Final Statement 35mm

I have experimented with different genres of photography within the past 10 years, from sports/action digital, to alternative processes, to digital compositing, to 4x5 film. I have enjoyed experimenting with these genres and growing in my style and preference, yet I feel one can get too caught up in expressing ideas that the simple pure art of photography can become lost. Spring 2018 being my last semester as an art student, I felt it was time for a refresher on the basics of composition in photography. My goal was to work in a formalist style, and to capture images based on line, shape, texture, and tone. I wanted to use these aspects alone to determine whether or not my eye has advanced and grown in terms of seeing the unseen, which is something all photographers should be striving for. I also wanted to give myself this challenge to focus on formalist qualities of art, rather than focusing on any one concept, as my way of stripping my mind down to focus on the art form itself. I specifically chose to photograph Fresno State’s campus as a way of narrowing my focus and forcing myself to look closer at the school in which will be my alma mater. I am glad I chose this as my semester long project, as I feel my eye has indeed evolved. I also found a greater appreciation for the formalist style. I have create photo narratives in the past, including writing with my photos. However these photos I have created are just photos, and unapologetically so. They are a representation of how I see things, without any added frills. I believe a truly great photographer can observe the world around them, take a picture, and have created something new.  I feel that I have created something out of nothing with this project.

 

Carla Kogelman -World Press Photo Contest 2018

Carla Kogelman is an Amsterdam-based photographer. She enjoys focusing on children in their environments and how the interact with one another and communicate with their bodies. Carla also has a theatre background.

In this series Carla has photographed two girls growing up from the years 2012-2017. I love this idea for a long-term project. Growing up is something we can all relate to. We may not have had such magical-looking summers, however we do all have childhood memories.

I believe Carla's theatre experience is evident in her work. I viewed her photo story before reading about it, and the story was very evident to me in the images she chose to include. I can see that it is clearly summer, and these girls are clearly related, and clearly growing up. 

Carla creates beautiful prints with amazing tonal range. She gets the skin tone of the people perfect. Her use of subject and composition and light creates such emotion-filled images that I can almost feel summer. These images make me want summer! I hope to one day take photos of my children like this.

35mm Project -continued-

I have decided to call this project "A Senior's Point of View" because I am graduating this spring, and all of these photos are going to be taken of Fresno State's campus.

Firebaugh -continued-

Officer Campa, father of 4 has volunteered and worked in Firebaugh for 21 years. Originally from Mendota Officer Campa also lived in Fresno before moving to Firebaugh where he began coaching boys varsity at Firebaugh High School and working for the school district. He and his wife Terry fell in love with the town and the kids. His wife Terry now works as a secretary at Firebaugh Middle School. Officer Campa is on the School Board, he volunteers for the high school senior portfolio review (he interviewed me in 2011), he's coached boys and girls middle school soccer, he has worked with the Police Activities League, the football boosters, and he has been an officer since 2003. Officer Campa is known for being a helping hand and being a person who cares deeply about his community. He is very respected, and I believe he is a big part of what makes Firebaugh a safe place, which is something we pride ourselves on. 

Rosemary, originally from San Jose, came to Firebaugh when she learned they were building affordable housing. Rosemary fell in love with the town and it's calm atmosphere. She began working at the Firebaugh Super Market, the only grocery store in Fireaugh, in 1991. Through out different owners and managers, Rose has stayed at Firebaugh Supermarket. Rosemary always makes me and my family feel welcomed. She always has a smile on her face, no matter who she is helping or what is going on in her personal life. She always makes me smile. 

Firebaugh -Continued-

Dennis Vasquez was born and raised in Firebaugh. In fact, there is a street in Firebaugh called Vasquez Drive, named after his grandfather. Dennis began truck driving, however wanting to be closer with his daughter, he found a new opportunity working as a janitor for Firebaugh School District. Dennis has worked at all 4 school sites in the district, and he has worked for 23 years. He has been involved with the school politics, and with city politics as well. He's even thinking about running for Mayor. Dennis is known for his positive attitude and hard-working mentality. 

Ronald (left) and Jeff Louie have worked at Westside Drug ever since they could work. Their father Bill opened the business in 1948. Bill commuted from Los Banos to Fresno, always passing Firebaugh. He saw a need for a pharmacy, so he filled it. The building was originally a Miller and Lux market store, as you see in the painting behind Ron and Jeff. This has been the only pharmacy in Firebaugh since I have lived here, and it is a very important place. Without this business, those in need of medications would have to travel at least 15 miles to Dos Palos. For many who cannot drive, this is hard to do. In this way, Bill, Ron, and Jeff are very important and loved figures of Firebaugh. 

