Lens Based Project
Inspiration
My inspiration for Sunny was the photographer Michel Kenna. He is widely know for his black and white landscapes that utilize interesting light sources, making it seem other worldly. This is achieved by shooting at the sunrise or sunset. Another technique the 66 year old uses is to expose his for long periods of time, sometimes even up to 10 hours. Kenna uses minimal compositions that mostly consists of nature (Lakeside Trees), man made structures (Skyline), or both. In the early 90's Kenna was photographing The Rouge Complex Dearborn, Michigan. This series has 120 photos of the industrial factories and ships along the Detroit river.
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Michel Kenna
(1953- ) |
The Rouge, Study 49, Dearborn, Michigan
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Study 49 (left) is my main inspiration for my work. I thought the whole series was very interesting and different form the other works I have seen from Kenna. Many of his other photographs are very pure and almost perfect looking, but this series is nitty gritty. It feels rough around the edges and the purpose is just to document The Rouge Complex. There is strong contrast in the monotone image. The triangular configuration, along with the deep blacks, it just brings your eye to the large ship. The layering of the dock in the foreground, the ship and river in the middle ground, and the buildings and shore in the background. This work played a big role in my own. I got the idea for a tone of mystery, the element of contrast and the object of fog.
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Lakeside Trees, Kusatsu, Honshu, Japan. 2003
Skyline, Study 3, Shanghai, China
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Planning
Here are my original ideas for Sunny. I wanted to use some of Michel Kenna's inspirations for my own. Like I stated above, Michel Kenna often took pictures of nature and man made structures, then also frequently comparing the two. I wanted to similarly use the contrasting components to make a statement about change. Once the world was all made of nature, but now we have man made structures that intertwine with the nature around us. This is a prominent change, but some of the more minor changes is how nature interacts with the building and paths that man placed. With my first sketch page I focused on my subject mater being buildings to create the same industrial feel from Kenna's Rouge series. The buildings being the main focal point, with nature being the after thought. Then on my second page of sketches, unlike my first, I honed in on what nature could comment about change with the buildings and other man made forms. The contrast of the two is more apparent in my second set of drawings, and used those for my inspiration more when photographing.
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Experimentation
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I also experimented with subject matter, shown in the slide show to the left. I wanted to focus on the city buildings and try to capture the low visibility of the iconic landmarks. I wanted to figure out if I could get a the same message and or tone from shooting a something other than the park. The goal was to show how change (weather/ fog in this case) is inevitable and is spontaneous. From some angles and distances many of the buildings are unrecognizable. But when the fog clears and I had gotten closer, things become more clear. I was hoping that this would show the mysteriousness of the world and demonstrate change. To me this was an unsuccessful experiment in many ways. I am clearly no professional photographer, and trying to take a picture in a moving car is not the easiest. the approach I was trying to take with these shots were also flawed. With my pictures from days before, I was meticulous in the way I framed my pictures, unlike these, which are more sporadic and not what my intent was with my work. If I was to be more experienced at that type of photography, and maybe if I was going for a different message it fit better. |
Process
Here I have my first round of photos that I shot. In the beginning it is clear how elementary my technique and skill is. I was trying to plan out what the picture would look like with my hands. Even though it is a very simple gesture, I found it to be very helpful. I also stood on my toes for some, and crouched down for others to get a different angle.
This day I went around the park and attempted to capture the park and downtown to reflect the idea of change (right). My plan was to only take pictures of the buildings and some of the nature. Then it occurred to me that I could also incorporate man made structures and objects without them being the focal point of the photo. |
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After reviewing the pictures from the park I took previously (above), I realized they were not sending the message I wanted, and I also really did not like them. So, I went back when it rained and there was fog. From the start, since I saw Study 49, I wanted to incorporate fog into my work some how. I knew that I might not be able to achieve that so I planed to try and take photos from other angles, maybe at the base of the US Bank building. Though the day before I planed to retake my photos it had rained and had produced an interesting fog along the lake front. I had traveled to the lake, and on the way I attempted the photograph downtown (to the left). I am inexperienced in taking that type of photo, so I think they did not turn out as expected. |
After I had taken photos of downtown from the freeway (above), I went back to the park to retake my photos. I attempted to retake my previous photos shot for shot. For many of these I was either crouched down on the ground, or on my toes to get a better angle of the buildings and nature. As I saw how much more theses pictures were reflecting the message of change, I went off trying to capture more. |
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Reflection
Sunny
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At the beginning I had not a lot of knowledge on how to frame, or take a good photo, but by trial and error, I learned how to frame a shot better. The first set of photos were not what I wanted them to be, but as I practiced I improved. I have also learned many new skill from this project. I now know how to take an okay picture, I also learned how to develop and connect a broad idea to art.
My largest obstacle was making sure I was taking photographs of the message I wanted to send. I enjoyed being able to have the freedom to created what I wanted and being able to see the connections I made from the world to my own work. When people see Sunny I want people to think about what is happening behind the fog, but also draw the conclusion of change. After this project I have learned a new found appreciation for the medium. Going forward I want to use photography more, and improve on my skills. |
Critique
The Rouge, Study 49, Dearborn, Michigan
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Similarities
Both works are photography and consist of a triangular composition. The two works contain fog, water and a disruptive object that catches the views eye and attention. Both have nature and man made objects in them. Mine and Kenna's work have a similar tones to them. The mysterious feel of the fog and the unknowns it brings. Differences While I used a simple camera on a phone, Kenna typical uses a Hasselblad and has physical copies of his work. Another difference is my work is color, while Kenna's is not. Sunny has more nature elements than industrial, unlike The Rouge, Study 49 that has many. |
Sunny
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ACT Responses
1) Clearly explain and describe how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork.
My artist of inspiration was Michael Kenna, and because I was able to study someone with a in depth understanding of photography, I was able to learn from that. I also was able to gain many insights and ideas because I studied Kenna's work. 2) What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration? From what I can gather, that change is inevitable and to use that in life, and in this case art. 3) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration? I have concluded that we must (people in general) try to take a step back sometimes and focus on the little things to have a bigger appreciation for life. I have learned this thought the process of making my work, by reflecting and observing my surroundings. 4) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research? My thematic idea was change. More specifically how change is constantly happening all around us. This whole idea was the main point of the whole work. 5) What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research? An inference I had previously made was that framing a photograph was easy. After looking at so many of Kenna's works I had expected myself to be able to frame professionally, which of course not the case. |
Bibliography
Bulaja, I., Sommerseth, K., Wang, Y., Toljevic, D., Vanorbeek, D., Wiewiórska, B., & Scarcella, J. (2012, April). Michael Kenna, Hokkaido to Huangshan, Photography, m97 Gallery, Shanghai, China. Retrieved September 25, 2020, from https://www.artlimited.net/agenda/michael-kenna-hokkaido-huangshan-photography-m97-gallery-shanghai/en/7581575
N/A. Michael Kenna. Retrieved September 25, 2020, from http://www.michaelkenna.net/index2.php Princeton University Art Museum (2017). Rouge: Michael Kenna | Princeton University Art Museum. Retrieved from https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/art/exhibitions/3362 |