Extra Credit Blog Post

Blog Post 11: Advertisement

What is a better way to advertise a product than to show a half-naked woman throughout the whole video? Well this racy photography commercial aired in Spain. It shows what seems to be a woman gripping her breast to the sound of mellow and relaxing music. At first the viewer may get the wrong idea, but by the end of the video they will understand why the woman was used in the commercial.

This commercial, believe it or not, is a commercial about a company that deals with photography. Throughout the video a woman is shown grabbing her breast.However she's not trying to convey a sexual message. By the end of the commercial she removes an image of a breast that is larger than hers. By this time the viewer understands what the commercial is really about. An enhanced image is better than a real life picture. The woman uses the enlarged picture of a breast to make herself seem "bigger". By this commercial we can infer that photography is not necessarily real.

This commercial does contain a slogan. It is "FotoPrix: The Best Phots; The Best Price". The slogan is catchy in the way that it is represented. The slogan and the product name are shown at the end of the commercial because the viewer wants to stick to the end to see what this commercial is all about. It tries to make the product/service stand out from the rest of competitors by saying FotoPrix has the "best" photos. It's also saying the this service is acceptable because it makes women feel good about themselves because they are able to make themselves look better in a photograph. This commercial is naughty because it features a half-naked woman trying to her improve her assets by using photography, but in another way it is nice because it shows that people can look better through photography.

Blog Post #11: Advertisement

This ad, like many other Cover girl ads, has a picture of a flawless model attempting to sell their new and improved makeup product. Even though a product just like the one advertised may have been recently released, the picture of the girl and cleanliness of her skin, attracts consumers of all ages regardless of the product. The idea that photography is fake also plays a role in Cover girl advertisements.

This product attempts to come across as "new and improved, bigger and better" as according to James B Twitchell. Being a company that sells makeup, this is always their goal. Women are always looking for a way to better improve themselves and photography is also to blame for this. Editing, cover-ups and touch-ups are things that photography is capable of altering in a photo and consumers believe that the product will give them these results.

Cover girl's slogan is "Easy, Breezy, Beautiful Cover girl" and in all the cases of their makeup advertisements, they want the consumer to believe that their product is simple and will make the women who buy it, natural and beautiful looking all at the same time. This is the idea that Twitchell makes when he says that ads have to appear as if they were, "not new and big, but old and small". The "small-ness" of this ad is that if one buys the foundation, it will be so natural to their complexion that people will hardly notice that they're wearing anything. But the makeup is not the magical product here. The power of editing is. 

Post 11: Advertising

Appealing to the viewers emotions is key to creating a successful advertisement. When looking at the Nikon TV commercial promoted by Ashton Kutcher, it gives the viewer a sense of happiness because of the relaxing environment of the setting of the commercial. The commercial takes place along the beach and shows different people taking pictures of each other at the beach.

Although there is not necessarily a specific slogan, jingle, or tagline, the product is constantly represented throughout the commercial. Simply by having a celebrity endorse the product, there is no longer a need for a slogan or such because there is now a greater chance that people would go out and purchase the camera because Ashton Kutcher supposedly uses it. This is another advertising technique that has been used more recently to appeal to the consumers. 

There is no clear distinction between naughty and nice or good and evil. The advertisement focuses on the abilities of the camera and makes it more appealing by using attractive women and an attractive man in a calm setting. 

This advertisement is not really a standard ad that would require a slogan or jingle because the use of a celebrity does more than a slogan or jingle ever would. Now when people think of Nikon cameras, an image of Ashton Kutcher appears in peoples heads, making the advertisement that more memorable.

Blog Post 10: Analysis

This photograph was taken by Andrew Pearce, a photographer from rural Australia. His hope is to show people the world's beauty and devastation. This particular photograph is called "Passing Spirits" and it is of a skyline of a city located in Australia. The first where my eyes are pulled to is to the center of the photograph. The center-horizontal area of the picture is lit up with many city lights and the outside of the photographs is very dark and gray relative to the center. This dark area creates a frame for the picture because it is dark and gray. Seeing this picture gives me mixed emotions because there is a dark area and a dark area, so I do not know whether this photograph is trying to convey a cheerful feeling or a depressed feeling. One of the the things that really pops out is the yellow-lit building the center of the photograph. The reason for this is that it's a totally different color from the whole photograph. Also the bridge fulfills its function because my eyes tend to follow it in both directions. It follows it into the city and to the outside of it.There is some sort of pattern happening in the water. The body of water creates a mirror image of the buildings. This image can be interpreted in multiple ways; depending on how the viewer wants to dissect it.

Blog Post 10: Analysis

This image is known as "Tourist Guy (2011)" and it was captured by some man that was later identified by the name of Pacer Guzli. When looking at this image my eye is first drawn to the tall man on the right side of the frame. His body is very bulky and takes up about half of the shot. After scanning through the rest of the image it becomes apparent by the tiny structures in the background that this man is standing somewhere of high altitudes. However mixed in to the colors in the background a form of an airplane can be found that seems to be directed towards the man. This is when one may feel a bit worried for the man and curious as to what the situation is. Looking around the image a little more, a few numbers can can be found on the bottom right that probably determines the date the image was taken. The date is 09-11-01. The exact date of the terrorist attacks in NY. This is when the image begins to make sense as a whole. The man is standing up on a building taking a picture of him with a beautiful view moments before the plane would come crashing through the building he was standing on. This photograph evokes such strong emotions, making the viewer worried, anxious, and curious as to the fate of the man in the image. Although the plane is not necessarily as big as the man in the foreground, its significance is shown throughout the color it is and how shiny it is in contrast to the dull brown background. This image does a good job communicating the idea of how even extremely unexpected things can happen at any moment in time. 

