Some Photographic Myths

I liked reading this handout because it was very useful. A lot of the things I have thought about and knew but some I found hoard to believe. First off, myth number one was something we've disscussed in class about the photographer being his or her worst edititor. The story about W. Eugene Smith really was shocking to me and I guess was really proof that you can be great but just choose the wrong photos. Myth number 3 was something I never really head about and was kind of shocked. "Photographers are good printers". I guess I always thought that if your a photographer than you should know how to print, naturally. But reading into it, they said that people make it their professional career in printing and they do it all day everyday. And that photographers like Henri Cartier-Breson even got his negatives sent away for someone else to do it. I think overall it made me feel better that maybe I can't print so excellent but that's okay because I'll just send them out when I'm rich and famous. Haha

Some Photographic Myths

I thought this reading was really interesting. It was a very easy read, I didn't struggle through it like I have with others. A lot of the myths are things we have talked about in class or things I have thought about on my own, but it's always good to get the pov of another photographer on different subjects. I'm not sure I completely agree with Myth no 5: Photography is about talent and instinct. I think that, yes, you aren't born a great photographer but I think some people are born photographers. I feel like some people, no matter how much they study, will not be able to produce work like one that was born a photographer. Of course, even those born a photographer must study to be a great photographer.
Overall I really enjoyed the reading and it's probably something I will come back to again, to remind myself about these myths.

Some Photographic myth

Overall, I really enjoyed this reading. I felt it was a fun light hearted read. I found the first myth greatly useful, in relation to trying to pick photos for finals. I never really thought of how the photographer could be a bad editor because "the photographers are the only ones who have the insight and ability to select the best images of their own work". Now, that I look back at my photography from the past few years, a few of the choices were based on my emotions towards the subject matter. The second myth is especially true, I always find some difficulty when trying to talk about my own work. When talking about others work i don't usually have a problem, yet with mine I cant find the words to show what I was truly thinking as I was shooting. Another myth I liked was the 5th myth, saying that photography is about talent. I think that talent is key to keeping the motivation, but no one is instantly a great photographer, like anything it takes practice (why else would be in college for photography).

-Amanda Murley

Some Photographic Myths Response

This text was somewhat humorous, which I enjoyed. The authors seemed to want to give the reader, and other photographers, a reality check, which I also found was refreshing. A lot of the myths I have heard before and we have talked about in class. So those ones basically restated a lot of the things that were discussed in class. However, I never heard the myth that you should never photograph in a foreign culture. The only thing that bothered me about this text, which is weird, was there were only 9 myths, and I thought that maybe there should have been 10, just to make it even. But that's just me. Otherwise, I'm pretty neutral towards this text; it wasn't awful and it wasn't terribly enlightening.

Hannah Johnson

Response to: "Some Photographic Myths"

Juliet Bull

Overall, I enjoyed this reading. I thought it brought up some good points, in a creative way. The reading was interesting and kept me interesting. Although a few points they made I have heard a thousand times, some of them were new and put a new perspective for me. For example, when the author talks about how a good photographer, is not necessarily a good printer. "The fact remains that printing is a highly skilled profession that demands a great deal of time (and enthusiasm) to master. Some photographers have the interest in fine printing, and have invested the effort to become extremely proficient in it. Most have not." I think a lot of photographers, especially at our age, get confused and frustrated because printing can be so difficult. A photographer should know how to print, but should not base whether or not they are a good photographer based on their printing skills. Another good point that I think the article brought up, is photographers are their own worst editors. We have talked about this many times in class, and it is something every photographer should be aware of. We get invested in our own work. It becomes hard to look at it from an outside view and critic our own work. I also thought Myth number six, had some really good points. When the author says, "One of the most pernicious and destructive remarks which can be made to a photographer is that "it has been done before," When a person creates art, it is from what they have seen or been inspired by before and putting their own twist on it. When people say, "I've seen it before" They just mean they have seen something like it before. Every person adds a different twist or a different part of themselves into it. For art to be created it must be viewed and done over again. I really enjoyed reading this piece, it was an easy read and made some good points.

Some Photographic Myths

This reading was interesting because of the concentration of it to disprove myths about photography and people's misconceptions. A lot of these misconceptions were things i have heard or experienced and overall i agreed with the opinions of the authors. I really liked the part where the author spoke of the mysticism of art that is mostly just bullshit. I could not agree more with that, as a person on the way to developing a career in the arts it is both frustrating and difficult to sift through the bullshit and the integrity of art. I liked that this article was very real, it had a down-to-earth approach. I really enjoyed the quote: "the immature artist imitates; the mature artist steals. " I also really liked the section titled "The it-has-been-done-before-syndrome" because it was all about the misconception that everything has been photographed before, therefore it's not worth photographing again. this was reassuring because it is something I often think about.

