(right image) Shall I be Mother? by Mark Tedeschi is an image containing one woman playing four different roles of a stereotypical family. I think the message speaks so unbelievably strong that image does not need any fancy lighting or special effects.

The artist is exploring thoroughly the interchangeability of gender and age which is such a strong issue throughout society and i think will probably continue to keep being a huge issue for a very long time. The quote "modern day battle ground over gender identity and roles" sums up a lot of what Tedeschi is saying through his image.

(left image) Cormac and Callum by Ingvar Kenne is probably one of my least favourite image which is quite bazaar because it is the winner of the competition. I think a lot of the reason i don't like it is because it is the winner. This fact raises the expectations of the image and they were simply no met from this. I find the photo very empty and leaves me unsure as to what it was that grabbed the judges attention. I found this image very easy to walk straight past.

Cormac and Callum

http://bjphotography.wordpress.com/2009/03/29/beth-jennings-photography-prize/

Shall I be Mother?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35434651@N02/3367486896/

Form Paragraph

The diagonal line use in the image is strong and directs your eye all around the image. The line running directly across her face draws your eye from one side to another.

There is a distinct contrast between the white and the black areas of the images which creates an outline for it. Where her arm and side are curved by shadow the shape on the outside of her body runs out of the picture while your gaze is kept with her body, while her arm at the top of the image actually holds your gaze in. The texture in the image is a big contrast between the roughness of the mesh shadows and her skin being so soft. The view of the camera appears as if she has no understanding that she is being watched. She appears very comfortable and relaxed.

Subject Matter Analysis

The soft curves against the harsh shadows is what increases the depth of this image. The beauty and innocence of the fullness of her lips, her eyelashes and her soft nose. The provocative bare breast is subtly visible through the diffused light of the mesh shadows. Her flowing hair sits against the diagonal shadow which cuts across her smooth forehead and her long elongated arm stretching over her head.

Image name - Jean in wire mesh 1937
http://www.maxdupain.com.au/gallery4.htm

Fashion Advertising...

The quote that was given to us for the assignment was extracted from the piece called Fashion; Style, Identity and Meaning by Fiona Anderson.

“ The relatively backward status of fashion manufacturing stands in marked contrast to the aggressive and innovatory profile of modern fashion marketing and advertising. From the late nineteenth century fashion consumption was further stimulated by the development of increasingly sophisticated marketing, advertising and retailing techniques, as epitomised by the new overwhelming luxurious department stores of the era.”


We had quite a few discussions about what we first thought of after reading this quote. One which involved how complicated the actual quote seems to be to read. It is quite long winded and in a way seems to go around in circles a bit.

I suppose the main contrasts that was found between the manufacturing and advertising was the technological advancements. Also the lack of advancements and change when looking at the actual manufacturing of the garments.
Advertising seemed to do a huge shift with camera and software developments but the production of garments hasn't seemed to move forward quite so aggressively. The move from individual garment production to mass production seems to be one of the only major developments in the fashion industry from a manufacturing perspective.

Fashion went from being a need of clothes for people to a want to be fashionable and very much a way of seeing yourself as a higher class to those who didnt follow the fashion and couldn't afford it.

One of the biggest issues I think that is easily represented by images is how the technology changes from film to digital photography has changed the advertising of fashion garments in western society. How the introduction of new software, for example photoshop, has completely changed the possibilities for fashion advertising and in turn the overall affect that the actual advertising has on society as a whole.  

Overall i think this aspect of photography advancements was the most relative part of the assignment for myself as i can directly relate to how the field actually works. I did struggle a little bit with not having any background knowledge in the fashion industry and only having a short amount of time from first reading the quote to actually giving the presentation made it quite difficult to take enough information in. 

I did really enjoy watching the McQueen video though. It was amazing to see how such a different point of view can be looked at through a creative medium such as fashion. It was excellent to see someone expressing their political views and opinions through their creative visual work that wasn't a photography medium. I like someone who is willing to stand up against what is normally done and actually ask questions and have their own voice. 

I suppose it goes without saying also that the Annie Leibovitz video was also amazing. Watching the way she works and how she expresses her self is very interesting. 

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