Assignments I am Proud of

I think one of the projects I am most proud of is the Culture Clash. I think it is where I really got to show my own twist and point of view things. I liked being able to make something really surreal, because that is my favorite type of art. Making art that was meant to be funny or ridiculous was something that I feel like I am very suited to do. My sense of humor is such an important part of who I am. On top of that, I learned how to use the software photoshop. This has lead to me just messing around and using photoshop during my free time, so it was a great learning experience for me. 

Also, I am proud of the David Hockney collage that Jack Tobias and I created. Despite it not exactly following the rubric or getting a good grade, I'm happy with how it turned. It was an outlet for Jack and I to create something absurd that was also art. I think our collaborating ideas resulted in something very original, if not ideal. Doing that project taught me to look at scenes in many different ways, as that was the nature of the assignment. It also taught me to use many small mundane images, and use them to create something interesting and in my opinion artistic, if a bit chaotic.

Memorable Experiences

The first memorable experience from this semester was the David Hockney assignment. This was probably the most challenging project in this class for me. It challenged my partner and I to think outside of the box. I think it was a great art assignment just in nature because of the creativity it demanded. The good part about it was that even though it was challenging, it was very fun to do.

Another memorable project was the culture clash. It was maybe the most fun project for me, mostly because I got to learn how to use photoshop. During the time in class that we worked on the culture clash assignment, I got really familiar with the software, whereas before when I had tried playing around with it I had no idea what I was doing. As far as strictly learning to be a better photographer, I think the weekly photo assignments were the most beneficial to me. Learning about composition and elements of photos really helped me to just take better pictures.

Who am I video

Who Am I?

I am Ben Slayton. I think the best way I can sum myself up is with a quote from the film Scarface: "You need people like me. You need people like me so you can point your fingers and say, 'That's the bad guy.'" I am identified as a screw-up, but I like it. I think there is something very romantic about being the antagonist. Of course, I don't actually see myself as being that bad of a guy. I just like to have a good time; life is too short to deny yourself any pleasure. I'm also brutally honest, sometimes unnecessarily, with people. I have a short, fiery temper. My mood swings from being hyper and confident, to being completely jaded and bland.

Interests:
Running
Music

Pollution in China

He included both the scenery of the pollution and the people affected by it in one image sometimes. Without needing explanation, it was clear that the people were being affected by the smog in the sky or the polluted waters or piles of trash. The imagery is very strong and meaningful. I don’t think they are meant to be beautiful, they are meant to convey a meaning and message.

Culture Clash

I learned a lot about using photoshop during this project. I found that the most useful thing was knowing how to select areas in the most precise way. Also the adjustments in color and distortion of shape was very useful.

Holiday Spirit, Ben

I took this photo crouching down at the base of my christmas tree. The floor was actually freezing, since I took this picture at night when this room wasn't being heated. It smelled very piney, which is probably my favorite smell. I really dislike christmasy visuals, but I like the lens flare that the lights create in this photo.

Digital Artist

Food

I took this picture of Bordheg right after it came out of the oven. It is a traditional Armenian food that my grandmother taught me to make on Thanksgiving Day. I was glad to learn something that is sort of a family recipe. I like how it looks with the different patterns of the repeating layers of filo dough and also the checkered line of the cuts in the pastry.

Famous Photographers

http://www.flickr.com/photos/102927905@N05/10996549643/

This is a link to a movie I created about the work of Louis Daguerre. It is written in the first person in a way that intends to make the movie more interesting than just a biography. I explain his importance in photography and how he came to be that.

Out of the Window, Ben

This picture is taken from a second story bedroom in my house. It is a very unusual room because it has a small wooden door that opens up over the living room. It doesn't lead to any floor or platform, it just leads into open air. If you walked out the door you would just fall into the room, and I like it cause it is pretty unusual. I also like how the beams look in the ceiling of the living room, and how they are leading towards the window.

Spooky, Scary Image

I took this photo late on halloween night. I was alone in my room and trying to get in a spooky mindset. I thought, what's spookier than satanism? So, I decorated my mannequin with satanic symbols and posed it next to a candle. I thought the effect of the light only coming from a flame enhanced the creepy mood. I also tried to pose the mannequin in a way that was suggestive of a crucifix, which seemed to make it all the more messed up.

Hobbies, Ben

I took this photo one night when I was looking around my room and taking out possessions that reflect my hobbies and interests. I love collecting comic books and I have for years. I put out a row of them on my floor with them sort of layered over each other. I like how it looks with the covers contrasting each other.

David Hockney Montage

I think we were pretty confused as far as the scenery we wanted to create. We wanted to create something very surreal using the scene of the ramp as a sort of base. I think we were successful in the surreality, but not in the object of the project. I learned how important it is to keep things simple, focus on not so many ideas at once, and to completely think something through before I try to create it.

Portraits

I laughed as I took this photo of Tucker laying on a bench. I used the technique of putting my subject out of their comfort zone, which from my point of view was very humorous. Obviously the photo isn't exactly funny though. I also tried to use an unusual perspective.

This photo was a little hard to capture. It took many times to catch the perfect moment before Tucker fell down. Again with this one I put the subjects out of their comfort zone. I also like the opposites of the two subjects, Nathan on the left standing upright wearing a bright color; Tucker on the right standing on his hands and wearing a cool color.

David Hockney Collages

The Cubist Period lasted formally from 1907-1914.  Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque are credited with creating the style. Ignored perspective and other classical elements of art and showed all sides of their subject. Typically it was not a realistic representation of form or texture.

David Hockney is a popular comtemporary artist from Britain. He paints, makes prints, photographs and designs. Many of his pieces show all the sides of one object or vantage point, which reflects that property of cubism. During his time at the Royal College of Art, it is likely that he was exposed to Cubist work from artists such as Picasso.

Cumberland Fair

Frozen Motion

Landscape

Macro

Portrait

Blurred Motion

My favorite photo I took was of Anna sitting and photographing the horse circuit. I like the mood of all the empty seats lined up. Anna points towards the negative space with her camera as well.

Famous Portraits

- Richard Avedon

I chose this photo because it is just so bizarre. The added prop of bees is very strange, and it's even stranger contrasting with the subject's pail skin. The eye contact being made also appears very nonchalant for such a strange looking situation.

- Arnold Newman

I really like this photograph because of the play on lighting and the eye contact pointing away from the lens. It makes Marilyn look very introspective.

- Annie Leibovitz

The subject is in a very unconventional pose in this photo, which makes it intriguing. It implies a very haggard, tired mood. The subject is also looking away from the lens.

Portrait Techniques

Alter Your Perspective:
Take a photo from somewhere other than eye level with your subject.

Introduce a Prop:
Add a prop into the mix to make the subject more interesting.

Play with Eye Contact:
Have the subject look somewhere other than the lens.

Experiment with Lighting:
Use side lighting, silhouette, backlighting, or anything else to enhance or obscure the subjects features.

Break the Rules of Composition:
Intentionally not follow some rules of composition to make the photo more interesting or embellish features in the photo.

Signs of Fall

I like this photo because of how the path leads down in the direction the girls are walking. I think the leaning birdhouse looks interesting too because it sort of intersects the path. The colors are also very vibrant.