Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Assignment 5 Virtual essay

Option 2


There are so many famous photographers in the world, I have chosen one of them for me to work on this assignment. His name is Andrew Prokos. Andrew Prokos is a New York City photographer, and owns a company named Andrew Prokos Photography. Most of his photos were based on New York City, and he is specialize in architectural, location, and fine art photography. Andrew is such a success photographer who have been widely published his works in magazines and corporate annuals. In this report, I am going to find some similarities photos on internet, and then compare them with Andrew's work.


The first photo I chose from Andrew Prokos is the landscape photo below - a view of the Lake in Central Park in Autumn, New York City. In andrew's photo, he just captured some simple things, a lake, stone, tree, and some buidlings. However, the sense of his work is not that simple at all. When you looking at this beatiful landscape, you could totally feel, touch, and taste the beautiful autumn. Through this photo, I guess the sense of this photo is in order to bring people on the spot to the lake in Central Park, New York City.

A view of the Lake in Central Park in Autumn, New York City
By Andrew Prokos




The photo below was taken by Greg Maklae, it is a winter landscape photo with the view of Oak Mountain in NY. Comparing to Andrew Prokos's autumn landscape photo. Maklae's work has the similarity as capture the landscape in a season, but this one is winter. I think this photo have the same sense for everybody that to bring out the season winter when you looking at the photo. Seriously, if you try to feel the landscape in this photo, don't you feel cold?

Looking across to Oak Mountain, Speculator, NY
By Greg Maklae


 The second photo I chose from Andrew Prokos is the one below - a view of the Empire Sate Building and Midtown Manhattan at Dusk. From the photo, you could see that the Empire State Building's crown andspire are lighted in blue and white for Hanukkah.


view of the Empire Sate Building and Midtown Manhattan at Dusk
By Andrew Prokos



The photo below was a panoramic night view of downtown Toronto which taken by Oleksiy Maksymenko. The photo was taken at Harbourfront. Comparing to Andrew Prokos's work, this one gives me the same inspire as the panoramic night view of a city.


Panoramic View Of Toronto Downtown Harbourfront Skyline Nighttime Scenery. Ontario Canada
By Oleksiy Maksymenko



The Third photo I chose from Andrew Prokos is the one below - A view of Times Square at night, New York City. The photo was taken at Time Square, New York. From the photo, Andrew Prokos had captured a beautiful night view of New York City.

View of Time Square at night
By Andrew Prokos


The photo below was taken by Geoff Daivs. It was a view of the panoramic night view of Yonge street, downtown Toronto. Comparing to Andrew Prokos's work. This one gives me the same view of a city's street night, and the same sense that when night falls the city is still live with people.


view of Yonge Street, Downtown, Toronto
By Geoff Davis



The Forth photo I chose from Andrew Prokos is the one below - The crown of 750 Lexington Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.

750 Lexington Avenue Crown
By Andrew Prokos


The photo below was a view of the Montezuma Castle which taken by Chun Y Lai. Comparing to Andrew Prokos's work. This one could show me the same meaning of what is the Architectural Photographs.

Montezuma Castle NM
By Chun Y Lai


The last photo I chose from  Andrew Prokos is the one below - A painter with his model in Central Park, New York City. It is a lifestyle photograph.
The Painter, Central Park
By Andrew Prokos


The photo below is another lifestyle photo by Simon Powell. In the photo, He have captured a very simple lifestyle, two man are running on the road. Comparing to Andrew Prokos's work, this one is similarities  as that one, because both of them are capturing the simple life style. It brings us a comfort feeling when we looking at the photo.


Lifestyle,  By Simon Powell


References:
Images Resources:

http://api.ning.com/files/ZGEBnOZbkUZ9VPkva4CmDhX**I487af-SLLbygt8GxlmnjSCwCpB*dJPdmguK5JnoRNwfCjKhaYU98FRgMe3KJoYRCvDQCMK/OakMt0043.jpg

http://andrewprokos.com/d/empire-state-view-dusk?g2_itemId=6143&g2_serialNumber=9

http://www.worldofstock.com/slides/TAE2853.jpg

http://andrewprokos.com/d/night-photo?g2_itemId=1197&g2_serialNumber=7

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timberwolf1212/2702967198/

http://andrewprokos.com/d/750-lexington-ave-crown?g2_itemId=5831&g2_serialNumber=7

http://www.chunlaiphotography.com/images/architecture/7-X123.K.jpg

http://andrewprokos.com/d/central-park-painter?g2_itemId=5861&g2_serialNumber=5

http://www.simonpowell.net/master.html



Monday, March 21, 2011

DB 11 - Week 11: Kertesz and Cartier-Bresson versus Smith and Salgado

Compare the work of Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson versus the work of Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado. They are photojournalist with different approaches.


1. Andre Kertesz

André Kertész, Broken Plate, 1929


2. Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson, Tretyakovsky Art Gallery, Moscow, USSR, 1954

3. Eugene Smith

W. Eugene Smith/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Jun 01, 1944
http://www.life.com/gallery/23016/image/51511847#index/0


4. Sebastio Salgado

Sebastião Salgado
Firefighters at Work
Sabotaged Oil Wells in Kuwait,
1991


What are the main differences and similarities?


Through some of their photographs, I have figured out that the main differences between the work of Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson versus the work of Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado are the visibility of the photographer. Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson believed that photographers should be invisible and only be seen as doing their jobs, and not to make emotional connections to their subjects. The approach they use is take photo without any edited on it, but just leave them as they are. In comparison, Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado believed that photographers should be visible, and the best photos are created by interacting with your subjects. The approach they use is the complete opposite. These pionts are the main differences between them. However, they also have few similarities points. Firstly, there is no limitaion on both of their photographs, the objects could be anything. Agian, it is that they both wanted to depend on the photographs to spread their senses to the public. 


