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Blog Post #16 - Final: Theme Project

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Blog Post #15 - 10 WIP Photos (Theme Project)

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Blog Post #14 - Artist Research #8 - Nancy González - Saudade (c. 2021)

Saudade (2021) is a photo project overseen by Portuguese photographer Nancy González. Given the significance of the word saudade (a kind of melancholy yearning) in Portuguese culture, this project is essentially a compilation of memories that elicit feelings of nostalgia or longing. These photos motivate viewers to reminisce about a time in their lives, specifically the transition between adolescence and adulthood, and perceive it as a beautiful period that you can't return to. According to González, she refers to it as "a paradise that's been lost forever." Stylistically, she captures images of everyday life in a poetic, emotional manner to reflect internal landscapes.

I can easily resonate with González's work since I'm at a time in my life where I'm learning to adjust to changes that come with this major transition. As I mature, I sometimes feel very nostalgic about my youth because there are so many great memories from that era that I deeply miss and cherish. I'm always longing for those same moments to occur during my adulthood, though I know it will never happen. I think that is the beauty of memories. They are once-in-a-lifetime experiences that you can look back on when you are uncertain about the future. Although it can be painful to remember the past, it can also bring comfort, as González describes in the article.

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Blog Post #13 - Artist Research #7 - Torrance York - Semaphore (c. 2019)

The following images are from a photo book created by photographer Torrance York titled Semaphore. She began working on this project in 2019 as a means of examining her shift in perspective after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2015. Through these photos, York focuses on the challenge of accepting this new lifestyle. While a diagnosis of an uncurable illness isn't particularly the best news to hear, she tries to view the situation with optimism. She captures images of nature, the human body, X-rays, MRI scans, moments from her daily life, and light in hopes of inspiring others with her experience and process.

At first glance, I was captivated by the beautiful imagery mainly because of the balanced lighting. It produces this light and airy atmosphere that feels quite refreshing to the eye, possibly signifying a new chapter in life. For someone that is struggling with an illness, you'd expect them to view the world with a negative outlook, but it's nice to know that she's discovering ways to cope with this new reality and learning to turn that perspective around. Overall, I find her story to be very uplifting, and it encourages me to not only change the way I face a certain situation but how I look at my own life. It's made me even more grateful and appreciative of the life I'm living right now.

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Blog Post #12 - Artist Research #6 - Mirko Viglino - Map to the Star (c. 2023)

These pictures are from a photo book titled Map to the Star by Italian documentary photographer Mirko Viglino. As a divorced father, he struggles to spend time with his daughter Anita due to Italian custody jurisdiction. Because of this, he has expressed a fear of being replaced as a father one day. Despite not being able to see her often, he tries to make those short moments with Anita worthwhile in order to strengthen his relationship with her. Viglino uses space travel as a metaphor to describe their story since they have a shared interest in the unknowns of space. This aspect of their relationship ultimately inspired him to create space-themed scenes, or constructed realities, as a way of not only connecting with Anita but also conquering the unknowns in their lives.

I find it fascinating how Viglino uses a combination of artificial lighting and earthly objects/landscapes to bring his and his daughter's imaginations to life. The relationship that he has with his child makes me feel nostalgic about my own childhood and how I used to do fun activities like this with my family. As much as I loved playing with toys, I enjoyed exploring my own imagination using white sheets and chairs to build makeshift forts. I have to say it really does bring people closer to each other, especially when you're doing something that both parties are genuinely interested in. When you spend a lot of time with a person, you learn more and more about them in the process; therefore, you are "conquering the unknowns."

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Blog Post #11 - Artist Research #5 - Alison McCauley - Anywhere But Here (c. 2008-2020)

This is a body of work that photographer Alison McCauley (currently based in Geneva, Switzerland and southern France) previously worked on from 2008-2020 titled Anywhere But Here. As a member of UP Photographers, McCauley is highly recognized for her instinctive, open-ended, and subjective approach to photography. She enjoys weaving her images together to create non-linear, yet intuitive narratives. With this project, she emphasizes the idea that she's at a stage in her life where she's not supposed to be at. She is certain that wherever she goes next will be much better, or superior. To summarize, her work evokes this sense of desire to never stop moving, specifically moving past current moments and onto the next.

