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Final Theme Project

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Photographer research post #7: Alex Webb

Born in San Francisco in 1952, Webb studied at Harvard University, where he initially pursued a degree in English before discovering his passion for photography. His journey into photography began in the early 1970s, and he started working as a photojournalist, eventually honing his craft in the art of street photography. Webb is known for his masterful use of color, which was not as common in photojournalism at the time he began his career.

Webb's photographic style is characterized by a deep sensitivity to light, shadow, and color. His work often seems to focus on complex, layered compositions that draw attention to the interactions between people, environments, and moments in time. His photographs are frequently taken in public spaces, often capturing intense or poetic human moments in urban settings. Webb's style is distinctive in its rich, saturated colors which add to the instensity felt by his photos.

Webb’s work has had a significant impact on contemporary photography. He is often credited with helping to elevate color photography to a level of artistic significance in the documentary and photojournalism world, where black-and-white imagery was traditionally dominant. Webb’s ability to work within the constraints of color and composition while conveying powerful social and human stories has inspired many photographers.

Alex Webb's The Suffering of Light from 2018 provides a window into the artist's complex relationship with light, color, and human experience. As I reflect on the work, it becomes evident that Webb's photographs are not just visual representations but emotional narratives that stir something profound and complex in his viewers.

The title The Suffering of Light itself suggests a tension between beauty and difficulty, something that resonates throughout the images in the book. Webb has a remarkable ability to capture the nuances of light—its play across faces, streets, and landscapes—while simultaneously conveying the intensity of human life. The light in Webb's photographs often seems to be both a source of illumination and a metaphor for the struggles of the people he captures. There's a sense that the light itself is suffering, or that it reveals the suffering inherent in life, yet it also highlights moments of beauty, hope, and grace.

Webb’s work reminds me that photography is not just about documenting reality, but about capturing the essence of what it means to live within that reality, with all its contradictions and complexities. The images in this book evoke a sense of both melancholy and awe, illustrating the delicate interplay of light and shadow that defines our shared existence.

Resources:

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Photographer Research Post #6: Jennifer Thoreson

Jennifer Thoreson is a photographer known for her compelling work in portraiture and documentary photography. She has gained recognition for her ability to capture intimate, emotional, and evocative images that tell a story, often focusing on themes of human connection, identity, and personal experience. Her work is characterized by a strong sense of atmosphere, with a focus on natural light, organic settings, and a deep understanding of her subjects.

Thoreson's photography frequently explores human relationships, introspection, and the subtleties of everyday life. She works in a variety of formats, often blending fine art photography with documentary-style narratives. Through her lens, she seeks to portray both personal and collective moments with honesty and sensitivity.

Testament by Jennifer Thoreson is a deeply moving work that reflects her unique approach to portraiture and storytelling. Through this series, Thoreson explores themes like legacy and memory. The work is intensely personal, providing insight into her relationship with her subjects, who often reflect the complexities of her own home life.

I can personally resonate with a challenging home life as a youth and because of that, find the photos in Testament hard to look at for too long. I find Thoreson's use of material in representing the "baggage" and "energy" being passed from person to person to be extremely creative.

One photo that stands out to me as a new father is the photo titled "Father Daughter" where you can see the weight that the father is constantly carrying around with him while his daughter is light as a feather trying to garner his attention. I probably only have half of the weight that the man in the photo is carrying as a new father and am living in constant fear of the weight becoming as overbearing as it looks in the photo. This makes me reflect on the fact that even fear of the future is yet another one those bags I am carrying on my back.

Thoreson’s emotional sensitivity as a photographer allows her viewers to feel a sense of intimacy with the subjects of her portraits. Rather than presenting them as mere representations, she imbues her subjects with complexity and humanity, making them feel real and alive, even in their stillness.

In the end, Testament offers more than a glimpse into the lives of others; it offers a space for reflection on our own stories, our legacies, and the quiet moments that define our lives.

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Photographer research post #5: Rashod Taylor

Rashod Taylor is a contemporary photographer known for his compelling and thought-provoking work that often explores themes of identity, culture, and social issues. He is celebrated for capturing the nuanced experiences of Black communities, particularly in urban settings. Through his photography, Taylor delves into the intersections of race, class, and personal expression, offering a fresh and important perspective on the realities of contemporary life.

Taylor is especially keen to utilizing wet plate to create striking images that almost convey a smokey substance in appearance and work to really gravitate the viewer's attention to his subjects. He can do wet plate in a large format which he explains that he feels slows him down in his process to create a well composed photo. And I would agree that these photos are captivating to look at and really work to convey a strong personal message.