Sadie Navarro has worked and volunteered in Firebaugh for 28 years. She worked at Bailey, the local primary school, for 20 years. She then began working at the local Senior Center for 2 years, when she retired. However, Sadie continues to volunteer at the Senior Center going on 6 years. She's seen here helping with the BINGO game. Sadie also volunteers at my Church where my father preaches. She sings in the choir, and helps out at the youth group which is open to the community called Eagles Nest. Sadie can also be found at the sporting events in Firebaugh, she is especially involved with the Pop Warner youth football teams. The junior team even gave her a ring for their championship in 2016. Sadie was also appointed Grand Marshall for Firebaugh High School's homecoming. Sadie is a beloved member of our community. She has watched many men and women grow up from little kids, to having kids of their own. She is one of the most giving and caring women I have ever met. 

Alyssa Razo and David Richards

This Thursday I attended the Graduate show for Fresno State including Alyssa Razo and David Richards. I have had classes with both David and Alyssa, and it was awesome to see how their work has developed and how they've grown as artists.
The show was set up in such a way that each artist had one side of the room. I felt it was very easy to navigate, and the artists curated the show well.
David did a very nice job of placing his images on the walls. His concept was about rock climbing and his experiences with it. he had some images of things found on the ground at sites, and he placed those on the lower portion of the walls. any images he had of people climbing, or himself, he placed in the center of the wall, and those that were from a lower angle looking up, he placed highest on the wall. He even had a simple image of an even blue sky in which he placed extremely high up on the wall. David also put a climbing rope up attached to the ceiling of the gallery, as well as adding some maps and climbing books as a display. I thought these were great touches to his work.
Alyssa's work was amazing. She combined images that she shot of members of her family, done with a 4x5 camera, and some childhood pictures of her with her family. Her statement, along with the quotes from her family, and the statistics about divorce really made the show what it was. It expressed the struggles she's gone through growing up in a "broken" home. However, seeing the vignette about her cousin, who is now raising her child alone, proved that there is an upside to a broken family, which is support. As odd as it seems, a young person can look at the struggles of their parents, and see how they are still going, and how things work out in the end, and it can encourage them in their own situations to keep moving forward and to have strength. I think Alyssa did an amazing job putting her space together, and I think a lot of people can relate to her story and appreciate it.

Lauren Semivan

Lauren Semivan creates abstract images with her 8x10 camera. She sets up her images in a studio-situation. She uses herself as a prop sometimes, and she uses other objects as anchor points. She also uses string to create lines, and fabric, and paint. Lauren attempts to create images based on her emotions and feelings. One of her series, in black and white, is called "Pitch". Lauren attempts to create images that look like sound. I think she does this very well. The different directions the lines move cause the eye to move around the image, and it evokes a sense of music. I really appreciate Lauren's process in creating these scenes. I would like to try to do something like this myself. I also appreciate the ay that Lauren tries different processes for her series'. 

Midge Wattles

Midge Wattles is a rather new and upcoming photographer. Although she has done several different series, all of her art is centralized on material objects and architecture. Her series "Lineage" is one that I found the most inspiration from for my 35mm film series on abstractions. In Lineage Midge Wattles discovers space and light on geometric shapes found indoors. By capturing the light and shadow entering the room, Midge makes the space look alive. I really enjoy the images that combine straight lines along with soft lights and shadows. https://www.midgew.com/

Firebaugh

            My family and I moved to Firebaugh when I was twelve. My father was attending Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary located in the bay area to further his education in theology, when he got a job preaching in Firebaugh. For one school year, my family commuted every weekend to the central valley. Although I was only twelve I was able to recognize the beauty of the central valley, especially when it was compared week after week to the bay area I left behind. I saw where all my fruits and vegetables were being grown. I saw the aquafers that held the water that fed the plants I ate. I was able to see the cotton growing that made the clothes I wear. I recognized that the people in the bay area never see this. They are not aware of who is supporting their lifestyles, and I am living amongst those people now. I am now deeply attached to a community of people whose lives are dependent on the earth itself, and the help of others around them.

