Amy McVaugh, 5.7.13, Images for Critique

I thoroughly enjoyed emulating Brian Ulrichs (http://notifbutwhen.com/) work. To study his various projects and contemplate the common meaning is very enlightening, no matter what your life circumstance might be. Rich or poor, Democrat, Republican or Liberal, we all bear a responsibility as citizens of this country to be responsible, involved individuals.

His philosophy post 9/11 of the United States government encouraging all citizens to be patriotic by increasing consumer spending is interesting. While there is truth that purchasing spurs the economy, we, all US citizens, also should not forget our own civic duty to question the world/tactics around us. While we can become drunk with the joy of indulgence, we also need to stop and think of exactly HOW we are spending and the effects it has not only us personally, but what type of example do we set for our younger generation? As a nation, are we really benefiting from thoughtless spending? Each person must weigh this in their own conscience, and set their own priorities.While considering the true value of our spending, one also needs to look around and consider the amount of business that have folded in recent years. Is mindless spending and enhanced security the only path to a reasonable answer? Are we all doing our part, or letting someone else make our decisions, allowing each of us to point a finger elsewhere and not bear responsibility for our actions?

I personally do have a connection with Homeland Security and found myself on more than one occasion defending certain policies that perhaps needed more thought instead of a conditioned answer. While as a nation we do indeed need certain additional screening measures in place, (to include laws, policies and security measures), it is also important to always thoroughly question policies before they are instituted in order to protect the privileged freedoms we enjoy in the United States. This process should include all citizens from all walks of life.
At first, I was worried about finding subject matter appropriate to emulate Mr. Ulrich. Truthfully, it  became simple as I thought more and more about the various aspects he presented and ultimately ended up with a hard decision as to which images to use. I chose to use a sampling of images found in everyday life, only this time I reflected on each image and applied the significance of their underlying meaning to my own life.
I also wanted to say that I very much enjoyed basic photography. Learning to take better photos and speaking through those images has been very enriching.  I know I'll enjoy the time off, but I do wish this class wasn't over.

Heather Swift, 5/5/13, Images for Critique (Re-do)

These five images are my final emulating of Justin James Reed. The first two images are from my first blog post, the next two are from the second blog post, and the last one is from this weeks shooting. All the images I took this week were inspired by Justin James Reed but this one really stood out to me the direction of the vines going up the block of metal/wood, on a very old bridge that is near my house I really like the colors of the green leaves behind and somewhat on the block it helps it stand out a lot. Going back to the first two images I like these because they look almost like I did emulate my artist and the two after that I feel have good relation to images that Justin James Reed would take, it just like a different season compared to his. I really think I did a good job emulating my artist I picked and this assignment was really cool it had a lot of freedom to it which really liked. It is hard to believe this is the last blog post but I hope I have made it my best one yet.

-Note: These are my Color Correct Images.

Cam Longest, 5/6/13, Images for Critique

Continuing on with the previous weeks mission I wanted to get as close to photographer Tyson Rininger images as possible. I went out this weekend with a mission of capturing some great shots but having camera issues limited me to only half a day of actual shooting. This put me in a pickle and I was unable to do what I originally had planned but I was still bale to get a nice new addition to the blog. The new photo for this week is the one of the golf ball on the edge. This actually happened while I was playing this weekend and I thought it was a perfect real moment to capture. It happened on the 5th hole and was very frustrating to deal with when I did it. It sort of reminded me how you can get so close to achieving a goal and be shut down by a simple thing as a piece of grass in this case. The other shots I have included were the ones that I felt were the best I had over the past several weeks and the ones that had the most meaning I suppose. This class has been a blast and I've really enjoyed learning more about photography and also my camera and hope to continue building my skills and keep this great hobby for years to come. 