Although this post was not meant to focus on story or plot I feel it is necessary to mention that after a little research I found that this image was not real at all. It was completely photoshoped to seem like it was captured moments before the plabe would crash into the building and the date depicted on the bottom right validates the belief that the image was indeed from 9/11. When in reality this image was originally nothing people expected it to be. With the help of photoshop this image won an award for the best edited picture. 

Blog Post 10

This photograph is one of many of TESOPhotography. I'm not exactly sure who this person is, but they have multiple videos on YouTube that play a series of photos of nature taken by them. Throughout this video classical music is played. This means that no lyrics are in any of these songs, partly because the intent is to make the viewer appreciate the photography and not take away from the meaning of the photos or cause distraction. If a song with words were to be played in the video rather than an instrumental song, the lyrics could easily sway the story or emotion of the viewer. However I like this picture in particular because at first glance the first word that came to my mind was hope. I got this from the soothing colors of the photo in the sky and the ground, not too dull and not too gray. The rocks somewhat remind me of the many life obstacles or opportunities that are constantly put in front of us every day that we must overcome. The photo also gives me a sense that the "life" in the picture is the water that no matter what, keep flowing regardless.  At the end of the rocks is a small peek of the sun which made me feel like beyond these obstacles that we encounter is a small prize. The photographer does a good job of portraying the idea the prize is never too close and if we waste time, the sun will fall and the water will never touch it. 

Blog Post 9: Comment

Group Post:
In Shanilla's post I agreed with what she posted. It is simple editing that can change how a person sees a photograph. It's amazing how people now have access to the technology and programs that allow them to alter a photograph. It was great knowing that Shanilla and I understand these type of controversies that arise from the world of photography.

http://realorfakephotos.blogspot.com/2012/10/blog-post-7-free-choice.html#comment-form



Different Post:
In this blog, I was able to discover a different take on photography. I saw some photographs simple botanical object. It was amazing seeing how such simple photographs were able to convey such strong emotion.


http://www.photographyblogger.net/miles-of-light-botanical-photography-by-romina-bacci/

Blog Post 9: Comments

Own Blog:

In this response to Shanilla's Post of Recreate, I discussed how I agree with her stand that photos cannot always be trusted. I also expand a little bit on how if she was able to mimic and image so well, a professional photographer is able to do much more and this is a reason why most of photography could easily be taken as fake. 

http://realorfakephotos.blogspot.com/2012/11/blog-post-8-recreate.html?showComment=1352350237662#c5298367591571491617

Separate Blog:

In this post I discuss how the photographer uses techniques to enhance a photo before snapping it rather than how other photographers edit photos after they are taken (making them fake).

http://heartifb.com/2012/10/09/the-trusted-lens-blogger-photography-tips-from-lydia-hudgens/comment-page-1/#comment-73121 

Blog Post 8: Recreate

.   People get surprised when they see this photograph  (upper) because it makes them wonder. How can eleven workers look so casual and relaxed while they are sitting on a beam 850 feet above the ground. Some people believed that it was a hoax but surprisingly it is the real thing. However, there is a catch to this famous photograph. A photographer intentionally sat the eleven men on this beam to advertise the near-completion of what is now the GE building. We conclude that this image is real but it only captures what the photographer wanted to portray. The lower picture is a comical version of the photograph "Lunch Atop a Skyscraper". In this photograph I edited out the men and replaced them with soccer players that were originally sitting on the bench. This goes to show that almost anyone can alter the reality of a photograph.

Blog Post 9: Comments

Link to comment on our blog:

http://realorfakephotos.blogspot.com/2012/10/blog-6-re-mix.html?showComment=1352074685522#c4060011704256551519

This comment discusses how I agree with Briannas opinion on photography and how it can easily be messed with to make it more physically appealing. 

Link to comment on other blog:
http://www.deceptivemedia.co.uk/photoblog/portfolio/lime.html
(website doesn't allow for direct link to comment)

My comment explains how photography means something different to different people and how beauty can be found in anything. 

Blog Post 8: Recreate

For this post I recreated Taylor Swifts album cover with my friend Lauren. Although it does not accurately depict the album and definitely doesn't do it justice, it shows how easily an image can be altered to any desired outcome. I used numerous editing softwares as well as Adobe Photo Shop to recreate this image to reflect the album cover just as many photographers. They accomplish the same task with their photographs to make them end with their desired look for a model or image.

Again playing with the idea that photos are fake and can easily be manipulated with.

Blog Post #8 Recreate

My friend who happens to do photography as more than just a hobby, took this picture of me. I wanted to use it to give the viewer the concept of :"Your Picture Here". Photography gives people, more specifically girls, the desire to be like the people in the photos they see. I didn't copy a specific pose or photo taken by a model, but rather I wanted to portray the people in society who think that professional photography is the only way to express beauty and make it seem like I had the desire to fulfill this. While working with this friend, I had asked for the pictures immediately but realized that a photographer would never give someone a photo with having edited it first. At first I couldn't understand this because I thought the concept of photography was to capture something real in front of you and make it available for others to interpret, but my friend said that the picture would only be complete after editing. Just by this, I can conclude that even to photographers, nothing is good enough with having being messed with first.  

Free Choice

The point trying to be proved is that photographers don't share or expose pictures that portray the truth of the person/object being captured. If you think about it, photography is a hobby that is intended to make pictures look nothing like they do in real life. This photo shows the process a wedding photographer makes in attempt to make the bride come across as angelic.

