Hellen Levitt

The pictiure shows two young children in the middle of the street, and they're dancing. A white girl and a black boy are strong contrast. The scene is joyful and peaceful which shows the view of children on street in New York City back in early 20 century. She captured the happy moment of children because children are pure and they are the symbol of happiness. Levitt recorded the valuable  moment of life.

Sally Mann

This is a sleeping girl by Sally Mann, I guess this is one of her daughter when she was sleeping. She captured this picture at a perfect moment. The wind blowing on this girl's face and hair. The girl is sleeping, and she is so calm and sweet. I want to question that does the eyes of the girl are showing something.

Curved bridge

The picture is a curved bridge. The beauty of the photo is the curve. At night, the dark sky and bright bridge make a great contrast. The frame of the picture makes me curious about the full view of the bridge. The bridge itself is the beauty of the night. Every wood stick shows the detail of the bridge. And the view of the bridge is a vintage point which is perfectly shows the beauty of bridge and night.

A girl on the street

This picture is a street picture in New York City which reminds me a lot of my project on Helen Levitt. Helen Levitt focuses on the the children on the street in New York City. From the girl's action, I guess she is really happy. She is jumping, her arms are open horizontally like she is dancing. The picture was captured at a perfect moment.

Aneta Kowalczyk

This portrait definitely shows the beauty of the girl which is the beauty of the black and white photography. The sharpness of the shape of her face give a strong sense from view. I can certainly see there is something in the girl's deep eyes. The picture reminds me "the thing itself" of Szarkowski. Photograph does not lie.

Gabriele Caretti

The Eiffel Tower, moon and the darkness shows a wonderful contrast.  The perspective of the Eiffel Tower from the bottom to the top shows the beauty and height of the object. everything in the photo is sharp and clear which give me a strong sense of the object. The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of France where filled in love, and the full moon means the craziness. The photo shows a lot in a simple scene.

Santosh Korthiwada

In this picture, the kid is sad and hopeless. From the kid's eyes, I could see the fear and hope. From his hand, he is catching the hole tightly which means his hope of the other side of the wall. The picture uses a great contrast and frame.The picture frames the eyes and hand perfectly in the light, and the wall is black.

Shazeen Samad

This picture has a great contrast, the white sky and the black people. The picture is a high speed capture which remind me time theory of  Sazarkoeski. the picture gives a vivid and beautiful scene of life to people. The technique of the capturing pictures is great. The photographer captures this photo just on the right time.

Water fall

This photograph is a fall. the contrast of the picture is distinct, the sky and water fall are bright, and mountains are dark. The fall and the moving water give me a strong feeling of rushing and passion. I can see the life and beauty of nature. The mountains and rocks separate the pictures in five different levels with four horizontal lines.

Sunset in Fall

I like this picture because the light come to the camera. I guess that this is a sunset picture in fall since the photographer wants to show the leaves on the ground. the beauty of this picture is the feeling gives to people is ending. the fall is ending of the year and the sunset is ending of the day.

i think i liked this picture because i can relate to it.  it appears that the man sitting down is having his long hair shaved off and the experience is a little unsettling for him.  i can relate to him because this has happened to me.  also, i feel it's interesting that they are doing it outside instead of on a bathroom or at a barbershop.  the content is what i think comes through in this picture.

-Scottie

I thought this a was a cool photo for a few reasons.  first off, i always enjoy looking at beach photography and this is an interesting photo of the ocean.  i like how the water in forming a little river.  second, i like how the light is reflecting off the water.  one can tell it is a cloudy day but the photographer really captures the light that is making it through the clouds.  lastly i like this picture for its contrast.  i think contrast is one of the most important elements in a black and white photo.

-Scottie

More photos

"Entre el Cielo y la Tierra" by Cristina Garcia Rodero From magnumphotos.com

This picture stands out for both its content and its composition. At first glance one might think it is a portrait of a war torn middle eastern country, but anyone with familiarity with the movement will recognize this desert as being in Nevada, home to the Burning Man festival. An art and alternative community festival held every fall in Black Rock City, NE. Obviously what really draws the eye is the masked person hovering in the hoop. This is a fleeting moment of almost no importance, but the photographer has immortalized it and given it meaning through the frame. Another interesting aspect of this picture is that none of the peoples faces are clear; the main subject is wearing a full on mask, but everyone else's faces is painted, or obscured. In addition, everything in the frame is actively moving towards the bottom right corner.

