Pierre et Gilles

Pierre et Gilles (Pierre Commoy and Gilles Blanchard) born 1950 and 1953, have been living and working together in Paris since 1976, influencing contemporary photography definitively.  Although I've always seen myself as strictly a natural landscape photographer, some how these images of their flamboyant glittery work of a dreamy world filled with religious, mythological, iconography symbolism have caught my eye. All sorts of people like movie/music stars, princes and sailors, angels and demons, porn stars and boys next door are shown in their body of work.
They have created portraits for the likes of Marc Almond, Marilyn Manson, Kylie Minogue, Iggy Pop, Nina Hagen, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Madonna, to name just a few. Pierre photographs the models and Gilles retouches and hand-colors the print, highlighting each detail to create a vivid and colorful aesthetic, almost perfect and dream-like.  As stated- “This is a little bit of photo, a little bit of painting. There is the idealization of the sopped moment; Gilles with his brush can go and go back, and there is no time limit.”
Long ago I came across this picture, came in a book with a brief description pointing some details about the juxtaposition between the devil (where the work takes title: "The Devil" ) and the cherubim.

Robert Glenn Ketchum

When I see Robert Glenn Ketchum's body of work, I first think 'windows xp wallpaper background'.  I think of the images that come with computers, so you can decorate your computer background with 'pretty pictures'.  They are beautiful nonetheless. But I also begin to see that it's more of a statement for the preservation and conservation of nature.  Making interest arise for that movement.  His compositions strike an interest in me when I view how he lays out the photograph.  The way he includes bright contrasting colors and how he carefully uses them.  There is no over-saturation, very detailed oriented. I feel they are very believable where in these days manipulation seems to be everywhere.

Richard Misrach

Misrach is best known for his landscape scenes.  But his landscapes don't just involve nature itself.  I'm drawn to the ones where they have been altered by human life.  The one below shows a classic western scene but the landscape is altered by the fire near by. The fire was probably caused by humans of course.   His compositions are strong as well.  His images make me question how I do my landscapes.  Do I just want to show a pretty scene or create something more meaningful.  Most of his work depicts little life after humans are long gone.  He is very consistent with the tone of colors, always a muted semi-monochromatic image.  

Chris Verene

 Chris Verene (born 1969, Galesburg, Illinois) Attended Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.  His famous works include Camera Club (Verenes series of photography clubs that advertise to aspiring models offering them a career in the modeling industry, later included to Whitney Biennial) and The Self-Esteem Salon (a performance artwork where Verene's alter personality Cheri Nevers builds a set for "clients" who are in need of a spa-like therapy.. women who need help excepting themselves.)

I'm not entirely sure if it's the colors in his series or the use of light and flash that draw me into his work.  It's honest and doesn't seem demeaning (the monochromatic image above by far is stunning to me). Where some try to stage or even take advantage of the people he uses, he creates beautiful photographs of a struggling culture from the midwest.  Turning their "average-ness" into some extraordinary with color and composition. 

Annie Leibovitz

Annie Leibovitz (born 1949 in Waterbury, Connecticut) studied painting at first at the San Francisco Art Institute but after a trip to Japan her interests photography arose.  In 1970 she began doing work for Rolling Stone magazine.  Two years later she was named chief photographer for the magazine.  In 1983 she joined Vanity Fair, and in 1998 began working Vogue magazine.
One her most famous photographs include the portrait of  John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1980, who had recently released their album “Double Fantasy.” The portrait shows Lennon nude and curled around a fully clothed Ono. Several hours later, Lennon was shot dead in front of his apartment. The photograph ran on the cover of the Rolling Stone Lennon commemorative issue.

Her books include Annie Leibovitz: Photographs (1983), Photographs: Annie Leibovitz 1970–1990 (1991), Olympic Portraits (1996), Women (1999), American Music (2003), A Photographer’s Life: 1990–2005 (2006), and Annie Leibovitz at Work (2008).

I'm on the edge John Lennons and Yoko Onos portrait.  By far it's a unique and beautiful portrait of the couple.  It represents that they possessed a unique attachment to each other. One thing I'm sure about is that if John hadn't been killed it wouldn't have been as much of a successful photograph. I truly do believe that it makes a difference.  With American pop culture it's always been the rise and fall of celebrities.  It makes it far more interesting when the last photograph of a pop icon is taken hours before an untimely death.  That's what makes this photograph succeed.

Garry Winogrand

Garry Winogrand (1928-1984) was a photographer (known for his portrayal of America in the 1960s and ’70s), born in New York City.  He became part of the new era of "snapshots", where it wasn't about how beautiful the photograph was, it was about capturing the odd ends and quirks of everyday life.  His style reminds me of Frank's The Americans.  
After reading a bit about him, it makes me wonder if I should devote as much time on one shot as he had done.  Growing up I always thought the best photographers would just skip around with their camera and take a couple of shots and that would be it.  Obviously that's not the case.  I've learned that I can't just spend one or two hours a week and expect extraordinary results. Winogrand probably had his Leica 24/7! I envy how he (and other photographers at the time) were able to take shots of strangers.  There's something so strange yet familiar with his photographs. It seems like he was aggressive and determined (2,500 undeveloped rolls of film when he died).  Reminds me of the opposite of Edward Weston- where Weston was all about complete tonality and right exposure, and Winogrand just seemed unconcerned with that type of stuff yet retaining a sense of composition.

 

Ralph Eugene Meatyard

Ralph Eugene Meatyard (1925–1972) was an American photographer who lived in Lexington, Kentucky. Most of his work consisted of dark imagery.

