Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Pawn Shops
My project has been in a constent state of change for the semester. For those of you who are not in my class, I stated the semester planning to use the online virtual reality Second Life for the basis of my series. Later I realized that I was not happy with the screen shot aesthetic and that I was more intersted in the people behind the obsessions. I began photographing conventions. I photographed an antique convention and a Dungons and Dragons but soon realized that there would not be enough conventions to photograph during the remainder of the semester and there was not enough time for my event photography skills to emprove dramatically. Now, instead of focusing on the people behind the obsession I want to focus on items. I will be photographing second hand items in their foster home. The home inbetween owners. Pawn shops and antique shops are on the list. I want to photograph the items their surroundings and the people watching over them. Here are two images from the first pawn shop I shot. I will be shooting three more tomarrow. If you view these before Wednesday I would appreciate input on what is working and what is not working in these photographs so I can make better imagery on my second try.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Hi Allison,
It's been an interesting process seeing your work evolve. I remember your work with environmental portraits in shops and while I liked that, I do think this concept is more distinctive and unique. I like the idea of you sort of investigating this "purgatory" that objects go through when they arrive in this pawn shop environment. I wonder if there is a way to imitate this transition period with your imagery... whether it may be a more voyeuristic perspective to these objects, or maybe a method of presentation. Although I like the images that you've shot, I feel a disconnect between this unique concept and the images. Have you thought about taking stills from a surveillance camera? or maybe you could take more images where people are interacting with objects, taking some and leaving others? or possibly making polaroid transfers from the images? I feel like you have a lot of potential to explore the transition of the objects, and I'm not sure if the best way to do it is through the images or through presentation. You could also expand your locations by going to thrift stores, demolition places (SB COX) or any location where objects are eclectic and don't belong. Good luck with this, and let me know if any of this confused you!
Audra
Allison,
I was really impressed with the change in the images! I actually thought that they were from another artist! Anyway, that first photograph is the most successful to me because of it's clarity. What I mean by that is the place is a cluttered mess, it's glooming lighting, and the man is behind a cage but it still has such intent on your part. Somehow it is so organized even under the circumstances. Plus you have demanded the attention of the subject... he is looking right at us!
I personally don't find the same clarity in the second image. It could be because you can't see the man as well and he isn't looking at me. I hope that you keep the people/person the main focus of the images just because they are what makes these conventions happen.
Post a Comment