When you compare the two, the first looks like a picture that could have been taken with an 8 megapixel camera. In the last photo, the bride doesn't even look remotely real. It is obvious that she is airbrushed. As the pictures progress, we can see that the first contains shadows. In the second, these shadows as well as some blemishes on her face begin to disappear. By the third photo, all shadows have been removed and if you look closely, what seems to be a mole at the top right of her mouth, has been removed.

In my opinion, photography's only purpose should be to enhance the quality of a photo. Every other factor beside that is used to make the object or person look fake. This also leads to the social issue that women and young girls have this idea or picture in their heads of what beauty is supposed to look like, due to photos such as this one. A lot of times, people forget all of the editing that goes into these photos and should remember that the edited version of a photo is never the real version.

Blog Post 7: Free Choice

Focusing on the main point of this blog- real versus fake images, it becomes apparent through this image from a Dove Real Beauty advertisement that images are not always what they are portrayed as. Before I begin analyzing the image, I would like to point out the irony behind the title of the ad... "Real Beauty". Im sorry but nothing about this image on the left is real. Regardless, the image on the right side shows the woman's natural face, completely unaltered and simple while the left side of the image shows her face after being photo shopped. Personally I believe that most images are tampered with to fit what society declares as beautiful. Whether it be a picture of a flower or a portrait, these photographs are edited and cropped to glorify the actually image and depict it as something it truly is not. 

Photography is very complicated in this way. What defines something as being beautiful? The natural beauty it posses or how it is depicted after being messed with and altered? Photo shop and different editing softwares give people a corrupted meaning to what beauty is and how people should look. Referring back to the image above, specifically the left side, it is obvious that the image has been tampered with and edited. No one could ever look that flawless without being messed with. This again plays with the idea that people are given a false description of beauty. Many girls look up to images like these and desire to look like that girl. When in reality she does not exist. This image on the left is a fake girl with fake features that have been enhanced as a direct result of editing tools and photo shop techniques. 

Admittedly the image on the left is definitely more appealing that the one on the rifht. However, this idea of editing images and making them fake proves that photography is not necessarily real. 

Post 6: Remix

Many people know what occurred during the LA riots. Many people know what caused these riots. Rodney King's incident was very controversial and created an upheaval in Los Angeles. Rodney King was in a high speed pursuit and once the police were able to stop him they used excessive force to control King. He was a victim of police brutality and citizens of Los Angeles, mostly African-Americans, decided  riot when the police officers' jury was happening.

The collage of pictures that is shown here displays the different events that led to the riots and they also show the chaos of the riots. All a good story needs pictures and bias information. For example, Rodney King's incident and the LA Riots had a lot of media coverage. Therefore, there were many photographers on the streets taking pictures of the events that were happening. A good photograph is worth more than a thousand words and these pictures explain a lot of what happened during the incidents. Was a still frame of the video of Rodney King being beaten enough to start a riot? Was it a newspaper article filled with pictures able to create such an upheaval? A photographer can sway a viewer's opinion by the photographs they take. It can stir up many biases, but the photographs taken of the riots are not the photographer's interpretation of the riots. These photographs represent the reality and chaos of the LA riots. Therefore, these photographs are real.

Blog 6: Re-mix

This here, is a picture of Rosie Huntington-Whitely. A Victoria Secret Model or what most refer to her as, the current "Transformers girl". Look closely. I combined the pictures so that one side (the left) displays her made up at a formal event, and the other side (right) displays the same girl without all the makeup and glamour.

In this case, the photographer has chosen to manipulate the appearance of a person, rather than a scenery. In all cases, photographers are capable of adding effects and  convincing the viewer to visualize something that is not actually true. When compared, the bags under her eyes are gone, her tan has obtained and even glow (probably due to the lighting added to the photo) and every blemish she has, has seemed to disappear. The question that may be asked is, is the picture fake or is the model herself fake? The answer is, both. The photographer has done enough editing to make her look completely different to the person she really is. 

Post 6: Re-Mix

This is a photograph goes against conventional ideas of what photography is. This image shows a photo within a photo and also plays with different techniques. The idea behind this image is to focus on a small part of a greater picture. These photographs are of the same scene but presented within one another to show depth as well as focus and color. 

A typical photograph would simply depict any scene with a single shot photo that focuses on one subject. However, the blending of the same picture onto another plays with the viewers emotions and seems to make them step back and look at the picture as a whole. Not only was the technique manipulated, but so were the colors. The image in the foreground is in color while the background image is black and white. The purpose of this is to show how photographs can easily be altered to fit the artists desires. Therefore proving that photography is not always real and it could easily be manipulated in any way. 

Post 5: React

This photograph was taken by Joe Rosenthal on February 23, 1945. The photograph is known as Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima. It displays five U.S. Marines and a Navy Corpsman raising the United States flag on the summit of Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. People may believe that only one flag was raised that day, but that is not true. A first flag was raised prior to this one. A few hours later the second flag (shown here) was raised. This photograph depicts the bravery and heroism that these soldiers had. Three of the six men survived the battle to witness the fame and glory that was brought by this photograph. The photograph may be the most reproduced photograph of all time. It was the first photograph to win the Pulitzer Prize for Photography in the same year it was published. This is a true and real piece of photography.  This image would be impossible to replicate even if professional photographers tried to to replicate it. The image gives off so much emotion that it makes the viewer want to be part of the scene. It must have reached out to many Americans since it won an honorable prize the same year it was published. Since it was able to accomplish that, this image must be a real piece of photography.

