jewelz695
Alter Egos: Roll Call
Julie
Digital Photography Artist Statement
I am a rather contemplative, curious person, who loves humor and terror with equal devotion. I have always been deeply intrigued by the secrets of things, by the hidden stories and meanings behind everything I see, whatever those stories and meanings may be. I am an avid reader who wants to be drawn into stories, or at least given the chance to discover a story. Perhaps this is why, once I found that many of the types of stories I would like to read did not yet exist, I started writing in order to make up my own. I am an aspiring artist who has studied in a couple of high school level art courses and who has a painting shown in the school anniversary celebration display at my school. Perhaps this is why, once I found that much of the artwork I like most tells stories like books do, I started making my own artwork to tell my stories. I have been taking pictures and studying the artistic aspects of photography for years, but it was only recently that I learned the technical skills with a camera that I needed in order to pursue this passion seriously. Now, I am focusing on bringing my love of art, my love of stories, and my love of the unusual together with my photography.
When I take any picture, I mean it to tell you a story the moment you look at it. Sometimes, I take several photos that work together to tell a story, expanding my vision and allowing my viewers to go on a journey with me. It doesn’t have to be the same journey; the images are only signs along a path, and if you choose to follow some signs rather than others or end up in a destination entirely different from the one I reached, that is extremely gratifying to me. If you choose to follow every sign letter for letter, that is just as gratifying. I would never want to tell you where your mind wants to go or what you want to think, as that leaves no room for humor, fun, or discovery on anyone’s part. I try to put most of my focus on taking clear photos with strong composition, framing, and lighting that set a mood and tell a story. I also believe in the use of Photoshop to fix small technicalities that interfere with the story I wish to tell. Sometimes, Photoshop even becomes an additional storytelling tool with which I can take the images I have created and bring them to a level of fantasy that I could never find, or even create, in the physical world. In this way, I can make something beyond my wildest dreams into a visible reality that my viewers can share and explore as I do.
In my “realistic” self-portrait, I wanted to display as many symbolic/subtle hints about my personality and my story as were possible. In the image, I chose to be surrounded by books because they can be so diverse and say so much about the one who reads them. The titles on the spines of the books, the way they are stacked, and the piles’ sheer height speak volumes for themselves. The raven was added in to hint at Edgar Allan Poe, one of the greatest inspirations for both my writing and my art. The classic-looking vase with the red feather in it represents the emergence of new creativity and ideas from old traditions. The shell is nature and solitude, the unlit candle is potential, the lace is simplicity and elegance, and the blank notebook is the rest of my life. How these symbols come together and what I am telling you with them is for you to find for yourself. My “alter-ego” self-portrait is actually several self-portraits arranged through the magic of Photoshop in a way that tells a story. One of me, dressed like a coach or team manager of some sort and holding a clipboard, is taking a roll call of all of the various facets of my personality. In the meantime, all the parts of me are interacting, going about their daily business, goofing off, showing off, or even, horror of all horrors, actually paying attention. Many of these portions of me are hinted at in the symbols of my self-portrait. In fact, you can think of the alter-ego self-portrait as an event occurring within my mind as I was setting up my self-portrait. The parts of me that the coach is viewing are, from left to right: independence, tradition, prissiness and femininity, happiness, anger and fear, drama, intelligence and introversion, responsibility, and dependence on others. Yes, I realize that I am a mess. I hope it stays that way for a very long time.
Alter Egos: Roll Call
Julie
Digital Photography Artist Statement
I am a rather contemplative, curious person, who loves humor and terror with equal devotion. I have always been deeply intrigued by the secrets of things, by the hidden stories and meanings behind everything I see, whatever those stories and meanings may be. I am an avid reader who wants to be drawn into stories, or at least given the chance to discover a story. Perhaps this is why, once I found that many of the types of stories I would like to read did not yet exist, I started writing in order to make up my own. I am an aspiring artist who has studied in a couple of high school level art courses and who has a painting shown in the school anniversary celebration display at my school. Perhaps this is why, once I found that much of the artwork I like most tells stories like books do, I started making my own artwork to tell my stories. I have been taking pictures and studying the artistic aspects of photography for years, but it was only recently that I learned the technical skills with a camera that I needed in order to pursue this passion seriously. Now, I am focusing on bringing my love of art, my love of stories, and my love of the unusual together with my photography.
When I take any picture, I mean it to tell you a story the moment you look at it. Sometimes, I take several photos that work together to tell a story, expanding my vision and allowing my viewers to go on a journey with me. It doesn’t have to be the same journey; the images are only signs along a path, and if you choose to follow some signs rather than others or end up in a destination entirely different from the one I reached, that is extremely gratifying to me. If you choose to follow every sign letter for letter, that is just as gratifying. I would never want to tell you where your mind wants to go or what you want to think, as that leaves no room for humor, fun, or discovery on anyone’s part. I try to put most of my focus on taking clear photos with strong composition, framing, and lighting that set a mood and tell a story. I also believe in the use of Photoshop to fix small technicalities that interfere with the story I wish to tell. Sometimes, Photoshop even becomes an additional storytelling tool with which I can take the images I have created and bring them to a level of fantasy that I could never find, or even create, in the physical world. In this way, I can make something beyond my wildest dreams into a visible reality that my viewers can share and explore as I do.
In my “realistic” self-portrait, I wanted to display as many symbolic/subtle hints about my personality and my story as were possible. In the image, I chose to be surrounded by books because they can be so diverse and say so much about the one who reads them. The titles on the spines of the books, the way they are stacked, and the piles’ sheer height speak volumes for themselves. The raven was added in to hint at Edgar Allan Poe, one of the greatest inspirations for both my writing and my art. The classic-looking vase with the red feather in it represents the emergence of new creativity and ideas from old traditions. The shell is nature and solitude, the unlit candle is potential, the lace is simplicity and elegance, and the blank notebook is the rest of my life. How these symbols come together and what I am telling you with them is for you to find for yourself. My “alter-ego” self-portrait is actually several self-portraits arranged through the magic of Photoshop in a way that tells a story. One of me, dressed like a coach or team manager of some sort and holding a clipboard, is taking a roll call of all of the various facets of my personality. In the meantime, all the parts of me are interacting, going about their daily business, goofing off, showing off, or even, horror of all horrors, actually paying attention. Many of these portions of me are hinted at in the symbols of my self-portrait. In fact, you can think of the alter-ego self-portrait as an event occurring within my mind as I was setting up my self-portrait. The parts of me that the coach is viewing are, from left to right: independence, tradition, prissiness and femininity, happiness, anger and fear, drama, intelligence and introversion, responsibility, and dependence on others. Yes, I realize that I am a mess. I hope it stays that way for a very long time.