Response to "Some Photographic Myths"

I really liked this reading, especially as a final reading for the class (or maybe it would fit better as a first reading?) I though it was interesting, and liked that like some of the other readings it had a lot of examples. It was nice that it echoed and sort of reinforced what was being said in class about photographers being their worst editors. I think that the commerce vs art being corrupt was one of the more interesting sections that had a lot of good points as well as the section after it about photography not being based on the talent and instinct one is born with.

Some Photographic Myths.

When reading the first myth about photographers are the best editors of their own work, I thought it was crazy W.Eugene Smith shot over 11,000 negatives in one year. I felt kind of bad for him when he ended up resigning from his job because he wasn't allowed full control over the picture selection, because he wasn't a very good editor on his own. From this reading I realized it's really important to collaborate with people when creating your art to get the best possible results, like talking with an editor, writer and printer. You are the artist and take the image, and having someone else help you doesn't take away from that. Once you have your image, you want to be able to show it in the best possible way. So handing it over to someone like a really good printer with a lot of experience, is a good idea, to get the best print. Also the quote "The immature artist imitates; the mature artist steals," is a line I heard all the time in high school and I still hear all the time now. If you are going to take an idea from someone you defiantly want to make it better or a little different or it does end up just imitating and seeming like you just copied an idea, not being very creative.

PRC- color photo awards

Curtis Mann's work was really fascinating. I just want to examine every corner of the photograph. I'm drawn into the large white spaces, and then want to look at every detail of the color. They almost don't look like photographs, like the picture Out Scouting, looks a lot like a painting to me. Also Alejandro Chaskielberg's work was really beautiful. The color in it was great, and for some reason made me think of the I Spy books I used to read when I was younger. I was not a big fan of Claudia Angelmaier's work. The images were just too light for me. It's hard to tell what exactly is going on in the image and what it's a picture of.

PRC- Color Photo Awards

First off, I loved this show because color photos/prints are always interesting to look at. I absolutely loved Alejandro Chaskielberg photos. They all had some quality of fantasy to them. The color is so rich you just can't stop staring at them. Curtis Mann's work was definitely interesting. It's like crosses between photos paintings and mixed media. I'm not sure how much I like it. I found it a bit to bright and florescent for my taste. Nicholas Kahn & Richard Selesnick work is so fun. They utilize multiple exposures, props, costumes and location to convince historical fiction that also critiques the major issues of today's environmental and financial crises. Those Photographers stood out to me the most. I thought the showing was great.

PRC Color Photography Awards Response

I would say the pieces all worked together as a cohesive show based on the concepts behind them. These surreal-type photographs all depict either a fantastical landscape or setting with people. Especially impressing, whether it is just their unusual format or not, are the panoramic photos by the duo Nicholas Kahn and Richard Selesnick. Putting their unusual size aside, I think the two panoramas are successful in creating accessible, though creative, scenes, and going beyond the norm. I also enjoyed how Curtis Mann put together the panels of separate images, although I'm not too keen on his work. Claudia Angelmaier's work however, really stood out to me. Maybe it's just the air of mystery in them that captures my attention; it's hard to tell exactly what those are photographs of, or what exactly is going on. But still I like the fogginess, and the fact that they are traditional opposed to digital prints. Since I've mentioned all the other winners I should mention Alejandro Chaskielberg. His work is nice too. It's vivid and definitely is a display of surreal settings on account of the lighting. They all possess strong composition and out of this world feeling, which ties them all together.

Hannah Johnson

hey guys,

just wanted to say hi and that i hope all of you made wonderful pictures over thanksgiving break.

i know its early in the game for all of you, but a little something called creative setback or block has come upon me and it will happen to all of you. i want you all to know the best way to battle that is to keep making photographs or art in general. sometimes it seems impossible upon everything in life that is going on, school, boyfriends and girlfriends, exams, work, parties, etc but remember you are all photographers. you all love making photographs, so keep doing that. and tell me to do the same if you see me!

time is ticking for editing and printing, if you need help with anything i am always around, email me or find me in the halls or darkrooms.

-your TA

PRC- Color Awards

I think the show was really interesting. The pieces all worked really well together, the sense of colors were strong and vivid. Most of the pieces seemed to be creating fantasy worlds. The "Real World" series by Seung Woo Back and "Eisbergfreistadt" by Nicholas Kahn & Richard Selesnick had the most surreal and otherworldly quality to them. I think that, compared to the rest of the artists, Claudia Angelmaier's work is out of place yet stands out because it's so different from the rest of it. Her work is very desaturated and not as brightly colored as the rest of the show. I think out of all the artists I was most attracted to the work of Nicholas Kahn and Richard Selesnick, I think their creatures and fantasy worlds are very interestingly constructed and make an impact. Overall I think the show and the artists were well chosen and they all fit well together.

No man's land

I loved the black and white images in the show, at university hall. It was an interesting take on landscapes, alot of images were things that were not the standard of beauty, for example the image" Kluza Fortress, Soca Valley, Slovenia". The wide sense of space gave an allusion of true loneliness. It is nice to see images that are not of a city in the city. The perception is some of these image is spectacular such as the image "Gettysburg, Pennsylvania". These images as a whole creates surreal imagery with a sense of beauty within emptiness.

