Reaction Paper Two

To me this article was very interesting. I loved the way taht he wrote it, to me it seemed to flow from paragraph to paragraph very nicely. I also liked how he put his pictures in his writing. I think this is a good technique because it helps you feel what you are reading. It was also cool to be able to see what he was talking about as he was explaining them. I like the way that he took the photographs of his family to show how they are and how much he cares for them, The thing that struck in my mind after i read this would have to be the saying, "an artist knows that his work was never in his mind, he could never have thought it before it happened". I had to read that a few time to get what he was trying to say by this. I think that he is trying to say that you do not know how beautiful something is until you have seen it. My favorite part of this article would have to be how much the article showed how much he loved his family.

I think I liked this picture because she is not acting as if someone is taking a picture of her. It almost looks posed. I would have to say that I am a fan of his art after reading this article and I think I will have to read his book.

Reflecting One's Self

"Whatever picture an artist makes, it is in part a picture of himself..." While I was reading the excerpt from Emmet Gowin: Photographs, this line intrigued me. Upon the reflection of this line it became clear that he was correct. In every picture an artist takes or makes, it reflects upon themselves and their mood and the situations that the artist is experiencing at the time. Most people tend to work on each project they're given the same way. They'll take pictures the same way they have the last time they used their camera. They will write papers the same way they did the last time. Artists will also have a certain style they develop with their art. It gives their art a unique life from the artist that made it. Therefore, every piece of art is a reflection of the artist as well as the subject.

Reaction to Emmet Gowan

Reaction Paper #2

Emmet Gowan really portrayed his family well in this short story. Through his words and pictures he proves his love and dedication not only to his wife and children, but to his extended family as well.

The pictures that Emmet captured were very well laid out. I really enjoyed his use of the circle lens and how he was able to almost recreate an actual image from the human eye. The porch screen shot was probably my favorite image from the story because it shows the little things that are always there to protect us but we may not always see them.

Emmet’s view of his pictures as everyday life bothered me a little bit. The pictures he took were amazing, but I don’t look at them as everyday life. Some of the pictures looked as if they were staged for him to capture the perfect image in his mind. I believe the best pictures are the ones captured without any knowledge of even a camera being in the vicinity. True real life can never be captured on film or otherwise if the subject matter of the picture knows they are in the shot.

Timmy Olson - Reaction Essay 2

My favorite quote from Emmit Gowin's reading is, "whatever picture an artist makes, it is in part a picture of himselft - a matter of identity." I find this statement to be very true even with myself. Every photographer shoots photos of subjects that are of interest to them. Therefore, their photos reflect their ideas, beliefs, likes, and overall identity. I find it interesting how Gowin said home snapshots are the richest resources for photographs he knows. In my experience with photography I have found venturing out into the unknown and discovering new subject matter to be quite fun.

This was the first of Gowin's photographs that really caught my eye and it is by far my favorite. I love the angle of this picture which creates very dark areas inside the vehicle. About the only visible areas are those seen through the windows of the car which give the piece a very creative and original effect. It reminds me of stopping at a family member or a neighbor's place with my family and being stuck in the back seat.

This photo is very emotional. It floods the viewer with feelings of sadness and depression. The elderly woman looks as though she is ill or in pain perhaps. Neither of the subjects are smiling, which makes it a very serious photo. The younger woman also has an arm at the elderly woman's back as though she is comforting her. Later in this series of photos there is a picture of an elderly woman in a casket. I'm assuming this is the same woman.

Consider how much of a difference it would make in the viewer's reaction to this photo if these two women were smiling.

This final photograph is very strange to me. I'm not exactly sure what's going on. The one thing I really enjoy about this photo and a few of the others is the blank edges. Gowin explained that he was able to create such photos because it was the nature of the lens to for a circular photograph.

-Tim Olson

I enjoyed this article about Emmet Gowin. I enjoyed learning about his family and how he took pictures of his family doing everyday activities. Gowin had said “My pictures are made as a part of everyday life and are not the result of any project or assignment.” I like how he took these photos for his own satisfaction. I also liked how Gowin said art is a portrait of yourself. I think that your own personality really reflects your art. If you are a person that is fun and outgoing you’ll take bright fun pictures, if you’re quieter you’ll probably take more calm pictures.

The picture “Edith and Elijah” caught my eye because the circular lens that Gowin talked about made me focus on what was in the picture. The focus of the picture was kept on Edith and her son next to her. Having the circular lens draws you into the main subject of the photo. I also liked this photo because a pregnancy is a beautiful thing. Some people might find pictures like this a wonderful thing some might think it’s quite unusual.

reaction paper two

Emmit Gowins article made a lot of sense to me. It was really interesting how he described the way a lens simply takes a "real" snapshot of life. Along with all the intentions to take a good shot with a camera, life is always displayed "as is". I personally love candid shots and nature with all its wonders. Those types of photos are authentic.

I understand an artist's desire to doctor up a photo, but I have to agree with Gowin that the best subjects are just the real thing. The circle camera is actually how a human sees. When one looks straight forward, our peripheral vision fades out and and gets fussy around the outer edges. The circle photo is just that but also a moment in time that can be viewed at a later date. 

The weave on the screen was also interesting. It is something he captured with a camera that normally our eyes will faze out of the view. I often watch birds on a feeder out of my dining room window. Every once in a while my eyes will focus on the screen. I wish it wasn't there for a moment and then I will resume focus on the birds. 

Emmet Gowin

I think family was very important for Emmet Gowin because he took so many pictures of them. I can relate to his love for his family because about 6 times a year my dads family gets together and we take picture to capture moments that will be precious when we get older and look back at them.