Heather Green, Images for Critique, 5/6/2013

For the final week, I have decided to continue the work of Alec Soth. Over the past month I have been researching him and his work. He is actually a very interesting person. He travels all over the world and he even has his own business. I tried my best to inspire my pictures after his. The first one I also used in last week's blog post. It shows my mother and father having one of their only "good moments". He's helping her make breakfast and she's looking at him because she knows he has no idea what he's doing. I thought about it and this picture belongs more in the project of Alec Soth's called "NIAGARA". The project shows couples who have hard love lives or a really bast past relationship. This fits perfectly in there because now, she's not the only one trying to save the marriage anymore. Maybe loved doesn't just die. The Second picture is of someone dear to me. We walked around the park, trying to find wonderful inspirations for this project. In Alec Soth's project "Broken Manual" there is a picture of a man hiding in the woods. We wondered why he was there and if it was a posed picture. The third picture is of my good friend Dylan walking down the path in the park in Powhatan. This picture I used two weeks ago representing my interpitation of the picture also in "Broken Manual", of a man walking on a bridge. I had no idea where this man was going or what his emotion was on a count of, well, you can't really see his face. It's interesting though, it makes me wonder what this man is going through down the PATH OF LIFE, ha-ha puns. The Fourth picture is of my and my friend again representing the shadow of a couple also used in the Broken Manual Project. I thought it was great how he captured a couple just by their shadows, and that is what I tried to do in mine. Can't you just feel the love? In the final picture, I decided to use one purely about nature. It's also based off of a picture from Broken Manual. I loved his work mainly because he told a story, without words. When I saw his pictures, stories and words that I didn't think I could ever come up with came into my head. I felt like I was actually understanding Photography for the first time. Now, I look at every picture in depth. I look for meaning, and the heart and soul the photographer puts into the image. And most of that came from my wonderful Professor, Thank you Mr. Shane for showing me a new aspect in the world of photography.

Jeanette Wright, 05/06/13, Images for Critique

 

I admire Terri Weifenbach's style very much. She takes pictures of things we are all familiar with - neighborhoods, landscapes, close-ups of the flowers we see in our yards. Her images have gotten more colorful.

 

I struggle with boosting the color in my shots. Ms. Weifenbach's are very colorful, but some of it is obviously been enhanced and although it looks lovely, some of them are too colorful, if that makes sense. I tend to gravitate to a more natural looking picture. There were some intentionally blurry shots that she exhibited and I tried to emulate that, but I just didn't like the way it looked.

 

I spent hours photographing and editing just the few shots I have, so I can't imagine the time Ms. Weifenbach devotes to photography. For instance,  I was trying to get the spokes in the dandelion to be more accentuated - I probably took 30 shots of the darn thing and this is the clearest one I got. The wind was blowing constantly and when I went out the next day to try again, the dandelion was no more.

 

Justin Piaoan Image for Critique 5.06.13

Here is my final portfolio of Images with 2/5's of them being new images and the others from the past weeks. In all honesty these shots were done in hap hazard time,procrastination, last minute,but non the less had direction in all these shots on emulating Gary Schneider. I loved the photos I shot because each of them have personalities that embody each individual.
The first is my friend: Very Gun-ho type person, straight forward, understands doesn't care about your opinion if you're an asshole.
 2nd picture: Carefree and I'm ready to drown myself in the present, nulling the future with goodbyes, and devouring the past with the devil in the bottle.
3 picture: She is steel cautious in the way that she acts, but behind that smile is girl who is very blunt with calm dispositions.
4&5: The last pictures are protraits of how I see myself. I try my hardest to look into different lights, seeing myself through every aspect and angles. I spend days inside my head and try my hardest to tread my life well. I break in my bones everyday to make living worth it, but sometimes the worlds not enough. Though I do have clarity on the things I want and know I'm destined to have in reach; The only thing stopping me is me.
I know that there way deadline for this, which was 12 o clock last night and if it's late it's late...I accept it and understand the grade I'm deserved.

Alex Clark, 5/5/13, Images for Critique

Taking 250 pictures was very easy this week.  These images were taken within the front yard and the back yard of my home.  Each photograph was edited using the method that was taught in class.  Just like the two previous weeks, I have been emulating Terri Weifenbach.  The first image possesses a flowering bush and is similar to Weifenbach's picture of the same type of plant.  The second image has a pink flower, and it emulates Weifenbach's photograph of a similar variety of flower.  The third and fourth images show two different types of trees.  Both images emulate the photographer's way of positioning and focusing the camera at a tree or several trees.  The final image shows a fence, a tree, and part of a truck.  This photograph is imitating Terri Weifenbach's pictures that have fences within the image.