Why this video?
This video is inspirational because it has a nice display of this work that i enjoy. |
Why this artist?
To begin my abstract nature artist investigation, I will initially study the work of Edward Weston because his work fits into the category of abstract nature because he takes normal things and makes them weird and abstract, which is what I am doing with plants. Who is he? Edward Weston was born in 1886 and is known for his abstract photography and is known for taking ordinary object6s and making them abstract. Why the quote?
I chose this inspiration quote because it sums up / typifies the work of Weston because it tell you to become a photographer, the most important part is taking the photos, not studying how it works. |
Subject:
The photographer of this image is Edward Weston and the name of this image is Eggplant which was taken in 1929. The genre of this image is abstract still life and analogue. The props I can see in this image is a plate. Element: The composition shows the light reflecting off the eggplant which is placed in the middle-ground of the image and is static. The rule of thirds has been used it seems to center the subject in the center and have it focused on with a plain background around it. The viewers eye is lead around the photo because of the composition and perspective that Weston used. The perspective that Weston has taken the photo from id directly in front facing the subject square on. This perspective is effective because it leads the viewer's eye exactly where he wants it to be - on the subject. Weston employs a range of visual elements is his work. the most striking elements are the contrast, shape, space and texture. The contrast is predominantly in the black-looking eggplant compared to the plate, the background, and the white shine of light. Shape is used well when you look at how perfectly round the subject is. Space is evident when you compare the space the subject take up, and compare it to the space of the background. (the subject is large which leads the viewer's eyes straight to what the photographer wants the viewer to look at. Lastly, The sharpness of the image shows the texture of the eggplant which successfully ads to how abstract the image is. Media: The photo has been taken from a short distance. This so the eggplant is the main focal point of the image. The eggplant has been placed in the middle-ground of the image. By doing so the viewer's eyes are lead straight to the object. The photo has been taken indoors using a table, probably using sunlight which shines from slightly about the object to the the shine on the top, but sot so high that the light can't reflect off the bottom too. The light reflecting shows white in the image which almost perfectly contrasts with the black-ish appearance of the eggplant. To emulate this photographer myself, I would change the camera to monochrome and make sure the is a fast shutter speed, with, probably, an artificial light source shining on my object, as well as a plain background that contrasts the tones of the object itself. Intent: I feel the photo conveys quite a calm sort of atmosphere. Weston achieves this by the simplicity of the shape, being an ordinary circular shape, using few tones and shades which is mostly just plain black, plain white, and the grey background. This work is relevant to the theme of abstract nature because the eggplant is natural and the way Weston composed and set up the image makes it seem more abstract. |
Low key photography makes use of lighting and contrast to create a certain mood. In low key photography, the lighting is darker which makes good use of contrast with shadows and dark tones. Usually this achieved by a single source of light to create good composition to ultimately create a dramatic mood within a photo. Low-Key lighting is characterized by using a high contrast lighting scheme that utilizes only one light to light a scene. And, the subject is predominantly composed of black or very dark tones. The low-key effect is often found in black and white portraiture. To achieve it, The shadows should be very dark but open. This means that you should be able to see details in all but just the very darkest, most shaded areas. The low-key effect instills a mood of mystery and suspense. Picking subject matter and composing in a less literal sense is often effective for this technique. The dark tones set the mood, but the highlighted area directs the eyes. Make sure that the highlighted area is part of the subject or near the subject, where you want a viewer’s eyes to come to rest.
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This shoot was inspired by Edward Weston because I like how abstract his work is and wanted to try it. I like it because the shape and textures of his photographs are satisfying to look at and please the eye. He has good technique such as how he makes good use of the rule of thirds.
My shoot will take place in the morning so it is darker and earlier to block out light to give a darker background. The props used will be some black card for the background and a white light to give it more contrast to make it more abstract. The lighting conditions I will require are very dark with a bright white light shining on the subject. I will experiment using low-key photography because that is more similar to Weston's work I'm trying to emulate. The subject will be in the front of the image. The lighting will be artificial light. I intend to shoot using a 4000D using the monochrome filter to emulate Edward Weston. I plan on completing the shoot with my camera hand held. I intend to use a larger aperture f/2 for a very shallow depth of field and using a slow shutter speed because it is easier to take a picture more in focus. |
The strengths of this image are the difference between the shadows and the highlights, the shadows are very dark and the highlights are white, it also has good shape and where the pepper folds up it has wrinkles which create good texture. The lighting adds a good mix of tones as well between the harsh lighting, the shadows and a neutral grey background. When post-editing I used pixlr to adjust the highlights and shadows to enhance them and make them look better. I adjusted the camera settings to a lower exposure to make the image seem more low-key. I also used artificial light to create harsher shadows and more intense highlights.
