Alec Soth

 Alec Soth is a photographer born and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Soth normally takes large scale photos that are based in the mid-west, United States. Most believe that he has sprung in the photography career path due to his chemistry with the strangers he meets and photographs. This is ironic because people who knew him in his youth said he was "painfully shy". But it seems like photography has opened himself up and allowed him to create beautiful images. 

One of his images that stood out to me was the one shown below:

When I saw this photo I thought to myself, "what is going on here". The choices made here are very strange and I am constantly trying to figure out the reason behind this photo. Looking at it this man looks like he was once homeless or he is very poor. The background also makes be believe this further due to the broken wood and torn down place behind him. It is also strange though because this man is wearing a suit and tie while holding some type of book that looks like it could be a Bible. It also looks like he is holding a palm from a palm tree which goes along with the thought that the book is a Bible. But the question is why have him dressed so nice and holding things to do with the churches, yet have such a broken down environment behind him? My thought is that either Soth or the man have an opinion about the churches and that they might think that they are corrupt? I am not sure, but I really like this photo because it raises so many interesting thoughts and questions. 

Another photo that I really enjoy when I saw it was this one below:

This one gives me the same emotions from the last photo, but I think that is why I like it. What it looks like here is that there are four subjects who look like they are in jail, but are allowed to work outside the jail. It is ironic though because they are holding objects that are dangerous. It is also ironic because this is taken in front of a giant cross. It is also weird because they have a car to the left as well as if they drove themselves there. The main question I think of is what does it look like they are about to do or have done already? 

I really like how Soth captures images that bring up multiple questions and thoughts to think about while looking at his work. Although his photos are not the most pleasing to look at as others, they are really well captured to discuss the thoughts behind them. That is why I like Alec Soth. I really think this would be something I would like to capture, photos that bring up multiple questions. 

-Bronwen Lewis

Hiroshi Sugimoto

 Hiroshi Sugimoto is a Japanese photographer who takes and captures images or "impossible" phenomena and realistic photographs. He challenged the "objective" form of photography and art today. He is one of the best known  photo artists of his time and our time. He is widely known for his strict black-and-white photo series. He poses the challenging questions of time, art, science, imagination, and reality. 

One of his photos that really caught my eye was this one below. In this photograph I can really understand why he is so known for the "impossible" because this photo seems impossible to capture. He clearly knows how to work well with timing, art, and reality. This photo really caught my attention because of how close he seems to the wolves, it makes me feel like we are right there with him. What also caught my eye was the fact that this photo is so clear, especially in conditions like the weather in which wolves live. The contrasts and lighting between the lighter or white wolves compared to the darker colored wolves is amazing. I really enjoy this photograph. 

Another photo that caught my attention was this one here below as well. This photo also seems impossible to capture. I cannot imagine the time spent trying to get this photo. The photo to me obviously looks like lightening during a storm, but the fact that it is just the lightening and we see nothing else. Normally, if one was to take this, an average person, we would see the clouds and it would be blurry trying to capture so much light, yet to still show so much light and clarity in this photo. It almost looks like a drawing someone could do. This also relates to how Sugimoto creates photos that are such ones of art and time and reality. It is amazing what he can capture and I really take an interest into his artwork. 

Richard Avedon: Video

 SCENE 1:  4:30  

RICHARD AVEDON HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVESAL PHOTOGRAPHERS OF THE CENTURY. HE HAS COMPASION AND ENERGY, HE PAYED ATTENTION TO THE PEOPLE WHO USUALLY DO NOT. HE WEN TO VIETNAM, THE STREETS, ANYWHERE WHERE HIS POLITICAL CONCERNS TOOK HIM. THIS LED HIM TO BE ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVRERSAL, BUT LOVED PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE PHOTOGRAPHY HISTORY WORLD.  