Blog Post 5: React

This is a photograph captured by Richard Lam in Vancouver after serious riots spread throughout the city as a result of the tragic loss of their city team in the Stanley Cup. This image portrays a moment or serenity and passion while surrounded by utter chaos and tragedy. At first this picture looks pleasant simply because of all the bright colors and lights. However, that is not the case. After closer analyzation of the image, it becomes apparent that all those lights and colors depict angry rioters and police officers that are trying to control the scene. Additionally, the fact only the subject in this photograph is in focus but not necessarily in the middle makes it more private but prominent in capturing the essence of this special moment shared between this couple. This image illustrates the idea that even though there is all this fighting surrounding the couple, it does not stop them from loving each other. I feel as if the image is trying to explain that when you are in love, nothing else matters around you. 

Blog Post 5: Relevant Image

This is one photo, known as the end of World War II celebration kiss, that conveys an idea that photography is indeed real. One factor that supports this claim is the fact that color wasn't accessible in photos so there was no way for it to take away from the meaning of the photo. In this case the viewer could assume the photographer happened to be in the right place at the right time just by the looks of the by passer. The onlookers don't look prepared for the photographer to take the shot and seem to be in motion by the blurriness of their step. At first glance, the photo seems so natural that it gives off such a relaxing feeling and sense of hope. Because the photo is so natural I have no difficulty appreciating it -never mind the fact that any female would enjoy this because it portrays hope, love and romance. Unfortunately modern photographers are always editing photos and trying to make them appear better than what they do naturally. It could be argued that natural, or real, photography is often over analyzed and ends up ruining the true meaning behind a photo. Back then photos were taken, appreciated and open to any individual's interpretation. 

Post 4: Research

http://www.steves-digicams.com/knowledge-center/what-is-photography.html#b
This blog was created by Suzanne Williams, a photographer who loves to take portraits of families. In her blog she lets the public know how a good photograph come about. She talks about the camera she used to win her first contest and how she learned many tricks to enhance her photos taken by an old camera. She describes the characteristics that are needed in order to succeed as a photographer.For example, one must have a camera, passion, knowledge and make connections with the outside world.

http://thephotoletariat.com/photography-its-really-all-about-the-moment/
This blog post, Photography-It's Really All About the Moment, written by Dan Bailey, suggests that there are many factors in play when one wants to take a great photograph. For instance, Bailey talks about how taking a photograph is all about the "moment when the elements of our composition come together in an exciting and unique way". He also talks about how perfect lighting, money. artistic vision and patience is needed in order to take a great photograph. There are many things to be considered in order to capture a great photograph.

http://www.chromasia.com/blog/
Chromasia.com/blog is a website that has a collection of different blog posts about photography. These posts are written by different photographers talking about the "do's"and the "don'ts" of photography.This blog is helpful in the way that it lets me empathize with professional photographers and it makes me realize how important photography can be to them. This blog also allows me to know about different photography events around the world.

http://www.photography.com/
This website is useful when someone is trying to learn more about photography. It has articles and even news about photography and photographers. It enables the viewer to look up almost anything about photography. For example, there is a photo gallery within the website and it also has news articles and videos that talk about the world of photography. It also has a page that talks about the history of photography and this is helpful because people are able to find how cameras were invented and also discover the big names that allowed photography to become popular.

http://digital-photography-school.com/
This "Digital Photography School" enables people to acquire tips on how to take photographs and ways to alter an image after it has been taken. After browsing through this page it's apparent that photographers alter their photographs after they have taken them. Therefore, it gives a sense that photography might not be realistic and is only real to the photographer but not to the viewer of the photograph. This website allows any level of photographer to upload and discuss about photography. The articles within this site are many about tips and tutorials of photography.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2012/09/revealing_more_of_north_korea.html
This website features many news articles that deals with only photography. This specific article is about North Korea and the everyday life activities of the citizens of North Korea. This is an interesting article because it is mostly composed of pictures with captions describing each photographs. Although it is mostly composed of photographs and small descriptions, it allows the viewer to get a sense of how life is in North Korea; a place that is very much secluded from the world. The images are a great example of reality in North Korea. Therefore, the photos are real because they show the "real" life of North Korea.

Research

Blog Posts:

http://www.deceptivemedia.co.uk/

This photoblog by Andy Bell portrays mostly close up and abstract art. This blog represents how art and photography is not strictly about posing in front of a camera or taking landscape shots. Pictures can be taken of anything from any angle and can still be considered beautiful art work. This blog contains numerous pictures of close up objects that can not easily be deciphered, which makes it very interesting and plays with the audiences mind and makes them take a step back and think about what this image really is. I enjoy how it plays with ones sense of reality and makes the audience pay more attention to things that are typically unappreciated. 

http://www.istoica.com/everyday/index.php?showimage=1817

This blog is a collaboration of two unidentified photographers that capture images of both people and animals. Most of these photographs depict a still portrait of different people posing with different backgrounds but yet captures all of these peoples beauty in multiple ways. In black and white as well as through a mix of photography as well as other mediums. This shows that photography is not always so strictly confined, it can be played with and altered at the artists discretion.

http://momentslikethis.de/

This blogsite by Uwe Eischens shows how landscape images can be manipulated by photoshop and edited and also shows the simplicity of how beautiful nature can be. A simple flower can evoke such emotion and beauty when captured the right way, and Uwe seems to do just that. This again exemplifies how photographs can be taken of anything and can always be considered art. This proves how photographs can be real or fake using editing softwares or just seizing moments of beauty. 

