This online blog has been created to enhance the communication between students during the artmaking process. While working on a photographic work and upon completion, students will post their images and wait for comments from their fellow peers, teacher, and other registered users. This blog will also be used as a venue to discuss historical and contemporary works by artists from around the world.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Sketchbook Prompt Sixteen
Prompt written by Stephanie, Photography 5-6 student
Take a look at the work of Ralph Gibson. http://www.ralphgibson.com/
How do you feel while looking at his work. Choose one image by the artist to write a formal analysis about.
When I look at Gibson’s work, I feel very alert. It is as if I am preparing myself for the next image. Some of his images surprise me, and some don’t appeal to me at all. I enjoy viewing his photographic skill. A certain image stood out the most. It shows a mystical hand drifting away from a door handle. The hand’s shadow appears on the wall adjacent. What really made the image stand out was the use of eerie lighting. It adds an accent to the hand and the light leaks around the door, wall and floor. The first thing that came to mind was an extra-terrestrial. This image, to me, seems to mimic the appearance of an alien. I get a strong feeling when I view this particular image. The feeling is not good and it is not bad but more of uncertainty. I first notice the hand and all of its attributes. Then I look at the wall immediately after to see the shadow of the hand. I guess my eye first moves to the lightest parts and leaves the darker parts for the very end. I think that Gibson noticed the lighting of the door and hallway and thought it would make a good photo so he told his subject to walk in and he yelled “FREEZE!” right before he took the picture. I believe that he was satisfied by this piece simply because his mind told him to shoot when he did. If I could, I would ask him questions like “what made you want to take this picture?” “Was this picture intended to look the way it did?” “Was it accidental in any way?” I am curious to know if my prediction was at all accurate. Latendresse Period 5 5-6
When you look at Ralph Gibson's work, you never know what kinda of image will come next. i cant really make out his style of photography, it all just seems so random. At the same time i like this. It keeps all of his images very fresh.
The image I chose to do a formal analysis on is the picture of the man holding the pocket watch. For some reason i find this images rather random and mysterious. When i look at this image my eyes go straight to the wrist watch. It makes me ask, "why is he holding it?" or if there is a hidden meaning behind it.
2 comments:
When I look at Gibson’s work, I feel very alert. It is as if I am preparing myself for the next image. Some of his images surprise me, and some don’t appeal to me at all. I enjoy viewing his photographic skill.
A certain image stood out the most. It shows a mystical hand drifting away from a door handle. The hand’s shadow appears on the wall adjacent. What really made the image stand out was the use of eerie lighting. It adds an accent to the hand and the light leaks around the door, wall and floor. The first thing that came to mind was an extra-terrestrial. This image, to me, seems to mimic the appearance of an alien. I get a strong feeling when I view this particular image. The feeling is not good and it is not bad but more of uncertainty. I first notice the hand and all of its attributes. Then I look at the wall immediately after to see the shadow of the hand. I guess my eye first moves to the lightest parts and leaves the darker parts for the very end.
I think that Gibson noticed the lighting of the door and hallway and thought it would make a good photo so he told his subject to walk in and he yelled “FREEZE!” right before he took the picture. I believe that he was satisfied by this piece simply because his mind told him to shoot when he did.
If I could, I would ask him questions like “what made you want to take this picture?” “Was this picture intended to look the way it did?” “Was it accidental in any way?”
I am curious to know if my prediction was at all accurate.
Latendresse
Period 5
5-6
When you look at Ralph Gibson's work, you never know what kinda of image will come next. i cant really make out his style of photography, it all just seems so random. At the same time i like this. It keeps all of his images very fresh.
The image I chose to do a formal analysis on is the picture of the man holding the pocket watch. For some reason i find this images rather random and mysterious. When i look at this image my eyes go straight to the wrist watch. It makes me ask, "why is he holding it?" or if there is a hidden meaning behind it.
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