Week 13

Elspeth Diederix: "flameflower" 

Blogpost written by: Hannah Zimmerman

For my final blogpost I have decided to write about Elspeth's photo titled "flameflower."

This photograph is in what appears to be a midwest or desert setting amongst some plants. At the center of the photograph is this flame flower. All of its buds are caught on flame and burning. The picture was taken while the flame was still orange and only burning where the buds are while the rest of the stems etc remained green and alive.

It seems as if Elspeth set each bud on fire and immediately took the photo before the flame over took the rest of the plant. This picture is really interesting because of how the flames are giving off smoke. Everything around the flower is alive and green and untouched by flame. The sky is blue and it seems to be a sunny day. 

I think the metaphor of a flower or plant catching on fire in what appears to be a warm climate is really cool. But also this photo makes me think about why its only this one plant and why it is just the buds that are on fire. It makes me wonder if Elspeth was trying to create a fictional plant whose buds, when bloomed, are just continually on fire or if she was trying to express a deeper idea. 

I read this picture as a deeper metaphor about the risk of fire around so much life and possibly why the flame was so contained. I also enjoyed how the smoke from the fire was trailing up into the blue setting in the background. Perhaps this picture is about the idea of contained and controlled risk. 

I really enjoyed looking at all of Elspeth's photos this semester and I will definitely keep up with her work as an artist. While photography isn't my main medium I learned that my subject matter can exist within the realm of photography by observing her work. I also learned a lot about metaphor and controlled manipulation of things to create a narrative and I will continue to strive to do that within my own work. 

Elspeth's photograph can be viewed here: http://www.elspethdiederix.com/

My photo of the week: 

Elspeth Diederix: "dashboard still life"

Blogpost by: Hannah Zimmerman 

For my 12th week blogpost I have decided to write about Elspeth Diederix's photo titled "dashboard still life." I chose to write about this photograph because I was drawn to the red and orange colors present within the picture. This photo was taken at night and the messy, but staged, dashboard is dimly lit from the car light above it. Things like small oranges, a paper coke cup, a CD and other food packaging can be seen. Not much else is going on in this picture.

I think what interested me most about this picture was its simple use of color to add interest. It almost seems minimalist to me because of the dark environment around the warm colors of the still life. I am approaching the end of my last semester in art school and for my final photography project the ideas I have are also minimal in visual content. While my own work for this last project is going to be heavy in meaning, unlike this photograph, it will be down to a few colors and what is happening within it, is also minimal. 

I wanted to write about a photograph that was different from others I have chosen this semester because it helps me come up with alternative ideas for my own work. 

I do think this picture has a warm tone in this well-used car, that someone uses on a daily basis. I think the objects in the car also can narrate the things the person who drives it likes and uses. I also think the feeling that this picture evokes is that late at night-peaceful feeling that people can experience in a quiet car. 

I really like the simplicity of this picture and Elspeth's continued interest in objects. 

Her photograph can be seen here: http://www.elspethdiederix.com/ 

My photo of the week: 

 

Week 11

Elspeth Diederix: "california"

Blog post written by: Hannah Zimmerman

For my eleventh photography blog post I chose a photograph by Elspeth Diederix titled “california.”

The reason I chose this picture was because I found it to be strangely beautiful. Normally I like a photograph for simple reasons of being attracted to an element, concept or technique. There hasn’t been many occasions where I have thought a photograph to be strange and attractive at the same time. The picture is of a man with wavy brown hair to his neck with tan skin holding a yellow-orange colored orange between his ear and his shoulder. He is facing away from the camera at an angle with most of his back to the viewer, looking towards the left. In the background, in front of the man, are tan canyon rocks against a blue sky.

The color pallet of this photo is very important because I think Elspeth was using it as a main element to draw attention to the orange resting on the man’s shoulder. She kept all of the other things in the picture separate by keeping mostly neutral color tones except for the sky. The orange is the main focus for the viewer and then it leads the viewer to think about why its resting on the mans shoulder and facing the viewer. The photographer did not want to draw attention to the identity of the man in the picture. She creates a warm atmosphere because of the relaxed color tones, the sunny composition, the shirtless male and the tones of the orange itself.

I think all of those elements make this a beautiful picture and causes the viewer to focus on the different positioning of the orange. However, what I find strange about the picture is why the man almost seems to be lovingly holding onto this orange by his ear, neck and shoulder, which are all intimate or soft parts of human anatomy. He isn’t consuming this fruit, but embracing it. The way the wind is ruffling the man’s hair is also hinting at the possible softness trying to be expressed in this picture. I am curious to the possible reasons the man may be lovingly holding onto this piece of fruit. It makes me thing about the delicateness of intimacy and caring for someone or something. I think the orange, which is the object in this particular photograph, is merely standing in for these emotional associations.