-Amanda Murley

No Man's Land

Since I missed class last week, I went to the No Man's Land exhibit at the porter square AIB gallery. The images were beautifully printed, especially the black and white pieces. Many of the images conveyed a great sense of loneliness and abandonment. In this series of photographs it stays true to its title "No Man's Land", as there is not one portrait in the series. My Favorite photographs from the exhibit were the one of the moss and lush landscape, its colors were beautiful and the textures were very interesting. the "Abandoned Farm Near Elizabeth City" pictured farm equipment on another beautiful landscape. The photograph titled "Gettysburg Adams County, Pennsylvania" was almost dream-like. The colors of the grasses and brush are dark in the foreground and fade to lighter green in the background. The sun is a baby-blue with fluffy clouds, and it seems like something that could not exist in this country. I liked that many of these pieces are places I may never see because of their random locations in rural countrysides.

PRC Color Awards

I think all the pieces in the show fit well together. It seems like they all have some sort of surreal/fantasy quality to them which is caused by the setting in some and how vivid the color is in others. I didn't completely understand Claudia Angelmaier's pieces though. I'm not exactly sure how they're considered photography enough to be getting awards as photographs. Nicholas Kahn and Richard Selesnick's photographs were the most interesting to me. They make a lot more sense with the titles and description, but they were captivating images without them too. Alejandro Chaskielberg's images were also really captivating and surreal with the setting and colors, but became more grounded with their description. The people almost looked like set up miniatures because the grasses are so tall. I'm not really sure if I like the really saturated colors though. Curtis Mann's pieces were interesting but I wasn't really sure about them until reading the description and finding out what he did to the photographs. I think all of the sets of photos fit together into a show pretty well, but Claudia Angelmaier's pieces were the least fitting with the rest.

Shutterbabe response.

I thought this reading was really good, once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. The part about the orphanage was really shocking and graphic and I don't think I would have had the stomach to be able to stand there and shoot pictures. Just looking at those kids in person would have been hard to deal with, and then seeing their horrible living conditions would have been too much for me. I have a lot of respect for her going to Jim and telling him about the orphanage, because she knows he can get the pictures published and out there more then she ever could. It wasn't about who got their pictures published or money, it was about getting these horrible images out there for people to see, so maybe something would change.

Shutterbabe Response

I really liked this reading, but I haven't really been sure how to go about responding to it. When I looked up Deborah Kogan, I was surprised to see she mostly writes and shoots authors now. It seemed a little lackluster compared to the trips she described in the reading. I do see how someone could burn out on photojournalism and want to do something else though. I definitely have respect for the photojournalists who go out and shoot things like the orphanage they were shooting to get publicity and aid for them (though I have a feeling that a lot of shoots like that never get published in well read publications).

Shutterbabe Response

Hannah Johnson

I really enjoyed this reading, although it was long. It held my interest much more than the other readings, especially the longer ones, because of its story-telling style. It is a completely enjoyable piece of literature, well written, and full of really interesting information. The story she tells about the orphanage in Romania was brutal. The graphic descriptions of the way these children were mistreated and their living situations were very unsettling. You didn't want to believe that a place like that actually exists. However at the same time, I felt myself being extremely curious as to what her photos were. I wanted to see some examples of the environment, of the children. I think it's sobering to hear what other countries are like, and how utterly different America is from them. Photojournalists are important to this enlightenment and I was glad to hear that the little orphanage got some press. All in all, I did enjoy this part of the book and it intrigues me to see what else the rest of the book might be like.

Shutterbabe Response

This article was interesting to me because it was more of a story-based reading. I liked that it gave a lot of insight to what the life of a photojournalist covering a story is. The story of the “unrecoverables” made me feel sick to my stomach. As Americans we often forget that other countries do not have the same healthcare standards as our country. Deborah’s decision to hand her story over to her friend Jim is a decision I would have a hard time making as a professional photographer. She had to decide between money or morality, and possibly changing the lives of these orphans. I think that would be a hard call to make, especially when photography is your career, or more importantly, your way of making money. I liked when the author wrote her thought processes out in the reading, when it seemed to be just a free flow of her thoughts towards Doru. I think in this case, Deborah made the right choice in giving up her story. The karma repayment she received after only confirms her decision. I don’t think I could be a photojournalist, because covering a story as intense as the “unrecoverables” would be a truly complex job, however it would be extremely rewarding if the work generated a newfound understanding or urgency to fix the situation of these orphans.

go to this tomorrow!

No Man's Land

Bonnell Robinson
Photographs along the Western and Italian Fronts of the Great War (1914-1918)

Dana Mueller
Photographs of former German prisoner-of-war camps in the US (1942-1945)

November 5 - December 5, 2009

Reception: November 5, 6-8pm

The Art Institute of Boston Gallery at University Hall
1815 Massachusetts Avenue (Porter Square)
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-585-6656

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 12-5pm
Thursday: 3-8pm

the images are completely beautiful. go support your AIB community!

