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Final project

For this project I wanted to do something that represents me in every stage of my life. I tried to make every image similar in a way in order to blend them together. I tired to add the color blue or the sky in every image. The sky has a lot of meaning behind it, it gives you peace when you look at it. In some of my images, I went for a brighter blue or sky then others, this represents that I was less worried or stress free. As you grow older there are more responsibilities that you face, and they shape the way you look at life. In each stage of your life, your goals and ambition changes. I used a lot of image adjustment in order to try blending all the images together. I also discovered a new tool that helped me a lot in the window image. I was able to place my own image into the window frame and move it around freely. I used different selections tools depending on my needs in order to properly select the portion of the image I wanted.

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In-progress critique

I wanted to make something that represents life, so I picked flowers. I tired to find flowers with different colors and background. Each one represents has meaning and representation to it. I wanted it to blend with the photo on the right so I added blue colored background to give the illusion of the sky. However, I still need to work on it and try to blend it more.

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Blog prompt- glitch

My image at first was very warm and colorful with the different colors on the pizza. I wanted to give it a different meaning, to it so with the help of the glitch I was able to do it. It became more edgy and impractical. In the glitch, you can’t tell what toppings are actually on the pizza, which makes it easier for you to imagine or create your own pizza. Also with the glitch it doesn't matter if the background is messy of not because it was distorted. I loved how Rosa Menkman did her website, when I first owned it, it reminded me of the past and old computers. I liked how unrealistic it is and how different each slide is.

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Blog prompt - Photography and AI

I think that AI will keep changing photography and art. Photography that we know today is very different from the photography in the 1900s. Some people might have seen photoshop as a big step while now we view it normal. Technology has both positive impacts and negative ones. Photo editing is probably one of the best tools for photographers. In the past the image you took has to stay like that even if there is something that you wished wasn’t there. However, now it is very easy to make your photos turn out the way you want them to. Another positive aspect is that its less time consuming. With the use of digital cameras it is much easier for the photographer to process their images. It would take days for an image to get processed and sometimes it would not even turn out good. However, one can argue that editing takes long time as well. As stated in one of the articles, AI can mean something different to everyone. It depends on how you are using and how you view AI. 

Although AI has transformed the art industry in many ways, there are negative impacts. With access to phones, people can take photos as easily as pulling their phones out of their pockets. Today, there are new Ai apps for editing, so images can look more professional. However, in “Is Pro Photography Dying?” It changed my perspective. At first I simply answered yes, however, she said that professional photography isn’t just about taking grad pictures or wedding pictures. It is about holding that memory from generations. A person might be willing to buy an expensive bag but might find photography to be a waste of money. However, that image will stay with that person forever. Also I agree with how she maintained that it all depends on how you value your business. Each person has a different style in photography which is what makes it special. 

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Blog prompt - passage

The passage to me is peaceful and quiet. It is a moment at a time, that is a transition for what is coming. I tried to capture a slow and peaceful time. It is asking us to almost pause and forget about life. All the problems, worries, and just think about now. I wanted to add the color green in my video because it is calm and relaxing. The calm breeze gives you a good feeling. I focused on the light and the plant’s texture. I wanted it to show in great detail because it just added to the whole image I want. 

I wanted my main focus to be about nature because its the most soothing thing to look at. At the end of the video, a car passes by which was kind of a wake up call. Telling you that life does go on and that we need to keep moving in order to fulfill our dreams.  While capturing the video, it made me meditate and focus on my life for a bit. I wanted it to be slow and symbolic, everyone can have a different meaning to it but at the same time we can agree to one. 

I was unable to upload the video.

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Blog prompt - joiners, Triptych, Grid

For this prompt, I tried to take every picture with the same angle. However, each image still turned out differently because of the lighting and position of the cars. I tried to do a balance between the cars so I placed the red car in the middle. I used the tires from different cars so they can blend more with each other. I tried to do a two door car but with the cars being different sizes it was a bit hard. I decided to keep it a one door car. Between the black and the grey car there seems to be in the same parking lot which is why I kept them on opposite ends. I included a blue ombre as the background to give definition and to make the car stand out more.