I can relate to this family picture really well because this is what my family does at family gatherings. There are a lot of little kids around and we just sit around and talk.

I agree with that when you take pictures that you plan, sometimes won't turn out as nice as some pictures that you randomly take. I've taken pictures before with friends and it takes us forever to get that perfect picture, but sometimes when we just take quick random pictures, they show up to be 10 times better than the ones that we plan.





I thought it was interesting how Gowin had a lens that took circular pictures and then cut them to be square. I think having pictures in a circle like this really makes the viewer look at it differently than looking at a square picture. While looking at a square picture people usually just look at it like its through a camera. Having a circular picture can make the viewer look at the picture differently. The first thing i thought of when i saw this picture was that it was though a telescope.

Reaction Paper 2.

Ibelieve that Emmet Gowin is very talented with his photography. He is able to capture the every day type of lifestyle in some of his pictures. I believe that he captures a specific time that becomes special that would usually be passed over otherwise. The people in his life were very important to him. I really like this picture, this is the one that stood out to me the most. I think that it shows how a person would see it through their own eyes. It captures the perfect tranistion fall to winter day. I also believe that he is showing that life without people in it is lonely and boring. The beauty of his picutres is that they all look natural and things that would be in a person's life. His photographs I feel like have a sense of calmness to them. I really like the circle feature, I think it give it a unique and better look to the picture. I like the fact that he used something different.I think this picture says a lot about family life and just a relaxing time of the day. This shows that he did not have them wait and pose for the picture which has made it more expressive.

Brandi Hoffman, Reaction Paper #2

This article by Emmet Gowin really shows how genuine of a personality he really has. Also, this article really influenced me by his love for his family and his acceptance of new people. Having a family and being married is having someone there to share with your excitement, joy and laughter with. When he said that he loved the generosity and the simplicity of his wife’s family, was really neat thing to say, and that he excepts something that is different from what he has always known. Manipulation seems to play a key role in this society whether it is intentional or not. People have a way of influencing people, like they may inspire someone through something that they do or say. I like that he admits that he is inspired by other authors and that they fuel some of the ideas for his work. I can relate to that because I am inspired by a lot of people. I believe that every picture is unique and beautiful in its own way. I get a lot of my ideas from other art work that I would not have thought of originally. The next thing that I really agreed with in this article was when Emmet said that the photographer is part of the picture. I 100% agree with this, because without the photographer, the picture could not have taken place. The setting on the camera, the color tone, the aperture setting, how zoomed in you are, whether or not the background is blurred and the energy that is captured in the picture is all dependent on the photographer. The energy and the subject matter caught in the picture I believe is also part of the identity of the photographer. I love nature, and a lot of my photographs capture nature at it’s finest and most vibrant colors. The quote that stuck out the most to me from his article was when he said “as things teach us what we already are, we are gain a vision of the world.” What is unknown to us is beautiful! Once you realize that you can do something, that you never thought you could do.

His pictures are all really intriguing to me! I absolutely love the angles and the color tone of the pictures. One of the pictures that that really stuck out to me was the picture of her son and his pregnant wife. The first thing that I noticed when I looked at the picture was the circle from his lens. He talks about how he used to trip the pictures to disguise the pictures but then he left it, because he described it as a “powerful form”. I think the circle and the faded background, adds emphasis to the his wife and son. It also struck me as interesting, and I want to know why he positioned them as he did, and for the setting.

Emmet Grown

I really liked how he puts his family pictures into his art of writing. Emmet's writing is in depth and puts out his love for his family, whether it's from the younger years to his wife and his children. He seems like a very happy writer from his pictures and his writing. You can tell his family was an influence on him with his pictures to his writing. He doesn’t just write about his family he write about what interest him and if there is something he may think needs changes like the earth.


Picture do talk they say a lot about a person from their personality, to how much they love do photography, their writing, as they do more amazing things to their photography the more they will get others to read their books, pictures can tell someone about your life whether they've had a rough life or a happy life or even experience a hard time they went through life that they just want to share.

I really like the picture of Edith it's really a nice piece of art work not just the picture the whole surrounding, she is also like a piece of sculptured art. He dose great art work.

Emmit Growin has a very different artistic style. I found it refreshingly different. I enjoyed his artwork. His pictures not only showed you what was in the picture, but it told a story of what was in the picture. I found it interesting when he said "whatever picture an artist makes, it is in part a picture of himself-a matter of identity." I believe that means that when an artist of any medium, paints a painting, takes a picture, makes a sculpture..., they are always putting themselves in their pieces. Artists put there emotions into their pieces and that reflects in their work. The picture is a result of the artists work. It becomes theirs. It reflects who the artist is. Also, every artist has their own style that comes through in their work as well. The part that stood out to me the most, was when he said "even an artist knows that his work was never in his mind he could never have thought it before it happened." To me, this means that the artist might have an idea of what he wanted the artwork to look like, but it's a process. The final end result is unknown. It just happens. My favorite picture was the one of his whole family. It gives the reader a look into his life and the people living it with them. It gives the reader an idea of the lifestyle and what life was like during that time period.

Reaction Paper 2

I totally agree with Emmet Gowin, that pictures cant be made for an assignment, or on cue. Pictures and photography are spontaneous. Pictures happen from living life, and are the results of who you are.

Gowin states that the photographer is a part of the picture, and that whatever picture an artists makes is part of their identity. Part of what makes them who they are.

Gowin explains that artists don't think about what they are making, they let it happen. Artists don't have the work of art that they produced in their minds. Artists are the start of the artwork, and art happens, it isn't planned.

