Self-Study Reflection

Conceptual Intentions
     I used photoshop to superimpose several photographs together, creating a complex and multidimensional piece. I addressed the idea of a self-study using dark, calm colors to portray a sense of concentration and contemplation. The final product is a self-study because it shows my connection to nature but also emphasizes my fondness of urban spaces, and the movement in the images illustrate show my mind often works, moving in stages or layers and building upon previous ideas. I wanted to make the image detailed yet cohesive so as to represent the complexity of the human mind. The project was meaningful to me because it allowed me to intimately explore a more thoughtful side of myself. I enjoy using photoshop and multiple images together to create one unified piece, so this project allowed me to further develop my authentic voice as an artist. I am also fond of clean lines and symmetry, so I combined these elements in my self study.

Stretch and Explore
     At first, I wanted to use film and long exposure techniques in natural spaces to create a sense of motion. However, due to time constraints and issues with film development, I switched my focus to digital photography and then to photoshop. Instead of using long exposure photography, I layered several photos of myself on top of one another in order to achieve a similar effect. Once I began layering images of myself, I began to see the piece coming together. I used black and white tones to achieve a film-like effect, and I used an out-of-focus light photograph to put more of an emphasis on shadow and to incorporate a more urban feeling to contrast with the natural background. Having completed this composition, if I were to go back, I would begin initially with digital photography and photoshop so as to give myself enough time to really flesh out the image. I would clean up some of the edges of the photo and perhaps increase contrast given what I know now and what I encountered during my artistic process.

Understanding the Art World
      I was particularly inspired by Francesca Woodman's photographs as well as Cindy Sherman's Untitled Film Stills. Francesca Woodman's work had a certain unexpected, almost eerie quality that I hoped to channel by layering my photos and playing with opacity to create ghostly figures. Also, her work did not include her face, and I wanted to try to portray my personality and emotions without having to use my face. Her work was a good example of how object placement and surroundings can influence figures in a photograph. Cindy Sherman's were very raw and expressive with a variety of different backgrounds. I was inspired by how she used lighting to design the mood of the photographs and how her backgrounds complemented the figures in focus, and I tried to use both of these techniques in my final piece.

Reflect
     The critique provided me with new insight as to how my viewers saw my work and how their interpretations compared to or differed from my intentions. I intended for my viewers to get a sense of thoughtfulness and contemplation from the colors used and the positioning of the figures in the photo, and many did. Also, other viewers commented on the natural vs. urban contrast and on the movement of the figures. Benjamin mentioned that the movement and opacities of the figures mimicked the human thought process and that the layers could represent the process of understanding concepts and ideas. My classmates also noticed that the diagonal horizon line challenged the general notion that horizon lines should be straight. In future processes, I will take into account these kinds of elements and think about how details work together to communicate ideas that may be deeper and not as immediately obvious. I was able to give my peers insight into how the emphasis that they put on certain elements of their projects played out visually and the messages that I received from the emphasized elements. I was also able to help my peers decide the best organizational strategies for series of photos and to decide whether their works truly communicated the points and qualities that they were aiming to emphasize.