Tues/Thur-More about Orozco and Sugimoto, White Balance, Found Object

Tues Agenda:

More Orozco-understanding the artists goals 
More Sugimoto-understanding the artists goals
How each photographer might think of the relationship of photographer-subject-viewer

White Balance and our cameras

Orozco

PBS Art-Orozco 
Orozco-Guggenheim-Scale
Orozco on Photography

The essential questions regarding Orozco's work:

1. Orozco refers to a metaphor when he discusses how he uses photography and the camera. What is that metaphor?
2. What does Orozco mean when he talks about a total vision of something in all dimensions?
3. What does Orozco do with the objects he photographs for the Guggenheim exhibit that makes the work unique or innovative?
4. What do you think of the Guggenheim exhibit featured in the clip?
5. Do we as viewers or audience gain more from Orozco's work from understanding his motivations as an artist/photographer? Does that place more responsibility on the viewer to learn? 
6. Does Orozco care about the triad relationship between subject-photographer-viewer or not?

Sugimoto-Contacts
The essential questions regarding Sugimoto's work include:

1. Sugimoto says, in his work, concept and vision come first. What other photographer have we studied places equal emphasis on vision as well? Compare/contrast the two photographers? You can use time, place, nature of work as springboards for discussion.
2. Sugimoto attempts to show the Japanese Buddhist concepts of "emptiness" and "nothingness" in his theatre work. How is this accomplished? What is your interpretation of his Theatre work? Does it help to be Japanese or Buddhist to better appreciate this work as a viewer, or is it universal in appeal?
3. Describe the stunning seascapes work. How were these photographs taken? What do you think he is trying to make the viewer think or feel by these works? Does it work for you or not?
4. Why does he photograph wax people? How long of an exposure does he use? What is the relationship of the wax portraits to time? 
5. How does Sugimoto regard the relationship between subject, photographer and viewer?
6. Do we as viewers or audience gain more from Sugimoto's work from understanding his motivations as an artist/photographer? Does that place more responsibility on the viewer to learn? 
7. Does Sugimoto care about the triad relationship between subject-photographer-viewer or not? 

1. Start by reading/watching Orozco at the Tate. 
With your new information, go back and read what you wrote yesterday about this work of Orozco's. Compare/contrast today in the blogspot comment area your view about this work today, versus yesterday.

Come to the front of class around tables. 

2. Next, look at Orozco's Box. 
Discuss in small groups of 2-3 what you would do if were in a museum and found a box on the floor as the students did? Do you think this was interesting or a waste of time for both artist and viewer? What was Orozco's intention behind the art?


Thursday:
Finish Sugimoto - 20 min

Understand White Balance on your cameras.

White Balance:
Good beginner
Excellent more information
Canon DLSR demo for custom white balance
Nikon DSLR  

Homework, Due April 20, 8pm in Homework Folder with that date.
Inspired by Sugimoto's concepts of time and place, visualize a scene you would like to immerse yourself in. Set up your camera such that it can stay set up over a weekend. Take at least 12 shots without moving your camera. You can change your exposure, but the framing and composition should remain the same. Visit your set up once every few hours and see what is in your field of view. Has the sun changed position casting a different kind of shadow, exposing something you didn't see before? Has someone entered the field of view and brought new meaning? Has you dog or cat taken a place on the carpet in the middle of your framed area? What changes do you capture over a weekend? Every time you shoot, think of your white balance and lighting. Begin by doing a custom white balance using a white card or wall. Also experiment with other lighting options as the sun moves and the lighting changes. For example, in a sunny morning you can use a bright sun light option, but as the day darkens you can change to a setting more appropriate for shade or darker view. Or if you change lighting from an overhead flourescent to a lit room with candles-this will change your lighting. Upload your files to the google drive, in one of your folders. We will put these photos together next week in a photo collage inspired by another artist, David Hockney. You need at least 12 good photos for the collage.
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Week of April 14th-Found Object and White Balance

This week we will look at 2 important contemporary photographers from 2 different parts of the world. Through looking at their work we will investigate these essential photographic questions:

• What happens when a viewer sees a photograph without the necessary background to grasp what the photographer means to communicate? 
• Is it the photographer's responsibility to engage the viewer visually in such a way that the viewer is invited to learn more about the work and discover meaning? 
• How does a photographer engage a viewer visually when the photographer's work is more abstract or symbolic?
• Why is it that sometimes we look at a piece of art or photography and wonder why it is considered 'art'? 

