Jim Brandenburg

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Jim Brandenburg is a retired National Geographic photographer that has traveled the world, and photographed thousands of photos. It’s funny to think that he would retire from such a job, when National Geographic sounds like a coveted job for any photographer. But he speaks about the long hours, thousands of photos every day, and being away from home 7 out of 12 months a year. When you think about it like that, it is no wonder that he got burnt out. That’s not to say that he wasn’t still passionate about his craft, he just needed to find another outlet to do it, and something that is personal to him. I am barely at the beginning stages of learning my craft, and I take a bunch of photographs in one setting, and find that I only like one or two. So, to step back and try to think about the project Jim took on, is kinda of intimidating. He decided he wanted to become more in tune with nature, and for that to happen, he had to experience it. The only stipulation he had with himself, is he could only take one picture a day, for ninety days. That project might seem crazy, but, at the same time, 90 days is a long time to get to know a place. The only project that I have done where I spent more than one day is Salton Sea.

To be continued.

Double Peaks Park San Marcos

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I’ll admit, double peak park is a tricky one for me to shoot. The space is fairly small, but the views are incredible. My professor wondered what I might shoot, since I tend to go for the more “dark” route, but I’m not even sure that the right word. I know last time I went to double peak, I had hard time. Though, at the time, I hadn’t embraced my love of landscape, in fact, I shied away from it. This time, not so much. In hindsight, I would have brought a tripod, so I could get better hdrs and nighttime shots. I managed though, and made use of the park tables.

Thanks again for Deborah helping me readjust the focus on the camera, cause I would say a good portion of the field trip I was having trouble getting the camera to focus. Which is why I should probably read the manual at some point.

All and all, it was a fun trip.

Edward Burtynsky- Watermark

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Watermark is a film that I didn’t pay attention to much the last time around. But my professor said that if we had seen it before, that perhaps we should watch it again, and just pause it at various parts because the videography is so stunning.

I didn’t notice it much before, but some of the shots are truly great. Though, most photographers don’t have access to helicopters and fancy equipment like his. That being said, I think you can take a lot from just the way he shoots. He does a lot of birds eye views, and also close ups that make you question what you are looking at, and it’s that mystery that makes the images so compelling.

I did take the time to stop the documentary at certain points, and I sketched out his compositions. A lot to the shots I was drawn to remind me of painting and drawings.

The first time I watched it, I was hoping for a little more dialog, and the second time around, I still craved it just as much, but I understand the importance of his work.

Art Wolfe and Inspiration

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Where do we gain inspiration from? For me, it is a little difficult to pinpoint, but for photographer Art Wolfe, his inspiration doesn’t come necessarily from other photographers, but from his background with art history. He looks back on the old masters, and he views the world through their eyes. Not every photograph has to be clean and crisp to be stunning. A blurry photograph can be just as visually stunning when applied correctly.

I know I just said a moment ago that my inspiration is hard to pinpoint, but perhaps I rely  on my love of dark black and white artwork, and I see things as an art piece as well. I take a photograph, turn it black and white, and I say to myself, I would love to draw this. Where is my charcoal and paper when I need it?

I hadn’t given it much thought before this moment, but I guess I photograph paintings too. I think that is why I attracted some photographs more than others. Unlike Art Wolfe, I don’t have a very strong art back ground to reflect back on, but the I did read Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and I was always amazed by those photographs, and I would love to photograph something similar.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark-Stephen Gammell
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark-Stephen Gammell
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark-Stephen Gammell
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark-Stephen Gammell. This was my first connection when I looked at the first photograph.

Richard Misrach

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I just saw two clips on Richard Misrach, and I can see why my professor thought that his photographs my resonate with me. He takes pictures of or is drawn to isolated places, but unlike me who just takes them cause they appeal to me ascetically, he has reasoning behind his shoots. He speaks of the devastation of war on our land, and while I think he is just in thinking that, I also thought, does anyone really want that land?

But I suppose that just speaks to my lack of political awareness and research. Since I am taking a documentary class, I think it’s important for me to do the research behind my projects to, even though I feel like I am super lazy when it comes to that.

While working on my Salton Sea project, I did end up doing a little bit of research on my project, and I know I could do a lot more. I suppose it is not enough to just take pictures, but to think about the idea behind the project too.

As far as his Katrina photographs, they are heartbreaking. It’s interesting to be able to capture that feeling even though there are no people in the photographs to speak it. I’d be curious to see the layout of his book since I feel like my project has a slight reflection to his.

Roni Horn

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Thicket No. 1 1989-90 Roni Horn born 1955 Presented by Janet Wolfson de Botton 1996 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/T07178

So Roni Horn, I think I need to give her a little more thought. Most of the artists I have seen in class, they seem to speak to me in some way, but Roni just wasn’t doing it for me. Even with the explanation, they just left me wanting more.

Her water piece are rather nice, but maybe it’s my fear of the ocean that turns me off. There is something scary about mother nature.

The images that she took of the women in the water, as a body of work, I was a little underwhelmed. But perhaps that is only because we only see a snippet of the work, and it would feel differently if one were to actually experience it in person. Because on the video, it didn’t really see all the variations placed together in a way that didn’t seem repetitive.

I like that she gets to enthralled with her projects, and places. And I give it to her for trying to make something of the peeping tom shower area. I know she tried to find some sensuality in the space, but… I’m still looking for it!

Soooo, when I had all but lost hope I would find something I was drawn to, the clowns came out. Now, I’m not a fan of clowns, but those blurry white and red images of the clowns will haunt my dreams tonight.

Thanks Roni. I’m sleeping with the light on tonight.

Final Project

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I always wait to the last minute to do things… but here ya go. My final project for my documentary class.

I printed it in book format, which is way more expensive than printing a book.I was hoping to be able to create a magazine this time around, but with me jumping from computer to computer, my files didn’t transfer over as easily, and it just didn’t work out.

Soooo, I re-editing most of my pictures, for the 3rd time, and I just used the lightroom book module.

I’m not completely satisfied with it, I think it needs a lot of work, more captions. More description… but also, more photos. Which means, more trips out to Salton Sea.