The strengths of this image are how even it is, it has a difference between the lighting on one side and shadow on the other, splitting the image in half. It is also very clear and sharp with good shape and uses the rule of thirds. When post-editing I used Pixlr to adjust the highlights and shadows to accentuate the split between light and dark. I adjusted the camera settings to a lower exposure to make the image seem more low-key. I also used artificial light to create harsher shadows and more intense highlights. The strengths of this image are the harsh shadows and sharp focus. It also doesn't have much sound and is good quality. When post-editing I used Pixlr to adjust the shadows, made the exposure lower, and gave it more contrast to add a low-key affect. I adjusted the camera settings to a lower exposure to make the image seem more low-key. I also used artificial light to create harsher shadows. The strengths of this images are the harsh shadows thats contrast with the light on the opposite side. It also is very clear and focused at the front as oppose to further back where it gets blurry, this draws the viewer's eyes to the main focus of the image. When post-editing I used Pixlr to adjust the shadows to make them darker and sharper. I also lowered the exposure to create a low-key affect. I adjusted the camera settings to a lower exposure too, also to add the low-key affect as well as using artificial light to create harsher shadows. |
Who is Anna Atikins?
Anna Atkins was an English photographer who used cyanotypes for her work in botanology. She lived during the very late 1700s to late 1800s. Her friend William Henry Fox Talbot taught her directly how to create cyanotypes. She then authored books with them and became famous for them, some sources say she is the first female photographer, but don't know for sure. |
Who is Man Ray?
Man ray was an American photographer who used photograms to create art. He lived during the late 1800s to the late 1900s. During his trip to Paris in 1921, Man Ray began to experiment with photography, and may have been introduced to the photogram by Tristan Tzara. He adopted the method and called his works "rayographs". What are the advantages/disadvantages of photograms?
They don't take long to make and don't require a camera or lens, however the process is very easy to get wrong and is very precise. |
For these cyanotypes, I used watercolour paper, fabric, acetate and negatives to create different textures and effects. The most successful, in my opinion, is the fabric because it has a nice texture, contrast between the colour of the fabric and the blue. It doesn't fade very much and the outline of the leaf is sharp. If I had another lesson, I would like to create a larger version of the acetate to experiment with it and see if it would fade less if it was larger.
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Why this artist?
Blossfeldt links to our topic of abstract nature, as an artist whose entire repertoire explores botanical subject matter. He has had a large influence on modern photographers, and is considered by some a master of still life. By looking at his work, we can explore natural forms both intended to explore visual satisfaction and beauty, as well as 20th century modernism and unique composition, in macro style. Why this quote?
These two quotes, explore the two artistic aesthetics influencing Blossfeldt. His work clearly incorporates both the late 19th century enlightenment aesthetics as well as, early 20th century modernism. The second quote epitomizes the theory of the enlightenment movement '[looking at the] beauty [of nature] inwardness': relishing in it as a ' source of the most Nobel pleasure. |
Who is this artist?
Karl Blossfeldt (June 13, 1865 – December 9, 1932) was a German photographer and sculptor. He is best known for his close-up photographs of plants and living things, published in 1929 as Urformen der Kunst. He was inspired, as was his father, by nature and the ways in which plants grow. He believed that "the plant must be valued as a totally artistic and architectural structure." Why this video?
This video is inspirational to me because the emphasis on the simple, yet deeply detailed objects highlights Wojtkiewicz's use of texture and the striking colours throughout his work, which is refreshing to see after researching both Edward Weston's and Karl Blissfield's use of either monochrome or sepia tones. |
This shoot was inspired by Karl Blossfeldt because I have been studying him and have taken an interest in high-key photography, so I am going to emulate his work to deepen my understanding of high-key photography.