Gowin feels that the pictures of his family were agreements, agreements to be faithful. Agreements that he, himself, made when getting married. To always honor and love his family. Gowin feels as if his family pictures are more than a record, they are part of their lives, and results of their living. They make him who he is.

Emmet Gowing shows great insight with the fact that things we do and feel don't teach us what to do, they teach us what we already are. What we think and do everyday makes us who we are. We can't change ourselves and our vision of everything in the world around us.

Emmet Gowin shows great maturity because he accepts and encourages photography styles of other photographers. Even though he does not demonstrate all the same techniques, he accepts what they are, and does not refuse to acknowledge them. He wants to make his pictures in his own way, and follow his own instincts. By understanding and accepting the artwork of others is an artists first step to maturing their own work. Making their artwork as well as their personality flourish.

I enjoyed this article about Emmet Gowin. I enjoyed learning about his family and how he took pictures of his family doing everyday activities. Gowin had said “My pictures are made as a part of everyday life and are not the result of any project or assignment.” I like how he took these photos for his own satisfaction. I also liked how Gowin said art is a portrait of yourself. I think that your own personality really reflects your art. If you are a person that is fun and outgoing you’ll take bright fun pictures, if you’re quieter you’ll probably take more calm pictures.

The picture “Edith and Elijah” caught my eye because the circular lens that Gowin talked about made me focus on what was in the picture. The focus of the picture was kept on Edith and her son next to her. Having the circular lens draws you into the main subject of the photo. I also liked this photo because a pregnancy is a beautiful thing. Some people might find pictures like this a wonderful thing some might think it’s quite unusual.

Tammy Moll
Discussion #2
September 10, 2010

With the pictures Mr. Gowin shows we see life in reality. I find that these are the photos that I enjoy most. I want to see what life is about that someone cared enough about to capture it. I agree completely with the remark Mr. Gowin makes “attention was a natural duty which could honor that love” that was his family. I love to just shoot my family when they are just doing what they do. To me this will give me memories of what the ones I love where truly like. There is a time and place for the posed pictures but natural pictures show real life.


(This photo is one of my favorite that I took of my nephew at a cemetery during a Memorial Day event, it was not posed, and it shows so much about him…if you knew him)

Mr. Gowin’s circular photos are amazing and I love to find that camera and lens and produce these types of photos. I believe that a lot of wonderful things are created by accident. When someone will experiment often great things come from it. I often begin a project with one idea and it takes a totally different path. Is this wrong, absolutely not…it is being creative.

Edwin Gowin

Edwin Gowin, it is wonderful to see the creations of a master photographer from the 1960’s. The photography that he has produced is different from his colleagues. Gowin was a photographer that enjoyed family photos that followed his intuition. As with Eugene Atget, he tended to photograph buildings in the early 1900’s, he was creating his own subject. These photos captured the art of the building. Harry Callahan has had a variety of photography styles starting in the 40’s with still photography and later incorporating a few people.
As with every decade, trends change as well as self improvements occur. Edwin’s photography style was best described as an autobiographical narrative.
I really enjoy the photograph of Edith that appears so casual. In Edwin’s article he talks about how he used a lens that created a circle on his photos. At first he trimmed the circle away and then later began to enjoy what it was creating. These days this is a technique that photographers try and replicate. I really like how the vignette creates drama in the photo, as if the subject does not know the camera is there.

Research Paper Two by Kristine Sellner

When you look at photography it is hard to not be intimidated by great works of art. This article allows us to use our resources daily. I think this is a great inspiration to capture as many moments as we can because we can not predict which photo will be that perfect one. It is obvious that we can hold on to memories of our family moments through the use of photography.


The simple, average, way of family life as seen in the example above was captured by Emmet Gowin. I believe his wife was very lucky to have a man devoted to paying attention to his partner in life by capturing the body and personalities of his family. I just adore the photo of his son and wife lying on the rocks. The contrast, beauty of the body, the direction the eye moves when viewing this photo are breathtaking.

Through his photography he has captured his childhood moods to become part of his adult days. He found value in simple things. His awareness of family brings him full circle. Those who inspired his works led the path for still-life, family, nature, contrast, content, and change.

He allowed himself to look through the images of others to truly see himself. It is amazing that he includes his family in a dedication to show truth and purpose. What a fact to admit….he couldn’t predict the best pictures. I think it takes a gifted soul to find enrichment in a changing vision. Life is not predictable. Photography allows us to capture changes, learn importance of beauty and continue teach us about life and all it offers to us if we accept it.

Emmit Gowin

As I was reading the article by Emmit Gowin, it really made me think of the photographs that I take on a regular basis. By all means, they are not probably the best pictures that anyone has seen. But they are my family! Multiple pictures that I try to take that involve my 4 year old end up being her laying on the ground, or hiding her face. These are the times that we will remember forever and they are HER. She is stubborn and will take a picture when she wants to! I like how his pictures of his "new" family are so simple. They are not a big extravagant photo with props or people positioned for a photograph, he photographs them and who they really are. He talks about how his photographs are made of everyday life, those may be the best pictures that someone can take. I very much enjoy just a picture of us being us, we do not have to be staged or even smiling. A picture of US will say so much!


The picture by Emmit Gowin that really caught my eye is the picture of his wife Edith, Elijah and Isaac. It is a "posed" picture of his wife naked and pregnant and their other son right next to her. I love pregnancy pictures! This picture is just so simple, yet so beautiful. Many people may wonder how a naked pregnant lady is beautiful, but pregnancy is a beautiful thing that you should remember forever!

