I question that… February 28, 2008

       Lester writes, “Images in magazine advertisements and in television commercials show women as sexual objects to attract the attention of potential customers to their product.” While this statement is “half-true”, I would not generalize all advertisements to be of that nature like he did. I think that was a pretty bold statement for Lester to say.

         While sex does in fact sell, it really all depends what the company is trying to sell and who their target audience is. For example, a company trying to sell lingerie would undoubtedly use this technique. They are trying to cater to men to buy for women and women to buy for their self-esteem. However, would it make sense for a company trying to sell a brand of clothing for little girls? How about Christian jewelry? No, it wouldn’t. In that sense, parents/adults are the consumers and they are buying for their children. They would not want their children to look “sexy”. They would support companies that take pride in innocence.

         In conclusion, I have found once again one more statement of Lester’s that is completely “questionable”.  

Part 2 Album/Movie Poster Art February 27, 2008

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         Last week, I chose to do the movie poster of the horror film, The Exorcist. Consequently, this week I am analyzing album art. 

         For this blog assignment, I chose the cover art of the popular punk-rock band, Anti-Flag. For those of you who are unfamliar with the band, the purpose of their music is to discourage fascism and extreme patriotism. On their official bandsite they write, “Well, that would’ve been great if these jerks [other punk-rock bands] practiced what they preached, but unfortunately, their idea of punk rock was VERY fascist! They took to sporting the American flag on their jackets, saying the pledge of allegiance to the flag, and (like the bunch of goons they were) beating the f*** out of each other and anyone who got in the way.”

        As you can see, I thought this piece of album art utilizes the elements involved in semiotics simply because it blatantly, visually communicates a message to consumers about the content and purpose of their music.

• lighting and color

        In this cover, it is obvious that the lighting is low-key lighting. I could be wrong, but I feel as though I have found yet another example of  Chiaroscuro lighting (extreme low-key lighting to create distinct areas of light and darkness). The combination of hues of black,  red, and white in this photo pose an intense contrast to one another.

       Since the scene of this pictures involves red, “blood-marked” sky, it is not the source of key light as one would normally assume it to be. Instead, the main source of lighting in this cover seems to be from that of the distinct illumination that radiates from the bright white (White) House and cross tombstones.

        The intensity of light is low with the exception of the two sources of light from the white house and white cross tombstones. I feel as though the vertical crosses that are lined up projecting from the building serve to be graphic vectors. Due to their attention-seeking status, I think they naturally direct more light upon the subject of the picture, the White House. The color of the background atmosphere is very dark.  The fact there is still a small amount of light emitting from the clouds suggests the scene is not occuring during times near midnight. However, since the sky is tainted with war, it is difficult to decipher exactly what time of the day the scene is taking place around.

         Lastly, the Chiaroscuro effect in this picture encourages alertness. The heavy contrast in lighting makes the scene extremely intense and dramatic. I think the artist was wise to apply such a technique in portraying a war scene such as this one.

• composition and framing

      In this picture, the White House is the main subject. The light radiating from the white cross tombstones (secondary key light) is a graphic vendor. It diverts the attention of the observers to the White House by illuminating its presence in the picture. 

        As for framing,  it is obvious that this element was thoroughly considered and applied. The picture is positioned around the subject, the White House, to direct the viewer’s attention to it. Instead of taking a picture of the vast neighborhood the house was surely surrounded by, the photographer concentrated the picture upon the layout of the building. He chose to put the White House in the center of the picture. He could have provided another aspect of the building if he had chose to position it differently. However, the meaning of the picture would have been altered as a consequence.  As a result, it is apparent that the framing of the White House is crucial in making the desired statement the band is putting forth the effort to make.

       Through the use of framing, the essence of the album cover/band’s statement was captured.

• meaning — what does it mean? How does it mean?

       I think this is a creative pice of album art. It immediately visually communicates what the band is about for those who are uninformed. It puts semiotics to great use!

        One signifier in this piece of art are the white cross tombstones in front of the backdrop of the White House.  White cross tombstones denote death. Since they are laid out in front of the White House, the signified then could be said to be “death due to service to the United States of America”.

           Another signifier is the White House. Since it is the main subject of the picture, it could be said that the signified would be (its) power.

          Yet another signifier in the picture are the planes in the air above the White House. The signified would be war for the country.

          Lastly, the color red is a signifier as well. In the context of this picture, it signifies bloodshed.

                The overall sign is that people are dying for the United States of America. Since the album was released during the initial stages of war in Iraq, it is suggesting that America’s war is for fascist reasons. It also indirectly suggesting polticians are abusing their power and they are the cause of the war and death of many servicemen.

         

Oh, Lester. February 19, 2008

     On page 83 of the text, Lester writes “Producers are anxious to have provocative quests as interviewees or panelists. Because of the visual impact of television, the medium emphasizes personality over substance in most cases”. I am going to have disagree with him on that one there.

          Viewers are more likely to take notice of names of guest stars rather than personality in my opinion. A person with the most vibrant, entertaining personality wouldn’t have a chance on getting tv if Oprah was competing for the slot.

