in the darkroom at the national gallery of art

although i wasn't able to go with the whole class, i really enjoyed the In the Darkroom: Photographic Processes Before the Digital Age exhibit. my favorite part was being able to see the progression of technical developments not in written form, but all illustrated by actual images shot by great photographers. it was awesome being able to see images that we've discussed in class, up close and personal. the Ansel Adams photos were absolutely breathtaking in person because of the extreme amount of detail in it. it really made me appreciate his, and the other photographer's work even more because of their lack of use of anything digital.

photojournalism: a holi-day?

The Holi Festival (Festival of Colors) in India is something I've always wanted to experience. The festival of Holi is a religious festival. People gather and sing bhajans of Radha and Lord Krishna and it marks the beginning of the Spring. I chose a couple of photos shot by Poras Chaudhary that were really striking because of the action and color.

see more of her work: http://www.photoshelter.com/c/poraschaudhary

f64

the photo i chose to represent early 20th century art with is one that might not exemplify the subject matter that the f64 group chose to use, but technically has some of the same characteristics. this image is one that i shot of a friend's wrists with her fists clenched. i believe that stylistically this is a good representation of weston, adams, and cunningham because of all the details. the shot is a very tight one, taken close up. you are able to see all the wrinkles in the skin and the shadows from where the skin folds and creases. besides that the contrast and sharpness is in the same fashion of these photographers.

just for fun

collage project i did for another class

killers+noisettes= amazing

biiig fan of au naturale

this is an example of the type of thing i want to be a part of.
i think Glamour magazine should be applauded for showing the public that beauty isn't just what is seen on the runways and in the media. these women are all exceptionally gorgeous, seriously, look at their faces they're stunning. don't get me wrong, i'm not saying i'm against any retouching or editing, but most photographers and publications take it way too far. i think that the people who deserve to be in spreads and on the covers of magazines should possess true beauty. companies like Dove & Nike just to name a couple have begun to embrace the "realness" and have launched campaigns with curvier women. i'm not out to completely change the game, i think models are models because of the way clothes hang on them and how they work it, but taking things to either extreme (pin-thin or extremely overweight) is just unattractive. i really could go on for a lot longer about standards of beauty, what they were in the past, and the extent to which they have come, but i'll save that one for another day. for now, i just want to say good job Glamour.

from the november issue










from the september issue

something like a phenoma, baby

shot by contemporary photographer, Ian Cameron, "peacock feathers" is an innovative take on landscape photography. Cameron spent a lot of time in Scotland photographing breathtaking vistas during very harsh weather. this particular image was captured in Applecross, Highlands, Scotland. "The scallop shaped depressions are large undulations in the red sand beach and the black scallop shapes are distorted reflections of the silhouetted hills on the far side of the bay." explains Cameron. this shot caught my attention more than the others because it has one of the photographer's signature traits, which is capturing a view that could be interpreted as something else. the depressions on the beach look like peacock feathers rather than just plain sand. his point of view makes landscape photography more interesting to me.

check out more of Ian Cameron's work: http://www.transientlight.co.uk/index.php

on a side note

i'm twenty years old!








*not my photo

there's no subtlety when it comes to this one

The portrait I chose is entitled "Lusty Spring", shot by one of my very favorite photographers, David LaChapelle. This photo of the famous actress, Angelina Jolie, was shot in 2001. I’ve always been fascinated by LaChapelle’s work and the risks he takes. I would actually consider this one of his more modest images. In this photo, LaChapelle captures Jolie in a moment of pure ecstasy. She is nude in a field of flowers on a beautiful, cloudless day. To me, this image depicts pure bliss. It is an unconventional photo, especially of a celebrity such as Angelina. Rarely do you see people in the limelight let their guards down and let that moment be captured, but LaChapelle managed to do so, and he executed it quite beautifully. The subject is almost perfectly in the center of the photograph with just enough negative space around her. The way she is hunching her shoulders creates beautiful shadows from her collarbones and neck. The contrast of the color of her skin and the bright yellows, oranges, greens, and blues make the photo a captivating one. It almost looks like a still from a very pleasurable dream. The fact that she is in focus and the background, although vibrant, is blurry, really gives the photo dimension. LaChapelle is a great example of a contemporary portrait photographer who is not afraid of pushing the envelope. He began his career in the 80’s shooting for Interview Magazine and since then has been taking more daring and head-turning photographs. He has been published in various fashion magazines shooting editorials, but he is still best known for his portraits.

eu dexei meu coração em São Paulo

i left my heart in São Paulo. here are a few pictures i scanned from my stay there.
camera used: 35mm Pentax