I am completely in awe of McCauley's work because she has a very distinct style. It's experimental, yet expressive in the way that she plays around with the shutter speed or uses reflections to create an interesting composition. I also like the idea of leaving her work up to interpretation because it encourages people to be more open-minded. I think having this type of mindset can allow for plenty of inspiration to flow your way. As I view these photos, it surprisingly reminds me of my own ideas for the final class project. I wanted to do something of this sort, but did not know exactly how I should approach it. In the end, I'm glad that I decided to write about her work for one of my artist research posts.

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Blog Post #10 - Artist Research #4 - Guillaume Tomasi - A bloom in the eye of the storm (c. 2024)

These are a selection of images from Canadian-based French photographer and curator Guillaume Tomasi's second photobook, A bloom in the eye of the storm, that he self-published in 2024. In his work, he concentrates on the inner turmoil that his children unconsciously experience as they grow up in a dying society. As their father, Tomasi expresses his concern over climate change and how that can ultimately affect their childhood. By capturing intimate moments of his family with his camera, he envisions a world that is safe for his children. However, despite his efforts to raise them in a secure environment and continue on with daily routines, the issue of climate change persists like a "threatening storm." Its devastating impact is evident through some of the images in his photobook.

What I admire about this photographer is that most of the inspiration for his work is drawn from his personal experiences as a father. His intimate approach to the photos as well as his genuine concern for global issues like climate change is clearly an expression of love and devotion for his own children and the planet. From Tomasi's work, I've come to understand the importance of being more conscious of my surroundings. We oftentimes get carried away with our daily routines that we overlook the simple things in our lives. That being said, it's the small details that construct a compelling visual narrative. Similarly, I enjoy taking pictures of the environment because I am always discovering and learning about new things every day.

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Blog Post #9 - Artist Research #3 - Tine Poppe - Winter Solstice (c. 2017)

The following photos were taken in Oslo, Norway for a photo project titled Winter Solstice created by Norwegian photographer Tine Poppe in 2017. With this project, she essentially highlights the significance of winter solstices in Norway. Around this time of year, the days are often shorter and the nights are longer than they've ever been. Norwegians refer to this as mørketid, or the time of darkness. Historically, this period of time was called Yule, which celebrated the reawakening of nature. Many Christmas (jul in Norwegian) traditions derived from ancient Yule customs. Although Norwegians no longer celebrate nature's reawakening during winter solstice, this brings into question Norway's current role in global climate issues. In spite of the ongoing climate crisis, Norway continues to be the one of the largest oil producers in the world and has yet to delay its oil and gas production.

What initially attracted me to Poppe's work was her unique way of capturing the environment. I never would've thought that the haziness of the fog accompanied with artificial lights could create such a stunning composition. When you glance at the images, you can get a sense of how cold or dark it is during winter solstice, but in the midst of that, there's light that guides your way. In the article, she does mention that winter depression is quite common in the north, so it justifies why I find her work to be both uplifting and refreshing at the same time. It reminds me of my own purpose of wanting to be an artist, which is to inspire others to be the light in a dark and broken world.

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Blog Post #8 - Book Report #1 - David Bradford - Drive-By Shootings: Photographs By A New York Taxi Driver

After scanning through many photobooks, I came across one by David Bradford that contained a variety of photos of the city life in New York City. His work, Drive-By Shootings: Photographs By A New York Taxi Driver, was inspired by his love for the arts. During his childhood, he studied dance and music, but his dance career was cut short after suffering an injury. He soon developed an interest in drawing, which ultimately led him to obtain a degree in Illustration from Rhode Island School of Design. Once Bradford relocated to New York City, he got a job as an art director for Saks Fifth Avenue’s advertising department. Following his decade long stint, he freelanced illustration and design work before he wound up working as a taxi driver in 1990. This gave him more freedom to work on independent projects. Initially, he took photos from his cab to use as reference images for his drawings, but later embraced photography and started creating a personal portrait of the city.

