Final Project

The project and write-up can be viewed here:

https://www.msu.edu/~orthwhit/photography/

It does require a facebook account.

Constructed Reality Part 2

Images 1 & 2

People liked this image a lot, people seemed to understand that the concept was about the use of windows, however not much was talked about in regards to the concept. The patterns and contrast were working well, but I should have lightened the image a little more because it printed really dark. For expanding this image, I could continue to take pictures of reflections in windows, but instead of having more urban buildings, I could show a forest or something. It could be about the city reflecting what it had destroyed to be build.

Image 3: Urban Sprawl

The concept about this image wasn't discussed, so I'm not sure if people took it how it was supposed to be or not. It was said that the contrast and the texture of this image was working really well. There were no suggestions for improvement. If I wanted to expand this image into a series I could put other urban (or suburban) objects like a mailbox into other natural scenes.

Image 4: Gender ROles

People picked up on the concept of this image exactly, probably because it was so blunt. However, one person thought that I was focusing too much on only the female gender roles, but I wanted to make it clear that there were two roles that I was really displaying at once. I'm not sure how I could make this more apparent. If I were to reshoot I would probably clear up the focusing issues that the pictures have. I could expand this image by doing other gender roles and switching them.

Final Project Concept Presentation

Examining how people construct their identity on in photographs.

This will be similar to my facebook images from the social media project. The images will consist of two photos, one that is set up how a stereotypical profile picture is set up and then another photo of the scene and context of the photograph. I'm basing my images on actual profile pictures from my friends' facebook profiles.

In order to push the concept, unlike the images I created for the social media project, I am constructing the scenes much more. I'm also hoping to add a bit of absurdity to the images. For example, one of the images I have taken so far have been based on a profile picture of my sister. I created a space with fake flowers and "grass" made out of a towel, and took pictures where the subject looks like she is outside smelling flowers, but in reality she is inside in a living room.

I'm also interested in taking "stereotypical" profile pictures of myself. I really hate taking pictures of myself, I'd much rather have them taken of me, so these images could explore how awkward and uncomfortable I feel about "constructing" my identity to show to other people.

I'm still not sure how I will combine or display these images yet. I do not think I want to use the facebook set-up like I did in my other images.

Constructed Reality: Final Images

Image 1 &2: Structure 1 & 2

For these images I framed the subjects so that the buildings that are reflecting are not clearly understood as buildings. I used high contrast to to see details in the different layers of the images.

Both of these images are about windows, and the ability to see on the inside and the outside, at once.

The first image is really abstract which is much different than what I normally do I think, and I wanted to try to get into taking more abstract images.

Image 3: Urban Sprawl

I framed the image so that the fire hydrant is half hidden, but still in focus. I also wanted to capture a lot of the patterns and texture of the grass because in black and white the texture is so interesting.

This image is about how inorganic material has creeped into even places that are supposed to be considered natural. Humans have altered and disrupted the way that nature looks and lives. My goal for this image was to create an almost absurd space that did not make sense, but also had a concept about it. This work is a similar to works by Earthworks projects, except that the actual object is not made out of natural stuff.

Image 4: Gender Roles

This image is about switching gender roles, I wanted to compare people in different roles than was expected of them. I wanted people to be made aware of how uncomfortable they were when the gender roles were switched, when a man put on lipstick as a way of illuminating people's preconceived notions of gender. I framed the subjects similarly in both the images to create as little change between the two images as possible. I also adjusted the contrast and brightness similarly. This was my first attempt at constructing scenes, it was difficult because my models were slightly uncomfortable and it was hard to get them to act out my vision. This work is similar to Cindie Sherman who also puts herself in different gender roles, however my image has two different people and their interaction adds a new dimension. I wish I could have videotaped the process of taking this image too, because the posing of the models was difficult, and there was a lot of apprehension and awkwardness because of what I was asking the models to do, which I think also adds something to the concept of this image.

Final Project Proposal

I would like to make a longer series of images that related to my facebook images from the social document section.

I would like to take pictures of my friends in poses that recreate a profile picture they have had on facebook. Then pair that with an image that, in an absurd way, parodies how they behave or portray themselves on facebook (or how someone might, it does not have to be specifically about my friends). The series will be examining how a person constructs themselves and their personalities online.

I think it will have a lot of similarities with the constructed reality project as well, because I will have to create almost narratives in my images to show people's personalities.

For example, a profile picture of someone wearing a PETA shirt zooming out to show that they are actually eating meat. Or a profile picture of someone who looks like they are at a party with a friend, but the zoom out shows it is really just the two of them watching tv. This type of thing.

Constructed Reality

My biggest concern for these images is that they "make sense" because that was something that I had problems with last critique. Also, I need to edit the image of the house more, but it is taking a really long time, so I wanted to know if the concept was good before I perfected it.

Assignment 4: Social Document Part 2

Image 1: Containers in a Kitchen

The individuals who critiqued this photograph understood that I was trying to convey a feeling of a kitchen. The image could have been strengthened by more images in the series to imply the atmosphere of a kitchen in a stronger way.

If I were to make this into a larger project I could focus on what makes gives different locations their personality and charm, and take pictures of these individual elements to take away the context of the room, but still imply the atmosphere of the space.

Image 2: Hannah

The biggest critique I got about this image was that it was unclear about what the point was supposed to be, and that it was hard to understand what was going on. Apparently the location was hard to understand, and the fact that this image was a snapshot wasn't clear. My choices for the creation of this image were well thought-out and I planned the position and framing with care and really liked this image, so I was frustrated with this critique. Apparently nothing in this image was working well, and the choice of framing and having the figure pose created a lot of pointless ambiguity. I don't think that I would choose to do a larger project related to this.

Image 3 and 4: Facebook Profiling 1 and 2

The text and graphic elements worked well to signal to viewers the point of this image, and it was understood by everyone. One thing that people thought I could do to make it better was to add more extreme poses outside of the profile picture, to add a level of absurdity to the image. If I were to make this into a large series of work I would make a series of profile pictures (and companions) that were really absurd.