          I disagree with Lester that producers are anxious to have provocative guests as interviewees or panelists in comparison to a person of substance. If that were true than the Jerry Springfield show would be much more successful than programs of substance such as Oprah.

      Another example I will present is the 2008 Presidential election. The canidates running for office are by no means “provocative”, however, they are of substance. There is no doubt in my mind that producers are interested in having them on their show right now rather than a B rated celebrity that is known for saying outrageous statements.

Album/Movie Poster Art February 19, 2008

 For this blog assignment, I chose the cover from the scary film, “The Exorcist”. For those of you who are unfamliar with the movie, it is about a young girl who is possessed with demons. A priest was sent for to perform an exorcism on her. As you can see, the cover demonstrates the plot of the movie perfectly.

• lighting and color

      Personally, I am so incredibly impressed how the single instrument of lighting could make a picture so dramatic. In this cover, it is obvious that the lighting is low-key lighting. In fact, I feel this photo is a perfect demonstration of Chiaroscuro lighting (extreme low-key lighting to create distinct areas of light and darkness).

       The lighting in this photograph consists of a directional key light coming from the upstairs window from the house. If I am not mistaken, there also seems to be another source of key light which is the light from the lamp in the street.  Also, due to the source of lighting and the night-time atmosphere, there are attached shadows such as the slanted one coming from the man’s figure.

        The intensity of light is low with the exception of the two sources of light from the window and street lamp. The light from the window fulfills the role of illuminating the man, therefore, directing light upon the man. The color of the background atmosphere is a very dark suggesting that the photo is taking place in the late evening.  The Chiaroscuro effect in this picture also communicates an eerie mood.

• composition and framing

      In this picture, the profile of man is the main subject. The light from the upstairs window (the key light) is a graphic vendor. It diverts the attention of the observers to the man by illuminating his presence in the picture. It serves as a secondary subject that in turn serves as another graphic vendor to the profile of the man.

        As for framing,  it is obvious that this element was thoroughly considered and applied. The picture is positioned around the subject, the man, to direct the viewer’s attention to him. Instead of taking a picture of the vast neighborhood the house was surely surrounded by, the photographer concentrated the picture on a particular gateway to a particular home. In doing this, the photographer captured the main subject, the man, instead of capturing images that could have served to distract the viewer of the photo.

       Through the use of framing, the essence of the film was captured.

• meaning — what does it mean? How does it mean?

       I think this an amazing piece of film art. It visually communicates what the movie is about for those who are uninformed. It puts semiotics to great use!

        The signifier in this piece of art is the flood of light coming from the window. According to the picture, it is an unusual amount of light beaming down into the night shining upon a visiting man. Therefore, because of the context in which the light is being used, it is a material thing that signifies something “out of this world”. In other words, it signifies an extraordinary subject.

        The man amongst the night time atmoshere can be said to be the signified. His small profile in contrast to the huge home and the contrast of the night time lighting with that of the flood of light coming from the window demonstrates a man exploring the unknown. This element conveys an eerie, scary mood.

          The sign is that The Exorcist is a scary movie. For example, if potential movie-goers were to see this photo, they would immediately be able to tell the genre of the video. They would know it was a scary, horror film (the concept) just by the night time atmophere. Consequentially, it is the sign.

       Please feel free to comment!

“That’s Questionable #2″ February 11, 2008

       On page 37 of the textbook, Lester states that “…Color- more than any other visual attribute- has the capacity to affect the emotions of the viewer, a message may be forever remembered or forever lost.” There are a few things I disagree with in this statement.

        First of all, I disagree that color is the supreme visual attribute that is capable of arousing emotions in a viewer. When I see a gun, it doesn’t matter if it is yellow, black, white, red, or orange. It is the object itself that arouses emotions within me. Same idea goes for something as a flower. It doesn’t matter if it yellow, white, or red- it is still a flower, an object, that arouses emotions within me. Therefore, I disagree that color is the main element that ignites emotion. Instead, I feel that image itself (unique with all its external properties) is what strikes emotion. It is what feelings we are raised to associate with images that spurs upon emotion.

       Secondly, if color were responsible for the presence of emotion, then how did black and white films become popular? How were people capable of being entertained if not for the accomplishment of getting a desired emotion from the audience?

         Lastly, has Lester ever heard of a short term memory? In this statement he makes it sound as though memories are either permanent or forgotten suggesting there is no in between. He also suggests that color is the main determinant of what is remembered or forgotten. I disagree, I could easily forget a red sweater I saw in a store and forever remember a tragic murder scene with red blood everywhere. Once again, I think it is the content of the scene and there is much more elements involved in the process of whether or not someone remembers or forgets something. It does not all boil down to the hue!

           Once again, I have successfully found a “that’s questionable” excerpt in the text! :) 

Photography in Politics February 10, 2008

  

           This photo came from the article entitled “Obama Defeats Clinton in 3-State Sweep” that was published in The New York Times February 9, 2008 by Kate Zernike and Katherine Q. Seelye.

