I have learned a lot about myself this semester, personally and as an artist. My imagery has been dark for a long time, and as I mentioned in class it is reflective of where I am as a person. The reasons for this darkness are many, and the details are unimportant in this writing. What is important is I feel a change happening and I am ready to move on from that part of my life, leave the past behind.
The strongest images in my portfolio reflect this stage I am going through, and that has always been the goal of my personal work, to tell what has been my story. I think I have explored myself enough and the time has come for me to also turn my camera outward.
Technically, I have learned that less is more in terms of processing, and I have had the tendency in the past to overdo things in that area. Part of this is the result of ignorance about the real mechanics and effects caused by some of the editing tools, and part is simply curiosity. So my goal moving forward is to begin seeing things differently, which requires personal growth and change. Also I want to get back to making more universal images, telling the story and teaching myself yet again to see. This does not mean I have to abandon the influences, techniques and other inspiration I have had over the years, but rather that I need to expand my vocabulary photographically. In that regard I think that starting anew in these intro classes will help to ground and center me and get me back on the path I want to be on as a photographer. I am excited about these new opportunities and am looking forward to getting my head back in the game completely and totally.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Carmelo Bongiorno and Mario Giacomelli
Two photographers I admire and try to emulate at times are Mario Giacomelli and Carmelo Bongiorno.
They are both from Italy and both work in black and white. I believe Carmelo is still shooting film. I have actually developed a correspondence with him as I had asked him some questions for a report I did on him last spring and we have been chatting via email since that time.
Mario was known for his super high contrast black and white images, often reducing the tonal range to a shade of black and a shade of white with not much in between. He shot a wide range of subject ranging from street work, landscape, abstraction and the like. His compositions and point of view often added a surreal feeling to his images.This image is one of Mario's more famous images I believe and is a good example of the work I feel most drawn to.
Carmelo also works in black and white and his imagery is very surreal. I am impressed by his ability to make fantastic images not only in ideal situations but also in settings that would seem mundane to most. He has won many awards and gallery appearances throughout Europe. I can see the influence Mario had on Carmelo in many images. I like the controlled motion he uses and the fact that he can repeat and achieve consistent results show the mastery he has over the medium.
They are both from Italy and both work in black and white. I believe Carmelo is still shooting film. I have actually developed a correspondence with him as I had asked him some questions for a report I did on him last spring and we have been chatting via email since that time.
Mario was known for his super high contrast black and white images, often reducing the tonal range to a shade of black and a shade of white with not much in between. He shot a wide range of subject ranging from street work, landscape, abstraction and the like. His compositions and point of view often added a surreal feeling to his images.This image is one of Mario's more famous images I believe and is a good example of the work I feel most drawn to.
Carmelo also works in black and white and his imagery is very surreal. I am impressed by his ability to make fantastic images not only in ideal situations but also in settings that would seem mundane to most. He has won many awards and gallery appearances throughout Europe. I can see the influence Mario had on Carmelo in many images. I like the controlled motion he uses and the fact that he can repeat and achieve consistent results show the mastery he has over the medium.
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