Reaction #2

Emmet Gowin is an photoagrapher that did not try for the picture to happen. He likes the family aspect of pictures how you can see the happiness and joy. I like the way he talks about the people in the picture are not the only ones in the picture the photoagrapher is a part and the people around are to. He also says that those pictures dont make very much sense until you look back at them later and remember the feelings that were felt at that time. The way the lens adds character to the picture and to change the way you view reality. I think the way he describes the way how you cant imagine the picture before you take it. You will not really know what it looks like. The way the picture really does not mean that much at the moment and as you look at the picture later down that road it hits you what it means to you. This picture just tells it all the kids realxing from a long day. The older ones watching the young ones it reminds me of the way it is today. The way they are enjoying the summer weather.

Reaction Paper Two

The first photos looked like they may have been staged, or set-up like a photo shoot. I noticed this in "Edith" and in "Nancy and Elijah." To me they appear to be almost posing but that could also be due to the perfect moment in time, pushing the button and capturing the image, to obtain the correct compositon.

My favorite part of the article was when he explained how my photography was me, no simile, no metaphor, just a direct statement . . . your photography is you.

After reading this, I looked at my photos that I've taken. Almost every photo contains dark shadows and a bright light of some sort. I like to play with light. I typically run outside during and after thunderstorms to take photos, with my german shepard, who has a pathological fear of thunderstorms, nearly tripping me across the lawn.

I also liked the part about the circular photos. I think he took these with a Fisheye lens. The analog version of this is at www.lomography.com or urban outfitters. To get a full circle you need 120 Medium Format Film not the 35mm version that I have ( it cuts your photos into ovals), but you still get the dark corners. Yes you can buy digital; fisheye lenses but they cost quite a bit of money.

Amanda Knudsen's Reaction Paper 2

It is really neat how people get so used to growing up in one area their entire life and get so used to their surroundings. They believe that what they grew up with is considered normal. Then later in life they get the chance to experience other people’s way of living. At first it might seem so unusual, but as time goes on they start to appreciate other people’s way of living and become more open with others. I love the fact that from the article he admires his new way of living, and yet is holding onto the memories of his childhood. It makes him realize there is more to life than just what he considered normal back then, and that there are so much more possibilities in the future that he isn’t scared of. He is accepting the changing world as it is and is admiring every moment that passes by him by capturing it through photography.

My favorite photo of his is the picture of Nancy. The placement of the girl and the dolls, and the angle of the shot were all so aligned and seem so effortlessly beautiful. The lighting of the picture is perfect to me. It seems as if she was playing with the dolls the previous night and fell asleep because she started to imagine a life bigger than her own, then as the sun was rising she just woke up as the picture was being taken. This picture takes a deeper meaning to me. I remember being that girl that would play with dolls to imagine what life could be.

Reaction Paper 2

I really liked this assignment. I found that I agreed with a lot of what Emmet Gowin had to say on home snap shots being a great source of inspiration. But at the same time, he didn't want to just record everyday life. His pictures are creative and simplistic. But I think because they are simplistic, that is what makes them beautiful. I feel the best example of this, is the picture titled Edith and Ruth. Where his wife is in the front and her sister is behind her. I like the details of the picture. Maybe it is because it is black and white. I love the attempt at seriousness that is on Edith's face, like the two of them are up to something. I felt like most of his pictures had a sense of realness to them. They are all very natural and I moved on thinking Edith was a very pretty woman.

I also really liked the "spring snow" photo. I liked how the edges were fuzzy and to tell you the truth I thought he did it on purpose. I laughed a little when I read that he actually was experimenting with a different lenses when he was taking these, and he use to cut the edges off. I think it adds to the photo, like it is telling the viewer where to look. The scene itself is very cozy and has a sense of home to it. I feel like what he is trying to get across is that you are forever changing your view of things. You start out at one point thinking this is the only way to do this or make this, and as you grow and your work grows, your view changes. Maybe that is what lead him to play with his camera lenses, and to eventually accept that the "whole" picture included the fuzzy edges.

I was also struck by some of the photos that inspired him. The pictures of the chickens, were....well to be honest, a little gross and a little weird. And I keep thinking about how nicely and neatly the chicken "parts" were laid out for the pictures. I am sure there is a lesson in there somewhere. Maybe what inspired him was the style of the pictures. With no distractions. I am not sure, but they have left a lasting impression that is for sure.

reaction #2

I liked this reading. I thought it was pretty interesting how he said we need to look at other peoples photographs to inspire our pictures. He also said that it is important to make the pictures we take "ours" however, even if we are using another photographers picture as inspiration. I think this is very important because I believe that we tend to do this with a lot of things in life. We will look at other people and see what they did and then try to mimic it. I think this is alright, but as Emmet says, it is important to make it our own. Another thing that I really liked about this reading was when Emmet said, "My pictures are made as a part of everyday life and are not the result of any project or assignment." I like this because it shows that he is genuine with his work. He isn't just taking photos for an assignment or a job but because he really likes it, and he is taking pictures of things that he actually finds interesting. I think this translates to us as well, we should look at the pictures as fun, not an assignment, and we can make it fun by taking pictures of things we like.

There are a few reasons why I like this picture. I like the circular imagery and I also like the old day look, with the weathered wooden picnic table and the shack in the background.

Reaction Paper #2

This article was very interesting. He talks about how he entered into a family different from his own. In my opinion, no two families are the same. Yes they can have a lot of similarities, but there will be many things that are different. I strongly depend on my family, not financially but emotionally I wouldn't be where I am today without them! Family is my everything and they really do mean the world to me. Entering into a new family can be strange and exciting at the same time.

