MOMA Robert Frank Paper

 

This landscape picture is of a group of people. The point of view is unique because it seems to be overhead and in a corner. It is almost as if the viewer is a fly on a wall, witnessing this scene. The light source is from the light fixture in the middle of the room. There doesn't seem to be a main thing that catches your eye, but rather, a story to tell. The motions of people are captured in the image. The lighting is soft and mostly illuminates the people around the table. The light fixture and people around the table are most in focus, while the people around the edge of the image are in motion and blurred. The man with his arm out is also a big focus of the image, he looks like he is giving a speech. This image makes me feel a sense of community. These people seem to be having a conversation or meeting, possibly about a group project or idea. They look very passionate about what they are talking about. The shutter speed probably was not extremely fast, which is evident with the blurred arms and faces of certain figures in motion. 

This is a landscape photo. This is also a portrait photo but taken in a very unique way. The people are posed in front of windows, and the image is taken from outside of the building. The people seem to be facing each other. The light is coming from the sun. There are shadows casted on the building and people. The point of view is straightforward. My eye is drawn to the ovals on top of the windows which look like mirrors because the image has many square qualities to it while the ovals vary in size and shade. That could also be affecting the light quality. This image makes me feel sad because the people look like they are talking to each other, but they are so far from each other that the conversation does not seem genuine. The image could be implying that these people have a barrier between them, hence the middle window being closed, or something that is stopping them from being fully open with each other. Only one of the figures has light illuminating them and they also look more relaxed and younger than the other person. This could represent an age barrier and difference in levels of acceptance in different age groups. 

This is a portrait image. This image was taken with a low shutter speed because the image shows the motion of the figures, and it is very blurred. The light is coming from all directions around the people. The composition reminds me of annotated notes because of the writing in the margins and on the image. My eyes are drawn to the four figures in the middle of the image, but then I notice the little image at the top left corner. That portrait is the only one in focus and is in much better quality than the rest of the image. It also reminds me of a facetime call, giving the image a feel of a modern touch. The jarring difference in the focus of the image, accompanied with the writing and drawing on the image makes for an interesting composition. This image makes me feel uneasy because the figures' faces are not in focus enough to be recognizable, and they look scary. This picture looks like a suspect list for a conspiracy based on the names on the bottom, the writing and the notes in the margins. There is high exposure on the background of the image along with the two people in the middle since they are wearing light colors.

“I think of myself, standing in a world that is never standing still"

City as a spectacle

 

LIGHT research

 

This image is interesting to me because of its composition and use of light. The light coming through the window creates shadows on the people standing in the hallway in a dotted pattern. There are deep shadows towards the top of the image. There is also a person facing the direction of the camera, unlike the other people in the hallway. Everyone else is looking away from the camera, walking in other directions or blocked by the man looking into the camera. The perspective seems to be from a first-person point of view, as if the viewer is the hallway looking at the man in the main focus of the composition. The light in this image is coming from the side. The light also creates various tones of shadow on the people's clothes and faces. The floor has the same dotted pattern as the wall however, the wall is more elongated due to the way the light hits it. 

The light in this image is bold and very noticeable. The composition of this image consists of people walking in different directions and the light hitting them in different ways. The light creates a deep shadow on the man in the middle left. He himself looks like a shadow besides the white on his outfit. The person all the way in the left corner has prominent highlights in his clothes on his back due to the way the light shines. The two people on the right have highlights but the person in the corner has more prominent light on their head. The light in this image is coming from the side. 

This picture uses light in a very unique way. The light source is not visible on the image however, we know that the sun must be the source. The sun creates this luminous effect because of the way it interacts with the fog. The fog carries the light in all different directions. The sunlight also creates the reflections in the lake, making the image look mirrored. The way the fog drapes over the landscape creates shadows everywhere and makes the whole image appear in gray scale. This image is an example of how light can be used in less obvious ways. The light in this image is coming from all directions, but especially the top. 

The light in this image is coming from behind the figures. The light coming from behind makes the people look like shadows. The way the light interacts with the curtain in front of the people is very interesting because not only does the light give color to the curtains, but the reflection of the curtains illuminates the eyes of the man and baby. The reflection also gives color to certain parts of their clothing. Without the curtain in front of them, the people would not have these areas of color and light highlighted. They would just be shadows with minimal lighting on them. The curtain and the way light reflects off of it is essential to this image. 

Todd Hido

Todd Hido uses light that is natural. His photography consists of homes, landscapes and people. As stated in the video “He doesn't move things or add lights. He takes full advantage of the ambient atmosphere around him to focus on the seemingly mundane”. He lets his environment create interesting compositions and shadows for him. He works with long exposures. His photos of homes and buildings are taken from the exterior. They seem to be a first-person point of view and makes the viewer seem like they are the ones looking onto these houses. He especially likes the way light shines through windows and curtains or how light reflects off of the buildings themselves. For his portrait photos in the hotel, “Todd takes full advantage of the ambience he finds there”. He uses hotels because he can easily make it look minimal and used. The floors matter too since the higher up the room, the more light will come in the poses he wants for his portraits to be very natural and normal. Even though he does set up these scenes, he tries to make them look as natural as possible. In the photos in the video, the light is mostly hitting the models face, highlighting her features and creating shadows around the environment. He uses his photos to tell stories that are open to interpretation. His work is very natural, and he works with settings without disturbing the place he photographs. His use of light is based on how other people use it, such as in their homes, and the sunlight based on certain times of the day. 

50 images of light