What’s the better journalistic approach?

If I never took this photography course, I would consider that one of the approach is better. However, after I studied this course, I think I cannot give a answer of this question. In my opinion, there is not better approach on the jouralistic photography. Since each approach has its advantage. Such as Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson’s approach are good at leavin gthe photos unedited, and staying true to the term reality. On the other hand, Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado's approach are good at adding more depth and sense to photos by photo enhancement.


Image Sources:
http://www.threepennyreview.com/images/-gallery/104cover.jpg
http://i.pbase.com/o3/98/316398/1/88558913.qnFIdOq7.bresson_moscow54_tretyakovka_a.jpg
http://www.life.com/gallery/23016/image/51511847#index/0
http://pdngallery.com/20years/photojournalism/images/18_sebastiao_salgado.jpg




Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Assignment 1 PART 2 - Web 2.0 Photo Journal Blog

Part 2: Press photography versus art photography

                                                                Press Photo 1
 Photographer: Bo Bor

Press Photo 2

  Photographer: Gleb Garanich


Art Photo 1

Dark City
By Seb Janiak

Art Photo 2

Breaunna in Cat Mask
By Albert Watson



In my opinion, the main differences between art and press photography is significance. Press photography can be defined as press photographers capture images to record news and lifestyle stories for publication. Those two press photos I posted upon could give you good examples. The first press photo was taken by Bo Bor, a Reuters photographer based in China, the photo was recorded the event of earthquake survivors rescue works in Sichuan Province. And the second press photo was taken by Gleb Garanich, a Reuters photographer based in Ukraine, in the photo, you could see a Georgian man mourning his brother after a bombardment in Gori. Through the press photos, the readers could totally feel what was it like to be in the news, events, and stories. In contrast to the press photography, art photography is defined as the photos are created in accordance with the creative vision of the photographer as artist, so it is a thing that could influence photographers to create their own vision during the photo-taking process, but could not use to capture the news, events and life stories. If you compare the press photos and art photos I posted upon, you will clearly understand what is the main differences between them. Although press and art photographs have so much differences, they have a little similarities. It is there is no limitation on the images capturing. The images can be people, nature, landscape, buildings, fashion......and so on. Both of the photographs are created by photographers who have artistic knowledge and highly response.


 Is it ethical and acceptable to alter art photographs? I believe that it is ethical and acceptable to do that.  Photo enhancement is a good example,  base on the photoshop functions, artist could edit the art photographs whatever they like in order to get different outcomes. For example, a portrait, through the photo enhancement, you can make the portrait's expression to be happy, sad, mad.....etc. Therefore, altering the photo not only will not change the sense of the photo, but also will make the photo looks more perfect. On the other hand, is it ethical and acceptable to alter press photographs? In this point, I think it is not ethical and acceptable to do that. Since the definition of press photographs is image to record news, events and lifestyle stories for publication. Therefore, if one alter the press photographs that will directly change the signification of the original photograph.

Reference List:
Images sources

 
 
 
 
 





                                                                  

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

D9 Week 9 - Shooting the truth: Photojournalism

What's the role of photo journalism?


The role of photojournalism is a branch of journalism to record down events that occur in our world. Journalist generally take some truth photos that occur in the events, and they would write a specific story base on the photos. Through the photos, the readers could totally understand the background of events. Again, the photos could gain the authenticity of the story. In my opinion, the story from the photos Journalist offer are news related, and the context of photos are directly connected to the story.

Image source from Google Images


Are there rules that photojournalists should follow? Why? Why not?

"NPPA Code of ethics" states that visual journalists and those who manage visual news productions are accountable for upholding the following standards in their daily work:
  1. Be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects.
  2. Resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities.
  3. Be complete and provide context when photographing or recording subjects. Avoid stereotyping individuals and groups. Recognize and work to avoid presenting one's own biases in the work.
  4. Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or tragedy. Intrude on private moments of grief only when the public has an overriding and justifiable need to see.
  5. While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or influence events.
  6. Editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images' content and context. Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.
  7. Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for information or participation.
  8. Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek to influence coverage.
  9. Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists.
(https://gbc.blackboard.com/webct/urw/lc5122011.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct)


Is the ethics of taking journalistic photos different than the ethics of writing a news story?

Journalistic photos and news story writing should have the same ethics rule. Although both jobs are performancing the different works(one is recording the events of the world,  and the other one is presenting to the public), both jobs should follow a common rule is bringing out the truth. In general, Journalistic photos is give readers the truth photos from the event; on the other hand,  news written is base on the photos to write specific story from the event, so they should have the same ethics rule. 

What's the impact of altering press photographs? Should they be edited (at all) in postproduction?

The impact of altering press photographs could be positive or negative depending what intention of the alter.  If people altering press photographs only for enhancing the photos, this would not give too much impact for the photo, but a lilttle positive impact too, because it makes the photo look better. However, if people altering the photographys for changing the truth, then the impact of that could be very large. Since Photographs were the evidence of truth, it were used to record the important events in the old days, so if people altering press photographys in the wrong way so that would distort the truth

Work Cited:

https://gbc.blackboard.com/webct/urw/lc5122011.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct

Image sources:
http://www.canberra.edu.au/communication/assets/journalism.jpg