I like that his pictures are made as a part of everyday life and are not the result of any project or assignment. I believe this shows that everything is real in his pictures. He doesn't tell people how to stand or what to do in the picture, he just takes it. Another thing that caught my eye was that he said the clearest of pictures were at first strange to him. I have never really thought of an image that way before but it makes you think about the images that are blurry, like what could be happening to make this image look this way. I also liked what he said about whatever picture an artist makes, it is in part a picture of himself - a matter of identity. This makes you think because really people only take pictures of things that catch their eye and something they like.

Reaction 2

This article was very interesting because it made me realize that family really does have an impact on our lives. Looking at the picture titled "family" it put a simple smile on my face because it was not a picture of the family all dressed up or positioned just right to make the picture "perfect" but they were all just sitting around or laying around relaxing enjoying their family time. Also looking at the other pictures that were linked to the article made me think of how different photography is to everyone. Some of the pictures are so unique in their own ways that makes the pictures his own. To me it is just a person in the picture but to him there is reason behind every picture. I can tell how the other photographers influenced him by looking at their pictures beside his pictures. They both have the same black and white and old look to them. Also some are of people which means those people had some impact on the photographers lives as Emmit Gowin's familt had an impact on his life. I believe that when I take pictures of anything or anyone each item or person has an impact and is important in my life.

Reaction Paper 2

Emmet Gowin talked mostly about the photographs he took of his family members. I think he drew my interest in when he talked about how he thought the clear photographs were different to him. Seeing how much the time has changed from his photographs to now strike me again and again. Whenever I take pictures if my pictures turn out blurry, I usually take a new picture, unless the blurry picture is of scenery and not people. There are times when a blurry picture could actually be really inventive, but for the most part I don’t like blurriness. I also found it very interesting when he said, “Rarely am I tempted to speak of originality.) I far prefer the formulation ‘I am the origin of this work’ That simply means that I am responsible for it – that I accept the consequences.” A lot of photographers do their art on their own, in their own style, but most of them have the same style for a little bit. But Emmet doesn’t work like most others, he just does what he sees and that is his art. That is why photography interests me so much; there is really not a “wrong way” to take a picture. All pictures, whether good or bad can be very inspiring to other people.


The picture that struck me the most is the picture of Edith and Elijah, Pennsylvania 1974. This picture is my favorite of his not only because she is pregnant, (which is why I want to go to school, to be an O.B. nurse) but because she seems so comfortable, and although this picture would probably not be allowed in this new time because of their son being naked as well, this picture can speak so many words. It also caught my attention because this picture is using the circular lens as well. It is cool because it almost is as if you are taking the focus of the picture and enhancing that later after you already created the picture, for a more dramatic effect, but the camera he used did it all on its own.

reaction paper two

This was a well written piece by Emmet Gowin. He made it quite clear to me that he enjoyed photographing those he cared for, his family. He looked not at it as if it were an assignment; it was for his pleasure and leisure. He went onto to say how his photography is not necessarily “staged” and how, by not having been, it shows reality. To me, this is important.

I can relate to and appreciate the comment, “a matter of identity”. My photography tells others the uniqueness of me. It might be the way I position things in my photos, the colors I choose, or what accessories I have chosen to include in my pictures. These choices I make show others my sense of style, flamboyance, and ability.

I liked the photography links that were within the article; specifically, Harry Callahan’s photography. Many pictures were especially simple yet very classy. He has a style much like where I’d like to be someday. Additionally, I enjoyed Emmet’s circular picture. It was really neat. I like how one appears to see the depth of the picture. I will have to learn how to accomplish that someday! However, with Frederick Sommer, I felt that from some of his photography he has somewhat of a twisted mind. Who really wants to photograph, what appears to be, freshly skinned and cut up chickens?

Response II

He explains everything quite clearly. Photography is not meant to be pushed or to be turn into an assignment. Photography can easily be influenced and accounted for a self representation, this idea makes photography wonderful. The author was influenced by family and took simple pictures which he thought of as pastimes such as: sunlight on water or the weave of the porch screen and the openings and closings of those doors. He took pictures of family because that’s what he loved. When we do what we love, nothing can go wrong.


I like the fact that the author explained that when we take pictures it becomes a source of identity. In a way he is right. We take pictures because we like the image. WE. Ourselves. Us. Me. I. This is a time to see and reflect on memories or create them with a photo. Through other influences he created work he liked. It’s almost as if he was taking pieces of copies and gluing them together to make an original.

Reaction Paper 2

Emmet Gowin is a very interesting artist. I really enjoyed reading his outlook on art and his family. The part that jumped out the most to me was when he was talking about how his art and his family is not work. It is something he enjoys to do and wants to do. I think everyone needs to have that type of attitude towards things. You never know what you will find when you just try something, kind of like his art. I found it very interesting that he said artwork is not planned. The best pieces just kind of fall into place. That makes art so much more interesting and unique.

When Gowin was talking about how art is a portrait of yourself I really liked that outlook on art. Because each individuals past experiences will reflect in the type of art they choose to do. For example if a person is very dark and moody they will most likely be photographing such things which reflect themselves.

The picture "Spring Snow" was the one that stood out to me the most. I really like the circular view. After reading the article the circular image had so much more to stand up to. I like it because its different and it brings a focus to the scence. It made me forget what was cut off and focus in on just that part of the land.