Shooting the Single Picture

I thought this reading was really interesting. It was set up like an interview but when reading it, the two people, Billy Jay and David Hurn, conversed more like it was a conversation. I felt like I was a part of the conversation and it made it a lot easier to read. When David Hurn said, “I do believe that very often the difference between an average photographer and a really fine photographer is this willingness to admit doubt, that he/she is not at all certain that he/she has 'got it'” I really connected with this statement because I'm a firm believer in non-perfection, and in growth. In being able to recognize the faults and the imperfections in your work and want to improve.
I also really liked how the discussed the process of actually photographing, of noticing the small details and paying attention to those things and knowing when to photograph and to photograph the same subject multiple times.
I also really liked that they kept referencing other photographers and photographs, I looked up most of the references to see what they were talking about.

kendall: response to the single picture

I enjoyed this weeks reading. I liked the fact that it was set up in "interview form." This really held my attention more so than reading long bulky paragraphs. I thought they gave out really good points! it was helpful more than instructional. When i first started reading, it made more sense to me that one really needs to shoot more than one or two rolls of film. Even though we live in a digital world, and you can just take pictures of anything you'd like, view them, and delete what you're not satisfied with; you can't do this in film. There are really only a select few pictures that are going to turn out well. This is why they guide you into shooting different angels and positions, trying new things because you never know what you're going to get. 

Juliet Bull: Shooting the Single Picture

I really enjoyed the reading this week. The article kept my attention because of the way it was set up in conversation. I also thought the reading had a lot of meaningful insights to talk about, and explain. They talked about how there is really only two important aspects in taking pictures, "where to stand and when to release the shutter." They then explained and broke down exactly what they meant and explained how important it is to be in the right place at the right time to get a great photograph. This article was interesting because it was relatable. A lot of examples they gave throughout the reading were relatable in my own experiences with taking pictures. I think that a lot of people can relate to "luck" when taking pictures and being in the right place at the right time and having everything work out, not because you are an incredible photographer but because you clicked the shutter at exactly the right time. I also related to when they talked about contact sheets, and that on a contact sheet there is usually only a few photo worth printing and the rest are not that great. There are only a few good pictures on an entire roll of film. Overall, I really liked this reading and I got a lot out of what they had to say.

Response to "Shooting the Single Picture"

I really liked this reading. I think the conversation format read a little weird, but I don't think it would have had the same effect if it didn't have that. Both authors have interesting points of view, and I liked that they also brought in other peoples experiences and methods instead of only their own. It got really rushed at the end though, which made me feel like what they were throwing out there in concept at the end was less important when I reread it to find good points even though what I was looking for was actually in one of the last few paragraphs. The idea of taking a work print and cutting it up and reassembling it into the intended composition seems like a really good idea to me, since if there's anything off in it you can correct that and see if it would work the way you originally intended it to or in some other way. It also would allow you to come up with ideas if you were going to reshoot a subject so you can plan ahead. I also liked the emphasis on shooting a lot of images, especially with the walkthrough of a few of the authors photographs.

"Shooting the Single Picture"

I loved the way this reading was set up. I could picture two guys just having a conversation and you got to listen. Very interesting. They touch on so many things and it all was very helpful. I like how when they speak, they are not giving us instructions on what to do, simply pointers. It's like a guide of what photographers of note actually do. I liked near the end where they were saying that there are some situations where it is more difficult to photograph interesting photographs than in other times. But it can be done, with effort, and that's what we should strive for, not makiing excuses for failures

shooting the single picture response.

I thought this reading was actually pretty interesting. I liked the set up of it too, like it wasn't straight long paragraphs. I agree with the beginning part when they were talking about how it's important to shoot from different angles and positions. Especially I think when you're shooting with film, you can't just look down at the screen on your camera and see how your picture turned out. So it's good to take a bunch of shots, that way you're bound to have one you like. A quote I really liked from that was, "I do believe that very often the difference between an average photographer and a really fine photographer is this willingness to admit doubt, that he/she is not at all certain the he/she has "got it." I think it's always good to second guess yourself, it's how you learn and grow as a photographer. Another quote I like was, "Nothing kills an otherwise interesting shot more quickly than a messy background which clashes with or confuses the profile." Some of the best shots I have taken really don't have a whole lot going on in the background, so it's easy to focus in on my subject. Sometimes its good to have some background to show where you are, or help determine the mood or setting, but too much creates clutter and I think makes the photograph harder to read.

Kendall: Response to "The Huge, New York City 1980"

I really enjoyed reading about Nan Goldin. I find her work to be powerful and extremely inspiring. Her personal relationships with her friends and lovers is incredible. I think the fact that she feels as close as she does with her subjects is very important. I feel as though one of the only ways a photographer can produce a strong image, such as portrait, you need to bond with your subject and have a sense of closeness. Because Nan has this comfort level with her friends down, she is able to capture all the little emotions and moments in time that people would usually never notice. I think the author portrayed Nan to be inspirational to others. Even though her work is controversial, the author seems to support her ideas and trying to let other people feel as though it's okay to look at her work.  I think this was one of the more interesting things we've read so far, and I hope to continue to learn more about Nan Goldin, I love her work. 

