History and Practice of Photography Fall 2013: 2013

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Studium


Tents at Woodstock

- Studium is a form of human interest in a photo, due to the photograph’s political or historical element. Studium, however, is just a general interest, not a deep, emotional, or a personal connection that causes pain or delight. You either like the photo or dislike the photo. It is never love.

- For the image that I have selected, I chose a historical photo of the hippie movement in the 1960s. The photo selected, represents tents at the Woodstock. The Woodstock presented a large group of a counterculture generation and brought in thousands of hippies for the three-day music festival. In this photo, the number of tents indicate that the event was a busy and crowded one. Due to the visible people in the photograph, as well as the car, it is noticeable that the event took place in the past. The man’s long locks, fringe vest, and overall style, symbolizes the 1960s.

- Based on Barthes’s reading, this photo represents a scene of history. Staring at the photograph that corresponds to a legendary concert can initiate immediate appeal. The people present, the outfits, the setting, and the quality of the photo create the fascination that I have for the image. The photographer successfully captured a piece of history with his/her evidence that the Woodstock existed. The photo, however, does not personally relate to me. If the photo somehow generated a deep, emotional, and personal feeling within me, then the photo would be considered a punctum. However, it does not, and therefore it is only a studium.

-Photo via Tumblr-

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Snapshots-bellhooks~

This is a snap shot of bell hooks and a fan, taken circa 1970s. I tried to find a picture of her father, in order to help hone the image she intricately describes in her piece, "In Our Glory". Snap shots are intended to convey a moment that won't be forgotten. Sometimes the individuals in the picture are caught off guard, looking away from the lens, not smiling--or the opposite, gleaming! Snap shots take the image of the person, right there, in that moment, and that's all you get to see as the beholder of the image. bell hooks, in this photo is gleaming with her subject, humbly signing a book that she authored, and this moment in time, is all we get. We don't get to know the background of this image; where it was taken, why it was taken (was there another reason?), what day it was taken.
The fleetingness is romantic to bell hooks, when she describes the photograph of her father, looking young and fit. But she is saddened when he disgraces the images of himself because he has dark skin. But she qualifies her discontentment by stating,
"Cameras gave to black folks, irrespective of our class, a means by which we could participate fully in the production of images...contemporary commodification of blackness creates a market context wherein conventional, even stereotypical, modes of representing blackness may receive the greatest reward. This leads to a cultural context in which images that would subvert the status quo are harder to produce. There is no 'perceived market' for them."
I felt this image was appropriate for such a statement because of its elusiveness.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Family Portrait

This is a photo of my dad, my brother, and myself at a beach near Carmel, CA. I like this photo because even though we have posed for it, I feel that it does capture a lot of our genuine feelings and expressions. This photo also makes me feel happy because I enjoy seeing pictures of my family having a good time together.

The Brothers

The support system of siblings is unexplainable. Represented here are my two younger brothers Cameron and Colby, and our dog, Pebbles. Although the nature of the photo was organized, the connection of happiness to show we are siblings through love and unity is seen throughout the flow of the picture. The way we smile and the way that our bodies are all touching symbolizes us as one family.

Family:

This picture tells so much about my family, just by looking at where each person in the photo is looking toward I am reminded of the character and roles of my mother, my younger sister and I.

2 of many

We are 2 of many who were not present that day, but this is a special picture because seeing my sister's face just makes me feel happy; punctum. We have a brother/sister language with made up words that apparently only we can decipher. We are the youngest of 5. She is the 5th.

My People

This photo speaks to me on many different levels. For one it signifies my own growth by completing high school but also this is a rare photo for my family. Seldom do we do very many things together, and coming from a single parent household it always felt like my mother was there for me more than anyone else. This photo reminds me that my aunts and grandparents are just as emotionally supportive, and despite not seeing them often, they still care for me deeply and want to see me succeed. This image will always be dog eared in my personal album.

Family Portrait

Every family haves there ups and downs and especially the relationship between my mother and I. The Punctum portrays the smiles and happiness of our yearly family vacation and it as well documents the point in our relationship in which we became closer.

Happier Moments

I chose this photograph because of the time in which it was taken, and because of the very prominent smiles on mine and my sisters' faces. My mother isn't there; she's the one who took the photograph. But, we are all smiling to her and it's evident how happy those times were. Climbing on our 25 year old tree, being young little girls happy with our amazing father. That aura of happiness and of a perfect life no longer remains. But at least looking back at old photographs, it's clear that it really was there at one time.

Family Photograph- Trevor Blondin

This picture, while not of my whole family, is from 2010. It means a lot to me because I can look at it and see how my siblings and I have grown in the years after this photo. I also don't get to see my older sister very often.

Family photograph- Tolani King

The photograph I have chosen is from a dinner we have to pay homage to my great grandfather. In this photo, this is only a few of the women who were effected by this man growing up, and to these women, this is the only man we know. The day this photo was taken was a very emotional day for all of us because we were here honoring this man while he was still alive, because a few days before we have gotten the news that his cancer was going to take him out soon. this photo is important because this was one of the last family dinners we had with him and all of our extended family while he was alive.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Family photograph - Veronica Cruz

This is a family photograph of my younger siblings and I when I was seven years old. The punctum of this photograph dwells in its innocence. It lies in the apparent happiness and sibling unity reflected in our faces. It is that family bond that invokes in the viewer a nostalgic feeling, a certain yearn for the good old simple days.

