Friday, February 24, 2012

Trends and Photography


The latest assignment is to explore trends in a particular genre of photography using websites or other resources, then take a look at my inspiration file to see if there are any elements of these current trends and analyze how they may be influencing me. What an interesting process this will be, but it will have to wait until I am back home from my road trip, since I just don’t have easy internet access.
Like some others who have already posted on this topic, I am aware of some trends that arise out of photo editing programs.  I’m thinking of textures and layers and the holga lens effect.  While I enjoy seeing texture and layers in others’ photos, I really haven’t explored them myself.  It takes some effort to master to layering in Photoshop Elements, which is the program I have, but it’s also at home and not on the laptop that I’m using while we’re on the road.
I find the holga lens very interesting with its moody fade out and darkening around the edges. I’d like to see how some of my photos look with this effect.  And I will try it once I’m home and have access to my photo editing program.  I also notice that there’s a lot of bokeh around even in TV series and I’m attracted to that and would like to be able to master this effect.
It seems to me that we’re all influenced by trends in imagery, to some extent.  We’re  surrounded by so many visuals—on TV, internet, billboards, magazines, etc.  I enjoy looking at photographs of home décor and food and I see definite trends in this genre.  Also, landscape photography has moved away from what I think of as the classic “Ansel Adams” approach, although some photographers are returning to black and white and even using the big field cameras again to recreate that look. 
There are so many approaches and I am grateful that Kat has suggested this exercise to show a possible way through the forest of trends to find my own eye. 
The blue highway at the top was taken from the car window after a storm in Nebraska. The church below is actually one in Taos that Ansel Adams photographed.  I don’t think he had any tree shadows in his, though.

This last one is from our recent trip to Tumacacori, an abandoned mission in Arizona.  I discovered the bokeh circles when I looked at it on my computer.  I have no idea how they got there, but I think they add a little mystery to the image.  Clearly I will have to find out more about creating this look. 


5 comments:

  1. The highway picture makes me feel like I'm riding down the road, forever. It seems endless! That is a neat feeling. I really like the bottom picture of the mission with the mystery bokeh! Cool. Best of all I like what you wrote, and how you explained the trends we see, especially on tv, internet, etc. This season I really noticed the bokeh on tv camera work at Christmas time and the lights in the background. So many options to explore, and they are available for us if we are interested, and no big deal of we aren't. I hope you enjoy your very long road trip and traveling! Safe traveling Joanna!

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  2. I see bokeh everywhere too, but have not used it very often! I don't know what a holga lens is-will need to look that up!

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  3. Hello Joanna,
    I love your second photo of the church and the lovely tree shadows on the wall. You seem to still having a wonderful trip and are seeing so many interesting things.
    It sounds like you are interested in trying out the different options on your photo editing programme when you get home. I shall look out for the results!
    Enjoy the rest of your travels, it's so exciting seeing so many different things - it's as if we have new eyes!
    Have a safe trip home.
    Sandra

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  4. You got a bit of flare in that mission shot, from looking toward the sun. It does add a sense of mystery though. I love the tree shadow on the mission too! It clear I need to make some road trips to visit missions, I think I would love photographing them. Thanks for doing this exercise as you could, while on the road. I think the important thing is to realize trends are not bad, they just are. Play with them, learn from them and then incorporate what you like and make it your own. Unless we live in a vacuum we can't help but be influenced by trends in some way.

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  5. Hi Joanna,
    I really like the last two images! Such great sites to visit in the southwest, wonderful for picture making!
    You have a great sense of design and color which will serve you well in all your future picture taking. I can't wait to see what you come up with.
    Happy clicking!

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