Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Burt Glinn

Burt Glinn, is a photographer who's had a very successful career photographing political and cultural events. Particulary from the 50's to the 70's. His photos have very beautiful compositions and he plays a lot with silhouettes and uses them succesfully. He's very versatile with his work, he can photograph commercial, capture personailty in portraits and capture the true essences of a moment. This photo stands out to me because i love the colors of the backfground and how the shapes interact with the silhouettes. It feels very expressive and the men waiting give the leonard bernstein a sense of hierarchy.


more photos here

Monday, December 13, 2010

John F. Conn

I was at a NYC street fair in Soho earlier this year photographing for my assignment and I came across this stand with these beautiful photographs on t shirts. It was these powerful subway photos this man John Conn did. The man himself wasn't selling them but his son was. These photos are so well done, and he captures this raw, spazztic, moment in subways. I was inspired after to keep shooting and to be more aware. I spoke to this son and he told me some of these were shot in medium format and some were shot in 35 mm. This man photographed subways for about a decade. I won't give up street photography yet.





here's more of his work:
http://futuredead.com/swanson/johnconn/subway/subway.html

Robert Longo

His work has been running through my mind lately. Especially his "Men in the cities" series he did. These works are iconic and create such drama and edge. These are charcoal drawings but first they were photographs. He would take his models (one of them was cindy sherman his roommate at the time) and have assistants throw tennis balls at them and photograph their dramatic expressions. From there he masterfully drew in charcoal these black and white drawings. He totally inspires me to do something this exciting and energetic in my work.


check out his other work here:

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Jan Kaila

I really enjoys looking at this photograph. Sometimes I don't really enjoy photos with such symbolic, set up, props. It's hard to pull off without making it look cheesy. But in this photo, it's used perfectly and effectively. It kind of breaks my heart seeing this old man in angel wings, it seems like he's ready to take flight. I love the use of blue in the environment, even the mist is blue. The texture of the the wings are very beautiful and I just really enjoy her photo.

Joel Meyerowitz

I started looking more at color photography a lot lately, i'm preparing myself for next semester! I'm really excited, and since i've dont street photography in black and white I wanted to see how it looks like in color. Joel Meyerowitz (along with other photographers) was one of the first photographers to use color effectively in the 70's. It improved his street work, and there's such liveiness in his photos and great energy. In this photo, I like the composition, the man the smoking a cigarette stands out to me. The color yellow seems to stand out to me for some weird reason, I associate new york with yellow, since there's so many taxis. I'll be checking out more from this artist.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Doug Dubois

I checked out in the library, Doug Dubois' book about his parents called "all the days and nights." The book was shot in color and it's possibly my favorite book. I was very moved by it and the images were humorous, painful, straight foward, and real. I love the use of space in this photo and the colors in the book. the women's expression is powerdul and the houses in the back give the sense of a home in reconstruction. I've been looking more at his work for inspiration for not just my series but for color next semester.
here's his website!
http://www.dougdubois.com/

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Gueorgui Pinkhassov

He's a photo journalist and is featured in Magnum. He's been photographing since the 80's and photos from japan are something to see. He uses color so powerfully and for this week i kinda wanted to focus on color photographers just to prepare myself for next semester and for my digital photo editting project. I love his use of shadow, it makes it looks mysterious but adds an interesting design to the competiton. I love the bokeh lights behind the man that's in focus. I love bokeh lights in formation like that for some reason.These men seem like mobsters or just someone you don't mess with. Must of took a lot for him to photograph this.

Rineke Dijkstra

Dijkstra's photos mostly pertain to portraits and she shoots in color. Her beach series was very interesting because she had her subjects stand in fron the sea and it was just them and nature. The poses were awkward but that was her point, to show the human's form and vulnerablity. she neatly arranges her subject against the sea and sky and their expressions are very uncomfortable. I read in this book specifically on this photo that the women is posing similar to Botticelli's Venus emerging from the foam. I agree and her expression seems like this is new to her and she doesn't know what to do with herself.

more of her work here  http://www.mariangoodman.com/artists/rineke-dijkstra/

Tim Walker

I was introduced to this photographer's work by a fellow classmate. I really really enjoy his work and find Tim Walker to be a big inspiration for me. His photos are so surreal and the man has no limits with his photography. His photos feel like a dream and the colors are beautiful. Very rich and a bit pastel(ish), He also doesn't photoshop his work and you'd think he would especially with such over the top situations in his photos. He's a master in color and imagination. I find his work to be extraordinary and I will continue to keep my eyes peeled for more of his work.


Monday, November 22, 2010

Something you never told anyone.

