Final Photo Reflection

Final Photo Class Reflection

I am proud of my creative development in photography this year which is best exemplified by two pieces: Chairs Within Chairs from The House of My Mind project and White Lichen from the Defying Ms. Seal project. 

My intention for Chairs Within Chairs was to integrate several pictures of Biedermeier chairs, which I saw in an antique shop. I loved the elegant simplicity of their design and the way their different styles complemented one another. As I studied the pictures I had taken, I zeroed in on the idea of converting the back frames of the chairs to distinct frames for additional pictures. It was a very laborious process cutting out chair legs from other pictures to drop into the chair backs in the main picture, but the care and precision I applied had a striking effect. I think the concept of frames within a frame worked quite well in this picture.

In White Lichen, my intention was to collect a living substance from nature, then remove it from its natural surroundings, transform it through the use of paint, and photograph it out of context in a studio setting. Through this part of the project, I experimented with the use of studio lighting to not only illuminate the intricate details of my object, but also to exaggerate its abstract qualities. The symbiotic relationship between the stick and the lichen is accentuated by the white paint, which disguises as well as integrates them. The black background provides a sharp contrast for the object and quickly draws the viewer’s eye into the interwoven tentacles of the lichen.

My least successful work was Bark Meets Tin from the Transforming Materials project. After repeated attempts I finally made a decent print, but this picture is my least favorite. Perhaps because its subject matter is so simplistic, I find it a bit boring.

I believe my greatest strengths in exploring creative expression through photography are my attention to detail (e.g. Chairs Within Chairs) and my out-of-the-box thought process that enables me to envision and capture striking and unusual juxtapositions in nature (e.g. Blue Snakes). It took me a bit longer than I would have liked to develop the concept I wanted to pursue for the Defying Ms. Seal project, but once I got going with it, I had a blast climbing the tree, positioning my painted sticks within the branches, and using lighting elements as I photographed the anomaly from different angles!

I believe my overall effort in this class was quite solid; although, I could definitely improve on posting my reflections in a more timely manner. The photograph that I put the most effort into was Chairs Within Chairs, and my effort clearly paid off in my opinion.

I look forward to continuing to pursue photography as an art form and to integrating the skills and techniques I learned this year into my future work. Some of these techniques, such as the Fibonacci spiral and grid, are also applicable to my drawing and painting pursuits. And, of course, the pride and feelings of accomplishment that go along with the high standards I apply and my focused execution as I express my unique vision are applicable to almost all other aspects of my life!