Shelter-Jodi Cobb

When looking in ‘The Way Home – Ending Homelessness in America’ many of the series of works in there are black and white and portraits. Although portraiture is something I would like to do in the long term, in terms of this short project where I am now going to be going onto landscapes first, I found Jodi Cobb was the only photographer taking a similar approach.

As I met Miami’s homeless people, I found myself intrigues by the edger of their lives, the grace notes of survival: a touch, a toy, a picture on the wall. The details dignify a life-or degrade it.

Although Cobb was in the community she photographs more than just the homeless themselves; photographing their climate in which they make their own.

What I like about her work is the use of natural light as a way of depicting a true narrative of what the atmosphere is like for rough sleepers and settlers.

The photograph of the chair is titled in the book as ‘This notorious alley in downtown Miami is abandoned by day, but by dusk fills with dozens of homeless men and women’. This comment is exactly what I am trying to communicate to my audience. Places common folk all know well by day, but transform into homes come dusk.

Joel Meyerowitz – La Natura delle Citta

This photo book, published in Italy and written in Italian has a collection of photographs from Meyerowitz in New York, San Pietroburgo (Saint Petersburg), At;anta and Saint Louis. Meyerowitz documents the three cities at different times of day: New York, being so built up with skyscrapers, feeling claustrophobic, it is less clear what the times of day are.

The series which I most prefer is san Pietroburgo: Meyerowitz charactaristically uses the time of day in which he shot the image which gives the viewer a clear indication of how the natural light has an effect on its environment through a day.

The other series I like it Saint Louis: it has hazy sunrises with mist looming over the ground. This is an idyllic scene, very soft on the eye.

I personally have looked through this book knowing that I was looking for how light effects the environment at different times; what a brilliant photo book for it.

© Joel Meyerowitz, 1994, All Rights Reserved

© Joel Meyerowitz, 1994, All Rights Reserved

Saint Louis © Joel Meyerowitz, 1994, All Rights Reserved

Mary McCartney – From Where I Stand

This photo book by photographer (and daughter of Sir Paul McCartney) Mary McCartney is based on her standpoint as she goes behind the scenes of fashion shows and at theatre dressing rooms. However, there are also series of photographs that are more intimate, which to me are more inspirational. There is only a small handful out of the collection of what really appears to be a portfolio of work; yet it is far more interesting than her celebrity portraits of Madonna and Beth Ditto.

© Mary McCartney, 2012 All Rights Reserved

I love the use of natural light in these that give a soft glow to the characters; it also highlights how the situations are more personal as the viewer is allowed into this intimate space. What caught my attention was McCartney’s quote ” I like the stories that beds tell, the imprints of memories, or safety and peace “. This perfectly sums up my previous blog posts of relaxing in bed in the mornings with the light streaming through. However, I personally would like to see the images in colour: I assume that they are I’m black and white for a reason; yet, from what I understand of this sort of lighting, the colours are soft to the eye.

I particularly am drawn to the child stood on a ned looking out the window: the trees outside look like they are in bloom, so summertime. The swimming shorts consolidate this argument and thus therefore, one can assume that there is something outside that the child longs to do. Not giving the child an identity allows the viewer to identify with the emotions portrayed as he stands on the very edge of his bed.

Collecting Light

 

Hellen Can Meene – New Work

© Hellen Van Meene

Hellen Van Meene, dutch photographer, explored the idea of how pubescent teenagers embarking on a new chapter in their lives where they are to establish themselves in the world: the awakening as it were. The debate over teenage pregnancy is poignant in the series too and changing bodies.

 

© Hellen Van Meene

 

© Hellen Van Meene

 

© Hellen Van Meene

What strikes me most with her work however, is the use of natural lighting. How shadows of the window panes and branches are cast onto the subject. There is a very personal aspect to the children in their bedrooms as the viewer has an insight into their private space, which in a sense, they are yet to make their own. There does seem to be a bleak atmosphere that she creates in these images as though what the young people are about to embark upon is nothing fruitful. The child cowering in the corner of the room portrays a sense of vulnerability, insecurity and a reluctance to want to move forward through to growing up. This series took four years to shoot and curate; over different countries including Japan.

What I also like about Van Meene’s work is how she uses light to illuminate objects such as the sofa and this vase; again using light from outside to illuminate the inside spaces.

Hellen Van Meene

In my work, I do not want to create this saddening thought of changing bodies and growing up; which is what I get from her images here, but I would like to use a similar lighting technique of how light illuminates personal spaces.