In addition to portrait photography, Taylor also works with street and environmental photography, capturing everyday life and the vibrant, diverse cultures that exist in urban environments. His work is marked by a keen sensitivity to light, composition, and color, which enhances the emotional impact of his images. Whether photographing individuals, communities, or scenes from the street, Taylor’s photographs reflect his deep connection to the subjects he portrays.

Taylor's photography extends beyond aesthetic concerns; his work often serves as a form of social commentary. By documenting lives that are too often overlooked or misrepresented, he challenges viewers to engage critically with issues such as systemic inequality, identity, and representation in media. His approach to storytelling is raw and authentic, offering a window into lives that are often ignored or misunderstood.

Rashod Taylor's My America is a deeply introspective photographic project that offers a unique and personal perspective on the American experience. Through his lens, Taylor captures the complexities of identity, race, and place, weaving a narrative that speaks not just to his own lived experiences but also to broader social and cultural issues. The project feels intensely personal, with each photograph conveying a deep emotional resonance. Taylor’s images serve as a mirror, reflecting the challenges and triumphs of Black life in America, but also the quiet moments that often go unnoticed. In this series, Taylor does not just document; he embodies the emotional weight of his subjects, offering a voice to individuals who may otherwise remain on the periphery of mainstream narratives. The intimate portraits he captures allow us to see the humanity behind the headlines and statistics.

Overall, Rashod Taylor is a photographer whose work continues to inspire and provoke, offering valuable insights into the lived experiences of Black individuals and communities, and challenging the status quo in the art of photography.

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Photographer Research Post #4: Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman is a renowned American artist known for her conceptual self-portraits that explore identity, gender, and societal norms. Working primarily with photography, Sherman uses costumes, makeup, and props to transform herself into various characters, challenging the roles and stereotypes often assigned to women. Her work questions the construction of identity, making her a critical figure in contemporary art. The artist's most famous series, Untitled Film Stills, positions her as a cinematic muse, emphasizing the performative aspects of identity and the ways in which it is shaped by media and culture.

Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills series resonates deeply with me as it powerfully deconstructs the idea of identity. Through her self-portraits, she embodies various female stereotypes drawn from media, turning the camera back on cultural representations of women. Sherman’s work made me reflect on how our identities are shaped, often unconsciously, by external sources like film, advertising, and societal expectations. Her approach also made me question the limitations and roles assigned to women in these media, revealing how identity is fluid, performative, and ever-changing rather than fixed.

In this series, Cindy is posing as the characters would in films of the 1950s and 60s. More specifically, how they would be looking on the set of these films or "behind the scenes" if you will. Although, none of the photos are depicting any actual existing films, but are rather from the imagination and creativity of Cindy herself. I feel as though this leaves the viewer of the images to create the idea of the film in their own mind or even perhaps relate to a film they know of. And to this day, these stills have the power of transferring the viewer back into a different time and reality. The artful impact of this series only grows stronger with time in my opinion. I can only imagine the shift in mentality of viewers from when this series was created in the 80s to now. And how those viewers' perceptions of the stills have been able to shift in themselves.

Something that also stood out to me about Cindy's work is the way it is displayed in the gallery. You can see that her series is displayed in a smaller format and every photo is placed closely to one another. This allows her viewers to get up close and personal with the stills and allows their minds to drift into relating the photos with Cindy's intentional reflections of the work but also with themselves (the viewer) and their own lives.

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ATTENTION: Viewing these slides accompanied to LO-FI is highly recommended.

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Photographer research post #2: Wolfgnag Tillmans

Wolfgang Tillmans is a German photographer who is well known for his diversity of photography styles, his photography books, and his well thought out installations. Tillmans has been a photographer since the 80s, he has been awarded the Turner Prize, and his work is still renowned to this day. 

One of his latest exhibitions is titled “To Look Without Fear”. This exhibition was held in multiple places but one specific installation was held at the Museum of Modern Art from Sep. 12, 2022 to Jan. 1, 2023. Tillmans idea for this exhibition was focused on his viewers to be able to view his work with intrapersonal care by being able to view it through their own eyes and with their own perceptions rather than trying to figure out his meaning as the artist. 

I am personally intrigued in Tillman’s ability to use multiple forms of photography to display his work. I like that his installations are works of art themselves rather than simply working as displays for pictures. When you view his work in an installation, you are met with images printed in many different sizes and strategically placed in certain patterns and ways in order to direct the viewer’s attention. 

When viewing his photography, I feel as if I am literally viewing the world through a lens in almost real world time. Portraits, candid moments, landscape, all of it is presented to you and is aiming to make us feel a particular way. Tillmans has said in an interview that this is a particular area of study he is interested in and likes to incorporate it into his work. That is the ability to make people feel a specific way through use of things like patterns and colors. I imagine Tillman is quite skilled as an artist in being able to do this through his work. Especially when being able to have his work displayed in such important places as the Museum of Modern Art. 