High Speed Liquid and Bubble Photographs by Heinz Maier

This photo was taken with a high speed camera and is representative of modern trends, at least in popular internet photography. It is unclear whether this photo was edited beyond basic touch ups, but it does beg a lot of questions about its construction. Obviously this splash was meant to remind the viewer of a blossoming flower, but since these moments cannot be seen with the naked eye, the photographer must have just had to try a huge amount of splash techniques and taken a huge amount of photos until capturing this shot, with the red reflection, just the way he meant to capture it. This is an example of where the photographer creates the image both in the real world and in the frame of the camera, very different from the photographers we are studying in ART 104.

Towers of Light

I picked this photo because of the way the photographer was able to capture light. There is a lot of contrast in the colors of the photo and it is really incredible to see the light beaming through the towers on what seems to be a very foggy day. I think this photo is successful because the towers in the distance help break up the bright sun. If the towers were not there the picture would consist of just a large bright spot in the center of the photo and the viewer may not even be able to tell that it is a sun. What also interests me about the photo is the man standing underneath the tower near the sun. Looking at him makes me question why he is there, And what he is doing? There is no right answer but the photographer puts that question out there for the viewer to answer.

Versace Dress, Back View, El Mirage, 1990

Herb Ritts took images of people for mostly fashion magazines. This was one of his most striking images because of the amazing contrast. The woman’s curved body is contrasted against the dark dress. With this subject against a white background, the viewer’s eyes are drawn to the woman’s upper body. Her upper body is actually framed by her clothing. This created a contrast in the background. The lower portion of the image is all white while the top is dark. To capture this moment in time, it must have take a lot of skill. I also find it interesting that this photographer took black and white images of fashion in the 1990s. I wonder why he did this.

Three Cheers for the Rise of Acro

Photographer Holly Andres went to the University of Oregon to take this picture of the cheerleading team. The perspective here is really cool because it appears as if the photographer is lying on the ground on her back directly under the team! It is interesting that she managed to capture this moment in time when the cheerleaders on the ground all had their hands up and when the 3 girls went flying through the air. The artist was given an assignment to shoot the team in black and white and she did not know what to do. Instead of panicking, she decided to use really low angles and sky exposure to make it seem like the cheerleaders were popping out of the image like graphic objects. This technique was borrowed from an Olympic photographer from 1937 called Leni Riefenstahl and is overall a really cool effect.

Snow Hills

What amazed me about this photo was the overall uniqueness of it. Looking at the photo you really just see many different shades of white over rolling hills and clouds. But the photographer captures one single tree in the distance, the thing itself.  There is also a great amount of detail in the photo. As you look closely you can notice footprints running across the hills of snow, but there is no telling where those footprints actually lead to, where the person was coming from, or where they were going. The hills in the photo draws the viewer’s eyes to travel left to right and eventually meet the thing itself, the tree. 

Capturing a moment

This is really cool because this picture captures these birds mid flight.  This takes some great timing in order to catch them mid flight and as close as he or she did.  It stops motion as he or she used a high shutter speed.  I also im really interested in the clouds rolling in as it looks as the birds are trying to escape from the storm.  the contrast is very strong because there is very dark clouds in the left indicating a strong storm but yet there is still a string sun which can be seen from the shadows form the birds

Lions

This is an interesting photo to look at because the photography appears to be able to get very close to these lions in an intimate setting.  He or she must have been familiar with these lions in order to get a picture this close.  I would think that lions wouldn't allow you to get close to them if they were not comfortable with you.  I like contrast int he picture as you can see the different color between the male lions mane from his other hair.