The Hug

Nan Goldin's body of work The Ballad is a body of work that i find extremely poignant and heartfelt. Her ability to convey the complexities of human relationships and the dependencies men and women place upon each other is amazing. She captures these little moments between people that often go unnoticed and eventually become forgotten. Her work emphasizes the importance of realizing how fleeting life truly is. The Hug shows a couple's moment of complete interlocking, it symbolizes the pull in the relationship. Although we do not know this couple, we feel as though we can almost feel what they were experiencing when the picture was taken. The couple looks "shut off" from the world, as the article says, and the shadow over their heads helps to isolate them as an entity. I enjoyed reading about Nan Goldin's work

10.28.09 Response

Hannah Johnson

This reading was probably the most interesting one of all. The author really got into detail about the image "The Hug" by Nan Goldin and many of the analyzations made sense. I also enjoy the subject matter of Goldin's. Her ideas and concepts are very intruiging and much more daring than many other artists I have encountered. She has so much confidence and the way the author makes it out to be, it really shows through in her work. She is fearless and has no shame, photographing things that might as well be taboo. Something which I find incredibly inspiring. The author really sells Goldin's work; the author convinced me that I do want to further my knowledge of Goldin's work. I want to look her up and see for myself the honest with which she photographs.

response to the hug, new york city 1980.

I really like Nan Golden's work and her subject matter, relationships of the people around her. Because I love taking pictures of my friends. They're the people you feel most comfortable around and can open up to, so you can really start capturing more then just silly posed moments of them. A quote in the reading that I liked that talked about The Ballad was "This process of constant editing made the ballad a deeply textured piece that responded directly to the circumstances of her daily existence- the comings and goings, break-ups and affairs. As life changed, the work changed." You really do have to keep moving with your work. And constantly edit it, as your work grows you might realize some of the stuff you started out with isn't your best work. No matter what's going on in your day, when you have to shoot, just shoot. It doesn't matter if there is something big like a break up, it's a part of life, so just document it. The work could turn out really interesting.

Juliet Bull: Response to "The Hug, New York City 1980"

Out of all of the photographers we have been exposed to this year, my favorite and most memorable is Nan Golden. Her work is interesting and I think a lot of people can relate to it in some way or another. She takes pictures of people, but people that are hurting in some way and it intrigues people. It always makes me want to know more about the people she photographs. This reading overall keep my attention, although I thought the beginning when the author was explaining the meaning of “The Hug” that is was over analyzed and bit to dramatic, but besides that I really enjoyed the reading. After viewing Nan Golden’s work or reading more about her strategies and her approaches to her work, it leaves me with wanting to know more about her, she is an artist that has her own voice and is not afraid to show it. It amazes me how she gets so intimate with her subjects, although they are her friends and people she is close with, it is still amazing how natural and comfortable they look in the images.

Amanda Murley- response

I loved Nan Goldin's work, and would hope to further be influenced by her photography. After I finished the reading, the title of "The hug- New York City" developed more meaning then just a hug. At first glance, it already is a very interesting photo. However, when I found out about the greater project that involved the photo, I got a better sense of what it was really about. The photo was less about a simple action, but more about the actions of what happens before and after the intimate moment shown. The photo portrays the closeness in a relationship.

I really enjoyed this reading. Instead of over analyzing the photographers possible intentions, it told the truth. The author didn't make more of the photo then what Goldin had created. I liked how the author made note of the project as a whole. When I learned more about the entirety of the project, I got a better sense of Goldin as an artist.

Nan Goldin Response

arg, I can't put my response into words yet. I'll be back later.

Laz, love the first question in the interview.

bye for now.

ohh yeah, from callie

Nan Goldin "The Hug"

I think that Nan Goldin's work is a very intriguing body of work. The intimacy that she is able to achieve with her subjects shows through her work strongly. The article said that her series The Ballad of Sexual Dependency consists of 700 slides. I think it's very inspiring to see someone who is so heavily involved and so committed to one specific theme/body of work.

On the second page, Alexander talks about showing Goldin's image The Hug as a stand-alone image or as part of a slide/book. I feel like he was more intrigued by the image alone, but I think it says more as a part of a series or slides as Goldin originally showed the work. Alexander talked about how in the image, it is a moment of time showing a hug and viewers aren't completely sure of the content. Alexander spoke of a slide show being almost ephemeral in its quality, which I think adds a lot more symbolism and depth to the images. Relationships, both those shown in the images and the ones that Goldin has with the subjects, are often just as fleeting as a slide show. I also believe that a body of work shown together gives a lot more meaning to each separate piece by giving the meaning of the whole piece.

