Sarah Hinzman : September 2016

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

I was initially drawn the images in Lara Woolfson’s Fetish Series because I prefer to shoot portraits and feel most confident critiquing portraiture. After looking at all of the displayed images in the series, I realized that these portraits were strong in all the aspects that I need improvement on in my own portrait work. All of the portraits in the series initially draw the viewer in because of the subject, but color, lines, body language and eye contact of the portrait subjects make these images so dynamic. I have a difficult time photographing with the content of the full frame in mind, I tend to focus exclusively on the subject. The body language and facial expressions on the subjects in each photo seem to tell a story about how each person feels about their fetish, while leaving their story up to interpretation. I think this is the aspect of the series that makes these portraits so outstanding. Their fetishes are fairly clear to the viewer, but their stories or feelings about their fetishes are completely ambiguous. This interpretive story told by each image is what drew me to these images, and I hope to improve on this ability in my own work.

The portrait of the woman in fishnet stockings uses line and texture to move the eye throughout the image. The body language of the woman suggests that she is uneasy about the photo being taken, which adds more interest to the subject matter of the photo. The position of her torso and legs also provides lines and angles for the eye to follow that creates a more dynamic image, in combination with the contrast of texture between the fishnet and couch. The red lip draws the eye to the face of the girl in contrast to the background of the red couch.

The portrait of the woman in a knit bodysuit uses color and lines to direct the eye throughout the image. The repetition of varying shades of blue and red, along with the variety of shapes creates rhythm in the image. The angles of the woman’s body in addition to the angle of the lamp, couch, photo frame, and scar on her forehead create a focus on the woman’s face.

The portrait of the woman with the horse does not incorporate colors to guide the eye, but instead uses contrast of white and black, unlike the other two portraits in the series. Although the woman in the portrait is centered, the placement of the horse draws the eye into the background of the photo, creating movement. The dark black lines made by the woman’s shoes, the whip, and the harness of the horse’s head all direct the eye toward the stern, confident expression on the woman’s face. The lines of the woman's straight leg and the horse's leg provide repetition and symmetry, along with the repetition of the lines of the crooked leg and the angle of the horses head.

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Composition

I was drawn to this composition because of all the mirrored angles, and the repetition of the circle on the stool with the circle in the upper right corner. I also liked the reflection on the surface of the table and on the floor, and the muted colors in the room.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

9/15/16

I was drawn to this picture because of the contrasting shades. Each shade is bordered and contrasted by a different shade, creating lines and directions for the eye to follow and continue moving throughout the image. There is not one shade that dominates the image and 'stops' the eye from moving, allowing the eye to travel throughout the image as a whole. The man's thumb is where my eye enters the image, and follows his arm which frames the woman's face perfectly. The placement of the woman's two fingers guides the eye too, and provides an interesting contrast of shades. The image would not be nearly as interesting to the eye without her two fingers placed as they are. The darkest shade next to the woman's face is mirrored in her black shirt and in the shadow under the man's beard, which provides a lighter shade in contrast. Not only have all the shades been placed 'strategically' to balance and contrast one another, but the subject of the photo also balances and contrasts each other. The woman's face is smiling and making eye contact with the camera, and is primarily light with a small darker shadow. The man is not making eye contact, and appears to almost have a slight frown on. His face is mostly a darker shade, with his eye highlighted by a lighter shade (which is perfectly outlined by the woman's hair). Their contrast in expression and the contrast in shades makes the image very complex and interesting.

My two favorite images

Images picked by classmates

I was surprised by the images picked by classmates because I was not particularly proud of those two. It is interesting to see how other people can have different views about the same photos.