Huge Wave

This photo captured by Ted Grambeau is one of the coolest photographs I have ever seen. The vantage point from which this was taken from and the fact that he was able to get so close to such a big wave is really fascinating. I think this photo has the ability to create many different types of stories. This could be a professional surfer just riding a typical wave, or a beginner surfing their first big wave ever. As a viewer you also cannot tell if the man is able to get out from the tunnel and stay up on his board. Grambeau does a great job of capturing this pictures and makes the viewer wonder what happens next. 

Boy Jumps

What I really liked about this photo was the way the photographer effectively uses contrast in the photo. Everything in the photo seems to be white and grey except the figure of the boy is almost completely black.  The photo does a wonderful job of making this photo an action shot. As you can see the boy is jumping into the air and you can perfectly see the sand coming off of his feet. It looks as if the photographer used a shorter shutter speed and low aperture setting in order to freeze the action and keep the clarity of the photo in the forefront while the background seems to be very blurry. 

Gecko

This photo stood out to me because of how it captures frames and the thing itself. The lines of the leaf that the gecko is sitting on creates a relationship between the ridges of the leaf and the gecko. The frame that is created from those lines of the ridges forces the viewer to look directly at the gecko and wonder what the hell it is doing there. From far away you may not be able to notice the gecko sitting on the leaf, but the strong detail and focus in the center of the photo up close really brings out the eye of the gecko. I really liked this image because of its simplicity, but at the same time makes you think about what the gecko is thinking about while having his picture taken.

Reza Nader

This photograph was made by Reza Nader and taken from tinyvices.com.  I have no idea where this photograph was taken or what city is being represented, but I think that is part of the reason I like it.  I like how it shows how the nightlife of the city along the water by the mass of lights that dwindle as your eye goes up the hill away from the street on the water.  On the hill you can only see little windows with light shining from them in a sea of black, whereas on the lower street you can see incredible detail due to the lights illuminating the buildings.  I like that this photograph could really represent any small city on the water and the fact that the lights captured can explain the life of the town.

Palestinians III

I was really drawn to this photograph's title, "Palestinians III," because of my interest in the situation in the Middle East. The photograph was taken by Robert Gardiner at a Palestinian protest in New York City. Every face Gardiner captured clearly, is looking in a different direction: either down, at the camera, or up. As a whole, I do not get a feeling of sadness from their faces; if anything they display hope, drive, seriousness, and possible optimism. A hand on the frontmost figure, indicates an intimacy the protestors share, and asks the question of how; through similar strong beliefs, actual familial relation, etc. The forefront of the image is very clear, and the background is just clear enough to see the signs, showing some type of protest, which provides good content for the viewer.

Struggling to Survive

This photograph entitled "Struggling to Survive," was taken by Vega Omer. It elicits a lot of emotion, particularly sadness, despair and isolation. The picture gives a "last resort" kind of feel, through the determination and worry on the mothers' faces with their children in their arms, and the massive amount of mothers on the left side of the gate. The gate frames each side of the photograph so well; they are such opposites, one side almost bare, and one without any room for movement. The shadow from a building on the right side of the photo also frames the two men pushing the gate and emphasizes this part's emptiness. After researching this photograph further, I found that this was taken after a famine in Niger at a therapeutic center for malnourished children, whose capacity is only 200 children. The center is run by the Africa Muslim Agency, and they simply could not accommodate more patients. Without knowing where or when the photograph was taken, I thought it was a representation of the world: one side struggling to make it through a gate or advance in their lives, while another side tries to keep them out, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Candy Cigarette

I really like this photo. It is called "Candy Cigarette," by Sally Mann; I'm assuming it was one of her children. The photo has so much content in it, in the way that it asks so many questions. There is clearly a story behind it and I think that is what draws the viewer in. The contrast is so good, in terms of her white dress and blonde hair, that looks white, and the dark background. The contrast helps make the photograph ironic because the whiteness, as well as her age, adds to how pure the girl looks. Another ironic aspect is how beautiful the girl looks, especially in her dress, but her action is anything but beautiful, actually deadly. What else is striking about this photo is the careless, or carefree nature the girl exhibits, something rare in young adults, who may try to seem carefree.