It is because of Elspeth’s ability to do this that makes me feel drawn to this picture. It is strangely beautiful because it is capable of creating these emotions from a beautiful but very different composition.

Elspeth’s photograph “california”  can be viewed here :

http://www.elspethdiederix.com/

My photo of the week can viewed here: 

Week 10

Week 10: Elspeth Diederix  “cassette”

Blogpost written by: Hannah Zimmerman

For my 10^th week blog post I chose another photograph taken by Elspeth Diederix titled “cassette”.

The reason I chose this photograph was because it isn’t one I would normally choose to talk about. For all my previous blogs posts I chose photographs that I was really interested in or found to be an attractive picture or concept. This week, I wanted to choose a photograph that I wouldn’t normally observe.

In this photograph there is one color tone, a tan-concrete tone. It looks to be a floor surface and then a wall. Leaning against the wall is a cassette tape. The element about the photograph that I find to be the most interesting is that the cassette tape is the exact same texture and color as the floor and wall. This element may have been photo-shopped after the picture was taken. This contributes to the minimization of this photograph, but not in a bad way. I usually steer away from too much minimal art but I appreciate her use of the tape as an object.

I also believe this photograph has potential to spark conversation about possible narratives about why this cassette tape is blending or disappearing right into the wall and floor background. It causes me to think about the feelings of wanting to disappear or escape a situation as a human being. I think these are feelings that almost everyone has experienced at one point in their lives, whether as a child or an adult.

I think it is good to allow work that I don’t normally get drawn too, to inspire my own art. Sometimes it can bring new ideas or allow me to look at my art from a different viewpoint.

Elspeth’s photograph can be viewed here: http://www.elspethdiederix.com/

My photo of the week:

Week 9

Elspeth Diederix: "drijven"

Blog post written by: Hannah Zimmerman

For my ninth blog post I am writing about a photograph by Elspeth Diederix titled “drijven”.

This photograph is of a river, with greenery on both sides. Power lines can be seen stretching across its horizon. On the river are eight teacups floating on individual saucers. The surface of the river is completely calm. A reflection of the power lines can be seen on its surface. It appears to have been taken in early morning based upon the early blue of dawn. Additionally, there seems to be fog up around the power lines and at the very furthest point on the river.

Everything seems to be a natural part of the picture, except for the teacups. But the way Elspeth was able to arrange this photograph; the teacups partially seem to belong there. Like they are a natural part of this calm river that winds amongst the land with floating teacups like it is a normal part of the river’s cycle. That is what I love most about this photograph. Elspeth Diederix arranged for these teacups to float down the river, but because of the time of day she took the photo, she was able to make them seem like a natural part of it.

There is a certain sense of peacefulness and calm to this photograph that attracts me to it. The floating white teacups further emphasize these factors. I like how the photographer was able to subtly manipulate the scene and create such a strong sense of calmness.

This is the first week we do not have a photography movement. Instead we are supposed to start thinking about what we want to do for our last project where we photograph whatever we want. I have a lot of ideas about what I want to do. Some of my ideas include a sculptural element or the idea of projecting onto a photograph. This picture really started to spark some new ideas and elements in my mind while starting to think about it. I also started to think about how I can continue to include objects or making objects out of my photos while observing this picture.

This photograph can be viewed here: 

http://www.elspethdiederix.com/ 

My photo of  the week: 

Week 8

Elspeth Diederix: "jeroen"

Blog post by Hannah Zimmerman 

For my 8^th photography class blog post I decided to write about yet another photograph by Elspeth Diederix. The photograph that I chose to write about this week is titled “jeroen.”

The reason that I chose to write about this picture was influenced by an upcoming assignment for my photo class. This is our last weekly photography movement assignment. It is called the “directorial mode.” This movement consists of fabricating something before the camera. It often illustrates a narrative that the photographer thought about ahead of time.

This picture could be labeled as almost a portrait of the man in it. However, there is a red grocery bag blowing against his face and also covering it. There is a city as the backdrop with a partly clouded sky. He is wearing a navy blue collar shirt with a small red logo that matches the plastic bag. However, because his face is covered in this picture I think that it creates a story that a regular portrait can’t quite accomplish.

I think that it is obvious the photographer arranged for the bag to cover the subjects face and for it to subtly match the red logo. This is the reason this picture feels like it is of the directorial mode.

I think this could be talking about the covering up of an identity and questioning whether it is important or not. Also this piece could be about the fluidity of ones identity and how it can blow from one place to another or how our identity can change with a minimal concept. I think that it has a strong conceptual component that the directorial mode makes available.

I think this picture is influential to my own work under this movement because it shows that it is possible to make even simple fabricated situations have a strong narrative. 

This photograph can be viewed here: http://www.elspethdiederix.com/ 

My photo of the week: