Custom Layouts | Monochrome

From this assignment, I learned more about juxtaposition of different images and how to use features in Photoshop. The most difficult challenge I had was what unifying theme to choose and after that, which photos to choose. I overcame this challenge by thinking about the types of photos I like to take. Since I love photographing in black and white and how it looks, I initially choose that. As I got more into the cutting and positioning the pieces, I decided to broaden my theme a bit to just monochromatic. This gave me the ability to change color schemes while staying with some black and white photos. In each piece, I decided to make the background a variation of black and white gradient. I think that doing this helped to add more variation to each piece.

Photoshop Exercises

Color Emphasis

Filter Experimentation

 Combining Images

Levitation

Reflection

     I really enjoyed this exercise. I was able to learn more about the program and how to use it to my advantage. The newest skills I gained was the introduction to filters and the steps to make someone look like they're floating. These exercises were really fun to do, especially photographing for the levitation photos. I'm very interested in pushing my knowledge and increasing my skills.

Sally Mann

Sally Mann was born in Lexington, VA, in 1951. She was given a Bachelor of Arts in ‘74 and in ‘75, a Master of the Arts in writing from Hollins College. Her first solo exhibit was in 1977 at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. In many interviews, she has named her reason for taking up photography in high school was to spend more time with her then-boyfriend in the darkroom. She then spent two years at Bennington College, a liberal arts school in Bennington, VT. 
Her influences range from her  photography teacher at Bennington, Norman Sieff, to 19th century processes and portrait photographers, such as Michael Miley. Another important influence is the American South. Architecture photos she had taken from ‘75 to ‘77 of the law school at Washington and Lee were included in Second Sight, published in 1982. In these photos, she portrayed the building in an abstract, mysterious, blur. However, the most important and prevalent of all her influences is her family. She began using her family as her muse when her daughter came home with a swollen face from gnat bites. In all of her portraits, she implies many touchy and underlying themes like abuse, incest, and suicide.
I really love how striking and simple her portraits are. They also offer nostalgia with dark and dangerous undertones which I would love to explore on my own. I enjoy shooting in black and white. The opportunity to explore my abilities and mirror her portraits intrigues me. I hope to capture the nostalgia and undertones with similar lighting and subject positions.

1983-1985 | Sally Mann

1983-1985 | Sally Mann

Biography

"Art21. Sally Mann. Biography." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.

Sally Mann, Extended Biography. Lexington, VA: Sally Mann, n.d. PDF.

Woodward, Richard B. "The Disturbing Photography of Sally Mann." The New York Times. The New York Times, 27 Sept. 1992. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.