In Black and White

The photos above are not part of the module for grading but thought I would post it up anyway to share with you guys.

Took these series of photos just now in the comfort of my bedroom.

All these photos were taken with a single light source - my speedlite.

Since I dont have those studio lightings to play around with, not even a sync cord for my flash, I had to make do with whatever I have and can find and try think of ways to achieve the mood I want for my photos.

I tried bouncing the flash off my white pillow case (which was placed at various places beside my sister) and I thought it worked very well!

From the pics above, you guys can see the various directions the lights were coming from.

Firing a direct flash at her is not desirable as it would "flatten" the whole image.

Trapped

How far will one go. what will one do and how will one feel towards change?

Construction

Losing your Physical Self

Many people become a completely different person. Plastic surgeries are so easily available nowadays. They undergo so much change (physically)that they no longer recognise who they are.

Beauty

Losing your Self Esteem

People lose their self esteem. Many unknowingly lost their self esteem when they look at how perfect (or so they thought) others around them are.

Sight

Losing the ability to Judge

When you are so engrossed in tryingg to be different, you inevitably lose the ability to judge what is right or wrong. Some wants so much to see the light at the end of the tunnel that they will do all things to get there, oblivious to things happening around them.

Ornament

Losing your Value

Some try to be nice to others around them for one reason or another but by doing so, they lose their own value. They might not be doing what they really believe in but just doing it because they want others around them to notice their presence.

Packaging

Losing your Identity

There are people who also try to change themselves so that they portray themselves as a different person infront of others. They change the way they speak, they change the way they dress, they change everything they can change hoping to present a "new self" to people around them. But they are losing their identity, losing who they first are.

Self

Losing your Willingness

When you take the first step out to change, you have sacrifice certain things in life. There are things which you have been doing all along that you can't do now.

Slavery

Losing your Freedom

Do you know that by taking the first step to change, you have actually lost your freedom? You do things you never wanted to do in the first place. You cant do things that you have always wanted to do. You lose so much.

Conscious

Losing your Sense

Sometimes, you dont even need to have something physically tying you down. Your mind can play tons of mind games with you, driving you crazy each and every minute.

Trash

Losing your Worth

Is everything you have done worth it? Or do you feel like a piece of trash after all that you have done?

Larger than Life

Losing your Perception

You think you are capable of achieving so much, but is it really possible?

Are all the changes you do worth the effort?

Do you feel trapped?

Credibility of an Image

What are the ways readers can judge the credibility of an image even in this era of digital manipulation?

Let me first share an image.

Image from museumofhoaxes.com

This picture of Martha Steward on Newsweek was actually digitally manipulated. She did not actually pose for the photo (walking out of the curtain). The Newsweek editors have actually attached her head to the body of a model. On top of that, there was also no indication on the cover that the image was a composite.

From the above, the only reason I thought why such a picture was actually necessary was because it complements the headline which reads "Martha’s Last Laugh: After Prison She’s Thinner, Wealthier & Ready for Prime Time”. I guess it was afterall a sales pitch used by the company to boost their sales based on this headline news.

Just by looking at this picture, I do not think any readers will be able to judge whether this picture was manipulated or if it was a geniune credible picture used to complement the news story. In today's context, many journalist uses photos to complement the headlines and not the other way round. Photo manipulation has brought news reading to another level. Now readers have to decide for themselves - is this real?

Many would argue that a picture speaks a thousand words. But in this era where picture manipulation is rampant, it would help if one is more opionionated and to a certain extend, exercise a certain level of self-assertion when reading or viewing a picture shown in the media or even just anywhere.

Personally, I think "matching" the photos with the main story itself would not be able to proof that the picture used for that story is credible. The example of Martha Steward shared above is an example. Images can be manipulated to complement the story inorder to highten the convinencing level of the article and as a result, the viewer might be deceived.

1) One way for readers to judge the credibility of an image would be to look up for other images related to the topics online.

Photos from Associated Press, Reuters, International Herald Tribune can be used as a source of reference. Such large international press usually have their own inhouse photophotographers and thus, the angle the photos shot should vary between publishing house. Base on reader's judgement after comparing the photos with various sources, readers should be able to get a better and more diverse sense of the whole scenario when the picture was taken.