Something that especially stands out to me in my research on Tillman is his small model way of preparing his installations. He literally makes small versions of them beforehand. I like that he is able to physically do this and it really goes to show the amount of effort and thought that must go into his work. I imagine that many artists today are able to do something like 3-D modeling digitally rather than needing the space and resources to make a small version. But I personally think there is something special about the physical models that Tillman makes.

I definitely recommend that you guys give Tillman’s work a chance and check out some of his interviews as well as he is a pretty fascinating artist. He also seems to dabble in music and likes to make videos that I could only describe as being transcending for his listeners.

Information located:

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Book reviews

In the photo book titled "Invisible City" we are presented with photos taken in New York City in the 80s as Ken Schles lived there himself. We are exposed to the raw and gritty aspect of the street life in the East village. We are presented with portraits, street photography, and even some landscape in this book as Ken navigated his way around the city, even showing us the view from his apartment.

The book is a hard cover with a paper protective backing and seems to provide its reader with a "open me if you dare" kind of feeling from the get go. The front of the book is all black and white just like the film photos within and the first photo seen on the front is of a building that is on fire and seems to be shot from a block or two away.

My personal impressions of this book are very positive as I love being presented with perspectives of ways of life that I personally wouldn't endulge in myself. This book does that wonderfully by bringing its audience up close and personal with the environment as if looking through Ken's viewfinder yourself. I like that many of the shots look effortless or like point and shoots while actually presenting many of of the elements and principles of photography in communicating his message. Above all, I have a bias with anything that presents such a gritty feel to it like this book. I can relate with many of the scenes in this book as I used to live a similar lifestyle once upon a time.

Although the style of photography is not closely related to my own, I can learn a lot from it when considering the ability to tell a story and take your audience on a journey with you. Being able to show your audience a world they may otherwise never know.

Work cited:

Schles, Ken. Invisible City. Twelvetrees Press, 1988.

My next review is on a book titled "Infidel" with photos taken by Tim Hetherington who unfortunately passed away in 2011. Tim was an astounding photo journalist who would document events at war. In this book, Tim is able to give viewers an inside look into a bunker in the Korengal Valley in eastern Afghaniston which at one point was seeing a fifth of the action during the war as were told in the introduction.

This book was published with much thought in mind. A black leather back which provides a wonderful feel in hand. The title is based after what the Taliban would call the American soulders of Korengal Valley over radio communications. Many of the soldiers ended up getting this word tatted on their chest as is seen in the photos.

My personal impressions of this book are also extremely positive. Once again, this book is successful at proving me a first hand experience into a world I may otherwise never know. I have no interest of ever joining military and never have had any interest. This book only solidifies that decision. But besides a dark outlook, I love that this book reveals the vulnerability and softness behind these young soldiers. Truly revealing that they reall are in fact just young men in a very dangerous world, fighting for their country.

Works cited:

Hetherington, Tim. Infadel. Chris Boot, 2010.

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The Do: "Do it sharp; if you can't, call it art."

On top is the first photo I tried to take of a butterfly sitting on a leaf. And man do I wish I was able to get the butterfly in focus. Unfortunately, the butterfly was so good at blending in that my camera had a hard time recognizing it as the subject! But I still found myself loving the photo so much that with some fun cropping and editing, I was able to make the photo on the bottom and indeed "call it art".

The Don't: "Don't do it about yourself-or your friend-or your family".

This is a "don't" I shall continue to break everyday. If I didn't have a beautiful family to take photos of, then I wouldn't have the skills I have with my camera today. They are my favorite subjects as they are the people I spend the most time with. I love being able to provide my family with pictures of themselves or of their children that they would otherwise have to pay someone for. It gives me much needed practice and I get to see the smile on their faces when I gift them prints! This is my nephew Wilfred. I love this kid. He used to be super shy in front of my camera, and now he is constantly begging me to take pictures of him. He even likes to tell me to take photos of all kinds of things while we are together. I actually really enjoy trying to capture something he is interested in and make it look cool enough for his approval.

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Project 4 proposal: Parenting (Behind the Scenes)

As a new father of a two-month-old baby who not only goes to school full time but also works part-time on weekends, "free time" for me consists of spending the time I have with my child. Which also doubles as giving his mama some time for herself which she doesn't get while I am off at school or work.

Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that although I love being a father, it is sure as hell difficult! And when you talk to people about being a new parent, often you hear things like "it is the joy of my life" or "parenting is the most beautiful thing". And these are true! Don't get me wrong.

