Louis Faurer

http://www.mocp.org/collections/permanent/faurer_louis.php

This photograph really interests me because it seems like the women in the photo were not ready, and slightly awkward, but it was thought out in the photographer's mind, which makes me think differently from it being just a snapshot. what makes me think it was thought out, is how he chose his subjects, and their placement in the frame. they are the only faces you can see clearly, they are both wearing black, and the background is lighter, which makes them stand out. everything around them is blurred, but the two women are the most in focus.

Frederick Sommer

http://www.fredericksommer.org/index.php?category_id=11&gallery_id=127&piece_id=1066

 I chose this photograph because i really like to be experimental with my photography. i like the degree of which Sommer chose to blur the figure, because you can still see that the subject is of a figure, but the lines become soft, and the tones turn into shapes.

Brassai

http://vintagevivant.com/2011/07/23/brassai/

This photograph caught my eye because of the figures. i like that the observer can see two different views of the couple. the plates and cups on the table contrast with the dark table, and the clothes theyre wearing. i think that it keeps the bottom of the photograph balanced, so that its not too dark.

Bruce Davidson

Found this at; http://graememitchell.com/blog/bruce-davidson

i chose this photograph because i like the point of view, and perspective. i also like the lighting, and the shadows created from the light coming through the window.. it makes the photograph moody, and dark without having to be literally a dark photograph. i am also interested in the amount of texture in the photograph.

Nan Goldin

Found this at: http://sonianansid.blogspot.com/2011/08/nan-goldin-1953.html

Nans Goldin's work always interest me because its different from how i shoot. I like this photograph in particular because of the lighting. i like how the light coming into the car illuminates the smoke, giving it movement, and making it more dynamic. i also like the color range. 

Emmet Gowin

link: http://www.likeyou.com/en/node/9075

 I really like this photograph from Emmet Gowin because the woman in it interests me. she seems kind of crazy. the photograph makes me ask questions, and makes me want to know more about her and who she is. i like how she contrasts with the background.. it makes her stand out more.

Idris Khan

Found this photograph from http://www.fraenkelgallery.com/index.php#mi=&pt=1&pi=10000&s=0&p=0&a=15&at=1

I love this photograph because it has a moody feeling to it. i feel like i can see figures in the photograph, but theyre unrecognizable.  i feel like im looking at a photograph of ghosts or something, because i can see people, but its still like theyre not really there. this photograph really relates to what im doing now because ive been experimenting with my photographs.

berenice Abbott

Found this photograph from http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/explore/dgexplore.cfm?col_id=160

I chose this photograph because i liked how much is going on in it. i like that there is so much to see, yet the figure coming up the stairs is what my eye goes to first. i think this may have to do with that the surrounding objects are all similar and basic shapes, which makes the figure stand out more. also, the man is framed by the stairway. 

Robert Frank

Found this photo from his book The Americans in the DCAD library.

I chose this photograph for a few reasons. i am really interested in the way Frank used blur. the movement of the people, make the photograph more dynamic. i like that the anonymous people frame the woman in the middle... the ambiguity of them makes your eye focus more on the woman in the middle. im curious as to what the woman is looking at, or who she is looking at.

Richard Avedon

Found at: http://www.richardavedon.com/

This photograph was one from a series that Avedon shot at a mental institution.  this photograph was striking to me because because of the composition.when i first looked at the photograph, i just saw the woman facing the camera, and her room behind it, but then i realized the figure in the bed, also staring at the camera.. which really intrigued me. these figures make me ask questions about them. i also chose this photograph because of how it relates to me. since ive been shooting rooms recently, and beds, i think its interesting how different rooms can give off a different feeling. the room seems so sterile, with the white bed and sheets, and light stone walls, and even the woman in a white dress.. it really adds to the feeling of a hospital or institution.

Todd Hido

Found this at: http://www.toddhido.com/

This photograph stood out to me because I have been shooting rooms recently, particularly my bedroom. its is interesting how the mood is created by the way the bed is unmade, and having no pillowcase on the pillow. i feel that this photograph is relatable to people because i can put a person and their story in that place.. i also can look at this photograph and see things in my own life that can relate to this photogragh.