           Compostion

            In this photograph, the profile of Obama is the main subject. The people in the background looking at him are graphic vendors. They divert the eyes of the observer of the photograph to Obama. I think the spotlight in the upper left hand of the picture (the key light) serves as a secondary subject that in turn serves as another graphic vendor to the profile of Obama.

            I think the photographer employed a “simple” approach to this photograph. He did what was suggested in the tutorial link you provided the class with in “getting closer to the object”.

           Framing

            It is apparent that the photographer implemented the use of framing when taking this photograph. He positioned his camera around the subject, Obama, to direct the viewer’s attention to him. Instead of taking a picture of the vast amount of people that Obama was surely surrounded by, the photographer concentrated the picture on a select few of citizens around him. In doing this, the photographer captured the main subject, Obama, instead of the large auditorium of people which could have served to distract the viewer of the photo.

         Also, the framing definitely relates to the theme of the photo. On the edges of the photograph, people’s faces and bodies are half visible leaving the observer to infer the nature of the atmosphere in the photograph. By unentirely showing the chaotic scene, the observer can feel as those he/she is amongst the chaos instead of ”above” or objectively witnessing it from a distance. Consequentially, framing is essential in creating the mood of this photograph. 

           Use of Color

            I feel this is a low-key light scene with a heavy contrast of the subject, Obama, with the people surrounding him. I think this photo has a low-key effect because the scene is dominated by shadows and weak lighting. Even though there is a main source of light in the background, it is only directed to the center of the picture. The dark tones of people’s apparel are emphasized in the photograph and with the expception of the blonde male in the center of the photo, all the other people have fast fall off shadows.

            Also, the low-key light radiates a serious tone. The photographer could have used high-key light and if he had chosen to do this then a different mood would have been expressed.  

             In regards to the element of contrast, the “colorful” background containing a variety of hues serves to contrast directly with the black, back profile of Obama. As for brightness, it is low-key as I had mentioned earlier.

              If you would like to see/read the article that I found the picture in, you can click on this link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/09/us/politics/09cnd-campaign.html

“That’s (Downright) Questionable!” February 6, 2008

      On page 5 of our textbook by Lester, I found a completely contradictory paragraph. I re-read it a few times and it still boggles my mind.

       He writes, “Through repetitive mental viewing and thinking about them [visual images] with thoughts in your mind over time, the images become permanent and your brain stores the visual memories.” He then goes on to say. “The content of the new and old images constantly bounces back and forth in your mind so that you learn from the images. Otherwise, you will forget them, as you do most words and pictures that stream across you as you journey through your life.”

      So, Lester, which one is it? Are they “permanent” or are they potentially “forgetful”? I always thought permanent meant PERMANENT meaning undestructible. Maybe I am totally misunderstanding his concept, but either way I disagree that images are permanently  stored in our brains. If that were true then I do not think my mind could store all the new information I am learning every day. Also, if he means that memories are permanent, then I would like him to explain Alzheimers to me then.

         All in all, I think this paragraph was completely confusing and downright questionable!

Analyzing Two Comparable Paintings February 3, 2008

Mary Cassatt

Little Girl in a Blue Armchair, 1878

Painting #1

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Children Playing on the Beach, 1884

Painting #2

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           For this assignment, I chose to decipher one of my favorite artist’s paintings, Mary Cassatt. In the first picture, Little Girl in a Blue Armchair, I am reminded of my own childhood youth. The brunette, little girl is slumped in an armchair staring at her pet dog. She looks relaxed and so immersed in the present moment. She is clearly not worrying about her appearance. This can be assumed by the manner in which she is sitting in her chair disheveled. To me, this painting demonstrates a child who just wants to “play”, but is just starting to experience the pressure of “growing up” and being well behaved. Her outfit is proper so it can be assumed that her parents are putting more demands on her to be “good” and become a “big girl”. She seems as though she is just starting to learn about rules, chores, and responsibility. The expression on her face shows me that she is not happy about her new discoveries either!

          In “Picture #1″, Mary Cassatt uses three point lighting to illuminate the subject of the painting, the little girl. The key light is focused on the girl. The fill light helps illuminate the girl so that the image of her is not that harsh. The back light illuminates the girl’s profile (hair, texture of her outfit, etc.). The light from the windows in the picture are used as the background lighting as well.  It compares the darkeness of the room to that of the daylight outside.

       Painting #2, Children Playing on the Beach, shows two small girls playing on the beach with the sand. They look so content with such a simple game as putting sand in a bucket. It reminds me of the beauty of youth- in being fully content with the “littlest of things”.

       In “Picture #2″, the intensity of light is low with the exception of the light upon the subject, the two little girls. The sand fulfills the role of illuminating the girls, therefore, directing light upon the girls. The color of the background atmosphere is a pale, blue sky. This element indicates that the picture is taking place about mid-day. The warm lighting in this pciture also communicates a serene, calm atmosphere.

        I always have been a huge fan of Mary Cassatt’s work and after the completion of this assignment, I appreciate her work all the more!