Bald Eagle

As a symbol of our nation, the Bald Eagle represents the hard working, tenacious people and the majestic land which we inhabit in America.  Symbols serve significant roles and have done so throughout human history.  The ability for an object to hold a deeper meaning beyond its superficial existence is what gives the arts, literature, and music the ability to influence us in different ways.  What one holds as dear may mean nothing more than its superficial value to another.  Personally, I consider myself fairly patriotic, and invest a great deal of time thinking about the issues that we face as a nation today.  To me, the Bald Eagle is more than just a bird, and remains a symbol of hope and prosperity just as it has throughout our young nation's history.  It is interesting to me that others, when looking at the same image, may not necessarily take away the same feelings and thoughts as I do.  This diversity of response is another aspect of art that I admire, it has the ability to affect people in a multitude of ways.  This picture, again, regally depicts the bird, an aesthetic I see that maybe someone else would not.  That is a great component of digital photography.

Landscape

Since our last assignment was to hand in a photograph depicting our interpretation of "Landscape" I decided to pursue what others considered when they thought of landscape.  Using google, I randomly searched through various photographs until I stumbled upon this particular image by Andrew Gransden in his landscape section.  What interested me in this image was his incorporation of numerous natural elements as well as a man made object in his interpretation of landscape photography.  Aesthetically, the bright, deep blue of the water juxtaposed with the paler grey of the building and green of the grass and the washed out background makes for a visually appealing image.  There's something mysterious and ambiguous about the building; what is it, is it abandoned or occupied, what is its purpose on this tiny island?  These questions give a deeper meaning to the image, and make the picture more than just a nice thing to look at.  In a lot of ways, I searched for similar qualities when trying to capture landscape.  I shot my image in the same aspect ratio as well as incorporating both natural and man-made elements.

Culinary

It is interesting to watch childhood friends pursue their dreams, especially when they involve interests you never knew they had.  I had a diverse group of friends throughout my high school and middle school years, some of which I remain close to to this very day.  I have made friends who are like me and wish to pursue higher education and graduate degrees, some of my friends went directly into the workforce out of high school.  My one friend, however, pursued a path that, although it did not surprise me, has spawned a passion that I never knew existed.  He has been interested in computers and digital multimedia for some time, and has always had a knack for photo editing, filming, and information technology.  Until recently, however, I believed this was the extent to which he pursued his artistic dreams.  Only recently did I discover that besides his formal education, he was also pursuing a career in photography.  This image is a sample of one of his photographs from a series he titles "Culinary" focusing on food, its preparation, and the people behind the dishes.  Viewing his collection made me realize that the contemporary photographers we study were, to some individuals, at one point just a friend with a hobby.  It's incredible to see these people that I have known for some time begin to develop into talented artists who may one day make their own mark on the world of photography.

Lunar

StumbleUpon has become a college student's best friend.  No matter how much work you have due the next day, or how big of a test you have to study for, you can always find some time to stumble away and get lost in the viral world.  One of my favorite aspects of StumbleUpon is the fascinating and unique things I find, which includes works of art.  I have 'stumbled upon' a man making a spray-paint masterpiece in under one minute, seen pictures from little known artists who I most likely would have never heard of if it weren't for this great resource.
This particular image titled "Lunar" is one such image I happened to 'stumble upon' while on the internet, and it truly is breathtaking.  Just at first glance, the image is catchy as a result of its unique aesthetics and the fact that an individual appears to be floating in the air.  It's clear this image was staged and the photographer was trying to get a certain look, and I feel they really pulled it off.  The mist and dark undertones of the image really add a night-like quality, reflected by the title of the photograph.  The person is also small compared to the rocks around her, and appears to be out of place.  In some ways I feel like this person is representing the moon in this image, as the night sky, besides the stars, is a blanket with one large object sticking out: the moon.
Overall, I enjoyed this picture because of its detail and its superficial elements.  These are images that I would like to shoot in the future; technically sound, interesting and unique, and vague in theme.

The Impact of Photography on Social Change

The above image does not appear to have any formal qualities that make it stand out, nor is the image associated with a well known photographic artist.  The name behind the photographer serves to render the image, making a seemingly plain picture appear to be more than what meets the eye. For the purpose of promoting a populist, grassroots ideal, the anonymity and ubiquitous nature of the image actually enhances the pictures effect.  The Occupy Wall Street movement coins its followers as 'the 99%' signifying that they represent the vast majority who are fed up with the inequality our society deals with on a daily basis.  This picture addresses a specific issue for the youth involved: student debt.  By making the image totally anonymous, yet including specific numbers and harsh words such as 'destroyed' the picture allows the observer to relate to the message behind it, and put themselves in that person's situation.  For the purpose of enacting social change, grassroots support is pivotal, and utilizing images such as this to interest others in following the movement helps them grow.  This is not the first time a picture has been used to speak out against injustice, and it most certainly will not be the last.

