Sharing idea with instructor...

I shared my project idea with my instructor last Friday, and she seemed excited about my project. After further thinking, and of course with the permission of the cast, I would like to include some of the interviews as a part of the project. I don't know if that means transcriptions or playing audio. Hmmmm....

My instructor suggested that I also consider doing portraits of the cast members as themselves and also one as the "Shrew" character. That may be an additional idea I play with.

So excited!

Happy Halloween!

Personal Photography Project- Working with "The Taming of the Shrew" Team

As I started my photography class, I thought I had a pretty solid grasp on what I wanted to do for my personal project. I wanted to combine my love for educating others through theatre and drama with my new found engagement in photography. As an educator and theatre artist, the process of creating a successful production is equally as important as the final product. Because I find the rehearsal process so gratifying, hard, and collaborative, I thought it would be a unique experience to try and convey this usually hidden process to an audience through photographs. While this is something I hope to do in the future, I couldn't help but feel that my concept was lacking. As I was working to shoot the photographs during rehearsal, I felt like I was taking candid snapshots as opposed to conceptualized thought out photographs. While the people in the images are doing incredible things, what was it that I was doing behind the camera? What was it, you ask? NOT MUCH except Panicking (yes, with a capital P, because it was that severe of a moment) and trying as hard as I could to adjust various settings on my camera to create an aesthetic that I was not quite sure of yet. I knew the concept behind the photographs, but was unable to pin down the technical and artistic qualities I want to pursue with the images. This whole idea is one I hope to revisit later as a less-novice photographer. Even though I got some awesome shots.... For the moment, I am unable to place the aesthetic I want onto the images. Also, to take rehearsal photos involves a lot of improv, and I am not able to technically set-up my camera that quick at this early stage. Alas, for another day and time....

So after that lovely tirade, where am I left? Well, to tell you the new plan right away would be to bypass the other little thoughts that ran through my "wheels always a' turnin'" brain. And whether or not you care to hear them, I plan to record them for my own happy sake :o). Hehe. After the day I shot multiple PANICKED photos at rehearsal, I reflected on the observations I made at previous visits. These reflections started leading me on a track that would take me to my newest idea. Throughout the rehearsal process, I consistently heard Steve lead discussions on the text, and many a time I heard the phrase "Well, that's one interpretation of it." So I thought, there's an idea I can work with: "interpretations." Steve's project (and mine in turn) truly lends itself to exploring interpretations. So, I thought, I can try and aesthetically place my interpretation of a moment in "Shrew" on top of the interpretation that is happening for the individuals presenting the scene. But then again, there I went with with a broad idea, and a reliability on capturing moments in action - which I may or may not be able to accurately represent, given that it can take me anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes to set up a shot (and that's when I'm working speedily). But not too fast..... I m still astounded and interested by the notion of interpretation in character work and development.... So, I do not plan to leave this idea cold turkey. I'll get back to it in a moment.

So, with the ups and downs in my mind, I have finally landed in that happy place of "wow, this might actually work out in a way that will match my novice skills, big ideas, and the extreme talent of the individuals I am working with." Over the past 3 weeks, I have been exploring and playing with my camera meticulously, and I have come to love shooting outside and using natural lighting as opposed to flashes and other lighting devices. The city has become such a playground for me and my camera. I have come to love working in this urban and city-scape environment. So, with the permission of the cast members first and foremost, I would like to carry out discussions with anyone who is willing about their interpretation of their character, and I would like to place that character somewhere in the city and shoot "portraits" of that character. These portraits would be heavily influenced by the discussion between myself and the actor. I believe you cannot accurately represent anyone through photographs/portraits without knowing something about them and the way they view themselves and those around them (I want to know these ideas you have about your character). I think a good portrait is equally as informative as it is thought-provoking. I would love for these discussions to lead to accurate portraits of Shakespeare's characters and the way that each of you have interpreted them. I am a big fan of "Shakespeare in the Parking Lot" and I want to explore the notion of city as scenery along with this idea of character interpretation. The NYC settings will not be arbitrary but thoughtfully and carefully chosen. I see this as a unique opportunity for collaborating and making connections. This I find very exciting.

Saul Leiter, Shoe Advertisement for Miller Shoes

On Wednesday I went to the Bruce Silverstein Gallery to complete an assignment for my digital photography class. The assignment was to visit "The Color Show" and chose an image that I found striking in some way. We were to write a brief visual summary of the image and what in the image "makes us tick." So, here it goes my friends...... Don't judge my little paragraphs too harshly, I'm out of practice ;)

Click here to look at the Gallery's website!

The image I found most striking in my visit to "The Color Show" was Saul Leiter's photograph Shoe Advertisement for Miller Shoes. It was not until after viewing the image that I learned the title of it. The photograph was taken from above the subjects. To me this vertical image is composed of a few main elements: an open umbrella, the legs and feet of a female, the leg and foot of a male, a stone street, and 4 pink roses in the hand of the female. The top portion of the image is composed mostly of an open, purple umbrella. The umbrella hides the face and upper body of both of the figures underneath, leaving the bottom portion of the image to expose the grey, wet, reflective stone road they stand on, as well as a nicely clothed leg of a gentlemen, and the light brown skirt and bare legs of the female figure. Her left foot is planted on the ground, while the right leg is kicking up behind her. In her left hand she holds four pink roses. The image is focused on the shoes of the figures: the black dress shoe of the man, and the brown, classy high heels of the woman.

I was stunned visually by this image, because I couldn't help but feel like I was falling into it. As a viewer I felt very small, as if I could slide off of the umbrella into this private moment between the two figures underneath. I like how the image has a romantic quality and at the same time it is a bit mysterious. The coloring of the image, with the deep purple, pinks, browns, and darker shades of grey, exudes romance to me. The roses and the kick of the female foot also give a glint of a romantic tone (I can't help but associate the kick of the foot with the classic, age-old Hollywood, perfect kiss moment). On the other hand, a mysterious tone is exhibited due to the upper part of the bodies being hidden. This notion make me curious about what is actually going on underneath the umbrella. While I'm curious about the part of their interaction that is hidden, I am not disappointed that I do not see it. The juxtaposition of the right foot of the man and the left foot of the woman is a bit comical, but at the same time it points out the fancy-quality and contrast of the shoes.