Photojournalism

From the BBC's webpage titled "Week in pictures", we examine this picture with the following caption: "Coffins of Kurdish victims of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's regime during the 1980s stand at the airport in Irbil, after their repatriation from a site near the southern city of Najaf."

So what does this picture say then? My impression is that its about the coffins more than anything else (obviously). since coffins are symbollic of death, it fittingly reflects the purpose of the photo, which was taken in such a way that it would in some essence give an idea just how many people died as a result of Saddam's regime. While the number of coffin's shown probably isn't all that there are supposed to be, the fact remains that this approach to the shot (with few people in it and the seemingly neverending rows of coffins all the way into the horizon) sought to bring out the most of its intended message despite the simplicity of the shot.

The repatriation of the coffins (and the deceased in them) is symbollic also in the sense that it metaphorically and literally illustrates that the past (and its atrocities) are being buried and laid to rest, and as such provide a form of resolution to the suffering of the people both deceased and alive.

Mmmm-Masterwork

Ok. So i was supposed to comment on a surrealist masterwork. and not knowing many surrealists, i (very obviously) chose to do something based on Dali's piece " La persistencia de la memoria" (aka The Persistence of Memory, Melting Clocks, Soft Watches and Droopy Watches ). Perhaps because surrealism by nature makes people go "huh?", there was a need to put an almost-literal title to the pieces to immediately give people the idea of what the painter is trying to portray.

So what's this painting of his about then? Appears to me that from the title (and the nature of the watches illustrated in the painting, that Dali gives a literal spin to the idea that time is indeed "fluid", perhaps somewhat in reference to Einstein's Theory of Relativity. When you think about it, time in its way does "flow" in a sense. The "melted" and fluid feeling of time thus also indicates that while it is flexible, there is still a relatively fixed amount to it (like how liquids take on various shapes of their containers and yet have a fixed volume). This flexibility of time reminds me of a quote from a book i read called "Thief of Time" by Terry Pratchett. In it Pratchett speaks of the guardians of time (referred to as the History Monks) and how people have been manipulating time:

People have been messing around with time ever since they were people. Wasting it, killing it, sparing it, making it up. And they do it. People's heads were made to play with time. You watch the Procrastinators even on a quiet day. Moving time, stretching it here, compressing it there. Its a big job.

With the composition of the piture being rather empty on every side except the left (where the clocks are), it naturally brings the viewer's attention to what Dali has so strategically placed there (which obviously is the point of this painting). Having the watches / clocks set against a dark background (of what appears to be the ground), they stand out even more in the picture. And thus ends the commentary on a masterwork.

The Many Sid3s of Chris Ong

Conceptual Portraiture isn't exactly the easiest of things to do. But honestly, it gets easier once an idea is in place.

“The Many Sid3s (sides) of Chris Ong” is a series of conceptual photographs that explores and illustrates the identity of the model.

Using the word “sides” in both a literal sense (through the various profile shots) as well as the figurative (since each of us has many different sides to our personalities), it seeks to provide an insight to the model’s own self-perception as well as how he is perceived by others.

“3l3m3ntal Id3ntity” (Elemental Identity) is a piece on the various “elements” that are most recognisable about the model.

“A Qu3stion of B3li3f” (A question of Belief) is a double-meaninged piece on the model’s faith (through the sense of questioning / challenging belief, as well as in the sense of whether you believe).

“G33k Lit” (Geek Lit or “Literature”) is a piece that illustrates the reading material that the model is most associated with in terms of his technological orientation.

“Mak3 Som3 Nois3” is a piece about the model’s interest in drumming, and portrays a drumset that is both there and not there (due to its incompleteness).

“Fair Gam3” (Fair Game) reflects how much gaming is part of the model’s life, as does “Wir3d Up” (Wired Up) in symbollising his attachment to technology.

The last piece in the series, “All that you can’t l3av3 B3hind” (All that you can’t leave behind) is borrowed from a title of a song, and shows the model’s attachment to a past relationship (represented by the pig which was a gift returned), and that while he has turned his back on it, it is still a reminder to him of things gone by.

On to the pictures then:

"3l3m3ntal Id3ntity"

"A Qu3stion of B3li3f"

"G33k Lit"

"Mak3 Som3 Nois3"

"Fair Gam3"

"Wir3d Up"

"All That You Can't L3av3 B3hind"

Getting into the Mood

"No people, no animals, no mannequins". How do you portray moods then? Apparently its possible, cos you can do it like THIS:



Who / What: Where have all the flowers gone (Solitary)

Where: My house

How: Canon 1000D, ISO 200, F 5.6, 1/100s, 53mm

Why: focusing on the single white flower that stands out among the grass brings the viewer's attention specifically to it.



Who / What: Paper Chase (Activity)

Who / What: Paper Chase (Activity)

Where: My house

How: Canon 1000D, ISO 800, F 5.6, 1/20s, 55mm

Why: The close up of the papers taped to the wall and seemingly looking like they have been disturbed would give the impression that they have in some way or other been moved or disturbed to result in their current condition and position.



Who / What: Table Tangles (Chaos)

Where: My house

How: Canon 1000D, ISO 800, F 5.6, 1/20s, 55mm

Why: “Table Tangles” is an attempt at portraying the feeling of “mess”, and is illustrated through how the wires are all disorganised and tangled up together.