All images above are ©Ralph Gibson (http://www.ralphgibson.com)
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Emulation Project
I have chosen to emulate Ralph Gibson for this project. He was born January 16, 1939; in San Francisco, California. He takes a different types of pictures, but the ones I am going to emulate are from his book Light Strings. They are high-contrast close-ups of string instruments (mainly guitars, some violin). He began to work professionally as an assistant to Dorothea Lange, and since has won various awards and honors.
All images above are ©Ralph Gibson (http://www.ralphgibson.com)
All images above are ©Ralph Gibson (http://www.ralphgibson.com)
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I really like how the photographer shows the beauty of the human body as it relates to music and instruments and vise versa. He shows that the shape of an instrument and a shape of a body are not so different. I really feel like each of these pictures could be a painting thats how artistic and raw they feel. I favorite is probably the one where a single hand is clutching strings on the end of an electric guitar (I believe thats what it is) because I feel like it has the message of two things being dependent on each other to produce music; the instrument and the player.
ReplyDeleteI like that although the photos focus on the connection between string instruments and humans, none show the whole instrument or performer. When coupled with high contrast between the subjects and background, the photographs feel like an intimate relationship between strings and performer where music is all that matters.
ReplyDelete-Sophia
I really love the last one. It really takes the idea that instruments are an extension of the body, and the imagery of it connecting to the spine amplifies that idea. The human element added to all the instruments makes these so much better, and the high contrast is just beautiful.
ReplyDelete-Elliot
Unsurprisingly, I think the photos with people in them are by far the most interesting. Instruments are created for musicians (of course), so seeing the relationships between a musician and her/his instrument, expressed through these photos, is pretty powerful.
ReplyDeletei second what john said -- watching people interact with the instruments is way more compelling to me than just the instruments themselves. neato
ReplyDeleteI think the photographer does a good job capturing unique images with the string instruments that are accompanied by a person. I agree with John and Mariel that the photographs of just the instruments alone are not as strong.
ReplyDeleteI hate to jump on the band wagon, but the pieces with hands connect to me a lot more than the other ones, although those are also nice to look at, in particular the steel guitar which gives my head a nice little *twang*
ReplyDeletevery interesting, detailed and delicate. instruments seem so well placed and perfectly lit.
ReplyDeleteWow Dylan, I totally agree with you about the resonator guitar. It just takes me back to sittin' on the porch back home. Stringed instruments to me always seemed harsh and the high contrast lends that quality to the photos.
ReplyDeletethese are brilliant. i really dig minimalism, and this has that in spades. the pairing of the human form with these instruments in some of them is extremely well done. when a human is depicted with an instrument here, they share the viewers attention. it is clear that neither one of them are the subject, but that they are both sharing the subject.
ReplyDeleteI like the high contrast in all of these photographs. It makes the instruments seem almost sculptural. The one of the strings going down the girl's back is particularly nice.
ReplyDeleteThey are the most beautiful photos i have ever seen for guitars. I agree with Sara, they really look like sculptures.
ReplyDeleteThese photos are beautiful, hands down. The images captured seem very tactile. I want to run my fingers down the strings, neck, bodies of the instruments. Saying that brings me to the idea of the sensuality of music and the way that Gibson has captured this using, at times, almost blown out whites and rich black backgrounds/ shadows.
ReplyDelete