Worth a 1,000 Words - Art & Photography

I hope everyone had a wonderful winter holiday! One of the gifts I received this year was a Flip HD video camera. After using it for the past week I thought I would share my experience in case anyone else was interested in buying one.

The Flip comes in a small well thought out package, similar to that of the iPod. In fact it’s roughly the same size as an iPod too. It doesn’t come with any software, just a packet of instructions and some wires to hook it up to the TV with. On the actual device there are only 9 buttons. So when I say simple, I mean simple! Capturing video is a breeze, and uploading it is almost just as easy. I have an Apple computer so for me all I had to do was plug it in with the built in USB port and then iPhoto popped up and I could upload the videos right to there. Another way upload the video is to just open up the Flip like a hard drive and pull the videos right on to the desktop. I don’t have a Windows computer, so I’m not sure how uploading is with them, but I’m sure it’s not much more difficult. Once the video is on the computer I was able to work with it in iMovie and so some editing.

As far as manipulating the footage while you’re shooting there isn’t much.When I said simple I also meant very little extra functions. It’s always on auto and the only real manipulation is zoom if that can even be considered manipulation. So although the functions aren’t that amazing there is a small screen to see what is being captured and it is in color. The camera overall could never make a motion picture or any kind of award winning piece, but for me it’s perfect. I plan on using it to capture funny moments with friends or family outings. The recording quality isn’t the best, but definitely youtube worthy, and you can capture an hour of footage before you have to upload. So if you’re looking for a camera that isn’t extremely expensive and can make a decent recording than the Flip is for you. For anyone who wants to be a little more fancy than I would say go for something a little more high-end. For detailed specs you can go to HERE.

Hopefully everyone will have a happy new year filled with fun, photos, and now maybe even videos!

Challenge of the Week: Enjoy your presents!

Happy Photographing!
Cate

At first editors were furious with the pictures Avedon produced, claiming they couldn’t or wouldn’t use them, but then everyone started to trust Avedon’s eye. Avedon became a much-needed breath of fresh air for the photography industry.  (this got cut off from last week)

As his name became huge through his fashion work, Avedon’s portraits began to grow as well. Avedon’s portrait studio was on the upper east side of Manhattan and he worked there for over 40 years. He had a way of knowing what his subject was hiding, and by working with him or her Avedon learned how to coax these imperfections out into the open.  It’s almost as if the sitter knows he’s being photographed and “what he does with this knowledge is as much a part of the photograph as what he’s wearing or how he looks.” (Avedon West) Avedon’s acute ability to connect to his subjects made his portraits one of a kind. Adding to Avedon’s portraits was his unique set-up. He avoided cluttered areas or breath taking landscapes and stuck to a plain white background. The background helped “the person to come forward out of the white, to be vivid and stand alone.” (Richard Foundation) Along with the white background Avedon avoided shadows so all of his sitters were heavily lit from all sides. The use of the white background and heavy lighting made up Avedon’s unique portrait style.

Once Avedon had made a name for himself he published his first book called Observations. The book was published in 1959. All the pictures in the book were by Avedon, but there was also text that was written by Truman Capote. Alexey Brodovitch helped with the overall design with the book. The book was put together to show the many different faces of fame and fortune. In the book there are photographs of people such as Pablo Picasso, Judy Garland, and Katherine Hepburn. Observations was also named one of Andrew’s Roth’s pick of 101 Best Photography Books of the 20th Century.

From 1979 to 1984 Avedon shot one of his most well known pieces called In the American West. After shooting for six years he compiled the photographs into a book with an opening essay by Laura Wilson. Wilson had been traveling with Avedon for the six years that he traveled out west and helping him along the way. Wilson describes Avedon as being “5’7”, alert, buoyant, inquisitive, and full of visual intelligence.” (Avedon West) While working beside Avedon she noticed his nervous energy and how it appeared to make him younger. Avedon shot over 700 people who lived in the American West. He kept true to his style and photographed his subjects in front of white backgrounds with heavy lighting. Through these photographs he wanted to show how the harsh climate and geography reflected through these people without ever putting it into the photographs.

One of Avedon’s most controversial collections is of his dying father. The pictures show his father’s slow death from cancer over the last years of his life. Many people thought that the photos were invasive. The real truth was the fear of seeing death so close. Avedon didn’t photograph his father in hopes to broadcast his suffering, but instead he used it as a means of closure. He was unsure if he could handle the situation unless it was being shown to him from the viewfinder of his camera. Avedon also argued that these were “not the death scenes of Jacob Israel Avedon but rather of everyman.” In this sense Avedon tried to take the death of his father and connect it to every man on his deathbed.

In 2004 Avedon headed to San Antonio, Texas to shoot a piece he called “On Democracy” for the New Yorker. While shooting he had a stroke. Although he was rushed to the hospital, Avedon later died on October 1, 2004. He left behind a legacy of fame and an unforgettable style. While Avedon grew as a photographer his style consistently grew, but he never lost meaning of it. In the photography industry there are so many people commenting and criticizing. It’s amazing that Avedon was able to keep all the information he was given and make it work for him and not against him. Avedon’s photos can still be seen in books or at museums today. Although Avedon is no longer living, photography lives on through people who try to mimic his one-of-a-kind style.

Shortly after Avedon died, the Richard Avedon Foundation came to life. Avedon had formed the Foundation prior to his death in 2004. The Foundation is privately operated and works to protect Avedon’s legacy. In order to do this, the staff at the foundation works to encourage the study of Avedon’s photographs. They also plan different museum shows and do outreach in local communities. One of the exhibitions that are being put on by the Foundation right now is “Portraits of Power.” The exhibit was put together by Paul Roth and can be viewed at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC until January 2009. Also through the Foundation different educational institutes can receive videos of Avedon’s lectures and interviews to use as a visual aid in classrooms. The Foundation works hard to keep Avedon living far beyond his years.

Through Avedon’s career he gained many different awards and honors. Avedon’s first award was when he was only 27 years old. He won the Art Director’s Club highest achievement award. Later in 1958 he was named one of Popular Photography Magazine’s Ten Greatest Photographers. As his career grew even larger Avedon won the National Magazine Award for Visual Excellence for his photography collection The Family. In 1985 the American Society of Magazine Photographers named him photographer of the year. From there Avedon continued to be littered with accomplishments. In 2003 Avedon won one of the greatest awards as a photographer: The National Arts Award Lifetime Achievement. Avedon is one of the most recognized photographers of all time.

Richard Avedon came into a fashion industry where models were treated like mannequins and he gave them movement and emotions. He started taking portraits on white backgrounds when the world identified portraits for their props and scenery. It’s not everyday that a new photographer walks into a magazine and doesn’t let the editors change his style, but that’s what Avedon did. By looking at ads for stores like Target or Macys it’s easy to see the movement of the models and the excited demeanor they display. Photographers all over shoot their subjects in front of white backgrounds, where they depend solely on their connection with the sitter to make the photograph shine. Avedon may no longer be living, but his style is still alive and growing within every photographer who ever knew him or knows of him. Avedon once said, “If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it’s as though I’ve neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.” (Richard Quotes) Photography is not just a hobby or a job; photography is a way of life. Richard Avedon worked to show this through his photographs, and still captivates audiences because of it.

Becoming a photographer takes more than a nice camera and good-looking friends. It takes having a trained creative eye, determination, and the ability to not lose sight of a project even when people frown upon it. Photography isn’t like painting or drawing, it’s more mechanical in nature and therefore takes a real artist to link the mechnism with the art of the photo. Richard Avedon once said that, “I know that the accident of my being a photographer has made my life possible.” (Avedon) For Avedon photography wasn’t just a hobby, it was a way of life. With his body forever breathing and feeling photography, he changed the photographer industry forever through his unique ability to capture the truth of a person and his unwillingness to let go of his style.   

Richard Avedon was born on May 15, 1923 in New York City. His father Jacob Avedon and his mother Anna Avedon brought Richard into a Jewish-Russian family. His father owned a shop on 5th Avenue, which supported the family of three. Little is documented about Avedon’s early years, but it is known that he received his first camera when he was 12 years old. With Kodak Box Brownie camera he joined the YMHA camera club. This is his first reported photography endeavor.

Being a simple family, Avedon’s parents sent him to public schools in the Bronx. He attended Dewitt Clinton High for ninth, tenth, eleventh, and part of his senior year. He never finished high school, but that didn’t stop him from achieving wonderful things. While in high school Avedon and classmate James Baldwin were co-editors for the schools literary magazine, Magpie. (Obituary) Although Avedon never completed high school, he did attend Columbia University for a short time where he studied philosophy.

Avedon’s first real photography experience came from the US Merchant Marines. He worked in the photography department for two years before leaving to work as an advertising photographer at a department store. Most of Avedon’s early work consists of advertising for different stores. Although not a favored subject the work allowed Avedon to make money and gain experience in the industry. It was through his work as an advertising photographer that editor of Harper’s Bazaar Alexey Brodovitch discovered Avedon.

At age 21 Avedon landed a job at Harper’s Bazaar as a staff photographer. After working at the magazine for a year Avedon was able to purchase his own studio in New York City. In his studio he took portraits of many famous people including- Marilyn Monroe, The Beatles, and The Kennedys. Avedon worked at the magazine for 20 years. Working at Harper’s Bazaar allowed his name to grow before he made a switch to Vogue magazine in 1966. At Vogue he worked under Diana Vreeland and Alexander Liberman. Then in 1992 he changed magazines again, where he became the first staff photographer at The New Yorker. While working for these magazines Avedon created a signature style that is still remembered today.

Advertising photography was a great way for Avedon to make money, but “he wanted to be a creator, not an observer.” () While working for Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue Avedon shot the French collections from 1947-1984 in Paris. This is where Avedon made his debut as a fashion photographer and quickly shocked his audiences. At the time fashion photography had been very formal. The models were to look like mannequins with no movement or facial expression, but Avedon had different ideas. He took the models he had and gave them life. He photographed models jumping in ball gowns, or running down the beach bare footed. The way he used the models brought a whole new take on fashion photography. At first editors were furious with the pictures Avedon produced. Claiming they couldn’t or wouldn’t use them, but then everyone

Imagine the world with no art or design. Beds would be boxes with plain white sheets, every article of clothing would look the same, and technology would be nonexistent. There are artists who wait at street corners peddling their latest painting of the Golden Gate Bridge and then there are artists who head up advertisement agencies and design eco friendly packaging for iPods and Macbooks. Art isn’t just about making pictures it’s about thinking differently and learning to create. It’s important for every student to have the option of participating in an art class and learning what it’s like to be able to make mistakes. As a student who has made a conscious effort to include art in her class schedule for the last five years, I’m willing to show just how important art really is to a high school student.

When a student takes part in a high school art class the atmosphere is different than a regular academic class. Although the same basic rules of every classroom exist there is a certain freedom that can’t be found in any other kind of class. Taking art classes isn’t about becoming Monet or Van Gogh, but they are about exercising a different side of the brain. Parents and teachers seem to feel that when a student is interested in art his or her future is a failure. This attitude only rubs off on the student, making him or her believe that his or her skill is useless when it’s not. People need to realize that it’s not about making pretty pictures, but being able to release one’s emotion through these pictures. As Terry Semel the chairmen of Warner Brothers said, “Kids who create don’t destroy.” Knowing how to build and move forward helps as a student, but also as an employee. A room full of accountants are bound to only approach a problem from one way, but an accountant who has had experience with art would be more willing to approach the problem from a different angle, and that’s what art is all about. It’s not about the art, but about the process that the art comes to be.

Parents and teachers will often come up with any excuse in the world to prevent a student from pursuing art classes. Parents often pull the “starving artist” card. They look around at the artists in the world and figure the chances of their son or daughter making a decent living off being an artist as slim to none. Just because the student is taking one art class doesn’t mean that the student is going to drop all their other hobbies and interests to paint giant water lilies. Art should be viewed as a skill just like Math and English. Art doesn’t have to be the student’s career, but it can help them with whatever career he or she does choose. Another problem with art classes is the ability to draw. Students can get easily discouraged if they can’t draw as well as other students, but there are many different types of art classes. Pottery and other 3-D design classes teach the same skills and don’t involve drawing. Money can also be an issue. If a school lacks the resources art is often the first elective cut. It doesn’t take the greatest art materials to make a painting. Cavemen used to make paint from berries and clay from dirt. People use many ways to justify their distaste for the arts, but there’s nothing to lose in taking an art class, just plenty to gain.

Albert Einstein once said that, “Imagination is more important than knowledge,” and the meaning of this quote lies in the world around us. The smartest person in the whole world would be nothing without an imagination; because he or she wouldn’t be able to take what he or she knows and create something knew. Taking an art class doesn’t mean the student has to become an artist, but it does mean that his or her imagination has a chance to grow. With all the challenges in the world today governments and companies need strong leaders who can think differently to solve problems and create a world that is full of possibilities. Art classes allow students to gain the skills needed to fill those positions and make the future a bright one.

Recently I’ve been working on studio shooting. Although I don’t have a studio I make do with what I have. Curtains and sheets work great for simple backgrounds, but recently I decided to be a little more creative. While at an art store I saw a huge bin filled with assorted papers and decided to buy some. At the time I wasn’t sure what I would use them for, but now I have a great idea. One of the papers is very simple, almost like a lace print, and the second has a little more color and design in it. Instead of cutting up the paper to make invitations or any other conventional use I decided to use the papers as backdrops for shooting pictures. Both the prints are simple enough where they don’t take away from the subject, but they’re more exciting than just a plain background. These were just two prints that I’ve found, but any kind of print and size would do. Things like these are what will make subtle differences in studio shot pictures. Below I’ve attached two pictures to show how the backgrounds change the images.

After working with the paper I wanted to do more with patterned backdrops. Lately I’ve been really interested in mixing patterns that don’t seem like they should go together. It’s a hard thing to do because it’s very easy to get out of control and make the picture appear too busy. I have a huge role of paper that’s about 4 feet in width. Whenever I’m making posters or sketching I just cut off a piece, but the backdrops gave me a whole new idea. I cut a piece of paper that was a little longer than my height and painted a simple pattern on it. I avoided color and stuck to black and white so that it would be easier to bring in another print while shooting. I will admit painting got tedious but I was really pleased with the end result. Rolls of paper like the one I have can be bought at craft stores, or ordered online. To hang up the paper I just clipped it to a curtain rod that was hanging in my room. From there I was able to set up a tripod and transform my room into a mini studio. Shooting with the backdrop was fun and allowed me to do a lot of experimenting. It’s never too late to start experimenting with patterns, so have fun!

Challenge of the Week: Get creative with backdrops and post the pictures in the comment section.

Happy Photographing!
Cate