Helen Levitt

Helen Levitt is another photographer who can take a completely ordinary situation and make it extraordinary. She can take something so plain and make it so intriguing. Some of her photos are heart wrenching but some of them evoke feelings that I haven't felt and memories that I haven't recalled in so very long. Ahhh childhood..... :)



   http://leclownlyrique.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/helen-levitt-1940.jpg

Tina Modotti

There is something about hands....I'm obsessed with them. It's usually one of the first things I notice about a person. Oddly enough, I am just now realizing that I've never photographed anyone's hands before. I can't believe that it never occurred to me. You can tell so much about a person by their hands. Tina Modotti has several photographs of hands, they were the first photos of hers that caught my eye. Definitely have to keep this in mind for my portrait assignment.

http://beppesassa.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/mani20di20operaio20messico2019274.jpg

Minor White

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I didn't know who Minor White was. I've definitely heard the name before but was not familiar with his work. It is absolutely incredible.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTlJ55k0m_4zg3h4KCUb9hpP2SClpye_Whcs-iB1c4DvTdeaKFPWnRyGtANoClnf8RxcsWNSUbAHQ7ymG_WN_vvGh54JrA2S7MxLPwAn1qdazYX9nKnFJfKkKciHh4i5oZCaI6bSKqX65/s1600/MinorwhiteBeginnings.jpg

W. Eugene Smith

How can something be so beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time? Many of his photos cause this reaction in me. You can literally feel the pain that the woman on the left is experiencing.


http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=w.+Eugene+Smith&qpvt=w.+Eugene+Smith&FORM=IGRE#view=detail&id=2200A10FF542395D8FC19ABD88713FB8B6262CB9&selectedIndex=101

Nickolas Muray

In the weeks before the semester began I decided I was going to make myself shoot more things out of my comfort zone. I believe I even mentioned to my instructor that I intended on forcing myself to work on portraits. I don't know why they make me so uncomfortable to shoot but they do. I am hoping that this new assignment will force me out of my comfort zone a little more.

The portraiture of Nickolas Muray is absolutely beautiful and inspiring to me. It is definitely worth looking into if you have the time. http://nickolasmuray.com/portraiture

Robert Frank

"My photographs are not planned or composed in advance and I do not anticipate that the onlooker will share my viewpoint. However, I feel that if my photograph leaves an image on his mind--something has been accomplished."-Robert Frank

There is something to be said for being ordinary. Robert Frank saw that and made the ordinary extraordinary.

http://www.atgetphotography.com/Images/Photos/RobertFrank/frank16.jpg

Arthur Rothstein

"Photography is a universal language, transcending the boundaries of race, politics, and nationality." - Arthur Rothstein

I think we have all been asked the question "If you could do it over, what would you do differently?" Well, if I could do it over (and know that I would still end up with the people I have in my life right now) I would take off after graduation day and refuse to come home until I had seen (and photographed) it all.

Arthur Rothstein's photographs made that question pop into my head for some reason. They made me want to jump in the car and drive without knowing where I was headed. Just drive.

http://arthurrothsteinarchive.com/uploads/3/0/0/1/3001267/7577129_orig.jpg

A little too cocky....

Guess who had a little to much confidence at the beginning of the semester??? That would be this lady! I have always managed to get things done no matter how big they were and how little time I had. This semester is the first time in my life that I am failing at getting things done. I have officially reached my limit and bitten off more than I can chew. For some unknown reason, I thought raising 4 kids and going to school full-time wasn't keeping me busy enough so I got a full-time job too. The only thing that seems to be suffering this semester (besides ME) is my photography and its killing me.

I fell into photography on accident and I really believe it saved me. I found it at one of the lowest points in my life and continued to run to the darkroom every time my "regular" life began to overwhelm me. As I have gotten older though, the days have seemed to get shorter and there isn't even enough time to be overwhelmed. I couldn't tell you the last time I worked in a darkroom (and I have one in my basement).

I know there is a way to do it all. There has to be. When you have a schedule this hectic, its a matter of trial and error to figure out the most efficient way to get it all done. The beginning of this semester has definitely been an error. I think I have mastered it over the last week (but I've thought that before).  I can only go up from here right????