Armando Merino's Art 240 Blog

        Lee Friedlander is known for using the “social landscape,” photographing parts store reflections, framed fences, posters and street signs. Friedlander specifically is known to primarily influence reflection photos, his popular photos are mainly reflection photos. So what is reflection photography? A reflection photo is when an object is reflected from a reflective surface, such as a mirror or window, due to light redirecting towards a certain subject.      Lee Friedlander, Wilmington, Delaware, 1965, Gelatin silver print              Lee Friedlander has a major influence on photography, specifically his use of reflections and other components associated with city life. He does well to portray the chaos and unique lifestyle within the city through his use of reflections and other components of framing. Although he represents the chaotic life in a city, it also has a certain feeling when it comes to ...

  Man Ray has been well known for his work in photograms, or as he calls them “rayographs.” Photograms are a form of a photograph that is made by objects being placed on photosensitive paper, in which the items are traced on the paper due to the light. This form of photography has been pioneered by Man Ray during the surrealism and dada times in photography. Man Ray’s work throughout the surrealist and dada movements entitles the weirdness and unreal factors of art by altering photographs to add that surrealistic factor.           A lot of Man Ray’s creative work with photograms is unique to him of the way he can maneuver objects to form beautiful pieces of work. As the photogram shown below, it demonstrates Man Ray’s creative eye with objects while also being able to maneuver them to show some items much lighter (less exposed to light) than others. His work was revolutionary, and to be able to show art in this way indicates how genius he was with ph...

               As I read Heiferman's essay on photography, he commonly states that photography focuses on capturing a memory or expressing something through this form of art. Photography does more than capture something; although beauty is a major component, it is a way to express and think about the art that is being illustrated. Heiferman's essay clearly indicates that photography is a form of art that is up to interpretation, leaving it up to the viewer.                Although Heiferman has a clear view of the purpose of photography, whether the components are for emotional or visually pleasing aspects of it. That's the wonder of photography because it fulfills its purpose as art; anything captured can have meaning. Other components can increase the visual aspect of the subject being captured; for me personally, color, light, or cases of simplicity can show the beauty within anything.  ...

                What's the difference between a selfie and a self-portrait? A selfie captures a picture of one's self at that moment in time, while a self-portrait captures a photo of one's self, but it captures the personality or nature of the person that takes it. A self-portrait is a form of art, whether it is photography or painting, it expresses the artist itself to show who the artist is and their sort of style and vibe.               The photo I included above is just a normal photo of myself just relaxing; although it gives it more of a selfie vibe, it captures the sort of person I am. Self-portraits are always up to the artist to decide how they want to express themselves and what they feel is the best representation of themselves. That is what I did above; I showed myself as I go on with my daily routine to show that I can be efficient; whether it is artistic or not is up to those who view it....

  Fifth Avenue, New York City, USA, 1984               As I was going through the Magnum gallery and seeing many photos from talented photographers, the above photo caught my eye. The photo above was taken by Bruce Gilden, a well-known street photographer who travels around New York City and takes pictures of pretty much anyone or anything. Gilden's photos are unique and funny looking due to his method of taking photos which makes them more intriguing.               Gilden's main attraction throughout all his photographs would be flash, or specifically a flashgun. Flash is prominent through his collection, capturing people and moments that only happen once in a lifetime. The main thing that stands out from his other pictures includes going up in front of people and taking a photo while using the flashgun at them. He mentions how he goes in front of random people's faces in the streets of New York City a...

          In October, I had the opportunity to attend a trip to the George Eastman Museum Trip for my History Photography class. I witnessed some very interesting and cool exhibitions, including nature forces, war moments, contemporary photography, and the head of Kodak's mansion (George Eastman). I'll be writing about my favorite photos displayed in the gallery that they had, my first thoughts, and why I enjoyed them the most.                 The first photo above was taken by Edward Burtynsky, titled Old Factories #9, Fushun Aluminum Smelter, Fushun City, Liaoning Province, China, 2005. When I first saw this photo, I was intrigued by the perfectly symmetrical photo that was taken, seeing how an abandoned warehouse can look so distinct. After reading the description, this building is an abandoned aluminum smelter in China to shows how an industrialized setting is affected as time passes. Seeing the rus...

      Color in photography has to be one of my favorite aspects when taking photos. The purpose of color in photography is to create a visually pleasing subject, illustrate a mood, and provide attention to the color overall. Color relies a lot upon light, allowing color to pop up more when light reflects on a subject, allowing it to stand out. Using color sparks creativity because color is something everyone sees and enjoys; using color gives pleasing vibes to things that aren't meant for it.     Color is a unique feature in photography; an example can be in dark sort of areas, color and light are heavily relied on. That's why I enjoy color in photography because I want to use any color light in dark areas to improve the subject's uniqueness; like in the photo above. Color photography does more than representing a subject; it also creates an impact or gives a feeling to a photo.     The photo above I took at home during Christmas, and I feel that it re...