2) In recent years, new technology has also emerged that can help news organisations identify photoshop fakes. For organisations that value ethics, they must deploy this type of technology to their newsroom to prevent the errosion of credibility.

To a certain extend, readers who obtain information from an organistation who uses such technology should be more assured of a credible photo used. At the end of the day, it is still about being selective on where you get your information from and in this case, preferably from a reputable news organisation who practices strigent checks on their photos used before release.

Surfice to say, on the other hand, not many people are that technology savvy in today's era. Lets not forget the older generations who do not use the internet. So is there a way they can judge the credibility of the images? I doubt so. They are made to believe "what they see is what is real".

"While ethical decisions have long played a central role in the business of newsgathering, journalists have never been governed by formal ethical standards. This is a key reason that journalism, by definition, is actually not a profession. You can’t be disbarred or lose your license as a journalist." - Anh D. Stack and Black Star Rising editor Scott Baradell from the book Is Photoshop Killing Photojournalism?

Techonology can be a means to an end. In this case, it can serve to inform and it can serve to kill.

Imagine yourself as a reader representative for a newspaper. What would you tell a reader who complained to you about a picture of a car wreck that was particularly upsetting?

Firstly, I have to be very clear and make my stand based on two ethical issues.

1) Are the photographs altered?

- Ethical photojournalist do not alter photographs beyond what is necessary to optimise the technical quality of the images.

2) Are the photographs staged?

- Ethical photojournlists do not stag, create or alter a scene for news photography.

If both above are not commited, I would just tell the reader that I am doing my job to bring the facts and reality of life to them. Granted the pictures might be upsetting but in reality, no one wants to see only a picture of a punctured tyre in a car accident. There is a saying which goes "Where is bleeds, it leads." These photos though disturbing, serves their purpose very well to tell the story that is not encapsulated by the text.

However, I think there has always been a dilemma between using photos which can potentially benefit the mass from viewing (telling a better story) vs. what might be seen as upsetting to the family and friends of the victims. But when due considerations is done and measured against the individual's and the publics' motivations, I think one would be able to become more aware of the meanings and motives that may lie beneath the surface of any picture and this would better justify their stand on the usage of the picture.

Singapore Biennale 2008

This is the first time I have been to a Biennale and I would say I feel each art work certainly has its own draw factor - good or bad.

The two main sites for the exhibitions, the City Hall and South Beach Development, are also very appropriate for many of the art work. The City Hall offers a rather quaint environment and the allocation of a single room to each exhibition actually sets the individual exhibit apart from each other. As for the South Beach Development, the site is rather rustic and it has a "raw" feel to it.

The exhibits in City Hall I feel are more "refined" and "sophisticated" to a certain extend and thus are very suitable to be exhibited in City Hall which eludes a sombre feel. The South Beach Developement on the other hand, has exhibits that are rather "raw" like the "Beauty and the Beast" exhibit which comprises of images of sculptures made of chewing gum.

On the whole, I feel there is a rather good mix of photography, sculptures, installations and videos on show at the Singapore Biennale 2008 and the choice of site for each installation compliments the work of each individual artiste to enhance the overall visual experience.

One of my favourite installions would be the "Impossibility of the Superstring Theory". It is actually a drawing installation by Joshua Yang at the South Beach Development.

Yang's work was actually influenced by the scientific conundrum of the Superstring Theory. His method of working is based on a strict system: 1) The line must not intersect itself at any point, 2) the line must be contiuous and have no breaks. From the above picture, we can see that he pays alot of attention to small details and is interesting how his art interacts with the pre-existing features at the installation site.

The South Beach Development is originally a site slated for revamp sometime next year. As such, the place is rather run down. The area allocated to Yang for his work is rather big but at certain corners around the site, there are rust marks and stains on the ceilings and floors. However, he has amazingly incorporated such imperfections of the site into his work, blending such spots with paint to incorporate them as part of his overall installation.

