Loss 3

Okay everyone! I have taken some images and would love feedback. As you know I'm trying to captivate the feeling of loss, by not showing faces, but rather, having my viewers connect loss in their own way.  (I have taken the photo's in several different ways, I'm trying to decide which is the best)

Loss 2

Now that the snow has melted, I was finally able to make it back home and collect past images of my sister. Its crazy how much a date can mean, on the back of a photograph.

*Once I have everything organized I will be posting images for feedback.

Progress

So far I have had a photo shoot with Candice and Maeha. They both flaunted their armpit hair and had very different opinions about it. Maeha said hers is part of her identity.  She spoke about how people have different preferences and opinions. She was anti hair before she met someone who said you should grow out your armpit hair I want to see more of you. Her mind was changed and after growing the hair she then saw it as beautiful. I had the same thoughts. Candice didn't really have a preference she just is cool like that and doesn't care. She only grew her armpit hair out for my project and her boyfriend made a comment about it. He didn't like it but knew it was for the sake of an art project and his girlfriend is a model. I have seen a post online that talked about stretch marks on girls that read "please teach girls that it’s completely natural and okay to have stretch marks because i had to learn that on my own". The same could be said for body hair, being curvy, skinny, play like a boy, like girls, etc. This could be the jumping off point from hair to other body "issues" that aren't really issues.

Loss

As I have been unearthing objects from my sisters past, I find myself understanding that you can truly never overcome loss. (or at least me) It's not a battle, it's not an uphill climb, it's an understanding of learning how to control and harness those emotions in a positive way. As these objects stare back at me through my camera lens, I find myself on an emotional roller coaster. I'm on a journey in the dark trying to find light.

( I will be posting new images on 2/24/15 )

Questions

So as this series progresses I find myself asking questions...

Why do we collect so many things?
Where do we put these items?
Are we holding on to something more then just these objects? Do they represent something more?
Can we let go of these objects?
Are we in search of something?
Is there a fear in letting these objects go?
Do these items represent something in our life?

Just some random thoughts for the night.

Todays Photo Shoot

After leaving class today Alexis, Kyler and I decided to work more with flashes. We used 2 flashes as well as a reflector. Alexis was also kind enough to let me photograph her in her home for my series. As I continue this project I like seeing how people collect things and what the content is. Alexis had all her awesome outfits that we put out on her bed. Her room was also full of neat interesting things that reflect her personality. I am happy with how the lighting turned out and I am excited to see what else I can do with the flashes.

Photo shoot with Amy

This photo turned out to be an emotional one. I decided to photograph Amy right after she brook off her engagement with her boyfriend. She had a lot of his things still lingering around her apartment so I decided to take advantage of it. It made me think back to my own split up 2 years ago. When I moved out we had to decide who kept what. Packing away a life that you once had is hard. These objects have a memory tied to them. And maybe that is why people hold on to things. They can't let go of what once was and these objects are a reminder. 

The Plan of Action

In our last class discussion we had touch on how we as humans collect a lot of thing over our life time. We form these sentimental attachments to objects and cannot part with them. As a child I remember my grandfathers house being cluttered with useless junk. His hoarding habits carried on into the back yard where he had 17 sheds filled with more artifacts from his past. I never understood why he kept it all. As I have gotten older he had to move into parents house and he now stays in my childhood room. Now my room is cluttered with whatever he can fit in there. There is only about 5 feet of moving space.

Looking at this has inspired me to investigate more into our habit of collecting things. Is this a health habit? Why do we need these things? Also where are we putting all these things? I plan on going to different locations such as storage space, homes, sheds and photographing there. I am also hoping to stick with my narrative style and create stories within these space of clutter.

Below are just a few photos that I took in my childhood room. It is interesting to see the mix of my things with my grandfather junk.

I think color is working more successfully.

-KB

Research Symposium photo work

I have been working on putting together my piece for the Research Symposium on the 7th. I wanted to configure a grid to display my looks. The book has too much space between the pages and you have to flip back and forth between pages to get the full effect of comparison between the pictures. This poster like 30x40in image allows 9 looks to be compared at one time with the central natural me in the center. I see now that I have uploaded this onto the blog some of the shadows still need to be edited especially in the hooping picture but I am ready to print this on the large printer now! 

thought

That was fun yesterday! An idea for Kyler. I think the jersey is really important as there is not a lot of other info. Maybe they should all have the same jersey? Maybe it should be black? Maybe you will be able to see the shirt a little under the jersey? May it would be different kinds of shirt collared or colorful or whatever?