Academic Posts:

http://photos.denverpost.com/2011/05/05/great-fakes-famous-doctored-photographs/#26

This website from the Denver Post illustrates how photographs can easily be tampered with and edited in any way desired. This website includes the before and after shots of images that have been rendered with. Most images have been altered to convey a certain message but apparent that it has been messed with. This proves that photography is not always real and can be edited in numerous ways to capture the audiences attention. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/justin-sedor/photographer-focuses-on-stories_b_1913806.html

Eric Kruszewski is a photographer that focuses on capturing stories that he believes should be told. He pays attention to real life people and their problems. This gives people more of a sense of reality and the natural aspect to photography and how it can be both real or fake. But this article from the Huffington Post shows how photography is considered to be real from a certain individuals life and their struggles. 

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/eworld/article3892097.ece?homepage=true&ref=wl_home

This article is more relatable to the average teenager that has a smartphone, they are most probably aware of the application known as Instagram. This application allows individuals to take photos and add different effects and editing tools. This makes taking pictures a lot more fun and convenient. This is more appealing to the younger generation and demonstrates how one does not necessarily need a fancy camera and a great understanding of photography in general to take nice pictures, anyone is and can be a photographer. 

Interesting blogs and books about photography that I recommend

http://www.cod.edu/photo/curto/index.htm
This website is actually a blog created by college professor to teach photography classes of College of DuPage. There are online lectures posted on this website for students but anyone can access them if you just go to the website. You can learn about history of photography, techniques of photography and advanced digital imaging. Since this website is used for education of college students it is a reliable source for information.

http://www.smashandpeas.com/
This blog has photograpy galleries, suggestions and tips about photography, equipment, and photography concepts. It also has thoughts and opinions section where issues about photography can be posted and debated. Overall, this website has interesting tidbits of information about photography.

http://photobusinessforum.blogspot.com/
This blog is helpful to learning how to photograph because the it has tons of videos showing you how to operate specific equipments. It also contains news and forums for photographers. This website is great for people who is planning to become a professional photographer and run a photography business.


For academic resources, I found some books in Amazon.com with interesting ideas/concepts.

On Photography by Susan Sontag
This book is an essay about the meaning of photography and more specifically, the psychology of those who photograph and their purpose behind it. In the introduction, for example, it explains why tourists stop to take a picture when they encounter something extraordinary, how taking a picture is like imaginary possession of something a person can't have in reality. I think this book is little cynical and opinionated but still it contains many creative ideas about photograph and its meaning/purpose.

Why People Photograph by Robert Adams
This book is written by a professional photographer who aparently has great affection for photography. He shares his insight on why photography is beautiful and meaningful and his lifetime experience in photographing landscapes. My favorite quote in this book is "they may or may not make a living by photography but they are alive by it." (page 15)

Criticizing Photographs by Terry Barrett.
If Why People Photograph is a book that is designed to kindle love for photography, this book is desgined to educate photographers how to look photograph from a critical, academical stand point. I think its neccessary to know how to criticize photographs because it helps you develop critical and analytical thinking skills. Also, if you can sort out good photographs from bad photographs, then you can appreciate the good photographs more.

Photography Research

Blog Research:

1. http://www.earthshots.org/

The above blog link is one that consists of different pictures of the earth everyday and these pictures are posted by a professional photographer/teacher. The blogger describes that during one of his classes he tells his students to try and look at the trees in a way that they wouldn't at a first look. For this reason, my proposals that what photographers capture, is indeed fake. He could be teaching his students to trick themselves into thinking that there is a much deeper meaning in what they capture when in reality it is merely a large branch stretching from underneath the earth's surface.

2. http://photographyforrealestate.net/

This blog as well can serve as a supportive argument that photographers use their pictures to display something that doesn't match what it comes across as in person. Real estate is something that in pictures, is only supposed to give off a positive feeling and for that reason hides the flaws of a house or piece of land. Real estate photographers are trained and experienced enough to know how to play with lighting and angles to make it so that there are no physical cons when look at pictures of a house. There is no other intention for real estate photography, other than to make whatever is it that is trying to be sold, look good.

3. http://www.melissajill.com/blog.cfm

Similar to a real estate blog, a wedding blog's purpose is to display all the positive and joyful moments of the event.  Photographers know the lighting and background necessary to make a good picture. On a photography blog comments such as "what a wonderful day that was" are made and it is obvious that such things will be said because the photographer knows exactly how to capture the viewers emotions. This helps me understand the subject of photography because prior to my research I believed that photographers were only good with their technique, but depending on the occasion or purpose of the shoot, the photographers themselves carry emotion that they hope to inflict on the viewer.

Academic Research:

4. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/books/review/believing-is-seeing-by-errol-morris-book-review.html?_r=0

 In this site, professional photographers themselves speak on the topic of "posing" in photographs. This is done to give the photo a more dramatic effect or to "up" the emotion that one feels when they view the photo. Although photographers are trying to outdo the next photographer, an action like this is not accepted in the photography world. This also serves as justification that "fake" photography exists everywhere.

5. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/essays/vanRiper/030409.htm

Brian Walski, a photographer for Los Angeles Times was fired after his editors found out that he combined some of his pictures to make one "better". Walski serves as a perfect example for proving that the photography is in the viewpoint of one person and one person only: the photographer. This is also an obvious instance in which photography is indeed, fake. Now it is difficult for us to believe what we see in a photograph and unfortunately, photos have lost a lot of credibility leaving us no way to discover what is occurring in the world around us.

6. http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/10/living/fine-art-photography-manipulation/index.html?iref=allsearch

This site from CNN blatantly supports the idea that photography is fake. When asked, professional photographers agree that "you must make the image as strong as possible" (David Allan Brandt). For this reason, when art is shot and shared with the world, people automatically think that it has had some touchups and tweeks. Non-professionals have even caught on with this trend, thanks to the invention of Instagram. Is the point of the polishing of photos to tell us that the real world isn't good enough?

