Friday, October 12, 2012

Pathways & Textures



Murray (2008) states ‘photography has become less about the special or rarefied moments of domestic/family living’.  This quotation corresponds to our theme of Pathways, which is interlocked with our sub-theme of Textures. We believe that people walk everyday, but routinely ignore the significance of what they are stepping on. Murray’s (2008) concept of amateur photography and everyday aesthetics is represented in our theme of pathways as we exhibit a collection of the small and mundane. The visual compilation symbolically represents the everyday life pertaining routines, ‘taken-for-granted’ experiences, beliefs and practices. This is achieved by compelling the audience through a journey of everyday pathways and textures. It also presents the emphasis upon the immediacy of current experiences and activities by sharing the venture.
The process of capturing our photography involved traveling, while conceptualizing the various ways of presenting the photos. The use of different viewpoint, camera angles and lighting highlights the distinct texture of the paths. Wide-angle shot was our main choice of technique, as we wanted to create a winding ambience and ultimately create one complete path. We wished to portray the meaning of “pathways” (as the “path and journey in our lives”), hence the use of effects, predominantly ‘Ken Burns’ that illustrates a sense of motion. Photos were edited to appear antique conveying the feeling of wistful yet elegant nostalgia. We have chosen “Woods of Chaos” (by musikpirat, 2011) to establish a melancholic and dramatic atmosphere. We also aligned the music with the movement of images with the flow of music to create different levels of dynamics.
To conclude the photo essay titled “Pathways” express Murray’s concept amateur photography and everyday aesthetics. The forgotten and yet beautiful textured paths displaying everyday routines and experiences that are unappreciated.

Reference:

Murray, S., 2008 ‘Digital Images, Photo Sharing, and Our Shifting Notions of Everyday Aesthetics’, Journal of Visual Culture. SAGE (Los Angeles, London, New Delhi and Singapore). Vol 7(2): 147-263.

Music:
musikpirat, 2011, ‘Woods of Chaos’. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Photos: Espineda A., and Lee, C., 2012. 


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