I admire his style of street photography because it reminds me of documentaries and how they aim to raise awareness on what is happening around us and in the lives of people. Although a majority of his photos lack color, he manages to capture the vibrancy of city culture by documenting different walks of life. What I also found inspiring about his work is his simple, yet straightforward approach to taking photos. This is evident in the design layout as well, given the lack of captions throughout the book. On top of that, he enlarges some of the images as if he's urging the viewer to pay attention to what he's seeing. There’s something about the bleakness of his pictures that forces you to open your eyes to the harsh reality that we live in. To me, the images emphasize the importance of examining your surroundings because the world has plenty of stories to tell.

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Blog Post #7 - Theme Project Proposal

For this project, I wanted to shoot photos that offer a glimpse into my family’s private space and highlight the complexity of our family dynamic. With one half of the family being born into Filipino culture (my mom, dad, and grandma) and the other half being born into American culture (my brother and I), I thought it would be interesting to capture the differences between the two cultures. The purpose of this concept is to not only introduce my family to the world, but also to openly discuss my struggle with cultural identity. As a Filipino-American, it can be difficult for me to find balance. Although I was raised as an American, there’s also this pressure to conform to the cultural values and beliefs of Filipino culture. As a result, I’ve been stuck in this dilemma of figuring out where I belong in society. In regards to the photography style, this will be likely be a documentary shoot because I want to create an immersive experience for my viewers. I want them to feel like they are witnessing raw moments in real-time in hopes of establishing an empathic connection.

Considering the theme of this project, it would be rational for my family to be the main subject. Before this project was introduced, my mom has actually expressed interest in being a part of my photo projects someday, which made me very eager to work on this assignment. The inspiration for this concept comes from the close-knit bond I share with my family members, that of which plays a central role in Filipino culture. Given this information, we usually spend a lot of time together, so I have a deep understanding of each of their characters and how that is influenced by culture. It makes it much easier to work with them because you are able to generate interesting ideas based on their preferences.

Because everyone is always doing something around the house, I thought it would be interesting to document each of their day-to-day routines. Aside from the main objective of examining the differences between Filipino and American cultures, I hope to capture them doing specific activities that represent who they are as individuals. This clearly demonstrates how our personalities are significantly shaped by culture. As for the visual aesthetic, I was hoping to emulate how most documentaries are presented on the screen, which typically uses a cinematic/film format.

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Blog Post #6 - Elements and Principles of Design Scavenger Hunt

https://new.express.adobe.com/publishedV2/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:2d695334-bfaa-49d7-9080-20154f80b3e7?promoid=Y69SGM5H&mv=other

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Blog Post #5 - Artist Research #2 - Filippo Telaro - Foresti Dapartuto (c. 2024)

These set of photos were shot by Italian photographer Filippo Telaro (based in Milan) and are a part of a project for the Art Biennale 2024. The project itself is titled Foresti Dapartuto, which means Foreigners Everywhere when translated from the Venetian dialect. It tells a visual story about his estranged relationship with his brother Federico, who tagged along with him on the trip. The term foresti also means tourists, which he thought was an appropriate word to describe the project, considering that he and his brother were on a trip together. Most of Telaro's works focus on the everyday and the world around him because he believes that the gaze is what truly makes reality more interesting.

I have never heard of this photographer before, but came across his work while I was browsing through websites for my artist research. After learning about Filippo Telaro, I realized our perspectives on photography align with one another since I enjoy capturing ordinary moments that I find appealing in my eyes. An image oftentimes contains hidden details that can tell one big story, though most people don't even realize it. When I take photos, my eyes naturally gravitate towards things like color and the overall composition. What I appreciate about Telaro's work is the way he uses natural lighting to enhance color and convey a certain mood in his photos. Eventually, I hope to implement some of his techniques in my work.