Response

I absolutely love this type of writing. It mixes abstract art concepts with real life scenarios. It uses simple examples of everyday life to explain the complexities and issues of modern life. We drive to make memories in providence that bad history doesn’t repeat itself. This writing also goes into our natural instincts to be curious and always finding a source of purpose or realization in all things. “The call of a world beyond this one makes us yearn for answers”


Kim Zorn Caputo is a classic writer. He also goes into reconnection with ourselves through the visual expression of art. With each new brush or another influence of expression via media, humanity will spark the recognition of significance.



A key quotes in relation to this picture and the writing “…to know the incomprehensible is about being embraced in all that is fully alive.” At first this quote didn’t make sense to me. How can we know the incomprehensible and embrace it when the incomprehensible is incomprehensible? Then I thought about it in a different angel. Perhaps acknowledging the incomprehensible will lead to the embracement of feeling fully alive. Knowing that we will not know everything will take the stress out of life, so taking advantage of every minute is possible. When I look at this picture I see everything I just mentioned. In this picture, I see happy children. These happy children appear to be embracing life with their smiles. Children are also symbolized as pure. Ignorance is bliss is what comes to mind as a kid. Not knowing responsibilities which meant I knew no stress. So, in a way I think its telling us to go back to that state of mind but being aware of our responsibilities but not letting it overload or overwhelm ourselves. But what I also see is the fact that I recognize no one in this photo. This sticks out to me as I will be one of those kids in the picture. Everyone on this planet will never meet me. Which furthermore adds into why not take and embrace life all the more? To stop worrying about what thousands of people will think compared to the billions that are out there. Overall, we will not be in everybody’s memory. Memory leads to thoughts and past experiences which correlates with imagination sparking the abstract process.



I selected this image because it seemed simple. In simplest terms, a table on sand with sand on it. This image also reminded me of a poem I once, I won’t go much into the class but it reminded me of how simple a picture can be, but also how complicated we can make it. I would like to say this is just a table with sand on it, I really would. In another way I think it helps others that over think too much settle what is really on their minds. That in the midst of the abstraction you’re going to want to see what you want to see.

What I see is perhaps an hour glass. The lighting indicates that it is either sunrise or sundown. Perhaps pointing out a new beginning or a beginning of an end. The table also might serve as a foundation. The grains of sand representing memories. In that case maybe the most important memories were going to hold on top of the table….who knows. Just throwing it out there. Overall, this memory lead to a chain of events.

Reaction Paper 2

I really enjoyed how this paper was laid out. The way the paper flowed was very easy to read and I could really feel what he was saying with the pictures. I think that photography shows who you are and what you treasure most in your life.I also like to think that what you do with the photograph says allot. I personally enjoy capturing the moment. Not a pose but naturally selecting the unfamiliar.

I absolutely love this quote,"As things teach us what we already are, we gain a vision of the world". This is so true. We are who we are and everyday the things that we do gives us the experience of liking of disliking something. When I was young I didn't know I would love to take pictures until I did it one day.

I really like the circular picture "Spring Snow". I think it gives the picture a whole new feel. By circling in on a picture you give it an elongated feel. I used to think the entire structure, people or pieces needed to be in the picture but recently I have thought differently. Focusing in on one point and getting the pieces of the surroundings give it a whole new feeling. I know photography takes a lot of practice and I cant wait until I am comfortable with the camera and start taking grade A pictures like this one!

Reaction 2

I loved how he demonstrated his family as just going through an everyday pattern. It was like he just
walked around as his family went about their everyday things and he just admired them for who they were. He didn't make life look anymore than it was. This article made me think of the saying, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some things are more beautiful to one person than the other. Some people can notice certain things in art that one other cannot. It was cool to see the pictires that he was talking about as we went along explaining them. It gave me a more indepth picture in my mind of who and what he was talking about. I liked how we said "an artist knows that his work was never in his mind, he could never have thought it before it happened". It's like he is saying that no one can know how beautiful something is until they see it, or you never know how you can feel about something until it is there.

reaction paper 2

Reaction Paper 2
Emmet Gowin
I like how he put into his writing that these pictures are not a result of any assignment or project but that he did these pictures out of love for his family. He did his photographs of his family with love to show who they were and what they meant to him. He showed how each was part of his daily life not trying to make them more than what they were. He showed that he had photographers that had influenced him but that he still made his own pictures in his own way letting his eye carry him. Each person sees things differently and that means that what you see through the viewfinder someone else can see something completely different. Everyone sees things differently and we can make beautiful pictures out of anything even if our equipment isn’t perfect. We all have a vision and set of ideals in what we expect out of our photos. I think that what he is trying to say is just be yourself and snap what you see and others will admire what you have done. Always be willing to change the vision that you had to begin with.

reaction to "miracle"

The artical entitled "Miracle" by Kim Zorn Caputo was very thought provoking. It made me feel that what I want to accomplish is actually possible. First, I feel that art or photography is a reflection of ones current state of mind. And secondly, it is very true how a simple task, such as clipping her nails, can bring a strong flashback to mind.


There are many times when I pop back and forth from current to past feelings. It is when I am not inhibited by sad past memories that I'm able to create art or write a paper. If I clear my mind and just simply create it turns out much better. Her artical was interesting to read because she chose many unusual words that were very creative to describe how she felt.



I am not a master of the english language so I don't have many words to chose from. I do however have an ability to draw. I feel a person can tap into that creative vein that runs through every human being - you just have to be open to it.  Marilyn Bridges photo of Alaska I thought was beautiful. It shows the flow of the glaciers amoung the sturdy rugged mountains. I find nature to be healing and beautiful. It is determined to survive during human's progress.