When reading Alexander's analysis of The Hug, I felt like it was a bit of an over analysis. I think there were aspects of her images that Goldin considered, but most of them seem to be so “in the moment” that aspects like the way the hair of the girl in front is covering the couple, and the stack of papers on the shelf are things that I'm not sure Goldin noticed in the instant of the capture. To me it seems like she was much more in the moment and concerned with capturing the magic of the moment and the intimacy and not the little tiny details.

Excerpts from a Nan Goldin interview

Your approach towards photography is very personal. Is not it a kind of therapy?

Yes, photography saved my life. Every time I go through something scary, traumatic, I survive by taking pictures.

You also help other people to survive. Memory about them does not disappear, because they are on your pictures.

Yes. It is about keeping a record of the lives I lost, so they cannot be completely obliterated from memory. My work is mostly about memory. It is very important to me that everybody that I have been close to in my life I make photographs of them. The people are gone, like Cookie, who is very important to me, but there is still a series of pictures showing how complex she was. Because these pictures are not about statistics, about showing people die, but it is all about individual lives. In the case of New York, most creative and freest souls in the city died. New York is not New York anymore. I've lost it and I miss it. They were dying because of AIDS.

Could you please tell us something about the people, the artists who have influenced your art?

My biggest influences are my friends. Bruce was one of first persons that introduced me to slide shows in the 1970s. I started doing slide shows because I left school. During school I went to live in Provincetown, a gay resort three hours away from Boston. It is the farthest point in America's east coast. It is beautiful. It is a little community of artists. Norman Mailer lives there. A lot of painters and writers live there. In the 1970s it was really wild with Waters, Cookie, Sharon, and Sharon's son. It was incredibly wild. Later everything has completely changed. In Provincetown we used to live in small groups. I took lots of pictures of my friends, like "Bruce in the snow". I've known Bruce since 1972. We lived together with Bruce, Sharon, and Cookie. I was at the School at the Museum of Fine Arts. Those days the school was that teachers sat in the parking lot and drank. Literally. This was before the 1980s. We were told that we will never make any money on art. Now, the students that I teach, at Yale particularly, all they want to know is what gallery they could have a show in or could I help them to get a show. They go right from the graduate school to the big galleries. It is all a career move. When I went to art school, I never heard of Artforum. Never. I took classes in Russian literature, in Faulkner, whom I love. I took writing classes, I took the history of film, I took drawing to be able to see better, because many photographers cannot see anything.

Anything that I see and I love is an influence, but I never try to replicate somebody else, like I never tried to make a Rothko. I love Caravaggio, but I never studied Caravaggio. I never made any Caravaggios. Some of my pictures of boys having sex, they have the same sense of light as Caravaggio. Caravaggio also knew all the people that he painted. They were his lovers or hustlers. Pasolini used boys from the street that he loved that he desired. Fassbinder only used people he knew. Cassavetes used the same people over and over, so I am not the first one to do that, but I think that people have forgotten how radical my work was in the 1980s, when I started, because nobody was doing work like that. Now, so many people have done work like that like Wolfgang Tillmans, Juergen Teller, Corinne DayÉ Now people think I am just one of many who've done that. They do not understand that The Ballad of Sexual Dependency was so radical when it came out.

Some of your pictures are blurred. You did it on purpose?

Actually, I take blurred pictures, because I take pictures no matter what the light is. If I want to take a picture, I do not care if there is light or no light. If I want to take a picture, I take it no matter what. Sometimes I use very low shutter speed and they come out blurred, but it was never an intention like David Armstrong started to do what we call, he and I, "Fuzzy-wuzzy landscapes." He looked at the back of my pictures and studied them. He started to take pictures like them without people in them. They are just out of focus landscapes. He actually did it, intentionally threw the camera out of focus. I have never done it in my life. I take pictures like in here when there is no sun or light that I think all my pictures are going to be out of focus. Even Valerie and Bruno and whatever I take, because there is not enough light, and so I use a very low shutter speed. It used to be because I was drunk, but now I am not. The drugs influenced all my life. Both good and bad. I heard about an artist in Poland, Witkacy, who wrote down on his paintings all the drugs he was on. Depending how many drugs he took, that is how much he charged for the portrait. I saw his portrait at the National Museum, a kind of German expressionism, and I loved it.

Interview by Adam Mazur and Paulina Skirgajllo-Krajewska 13 Fabruary 2003 Warsaw.

The Hug, Nan Goldin

I like the way Darsie Alexander wrote this essay. She really explains the photo in great detail. Although it may look like a simple hug (with a bit of intensity)  she explains every detail. The lighting, which causes that very noticeable shadow, the little white bandage on the mans wrist and various other things.

I found it interesting how she got into the shadow so much. She talked about how it swallowed the lovers. The shadow created a dark void over their heads. Its hard to really tell who these people are as individuals.

I think The Hug has all the essence of Nan Goldin wrapped up in one seeming snapshot: crazy love, sex, brutality, candor, tenderness, masculinity and femininity. 