            I was born in Fresno, and I’ve lived in northern California as well as the bay area, about 15 minutes from San Francisco. I know I was young when I lived in these areas, however being homeschooled I believe I was well educated on the areas I was living. I believe I have a different perspective on this town than anyone else. I am someone who was not born here, so I see things others do not and I know what is unique and not found in other places. Yet, I have also lived in Firebaugh long enough to feel as though I am a part of the community and long enough to know context about a lot of things.

            I believe there is a story in this town that needs to be told and I believe I am a qualified author. I would like to tell stories about history in buildings and the San Joaquin River, about fear of change, about the Mexican culture, about agriculture, and about the people that make this town what it is.

            I would like to make prints, and to create a book with captions under the photos, giving some insight on the town. My goal is to tell a story, and show the beauty and pain that comes with a small suburb in the central valley. I hope my town will be proud to see this book, and I hope others who live in small towns can relate to it as well.

Maldonado Park was built during the time I lived here. Before, there was only one other park on one side of town. This park is located near government housing ("g-camp"), and a well housed apartment complex. Every Saturday and Sunday you will see young men playing basketball, kids of all ages using the skatepark, families having birthday parties, and little ones using the playground. There is a water park that used to be packed with kids in the summer, however due to the drought, it is only turned on a few days out of the year now. 

Edgar's family work for N.F. Davis. Davis is a well-known and highly respected businessman and farmer in our community. Edgar has twin siblings who recently had their Quinceanera, and Davis offered to help them with some finances for the celebration. 

There are many Churches in Firebaugh. Full-Gospel is one that stands out in our community because they have a rehab program for men, many who are recently out of prison. I work at Subway and these men often come in as it is within walking distance of the Church. They are some of my favorite customers. They are very polite and well mannered. One man says "God bless" as his goodbye. 

My Eye

May 19th, 2018, at the end of this Spring semester, I will be graduating from Fresno State University. I (hopefully) be going on to the credential program, however I will be finished with regular art and photography classes. Therefore I decided to do a project this semester that would in a way bring my "eye" full-circle.
I began doing photography at college level in 2011. When I first started at Fresno City College I was told to take photos of light and shadow, symmetry, pattern, closure, similarity, contrast, space, repetition, perspective, and much more. All of these being gestalt and other design principles. When I first began photography I did not know what I was doing. However, I'd say in 8 years' time I should have a bit of an idea now. So my goal is to go through some of these principles again, in hopes of being able to see that my "photographer's eye" has grown. I believe having focused on one type of fine art photography in my particular style for so long, that it would be good for me to return to the basics and to remember all of the little parts that create one big amazing photo.
After taking other art classes and learning how to apply these principles in other artistic mediums such as drawing, painting, and sculpture, I believe it makes more sense to me now. I would like to prove to myself that I can take photos of almost anything and make it catch YOUR eye as a viewer. I would also like to try to stay on campus for this project, as I would like to have some photos of my campus in my repertoire. Some artists that I take inspiration from are Minor White, Harry Callahan, and Imogen Cunningham.

This is 35mm film that I will be hand-printing on glossy paper. This first project is on RC, however I will switch to Fiber-based in the next parts.

Here is Part One of this project, along with the contact print. I apologize that these are not the best quality, as they are taken with my cell phone and unedited.

"University Student Union" 

I went in here for orientation when I first started at FSU, and I haven't been back. 

"Industrial Technology Building" 

I absolutely love the light and the windows in this building. As I printed this photo I thought I had taken it vertically. Yet my classmate corrected me! But let's see how it looks vertically. Do you think it works this way as well?

Doug Hansen's "Bookends" Exhibiton

Doug Hansen's "Bookends" Exhibition in Fresno State's Conley Art Gallery, was very inspirational. I was actually pleasantly surprised at this. I had a preconceived notion that his work would all be more comic-style, which seems far away from what I am drawn to as an artist. However, although Hansen's work can be heavily described at "illustration", a lot of it had so much connection with fantasy and fairytale, that it sparked my interest. 

Hansen's sculpture work was especially beautiful to me. I find found objects and things that look like props from movies to be so intriguing. I also love that Hansen's work has a deep childhood root to it. I connect to that very much. The pair of patched and embroidered pants reminded me of a pair of pants that my best friends, my sister, and I sewed patches to and embroidered ourselves. His work reminded me of my childhood and made me feel happy, which was very refreshing compared to a lot of art that's out there.