The Most Important Picture Ever

It is difficult to ever assert that something is the best, particularly in subjective disciplines such as art, music, and photography.  What is 'the best' and what constitutes the qualities that make something so above the others?  Many refer to this famous photograph taken by the Hubble telescope as the most important image taken in human history.  The Hubble Telescope was pointed towards an area of deep space that, to the naked eyes, had no light sources and no noticeable figures in the night sky.  The camera was exposed for 1 million seconds, producing an image known as Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF).  The results were startling, as thousands of galaxies were observed on the screen, revealing parts of space that we did not know existed.  What makes this image so significant is the fact that it demonstrates the vastness of our universe in a way no one thought possible.  It is difficult to comprehend how small we are on Earth relative to the rest of the universe, so being able to observe thousands of galaxies that fit into a tiny piece of our dark sky really puts things in perspective.  Although it is difficult to proclaim this photograph the greatest image ever taken, it certainly is a powerful photograph with lasting implications for time to come.

Artists and Environment

This image comes from an exhibit titled, "Infinite Balance: Artists and the Environment."  This picture seems to be capturing both the ripple and reflection aesthetics associated with looking upon a body of water.  What I like most about this picture is how surreal it is, as there is no reflection of a photographer, so it seems that the image is almost doctored or fake.  However, the natural cloud formations and differentiation between light and  dark observed in the reflection of the water make it seem like a regular surface of water.  The Ripples also add an interesting context to the image, as it seems that something recently disturbed the water's normal state of tranquility.  This makes the observer question whether or not it is raining, or if something was dropped into the water possibly by the person observing the surface.  This fits the theme of the exhibition very well, as it looks to analyze artists interpretations and understandings of our natural environment.  Photography is a powerful art form available to observe and reflect upon our natural world.

Gaddafi dead?

Photography in the news has played a consistently important role in developing current events and illustrating what is happening beyond our borders.  Today, a picture began circulating on the internet, depicting what appears to be Muammar Gaddafi passed away.  Although there has not been official confirmation of his death, many are already celebrating the tyrant's assumed death and the new found freedom Libya may obtain with his regime finally at an end.  Many famous faked photographs, however, have played a roll in recent history, most notably the doctored image of Osama Bin Laden that also was used to try and make it seem like he had been killed.  The power of photo editing is evident by the ability of some doctored images to be mistaken for fact.  If this picture is real, however, it represents excellent use of photography as a means of breaking news coverage of important current events.  

Fire & Water

I find this picture to be particularly catchy, simply because it seems to be out of place.  It is, for obvious reasons, unusual to observe something burning on top of a body of water, particularly in an isolated, serene environment such as the one depicted in this image.  I like the use of the leaf on fire as a prop, as it makes you take a second look at the image to try and comprehend the strange scene you are observing.  By placing the fire in the middle of the frame yet slightly below the middle horizontally, I feel it emphasizes the thing itself while still retaining the significance of the horizon of trees and the mountain peak behind them.  This image, although unusual, is very peaceful to me, and overall I like the intentional peculiarity created by a seemingly paradoxical situation.  

Architecture

This photo amazes me.  What most impresses me about this particular image is how both vantage point and framing play a role in magnifying the building.  By taking the picture from a far distance and cutting out both the horizon and the street, there is no context for the size of this building.  However, the windows create an increasing cascade that allows the viewer to consciously decide that each window above another is one story higher.  This perspective makes the structure appear monstrous in size, even though this could simply be a model.  The ambiguity of this image makes it a very interesting shot.

Globalization

Another powerful facet of photography is it's ability to tell a story.  In the above picture, two somewhat foreign entities are brought together in the sense that McDonald's and fast food in general are western commodities.  However, as globalization has persisted, the exchange of culture and ideas has facilitated assimilation of numerous western aspects into other cultures and vice-versa.  Another aspect of this photo is irony in that the religious images represent Hindu tradition while the Ronald McDonald represents the exploitation of beef as a means of profit.  There is both humor and sincerity in this image, a quality that really makes it stand out to me.

Ian Berry - Egypt

I have always enjoyed photography as a means of portraying things found in nature or as a method of teaching others about places they may never be able to see in person.  I have yet to leave the western hemisphere or North America for that matter, but would love to one day travel and experience the world.  Until then, pictures are one of the only ways in which I can experience and appreciate other places. Egypt has a rich culture and past, and it is definitely a place I would consider visiting.  Pictures such as this demonstrate the unique beauty that this country possesses.  America does not have anything remotely similar in terms of geography and the cultural origins of these edifices are unique to Egypt.  This picture helps the observer feel as if they are standing across the river observing this interesting place.

Indiana State Fair Tragedy

On August 13, 2011, a great tragedy occurred at the Indiana State Fair when the stage collapsed due to a gust of wind, killing at least 4 people and injuring many others.  This picture, although tragic, captures the moment when the stage begins to collapse.  The image is truly powerful as you are able to witness the very beginning of the devastation, and certain individuals in the crowd have already begun to react.  A camera captures the time of the event in a way that the naked eye could not, demonstrating the power of photography in recording this horrific moment in recent history.