Mechanical Machinations Photography Blog

   Nick Knight Nick Knight's work is anything but ordinary. His works each have a dark and ominous theme. These works seem very fashion-based, relying on what the subject is wearing to add detail. I would categorize these photos as fashion portraits. Nick Knight's works seem to me a combination of the outlandishness of David LaChapelle and the dark, ominous feel of Gregory Crewdson.  I don't fully understand Knight's message in each photo, so it doesn't appeal to me.  I feel like someone could recreate their work, but they would have to understand what his message in his works are meant to be.   “I can use anything from a 10 x 8 inch camera to a photo booth. The most important thing is to get my message across.”     My opinion is skewed, because I could not figure out what his message is.  I guess that entirely contradicts what he was saying in the quote.  The capturing device doesn't matter if the message misses.  However, the ...

 Word Association Solitude Beleaguer Labyrinthine Sumptuous Cynosure Redolent Phosphenes Mellifluous Effervescent Ephemeral

   Jerry Uelsmann Jerry Uelsmann's work is ordinary at first glance, but something catches the eye of the viewer that looks completely out of place, making the work far more interesting and necessitating further inspection. I would categorize Uelsmann's works as monochrome artistic landscape photographs. His works, although monochromatic, are artistic and amplified, like David LaChapelle. And similarly to LaChapelle, I have a lot of time for Uelsmann's style of photography. If someone reproduced Uelsmann's work, the process could be redone with moderate ease thanks to programs like photoshop, where they could scrapbook a photo into the same style as Uelsmann.  This would not be the same, though it would look similar.  Artificially generated art also would yield a similar work, though many would consider that not to be art. “The camera is basically a license to explore.” My first thought after reading this quote is Uelsmann's idea is a really good way to get shot...

   Irving Penn What I found most interesting about Irving Penn's photos was that each portrait background had lighter and darker corners which give an ominous feeling. I would categorize Penn's works as artistic portraits. I have seen this photo of Kennedy before, and it always reminds me of the stress that the Kennedy Administration had been through in his one term. Penn's works use the grayscale and the contrast between light and dark to enhance the portraits, unlike many other portrait photographers. I would say that I like this monochromatic photo style. I would also say that Penn's works could be replicated though the photographer would need a perfect subject. “A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it.; it is one word, effective.” I agree with this quote. If you should be one thing, it's effective. I have always believed that. The entire point of doing something i...

 Michael Kenna I could have probably guessed that this man was going to be a catholic priest, with his consistency and conservatism in his work.  The slideshow hinted that Kenna would be categorized in the same category as Ansel Adams, but I would disagree with that and say that there is noticeable difference in the two artists' styles for the two to be categorized differently. I would categorize Kenna's works as artistic landscapes. I would say that someone could recreate these shots with relative ease, given the same circumstances as Kenna.  The shots aren't necessarily complex, but are quite time consuming to set up all the same.  I would definitely say that this conservative form of photography is rather uninteresting for my tastes.   “I look for graphic shapes, I look for simplicity of line, I look for an almost two-dimensional canvas with brush marks on it.”       I would say that this method is very straightforward and easy to interpre...

 Shadows Project Zephan Dickey Snow Way Around Blank Canvas No More                                          Pining in the Dark Throwing Shade Questionable Conifers Shadowed Shrubbery                                                                                Not a Thought Behind Those Eyes Simplex Shadow *Copyrighted Michael Jackson Song* Puzzled Pup

 Fear and Art Response by: Zephan Dickey I can see why you chose this excerpt for us to write about, because it aligns quite nicely with one of the questions answered through the ‘Artist of the Week’ assignments; the question asking about what would change if someone replicated the artist’s works.  The excerpt writes about how complex the artistic process is to do, as an artist.  The artist must fully immerse themselves in their art to excel.  The correlation between that idea and the concept of replicating art can be found through the idea of replication.  In order to replicate art, the fabricator must first elevate the process that the original artist used to create their work.   Steinbeck had written about the change in the value of art with the development of mass media and entertainment. The modern ideal art for most people would revolve around mass media though some may claim themselves connoisseurs of traditional paintings. It follows the emotio...