My First Reaction Paper

I found myself very confused while I was reading this article. It took me a few reading and some thinking to understand what she was meaning. To me it felt like she was jumping from one point to another, which is probably what made it so confusing in the first place. She made some very interesting points on how our minds bring back memories from the past. While doing things that had nothing to do with what we are doing. Like for example seeing pictures, hearing things, or even doing tasks can trigger our minds. I think that she is also trying to say that pictures are important part of your life because they help us remember things from our past that we may have forgotten. Weather they were good memories or bad memories. But, when you think about it, it is like having a photo album or a scrapbook in your head. That you can go back when ever you want and look at.

The picture that stood out the most to me would have to be the picture called “Gate” by Zeke Berman (Picture seen below). I think that the reason that this picture stood out so much to me because it reminds me of the time that me and my friends had a silly string fight in our backyard and got silly string all over everything. Also, because it looks kind of like a web all of our memories. All of the strings represent all the memories from our past that we remember and things that we have done that link to other memories. And all the gaps between the strings represent all the memories that we have forgotten. Which in the end all of the memories we have and the memories we have forgotten, are what form this web looking figure. No matter if their were good or bad memories.

Reaction Paper One

I thought "Memory" by Kim Zorn Caputo was very thought provoking and so true.

"Memory is the force behind making art - the drive not to forget. To escape the structure of history and reorder the events of our lives, documenting them again and again while longing to return to what is missing" Kim Zorn Caputo.

I have recently experienced something similar to this, but I don't know how to describe it - Not to mention that its too personal to share. So I thought of something else - an example to share that's more relate able and well known.

It reminded me of a comedy starring Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler - 50 First Dates. They go out on several dates, but she does not remember him. They have a conflict and part. Anyway, near the end of the film, she invites him into her studio. He is dumbfounded by all the paintings of his image. She recognizes him from the paintings she had previously created from her memory and wants to know who he is. Yeah, it's just a movie but it still resonates with the article.

Butterflies and Memories!

Without memory, where would this world be? We would have no idea of what life has been like. We may not remember everything that has happened or gone on in the past, but we do have art and photography to remind us of things that have happened. Memories are some times things that we wished that we did not remember, you know those bad memories of things that we wished had never happened to us. Those memories that we may not be proud of, but still they did happen and they may just be a mere memory. Then we have those memories that we will cherish forever and ever. Those may have been the best days of our lives.

Personally, I do have some of those bad memories that I have chosen to put in the back of my mind and keep there. But I do have very many good memories and alot of them are in photographs. There are so many memories that I never want to forget, I hope that I can have the photographs around forever to help me remember them! Those times that I hope never to forget may just be the simple smile that all of my children give me. How my 2 year old shows me her teeth with her mouth open wide and her eyes scrunched shut so tight that she can not see out of them! How beautiful my 4 year old is with her clip on earrings and her princess dress, or how she smiles at me and tells me I am beautiful! More memories I have photographed are of my son and husband in a Bobcat plowing our driveway.....the smile on my sons face is priceless. These are some of the memories that I want to never ever forget! As Kim Zorn Caputo states, memory is the force behind making art-the drive not to forget.

The photograph that really caught my eye was by Peter Campus. The photograph is of a butterfly. It reminded me of memory or the stages of life. A butterfly starts as a caterpillar, then turns to a cacoon and then a butterfly. It reminds me of how life is a miracle and a memory that I never want to forget!

Memories

When reading Kim Zorn Caputo’s short forward, I found her statement, “Memory is the force behind making art – the drive not to forget,” to be quite true when thinking about why I create certain pieces of art. I noticed that I’ve created ceramics, paintings, photographs, and even pieces of literature that symbolize childhood memories. Such memories include a trip to Paris, Friday night football games, and hunting or fishing trips. It is true that at the core of much of my artwork lies a memory of a life experience. When filtering through the photographs in issue three of the magazine, I found that I didn’t care for many of them. However, one image was very striking to me was Sally Mann’s photo entitled “Picnic”. The picture portrays three young girls watching the breakout of a wildfire just over the bluff as they are having a picnic. I really like this photo because the fire captures the girls’ attention which demonstrates they are aware what’s happening. The girl on the far right also has her hand to her mouth which shows her surprise. The photographer captured a brief moment in time that these girls will probably never forget. Similarly, Jerald Frampton’s photo, “Boy and Mask” captures a young boy’s fright as he comes across a mask lying on the floor. Looking at it again, I am also wondering if this picture was taken out of a keyhole in a door. The edges are darkened in a peculiar shape that to me resembles a keyhole. Another photo I enjoyed was Lee Friedlander’s entitled, “Rockwood, Tarrytown, NY, 1993.” The majority of subject matter I enjoy photographing is nature and I love Lee’s photograph of the tree. It is very abstract and contains dark shadows that almost turn the image into a silhouette. All in all, I found this website to be very well organized and found myself venturing around to look at other works outside the assigned issue. – Tim Olson

Amanda Knudsen's Reaction Paper

Each and every person has had that experience of being around a certain atmosphere that could trigger a memory. Whether it’s a good memory or not we have to face the fact that this memory has indeed taken place. Channeling these memories or atmospheres in artwork helps the artist cope if it’s a bad memory, and find peace internally if it’s a good one. I believe that there is not one piece of artwork that everybody in the world can agree that is the most beautiful or intriguing. It all depends on where people are coming from in order to relate or to find it beautiful. That is what makes people so unique in their own special ways. I have always been open to learning about different cultures and finding out what memories of other cultures trigger their sense of what they consider beautiful and intriguing. It’s hard to define what is considered beautiful because it is different all over the world. I’ve learned that all of our opinions come from how we were brought up and from our cultural backgrounds. It’s really great to understand the story behind a picture, but it is interesting how people can make their own assumptions or their own stories by what they observed by a single photograph.

