Ironic Juxtapositions

Our recent assignment in photography is one that requires us to go out in the world and find ironic juxtapositions. From the assignment sheet, irony is an expression of meaning, often humorous or sarcastic, by the use of language of a different or opposite tendency. It is an ill-time or perverse arrival of an event or circumstance that is in itself desirable. And, a juxtaposition is the placing of elements in close proximity.

With this in mind, I set out to find my ironic juxtapositions. This assignment was actually quite a challenge. But, I do believe I was rewarded when I came across some very ironic situations. I was surprised that simply going out and driving around, walking around, and the like, the many, many situations that present themselves.

Overall, I am excited about this assignement and can't wait to get into the lab to develop my pictures!

Tina Barney

Tina Barney's photographs have mostly been images which record her family. However, they are not the typical family portraits or album photographs, they are images which expose emotions and psychological currents of the subjects within them and seem to have so much more implied meaning because of it. Another aspect of her photography would be the settings, and how her figures seem to be molded into the settings, as if they are a part of the place they live in. The narrative quality of these photographs may be fictional in nature, as perhaps they are not idealized or true representations of the personalities of her family members. However, the cold, stark emotions--so raw and vivid--that are received from the subjects is just stunning.

Robert Frank

Staying with the theme of "street photography," I am now going to touch on Robert Frank, who is known for his "from-the-hip" photography, where he literally photographs his subjects with his camera near his hip in order to conceal it more, rather than the abrasive style of photographing that Bruce Gilden utilizes. Robert Frank was born in Switzerland and now resides in Nova Scotia. He won the Guggenhiem Fellowship in 1955 and 1956. I particularly enjoy his work. I think I am fond of street photography because of the candid quality. However, Frank's photography at times seems to have a more documentary feel, as if recording a people and a historical era. Although the same can be said about all the previous street photographers I discussed.

"When people look at my pictures, I want them to feel the way they do when they want to reread a line of a poem."

Gary Winogrand

Much like Bruce Gilden, Gary Winogrand was a street photographer, and one whose work I absolutely adore. The candid nature of his work is beautiful, and the subject matter seems to always be in a situation or manner that strikes thought and narrative. Sometimes they remind me of movie stills, but then again, they remind me of a stroll down the street. Although the clothing of those in the photographs dates them, they still have a feeling reminiscent of one's own walk down a street. His photographs seem to tell a story where there may be no story to tell at all. And that is admirable.

Bruce Gilden

"I'm known for taking pictures very close, and the older I get, the closer I get."

Bruce Gilden is an amusing photographer, aside from his talent. He is what I have learned is called a "street photographer." And he captures life first-hand, face-to-face, literally. His camera is like a weapon he throws out in people's faces attacking them. He conceals it and then snaps a shot when they least expect it. Thus is the nature of his work, and thus is the inherent candid quality of all his pieces. I admire his boldness, but know that I could never be quite as bold as him. Regardless, his photographs are amazing. I love the essence of each individual that they manage to capture within the frame.

Susan Sontag: Journal Assignment

1. List some of the ways photographs function in our culture.
-Photographs furnish evidence. In other words, there is a natural tendency to believe that a photograph has captured reality, when it may be the exact opposite.
-Memorializing achievements and moments in life. Photographs, like the polaroid, are used as an "instant" capture of some great moment in life so as to never forget it.
-Photographs are used to document things. Whether it means documenting people--like a portrait, or documenting evidence--at a crime scene, perhaps.
-Photographs are used to evoke emotions, whether they be sexual or mournful. Magazines of images for men to masturbate to, contrasted by images of a war which are meant to record a tragic event in hopes to remind us not to delve there again.
-Photographs are used as messages, much like art. They have become a way of experiencing something. We "see" the Amazon, but never "go" there.

2. Describe the inherent qualities of a photograph.
Photographs will always have some sort of sentimentalism. They can be humanist or cynical, but they will always have sentiment. Photographs contain a slice of time, a memory that will never move, never change. A photograph has a sense of unattainability as well as a sense of reality. All photographs contain someone's or something's mortality, they capture it for all of time. Photographs alter the scale of the world, and in doing so, package the world. These are the inherent qualities of photographs, as Susan Sontag lists them.

3. Choose a quote from Sontag's article that you find interesting, and explain why it is relevant to you.

The ultimate wisdom of the photographic image is to say: 'There is the surface. Now think--or rather feel, intuit--what is beyond it, what the reality must be like if it looks this way.' Photographs, which cannot themselves explain anything, are inexhaustible invitations to deduction, speculation, and fantasy.

