.3223 // CALEB

final

2007-11-21T19:43:00.001-08:00

Theme : Unspoken Sins.Relationship
Type : Fine Art Photography

One : The Heart of Onyx
(Sin of Seduction)

In this world of seduction, the heart morphs into a precious stone of blackness – the onyx. Do we care about this darkness within us?

This photographs depicts a lady adorned in blood red lipstick and top , which symbolizes the world of seduction. However, her face looks away from her heart in indifference, but her looking away also shows an unwillingness to face her heart.. Her fingers are positioned into the shape of a heart – but the irony is that the heart is not one which shows love, but one that is onyx-black.

Do we dare to travel to our heart of darkness?

Two : The Blade of Infidelity
(Sin of Infidelity)

The eyes of the wife sees only the adulterous couple right before her eyes – hence, the reflection onto the knife. The colour, green, casts an emotion of envy onto her; but the lack of smile and the wielding of the knife hints of the impending action of revenge. Afterall, in the Middle Ages, the colour, green, was associated with calamity and evil.

Three : The Masquerade of Countenance
(Sin of Pretense)

Do you wear a mask of pretence on your face?

The “masquerade” is associated with the carnival – the smile on the mask mocks that pretence of merry when juxtaposed with the face of anonymity behind the mask.

Do we dare to take off that mask and reveal the plain, raw face our ours?

Self-Assessment
I would rate this assignment 95/100. (50 for creativity and 45 for effort)

seven

2007-11-01T01:10:00.000-07:00

Doesn’t it make you feel proud to be in Singapore? To be a part of this vibrant city that boost of its success and achievements? We are indeed a competitive bunch of people ready to prove ourselves anytime, anywhere. Individualism is the way to go! (more commonly known to many, as 'kiasu-ism') It’s a culture so unique to Singaporeans that we always give ourselves away on our holiday trips by our behavior. It makes me wonder whether those stallholders really like us that much to initial a discount even before we ask, or has he already mark up the price to ease his loss looming nearby.

"Oh, you from Singapore right? Because you from Singapore, I give you good discount! Cheap, cheap!"

Nevertheless, our bargaining skills never fail to kick in no matter how discounted the product is. We always seek to negotiate a win-win situation, but if all else fails, we make sure we are on the winning side. Right from the moment we step out of our homes, we grab hold of every opportunity to perfect this skill. Be it squeezing our way into the bus, queuing up early for the limited edition of the Hello Kitty toy, or even stocking up on our tissue packs to reserve seats at a food court. These are what truly define us. How can those gimmicks deployed by Singapore Tourism Board, such as the ‘Uniquely Singapore’ series promoting the ‘puking’ Merlion and Metallic Durian (the Esplanade), compare to our unique culture? I am sure this is something that our foreign friends have never experienced before.

So much for expensive education packages offered around the world, we can offer them the best skills that one can possess. Skills necessary at work and even after office hours (*hint: remember your tissue pack). All they need to do is come to Singapore and experience our daily lives. We train them to be the toughest, strongest and most determined, because in our society, only the toughest survives.

Yes, we work hard, but we play hard too. Singapore is a hub for everything! We have the best variety of food here, the best entertainment facilities, and not to forget the best range of retail therapy too! We must always be grateful to our government for constantly striving to be the first, if not, best in everything. Without this competitive spirit, our present-day Singapore would not be such a pleasant country to live in. It is also this spirit that unites us and spurs us on to keep this unique culture alive. Long live Kias..opps. I meant Long Live Singapore!

analysis

2007-10-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

Select any image from one of the following genres of photograph from recent publication (news paper, magazine, online)

* Photojournalism
* Social documentary
* Commercial photography

Analyse the picture: List how selected photograph might be read by target audience

Information

* Type
Commercial Photography

* Source
Uniquely Singapore

* Media
Series of promotional materials - the web and postcards

* Audience
Potential tourists, usually families
Analysis

* At a glance
1. Vibrant city life
2. Family oriented
3. Popular
4. Beautiful
5. