Activity 4: Montage

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• Find two examples of photomontages that are either from a commercial source or from a fine art background. Discuss in what context they have been produced and what techniques they share with political photomontages. 
• What messages, if any, are communicated through these photomontages and how effective do you think they are? Consider different ways that each image could have been tackled by the artist and come up with an idea for ‘another in the series’.

I think the techniques and context being used is too of course always bring some kind of message to the attention of the person looking at the photos. These two images totally contradict each other as you can tell, I think the left is portraying that we are destroying our earth. We actually are and it is our fault that we are. It may seem like it'll take forever to do but it's happening quicker and quicker. The right is trying to give itself a nicer day with light. You can tell he's using wallpaper to get rid the of the clouds and darkness. These photos can have a different effect on people but the effect could and seems like it should be strong to everyone no matter what the effect is. I think the left picture can be portrayed also a different way but the idea has been used. These two pictures are really good and i wouldn't see any other way to portray their messages.

Activity 3: Montage

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• As editors exercise their ever-increasing power over information control, what limits would you impose on them as to the extent to which they can manipulate the photographic image? 
• Devise a series of guidelines that will control the release of images that have been constructed for media use so that the public is aware as to the extent of the manipulation.

I think editors don't have a lot of limits besides, of course simple stuff as in not over editing. Making sure it looks clean and having the ability to edit certain things for our sake. Other limits would be not ALWAYS making us look like the number one hero and give others to look good but of course make sure we look just as good. They edit tons of things on pictures to make sure it looks the way they want it so that we cannot see certain things as society, only what they want us too and they have that ability. Guidelines for checking the manipulation is easy. You can always tell when a picture is messed with, yes this editors are professionals but its easy to spot things. If a video is to go with the picture you can tell how the original set up was. For example these pictures, the left is edited the right isn't. If there is a video watching them and Obama was walking in the front we would know okay the left picture was changed drastically. Also for photoshop of the body, everyone is made to look thin when we have possibly seen these people in person or on video. Its so easy to tell when a picture is photoshopped, and knowing many of the government and people who work with it are corrupt, nothing is ever the way its shown to us.

Activity 2: Montage

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• Find two examples of political photomontages that are either from a historical or contemporary source. 
• Discuss in what context they have been produced and how effective you think they communicate their intended message. 
• Discuss the techniques that have been used to assemble the examples you have chosen and offer alternative ways that the artist could have put over the same message.

This image is from a historical source. I think this image is VERY effective because it just doesn't apply to the country this picture is representing, it applies to everyones countries with some type of government. They are trying to show that the political people and parties people who are here "for us" do and say what we want to hear. Like monkey see monkey do, they don't mean what they say, they do whatever they can for the money not putting us in mind, just making us think that they are. The techniques they chose are the monkey of course implying the "monkey see monkey do" say what I want you to say and do what I say for the money. There really is no other way I would have put this because this shows a lot and is probably the easiest and best way to get a message across that the government is corrupt.

This image is from a historical source. The image would be very effective on the audience seeing it, especially the countries government that this person is in. The message is pretty much giving this lady some choice of words and letting them know they aren't any good. Of course they used the toilet because that's where waste goes and they montaged her in there letting her know they want to let her go and she needs to go with the rest of the waste there is. I wouldn't put this is another way because it's a clever way and the best of saying you don't want somebody around anymore.

Activity 1: Montage

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• Briefly discuss why you think painters of the Victorian period might have criticized these early photomontages and why the pictures were popular with the general public. (This technique of piecing together separate images to create one picture is again very popular with both artists and the media). 
• What two reasons can you think of for this revival of an old technique?

It is possible victorian's might have criticized this photo because it took away from them painting, especially because the public liked it.Victorian's had ideals to live by, they did not care about the reality of things. In this picture this seems like a realistic situation, something raw, something to REALLY think about, and thats not what the times were about back then. I think it became popular to the public because they were not used to this, and why did to step out of what was just expected, they wanted something new. Two reasons for the revival of this old technique is it is fun to do, and also there is so much meaning you can put into it to make it become something so much better from what it originally was.

This photo is very different, victorians were not about different. They had a mindset and wanted things done that way. They kind of shaped everyones ideas into what they wanted. I can see why the public would want to break against that, and this seems like the type of artwork to catch the attention of many. Two reasons for the revival on this is to make good and meaningful artwork like this, and to let many put their own message out there. This picture most likely has deep meaning and thats what a lot of people look for.