Haeden- Response to "The Hug, New York City"

I liked this weeks reading, but I'm not really sure I have a ton to say about it. I'm kind of interested in the fact that it almost read like a portrait session. In the beginning it was really formal and polite but partway through the reading it sort of lost that and it seems the author just started writing about the piece and exhibit as a whole the way she saw it instead of the way someone just there for analysis would. This kind of reminded me of when I'm taking pictures of someone and at first its really awkward but then eventually I'm more comfortable photographing them and they're more comfortable being photographed so the pictures start coming out better.

Darsie's overanalyzing was definitely more bearable than the reading about reading photographs. Although Nan Goldin took snapshot images and probably wasn't thinking about everything at once, the author seems to have at least taken some time to look at the image and consider her possible intentions instead of just going into every piece of the image in excruciating detail without paying attention to context.

I liked that the author talked about the entire “Ballad of Sexual Dependency” project instead of just the one image, because it gave a helpful view into where the image fit. I also thought it was just interesting to hear about the book/slideshow as a whole since it gives the image a purpose instead of it just being two people hugging.

todays class

hey guys,

sorry i wasn't in class today to scribe your crits. i hope you all had lovely images. keep shooting/thinking/making! if anyone wants to show me your work and get feedback about it (or talk about anything!) outside of class dont be shy! you all know where to find me/know my email.

-betsy

PRC response

the image i chose was by TRIIIBE
The image that I chose to reflect upon/critique from the selection at the Photographic Resource Center is the image of the three women sitting on the couch. The image displays three women who have the same face, same dress, shoes, etc. The print of the dresses matches the carpet, the couch, the wallpaper and the print of the shoes. The presumable sisters share the same color hair, even the expression on their face is similar. It seems the photographer composed this identical image to emphasize the importance of unseen differences in the sisters. It also suggests that there is a need for diversity, the space of this photograph feels overwhelming and drowning in this floral classical style print. The women’s faces all look eerily man-like, and as people they just become lost in the repetition of the pattern and the same face. The posing of the subject in this picture is very stiff and clean, it reads like an old portrait taken of someone. The subject’s awareness of the photo being taken is quite evident, which also lends to the formal portrait-feel of the photograph. This formality works with the repetitive classic floral print to give the photograph an overall eerie feeling. I really enjoyed this piece of work.

Amanda Murley

Larry Fink

Hungarian Ball, 1977/2009

Archival Inkjet Print, 15 x 12 1/2 in.

The image I choose was " Hungarian Ball" by Larry Fink. What initially attracted me to the image was the perspective of the people throughout the image. The placement of the people creates a zig zag form of line that leads you to the very back of the image with the last person. This makes the viewer scan the entire image, and makes almost every detail of equal importance. The lighting is very attractive, in the way that it is dimly lit and takes you into a moment. The details lay on the closest people's faces. Yet, the viewer can still clearly see the expressions of each person, and their reactions to one another. The person closest to the camera, is a woman that looks almost made out of wax. In contrast, the other people in the frame seem to show some form of expression.

The photo is matted then framed in a simple thin black frame. I think it would be more interesting to have the image to pop off the wall with no frame. I think when framed like this it would make the line created by the people stand out better.

Benefit Auction Response

Hannah Johnson

The photo I chose was View East from Pi Alley, Boston by Nicholas Nixon. Initially, I was drawn to the tones of the photo, it's simply a beautiful print. The way the buildings seem to curve and how the photo is cropped as though it seems the buildings have no top or bottom also caught my attention. When I looked closer, I saw all the little details such as every unique brick and the reflections in the windows. Also upon closer inspection, I realized there were almost no people in the photograph. There are only a couple of window washers, or so I assume, on the side of the building. The building has nice architecture and this picture captures its true beauty. In person, the print is extraordinary and it really brings out all the great details and makes the image even more spectacular.

Hippoptamus

Picture by: Henry Horenstein

Title: Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus

amphibious 2001

I choose this image out of all of the images we saw because, this picture drew my attention right away. My eyes were drawn to the texture in the image, as well as the sepia colors. I thought photographing an animal in the way that this artist did was amazing. The angle at which the artist got the hippopotamus entering the water was such a way that I could not see much of the animals features, but yet I knew right away that it was a hippo. The artist gives the viewer just enough detail and just enough information. I was also drawn to the reflection in the water and the ripples of the water next to the ripples in the skin of the hippopotamus. The artist managed to get a lot of textures, yet did not make it too overwhelming.

I was intrigued by how the artist drew my eye in by the spine of the Hippo. By centering the spine in the image my eye followed it all the way up the animal and up the image, by doing this it allowed me to have a focal point and then I was able to look at the rest of the details in the image.

Overall, I really liked this image because it was a picture of animal, taken in a way I have never seen before, it was something new and visually stimulating to me.