Proposal

My hair positive documentary will be highlighting the stories of women who have gone through the struggles of removing naturally occurring body hair because it makes others uncomfortable and for what? Some men are even starting to believe the nonsense that humans should be hairless. A written statement by each participant will summarize their individual hair story. Some of the questions will include when they started removing body hair was it their choice or because of taunting? what made them decide to stop worrying about what others had to stay about their bodies? and how life has been since putting down the razor.

Proposal

For photo seminar two I have personal goals I would like to reach for myself. Even though I have already finished my senior show exhibition, I would like to use this last semester at ODU preparing for life after college. I intend on building up my artist resume by entering local shows as well as national shows. I also want to look for possible internships or jobs that are related to my field of work.

Besides building up my resume I plan exploring my narrative style of photography more. I have only scratched the surface of what I am capable of and I would like to see where it goes. I will most likely start to pull away from the self portrait series and work more with people. My focus will most likely be women, but I will most likely use male models as well. I also want to push the content of my photos further. I feel like I played it safe with the safe portrait series. I want questions to a raise when the viewer looks at my work. I want to challenge them.

Lastly I would like to improve on my work ethic. I want to push myself to produce my work and stay active in my profession. I would also like to capture my thoughts better so I plan on having a daily journal. When I have these ideas I can write them down and not forget them. A journal also might help me to better articulate what I am thinking and what my art means to me.   

So far I've just been having fun exploring the possible combinations with collage. 

Here's what I'm starting with...

Proposal

As an aspiring artist I have always been interested in the body as a subject matter. As a photo major, I am always exploring different ways to express the beauty and narrative meaning behind my photographs. Because of my personal interest in the human body, I have decided to create a series based off how the human body (bones in particular) and other objects connect with the loss of my sister.  One of my goals throughout this work is to bend and transform the idea we have about the human body.  I want the viewer to understand that the human body is fragile and to walk away with a sense of vulnerability. I want the series to bring to mind an “organic feeling” and maintain a level of natural quality throughout.

During this process, I plan to identify and target the emotional pain associated with loss and how that grief can last years after someone you love has passed away. (The word deterioration comes to mind) By using objects such as bones and personal items, I think the viewer will not only relate to my subject matter, they will themselves feel connected to my personal struggle. (If they themselves have experienced some type of loss)

To maintain a high level of natural and organic quality in my photographs, I plan to use film throughout my entire process. By using film, I feel as if it will bring a sense of realism and nostalgia to the subjects that digital cannot provide. While photographing this concept I will be leaning towards a pastel color pallet (subject to change) and will more then likely use 100% natural lighting.

This series is very important to me and I truly feel passionate about using photography to express emotional pain where words have failed in the past. Nothing can prepare you for loss and nothing is ever the same after loss.

The Proposal

During my final semester at Old Dominion University I would like to propose a photography project that revolves around the art of collage. The project will begin with simple self-portraits printed from low grade printers in black and white. These black and white prints will then be cut up and combined with others to create different versions of my self-portrait. Those new versions will then be photographed again and reprinted larger. This process will repeat until the desired look is achieved. Ideally, the finished image will fool the viewer into assuming the work was created mainly in Photoshop. In accomplishing this, I hope the work will begin to comment on the possible interaction between analog processes and digital processes in photography. When photographing myself, I plan to use my digital camera, my 35mm film camera, and my pinhole camera to further push this interaction between old and new. 

All of the different self-portraits will then be combined into one large scene and photographed again. Once the different scenes are  almost at a finished state, I want to print them even larger, close to life size. Those prints will then be carefully cut into pieces one last time. This time they will be sewn back together with some kind of thread, maybe varying in color. The lines of string will act as layers of drawings and scribblings in some areas of the images. Lastly, I would like to attach the large prints onto a piece of plywood. I hope the combination of mix media will completely transform the work from just an image into an object. 

Although the images will be mostly pictures of myself, I plan to incorporate bare trees and possibly other organic subjects. This project stems from a long semester of self-portraits and the quest for my self identity. It is potentially the true manifestation of Bristen Krown. I hope the final collage of images will speak on not only my own quest for identity, but begin to ask the viewer the same questions of themselves. 

Welcome to Photo Sem II

I have updated the blog to reflect the new class and left Sem l  so you can go back and look at the things you researched last semester. So lets hear what you are thinking about.....Greta