We will also learn more about white balance and visit these menus on our cameras. Our understanding of white balance, and its relationship to understanding lighting conditions will augment our work this week.

Monday assignment for in-class:

Without looking up anything about Gabriel Orozco and Hiroshi Sugimoto, look at the two works below. In the blogspot comment below, write about each photograph you see below.  Answer these questions:

1. What do you think the photographer's goal is with each photograph in terms of the relationship between subject-photographer and audience?
2. Compare and contrast the two photos below in terms of communicating with audience, in particular you! Which one is more appealing to you? Which one would draw your attention more? Why?
3. Does it appear that these photographers are both contemporary, current photographers? Why?
4. If you were told that both of these photographers had an interest in 'found objects', what do you think that might mean? What do you think found object photography might be, in looking at the photos below (no cheating-do not look this up, let's see for fun if we can guess by looking).
5. Finally, if both of these are somewhat representative of found object work, do you think it is ok to move things you find, or do you think you have to shoot what you find as is, without modification?

When finished with your analysis we will move on to understanding what Orozco means to communicate with the photograph on the bottom, and begin a deep dive into 2 excellent conceptual photographers, one from Mexico, one from Japan.

Hiroshi Sugimoto

Gabriel Orozco : Found Object Photography

Camera Angle

This movie shows shooting a model from low to high camera angles and the resulting differences.
More composition and camera angle

Mobile and Socio-cultural Implications for Photography

Question:

What are the cultural differences we see in the use of mobile devices according to this article?
Do you agree?
Have you had different experience if you are from other parts of the world, or have recently visited other parts of the world?

CNN-Cultural differences/Mobile

Do you think there exist cultural differences in the way people of different cultures choose a profile picture for Facebook? Read the article below, and with a small group, discuss your thoughts about what drives facebook profile selections. Think about Facebook Friends you have who might be from outside this area or country. Look at their Profile Pictures. Are they different than yours?

Facebook Photos May Reflect Unconscious Cultural Differences

Classwork week of March 23-30
Please make a Facebook Photo Album this week that describes your American Cultural Heritage as a high school student or American Teenager. If you are not American by citizenship, then for now, assume that you are immersed in American culture and complete the assignment from that point of view. What is it like to be in the United States as a person from outside the US. You would have a unique viewpoint of American teen culture and experience from that viewpoint. You will have an opportunity to greatly explore your own unique cultural heritage next week.

Your album must have a consistent overall theme and should consist of at least 10 quality photos that demonstrate excellent composition, mastery of camerwork in terms of exposure, and consistent and clear message.

This week you will shoot photographs in class and during school, after school that depict scenes of the typical American teen from a suburban neighborhood such as Saratoga-Los Gatos.  This might include:

1. Conceptual themes about stress, homework, academic pressure
2. Conceptual representations about other themes you would like to explore including teen identity, growing up, moving on, influencing others positivly, etc
3. Friendship
4. Peer Pressure
5. Food
6. Entertainment
7. After School enjoyment/ activities
8. Examples of homework/projects
9. Dances, plays, music, sports etc
10. Anything else

You will share your album with the class by sharing an album link in the comments section of this blogspot. To find the share link for your facebook photo album, click on a photo, find the little editing pencil icon in the upper right of your photo, it will have a share link URL. Copy that and paste below.