Playing in Water

This photograph by Danny Griffin titled after school fun at the river, in Laos captures so much in just one picture. The focus and thing itself in the photo is the boy who looks like he just popped up out of the water. At the same time you can tell from the boys stature as well as the flimsy bridge in the background that these people live in area of poverty. I don’t believe it is Griffin’s intention to show what poverty is, instead the photo shows me the happiness in children regardless of where they are from, or what they have, playing in water will always be something children love to do. 

Birds

I thought this photo was a great representation of the thing itself as well as time. From far away this image may look like a simple black and white painting, but up close the viewer is able to see hundreds of geese flying in the air. There is no real focus in the photo but time is captured wonderfully as each bird has their wings positioned at a different point as they fly through the sky. As I looked at the photo more and more it almost looks as if the geese are computerized because of the detail each bird has and is expressed throughout the photo. 

What interests me about this picture is how everything is flowing towards the tip of the pen.  The pen also evenly splits the book or magazine evenly down the middle.   The blurriness of the photo makes it so you don't focus on anything else but the point of the pen and the the edge of the pieces of paper.  The only thing that is completely in focus is the edge of the paper.  I am curious to know what the book or magazine is. 

One tree

I really liked this picture when i saw it.  I am really taken in by how there is this huge tree in the middle of what looks like a crop field.  I am also curious about what is going on in the sky with the clouds.  To me the clouds look scary as if there will be a storm coming in soon to rain on the field.  I also like how the light is coming from through the trees as it makes it look likes its lit up and makes the tree look much more interesting than if it wasn't lit up.

When I saw this picture I thought it was so cool.  The way the girl is staring makes you feel like she's looking right through you.  Even though it's in black and white it seems like you could vividly picture all of the colors of this girl's face.  I like how the bright white of her eye is framed by the black eye make up but then it kind of fades out as it gets closer to the nose.  I like how you can see patterns in her eye, it's not just a solid color.  if you look really closely you can see the reflection in her eye, it almost feels like a window and you're looking into another world.  I like how the light is coming from the top and it makes her forehead almost white then it fades into greys and the eye, then starts getting lighter again. 

Another Sip

This photo is titled "Another Sip" by Amy McMaster.  I feel like this captures the essance of childhood in one picture.  I love pictures of happy little kids because it reminds me of simple life used to be.  I think they are fun to take because almost every moment is candid.  The first thing that really struck me about this image is the water.  The way the photographer took the picture makes it look like she stopped time.  The water appears to be frozen in place, her hair is blowing around in the wind, and she is in mid-sip from the hose.  I think her expression is priceless and the way she is almost sitting in the puddle of water does something for the composition of the picture.  I like how the background is out of focus and the girl and the water is really sharp and clear with distinct blacks and whites.

everyday-i-show.livejournal.com/

by Giuseppe Desideri

This is a photo that hugely benefits from being in black and white. Color would have ruined the stark contrasts and softened the borders between the elements in the photo. That shafting light from the left would be hopeful in color, as opposed to utterly alienating as it is here. From the background we can tell that this photo was taken in broad daylight, but because of the way it was composed, I am more inclined to describe it as "a dark and stormy night." This is what a vampire's doorstep should look like, this is what a beautiful day looks like in a beautiful place after you have lost your one true love, this is the world drained of human life. This picture has powerful contrast thanks to a bright sun, and a fairly deep depth of field as exhibited by the textures on the columns as well as the distant boats.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1ZLq3P/:1ic-Q@BKc:OB.9@7Rx/spd.fotolog.com/photo/61/27/80/noodlesxftw/1283831318233_f.jpg/

This photo is many things, but I really think it stands out for its content more than anything. This is so breathtakingly cute i want to go rabbit hunting to balance out the universe. Even the roughest toughest meanest musclebound boyfriend's heart melts a little bit when he sees this on his girl's hand, it calls out to our souls need for acceptance and a place in the world. This photo answers that, of course you have a place, its right here. The ring is debatebly even a wedding ring.In terms of composition, this picture's power is accentuated by its blank, shadowy background. a very crisp focus on the hand and an even crisper focus on the sharpied text is a warm, effusive node from which warmth and love radiate outward into the grey unforgiving and ineffectual world.