Ralph Eugene Meatyard

Link: http://www.stephendaitergallery.com/dynamic/artwork_display.asp?ArtworkID=1356#

this photograph interests me because of the boy in the background. since he is slightly blurred, i get this feeling that hes almost no really there, like hes almost a ghost or something. i think i also think this because i cant see his feet at the bottom. it kind of seems like hes part of the wall. the room setting is also what intrigued me. the room just seems abandoned, and falling apart. it seems lonely, which i think also adds to that feeling of the boy being ghostly. i really like the composition of this, and how it is symmetrical, though one side is darker than the other. i chose this photograph because it shows me a different way to shoot a room, and how the arrangement of the room, or a room itself, can bring across a different type of feeling and mood.

Lisette Model

Found from http://www.gallery.ca/cybermuse/showcases/model/index_e.jsp

the composition of this photograph interests me. the stairs lead the viewers eyes up and through the photograph, similar with the boy's legs. their expressions make me curious.. it makes me wonder why a crying baby is being watched by a young boy himself. the eye contact gives this experience a more personal feeling. the eye contact lets us a the viewer into their lives for that moment. emotional photographs is something i can always relate to with my photography.

Diane Arbus

Found on http://diane-arbus-photography.com/

Im really interested in Arbus's work because of how weird it is.  what captures my eye to this photo in particular, is that even though its a beautfiul photo, its also actually kind of ugly. the figures body shape is skinny, and sort of unattractive. the figure is sort of giving the camera a blank expression. the hair is crazy and wild, and the bed is unmade. though the subject is almost hard to look at, it makes the photograph strong. this photograph relates to my work because ive been shooting self portraits, and someething ive learned since doing them for solong, is that i stopped  trying to make myself look pretty in the photograph.

Alfred Sieglitz

Found at http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1997.61.25

I was inspired by Stieglitz's work when i saw it at the Met. I like the composition of the photograph. its very personal, and the where he chose to crop the figure's head is interesting. the hands at the bottom, make your eyes look up gradually through the photogtaph because the fingers lead you up towards the face. i also like that the figure does not make eye contact with the camera.

Ken Rosenthal

Found this at http://www.kenrosenthal.com/homepage.htm

This photograph is from a series called "a dream half remembered." before i realized the series it came from, it made me think of a dream-like state. i was really interested with how the trees made me think them being morphed into people. Ive been working with blur and distortion, so his work interests me to see how he uses blur to create a dream-like photograph.

Alexander Rodchenko

Found this photograph at http://www.mdf.ru/english/search/authors/rodtchenko/?letter=a&page=2

I chose this photograph because i really liked the perspective. the direction of the boat makes my eyes travel  from left to right, throughout the photo. the children's eyes are looking towards the opposite side of the photo, which makes me wonder what they are looking at.

Cindy Sherman

Found her book in the DCAD library. the name of the book is Cindy Sherman Film Stills.

 The book that i found this from, originally made me look at it because they're movie stills. video class has really made me interested in movie stills, and trying to see how i could incorporate video with my photography.  i like how the darkness and grainy the photograph is, yet you still see detail in the staircase. this photograph makes me want to see the next scene, or film still.

Man Ray

Found this photograph at http://www.lilithgallery.com/arthistory/surrealism/Man-Ray.html

What attracted me to this photograph was the shapes the different tones creates. the angle of the head and neck gives these large abstract shapes which interest me. I chose this photo because it relates to the work ive been doing recently. Ive been working with blur and trying to see how different angles of my face and body can give different feelings and moods to my photographs.his work always inspires me because he abstracts women's figures by angles and jesters theyre in, and his work is very experimental.

E.J. Bellocq

This photograph can be found at http://sexualityinart.wordpress.com/2007/09/18/bellocqs-rebellion-remembering-hidden-loves/

This series bellocq did, was about shooting prostitutes. He shot these women however they wanted. i think that the freedom of the prostitutes to do whatever they wanted for the shoot says a lot about the person. I've always been very interested in shooting people, because of everyone having a different story to tell. i think his series really interested me to view it because of that. All of his photographs from this make me ask questions. when i look at this photograph i wonder why she chose to shoot there and if that place was of importance to her.

Paul Strand

Found this photograph at http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAPstrand.htm

i chose this photograph because I like the placement of the men woman. they bring your eye throughout the photograph. they balance each other out in the photograph, though they all look different, as well as their body jesters. im curious as to why they dont have shoes on, or who the woman is, and in relationship to the men around her. i also like the repetitiveness in shapes. 

