Astonishing Photos of Poland from Above

The photographer of this series is a man by the name of Kacper Kowalski. He specializes in aerial photography and his images are simply stunning. The series shown on Feature Shoot was just to showcase his photography and the interesting shots he has taken. On his website, I found out that my favorite series (he has many) is one he did that he called "Toxic Beauty", in which he took aerial shots of "chemical plants, open-pit mines, and areas processed by the industry". While this particular photo series may have a deeper meaning to it, I just really like the colors and the way the images are presented overall.

How Instagram Changed Street Photography

While prior to Instagram, street photography was prominent for a small number of photographers, it has now blown up, like many other things, with the advances in technology. Because everyone is attached to their phone 24/7/365, taking an interesting, pleasing-to-the-eye picture, that has no real meaning is a simple as touching a button. With street photography today, someone can be in a city and see something that catches their eye and immediately post it to the internet and get 2737654 likes. On the other hand, some true photographers who never got any recognition before can go to a place like Instagram and upload images they took and get feedback and have people actually view and appreciate their work. So while like so many other technologies, Instagram has ruined some of the authenticity of street photography, it has also gained a sort of fanbase with the "hipster" communities of posting really cool images that everyone can appreciate for their quality.

Architecture or Nature?

If we work with architecture, I would want to do something like one of these four images, showcasing interesting styles of architecture and layering them together (or repeating patterns like in the second one).

If we were to work with nature, I would really like to do portraits with the double exposure.

BLUR: Project Real

This photographer, Luca Di Lotti, was inspired by an Italian city "park", if you will,  that was being turned from public property to private. This site, called "Cavallerizza Reale", has significant historical and architectural value and should not be sold by the City Council to private investors. Di Lotti's photography in itself is really cool.  I don't know if the images 100% convey the messages the artist is trying to convey, but the images are really deep and do convey a message and make a statement.

I love the simplicity of the images and the partial consistancy in the photos with the "real" in the different languages. Each of the images are very diverse and very different, but having the same overall idea (with the "real") is really cool to have this in a photo series.

This is my favorite photo from the series, mostly because of the symmetry.  But also with that, the "real" words are slightly off center which balances out the image.

Letter from Eating Disorder

Dear Victim #524621,

I see you have decided to play my little game. I am straightforward, so I will tell you right off that bat that I am here to make your life difficult. Somedays, you will think that you can beat me but you won't. Even after the all-time lows, and the times you thought you finally surfaced, I will always come back to tempt you. You will keep me a secret from your family and friends and they will convince you, Victim #524621, that you can beat me, that you are stronger than me and my temptations. They will tell you that no matter what happens, they will love you. This is a lie. Your friends will pretend to care, but they will feign concern. Every time say you aren't hungry, they will pull you aside and tell you that you should eat. When you pass out, you'll tell everyone that it had to do with something else, but you and I both know that isn't true.

I am here to make you hate yourself. You see something you don't like about yourself and you invite me to to help tear you down. That's what we have in common: I hate you and you hate yourself. But that's what I'm here for. I'll always help you when are at your weakest point in life. I'm sorry to say it has come to this, but you chose me over so many other things. And always remember, sweetie, I'm here to help.

Sincerely,
Your Eating Disorder.

Ryan Loewy

The photographer is Ryan Loewy and, in my opinion, he is kind of a photographer who takes what he wants and doesn't necessarily have a certain theme that he focuses on. But,  overall, he focuses on people. He takes very interesting, different photos of people in either very natural environments for them, or very just cool, environments.

I think one of the most interesting responses to Jonathan Cherry was when he was asked about his "plan B".

Jonathan Cherry: If all else fails - what is your plan B?

Ryan Loewy: There isn't a plan B. I've already worked the sh--iest jobs in the world to continue to do what I love, if I have to continue to do that for the rest of my life, then that's what I'll do. But there isn't a plan B. A plan B means that I'm giving up and really, I can't do that after all I've put myself through.

The photo I chose was the first one that I ever saw of Loewy's. I just love the cool coloring in the photo and I just absolutely love the simplicity in this photo. It's so simple, but to beautiful. I just... I can't

The Ballerina Project

The main inspiration, I think, behind the Ballerina Project is simply dance and the appreciation of dance along with the emotion behind dance. The photographer, Dane Shitagi, has been running this on-going project for about fifteen years. (whoa, '90s throwback, am I right?). I think the fact that all of the images were captured in film for he longest time is really special, too, and only recently was digital photography used for this unique dance photography project. I think I chose this project because I don't dance, and I admire those that do (especially "Dancing with the Stars..... Oh my gosh, and "Bunheads"... that show was amazing and very underrated RIP).

Dance is something that I really appreciate from afar and wish I would get into if I really had the time. I'm also basically Chad in High School Musical 2, where I say "I Don't Dance" and then break out into song and dance... although I'm still pretty bad. I can admire dance, but I'm not passionate enough about trying it. Maybe I will someday.

Oh, and as usual, I couldn't pick just one favorite...

Henri Cartier-Bresson

In researching Henri Cartier-Bresson, I found his opposition to cropping really cool, and totally understand his point of view. A photo should be what it is and when you can avoid editing, the stronger I think the photo is. I love the black and white. I don't know what it is about black and white, but something about the simplicity of the colors, but also the complexity that the  photo can hold because of the content is really, really just cool to me. I'm also very into the street-style photograph, with everyday people doing their everyday things.

To me, this picture captures one overall thing: Pure happiness. The two people, who seem to be in a relationship, just having a good time and being with someone who cares for them and who they care for. And even the person who is jumping is just showing joy and living in the moment.

Lauren Dukoff

Okay first of all, I am in love with Lauren Dukoff's work... like she may be my new favorite photographer. Possibly because of all the black and white. The simplicity of just a singular person in black in white is just just so cool to me. Dukoff takes portraits of people, mostly famous musicians/actors, in their so-called "natural habitats". Her pictures are intimate in a way and allow the viewer to feel closer to whomever is in the photo whether you know them or not.

I couldn't choose just one photo... so I chose one person: Devendra Banhart. I had heard of him a few times but never really knew who he was and I researched him and his story in itself is kind of interesting and to see him in these incredible photos made me look into him even more. He is actually really good friends with Dukoff and wrote a forward/introduction in one of her photography books. The black and white adds a sort of depth to the photo and in these images, part of Banhart's personality comes out which makes me appreciate both Banhart and Dukoff.

Hockney's work mainly consists of him placing several photographs together to form one image. Whether these photos were taken of the same object in the same shoot, or they were of several different things, Hockney's work is truly incredible. I like this particular creation of Hockney's because it just looks simple and even though it is sort of geometric, it flows very, very well. I also just love things that incorporate city/buildings/architecture, but also nature.

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” ― Dr. Seuss

Theme/Category: Love/Friendship

1.) "And now, how, we like to say that we're in love/ doesn't it, seem like that should be enough/ but, the world will roll their eyes but I still think/ well I still think that we're in love."
- 'I Still Think' by Darren Criss

For this quote, the image in my head is of two people holding hands, but you can only see the hands and some of the arm. Just two people who enjoy the company of one another in a very simple relationship. 

2.)  "It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

The image I have in my head for this is two, teenage, best friends like jumping off of a wall together or doing something that seems really stupid to others but the friends don't care because they are just doing something with each other that they can tell their kids about, later in life.

3.) "To think/ It's been here all along/ Somewhere to belong/ And a reason/ A something to believe in/ I've finally found it/ A place where I'm wanted/ This must be how it feels/ To have a home."
- 'To Have a Home' by Darren Criss

For this lyric, I see someone sitting in their room, cuddled up in a blanket reading a book or smiling/laughing in their sweatshirt and sweatpants being comfortable in their environment.

In my head, the images work together, but in execution I have a feeling that they would stand more alone.