But what about the behind-the-scenes? The parts people don't talk about as much? Well, this is what I figure would be interesting to try and show my audience. Now, I am not only trying to document "bad" things or "sad" things here. But rather the roller coaster of emotions that are being experienced as a new parent. This is not only realistic for me in what I have the time and ability to do, but I think is also something that has the potential to be pretty great as a theme for this project. That will depend on my photos of course!

Not only do I think that this project will be successful in providing an interesting point of view for my viewers, but will also strengthen my relationship with my family (and my camera)!

I will be attempting to do this through mostly candid photography. I feel like this will prove to be quite difficult as it means that I will need to remember to grab my camera in either the best situations or the worst of them to properly reveal this rollercoaster of emotions to my viewers. But in turn, I hope to capture some invaluable moments forever. And to put these moments together into a series of images that hopefully makes others feel some kind of emotions of their own.

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A couple photos from our recent family excursion to a lesser known State Beach called Sunset Beach near Santa Cruz. It was chilly, it was foggy, the wind was was strong and the tide was high. And we absolutely loved it. Especially after a hot Fresno summer. I feel like the fog created a beautiful setting for black and white photos. Giving them a very pleasing contrast of value to the shot with the haziness in the background almost seeming like it was placed there in post production. The last photo is of a guard tower that sat sideways on a hill after years of slowly being pushed farther and farther away from the ocean. It looked like there hadn't been a guard on duty in quite some time. With the fog, it gave such an eerie feeling that I couldn't resist.

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Photographer research post #1: Jeff Wall

     Jeff Wall is a contemporary fine art photographer who was born and is still residing in Vancouver, Canada. His style of photography is known for its ability to mix different mediums like cinema and other forms of art, creating his own form of cinematography by creating what he calls “near documentary” photos. He mostly prints these photos in large format and for good reason.

     At first, I was a little confused as to what he might mean when hearing about these documentary photos he was known for creating. That is until I started to view his photos for myself. Specifically, his exhibition located in Beverly Hills in 2022 stands out to me as a wonderful example of these “near documentary” photographs. Even digitally, I can view these photos and find myself creating the story behind them in my own mind. They seem to be captured in such a way that they tell a story. Although, instead of telling a specific story, they leave the viewer to piece it together themselves.

     There are a couple of examples that stood out to me. But I especially took interest in the series of two photos placed side by side titled Actor in two roles as it does a magnificent job of leaving the viewer to piece together a story.

In the first photo on the left, I see what I interpret to be some kind of play being performed on the stage. I love his use of asymmetrical balance in this photo with the way the color of the outfits pops out against the black surroundings of the stage. Jeff Wall is also said to be known for his unique use of color.

On the right, we have another photo of what I interpret to be one of the actors from the first photo, but now being seen in an environment I either assume to be her own apartment or the apartment of the man sitting on the couch. Thanks to the title, I can assume that this man is a potential lover with whom she is having a stern conversation with by the looks of her body language. And this is what I love about Jeff Wall’s work, is that you are left to imagine what these roles she is playing might be about. Is the man on the couch a lover? Or her brother? Are they about to go on a date? Or having an argument? I can’t help but to wonder these things as I view the photo.

     And once again, I love the use of color in the second photo. He is using what looks to be complementary colors along with the diffused lighting from the lamps on each side of the room, which work to compliment the colors as well.

     I can’t help but be inspired by Jeff Wall’s work as it utilizes so many elements in what seems to be a smooth and effortless fashion. It motivates me to hope that one day I may be able to captivate an audience with just a still image in the same way one day.

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Spent this weekend proper with my wife Luisa, my son Bear, his grandma Ade, and our dog Yue. Saturday was our 7 year anniversary and we decided to head to Huntington Blvd. for the annual block yard sale. Grandma came with us. There were so many people that we decided to leave and just go shopping at some stores instead.

Sunday, the three of us headed to the beach for Bear's first road trip! San Simeon is our favorite beach to visit (and to camp at) as it never seems to get too packed with people. Went for a nice walk under the pier and had a photo shoot in the perfect 65 degree cloudy weather. Afterwards, we went over to Morro Bay for some food before heading home. It was a wonderful anniversary weekend.

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Hey there. My name is Joe Voss and I am excited to delve further into photography this semester. About five years ago I got a Canon Rebel T6 just to be able to take better photos of my adventures and my family excursions. I am what some may call a serial hobbiest where I just love to explore the rabbit hole of anything that interests me. Today, I aspire to take photography further with the hopes of either publishing my photos or simply being able to sell some prints to people who take interest in them. This semester I will be shooting with a Nikon ZF I just recently acquired and could not be more excited. Cheers!