Pecker is a fictional comedy-drama film that stars Edward Furlong as Pecker. Pecker is a movie about a photographer whose pictures of everyday life become an overnight sensation. Pecker is a photographer who lives in Baltimore and takes pictures of his out-of-the-ordinary family, friends, life and places throughout the city. One day he decides to host an art show (photography)  in the deli where he works and this is where his life totally changes. As he is hosting the show he meets an art dealer from New York known as Rorey Wheeler. After Rorey buys one of Pecker's pieces, she invites him and his family to New York to help him get known in the art world. However, as soon as he becomes a sensation problems start to arise and his life takes a turn for the worst. His friends and neighbors become enraged with his photography and Pecker gains bad reputation among his neighbors. Nevertheless, the exposure to fame caused Pecker to get overwhelmed because he could not live the normal life he once lived, so he decides to turn down a big showcase at the Whitney Art Gallery and decides to makes things right.

Although this movie is fictional, I believe that there are many photographers that have gone through the same.    Pecker is a photographer who becomes an overnight sensation and that's how many famous people have been discovered. Therefore, this movie is based on reality. It portrays the struggles that a photographer can go through when they photograph things that does not please the public.

In the photograph above Pecker is taking a picture of one of his subjects inside his mom's thrift store. This picture focuses on Pecker and the camera that he his taking pictures with. In this scene it seems that everything is blurred out and darkened except Pecker. This boldness creates the feeling that Pecker is the only important character in this scene and must be payed attention to. Although this movie may be funny to some viewers, it doesn't fail to convey the message that photography may not always be interpreted the same  way as the photographer. 

Film Analysis: Sally Mann

What Remains: The Life and Work of Sally Mann is a documentary about the motives behind the photographer's works. Sally, like any other photographer would experiment with her photography until one day, one of her daughters had been bit by a gnat and she had come to the conclusion that the photography style she had been searching to discover, was "right under her nose", and what better way to shoot the meanings of life than with your own children. She began to take pictures of her everyday life to share the beauties and conflicts of everyday life with others and turned it into something with deeper meaning.

All of her pictures appear in black and white and this is probably because she doesn't want any sort of color to add or take away emotion from the viewer when they look at her pictures. Black and white allows the viewer to  imagine things on their own and create their own story if they have a minimal number of distractions and effects in the picture.

Sally Mann pictured photography in her mind as something real, in everyday life and she portrayed this exactly. In her photography there is no dramatic lighting, intensity of color or need for touchups. Also for this reason, we would consider the photography "real" but in the documentary one of her daughters states that her mother was good at making something ordinary look extravagant, and for this reason we may also debate her photography to be fake.

Controversy arose when Mann began to shoot child pornography, which one can consider a "real" topic of today. It has become a problem and Mann only enjoy shooting the different and actual aspects of life that she encounters and for this reason, her photography is so believable and does its job: giving the viewer emotion to come up with a story of their own.

Film Analysis: Annie Leibovitz-Life Through A Lens

http://photographyconcentrate.com/movie-review-annie-leibovitz-life-through-lens/

http://vimeo.com/42602711

Annie Leibovitz-Life Through A Lens, is a documentary on the life and accomplishments of a world famous photographer, Annie Leibovitz. This documentary was created in a way that contains both interviews and snapshots of her most famous photographs. In one of the interviews, she was asked what the life of a photographer was like and she defined it as a "life through a lens". I found that to be a very accurate and artistic definition. Practically growing up in their family car, it was "easy [for Annie] to become an artist because [she] saw the world though a ready made picture frame, which was the car window".

She was easily inspired and picked up photography after being raised around her mother capturing every moment of her families life. Annie does not strictly focus on one form of photography, her portfolio ranges from the simple black and white portraits to controversial nudes. Her ranging artistic style allows her to express herself in a real and creative way.

Each one of her photographs has a purpose, whether it is simply taken for fun or to convey a message. However, most of Annie's photographs express such strong and powerful emotions. Sometimes the simplest black and white image of a person can express feelings of fear, sadness, anger, or joy. Regardless, Annie never fails to keep her audience interested.

Film Analysis - Under Fire (1983)

       This is a movie about the journalist/photographer in Nicaragua who photographs, risking his life, the scenes of civil war going on between an oppressive regime and civilian rebels. The conflict is that the protagonist photographer sympathizes with the rebels although they are supposed to be an anarchistic mob. He is upset by the soldier's cruelty toward the rebels including even women and children. Although he is a journalist, crossing the boundaries of the war zones identifying himself as a neutral observer, he decides to secretly side with the rebels.
       This particular scene is the part when he agrees to take picture of a dead rebel leader but make it seem that he is actually alive. He is tormented that as a journalist, he is supplying the media with false information. On the other hand, he is convinced that the showing the world the proof that the leader is still alive will help the rebels. In this scene, his female companion has a concerned look on her face showing that she thinks a journalist shouldn't fabricate photographs. Also, the protagonist is in the back, in the corner of the room and this shows that he is trying to avoid the situation and is apprehensive about doing this. The background in this scene is dark, evoking the feeling that something suspicious is going on. The walls are surrounding the characters hiding them from people outside. All this implies that the act of taking photographs of fabricated situations is a morally wrong, almost criminal idea for a journalist. It also shows how powerful photographs can be and how, for instance, it can impact the question of who wins the civil war. The movie stresses the power of photographs on another scene when the leaked photos of rebels shot by the protagonists are used to identify rebels among civilians and execute them. The movie tells us because photographs carry such significance, there might be huge consquences when photograph portraying mild subjectivity crosses the line and becomes a fabricated lie (even if the photgrapher did that out of good will).