Shannon Kelly

I chose the photograph, The Seattle Tubing Society by Burt Glinn. From the moment I saw it, I thought that would just be a cool way to spend a hot summer afternoon, and how can I join. It's a photograph of a group of what seem to be middle class men and women sitting in tubes on a river. They are dressed in a way almost mocking the rich, big hats and gloves for the ladies and one man wearing a top hat, another man is holding a cane and one in the front is holding up a ripped umbrella. With drinks in hand, no one seems to be not having a good time, showing you don't need a lot of money to have some fun. They are living life having a good time, better then at a stuffy event where you would normally wear that kind of attire. This image captured a simple moment in time of people hanging out, not caring about what anyone else has to say about their society.

PRC Response- Kendra Kantor

The image I choose was Cecropia Moth by David Prifti. I think I was initially drawn to the image at the exhibit because I have a fascination with Alt Pro and images that use Alt Pro techniques just seem to draw me in. I really like the texture in the piece, from the wood grain to the butterfly and even the hand are full of different textural details. I really like that there seems to be a story going on in the piece, even though it's such a simple photo. The hand seems hesitant and soft and wanting to touch the butterfly, that looks like it could be dead and hanging because of the nails.
One of the other reasons I was drawn to the image was because butterflies and moths both have very strong personal significance to me and seeing one in a photographic tends to pull me in and make me interested. Prifti's work also reminds me of another Alt Pro artists, Janet Matthews, and that interested me.
I think this piece looks a lot better in person. The above image was taken from the PRC's flickr website and in person and on prifti.net, the image has a more sepia and warm tone to it. The image is not a pure black and white and I think that is very significant to viewing and interpreting the piece. I also am intrigued by the fact that on Prifti's website, the image is titled "Polyphemos" but at the gallery and on the flickr page it is titled "Cecropia Moth".

Callie Cingari

I chose to Philips Trager's piece "Mark Dendy". I enjoyed this piece because of its almost scary look. The male is laying down in a large white fur coat with his long blond curls hanging down. The contact between the viewer and the man in the image is very strong and it's almost as if you can understand what he is feeling. The veins that appear in his forehead because of his positioning show almost an anger or rage type attitude. I like the fact that it is all about what he has to show, and not what is going on behind him due to the shallow depth of field, you can really connect with the person this way. The use of his hands was also appealing, one is barely showing because of this coat like thing he has on, and one is placed on his head as if he is confused. The way the photographer has not shown the mouth on this person and covered it in the fur, gives more interest as well. For all we know he could be laughing hysterically, meanwhile he gives us almost an angry look.

Response to Benifit Auction

#26 Sailors, Key West

Marie Cosindas

The reason I chose to respond to this photograph is because I thought that it was interesting that it could be read in multiple ways depending on the distance you are from it and how you're seeing it. When I first saw it from further away, the image looked more crisp and formal and seemed to have a more sexual mood. It also kind of made me think of the Village People because of the uniforms and poses. When I approached “Sailors” I noticed that it was somewhat out of focus and much less formal than I thought it had been. The men looked 'tough' and like they're showing off. I realized that the photograph was probably more to record the sailors in the way they wanted to come across in the photo than her setting up a shoot where they just happened to be in sailors uniforms. The rug and painting placement show some attempt to organize the image, but the window seems to throw it all off since its cut off and all you can see is a staircase or a piece of wood. When I got the photograph online it took on different qualities again, and the blurriness makes the photo take on some of the qualities of a painting instead of a photo. My laptop also made the shadows more prominent than they were in person. This definitely wasn't the most interesting photograph in the gallery, but I wanted to respond to it because I think its probably a good idea to keep in mind how people are seeing your images and how it looks from different distances.

this blog was made for all of you to use as an outlet for discussion, sharing and communication.
post images, websites, videos, or anything at all that inspire you or you think will be helpful for your classmates, or even for me or laz!
please use it! i will be personally offended if you dont!

Portrait Assignments

so excited about all your work this class! its amazing to see how far you all come with every crit and the more shooting/thinking you all do. i feel like a proud mother hen.

as you all find commons threads throughout your photographs, one great thing to do is find photographers that excite you visually and even conceptually. i would like all of you to find one new photographer every week that you like. this photographer does not have to, but can relate to the given assignment every week. the AIB library is a great source for this. freshmen year i spent hours there looking through photo books for ideas and inspiration. for the next assignment titled Narrative here are some of my personal favorite books that might help you all idea wise:

Robert Parke Harisson - The Architects Brother
Laura Letinsky - Now Again
Gregory Crewdson - Twilight & Beneath the Roses
David Hilliard - David Hilliard
Erwin Olaf - Erwin Olaf
Julie Blackmon - Domestic Vacations
Francesca Woodman - Francesca Woodman
Niki S Lee - Parts



some other photographers using narratives within their images: Cindy Sherman, Tina Barney, Jeff Wall

there are also so many students at AIB doing work with constructed images and narratives, take a look around, ask upperclassmen to look at their work, they are all great outlets and sources of knowledge for you all.

keep making amazing images and bring in as many images as you can, as well as contacts!