Visual Studies I with Alex and Joe

Gestalt Project:

For this project we were told to shoot on South Congress and to find our own point of view on what we saw. The hard part of this for me was shooting to a somewhat set criteria. I don’t like having to take pictures according to some guidelines. I like to have the freedom to shoot what I want and where I want. Being confined to certain blocks of South Congress was a struggle for me. I found myself just wondering up and down the street having no idea what to take pictures of. I’m from Austin I’m used to this street and although it doesn’t lack its awe I still found it hard for me to walk this and find new ways to shoot this popular street. In the end I found myself with pictures that contain a linear theme. Either vertically or horizontally all my pictures have leading lines. In a way it captures the casual side of Austin while still keeping it interesting with a different perspective.

My favorite thing about Austin is the coexistence of urbanity and nature. For this project, I chose to explore this dual element of Austin while applying the Gestalt principles to photography sessions up and down South Congress. In this visual, conceptual exploration, I found that sometimes urbanity is integrated into nature, sometimes nature is integrated into the city and sometimes the two merge equally.  In some cases, this distinction depends on your point of view.  Throughout the project, I mainly noticed repetition and grouping in my photographs.  I used continuity and containment as well, although less frequently.  I enjoyed working with continuity and containment because I found them to be more challenging to apply.

My focus for this project created a thread of aesthetic contrast through each of these photos.  Greens of leaves, bushes, water, and trees are presented against elements of industry from complete buildings to fences and lights.

As a student feeling like I’ve barely even begun my studies in Photo Communications, I’m not entirely sure what my process as a photographer is yet, or what sorts of perspectives or subjects I gravitate towards. I’m certain of a few things, such as having minimal content in images, and the usage of natural light. But other then that, when I go out to photograph for different occasions, it’s never really with an intent or plan. So that’s how I went about this project. The first time, I wasn’t very pleased with the results. They felt too stereotypical of what anyone could take on South Congress. Having already had several shooting assignments on there in the pass, I was already bored with the subject matter anyway. So the second time around, I went about shooting keeping in mind that I didn’t really want my images to reflect South Congress as a whole. As a result, my images came out very detailed. I also found myself gravitating towards striking colors, and that is ultimately how I created a sort of cohesion throughout my images. Using vibrant colors, that either compliment or contrast each other.

Screenshots:

Gestalt Project

gestalt- “an organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts”

grouping – grouped by location, orientation, shape, and/or color

containment – creates unity, determines positive and negative space

repetition – the same element/effect over and over

proximity – distance between objects

continuity – fluid connection between parts

closure – implication completed in the mind

As a photo communications major, I am often asked the question, “What makes a good picture?” Often, I respond with something that has to do with the rule of thirds and good lighting. The truth was that I had no idea what makes a good picture, at least, nothing I could put into words. Sometimes, I’d be able to spot a compelling picture, but not be able to explain why it was so interesting. By applying the various gestalt principles to an image or design, it becomes easier to explain to not only yourself, but also to others what makes something good.

My photos tend to have a photo journalistic feel, with just enough creativity and personality to make them interesting. I gravitate towards darker images with an older, vintage feel, and I think that’s why these photos work together so well. In post-production, I gave them some of the same color tones, which is what ties them together.

Screenshots:

We are excited to be a part of your first year experience, we hope you are up for the challenge. It will be a lot of hard work but it will be fun and rewarding!

We have websites:
Alexandra Robinson
Joseph Vitone

SEU Fine Arts Gallery
East Austin Studio Tour
Art in Austin

Cool things to use during your time in Austin
South Congress Map Explorer

This project challenged us by requiring that we deconstruct our South Congress photographs and create something new with them. I decided to go at the project from a few different angles, including geometric shapes being glued in no particular order in no particular shape. I had a lot of fun getting out of the box with these collages, and found myself doing scary things I would have never chosen to do at home. I flexed my finger muscles stabbing hundreds of holes into an image and stringing sewing thread into the details of the image. I think this has been one of my favorite projects so far, and I am starting to think I will be exploring collage much deeper in my personal art at home.

I took scans of my hair on the scanner bed as well as scanning some cool trash I found on south congress between Lucky Robot and American Apparel. I enjoy the darkness of the hair scans because they contrast greatly from the images I took on South Congress.