Homework:
You will begin the creation of a Facebook photo album that tells the story of your own cultural identity. Start by thinking about your cultural origins. Some of you were born in other countries, some of you are second generation. Some of you probably have never been to another country. Even though I am 5th generation Irish, I still feel cultural connections to an Irish heritage. When I first visited Ireland 25 years ago I felt a deep connection to the country, although I had never been. I loved the music, the laid back attitudes, the humor, the celtic art and the people. I also loved the countryside and the land. I felt a connection to a place I was not born, my parents and grandparents were not born. But still I had a connection. If you do not have a connection to your original cultural background, this is your chance to do some research. Some things to shoot might be:

1. Clothing
2. Food
3. Sheet music examples
4. Differences in language or text/type for alphabet
5. Differences in worship
6. Memorabelia from trips to countries with cultural ties
7. Old photos that could be scanned and merged with your own photo
8. What about taking an old family photo and merging yourself into it?

Over the weekend collect old photos to bring to school for scanning (if you have them). Also shoot photos that you can bring to school that describe/depict cultural heritage, such as clothes, objects, food. Bring to school Monday a collection of photos to work with. You should have at least 2 photos for scanning, and 6-8 photos you have shot for editing/cropping.

We will work on a Facebook photo album the entire following week that explores cultural identity and storytelling.

If you are unsure of your cultural heritage, respond by connecting to the heritage you feel most closely associated. For some of you, this could be your American Heritage. What does it mean to be American?

See me for any questions you might have.

Portraiture

Please take this quick anonymous survey. thanks

Please download the attached booklet from last year to look at portraits that Mrs. Leather will refer to in today's class.

Week's assignment:
Portraits-create a final collection of excellent portraits that capture not only the physical attributes of the subject, but the inner qualities of the person as well. (4 excellent photos to turn in my week's end).
These final 4 excellent photos should be uploaded to the google drive/classwork/portraits. And finally, make your own folder under portraits by giving it a name. 

Weekend Homework due 3/23:
Portrait: Create an excellent portrait of 2 people you know well. These could be family members or friends. Upload to portrait folder linked here. These need to be uploaded by 3/23, 8pm. Anything later will lose one letter grade. (directory: google drive/homework/portrait-make your folder)


Grading:
These will be evaluated based on:

1. Camera skill (solid good exposure)
2. Demonstration of narrow depth of field-model in focus, background defocused in at least 1
3. Composition-intentional thought has gone into how you are aligning aspects of your photo for optimal composition
4. Demonstration that you as photographer control the shot

Classwork Monday/Tuesday (when complete, please work on portraiture shots, week's photo assignment-listed above)

In groups, find examples of portraits that demonstrate the following concepts and put them into a shared google presentation to share with the class. In your presentation, show at least 8-10 examples of your research topic, siting what you like, do not like, challenges facing the photographer, challenges facing the model or subject of the portrait.

Variety of camera angles and or perspectives, variety of shots with model/subject looking in different ways, direct at camera, but also away from camera.
(jessika, corinne, rahul)

Differences in depth of field, from narrow/shallow to wide.
(tomas, caitlin, alison)

That use props to further tell a story about the person
(nina, andrew, erin)

Interesting use of composition, perhaps breaking standard compositional rules
(patrick, jimmy, ryann)

Show surface beauty, inner beauty and capture both-compare and contrast all 3
(jason y., brooke, carolina)

Studio indoor lighting, outdoor lighting, 3 pt lighting, dramatic lighting, pattern lighting
(samantha, daniela, taylor, jimmy)


Photographers to research (you must use at least 2 photographers from the first group below, and 2 photographers from Asia, as grouped in the second grouping).
You may also use photographers you find on the web through Google. 

Steve McCurry
Jousef Karsh
Irving Penn
Mary Ellen Mark
Joe McNally
Annie Liebovitz
Gregory Heisler
Peter Hurley

Daido Moriyama
Raghu Rai
Chien Chi Chang
Ho Fan