Sequential Photography

During our first week of digital arts module we were talking about sequential photography. We got to know the history of this art form and some of the most popular and influential artists that are the best in this art style.

One of them was Duane Michals. He is an american photographer who was born in 1932 in McKeesport. As a teenager he was studying watercolor painting at the Carnegie Institutein in Pittsburgh. In 1956 he went to the Parsons School of Design to become a graphic designer. He did not finish his course and dropped off this school. His first pictures shown at the Underground Gallery in New York City were taken during his holiday trip to USSR. Michals received his BA from the University of Denver in 1953 before working as a commercial photographer. During his carrier he even covered filming for Great Gatsby for Vogue. Duane was also working for the government of Mexico to document Olimpics in 1968. In 1970 Museum of Modern Art in New York shown some of his work to the public. He has also released a book calles 'Album' and included  photographs taken between years 1958 and 1988. He describes his photographic style as self-thought and refers to it in this way: “I use photography to help me explain my experience to myself,” and “I believe in the imagination. What I cannot see is infinitely more important than what I can see.” One of his the best known sequential images is: ‘Paradise Regained’. 

Photo: 'Paraside regaind' by Duane Michals

When looking at this artwork, you can clearly see what Duane wanted to tell us through this piece. I think that by the missing clothing, artist wanted to show us the pure part of human beings that do not have any civilization goods and because of that they are able to feel much more. In my opinion artist wanted to tell us that all of our technology and inventions make us feel less in terms of emotions and the spiritual side of ourselves. I also like the composition of these photos and how near to each other are placed all the objects. I think that it makes it so easy to interpret them because you have all you need to do so in one place. 

                                                                            Photo: 'The Fallen Angel' by Duane Michals

 

‘The fallen angel’ by Duane Michals presents a series of eight photographs that are creating a short story when combined. I think that once again artist had pretty straight idea of what secret value should his artwork include. In my opinion, this series is about disappointment that we feel sometimes when meeting or getting closer to a new person. Sometimes all of our assumptions about somebody are turning out to be fake or just not true and that is what Duane wanted to present by these six pictures. This piece is dynamic because of blurred movements of characters and horizontal setting of images that are creating timeline for this short story. Artist also included a lot of really bright light in his photos to create certain atmosphere. He wanted to outline how special and important are these moments in his character’s lives and also how short  and quick is every one of the frames.

 

My work

 

During our class we took series of images to practice creating sequential images. My work is not the best but I have definitely learned from that and I think that my homework is way better than my first attempt to this task. Here is what I have done during the class time: 

 

Photo of class time work

 

During the process of creating my homework I was inspired by Duane’s ‘Paradise regained’. I chose to focus on placement of camera which was similar throughout the whole time and composition that was changing before each camera shot. I really wanted to present boredom in hyperbole and in the way that everybody will know that I meant it. I have put my photographs together in mobile app so they can create one artwork as a whole.

                                    Photo of sketching out the idea for 'Boredom' for homework

Photo of my final work - 'Boredom' (homework)

I am satisfied with work I have done because I have never done anything like this before and I do not have photo projects too often. I think I have improved my work since the class task and it looks way better than before. I have put way more efford into this final work and spent a lot of time planning it.  

Artist research references:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Duane-Michals