For this assignment, I chose to photograph my mother and father. Family is a very personal topic for me to talk about and especially to photograph. So I chose to go beyond my comfort zone and explore my personal thoughts through photographs. The reason i'm photographing my family for "Something you never told anyone" is because i've never photographed my parents or even shared my feelings or interests in photography/art. I would also like to make a connection of their portraits to my personality for those who know me, and show/find out why I am the way I am. I think this will change my perspective on the people who created me and will bring some things in the past back.

Richard Avedon

Richard Avedon is a big influence in my work and his portraits are easily one of the most raw documents of his subjects. I want to expose my parent's true characters and have them put their guard down with me. I would also like to in corporate a white backdrop for at least one of the photographs to isolate them from their environment. Possible start the series with a solid portrait to just show them for who they are and not the environment. Also I would to end the series with a diptych of half of me with my dad and half of me with my mother(my parents are separated)



Phillip Toledano

Phillip Toledano photographed his father and made a journal of his father losing his memory as he got older. It's a painful series to look at, the intensity of each photograph impacts the next one. I want to keep this project as a journal of my parents and to show their way of living and my interaction with them. But, my goal isn't to make necessarily a tragic series i would also incorporate their mannerism and humorous side.



Corrine Day

She documented international supermodel Kate Moss, and captured her true physical and emotional state as a person. I am very found of this contact sheet with these candids of kate moss. I would like to incorporate mini contact sheets of my parents, either two for each parent or one with both on it. I think it's an interesting way to show a range of emotions and personality in your subjects. I might have 4-8 images per contact sheet




Colin Gray

His series is similar to Phillip Toledano but he incorporates both his parents which is what i would do. But his topic on the end of their life and they're dying together. Very powerful and painful to view. But that's not on agenda but I do however, like that he has sort of these abstract portraits of his parents. I think it captures this mystery beauty to them and I would like to experiment with that. Maybe mess with motion blurness and my parents. Here's the link to his website: http://www.colingray.net/galleries/in-sickness-and-in-health



Terry Richardson

I know Ron hates this photographer's work but i chose to imclude this because I enjoy his "mom" series. I think his photos are very provocative and humorous. For the lighter side of this project i wanna capture funny faces my mom and dad make, that's where i get my humor/faces and voices from! Maybe i'd use a flash for some just to try different styles of lighting and show how both parents look in these lightings and situations.




Ray K Metzker

In my photographs I want to show contrast, juxtapostion as far as tone goes in both my parents. Ray K Metzker is a phenomenal street photographer who payed close attention to contrast. In I will show to extreme black and white lighting situations for my parents. Ever since doing the final book assignment for my street work, i've been thinking how photos look in pairs and how they can make work so much stronger and meaningful. Pairs will be important in this series.

William Eggleston

Eggleston was master of color, but i'm workin with black and white. But however, he also had interesting angles and perspectives in all that he photographed. In this photo I love the space and how much information is revealed about the person's loneliness. I will try some portraits this way expose my parent's environment. Also i will photograph my house in a lower angle perspective and in a dead on 0 degree view. Eggleston-esque.






Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Marcus Hartel

Marcus Hartel, is a german photographer who has an eye for street photography. When he moved to New York in 2003 he loved photographing the people in this urban jungle. His work is beautiful and give a timeless feel even though they're from 2003 till now. He captures candid and decisive moments in the poeple of the city. I n this particula photo, he captures this child lonely/bored expression and the graffiti on the window makes it more interesting. I love the reflection of the man against the subway steel, i think it adds a mystery to it. His works inspires me to push my street photography skills. He captures great moment in the city.

Donna Ferrato

Donna Ferrato is an american photographer who's been photographing since the 80's. She was working on a project photographing surburben couples and was confronted by domestic abuse. She worked on the series for about a decade and came out with her book "Living with enemy" which awared people of domestic abuse in common homes. Her photographs are painful and full of drama. This particular image, is my favorite from this artist. The intensity is truely so powerful, you can feel yourself be in the photograph/ situation. I like the movement of the photo, it goes left to right. the tones are great, and the boy mimics the man on the tv which is such a rare and perfect moment. The expression on the cops face adds to this drama in this photo.

Ian Berry

Ian Berry is a british photographer from the 50's/60's era. He was worked in south africa working for newspapers there and he taught himself how to photograph. He was invited by henri carter bresson to join the magnum photo club. I love how much this woman stands out in this photo, it's almost angelic. She looks like someone all the other people in the photograph respect. I like the figures out of the focus, that draws my attention to her. Also the shapes and space of the umbreallas are nice to see in this photograph as well. He must of zoomed his lens to get that kind of focus of the people in the front and the woman.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Corinne Day

Corinne Day is a documentary photographer with a background in fashion photography. She's most famous for photographing supermodel kate moss. When she photographed kate, she photographed Kate's personality instead of her supermodel looks. Corinne passed away late august of 2010 due to her long battle with cancer. She captured an essence of character of her subjects and documented her own lifestyle very effectively. In this photographed, she creates a contact sheet feel of kate moss.I love the cool cyanotype look to it. The different expressions on Kate's face, they're very candid and not posed. The rich tonal value in each image is stunning and each image is placed perfectly on this contact sheet.


