Sunday, September 27, 2015

Galina Karasoy - weekly post #7

Martin Amis




Martin Amis is a photographer based in UK. He often cites the work of American photographers Alec Soth, Joel Sternfeld and Mitch Epstein, William Klein, Bruce Gilden and Martin Parr. His photographic projects demonstrate a contemporary look at modern society. His innovative imagery and oblique approach to documentary photography make him one of London Art's most interesting.

First photo was taken from unexpected perspective or just unusual picture of windmill. Photographer has set faster f-stop, and focus on parts of the windmill: pole, blades and rotor. Flowers that are on the front of the image blurred and stay out of focus. Elongated shapes of blades and different sort of the lines such as pole’s elements and stem of the plant create ascending movement altogether. The only thing that bothers my eyes is sharp stop on the top of the windmill. It seems that upper part of the image is empty and carry no meaning. It could be improved by setting top of the windmill closer to the upper frame of the image or may be including more out of focus elements that would balance the picture.

The second image, if it is compared to the first one, does not let the viewer to look any where else, but the center. Objects on the left and right side create “frames” that does not allow viewer’s eyes to leave the image abruptly. Moreover, the shadow in down the center and light blue building in the background meet each other’s contrast right in the middle. It adds more attention to the subject matter in the center of the composition. And finally, brown-red color of window frame, flower pot and turkey leads to find all the clue of the image by pulling all awareness to the center.

The third image is established on light and shadow interaction. This time, linear shapes creates perpendicular quality to the view out of the window. Photographer uses shallow depth of field to put in focus a dark magenta curtain and its folds.  However, curtain has dual responsibility in the composition: it not only frontal subject, but also a layer that laid on the top of the view out of the window. Blue sky color and green color of grass in relation to the magenta, acquire new shades of the same colors.  Or may be it is right to say that curtain obtains different shades of magenta.

Works of Martin Amis really has got my attention because of composing color and light assignment. Those photographs teach me how to understand better a relation between light and color and how to make perfect compositions that would lead viewer throughout subject without losing interest.   

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