, in fact, the utter truth. Berger’s quote “within the conceptual framework” implying that within the hospital and the broken leg (the framework) this picture is providing exact truthful evidence to both the doctor and the patient. Even if the photograph was not of a broken leg, it would still have “the status of fact,” and this is because pictures stop reality. For example the five girls, the picture cannot lie because that exact moment of that particular photo happened. If we added a caption to the photograph it would provide an even larger truth. Lets say we said: “Girls laughing at inside joke” there would be an even larger truth to the picture.

Photography is complex, a notion of history and an interpretation. Whether someone knows the people in the photograph or doesn’t they are still apt to have an emotional connection with the picture. There are normally universal connections to every photo along with particular ones for personal pictures. Pictures create some sort of meaning and language they have their own personal narrative or way of speaking and explaining this controversial world around us.

Is it War?

(Marion Images Up & Coming NYC Photographer)

To begin with a description: The American flag in the background offers vibrant colors in order to grab the viewers attention, while the vertical strips of the flag are conflicting with the horizontal gun she is possessing. It also seems as though there are blurred edges or clouds on the sides of the flag, which were most likely photoshopped into the picture. The woman is wearing a camo uniform with high black boots - creating both a seductive appeal along with a warrior appeal. The contrast of skin tones between the woman and her baby place emphasis on the baby because of its bright pale color. The light is directed onto both the woman and baby's face revealing they are the focal point. The photo looks textured because of the blurred edges and backdrop.

While the description is depicting the obvious aspects of the picture I would like to go more in depth and interpret the photo to the best of my ability. It looks as though this is straight photography, although there are blurred edges creating a pictorialism look, the photograph seems to be taken straight on and extremely focused. I think the photographer did this so he could capture the pain in the "model" or army woman's eyes. She is trying to send the message: Maybe to stop war OR that women can fight in war just as well as a man. Men should not be the only ones expected to leave their families behind, women should too. On another level, this picture could be showing what the war has left behind to most families/army wives: a widowed woman, a newborn child, some rifles and a uniform.

Gertrude Kasebier toward Modernism

Using a sensitive eye and formally glancing at this photograph it is evident there are a multitude of segments gleaming from this work of art. The contrast of light immediately draws us to the women/girl(s) in white attire. The dark contrast of the room mixed with the bright white from the subjects emphasizes the main focus of the picture to be the three women. The detail of the dark, dated room and mother preparing her daughter for marriage resemble the historical time period of which this picture was taken. The subjects are extremely clear in the photo, although they do not show a frontal view of their faces. Behind the women there are various diagonally placed window panes creating an artistically shaped background. While the shapes cover the back wall, it looks as though the floor is carpeted creating a textured ground. This shaped wall and textured floor, together, contrast dark and light colors to also place the main focus on the subjects.

Now trying to interpret this picture my first question: why did Kasebier create this particular image? I would think, this is a woman's wedding day and Kasebier is the photographer. Just like today, wedding photographers do not only take straight on photographs rather they catch the beauty in every movement. This image is extremely valuable to the progression of the camera because they lighting and focus are creating a crisp image using the people as the focal point.

Ice Hiking Craze

These are they type of pictures that embody 1,000 words at first glance. I took these pictures over winter break when I took a trip to Rickett's Glenn with some friends. We have began making this trip an annual one because of the extreme thrill of trudging through the frozen waterfalls. This was the first year I attempted the "This falls trail is closed to all climbers except: Registered Ice Climbers" trail. I took my life in my hands, really, because my boyfriend purchased "crampons" for me insisting that they were the only equipment I needed to complete this trail. Although the scenery was breathtaking I am unsure if I could knowingly go onto this deadly trail again. I think it was one of those, once in a lifetime experiences that I do not need to try again, but the pictures I captured are ones I will absolutely treasure forever.

The Notorious Lake House

The the picture I chose for my main header is one that expresses most of my summer weekends. This picture was taken this past summer at my friends family lake house. I took this picture sitting on the dock, looking out at the trees surrounding us. Although the dock is small we squeeze between ten to fifteen people and a few dogs on it every weekend while making extraordinary memories together.

Welcome

A blog is a place for comments, thoughts and information. This particular blog is intended to represent the information throughout my journey in ENG 400. If you have any question or comments please feel free to post, as I always enjoy learning new information.