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What is Video Art

Video art is a concept that emerged in the early 1900s, changing both the art world and visual expression. Unlike still art, moving imagery incorporates multiple elements, such as sound, dance, movement, and more. These allow for more impactful storytelling and emotions. For example, watching someone cry in a video often creates a stronger emotional response than seeing a still image. Personally, I believe video art has transformed how artists communicate their ideas. When art combines multiple elements, it often becomes more expressive, allowing messages to reach the audience more deeply. Since all components must work in harmony, the impact depends on their alignment. An artist might show someone crying while playing joyful background music which can confuse the viewer’s interpretation. Which is why it is important to align the work or not alignment depending on the expression of the artist. One video that stood out to me was Martha Rosler’s “Semiotics of the Kitchen” (1975). At first glance, I assumed it was a traditional cooking video with a deeper meaning. It certainly had a powerful message, Rosler used her voice, facial expressions, and body language to express anger and frustration. These emotions would have been difficult to convey through still images alone. Her video critiques the traditional role of women in domestic spaces. What I found particularly interesting was how she went through kitchen utensils in alphabetical order, challenging the idea that women belong only in the kitchen, while also showing that women are intelligent and capable of much more. The second video I watched was by Joan Jonas. Initially, I didn’t fully understand its meaning, but I realized she was exploring themes of self-identity and inner beauty. Despite seeing both sides of her face, it was hard to form a complete mental image of her, which may have been intentional. While both videos used movement, I felt Rosler’s performance had more intention behind it. It directly represented women’s voices and issues in society back then.

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Alternate Reality - Surrealism and Photography 

For this prompt, I wanted to create something that holds meaning, but also doesn’t. I aimed for something open to interpretation. In the first image, I cropped photos of my cats and placed them on a sidewalk. Although I’ve never taken my cats outside, probably never will, being outdoors is their natural habitat. There's a contrast between their indoor lives and the outdoor environment they belong to. The cat with the food bowl is the same one sitting in the back, I included the bowl because food is her favorite thing. She might wander off to explore something in the background before circling back to eat, like part of a familiar routine. The other cat is my curious one, she hasn’t noticed the bird yet, but once she does, she’ll definitely chase it.

In my second image, I combined water, mountains, and a sun with rays. But is it a sunrise, a sunset, or neither? That’s for the viewer to decide. Maybe it's the aftermath of a flood, and the sun is breaking through for the first time. The sun rays are the lines between real and imaginary. The scene can feel peaceful or mysterious depending on how you look at it, which is exactly the feeling I wanted to convey.

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reading response 3

Tommy Ingberg

The artist I chose is Tommy Ingberg. I was drawn to his work because all of his photographs share the same soul and emotional depth. His photography is filled with meaning and surrealism. Ingberg takes ordinary images of people and transforms them into powerful, thought-provoking scenes that speak differently to each viewer. Each photo is very far from reality and becomes symbolic, needing personal interpretation.

I picked this particular image because it raises many questions. I was intrigued by the contrast between the massive storm and the peaceful presence of the man. He sits calmly on a piece of driftwood, witnessing the chaos in a mysterious way. The surreal nature of the image is clear, no one could realistically survive or calmly observe such a storm. The man's coat and the subtle movement of his hand made me feel as if he were actually controlling the water. The entire image feels mysterious, filled with symbolism and unanswered questions.

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Blog Ex: All About Light

I noticed how the shadows changed on the house throughout the day. In the morning, there were no shadows at all. By the middle of the day, the house was completely shaded. Then, around 7 PM, it was half shaded. Even though I was photographing the same area, each picture looked different because of the changing light.

The lighting revealed different details in each photo. For example, I only noticed the spider web in the last picture, it wasn’t visible in the middle one. In the middle photo, the plant looked fuller, likely because the shade contrasted and made it appear denser. But in the other two pictures, since the lighting was brighter, the plant looked smaller and less full.

Iphone, natural light

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Blog Prompt #4 - photomontage

I found a picture of a sand dune. It seemed empty, like identity itself. Thinking about the question “How do you view identity?” led me to reflect on how my past decisions and future aspirations shape who I am. A sand dune, being only sand, was the element of time because I imagined the sand in an hourglass. 

I incorporated a photo I took of a fake cactus which was red at first, but I added a color blending layer to make it green. To represent life and growth, it was the only color I incorporated into the picture to add contrast with the natural tones.  

I placed a rock to symbolize the past, solid and grounded. The digital camera represents the future, yet it can also reflect the past, since it’s an older model. A camera holds out memories and happy moments. I liked this duality, it represented a bridge both where we’ve been and where we’re going.

The word “future” with plants, felt like the expression of growth and potential. I darkened it slightly using the adjustment tool to help it stand out against the lighter background.

Finally, I added sun rays emerging from the camera to symbolize hope and a bright future. Identity is something constantly shaped by both memories and dreams.