This particular quote stuck with me for a few reasons. First, I thought it was a wonderful conclusion of photography. It explains the very mystery of photography that many fail to understand or realize. What the photographer captures in the frame is not necessarily reality, it is a cropped reality, a censored reality, it is the reality the photographer wants you to believe. In some cases, both are the same. However, in majority of the cases, both are vastly different. I felt this quote was relevant to me because my recent assignment was using particular camera angles and techniques to make things look "larger than life." This in itself is one of the many ways that photography is deceiving. For my assignment I chose to photograph playground slides, taking them with an obscure angle that caused the slides to look long and gigantic, much like they felt when we were children. In this way, my photographs obscured reality, but they also served to send a message to the viewer of nostalgia, a time when they were children. Also, they send a message of question. Is the slide really that big? This is when the quote comes into play. What is beyond the reality I have presented? Beyond my reality is everything really large like that? Or have I chosen to crop and arrange the subject matter how I desired?

Kenro Izu

Kenro Izu is a photographer I stumbled upon when browsing Masters of Photography, I was captivated by his work because of the limitless details that filled each frame. These photographs were of places very familiar to us, however, he had captured them in a very breathtaking, tedious manner. Not letting a single detail escape the frame. As I read about Kenro Izu, I learned that he uses a technique where he takes platinum palladium prints with a custom built camera which produces negatives that are 14''x20''. He originally began photography as a fashion and commercial photographer, but soon found himself thriving off of landscapes and still-life photography. Many biographies say that he is a perfectionist, and I believe this is readily apparent in his works, and I don't mind the least.

Fine Arts Prejudice.

I've come to a point in my life where I'm forced to listen to conflicting views of art. What it is. What it isn't. What is good. What is bad. Now, these of course are all opinions, and art is open to interpretation and opinions. However, it gets tiring to hear things that I hold so dear to my art and my beliefs being put down. I am a Graphic Design major, and Graphic Design is a form of art that many "fine artists" don't consider to be art at all. This is infuriating to me. Graphic Design is just as much art as any painting is. The only difference between Graphic Design and "Fine Arts" is that Graphic Design is meant as a means of communication, direct communication. Art is also a form of communication, however, there are so many concepts and deeper meanings that lie within paintings or photographs. Graphic Design is a tool of communication. It is visual art that uses letters and lines to communicate a very, very clear message, like, "This design is so intriguing, the jeans must be the same, so I'll buy them." And I feel like just because Graphic Design is part of the consumer world in a way that "Fine Arts" is not, we are judged as less of an "artist," and thus, less talented. This is clearly not the case. To even become a Graphic Designer we have to go through training that requires us to take all the "fine arts" classes. Why? Because taking painting, drawing, and photography, all aid in our designs. To have an eye for design you must have an eye for all art. We utilize photography, drawing, paintings, everything in our designs. We are the chameleons of the art world but at times I believe lack the respect we deserve from our "Fine Arts" peers.

Working with type is fabulous. It is my new art. My new way of speaking outloud. And for it to be ridiculed or not judged as highly or as valuable as photography or drawing simply drives me insane. As far as I'm concerned, design runs the world. Without it, everything would be very bland.

The poster below is the best way to communicate what I'm trying to say, Graphic Design is.. and I quote the poster and Paul Rand, "The endless conflicts between the spiritual and material, between ends and means, form and content, form and function, form and facture, form and purpose, form and meaning, form and idea, form and expression, form and illusion, form and habit, form and skill, form and style need to be resolved. It is the merging of these conflicts that determines the aesthetic quality of a painting, a design, a building, a sculpture, or a printed piece. A work of art, then, is the resolution of conflicting relations. It is a unity of opposites, a series of steps reflecting Hegel's dialectics: thesis, the subject; antithesis, the conflict; and synthesis, the resolutions. Whatever one's beliefs, art is commentary, art is revelation, art is the culmination of the creative process. It is a by-product, not a goal, a point of view about a particular object that rises above its topical source. It is not just a facsimile but an opinion expressed visually in a distinctive way. Art is reality enhanced. Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated. Simplicity is not the goal. It is the by-product of a good idea and modest expectations. Design is everything! Everything! Simplicity is not the goal. it is the by-product of a good idea and modest expectations."

George Tice

George Tice is a photgrapher who is referred to as "one of the finest American photographers of his generation," (Fine Art Photography) who is know for his amazing printing skills and photographing rural America. When I came across his photography I was definitely captivated by it. In a way, his photographs are a sort of documentation of a time and era in America, and this dated feel somehow gives the photographs more weight and perhaps touches Americans on a more personal level. There is a sort of nostalgia experienced when looking at his work, and if not, then perhaps a feeling of history through the eyes of the public rather than a history book.