From the above photo, you can see that much effort has been put in to incorporate both the floor and ceiling as part of his installation as well. Yang has maximised the use of the space allocated for his work and this gives viewers a feel of continuation and flow.

It would be interesting to see this artiste's work again perhaps at another site. I am sure he would be able to come up with yet another spectacular piece of installation.

However, there are also installations that I do not really know how to appreciate. I believe it has its own merits but it just didnt suit my taste and I do not know how to appreciate it.

One example would be the "September Sweetness" by Thein, Chaw Ei; Streitmatter-Tran, Rich and Ko, Aung.

When I was there at the installation site at South Beach Development, I was greeted with a stale and weird smell and a site of white shabbles.

It is hard to imagine that these were actually sugar blocks.

When I referred to the guide book, I realise that these white sugar blocks were actually used to build this pagoda above. "Three artists worked closelt with structural engineers and cooks to come up with a solid sugar composition that could then be poured into moulds to create the final structure." It sure does seem like a great deal of work was put into it.

Sugar was actually deliberately used as it is fragile and could be used to establish the idea "of a slow loss of systemic structure (in Myanmar) that has been in pace for centuries".

The concept behind this installation is good but I feel it would be better if the installation had not disintegrated at such a rapid rate. It is a pity that a photo documentation of the initial installation was not available at the site to allow comparision betweeen the current state of the installation and the initial work of the artiste. I think a comparison would allow a better understanding of the artistes intentions and concept behind their work.

Another disappointment on the installation is that visitors were warned against the presence of bees (which were suppose to be part of the installation) but all we saw were...

Dead bees stuck to the installation.

However, due credit must be granted to the choice of site as it 1) Exposes the installation to natural climate to bring about the intended deterioration 2) Enable easy clean up of the place after the exhibit 3) Prevents pests like ants from infesting other exhibits on show.

Singapore Biennale 2008 has certainly exposed me to a greater variety of art and I am certainly looking forward to Singapore Biennale 2009.

Solemn

Solemn

Many would relate the use of a josssticks to that of a religious purpose and I believe a place of worship is a solemn place.

I think the low-key look of this photo and limited darker hues certainly adds on to the theme of Solemn The smoke adds on a additional visual dimension to the photo.

Happy

Happy

Initially I thought this flower looks like it is "dancing" happily with the skirt at the bottom flaring out. However, I got to agree that the colour of the flower certainly does not seem very vibrant.

Therefore, this picture was unable to fully express the theme on Happy.

Calm

Calm

Usually the presence of flame gives the idea that a place is warm or there is hope. However, I chose to use a flame to depict the theme on Calm instead.

My intention was to bring across the theme using the "stationary flame" on the candle which is not flicking or swaying from side to side, thus giving the impression that the surrounding is calm.

Progressive

Progressive

My initial idea was to show progression by depicting seedlings growing out towards the sun. But seems like its too cluttered now with so many seedlings in the picture and there is no clear focus. On top of that, the lack of a light spot (depicting the sun) seems to land the image in a very flat look. I would try to improve on this by having only one seedling growing out of the pot and into the direction of the sun.

I think that would work better for this theme.

For this second attempt, the focus is only on one seedling, hence reducing the effect of clutter. The seedling also seems to be growing towards the light and through this, I hope to bring across the idea of progression whereby a seedling actively seeks the source of light in-order to grow and progress onto an adult plant.

Lonely

Lonely

The single background against the gloomy sky I felt actually accentuted the idea of lonliness of the single blub. However one problem is that the wire the bulb was suspended on is in a diagonal line. Diagonal lines tend to suggest activity and action so might not be too appropriate for this theme.

Perhaps a horizontal line across the pic might work better.

I think somehow this pic with the cable running across in a horizontal manner does indeed look better but my concern now is whether it would look better if the bulb is more towards the right edge of the photo? Somehow I feel that isolating the bulb towards the corner actually accentuates the idea of lonely better. However, placing the bulb in the center of the photo with the vast sky surrounding it also brings out the lonliness of the bulb which is so small in contrast to the sky.

I did another attempt but this time round with a chair.

