Week #1: Write-Up

Amelia Fletcher
(http://ameliafletcher.com)

Amelia Fletcher
(http://ameliafletcher.com)

Photo by: Steve Cotton

This course has allowed me to stumble on some amazing artists and photographers. While doing research for this week’s write-up, I found Amelia Fletcher, a photographer from North Carolina. She incorporates nature, personal experiences and her home into her artwork. She photographs weddings, food, portraits, and also creates artistic and surrealist images. 

The first photo that caught my attention was of a girl in a field standing on a ladder. She’s holding a paintbrush and appears to be painting the clouds onto the sky. I love how the photographer plays with depth perception and creates an amazing illusion. 

After looking through some more of Amelia’s images, another photograph stood out to me. It’s of a girl standing in a grassy field with her arm outstretched towards the moon as if she were holding it like a balloon. I really like the whimsy behind this idea. The moon appears to be so small and light, and this girl is keeping it from floating away. This image reminds me of my favourite Banksy wall art (and current computer background) of a little girl who has let go of her heart-shaped balloon. That graffiti piece is one of a series recreated in multiple locations all over the world.

http://ameliafletcher.com

Work Cited

Fletcher, A. (2014). 52 Week Project. Amelia Fletcher. Retrieved from http://ameliafletcher.com

Ellsworth-Jones, W. (2013). The Story Behind Banksy. Smithsonian.com. Retrieved from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-story-behind-banksy-4310304/

Assignment #1: Photogram Reflection

Photogram Samples

Final Photograms

Final Photogram #1

Final Photogram #2

Photogram Reflection

Walking into the dark room for the first time was very intimidating. I don’t know much about dark room photography. There are so many rules to follow (understandably), and the process of developing is extremely precise. After having a quick demo, I was thrown into this photogram assignment. With the help of my classmates, I finally started to get the hang of it. It was easy to get into a rhythm, and the technical details of exposure timing and dodging began to make more sense to me. There was so much excitement in seeing my developed images, and after an hour of experimentation in the dark room, I was looking forward to this assignment.

For my first photogram, I chose to use a few objects that are meaningful to me. The swirly necklace appealed to me because of it’s interesting shape, and because I’m always doodling swirls and circles in my notebooks. I like organic shapes and feel that it represents my personality. I chose to include the lace doily because I know that it would produce an interesting effect when exposed to the light, and also because of its religious significance. (My mother wears a circular doily to cover her head in synagogue.) The last element is some dried flowers that are kept in a vase that I made when I was first starting out as an artist. I thought that they would compliment my design, and work well with the “pretty” and “feminine” theme I created.

The second photogram I created is made up of the chess pieces from my board at home. I was looking around the house for some interesting objects, and stumbled on my glass chess set. I decided to scatter the pieces all around the paper to create a really full final image. I wanted both of my photograms to be very different, and I think that I achieved that. One is more personal and explores a few facets of my life, while the other is esthetically pleasing to the eye and more technical.

I had never heard of photograms before taking this class. After doing some research I discovered that Emmanuel Rudnitzky accidentally discovered this process when he placed objects on photosensitive paper. Photograms were originally called “Rayographs” (Bio True Story, 2014). Because of his new find, we’re able to create interesting shadow and light effects on photo paper without using any film.

Right now I’m doing an internship at my local community center. It offers a photography class, and every week I see how excited the kids are to work in the dark room. I think that making photograms with children is a great activity, and that they would enjoy the immediacy of the process. This type of project would really help them learn the basics of the dark room. Photograms could also be incorporated into a history of photography lesson. Michael Smith’s article, “On Teaching Photography”, made me even more aware of the importance of knowing where our current techniques come from. Learning past styles will benefit our future art practices.

Work Cited

A+E Networks. (2014). Man Ray Biography. Bio True Story. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/man-ra 9452778?page=2

Smith, M. (2011). On Teaching Photography. Michael and Paula. Retrieved from       http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/onteachphoto.html