SCENE 2: 17:24 

THE PEOPLE HE TOOK PHOTOS OF SAID HE WAS JUMPING ALL OVER THE PLACE BECAUSE HE WAS. WHILE HE ASKED HIS MODELS TO (21:00) JUMP FOR THE PHOTO HE WOULD JUMP TOO! IN 1996 AVADON ACCEPTED A VOGUE OFFER. THE OFFER STARTED WHEN HE TOOK A PICTURE OF A MODEL WITH A SNAKE. HE CAPTURED THE PERFECT PHOTO AFTER WAITING 2 HOURS ON THE FLOOR WIAITING FOR THE PERFECT CAPTURE. WHEN THE SNAKE WENT UP HER BODY, HE TOOK THE PHOTO AND CAUGHT THE SNAKE LOOKING RIGHT AT HER WITH ITS TONGUE OUT. THE MODEL WAS ALSO NUDE IN THIS PHOTO. IT GAVE OFF A BEAUTIFUL, SENSUAL PHOTO THAT WAS ONE OF HIS MOST BEAUITUFL ACCOMPLISHMENTS. HE CAUGHT THE ONE TIME THE SNAKE KISSED HER EAR, THIS SOLD FOR 2 MILLION COPIES. EVERYONE SAID AFTER THIS HE WOULD RE-WRITE PHOTOGRAPHY BECAUSE OF HIS TALENT. (23:30) HE ENDED UP LEAVING VOGUE IN 1998, BUT THIS DID NOT STOP HIM IN FASHION AND PHOTOGRAPHY.  

Christian Vogt

    Christian Vogt is sought to be one of Switzerland's most important and known contemporary artists. He is so important because of what he does with his photography. He takes images and makes them into visual experiences for the viewers to decide and think about what is going on behind them. Vogt was born in 1946, in Basel, Switzerland and since the 1960s he has been creating photographs of visual experiences. 

One of his photographs that really stood out to me is the one pictured below. I am particularly drawn to this image because of the fist that is replacing where his head would be. I was immediately drawn towards this image also because of the male who is pictured nude. He seems restrained in this photo. This photo is very controversial I feel like because of the model being nude and because of his head not being shown. This male figure is very muscular, but the way Vogt took it makes me feel like he is being restrained in some way. The fist really makes me feel a sense of anger behind this man as he is gripping his fingers really tight and holding it out in front of his face. I also really enjoy how the contrasts of this photo go together, although there are a lot of grays I think it really works with this photo. 

The other photo done by Vogt that really caught my attention was a similar one to the one above. 

This photo is captured of a woman. The way Vogt captured this photo makes me seem to believe this woman is crazy or has some mental disorder. Her facial expressions and the pose makes me to believe that she is mentally insane. She is also captured here nude like the photo above of the man. What also caught my attention was the models pose. She is pictured in a very uncomfortable pose and it makes me feel like how I felt about her facial expressions, that she is insane. The colors of this photo is not what caught my attention and I actually do not really like the contrasts of colors in this photo. If it was not for the pose and the crazy facial expressions I do not think I would actually be attracted to this photo. But, maybe that is what Vogt wannted. Maybe, he wanted to bring attention to her and just her and not the colors and contrasts. I also am wondering what is the paper or cloth that is under her. It looks like she went crazy and took her clothes off and ripped a bunch of things which really helps with her expression and nudity to make me believe that she is mentally insane.

-Bronwen Lewis

PHOTO 337 Irving Penn

  Irving Penn was born in 1917 in Plainfield, New Jersey. He was born to immigrant parents. Penn was one of the 21st century's greatest photographers. Although he was one of the most well known and top studio photographers out there, he was a very private man and kept most of his works to himself. Penn traveled many places doing his work throughout the years, he went to Mexico, New York, Japan, Spain, Nepal, pairs, etc. before returning to New York to finish most of his career there. After World War II, Penn really began to capture his portrait photography. When Penn was traveling he was allowed to take photos of whatever inspired him the most. He was allowed his own freedom of focus for his photos.

One of his portrait projects that I found most interesting was the "Small Trades" project. Penn traveled the world and took photos of people who were selling things on the streets to make a living. This photo above, similar to many other small trade photos I enjoy is one of my favorites. I enjoy the way Penn made people feel comfortable in the photos and captured what the sell in their photo. For example, the picture above shows a man who sells vegetables on the streets. The man seems to enjoy what he does because of his facial expression. The contrasts in the photo also really stand out to me. The vegetables are beautifully highlighted as the clothing he wears are in deep contrast to bring out what he sells on the streets. The main idea of this project was to present what the people on the streets sell and how they felt about what they sell and how life was for them. 

Another photo I like from this series is this one below. I like this photo because it is taken so well. These two men are butchers from Paris. Their faces captured in this photo show their pride in what they do. I like how Penn captured the blood and the knives they use to do their job. This photo almost reminds me of a father son duo in the working life. This photo really stood out to me because even though it is black and white, the contrasts and highlights bring out the importance of small trades during this time. 

Penn was and still is one of the most important studio photographers known today. He is known for his beautiful use of contrast and highlights in black and white photography to capture the emotion and important in the people we see in his photos today.