Activity 3: Portraiture and Studio Photography

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Collect four portrait images with two to five subjects. In at least one image the subject should have been placed in the foreground.Comment on the arrangement of the subjects in relation to the camera and the effectiveness of the design.

Karma Hill Photography

This image has the toddler as the main subject, but of course you can see the parents in the background and the expression of both subjects clearly. They wanted the expression of the toddler to matter most as you can tell by the clarity and how much of the frame it takes up. The parents would purposely put in the background to show they are there and are happy and watching the toddler. This is a great example of more than one subject but the image still having one focus area.

Getty Images

People in this photograph are obviously protesting and there are full with some type of emotion obviously because they all have their hands up. There are many people in this photo but of course the man in the very front will catch your attention. He would be the main focus of this photo, along with all the hands. The photo shows that many are involved, no matter what its with.

Kraaystillaaa photography

There are two obvious subjects in this picture (technically three). You can see both very clearly but of course the main subject is the woman's stomach, she's pregnant! That would be the main to catch your eye of course, besides the lack of clothes. You would then of course notice the other things that make up the frame, the man, and the woman.

In this photograph there is one and only whole subject, the family, but obviously there is more than one of them. This is just a simple family portrait and there is really no main focus out of the more than one subject for this photo. Of course the photographer puts the family right smack in the middle so that the first thing you see is them!

Activity 2: Portrait and Studio Photography

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Find four portraits that demonstrate the different ways a photographer has framed the image to alter the design and content. Discuss the vantage point, depth of field and subject placement in all of the images.

 

The photographer laid on the floor to take this picture. They purposely wanted this type of look for the picture, ground view. Many people think this is a very nice look.The subject is the trees and they kind of give that hypnotic look if you stare long enough. The trees are kind of scattered about, they are not lined up with one another. The depth of field in this photo is very obvious. The bottom of the trees are very close and look like they are close in and as you look up they stretch out and scatter about into the trees and you get the sky view.

The photographer framed the picture to only a small portion of where only half of the sky from the sun on each side showed. They made it look like the two people were holding the sun there in the sky together to give it a cool look. I think the subject would be the sun instead of the two people "holding" it. The depth of field in this picture would be the people and the background. The color is sharp and so is the sun, as well as the people even though they are just shadows they can be seen clearly there. 

This is also a ground level photo. You can really see the stretch of the eiffel tower. The depth of field is clearly very sharp at the bottom more than the top because it is so far away. The subject of course is the eiffel tower and how much you can tell the size from just pictures to actually being there and standing there.

Another ground level photo. The photographer purposely framed it so that the corners would form an X. The depth of field is mostly in the sky and the corners. They are very sharp but they buildings are very blurry. I think the subject placement in this picture is very cool, and creative. 

Activity 1: Portrait and Studio Photography

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Look through assorted media, magazines, internet and collect four portrait photographs. The environment should be a key feature in two of the four images.Describe the subject’s character in each of the images. What can you see within each image that leads you to these conclusions about the subjects’ character.

Ultra Updates Photography

The subjects character in this picture is really still, and very plain. Everything is black and white but it has a color splash of orange as the paint on the paintbrush and as the subject wipes it across his face it brings out the color in his hair and on his face. It seems like the paint brush is bringing the color back out and kind of the "life" back into this picture. Since's it's black and white usually those pictures are looked at as sad or kind of just with neutral feeling and he could be trying to use the paint brush to bring life back and bring back a better emotion.

Anne Nevreva Photography

The character of this subject in the picture seems kind of surprised and full of life. You can see the forest and leaves in the background showing it is fall. You can tell its windy from her hair and that its cold since she is wearing a jacket. So possibly the cold could of caused her character to be changed and act different at the moment the photo was taken. Her character looks happy for most of it.

Martin Gommel Photography

This is another black and white picture. The character of this subject is very scared. Taking pictures is also known as "shooting" so he has a camera to his head as if he is going to "shoot himself". His character shows he is scared and acts like he is really going to die from it. His character has a lot of emotion to it.

Jenuine Crreations Photography

The character here is very happy. The background is of a lake and some mountains and you can tell its much warmer  by what she is wearing. That could have an affect on her character as the photo was taken. She seems very pleased and calm. She seems to have a always happy character and their surroundings can always have a lot to do with it.