Is it a good photo?

Many will look at Alfred Eisenstaedt’s iconic image of the sailor kissing the pretty nurse and immediately conclude that it is a good photograph. While this may be true, there are many technical aspects to why this image has become a classic. Technically speaking, in black and white form, there is a great sense of value. We find dark blacks in the suit and pure whites in the sailor’s hat as well as the sailor in the background. Although the two interacting figures are placed almost directly in the center, it works because of the arching form into the right side of the image. The woman falls on a successful diagonal. Not only is it technically well captured but also the content is great. It is interesting to know this wasn’t a planned picture, and one of the greatest things about photography is the ability to capture a moment. This photo captures two people’s intense feelings towards each other as well as providing the happy reactions of onlookers in the back. There’s nothing wrong with a simple, sweet photograph being declared as a good one.

Joel Peter Witkin: Las Meninas

Joel Peter Witkin, who is famous for his disturbing reinterpretation of historical works, once again can be seen in his distortion of a familiar image such as Las Meninas. In his interpretation it seems he is destroying beauty and creating the opposite. He deconstructs the iconic elements that were part of the original piece. He took away the maids of honor creating more of a focus on the girl in the center. It seems through this piece Joel-Peter aims to create an uncomfortable feel. The image ties together history with more modern disturbances. The added figure in the back aids to this creepy feel.

Description Of Walking on Egg Shells

In Sandy Skoglun’s, Walking on Egg Shells, the image takes place in a large bathroom setting, characterized by muted, somewhat skin tone colors. The color matches the two unclothed figures, which the viewer sees from the back, both obviously females and in a stepping position. Although easily identified as a bathroom, there is nothing typically about the location. The floor is made out of hundreds of brown eggshells. Footprints from the two figures can be seen in the form of broken eggshells creating a path. The toilet, sink and bathtub are spaced far apart from one another. Rather than the typically smooth surface of bathroom decor, these objects are covered in a rough, bumpy texture. The walls are covered in numerous, detailed, square, black images. Nine dark snakes are spread among the floor with a few pairs interacting. In most cases, where there are not two snakes interacting, a rabbit is placed.

Self Portrait

People I know

People I dont know

Valerio Lecture

Wellll went to the Valerio lecture the other day here are of some of the key points I learned about this photographer:

*He didn't start off doing his own work, more commercial. He worked as a fashion photographer for 15 years.
*He then realized he didn't want that lifestyle anymore, it was stifling his personal creativity.
*He realized this when he saw a girl that he needed to shoot, he describe how he gets really shy and literally can't speak when he sees an individual he must take a picture of.
*"I have to take a picture of this girl, I die if I don't."
*He photographed this girl each year at the same time.
*He spoke on the process of documenting a murdering case and creating a book and the struggles that went into the whole process.
*He explained how he had the idea of a book within a book and intertwined photos from the murder case with his own personal photos of other subjects.
*I thought it was interesting how he heard that if you sell 500 photo books it is considered a success. He printed exactly 500.
*His process involves simply going out and seeking interesting subjects.
*His work involves a lot of powerful colors.

Overall, it was an interesting lecture and cool to hear his process of his work.