These are photos from two projects called, The Crowded Edge and Dogwood. I believe the artists technique behind his work is simply exploration. The willingness to be able to travel and accept the many dead ends and wasted times to capture moments in others lives. The artist's concept behind these photographs was to show the what this countries recession has done to working class communities. He didn't want the viewers interpretation to be guided to just one region/area/state. He wanted to show the wide-spread hardship; which I think by the artist doing this makes it easier for the viewer to relate and connect more to the images. The reason I was attracted to these images is because it felt like I have come in contact with these same situation before-- I have seen similar scenarios. When growing up in a lower working class community I have seen the rough and not-so-pretty struggle to make it. In each of these photos I see disconnect, yet pride and acceptance. In disconnect I mean a disconnection on what is going on around them, and a acceptance for this is what life is-- rough and not-so-pretty. The artist really wanted to convey the hardships of what this countries recession has resulted in communities around the U.S. I believe that the familiarity of these photos is because I am apart of a community struggling by this countries recession.
Alec Soth's technique is driven by curiosity, and wanting to see something new. He uses large format cameras, and also medium square format cameras. He uses his 8''x10'' camera as a tool to shape the experience he has with his subjects. The old fashioned camera takes awhile to set up, so he says it gives him a chance to study the subject, and also for his subject to relax. The concept that Alec Soth tries to convey in his photography is the difference between rhetoric and reality. The idea of America and the actual lived experience through its people. Alec Soth focuses on individual instead of a community. He shows American photography in a way of describing hopelessness instead of hope. My thoughts on the images I chose for this particular artist is that I can get a sense of passing time. The passing of time and nothing seems to change-- like a slower pace of life. The artist wants to convey hopelessness, and I think he is successful in doing so with these images I feel saying that the passing of time can go along with that theme. When living a slower pace of life nothing much changes, and nothing new happens; which is my definition of hopelessness because you know what to expect. These three photos make me feel some type of empathy, and sadness like this is someones reality.
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