My favorite photograph is ‘The Lamp Series’ by John Baldessari. It brings me back to my days as a child somehow. When I saw this picture I could just envision the old creaky house I lived in as a child. It’s shaped like a puzzle piece so I could just place in the blank spots the old worn down couch and the T.V. that had only two channels on the other side.

reaction paper one

This article about memory certainly was hard to follow the first time read. Upon re-reading, I began to relate. So often I find myself smelling the aroma of something familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar. As I ponder with familiarity, I find myself going back in time to the memory of where I was, how I felt, or who I was with the last time I smelled that aroma. I picture what was around me, often remembering exactly where others were sitting and standing, who was doing all the talking or who was being particularly quiet, and who just entered the room. In these moments, I can sometimes mentally place myself back in time and have feelings just as I had when I was a child.

These are the things that I love about photography: it captures where I was, who else was there, how old we were, what we were doing, and the smiles, or lack of, showed our feelings. Capturing that moment when no one is looking or paying attention creates a picture proven to be worth a million memories.

The picture that caught my eye was of the children sitting in a field watching a fire. This caught my eye because it reminded me of Christmas night when I was awakened around 12:30am due to a massive explosion just two buildings from my home. Just as in the picture, my parents, siblings and I, who were all awakened by the tremendous bang, gathered outside and watched the ball of fire roar. We could feel the heat, smell the burning of materials, and hear the crackles of the fire accompanied by many additional, smaller explosions and coupled with the sounds of sirens. As the sirens got closer, we’d wait and watch to read the door on the fire trucks to know which fire department was arriving to help with this fire. We would sit on the snow and gaze toward the fire just as these children are doing in this photo. So close but yet far enough away from danger. These are memories that are so vivid that I could draw them out had my parents given me an artistic hand.

Miracle Response

Being a person that is very straightforward, I don't understand why writers feel they need to make what they write so poetic. I'll admit it took me several times to read through the article, but that is okay since a little extra thinking never hurt anyone. After re-reading and thinking about certain lines in the article, I found some points I find interesting.


My favorite part of the article was when Kim Zorn Caputo said, "Memory is the force behind making art—the drive not to forget." I feel that this is very true because whenever art is made its often in hopes of reviving old memories. These memories aren't always visual images, but can also be smells, feelings or emotions from the time. For example, taking pictures is the modern world's easiest form for anyone to keep a memory. When we see a photo, we are likely to remember a lot of our feelings from that moment or day.

The picture that I was most drawn to was the photo called Rockwood (the creepy tree without leaves). I was drawn to it more than any other because most of the other photos were so obscure that I was nowhere close to having a memory or logical thought when I saw them. This photo makes me think of a scary cemetery scene from a movie. I think this photo addresses the subject of memory because anybody can easily think of some kind of memory when seeing this image. Many people probably do think of a frightening scene from a movie or maybe a creepy old tree they have seen in the middle of a pasture somewhere. It goes beyond the visual aspect because it could also remind someone of feeling scared and getting goose bumps possibly. This isn't to say that images need to be generic for anybody to have a memory from them, but this particular tree photo was a good example.

In an unusual way, memory is something we have and we don't even notice it. Memory is like a picture in our mind. It's like when you go on vacations and you remember specific part, or you have family get-togethers and there is something you always remember, or times with friends. You are always making memories. "Memory is the force behind making art- the drive not to forget". As I read this article the second time all i could think about is my grandpa. My grandpa was recently diagnosed with dementia and sometimes he'll know who people are and sometimes he wont know anyone around. It tends to get hard on everyone, but we all stick together and go to each other to talk about things. I have recently made up a picture board to have in his room of family and friends so he doesn't forget anyone.

Kim Caputo Zorn had kind of said that you need to make these memories to keep track of what happens in life every day. Some memories might take on a whole new meaning and could lead to making a bunch of new memories. Taking pictures, drawing, or writing will help us never to forget the times in our lives.

I liked the picture "Folded $20 bill resembling the World Trade Center, 2003" by Abelardo Morell. I liked this picture because it brings back the memories of the exact day that when i had been watching the news in my desk at school. All the mixed emotions I had that day come back to me when I see this. I also liked the picture "Argentina" by Jodie Vicenta Jacobson. I liked this picture because it seems to be kind of hazy and cloudy. It makes me think about the times where life seems to be unclear to me and I don't understand why somethings have to be the way they are, things I cannot change.

Reaction paper

I found this article to be a little confusing. I thought that it jumped from topic to topic and pretty hard to follow. I read it a couple of times and then I started to understand what she was meaning. Kim Zorn Caputo has made very interesting points about how the human mind works with memories. I believe that when she is explaining how clipping her toes brough her back to her adolescence years, that a person's brain triggers memories in any situations. That doing tasks, seeing images, or even hearing soemthing can trigger a memory for that person. Also another thing is your memory is an art in itself. What a person's memory has stored is like a piece of art, and it will vary with each individual. Also I believe that she is saying that with memory we tend to make memories or "art work" out of mostly the good things in life. People tend to rewrite the memories they have to make it not seem as bad. I believe that we have a camera in our head that captures the memories.

This picture stood out to me because I feel likt it symbolizes a lot about a human's life. I believe that the table symbolizes a human and their life. The sand on top of the table of the memories that they have built up over years and experiences. The sand on the ground are the memories that have faded away and the memories that a person has not yet made.