Walker Evans

This photograph can be found at http://www.anglonautes.com/voc_arts_photo_1/voc_arts_pho_1.htm

this photograph to me reminds me of the reading about "the thing itself." the two men in the photograph are whats interesting about the photograph. the way theyre dressed, and theyre expressions on their faces are interesting. they both have their eyes closed, seem to be sleeping, have their hands on their lap, and have suits on, yet they still look so different. this photograph reminds me of a photograph i took last year. the photograph i took was of two men at the train station waiting for their train, one man with a hat and the other without.. this photograph makes me think of what the two men would have looked like if i saw the two sitting on the train next to each other. 

Helen Levitt

This photograph can be found at http://graememitchell.com/blog/helen-levitt-a-film-back-kim

I love that everyone in the frame is looking at something different. the way they are positioned, and the direction of where theyre looking makes my eyes  travel throughout the photograph. i like that you cant see inside the window, passed the woman. it makes me think of unhappiness. also because everyone's expressions are serious, or not smiling. it relates to where i want my work to go because i love photojournalism, and the cultural side of it, and how people's emotions play off of their lifestyle. to me this shows that.

Francesca Woodman

Found this photo on http://artmarkets.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/francesca-woodmans-drama/

i love the curiosity I have when i look at this photograph. it asks questions, and makes me think. I wonder what the hand is doing in the frame, and why she is not paying attention to it. it makes me think of it as symbolism, like its a demon, or something dark in the presence of the woman, though she is unaware, because she cannot see it. i think this because the fingers are long and seem unhuman-like. i really like the composition, and how the direction of her face brings your eye to travel to the other side of the photograph. it makes me want to see what she is looking at. i really like Woodman's work, its very dark and moody, and i feel that my work relates to hers in that way.

WeeGee

I found this photograph from http://www.amber-online.com/exhibitions/weegee-collection

Though WeeGee shot a lot of crime scenes, and the rawness of what goes on in the real world, I still love his work that doesn't show of that. i chose this photograph for that reason. I really love this, because he captured a moment where the two people were so unaware, or careless of their surroundings. It shows two people in love, or attracted to each other, doing what they want to do, regardless of who is around. When you feel a true connection with someone, nothing else matters, and it doesnt matter who sees. To me, this is what the photograph is saying. i think what relates me to WeeGee's work is that he recorded what he saw, or what was real. Its what i try to do in my work. I enjoy discovering my subject, as it is.

Bill Brandt

All of these photographs were found from his book, Brandt The Photography Of  Bill Brandt. His book can be found in the DCAD library.

Bill Brandt's photography is one of my favorite works to look at. He's work is very diverse, ranging from landscapes, to the human figure. I chose this photograph because the scene is almost ironic. It seems so honest, as if life is always like that, but at the same time it comes of sarcastic, because its not a traditional way of seeing a family eating at the dinner table. I'm not sure how it relates to my work, but in the future I've always wanted to shoot families, and how each family lives a different way.

Brandt found it interesting how mirrors could distort whatever was in front of it. back then, mirrors could abstract the scene in ways that a camera or the human eye could never do. At the time when Brandt was doing this, he got a lot of negative feedback. People were not apposed to the idea of these women figures being distorted. Some of my favorite photographs from his work are the ones where he distorted the shapes of objects and people's bodies. I think its because it gives a dream-like feeling to the photograph. It relates to my work, because its experimental. It also directs me to where I've been wanting to go. I've always loved abstraction, and wanted to find new ways to abstract the human figure, and my surroundings.

Ray K. Metzker

I found this photograph in a book called Ray K. Metzker City Stills. His book can be found in the DCAD library.

What draws me into this photograph is the design aspect of it. i love the reocccuring shapes throughout the photograph. it keeps my eye moving throughout the photograph. It also plays a big part in time, and it being such a decisive moment. i love how the child in white fits perfectly in the black square object. it frames her, making her stand out more than the child in black. I really enjoy Metzker's work, because he tried different things, such as expirmenting with mulitple exposures, abstraction, and street photography. He knew Harry Callahan, and you can see in some of Metzker's work how Callahan affected and inspired him as a photographer. Metzker's work relates to mine, because i love to expirement with my work, and try new things.