Monday, November 1, 2010

Charlie Engman

I found this photographer in the new urbanoufitters catalog. He does some fashion but also his own interesting projects that inspire me. He's 24 years old and works with clients such as urbanoufitters, nice magazine, vogue brazil, and many more. I hope to be as succesful as him when i graduate college! But as far as his work his concerned, he uses colors so effectively and very neutral and washed out. Also i enjoy his use of flash in his photos. But in this particular photo i don't think he's using flash, i think it's all natural light with a film camera. The woman's ice and body language is powerful and eerie.I love the color of the fur around her neck and her hair against her surrounding and the snow. he's awesome. please like him.

charlie engman

Ray K Metzer

I discovered this photographer's work through my craft class. I was intrigued and researched him and his work. He photographed in the 50's of a lot of multiple imagery, juxtaposition, ying yang of shadows and highlights in dyptychs. This particular photograph stirkes me because it fits in my series of photographing citites. I think the scale plays a huge role in this photo from the little boy who is the subject matter. I love how the silhouettes are the subject and the background is where the highlights are detailed more. I also find the man's shoulder highlight to be effective and metzker was decisive when taking this photo.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

August Sander

I really am starting to apperrciate group portraits more and more. It showcases a lot of emotions and personality. I'm doing my reseaarch paper on Richard Avedon and i found this photographer to be on of his influences. I love the contrast and old fashinon feel. Very elegant and timeless.

Albert Watson

On friday, we had the honor to go to the "Hasted kraeutler" where Albert Watson had his work hanging up. That's why i'm doing an blog about him. He's a hig influence on me and his work takes my breath away. I love his use of light, getting the best of tonal range, But in this photo, i love the sense of pattern and use of repetition. Also a comical photo, monkeys are an interesting subject.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Richard Avedon

I chose another Avedon photo since he's all i'm thinkin' about lately. This photo is different from his famous work. I believe he shot this in the beginning of his career for reportage. I love the highlights and the composition. Also the use of horizontal frame and how the little boy fits perfect with it. The space in the dark makes the boy more active which i think is important. I didn't know Avedon was also a fantastic street photographer.

Irving Penn

Another one of the legends in photography is Irving Penn. He too had a similar idea ans style to Avedon's, this moving people out of their environment and exposing them raw. I love the expressions on the kids faces and the contrast in the print quality. The texture of the floor and backdrop looks a little rough which I like. I think he did similar to Avedon, he probably set this up outside in open shade to get a beautiful range in grays.

Richard Avedon

I'm doing my research paper on Avedon and his famous portraits so i've been looking at his image a lot this week. I read the story behind this marilyn monroe photo in the "performance" book that was made after he passed away. They were shooting and she was putting on her show of being happy and sexy witht the camera. But when the shoot was over she sat down and had this exhausted, sad, look on her and he photographed. I think it shows Marilyn's true feelings and the pain she was going through in her life. I love the tonal value and the negative space that actives her body and face.


Monday, October 11, 2010

Thomas Dworzak

This photograph was taken in 1996, but the look of it gives me a timeless, older feel. I love the perspective and angle, seems like something i would try to do. The rich contrast evokes a lot of emotion for me. I love the circular metal wheel, i think it makes the composition much more interesting. The boy himself has this care free, luxurious look about him, tho he's in dirt and a wheel.

Juergen Teller

Jergen Teller is one my favorites and has definitely inspried my decision of pursuing photography. His use of flash is brilliant and i try to mimic it with my work. I love his use of color and i can see in his photograph he's inspired by eggelston. This photo looks very similar to the one Eggelston took of the girl in field with a camera. This could possible be a tribute to the master of color photography. Juergen is the photographer for the Marc Jacobs ads and they inspire me everytime i see them.


Albert Watson

I chose another photo from Albert Watson, he's a big inspiration of mine. I hope to have as a succesful as a career as he does. This particular photo stands out to me because of its tonal value and elegance. I love how the silhouette is more of the subject and not the actual model. I think he must of manipulated the area of the face and maybe just burned there pretty long. You can still see some detail in the face. I love this photo.


Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Martin Parr

The colors are very vibrant and primary which really attracts me. I love how this man completes the painting and it seems so genuine that he coincidentally is standing there. I'm sure he knew the man and told him to stand there. The painting shows a lot of chaos and great, rich, colors and the little painting next to it does a lot for me. I love the juxaposition and how this man really fits in with this painting. I get a good sense of humor from it.