Kyle Chism Family Photograph

My mom and I make up whats left of my immediate family. That being said this picture denotes the close and everlasting bond my mom and I share. The "punctum" in this photograph are the careless smiles on our faces and relaxed posture, reminding the viewer of the unconditional loving bond of a mother and her son.

Move-in-Day

This photograph was taken of my family and I on the day that I moved into my college dorm as a freshman. The punctum lies in the lanyard and key that hangs around my neck that is a signifier for my new home. It also lies within the happiness seen in the pace of my parents and the sly grin in the face of my younger brother. When I see this photo I am able to recall the moments before this photo was taken when my brother asked me if he could use my bedroom as a "party room" for him and his friends.

This picture invokes a personal connection because it is a picture of a 50th wedding anniversary which is a significant milestone for any family. It can be appreciated by anybody because it provides either a goal to strive for, or a milestone to reflect on.

Sisterhood

This photograph is an image of some my sorority sisters, my college family. Five years from now each and every one of us can look back to that picture and see that at one point in life we were all in the same path. However, as the years pass some of us will graduate and will spread into different directions. This image will then bring great memories not only to me but to every single one of them. Yet, this image is a reminder to me that wherever life takes me, they will always be there for me.

"The Tournat Family"

This photograph's punctum is the representation of my hurt and bitterness towards my extended family. Barthes states that the punctum is "that accident which pricks me (but also bruises me, is poignant to me.)" and this is the best example of that literal bruising. Rather than us being one family, I see in this photograph how our differences break us apart through the obvious fact that my mom and I were not there.

Referent by Nancy Rubio

According to Roland Barthes, referent is the basic understanding given to the photograph when is first looked at. Yet it requires to be analyzed in detail to understand the deeper meaning that it is actually portraying. “It is not impossible to perceive the photographic signifier (certain professionals do so), but it requires a secondary action of knowledge or of reflection (Barthes, 20). For example, this image that I selected is of two soldiers helping the opposing soldier. It demonstrates the capturing of the man who’s life is now endangered they can keep him alive or take his life away which is evident in the picture.

Depending on the way that the photograph is looked at, it is clearly understood what is going on. However, the referent changes, it can be viewed and interpreted differently depending what side of the image is analyzed. One can feel pity and remorse for the man on the first left side of the photograph because the referent only shows a soldier pointing a gun on the opposing soldier’s head. Moreover, if one analyzes the far right side of the photograph, one can feel compassionate for the man because the referent demonstrates a soldier helping the opposing soldier in need. Overall, the referent is a way of obtaining a clear interpretation of the image that is depicted.

One last time.

Whenever I see this photo, I remember the mixture of happiness and sadness I felt the night it was taken. It was my 18th birthday celebration, and the last time all five of us were in the same room. I was undeniably filled with joy because my brothers, who were in the Navy at the time, flew home and my divorced parents agreed to be in the same room just for my birthday. Sadness crept up after the realization that this photo is no longer a true representation of our family, yet a fitting reminder that we are still connected despite the parental separation.

The Herreras in Machu Picchu

My family and I stand in front of Machu Picchu, one of the seven Wonders of the Modern World, during our summer vacation in Peru two years ago. Yes a punctum exists in this photograph, which is our not being centered. Another puctum is my younger brother's sunglasses not matching everyone else's, thus making him stand out. However, despite these punctums, we still enjoy looking at this photograph because we are united and enjoying each other's company immensely in one of the greatest attractions of all time! In the end, it is our amusement that outweighs any mistakes that exist in our photograph.

The Malaya's

I studied the photo carefully, one that is dated and from a place far away. The photo represents my generation in the Malaya Clan; six different individuals, separated by distance, age, language, and personality. I look again at their faces and mine as well; varying from despondent looks, smiles both faked, forced, and real. I discern from the varying postures that some don't want to be there, others are rather bored, and one really does want to take the photo. From the varying expressions, and emotions, it's hard to realize that we are part of one family. The Vast difference of every facet of this photograph documents our diverse lifestyles, our differences, yet we are one family. It's contradictory, but it makes sense. That's how we are.

Normality

Punctum: Tightly-knit siblings who love to be goofy. This family portrait captures our relationship with each other and all the funny memories we've shared throughout our lives. There are numerous inside jokes behind this one picture that associate with each of our facial expressions. Whenever I'm having a bad day, I know I can always look back at this picture and smile. When looking at this photo, my first thoughts are reminiscing on the inside jokes and all the memories we've shared together.

Vasquez-Hernandez family 2012

Families aren't perfect. That's one thing most people can agree on. This photo is of my family. Three generations under one roof. Very rarely do we all get to be together, but when we do, all of our differences are set aside. Especially for our grandma, who sits contently in the middle.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Amargo's

(two boys & two girls | me, Amihan, Paul, Luke)

This past Thanksgiving break (above photo) was the first time in months that the four of us were together for more than a day. In the present, we grow older and distances grow farther; we will still remain close like when we were birthed. Forever, the children on the walls are the same adults living.

(fun family portraits | emotional attachment below | bonus shots)