Taken by George Charles Beresford.
Find this at http://turnofthecentury.tumblr.com/post/144854226/virginia-woolf-c-1902-george-charles-beresford

I really love how simplistic this photograph is. its what attracted me to it in the first place. i love that she is not "done up" and that her shirt blends in with the background. It gives the impression that she is invisible, or unhappy. Her expression seems so natural, and thats how i think i can relate it to my work. ive always tried shooting people when they are not trying to pose for the camera, but when they are just being themselves. this photograph actually seems kind of dark to me, which is weird considering how bright it is aesthetically, but i think its from her tired eyes, slight frown, and her head turned to a profile view.

Taken by Julia Margaret Cameron.
This can be found on http://www.annagibson.com/2011/05/julia-margaret-cameron/

 What really draws me into this photograph is the expression on the girls face, the and slight out of focus of the photograph. i also like the tonal range of the photograph, and how the button on her coat is just enough detail to keep the bottom of the photograph interesting. it also mimics the colors on the top. the expression in the girls face makes me wonder what she is looking at, and what she is thinking about. This relates to my work because i like to shoot people when they are not paying attention to me, but what i would like to do is to be able to get closer to the people i am shooting.

Photograph taken by Harry Callahan.
Find this on www.google.com

Some of my favorite work from Callahan is his experimental. I love that that they ask so many questions. What I like about this photograph is the repetition. the shapes of light. it makes me wonder how he did this. i love how people are walking in all over the photograph, and even though you know its fictional, it still seems real. Im not sure why I think it looks real, but i think it might be because the light only shines on the people, and it almost seems like there are multiple floors. Also, it doesnt seem like theyre walking in mid-air. This experimental work relates a lot to what ive been doing lately, because ive just tried to not be in control of everything i do, and see how it playing around with experimenting can come out.

Photograph taken by Paul Outerbridge.
This can be found on
http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/outerbridge/

I'm drawn to the haziness of this photograph. Its seems like a memory. I also really love the woman's pose. It's intimate without being overly sexual or unattractive. Outerbridge took photographs of women to show how bodies create shapes, which is something I think about when i photograph people. I love the tonal range, and how the light and shadows create shapes on her body and the couch.

This was taken by Roy DeCarava.
You can find this photograph on  
http://flavorwire.com/46498/rip-photographer-roy-decarava-1919-2009 

This photograph is interesting to me because it reveals a way of life, and puts a person in that surroundings without a person really being in the photograph. I love the use of light, and how dark it is. I like the small hints of highlights, and how even though the window is in the photograph, it is not blown out, but instead, gray. It gives the feeling of sadness. DeCarava's work is very dark- aesthetically and emotionally, which relates to my work because I tend to print my photographs dark, to create a darker mood.

Photograph by Michael Kenna.
You can find this at www.michaelkenna.net

The eeriness and curiosity about this photograph is what really draws me in. It makes me wonder why there's a latter in the middle of the woods. The fogginess makes me think of a dream-like state, because it seems so unresolved. Kenna takes a lot of photographs of trees in ways that give them personalities and moods, which relate to the direction I would like to see some of my work get into. I've always had such a great appreciation in trees, and I love looking at them, but I am not often inspired by nature photography of trees. However, Kenna's work really inspires me that I can shoot trees as I do people, because every tree has its own personality, and different surroundings.

This photograph was taken by Todd Webb.
Found this from www.toddwebbphotographs.com

I chose this  photograph because of how graphic it seems. Buildings and the way shadows fall on them have always interested me. All of the negative spaces in between the shadows, and how it mimics the stairs is interesting. It reminds me of some photographs I have taken in the past. I like how the stairs move up through the photograph. Also, if you look closely you can see the man walking, on the right side of the photo. I found it neat, because he's not the main focus.

Photograph by Bruce Davidson.
Found this photograph at http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=ViewBox_VPage&IID=2S5RYDIB1N05&CT=Image&IT=ZoomImage01_VForm

I was attracted to this photograph because of the high contrast, and the elderly people in it. I like how the object in between them is very white, it balances both sides of the frame. It also kind of separates the scene, because the woman on the right is making a different expression, and the plates are set up differently than on the left side. I love the way elderly people look, they're inspiring to me, because they've lived such long lives and have seen so much throughout their lifetime. It steers me in a direction i would i like to go in, because i would like to get the chance to shoot the elderly, and hear their stories.

