My work has evolved as I have learned the history of photography, its traditions and techniques, while simultaneously nurturing my skill. I mainly shoot digital but still use film when warranted. My previous work leading up to this year involved an internship with a commercial photographer learning studio lighting and how to create the photograph I want using artificial light to capture the subject and mood. This year I focused on the use of natural light, which I found requires more creativity to capture the mood I was trying to achieve. I am a process-oriented artist, who whole-heartedly believes in trial and error and learning from my mistakes. I enjoy overcoming challenges in my work while making decisions about style, light, composition, and the focus for each project. I believe the subject matter sometimes alludes to a specific technique, style, or color palette in photography. I use both color and black and white images in this project to convey my message. I have learned that sometimes black and white images speak more to the viewer and enhance the subject matter by eliminating the unneeded, distracting glitter of color. In contrast, through doing this project I found that some of my photographs relied on color to covey their message, the ornamentation and gold leafing of the Catholic tradition. I have learned that due to our genetic makeup as a viewer we are used to seeing in color. When we see in black and white, that image is processed in a different part of the brain than a color image, therefore, evoking a different reaction emotionally and sensory. As an artist it is my constant job to push the boundaries of my knowledge, abilities, and skills.

Making art now means working in the face of uncertainty; it means
living with doubt and contradiction, doing something no one much
cares whether you do, and for which there may be neither audience
nor reward, Art & Fear.

Tradition vs. Concept

Whatever happened to the academic tradition in art. When art was about talent and skill, technique nurtured, and concepts never an issue?

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.
Mother Teresa

Photography to mean is creating an image that makes the viewer; stop, look, act, or react, be it either literal or emotional.
Even after listening to the discussion in class about the reading Design = Heart my thoughts are still the same as my blog on Wednesday.

Design = Heart

“When your conscience is so flexible, how can you do strong design?”
Stenfan Sagmeister

After reading the article Design = Heart? I spent time reflecting on my own work and my senior project. I know in my own work that if I don’t believe or enjoy what I am doing (if my heart isn’t in my work) my photos are only decent. My photos seem flat and only surface deep, they are still properly exposed, lighted’ and focused but they lack the depth and awe that I can bring out in my photography when I am passionate about what I am doing.
I wish I would have read this article earlier this school year because it corresponds to what I was trying to figure out and articulate last semester. Last semester my photos were frat and lacked depth passable maybe but not what I wanted. The more I shot and struggled the less I liked the outcome and I stopped enjoying photography so I shot less. My heart was not into my project. Each person I talked to had a different opinion or idea and after each conversation I would direct my focus on what they said. Each person was different so when I would change my direction to suit the person I talked with another person would ask me why and I wouldn’t have an answer. I was floundering and wavering back and forth to try to please other people, instead of thinking about what I wanted, and my own convictions. I knew I was unhappy and not passionate about what I was doing, my project. I started to question myself, my direction in life: am I unhappy with my project, or my choice of photography as a profession, and does passion matter.
I decided that for me passion is my work does matter, it is my driving force, and I believe this is what Stefan Sagmeister is getting at when he talks about heart in design. Without passion or conviction (heart) in design or art the outcome I standard, passable, but not brilliant; for me the real question is how do we inspire passion for a project that doesn’t mean much to the artist/designer.