CUNY YORK
Alfredo Jeff
Digital Photography
March 20th,
2013
Photography
in Life #1
I agree with Marvin Heiferman’s quote, “Today the more
photography images we encounter and get to work with, the less certainty we
have about the nature or possibility of photographic truth”.
When
I grew up as a kid I would take photos with my father’s Canon T50 which is an
automatic camera with a 50 mm lens. When I took photos I felt like a
photographer. I didn’t do anything with my images to enhance the quality. I
enjoyed film and how I could just get it developed and know that was my photo
and it was original.
Marvin
Heiferman says that, “we need, use, and respond to photographs in their myriad
forms for all sorts of reasons”. When you look at a photograph in the 20th
century, as a photographer you have to wonder now if the photographer who took
their photos used anything like Photoshop to enhance the image or change some
natural qualities. We all respond to photography differently and may see
something the next viewer sees differently from us.
An
example of work would be from Jean Michel Basquait. In his paintings one person
may just see street art or vandalism upon a wall. Viewers ask why it was done
and wonder how it was thought. Jean Michel Basquiat’s paintings and drawings describes his ideas about life and the world
around him. The Brooklyn Museum had an exhibit of his work eight years ago
based on his life and work.
Marvin
Heiferman also says that, “Photography excites
us to the point that it makes us greedy to see more”. When I started to do the
personal project my idea was to focus on identity and how paint and makeup
transforms a person into someone totally different. I had finished recreating my
piece on Jean Michel Basquiat’s painting
of the 90’s recreating this African holding up his catch of fish for the day. I
had to edit this in class with my professor and she showed me something that I wish
I had more time. She transformed my photo.
She applied the background from the original painting that Jean
Michel Basquiat created and placed it on top of my photo. I wanted to do more
of this but had little time to do the rest of the photos but this made me see a
totally different view of my photo.
Every
day we are influenced by the little things in life and as photographers we try
to capture those moments. We inspire others and give reason to our work. What
we as photographers cannot do is to be completely satisfied with our work.
There will forever be a hunger for more work.
Works
Cited Page
"Collections." Street to Studio: The Art of
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Presented by JPMorganChase. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar.
2013.
Heiferman, Marvin. "Photography Changes
Everything." Photography
Changes Everything(n.d.): n. pag. Web.