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.

5/5/2013 Brittany Shaw Image for critique

These are the images I have decided are my best from the last few weeks. There are many reasons why I think that these photos are my best emulation of Jennifer Timmer Trail. My first reason in this method of madness is that I can see a progression in my work. As the weeks go by I can see how I have improved on capturing the true essence of my artist in my own way.

My second reason as to why these photos are the most relevant of all of my recent week's pictures is they are honest. These pictures aren't just pictures of something pretty, they're real. In these pictures I find endless truths about life and how things are from my point of view and mostly from Trail's point of view. As the weeks progressed I really started playing with different angles and pathways that make me think of "I found you in the dark" and all of the meanings that come from that work for me. I appreciate what I have learned in this semester. I have learned what I have been missing by staying safe instead of opening up to vulnerability. I've learned to really think, something that most college kids and adults should really consider from time to time. Thinking is risky, it can be ugly and tense and the emotion that comes from those thoughts can scare you. Most thoughts I think now are scary, and I love that. I've begun to experience one of the most creative points in my life. Without this class and this camera opening my eyes to what I really see and letting me share my vision of earth with the world, I would still be stuck in a really sad state. Thank you for that Shane, above all thank you for that. 

Leslie Prigge 5/5/2013 Image for Critique

Leslie Prigge 5/5/2013 Image for Critique.
Leslie Prigge-artist

I chose Neil DaCosta as my artist, I like the way he takes his images of people just doing what they do everyday. I like how he takes images of parts of things instead of the whole horse he will take a picture of part of its head, So you think it is a horse but you are not completly sure, You have to think about his images and try to put it together in your mind, He also will take an image of a part of a person. so you can see the most of them but maybe not their head or things like that. I chose these images because they make me feel that way. Like who are these people and animals and were are they and I try to think of what they are also doing.

Cameron Gowen, 5/5/2013, Images for Critique

 "Memories never lost"

 "My first paintball"

 "The club"

"Growing up"

"Good days and bad"

The semester is almost over, and writing this last post is hard, but in my mind ive finally realized that catchy aesthetics, and cliche scene like pictures that everyone will love aren't always the best photographs. In fact, the best pictures come from the heart, the ones that are thought about the most, and have the most meaning to you personally. Some may be able to relate, some not, but hearing the story behind each photo delivers a great impact. This week I stuck with Colin Gray's "Abandoned spaces" photos, which describe his childhood and all the empty space that are there as he visits them now. In his photos he uses his children to relive his childhood and bring back his positive experiences. Though in my photos I cannot use the people that give me each memory because they are all no longer around. My first photo, "memories never lost" is of a Hardee's restaurant, the exact Hardee's that my grandfather took me to as a child every single morning for breakfast, even if we were sick we made the trip. My second photo I chose is called "My first paintball", this photo is of the first paintball field I ever played at as a kid, throughout the years I grew and met an amazing family of local paintballers that I'll never forget. My third photo "The club" is of Skate-a-way, I title it the club because that's what it served as to us as children, it was our weekend get away and we could live free and be on top of the world. My fourth photo is of the bowling alley, I started bowling when I was only 3 years old, and my father was a professional bowler. He taught me everything he knew throughout my childhood growing up and eventually sent me to Las Vegas to bowl in nationals for youth bowlers. This place leaves me with such a strong memory that I'll never forget because my father is no longer around me and I cannot see or talk to him. My final photo "Good days and bad" is of my first home that I lived in. So much happened in this household and it leaves the deepest memories. My family fell apart and split up while I lived in this house. It is definitely the most negative memory I have in my mind until this day, though it also serves as so many milestones that happened to me in this house while I lived there. 

I've learned that photos need personal meaning, and that expressing your emotions through photos is what makes them amazing. These photos serve such great meaning to me that it is almost unexplainable  these five photos describe my entire childhood almost in a nutshell. This class taught me a lot, and I'll never forget it. So I leave you with these five photos, enjoy.