Typography in Motion

This music video I came across as I was checking updates at Smashing Magazine, and was impressed and inspired by the beautiful use of typography in this video. Although the song is in Spanish, the video and band are based mostly off of typography. For my viewing pleasure, and other graphic designers, it doesn't matter what the song is about, the use of typography in a seemingly flawless manner is what makes a lasting impression. Everything from the colors to the letter combinations, and all the animations and text effects are chosen in such a manner that reveals the wisdom and talent of the designers. It's a must-see for any graphic designer or typographer.

In addition to this music video, Smashing Magazine's post was also about breathtaking typographic posters, some of which I would like to share with you. They are exquisitely refined designs, and although this post is not about photography, I cannot hide my passion for Graphic Design, as that is my current major and my current endeavor in life. Some of the posters may only be amusing to a graphic designer, but regardless of their deeper meaning, visually and aesthetically all of these posters are incredibly successful, designs which I can only hope to someday match in their skill and visual intensity. Being a graphic designer requires a different eye than a photographer, at least in my opinion, however, we utilize photography in our designs all the time. Therefore, photography is a wonderful tool that I feel privileged and obliged to learn and understand.

Alex Soth

Alex Soth's photography was shown to us in our Creative Photography class and I couldn't quite get over the image of the gas station in the snow. I was intrigued by the fact that he was able to make a gas station - of all things - beautiful.


As I began to research his work, I learned that one of his series of photographs was all about the bleak and desolate scenes he runs across as he travels along the Mississippi River. It's a really unique subject matter, in my opinion. I love when artists are able to find the beauty in things which we would normally find mundane and boring. Although, essentially, the things he photographs are mundane and boring, the way in which he arranges compositions, chooses lighting, and the exact things he decides to fit within the picture frame draw the viewer's eye and mind in. If you want to see more of Alec Soth, click here to visit his website.

Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman, a photographer, model, and filmmaker all wrapped up in one. I think she is a photographer we are all familiar with by name, but many don't know the history of her work. When I was researching her, I came across these videos which featured her photography. It's very interesting to see the range of work she has done.

Sherman is known primarily for never revealing herself and yet using herself as the subject of her artwork. By turning the camera around and taking pictures of herself, she has gained respect and quite a name for herself among photographers. I think Cindy Sherman is a great artist to research because she uses her work to get messages out, rather than being idle. Not only is this empowering and a good statement for artists, but also it is a statement for the power of women. I look forward the the artwork she brings out next.

Jill Greenberg

It was ironic to me that I stumbled across Jill Greenberg after we had been dicussing traditional and non-traditional portraiture in class. The first samples of her work that I came across was a series of works that photographed monkeys, chimpanzees, and other primates in a traditional portrait manner. They come across as if they have human personas, which is fascinating and actually very humorous. I absolutely love them. She also did a series of work called "shiny faces" which has celebrities and other people photographed with a chosen expression and then the photo is manipulated so that their faces glow unnaturally.

I think some people may find her work odd, but I think it is an excellent display of photo-manipulation. Also, for her to get those monkeys to sit there like that, and get such clear, vivid photographs not only takes talent, but a lot of patience and endurance as an artist. Please, if you have a chance, visit her website.

August Sander

August Sander's is a photographer that has definitely caught my attention. I have even utilized his idea of photographing people at work for a portrait assignment in one of my previous photography classes. Of course, I did the idea in my own manner, not in the more traditional portrait manner as his were taken in. I tried to photograph my subjects doing their work without noticing the presence of my camera, where as Sander's has his subjects look at the camera while on the job. Either way, his work is fascinating to me. I particularly love the image of the man in the doorway. Mostly because of the size contrast from the door to the man. And another favorite of mine would be the man in the aprons. His shoes are so large and his expression is captivating. 

Ansel Adams

First, I would like to say this is a great website. And has a list of wonderful photographers whose work is very inspiring and breathtaking. 

Ansel Adams is a very famous photographer, and his work in particular is created to try to show the deepest range of values from black to white in every photograph. His blacks are rich, but also have an immense amount of detail in them. The same happens with his whites. The textures and detail in his photographs is overwhelming and beautiful. 

When looking at his work it is easy to get lost in the multitude of textures. He is definitely a photographer who shows the extent of what the realm of photography offers. Although his content is not mind-boggling, the subject matter is photographed in such a manner that one cannot help but be lost in the picture frame. 

Blogging Begins!

Hello! Welcome to Dot Dot Smile, my personal blog. I have been inspired to create this blog not only for personal purposes but also to fulfill an on-going assignment in my creative photography class. We are required to make journal entries - or in this case, blog entries - about photography and artists and our thoughts on it all. I will record all of these entries in my blog, as well as include my thoughts and rants. Mostly, this will be a blog on art and the like. Please feel free to enjoy and share with me your art endeavors!