There's an appeal to his nostalgic small black-and-white photographs which reach out in a dark moody emotional way.  He know how to use his camera technically (long exposures, etc.)  I love how he around the time when "moody dark emotional" photography became popular with pop culture.  His work had that "gothic" style before such a thing.

It intrigues me how he uses the juxtaposition of the surreal/disturbing with the realm of the everyday life. A lot of his shots with children remind me of parents taking everyday pictures of their children except things aren't ordinary and life isn't what it seems.

Meatyard knew his camera very well- he was able to use it as more of a tool for making art rather than just simple snapshots.  I don't believe he would walk right up and take the photos, he probably spent time on the exposures, composition, and the creativeness. (for example- using abandoned farmhouses and neglected buildings added more to the dark tone he was aiming for.

William Eggleston

Born July 27 1989 Memphis Tennessee where he currently lives, Eggleston has acquired a collection of quirky bright contrasted images that remind me of a 50s era.   He was doing what everyone now wants to do- artistic snapshots, a certain quality of the colors and compositions, which can make pointless images interesting...  Harry Lunn published his first portfolio called "14 pictures" in 1974 and Eggleston received a Guggenheim Fellowship. In 1975 he also received a National Endowment for the Arts Photographer's Fellowship. He also photographed the set of John Huston's film Annie and was commissioned to photograph the mansion of Elvis Presley, Hollywood Studios and Coca Cola.

The character to his photos can have a haunting lonely feel.  His use of color, even the bright ones, can leave me a bit depressed.  It very evident Eggleston created a unique process and style when using color film. But now it seem like everyone now want's that "artistic snapshot" aesthetic.  I mean there's nothing wrong with that (even I fine myself trying to do the same thing) but Eggleston had his own process and way of doing things.  Now what we do is use an app on our phone (instamatic) to try to achieve that.  Pixels don't compare to his dye-transfer prints.

Stephen Shore

Stephen Shore is an American photographer known for his images of common scenes and objects in the United States, and for his use of color in art photography.
His book, Uncommon Places,  helped pave the way for Color photography seen as art in the modern era.

Stephen Shore
Room 110, Holiday Inn, Brainerd, MI, July 11, 1973


This scene immediately draws my attention since it's all to familiar image in my mind.  The furniture and everything shows that it is from a different time.  Wood paneling is something we don't see very often either.  Either way it makes think about the countless people that have been in that room. Families, friends, and maybe enemies too. I imagine myself sitting on that chair with a cigarette (even though I don't really smoke) and a highball glass... pondering my next move. To me at least it makes it a very powerful photograph when I start imagining myself in it. 

John Pfahl

John Pfahl- born February 17, 1939 in New York- Better known for his "Altered Landscapes" series (1974).  Received his BFA from Syracuse University in the School of Art and his MA from Syracuse University in the School of Communications.  Has appeared in many group and solo exhibitions over the years.

This photograph reminds me of a 2D project that I once did. It dealt with actual texture and simulated texture.  In some sense I see this photo that way.  The ocean waves and foam are the actual thing and the fabric and green plants are the simulated part.  Both have the same distinct color characteristics.  The sand add a unique warm contrast to the photo, not over-powering but strong enough to have some distinction.  Obviously he has carefully composed this and planned out like all his other photographs.

Joel Meyerowitz

Joel Meyerowitz- Born in 1938 in New York City, the award-winning artist made a push in the 1960's with use of modern color photography. He graduated from Ohio State University in 1959 with a degree in painting and medical illustration. Uses mostly a 8x10 large format camera to produce his images.

 This photograph draws my attentions with it's use of color and contrast.  Also how everything is in focus.  It has somewhat of a symmetrical look to it though there are notable differences on either side.  It shows how dated the photograph is, since the car must have been from the late sixties to the seventies.   But overall I feel the red car weighs down image successfully along with the two neutral colored houses on both sides, creating an appealing image compositionally.

Assignment 2: Muhammed Muheisen

Pakistani, from left, Najibuallah Gulbaz, 28, Ahmed Bakhi, 35, and Awal Khan Raja, 40, are seen during a break from work in a coal mine in Khwera, south of Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)


This photograph by Muheisen is a stand out to me since it doesn't follow the rule of thirds.  It's clearly centered but it still manages to have an impact visually.  There's a nice contrast with the light and dark areas.  Also subject wise it also impacts.  One thing I wonder is if Muheisen stages his photographs when people pose.  Or was he just there when they just emerged? I believe it's mix of both.  He probably had the two people in the back stand more within the shadow and he had the middle man stand in the light to make him pop more.

Assignment 2: Andreas Gursky

After researching over Andreas Gursky a bit, I began treating his work as 2D art.  It's beautiful how he perceives his spaces and shows so much detail.  It's a nice balance (the photograph above) how he carefully composes his large images.  There's a semi-monotone look.  The sharp contrast between the roads and the dirt makes the image pop. Also the faint blue sky nicely transitions from cool to warm.  While looking up his images it was interesting seeing them in a small scale, where details blend to form almost a pop-art look to it. 

Assignment 1: Critique

For my assignment I used the color 'mystic gold'.  For the images I wanted to create something semi-abstract and of course- mystic.  One of the things I tried to do is use closeups of a material that was painted gold.  It was pointed out that yes they are gold, but are they perceived as mystic to the viewer? Some images were seen as what I intended and others were not.  The one that was successful was shot at an angle where I was trying to mimic a landscape. (top image)  And the one where it seems to fall flat and doesn't connect visually was shot at a direct angle while trying to manipulate the image with select focusing.  I do believe the type of paper that I used (matte enhanced) failed to translate the visual appeal that I see on the screen.