Future picture:

https://www.123rf.com/photo_122111610_word-future-from-green-leaves.html

Sand dune picture: https://theconversation.com/ive-studied-sand-dunes-for-40-years-heres-what-people-find-most-surprising-226680

"The Past" picture:

Picture of cactus, camera, and rock: iphone camera & room light

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Reading assignment #2

Dada was an art movement that emerged during World War I, known for its rejection of traditional rules. As mentioned in the video, Andre Breton described Dada as “a state of mind,” which reflects that It's everything but nothing at the same time. Dada artists were against many established ideas, including war, museums, and traditional definitions of art itself. Even the word "Dada" itself is ambiguous, both full of meaning and meaningless at the same time, which captures the essence of the movement.

Dada ideas were expressed through various forms of art, including poetry. For example, Hugo Ball created poems using nonsensical words, focusing more on the sounds produced than any meaning. Jean Arp was another dadaist, he created an artwork through chance, such as letting pieces of paper fall randomly onto the canvas to create an artwork.

In contrast to past art that often aimed to realistically depict the world, Dada broke these expectations. It opened the door to new artistic approaches, including photomontage which is a technique that combines multiple photographs into a single image. It allows artists to convey ideas, lifetimes, or historical events in one piece. Overall, Dada emphasized casual, expressive, and often meaningless forms of art, proving that art doesn't always need to follow strict guidelines or have a meaning behind it.

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Blog Ex- Changing Meaning

I wanted to add more focus on the lamp itself. I added more brightness to the lamp so it can focus on it more. I used color to add a yellowish green layer to it, in order to lighten the background a little. I cropped some of the image at the bottom and used spot healing tool in order to clean some parts. I feel like it added more warmth to the photo.

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Blog Prompt 2

Iphone camera

photo 1: natural, photos 2,3,4: artificial lighting

For the first image I wanted to showcase nature and modern touch to it. The house is a brown color giving the picture some warmth. The 3rd and 4th picture, I wanted to showcase the details in little flower shop. Showing it from its most important angles.

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Blog Prompt 3

The assignment really made me think about who I am.

The Lamp Photo: The lamp has been a part of homes for centuries. It has helped people by lighting up their spaces and creating a sense of warmth and comfort. I chose it because it represents something timeless and familiar. Something that quietly supports people every day. I did find it challenging to capture what I had in mind with the background, but I tried to keep the focus on the feeling of comfort the lamp symbolizes.

The Coffee Beans Photo: Coffee plays a role in many people’s daily lives. Just looking at the image, you can almost imagine the smell of fresh coffee. It brings people joy, energy, and I hope I can bring similar feelings to others in my own way. I also wanted to show contrast in the background of this photo.

Both photos give off different moods, but in a way, they offer a similar kind of presence.

Iphone- artificial lighting

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Reading assignment #1

I found it really interesting how photographer Stephen Shore was able to witness and follow the important transitions happening in photography during his time. Those changes clearly had a big impact on how he views photographs and how he approaches his work.

Even if the photo itself doesn’t change, there’s a big difference between seeing it as a physical print or on a screen. Things like the texture of the paper, the kind of ink, or even the way a print smells can affect how we experience it. A printed photo can feel more personal, almost like a memory you can hold. That kind of physical connection is something digital images don’t offer.

Paying close attention to your surroundings is a major part of photography, and Shore really emphasizes that. In his project “American Surfaces”, he mentions a moment where there’s a little boy in the background looking out of a window. It’s the kind of detail I missed, even if I stared at the photo for a while. Shore wasn’t just focused on the main street, but he noticed every small detail. That attention to detail brings emotion and life into the photograph.

Something that stuck with me was when Shore said that the frame of a photo isn’t the end, it’s the beginning. That made me think about how a single image can suggest a whole world beyond what’s actually shown. Whether it’s a shot of the sky or a street, we naturally fill in the rest of the story in our minds, based on our own perspective.

He also talked about the idea of “filling the picture with attention,” or giving it “stage presence.” At first, I didn’t really get what he meant. But when he compared it to an actor on stage, it clicked. When we watch a play, we don’t focus on whether the actor is walking perfectly, we focus on what they’re feeling and expressing. The same goes for photos. I agree with this approach because it shifts the focus from just technical skill to the emotion and story behind the image.

I also appreciated what he said about moving to Montana and realizing he needed to change the way he was seeing things. He had to step away from the way he was used to looking at the world. That really shows how personal experiences shape the way we see and interpret photographs. One image can mean something totally different to someone else based on their background or point of view.

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Blog Prompt 1

Nature lighting, iphone camera

Malda A.

I love nature photography. It is one of my dreams to travel the world with my camera and take pictures or clear skies, green mountains and more. I took this picture in one of my favorite places to walk, no wonder how many times I have seen this scenery, it brings me peace everytime.