The shoot will take place in the classroom at around mid-day so that I can get a good amount of natural light as well as artificial. The props used will be a white background, an LED light, a DSLR camera with a macro-lens, a remote flash and a natural form. The lighting conditions I will require are very bright and little to no shadows, this is how high-key photography is accomplished. Mostly I will use artificial light such as LEDs and a remote flash, one on either side on the natural form to get rid of any unwanted shadows, this way the image will be bright and the balance between light to dark will be mostly light. I intend to shoot with a DSLR camera with a macro-lens, held up by a tripod. I intend to use and aperture of f/2 for a very shallow depth of field. I also intend to use a fast shutter-speed to make sure there is not movement and the image is completely static, this makes the image less likely to blur and more likely for the image to be sharp and crisp. |
Subject:
My chosen photographer is Karl Blossfeldt, a German photographer who lived from 1865 to 1932. He is known best for his close up photography of plants and living things, published in 1929 as Urformen der Kunst. He was inspired, as was his father, by nature and the ways in which plants grow. He believed that "the plant must be valued as a totally artistic and architectural structure." The title of the image i have selected is Saxifraga Wilkommiana. The genre of this photograph is still life. The props I can see in this picture are the main focal point- a flower and a white background. This is a traditional Blossfeldt Photograph as all of his work is botanicals and enlarged plants. Element: Blossfeldt uses the 7 visual elements of art in his work to create this photography. In my opinion the 2 strongest elements in this image are shape and tone. The shape of the plant is very interesting in my opinion and almost symmetrical, which is common with some plants, but not usually with such a complex shape. Within the image, tone is also one of the strongest elements because, being monochrome the image relies on it. The greys of the natural form contrast with the off-white background. There is also contrast in the tones from the top half of the form compared to the bottom which i darker, but not so dark that its too noticeable. Furthermore, the composition of the photo shows a rosette of leaves in the direct center/foreground of the image as the only component to this photograph. Karl Blissfieldt's use of composition, leading lines & perspective enables the viewer's eye to be lead around the image. The birds eye perspective that Karl Blossfeldt has utilized is effective because you can see the leading line and the unique texture and pattern of the flower. Media: This photo has been taken most likely on a table with an aerial view, this has been done to create minimal shadows/highlights and to make sure the (seemingly natural) light is spread equally around the image. To emulate this photograph, I would need to use artificial light and a colourless background to create the professional energy which is evident in all of Blossfeldt's works. The main focal point of this image if the plant, because it is centered in the middle of the image. The photograph has been taken from a short distance so that the plant can remain in the main field of view. Blossfeldt used natural light (presumably from the window) to create effective side lighting; there was no elaborate studio set-up since that wasn't available at the time. It is still possible the image was cropped manually so that any unwanted background has been removed and the natural form is the only focus. The rule of thirds and framing is effective in this image, by doing this, the subject is the only thing in view and the viewer's eyes are lead around the center upon first glance. Intent: The clarity of the image accentuates the initial beauty of the plant, however following prolonged viewing it begins to become unsettling. This could be as a result of the composition of the shadows in the image and the sharp nature of the lines. In my opinion, this image gives the mood of elegance in a more grim way. The image is monochrome with a slight tint of pale yellow-brown. I feel this gives the image an eerie and almost deathly atmosphere. The strengths of this image are the dark grey of the natural form in comparison to the almost white background emphasises the main focal point of the image. However there is a potential weakness to this image I can see is the lack of variation for the histogram levels, I would experiment with different lightings and angling of the lighting. Despite Blossfeldt's effective use of natural lighting, I would explore different uses of artificial lighting. |
Email quote - Direct response:I use a Canon EOS 90D camera with a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM fixed lens. The only reason I even know about the technology is because my colleague told me that's what I needed and would be the biggest bang for the buck. The rest of it is all by feel. I have absolutely no photo training. For me that suffices because I'm not hung up on technical stuff. Just looking for ways to capture information for my paintings.
-Dennis Wojtkiewicz / January 2021 ..Who is this artist?
Wojtkiewicz graduated from Southern Illinois University and is artist associated with the Hyperrealist movement. He is best known for his large scale renderings of sliced fruit and flowers. In order to achieve his desired effect, technically, Wojtkiewicz relies on traditional oil paint and brushes with a classical application, he also uses pastel for his drawings. Dennis Wojtkiewicz has exhibited his work in leading fine art galleries in the United States and abroad. His work is owned by many leading private, corporate and public collections including the Evanston Museum of Art, Fidelity Investments in Boston and the University of south Dakota. Why this artist? Wojtkiewicz work is mostly images of plants and natural forms, which links in with out topic of abstract nature and natural forms. his work, like the some other artists we've studied, focuses on texture, but also on hue/colour. This is something we haven't studied in much depth yet in out abstract nature unit of work, so it will look different in comparison to our other shoots. Why this video? This video shows a good display of Wojtkiewicz work and shows his natural forms and the beauty in his work. This is a good display of his work, which could be described as moutwatering or delicious. Why this quote? This quote came directly from Wojtkiewicz from an email sent to ask him about his camera settings. |
Backlighting in photography is a way for photographers to create dramatic lighting, either in a studio setting (for things like in Dennis Wojtkiewicz's work) or when shooting outdoors. Learning backlit photography techniques can help improve your photography dramatically. It emphasizes the depth behind the subject and gives images a greater sense of place. Dramatic effect. Backlighting can produce a dramatic contrast between the subject and the background. This can be an especially effective technique when shooting outdoor portraits.
The specialist equipment you'd need to shoot backlit photography like Dennis Wojtkiewicz would be a tripod and a macro lens to catch every small detail in an object such as a fruit. |
Editing Step 1: In this step, I used the Adjustment tools to enhance the colour, saturation and contrast within my images. This helped me expose and bring forth fine detail within the fruit.
Editing Step 3: In this step I adjusted the size of the kiwi so I could duplicate it and create a composition of it. I flipped some vertical horizontally to and rotated some to make sure they didn't all look so identical.
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Editing Step 2: In this step, I used the lasso tool around the kiwi and cut out the background. Then I used the fill bucket tool to fill in the background white.
Editing Step 4: In this step I used the adjustment tools to change the saturation of some images, the vibrance, temperature, tint and hue and made a few monochrome to make assure not one was the same as another.
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