PR Project

For this PR Project, I will be taking pictures for the LGBT Center in the UWM Union. I'll be going in to take the shots on Monday, and the photos will eventually be placed on the Center's web site.

Photo Essay: Within the Walls

When I was a kid, one of the many things I wanted to be was an archaeologist. I loved the idea of finding old "treasures" and artifacts. As I got older, I realized that I'd need to have unlimited patience to do that sort of thing. Needless to say, that idea flew out the window. Luckily, my dad does work on houses (replacing walls, painting, etc), and has found a few little antiques from the 1900s-1950s over the years. They're not dinosaur bones from an excavation, but nonetheless, some of the things he's found are fascinating.

Most of the items are Milwaukee artifacts and were found within my own house (i.e. my parent's house). I don't find Milwaukee to be very interesting, but even I'll admit that it's cool to see how some of the logos and brands of the city have changed over the years. Considering this is a photojournalism class, the Milwaukee Journal related pieces seem especially appropriate.

Portrait: People and Cameras

⌠ Portrait ⌡
Of all of my portrait shots, I feel that this one is the most successful. I like the colors, the background, and how the subject posed. Her expression is a bit unusual, but since she was a known subject, I thought the "unsure" expression might confuse people into thinking I didn't know her. Getting this expression was much more difficult than you'd think - she's always laughing and smiling!

⌠ Discussion: People and Cameras ⌡
Unfortunately, I'm about as good in front of the camera as I am behind it - mediocre at best. During the awkward teenage years, taking a picture that I was pleased with was near impossible. (The frizzy hair! The questionable fashion sense!) Nowadays, I find myself more comfortable in front of the camera. On the opposite end, I still struggle with camera technique, but at least it's been an enjoyable learning experience.

As a former hater of cameras, I always feel sympathetic to those who dislike having their picture taken. Now that I have the chance to be behind the camera, I've tried to put my subjects at ease by promising them that they will have the final say on what is used. If the photo is going to be something that is saved forever, the subject shouldn't have to look back on it and feel bad. If it's a picture that they like of themselves, the memory will be fonder.

Martin Lester: Rights to Privacy

Taking a picture from the street through someone’s window seems like it shouldn’t be legal. I can only think of a few instances where doing so might have a purpose, but it otherwise seems like it would be voyeurism.

My next door neighbors have a huge window that looks into their dining room area. Whenever I walk past their house and they’re all eating, there’s this uncomfortable exchange of glances. It feels invasive just to look. Imagine how much more awkward and invasive it would be if I were to go up to the window with a camera and take a couple of pictures. Since they’re okay with sitting in front of an open window, I suppose you could argue that they’re inviting anyone to look in. However, things people do in their house are often far more personal than what they do in public; they’re more uninhibited. People just don’t expect strangers to take pictures of them while in the privacy of their homes, like they might in a public area.

Susan Sontag: In Plato's Cave

Out of all of Susan Sontag’s claims, the one that struck me most was that “photographing is essentially an act of non-intervention.” Some of the most memorable photographs ever taken – war images, dying children, and slaughter – required the photographer to make a choice between taking the shot and intervening. Although often nothing can be done to help in such situations, it does make it seem callous of photographers to capture these moments. On the other hand, it’s because of them that we have evidence of these events.

Sontag later mentions that too much exposure to graphic images can eventually make them seem less real. In a way, looking through the camera, trying to get the perfect shot can also make the photographer “forget” that they’re looking at reality. On vacations where I wasn’t spending time taking pictures, I remember the experience more. When I have the camera, I spend time toggling with the camera trying to get the perfect shot. It can make you forget that you’re working with a piece of reality, and not just a work of art.

Document: Bubbles

⌠ Proposal and Hypothesis ⌡
For my document project, I decided to photograph different kinds of bubbles. They will be the traditional soap and water bubbles, bubbles formed from other substances or by other methods, and bubble shaped objects.


For many of the photos, I will ask someone to help create or blow bubbles, but other "bubbly" subjects may also be discovered at random. I believe I'll find that there are many different ways to create bubbles and also that there are many objects that resemble bubbles. On the other hand, I may find that there are fewer kinds of bubbles than I expected. Whether I like it or not, I'll probably also learn a lot of the science behind bubbles along the way.

The motivation behind documenting bubbles is simply that I like bubbles; they immediately make me think of childhood (all of the bubble-shaped toys can attest to that idea) or of being carefree.

⌠ Results ⌡
I had trouble finding bubble-shaped objects, but I was able to capture bubbles formed from various substances, mainly liquid. Originally, I had also hoped to capture at least one image of someone blowing a bubble with gum, but I had difficulty finding a willing subject.

Szarkowski

Szarkowski found that there are five elements photographers are aware of:

⌠ Thing ⌡ - The thing is the subject of the photo. Although the photographer is, at first, capturing a piece of reality, the captured image will survive the original subject and become the remembered reality.

⌠ Detail ⌡- To focus on detail is to isolate a fragment and document it, giving it significance. Photographs of the trivial force the viewer to take a second look at something they would normally overlook or ignore.

⌠ Frame ⌡- Creating a relationship between figures is one way of framing a photograph. Selecting what will and won't be in the photo, which is the central act of photography, forces viewers to focus on the picture edge and is also a way of framing.

⌠ Time ⌡- All photos capture a piece of time, which is always the present.

⌠ Vantage Point ⌡ - Photos that give us the sense of the scene while withholding the narrative are making use of vantage point. Examples of vantage point include the backs of people and bird's eye view.

⌠ Favorite Elements ⌡
I think that I work best with thing, frame, and time. I often find I want my photos to be focused on something, whether it's a person, animal, landscape, or object. Abstract photos are interesting in their own way, but too many of them can become boring.

When I take photos, I find myself framing the subject, sometimes without even realizing it. As for time, if a certain lighting or unusual weather conditions stands out, I feel that it's more worthwhile to take a picture.