Following my conversation with my peers, I aim to...
- maintain contrast in the black and white photos but keep colors on the light side in order to keep the mood calm and pensive rather than moody and depressed
- experiment with different textures, which ones work best with which photos
- play with opacities to get the intended affect, put the emphasis on the right parts of the photo
- make more photos!
- how is this work a self study?
This work is a self study because I plan to explore myself and the things that are important to me through film photography. I hope to use this as an opportunity to explore myself and discover myself through a new medium. I plan to use a series of unconventional photos of myself to compose a thorough self portrait.
- what media do you plan to use in this work? are you confident in your use of these materials or using the project as an opportunity to grow in you proficiency with them? or both?
I plan to use a film camera in my self study. I am relatively confident with my proficiency as a film photographer but I would like to use this project as an opportunity to further my skills and to become more comfortable experimenting with film cameras. Given the absence of immediate feedback in film photography, it can be more difficult to determine the best photographic strategies. However, through trial and error and using different developing strategies, I hope to grow and learn as a film photographer.
- what potential specifics can you offer--large or small scale, series or individual work...
I plan to do a series of film photography incorporating long exposure and focusing on light and shadow. I aim to use simple surroundings to create a clean background and depict motion using the long exposure feature. I will include myself in most photos but want to avoid focusing too much on my face and instead focus on figure and movement.
Look at the work or works you created last week. What is your initial response to the works?
When I look at the work I created last week, I first notice the variety of different textures and the dark, moody colors. The emotion that I was assigned to depict was despair, and I used clutter, passionate colors, and sharp angles to capture this emotion. When I see the piece, sadness and panic come to mind first. Although I do think that I could have made a more precise and cohesive composition had I had enough time, I believe that my emotion was expressed thoroughly through the textures, patterns, and colors used.
What emotional, conceptual, formal elements emerge as important in the final piece(s)?
To me, the most important elements of my final piece is the use of directional movement and varying texture. The fast brushstrokes and angular cuts I used create a feeling of movement that helps to illustrate my emotion. Also, the distinct shape and form that I used to create the face of the figure stands out to me and invokes a certain sadness or depression. Emotionally, the dark, turbulent colors in the piece emphasize the emotion of despair clearly why the harsh, jagged lines and edges make the composition more unsettling.
How was working with limited time and materials helpful to you?
Working with limited time and materials allowed me to express my true and immediate feelings in my work. I did not have the time to censor myself or to filter my thoughts, so any ideas that I had were quickly implemented in my work. As a result, my piece is more natural and genuine than it would have been otherwise. Though it is also slightly disorganized, I find my work to be raw and emotional rather than polished and vague.
What in this quick introductory practice would you like to take into your regular creative practice?
In my regular creative practice, I would like to incorporate the quick and uncensored mentality that I embraced during this project. In the future, I hope to put my first ideas and reactions into my work directly without editing myself to create more emotional and genuine photographs. I want to embrace the expressiveness of this practice and to implement the spontaneity and fearlessness in my work this year.