Photo Analysis- Nagasaki

As many of you may know, August 9, 1945 was a devastating day for the Japanese. Americans dropped an atomic bomb over Nagasaki in order to have the Japanese surrender. This was the last major act of World War II. Nearly 40,000 people were killed due to the bombing of Nagasaki.

The picture to the left is what was left of the entrance to the Sanno Shrine after the atomic bomb was dropped. It was located 900 meters south-east of the atomic bomb's hypocenter. Although there are not many subjects in this photo, there is one  vertical subject that really catches the attention of the viewer. The torii, a traditional Japanese gate, and the rubble surrounding it are the main focal points of this picture. The torii is not in the center of the photograph but it still has a bold presence in the photo. The rubble somehow paves a path to the torii, therefore it is also a significant part of the picture. If you look towards the back of the picture there seems to be smoke coming up from the ashes. The smoke gives the picture a background and an enclosed feeling to it. The rubble gives the picture an out-of-control feeling but at the same time the torii gives off a calm peaceful feeling. The light source seems to be coming from the upper left corner (behind the torri) because there seems to be a shadow on the surface of the torii.

The image is so depressing because there is so much destruction and what once was a beautiful shrine is now  obliterated. However, we cannot ignore the fact that the image is in black and white. When an image is in black and white it evokes a sense of sadness but it also highlights the important stuff like the torii. This was taken by a photographer and it feels like the viewer is standing right on top of the debris and rubble.

This picture cannot get more real than this. It's apparent that the photographer captured what really happened after the bombing of Nagasaki. This much destruction could not have been fabricated or portrayed differently by the photographer.

Photo Analysis- Afghan Girl

This photo as some of you may know from the National Geographic magazine, taken by Steve McCurry, is called the "Afghan Girl". McCurry took this picture of, who he found out 17 years later whose name is Sharbat Gula, while in a refugee camp in Pakistan, away from the Soviets bombing her home in Afghanistan.

Viewers can't help but keep their sights on the piercing sea green eyes of this girl. It's difficult to decide if this girl was trying to look serious or if there was some form of genuine fear inside of her. Today we are trained to believe that all girls on the cover of a magazine are purposefully intending to have a mysterious look but have no meaning behind the stare. In this case, her eyes reflect both fear and power.

However, when this photo was taken, there was no glamour influence behind it. In a dark background, her bright green eyes symbolize the light at the end of the tunnel and the hope that the people of Afghanistan had regarding their future to one day be free from the bombing of the Soviets. Many times a picture with such intensity and is put in black in white but in this case, the color does not take away from the deep meaning of the picture.

She is the center of the picture and there are no other objects in the photo that may give the viewer any sort of clue on what the picture is about, if they didn't know already. The lighting in this picture seems to touch every inch of the picture making the source of it, then sun. Although this girl looks young, her face seems aged and looks leather-like which is probably caused by the immense amount of time spent in the sun or the large amount of stress, sadness and anger she has. As well as her face, her clothes are torn up and rugged making the viewer assume that her life is surrounded by aging, poverty and hardship. This girl, although not intending to do so, comes across as scared probably due to the unfamiliarity she has with the photographer, but also hope for the Afghani people because of the light and passion in her eyes.

I have included a link below so you can see the "Afghan Girl" then and now.

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/enlarge/afghan-girl-before-after_pod_image.html

Photo Analysis- The Migrant Mother

The photo above may look very familiar to many people. This image is known as the Migrant Mother, captured by Dorothea Lange during the Great Depression in 1936. 

At first glance, the viewer gets a great understanding of the sense of concern and anxiety the mother is feeling simply by looking at her face. Dorothea Lange's goal as a photographer was to show another side of poor people, she wanted to show "their pride, their strength [and] their spirit". And this image does just that. It is apparent that the mother has been through a lot but there is still a spark of hope that is portrayed as she keeps her head up high, hoping that things will get better. Lange sent this image to a newspaper to expose how people were living and soon after food was sent to these suffering people.

The image I posted is in black and white, but there is a colored version as well. However, the black and white version evokes more emotion and gives more power to the scene depicted. There is more of a focus on light and shadow rather than various colors, but because the image is in black and white it does not allow for colors to distract the viewer from the intensity of the image. Moreover, the light source seems to be coming from somewhere directly in front of the mother. Her face is the lightest point of the image, which draws the viewers eyes immediately to her face. 

A majority of the space in this photo is taken up by the mothers pyramidal shaped body. Her children are on either side of her, which frames her figure in a way that again draws attention to the mother, proving that she is the subject of the photo.

Now to focus on the purpose of this blog...Is this photo real or fake? I believe that because of the overpowering emotion and pain depicted by the mother as well as the rawness and sincerity in her face, it allows one to believe that this image must be real. I feel as if there is no way a paid model could ever convey such sincere emotion as well as someone who is actually going through something so horrific. Therefore proving that this image is a depiction of real life and not some made up scene. 

<<http://picturingamerica.neh.gov/downloads/pdfs/Resource_Guide_Chapters/PictAmer_Resource_Book_Chapter_18B.pdf>>

Introduction

Hello readers. My name is Josmar Lima and I'm currently studying at California State University- Northridge with the intent of majoring in Civil Engineering. I am from Pomona, California but attended school in Upland. I suppose you can say that I grew up among different types of people and cultures; from living in a city that is predominantly populated with Latinos to attending school in a city that is mostly populated with Caucasians. Nevertheless, Downtown Pomona is a location that is known for its music, fashion, and art.  On my free time I volunteered at an art gallery that displayed various pieces of art such as paintings, sculptures and photography. This is the reason why I became so attached to art. Although I have never been behind a camera I have always had an interest in photos and about the stories they tell.