Ian Berry

I've been trying to focus on sense of humor in my photography. I notice i can find Irony in my photos and i want to keep exploring that. So photos like this inspire me to go that extra mile to do so. The women in their outfits makes me laugh, and it's very humorous. I love the angle he shot from, it seems like an angle I would try to shoot from. I like the textures of the dresses and the tonal range in such a low light situation. He must of had a tripod and they probably knew they were gonna be photographed. The shapes in this photo make it successful to me.


Elliot Erwitt

This photo is a classic and Erwitt is a master of the decisive moment. The negative and positive shapes do a lot for me. Very powerful. uplifting forms and gives me the feeling of what Paris must be like. I imagine this photo when I hear France or Paris. I think he knew the man jumping and had him jump and the couple were a candid shot. I would love to move to Paris and photograph like Elliot!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Raymond Depardon

I wish I took this photo. It's very fun and you sense different personalities and each movement of the girls are interesting. This was shot in Queens, New York. Raymond Depardon is a photographer from france who does mostly documentaries. His work is very captivating and he has great tonal value in his photos. I'd look more into him and his work and this photo definietly inspires to get closer to people with my series.

Philippe Halsman

This photograph is very well known and maybe cliche to choose but i've always loved it. In this photo, theres so much chaos going on and i get a sense of humor from it. He famously collaborated with Dali and did many crazy portraits of him. The title of this photograph is "Dali Atomicus" and its because the painting in the corner is one of dali's named " Leda Atomica." It took 28 times to get the photo right. None of this messed with in the darkroom, the cats and water was really thrown. This picture gives me an uplifting and comical feel to photography.

Chien Chi Chang

Chien Chi Chang, is a photographer from the 90's who's work showed powerful emotion and beautiful meaning. He was born and raised in Taiwan and photographed illegal immigrants there and in america when he moved here. He mostly photographed in Chinatown, New York City. This particular image stands out to me because of the interesting perspective taken and the sense of scale i get from it. The man looks much bigger then the cars and he's calmly eating soup in his underwear. I get a sense of an uplifting side to his illegal immigrant series.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Albert Watson

I've tried emulating this photographer last year, but it was not very successful. His tonal range and concepts were far too advance for me. He's unique to me, especially since he's blind in one eye. Which is where he came up with his cyclops title of one of his books. This particular photograph strikes me because of the rich vibrant colors and color is what i'll always want to work with. I'd like to achieve colors like Watson does,The sky and clouds blend so beautiful together and the "god" sign is lit up perfectly.He must've does this in the morning or at sunset in Las Vegas. His Las Vegas series has always inspired me and I hope to make work as beautiful as Watson's.

Helmut Newton


Helmut Newton is another 1960's photographer He mostly did fashion work and was very succesful at doing so. In this photo, he has himself in the photo which i found really interesting. I love the tonal range and angle of the photo. The size of the women's back to Newton is really interesting. I love the legs next to the model's leg, adds a mystery to the photo. I also enjoy the woman's facial expression on the right bottom corner. Helmut Newton, wasn't a believer in back drops for fashion shoots. He always wanted something in the background or to photograph outside somewhere beautiful. This kind of changes my view on fashion photography.

Garry Winogrand

Garry Winogrand is a 1960's photographer who did an important series about New York City street photography. After looking at his photogrpah, I realized that I'm trying to go for the same approach when it comes to street photography. Though i'm no Winogrand, I can see similarities in our work as in terms of composition, distance from stranger, and horizontal view of strangers. This photo stands out to me because there's so much going on and three men looking at the camera gives a strong, odd feeling to it. I read that Winogrand would have his lens' pre-focused and would photograph people without them knowing. He's a brilliant photographer and I look forward to reseaching more of his work.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Leon Levinstein "Street Scene: Woman with white purse, New York City"

I was shown this photographer's work by fellow classmate Mary Catando! He and Klein have similar styles but Levinstein feels more modern and are mostly portraits of new yorkers. Levinstein shows rich, dark tones in these photos from his " Street Scene" series. In this photo he took it candidly and from an odd perspective. He must of had the camera to his stomach so that the subject doesnt know he's photographing them. The woman's body position is odd and the man's arm draws my eye to the right of photo. I've taken photos of similar perspective in the city and i'm glad i was shown this photographer.

Terry Richardson

Terry Richardson is a fashion photographer whose work has been on every fashion known to man. He's very successful and known all around the world. He mostly photograph celebrities and captures their personality or a sense of humor to them. I admire his work because the bright flash creates this honesty to the subject in my eyes. He only uses his flash and has the subject near a white wall to create these shadows. He influences my digital work and i'm looking forward to seeing more of his work in magazines.


William Klein "Grace Line, New York"

For my project i've been going to New York and trying to emulate a "Klein" timeless feel to New York today. I love New York City's energy and Klein's photos inspired me to go out there and photograph what i see in the city. In his photos, he takes very interesting horizontal angles of people that i find myself doing as well. I love the tonal range and expressions in the photo.