Self-Portrait

The first thing I notice about this photo is the deep color of the eyes and hair, as well as the dark background. I seem to be thinking about something sorrowful. Perhaps I have lost someone dear to me or have a lot on my mind. This photo affects me by its deep black values and the expression on my face. These elements show much about the mood the photo is implying.

In front of me is a black and white photo of myself with long dark hair and dark eyes. The centers of the eyes seem sparkly because of the contrast between the white of the center and the blackness of the outer part. I have somewhat of a frown on my face. A serious expression at least. The lips are a slightly darker color than the skin color. My skin is very pale, but the white shirt I am wearing is even paler. It is a t-shirt with a modest neckline. The background behind me is deep black with no details.

The composition of the photo is at an interesting angle, not simply straight up and down. The photo was shot close-up, a view of just my face and neckline. The shadows on my face create interesting lines, and the lines of my neck and shirt create angles against the dark background. I like how the values are very noticeable. The white, gray, and black are all distinguishable. Since the background is blank, it draws the eye to where the main point is, my face.

This photo tells a story of a girl who has been through a lot. She is struggling with some troubling thoughts, but hoping for the best. I would call this photo Eyes because her eyes tell her story.

My photo connects to Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres' portraits in that Ingres shows a lot of emotion in the eyes of his subjects. You can tell what the subject is feeling. Also, Ingres uses a lot of contrast of values in his paintings to make the subject stand out. They are usually in front of a very simple background like my photo is.

Perspective

I first notice how shiny the floor is. It really stands out. Then my eyes notice how the lights above are somewhat dim, creating shadows down the hallway. My eyes follow the line of the hallway all the way down to the door. It makes me think of how many times I have walked down this hallway in a hurry.

In front of me is a hallway with doors at the end. There are brightly colored paintings by students lining the halls on both sides. On the left side of the hallway is a cushioned bench to sit on and a janitor's cleaning supply cart. There is a dull orange trim around the top of the wall. The lights above are dim, the ceiling has white tiles with black trim around them. The floor is shiny and tiled, but scuffed. The doors at the end of the hallway are thick metal, but painted brown. Whoever took the photo was sitting in the middle of the hallway.

The compositon of this photo is very much placed in the center, however, it is angled a bit. The lines that the walls create lead the eye to the door in the distance-the vanishing point. The ceiling tiles have bold lines that create texture. The shadows created by the dimness of the lights add some interesting values to the photo. The colors of the paintings on the walls add some eye-catching interest, as well as the orange trim at the top of the walls.

This photo tells a story of students. How they wake up in the morning and rush to class. Hallways are not only where they travel, but where they catch up on some last minute studying, or even where they socialize with friends. So I would use the word student to describe this photo of this particular hallway.

This photo connects to Edward Ruscha's works in that it shows perspective with the lines used. However, most of his works are outside gas stations, while this is an interior hallway.

Textures

When I first look at this photo I think how comfy it would be to curl up in the soft blankets and hug that fuzzy pillow. I first notice the heart-shaped pillow because it is the most brightly colored object in the picture.

In front of me is a bunch of blankets on a bed and two pillows, one is long and barrel-shaped and the other is fuzzy and heart-shaped. Both look really soft. The barrel-shaped one is light blue and the heart-shaped on is hot pink, purple, and blue. The blankets are pink and brown, and the brown ones have pink and light brown flowers on them. It looks like a very comfy place to sleep.

The heart-shaped pillow is the focal point of the photo. It is brightly colored, almost neon, and stands out from the pastel pink and brown behind it. There are a lot of soft contour lines in this photo, because the subject is very soft. The composition definitely has a background and foreground.

This photo tells a story of many dreams spent on these blankets and pillows. The college student who owns these pillows and blankets may often be exhausted after a long day and run and jump onto this bed. The word I would use to describe this would be sleep.

Richard Serra's works are not soft at all, but made from metal. However, they compare to this photo in that the lines on his works are very contour and flowing. Other than that, I don't see much of a similarity.

Expression & Value

I see a girl who seems very bubbly and fun to be around. I feel admiration and maybe a little envy for her because she seems to be a very cheerful person whereas I am more of a serious person who gets depressed a lot. What stands out the most about this photo is the sparkle in her eyes and the darkness of her hair.

In front of me is a giggling girl with sparkling eyes sitting on a bed with pillows tossed about behind her. Her hands are folded in front of her face in line with her nose. She is wearing a white shirt. She has the comforter over the top of her. The photo is in black and white.

The focal point of this photo seems to be her face and hair. It stands out the most. I like how the subject is off-center, rather than in the middle. The photo is in black and white to show the values. The outline of her body and face have some nice contour lines. The pillows in the background add interest to the piece and suggest that she is on a bed.

The photo tells a story of a fun night with friends, perhaps a sleepover. She seems happy and comfortable. I would label this photo "Giggle" because she seems to be stifling one!

This photo connects to Degas' works in that its subject is a person who is showing expression. Most of Degas works were of women either performing ballet or doing daily tasks. On several, he showed facial expressions of his subjects. They are different in that my photo has a comedic expression, while most of Degas' works show serious expressions.

Chiaroscuro-Week 3

The first thing I notice about this photo is the dress the subject is wearing. It is very dark in contrast with the clothes on the racks in the background. I also notice the pouty expression on the woman's face and how she is being playful. I wonder why she is wearing what she is wearing. She is obviously a fun-loving person. The picture makes me wonder more about her personality.

Here is a black and white photo taken at an angle that shows a woman in sunglasses pouting for the camera. She seems to be modeling a long, flowing, but simple dress. The dress she is wearing is a deep black in contrast with the ligher gray and white background. The background shows that she is in some kind of store. There is a sign showing something is for sale for only 99 cents. There are racks of clothes and blankets around her, most noticeably a pair of pants and some sheets. The background gets smaller and less focused towards the back of the store where the photo forms a point.

I like the composition of this photo because it has an interesting angle and the subject is off-center a little bit, creating interest. There is some good variation of values in the photo, the strongest value being the black of the dress. It has an interesting perspective creating a vanishing point in the background. The focal point is clearly the woman in the dress. There are some interesting lines in this piece, many of them creating the texture of the clothes on the racks, as well as the texture of the woman's hair. The lines up close are very clear and get blurry as your eyes move to the vanishing point.

This photo tells a story of a fun day shopping with a friend. The woman in the picture is enjoying modeling for the camera. Her expression shows confidence with a little bit of mystery. I would name this photo "Confidence".

Albrecht Durer's drawings are very detailed and his use of line varies from hardly noticeable to very bold. I would say that the lines in this photo are very similar but our perspectives are quite different. The perspective of this photo is very angled with a vanishing point and Durer's were upfront. Also he used more detail in his drawings than I have in the photo.