Beautiful Photography

This photograph expresses so many emotions through just a single shot. This photograph is documentary, occurring in a battle during WWII. This young Soviet soldier is preparing for battle, saying the Rosary moments before hell breaks loose and the struggle to survive commences. 

Print Collages

Runaway

Vanity

Photoshop Collages

Masters of Illusion

In this video, one is introduced to the topic of visual illusion and how the film industry conquers these optical illusions. The narrator introduces one to basic visual techniques utilized for special effects involving mastering optic and visual perception creating a reality for a movie audience.

To understand these visual illusions, one looks back to art during the Renaissance when great artists were making groundbreaking discoveries. There were a great many discoveries, but the discovery and perfection of linear perspective advanced the world of art to accurately portray a scene. Linear perspective had been practiced before, but linear perspective consisting of a vanishing point was a new discovery that gave true depth of space. The painter Masaccio, in his work titled The Trinity, performed the first successful attempt at linear perspective. This painting created a path for many other artists like Durer and Da Vinci to explore beyond the concept of linear perspective into other new territories.  Durer practiced perspective with multiple vanishing points, allowing proportions to form naturally. While Da Vinci explored perspective of disappearance, which is creating a hazy background in a painting by employing warmer color tones in the foreground, and then painting colder tones in the background, creating a haze in the end. 

These techniques developed during the Renaissance have allowed filmmakers to create realistic special effects by employing methods discovered by these artists. Their idea and creation of perspective in their paintings and studies have influenced camera angles and the creation of sets within films. I loved watching this video, even if it is a little dated. Although this video discussed how Renaissance art influences film techniques, it is quite clear that these techniques can be employed using a simple camera. Creating a realistic image, so it does not appear flat is very important for the collage. Employing methods like camera angles or simple ideas of linear perspective within the frame will give a sense of depth within any photograph.

On Photography

Susan Sontag begins this excerpt by simply stating that one is educated by photography because photographs subconsciously teach one a new visual code, by discreetly narrowing what is worth looking at and what one has the right to observe. This idea of photography has made several believe they can contain and capture images of the world within their minds. By collecting these photographs, one is ultimately collecting the world and history. Photography captures experiences that can teach one about the past world and also capture the memories one wishes to never forget. Photographed images, like select bits of history, should not be interpreted as statements of the world, but rather pieces of the world. 

I love this idea: collecting photographs, one collects the world. I love to look back on my vacations to California and my most recent adventure to France. Looking back on these photographs, I can channel happiness but also yearn to collect more knowledge about other places, as well as the many friendships that can be found there. Collecting and capturing photographs is a great way to educate one’s self, but I also believe it is important to live in the moment and capture a scene or image, mentally. 

I believe this quote summarizes this idea perfectly: “If I like a moment, for me, personally, I don’t like to have the distraction of the camera. I just want to stay in it” (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty). It is important, especially in this world of technology, to value beauty when we behold it.  Sadly I believe this has been lost due to technology and the reproduction of art; but we can rediscover and value beauty if we just step away from the distractions and allow ourselves to absorb what lies before us.