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Blog Post #4 - Elements & Principles of Design List

Elements:

Line - a connection between two points within an image

Shape - objects that appear two-dimensional when captured on camera (measured by l x w)

Form - three-dimensional quality of an object

Value - the relative lightness or darkness of an object

Space - the area around or between the subject(s) in the frame; implies movement

Color - a phenomenon of light/visual perception that enables one to differentiate between identical objects

Texture - visual quality of an object's surface

Principles:

Balance - distribution of visual elements within a frame that creates a sense of harmony or equal weight

Repetition - repeating shapes/pattern inside the frame that adds to the overall composition

Proportion/Scale - the relationship between size and space of different objects

Emphasis - a technique used by photographers to draw attention towards specific elements in an image

Movement - the energy and dynamism in a still image that is produced by a subject in motion

Variety - the various genres and subjects captured through the lens

Unity - the harmony and coherence of different elements within a photograph

Proximity - the relationship between objects based on their closeness to each other in terms of time, distance, and space

Lighting (Hard & Soft):

Frontal Lighting - a lighting technique where the light source is positioned directly in front of the subject

Back Lighting - a lighting technique where the light source is positioned behind the subject

Side Lighting - a lighting technique where the light source illuminates the subject from one side

Shaft of Light - light that streams down from the sky through a window or atmosphere

Bottom Lighting - a lighting technique in which the light source is located below the subject

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Blog Post #3 - Artist Research #1 - Henri Cartier-Bresson - The Var department (c. 1932)

This black & white photo titled The Var department was captured in Hyères, France by French street photographer and Magnum's co-founder Henri Cartier-Bresson in 1932. The shot, taken from a bird's eye view, features a man riding his bicycle past a staircase on the streets of Hyères. The article, written by Agnes Sire, reveals important characteristics of Cartier-Bresson's work. This includes the notion of 'à la sauvette' (on the run) as it's portrayed in this photo. He liked the idea of quickly capturing fleeting moments and would often compare himself to a thief.

Prior to conducting research, I had no knowledge of famous photographers in the field until I discovered Henri Cartier-Bresson and samples of his work. This image in particular caught my eye because of its unique composition. I appreciate his use of linear elements as a framing method. It effectively draws the viewer's eye towards the subject. His ideology has definitely inspired me to seek new ways to create a visually appealing composition.

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Blog Post #2 - Weekend Photo Story

1/25/25:

Each weekend is different depending on the circumstances, but I thought that these set of photos accurately reflect what a typical Saturday would look like for me. During the school year, I tend to stay home often to work on assignments unless I have some that require me to spend more time outdoors; however, that isn't the case here. I start off my mornings by waking up and admiring the beautiful sky. I find that morning is the best time of day to take photos because it creates this tranquil, yet very refreshing atmosphere, which is such a wonderful feeling to experience. I also enjoy the different hues that appear in the sky when the sun rises. After getting up, I head straight to the kitchen and prepare myself some breakfast. I just ended up eating one of those Jimmy Dean frozen breakfast bowls. Once I'm finished with that, I use my laptop to work on assignments online for the remainder of the day. My gaming laptop is equipped with a captivating RGB keyboard, so I snapped a photo to highlight its vibrant colors. It can be a bit distracting sometimes as I'm working, but it gives me positive energy.

1/26/25:

On Sundays, I normally go to church at 9am and volunteer in the Pre-K/K classroom for Sunday school after the service, but it was my day off. Instead, I went out with family to shop at Walmart for groceries. Later on, my mom treated us to some Chinese food. On the way home, I spotted a flock of birds on some power lines, which was pretty interesting to capture. In this photo, I like the combination of the clouds in the background and the silhouette of the birds and power lines in the foreground.

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Blog Post #1 - Intro

Hello, my name is Aubrey Vigan and this is my 2nd year as an animation major at Fresno State (I'm a transfer student). I may not be a professional photographer, but I enjoy doing photography as a hobby. A lot of the photos I've taken so far revolve around nature, particularly landscapes. On some occasions, I take photos to document the little things that happen in my life and post it on social media. In short, I pretty much take photos whenever I feel inspired to do so.

In this course, I hope to experiment more with this medium and learn new techniques on how to properly handle the camera and how to take the best photos. Although I have quite a bit of experience with photography, I believe there is still room for me to improve my skills. I would consider myself more of an amateur photographer.

Aside from photography, I like to draw portraits of people from time to time. I also listen to various genres of music (pop, K-pop, indie, r&b, hip-hop) every day because it distracts me from thinking negatively. Currently, my favorite game I love to play is the Sims 4 as I have been playing it nonstop over winter break.

Given that I'm a 3D animation emphasis, I would love to work as a 3D animator for animation companies such as Pixar or Walt Disney Animation Studios and assist with the production of animated films.