Photograph taken by Nadar.
Found this photograph on google.com

I chose this photograph because of the little girl's expression. It appears so honest and pure. I like the tonal range, and how it has minimal dark darks,  yet it doesnt seem gray. I also like how grainy it is, and how the object in the man's hand, is sort of unresolved. It brings curiosity to the photograph. It relates to my work because I enjoy capturing people's emotions as they are, and not fabricating them. I would like more of my work to steer in this direction.

Photograph by Robert Capa.
This can be found at http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=ViewBox_VPage&IID=2S5RYDZGYYLL&CT=Image&IT=ZoomImage01_VForm

I chose this photograph because of the rawness. Its sad and moody, but its real. It relates to my work because it has a strong source of light. The lighting makes this scene seem more intense. It relates to the direction I want my work to go into because I want to go into photojournalism. I think what also draws me to this photograph, is timing. That he happened to be here at that time, and witness this.

Photograph by Margaret Bourke-White.
Found this from http://womenshistory.about.com/od/margaretbourkewhite/ig/Margaret-Bourke-White/Women-Making-Flags--1940.htm

This photo caught my eye at first because of all the flags. It made me look at the flag in a different way. It didnt make me think of independence or pride. It made me think of the flag as just another product being reproduced. I guess also because the people dont look happy, which seems like an emotion you shouldnt feel when you look at the flag. I dont know how this photo relates to my work, but it relates to were I want my photography to go in the future. The photograph seems to capture the worker's real emotions, and theyre everyday life. Also, maybe its revealing how they view the flag?

Taken by Lewis Hine.
Found this photo from http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/

I chose this photograph because it caught my eye when I noticed kids were running the machinery. I chose it, because I like the tonal range, and how old the photograph is. Old photographs inspire me, I think because a lot of old photographs show life so differently than how life is today. Everything was so real, and raw. Its also sad, but its revealing the truth. It corresponds with the direction I want my work to go into because photojournalism is telling a story, and capturing what is real, and revealing it for people to see.

Emulation

Photo taken by Harry Callahan.
Found this at www.pacemacgill.com
Harry Callahan was a very versatile photographer. I chose this photo because he took portraits of people, and would crop most of their bodies out, leaving just the head and sometimes the neck to be seen. This unique style of cropping is interesting to me.

Emulation

Taken by Harry Callahan.
You can find this photo at www.pacemacgill.com/harrycallahan.html 
Callahan ventured all types of photography, abstraction being one of them. I chose this photo because of how he chose to crop the subject at the bottom. Also, the organic subject against a harsh black background is interesting. With the intense light on the subject, it leaves little gray areas, making the photo have a more graphic feel to it.

Emulation

Photo by Harry Callahan.
Found this photo at www.pacemacgill.com
Harry Callahan experimented with multiple exposures. This photograph is a multiple exposure of a tree. I chose this particular photo because it reminds me of an abstract painting.

Emulation

Taken by Harry Callahan.
This can be found at www.pacemacgill.com
Callahan spent a lot of time photographing Eleanor, his wife. I picked this photo because there's something mysterious about it. the only thing lit up enough to see is her backside. This photo is interesting to me because its very moody. I get the impression that Eleanor is struggling with something deep and emotional within herself.

Emulation

Photo taken by harry Callahan.
Found this photo at www.jacksonfineart.com
This photo is of Eleanor, Callahan's wife. I chose this photo because it has a more photo-journalistic feel to it. Callahan always has a strong light source in his photographs. What attracts me to this photo, is that her upper half of her body is darker and fades into the background, while her legs are illuminated from the window.

Decisive Moment

Taken by Robert Doisneau.
You can find this photograph on google.
This picture is of two people conversing with each other, and it makes it a decisive moment, because the photographer managed to capture the natural emotions of the people as it was happening.

Decisive Moment

Taken by Robert Doisneau.
You can find this at www.staleywise.com/collection/doisneau/doisneau.html#
I picked this photograph because I love how everyone around the two people kissing are not in focus, and slightly blurred. 

Decisive Moment

Taken by Paul Nicklen.
You can find this photo at http://www.paulnicklen.com
I selected this photo because there is so much movement going on. I love the movement of the water in mid-air, and the positioning of the polar bear's head.

Decisive Moment

Taken by Richard Avedon.
Can find this at http://www.richardavedon.com
I chose this photograph because I like the slight blur in it. It represents a decisive moment because her hair is in motion, and if this would have been taken at any other moment in time, the picture would be completely different.