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Overview of Innovations in Light and Color
QUESTION1:
Second, you will review the Overview of Innovations in Light and Color PDF resource and select one topic or artist to examine in more detail. Based on your exploration, you will discuss how that innovation of color or lighting techniques is unique, inserting at least one example from your artist or technique that illustrates your discussion points. Explain the process and how it expands the field of photography, and what, if any, additional techniques have derived from it.
The following questions are not required but may be considered in your post and response:
- What was the catalyst for this innovation?
- What problem or obstacle does this address?
- How is this technique received generally?
- Does this technique have the potential to become universally adopted?
- How does this technique push boundaries?
- What tools are used in the creation of the work?
- How does the concept or idea behind the work come into play?
QUESTION2:
When responding to the following post, be sure to select an artist or technique that is different from your own. Speak specifically to your peers’ reflection on their chosen artist or technique. Did you pick up on anything significant that they missed? Are there elements of this artist or technique that appeal to you?
Jeanine
Hi everyone,
I’m Jeanine. Mom to four kiddos 16, 14, 10, 8, and to one ornery french bulldog named Rizzo Wigglebottom. We are from a small town in southern Pennsylvania. I’m a portrait artist but also found a small niche in painting scenes inside of small lockets, and I’m also a very part time legal assistant. My interest in photography spans back to childhood. My father was a professional photographer, and I was able to accompany him on quite a few photoshoots. One of his claims to fame is when he photographed Tony Bennett for the Sons of Italy. He has shaped and influenced my approach to this medium, and I’m lucky I can pick his brain for advice when I get stuck understanding a concept, which happens quite often. One goal I have for this course is to step outside of my comfort zone and see how creative I can be. I’ve been pretty timid with experimenting and allowing for spontaneous creation and I’m hoping this class will help me move past that creative block.
After exploring the images produced by Alan Jaras, I started researching other photographers that produce refractive photography and the process behind creating these images. The initial set-up is pretty straight forward. In a dark room, devoid of any stray light or reflective surfaces, the lens is removed from the camera. A refractive piece of glass or molded plastic object is held in place in front of the camera opening to act as the lens. A concentrated, pinhole of light is then passed through the object. Colored gels can be used to enhance the effect. As the light moves through the angles, textures, and patterns of the object, it bends and reflects through the item, creating abstract images. This technique is innovative in the photographic sphere because it captures the raw essence of what photography is, thereflection of light and color. Along with the stunning work of Alan Jaras, I found this refractography series from photographer Rob Turney.
Image by: Rob Turney
Refractography expands the field of photography further into the abstract movement. It offers the photographer another outlet to express their interpretation of light without the constriction of rules. I think a catalyst for this innovation was to demonstrate the movement of light as the subject instead of a defined object or scene. This technique pushes boundaries because it allows spontaneity and experimentation to lead versus the rules of composition. The photographer can manipulate the position of the objects and lighting angles, but it is the nature of the light’s reaction that is the creator and the photographer is the witness. This body of work has inspired ideas and concepts to branch into creating refractography using various surfaces to bend light into abstract forms. Some examples are oil on water with a light shining from the bottom reflecting through the mixture or adding water droplets onto the reflective surface of CD’s. Although they are not the lensless method used by Alan Jaras or Rob Turney, they equally demonstrate the relationship between light and color as the subject matter. I found this wonderful resource by Simon Bond that exhibits the various refractography methods https://expertphotography.com/refracted-light-photography/.
QUESTION3:
When responding to the following post, be sure to select an artist or technique that is different from your own. Speak specifically to your peers’ reflection on their chosen artist or technique. Did you pick up on anything significant that they missed? Are there elements of this artist or technique that appeal to you?
Kassidy Sutton
Hi,
I am 30 years old and I have a two-year-old who is my world. I currently live in Utah but was raised most of my life (so far) in Idaho. I enjoy playing video games in my spare time, specifically Minecraft. I enjoy reading and watching movies/tv shows. My level of interest in photography is pretty high since I am getting a degree in it. I am not very experienced but continue to grow each day. I want to eventually do newborn, maternity, family, animal, and maybe wedding photography. This class seems like it will great for me to learn new techniques I did not know about. I am hoping to push my skills to a new level and get more confident in photographing.
The topic I am very interested in is refractographs. The image below is an example from the reading. It is unique in that the image is patterns formed when light reflects and refracts through an object. Something else that is very unique is this type of photography does not use a lens. The artist on our reading Alan Jaras uses pieces of glass and plastics and using a light beam to create a pattern. The object used or pieces of glass become the lens. This expands the field of photography by showing others that photography is not only for family photos, wildlife, weddings, etc. This technique shows there is a new technique used to make art.