I deliberate framed this picture in such a way that the chair remains fairly in a corner of the photo and there is light shining in from the other end of the photo. This actually cast a shadow on the chair and further enhances the gloomy, and dull atmosphere surrounding the chair. Through this, I hope to bring across the feeling of lonliness that the chair might be experiencing.

Serene

Serene

Taking a stroll through a path in a forest gives one a serene feel. I added abit of orange wash to it to give it a warmer feel.

Many didnt agree with it.

On second though, I think this photo indeed does look a little blend. Perhaps because everything in the picture seems to be fighting for attention (there doesnt seem to be a focal point) so it looks more distracting rather than serene.

Peace

Peace

The class didnt agree with me that this picture depicts peace well. I was actually trying to capture the morning mist which gives the feeling of a very "tone down" and peaceful morning. Coupled with the orange/blue/purple hue, I thought it further enhances the peacefulness of the picture.

However some commented that they thought it looked more polluted then peaceful. On second look, ya... it does looks a badly polluted area.

Analyzing a Picture

This picture above was taken from the StraitsTimes October 4 2008

Analyzing a Picture

Photojournalism - Photographs used in newspaper and magazines for their documentary and illustrative powers.

Let us first look at the Formal Elements of the photograph.

1) Light quality - In the picture above, we see that the light is coming from the sun (sunlight glare on the protester's head), possibly a mid-day sun since the whole area is generally quite well lit.

2) Focus - The focus of the photo is on the protester and the board he is holding on to. On top of that, viewer's eyes are also drawn to the massive number of protesters in the background and the large USA flag flying on the facade of a building. Notice how these elements falls along the point of section? I believe this photo has been cropped from the original inorder to fit into the space allocated in the newspaper. Since I saw another similar photo which appears larger and we can even see the same protestor's legs.

3) Angel of View - This photo was taken at a slightly above eye level view. It was taken at a slightly elevated angle perhaps to give the viewers a overview of the whole situation. It is particularly interesting that the photographer has taken it seemingly from the perspective of the protester.

4) Composition - As mentioned in point 3, the effective use of 'Rule of thirds' actually brought out the focus of the subjects in the image. Basic elements like the protestor holding a sign, the massive number of protestors on the ground and the USA flag were all present in the photo.

5) Colour - I would say the colour reproduction is rather natural. Since it is suppose to be used for photojournalism, retaining the naturalistic and realistic appeal and colour of the image is important.

How the photo might be read by the audience

Having the photo taken in the morning probably suggest that this issue/incident is of impact to those involved and to express their unhappiness, they staged a protest first thing in the day. Solely based on this photo, it is not certain which day this photo was taken. However whether it is a weekday or weekend, we can see that these people in the photo have taken time off their schedule, putting down their other commitments for the day, to participate in this protest.

Having this photo taken in the day with the sun shining brightly over them also gives the image more life and action as compared to if it was to be taken over a cloudy and gloom sky where the image might have turned out dull and lifeless.

From this photo, the boy holding up a card screaming "I've got a 4.0 GPA..." clearly suggest that he is a protestor. Next, the USA flag hanging from outside the facade of the building suggest that this photo was taken in the USA. Since so many people are gathered on ground at the background, we can infer that it is probably some kind of protest whereby the people are unhappy possibly with the govrnment over some financial issues (since the protestor's card reads "..$90,000 in debt..").

The angle of view seemingly from the protestor's point of view is interesting because it adds an added dimension to the picture. Shooting from the protester's point of view actually gives audience who possibly are experiencing the same precadiment as him to relate better with the whole situation presented. For the general audience, the slightly elevated angle gives a better and clearer pictuer of what is happening on site.

For colours, the natural tone actually provides a realistic visual treatment. This is important as it gives more life and realism to the picture. In contrast, a black and white treatment to the photo might have rendered it as a old news or something that is not as current. A high colour saturated photo might also be inappropriate for a picture depicting something that is more somber and serious.

From the above, the discussion is based solely on looking at the picture and no reference or what so ever was made with the text/copy that accopanied this photograph. If the audience has relooked at this image after reading the text/copy, they might decode the image differently or analysis it differently.