By posting on this blog I would like to demonstrate the nature of photography and the ways that one photo can alter the feelings and emotions of a person viewing it. Whether photography is "Real or Fake" it is my goal to analyze and breakdown the contents of a photograph in order to truly grasp the meaning of it. A photograph can in fact be a a true representation of the object being photographed or just the way the photographer wants to depict it. Nonetheless, I shall assist the readers in analyzing and acknowledging the different styles of photography and discussing how a photograph might be the depiction of the photographer. After all, a picture is worth more than a thousand words.

Analysis - Photograph of Al Saleh Mosque

Above is a photograph of Al Saleh Mosque in Yemen by Stephanie Sinclair.

The dominant figures in this photograph are the mosque building, the towers with lights at the top,
the fence surrouding the mosque, road barricades and a man walking alone outside the mosque. The
mosque is quite far away from the photographer so it doesnt really catch the viewers' attention even though it is actually a huge building. The fence and the barricades implies that the access to the mosque or even areas surrouding the mosque is restricted. The man walking outside of the fenced area adds to the idea that there are not many people around the mosque.

The photography is from a perspective of passer-by. Although the mosque is the main subject of this photo, it was photographed from very far away and outside its fences and also at a slanted angle (not a frontal image) as you can tell by how the line created by the fences is slanted. One very significant apsect of this photography is that the photographer chose to capture the image while it was raining and when there were droplets of rain on the camera lens. This portrays a perspective that is very realisitc; the viewer feels as if he/she actually standing there on a raining day. At the same time, the rain droplets were deliberately intended to be part of the photo to blot out the mosque and create a feeling of uncertainty and that something is not right.

There are two light sources, both of them very dim. The sunlight is barely penetrating through the rain cloud and the light fixtures are not bright either. The blue-grayish color of the sky and the dim lights portray depressed mood.

It turns out that the Al Saleh Mosque was built for the promotion of moderate Islam with $60 million of expenses, but ironically the militant Islam group was the one that have gained more power. The photographer is most likely trying to shed light on the fact that the grand mosque that was built to accomodate many Islam followers is now a restricted area surrounded with fences and barricades. Although there are obviously no altercations in the image itself, the photographer deliberately used natural event (rain), and element of perspective (as an outsider/passer-by) to her advantage to convey this idea. I think this photograph do suggest a subjective opinion of the photographer since the mosque with its linkage to the militant group is deliberately portrayed in a depressing background (cloudy, rain), and foreground (fence, barricade). But it can be argued that she did that to stress the sensitive thruth related to the mosque. So concerning my question that I wrote on my introductory post, I will conclude that this photograph does capture the true nature of the object photographed.

Introduction-Ian Jung

       Welcome to our blog! My name is Ian Jung and I am a freshman attending Cal State Northridge in Southern California. The objective of this blog is to post up our analysis of pieces of photography. Although I'm not so knowledgeble about the techniques, gadgets, etc. used in photography, I like to appreciate art whether it be fine art, a painting, rock music, classical music and I think photography definitely fits into the category of artwork. Also, I like to play piano and violin in my spare time and I am planning to audition for the university orchestra (but I major in math).

       Expanding on our mission statement, "Is photography real or fake?", my goal is to conclude whether photography, in general, captures the true nature of the photographed object or whether the authenticity of the subject is altered for reasons such as to express the photographer's personal feelings, to portray a specific concept, or simply to make the photograph more interesting. I will try to understand what feelings/messages (if any) the photographers meant to convey through their work and I think going through this process will help answer the question.

Introductory Post

Hi readers! My name is Brianna Acevedo but my relaxed and more commonly used name is Bree. Currently, I am studying as a Business Management major at California State University Northridge and hope to someday word in the world of Media. Although I have never taken photos professionally, I have worked on the other side of the camera. I have two close friends who professionally do photography, one of which is a photography major at UCLA and has already gotten his name next to Vogue.

I have always been intrigued by photography and the motives behind it but could never see myself fit to actually make a living off of it. However, I consider myself more knowledgeable about cameras than the average person because I have played around with old cameras. Unlike a digital camera that only requires a button press, older cameras require self-focusing and being able to determine how much light is allowed or denied from the lenses.

In this blog I hope to discover as well as help others discover, the motives behind all types of photography. I hope that my readers will find relations to their own lives in the photography I discuss and be able to make connections and analyze the things they see in the world around them. 

Introduction

Hello Readers! My name is Shanilla Natanzi and I attend California State University, Northridge. I  currently live in Calabasas, California and went to Calabasas High School. Other than randomly deciding to enroll in a photography class during my sophomore year, I have no other personal experience with photography. However, that class has taught me so much and gave me a greater appreciation for photography.

Before taking the course at school, I thought photography was one of many ways for one to express themselves. I would consider myself a photographer simply because I knew how to point a camera at a pretty flower and press the little button that would capture the image. Throughout the duration of the class, I learned that there was much more to photography than the effortless point and shoot.

The purpose of my blog posts are to show how photography has evolved and how it contains various styles and techniques that can be considered either real or fake. But what makes for a real photograph? Is photography an accurate depiction of the real world or just the photographers way of expressing him or her self? This blog will help determine the difference between the two using numerous examples and in addition will also contain my personal opinion on various photographs.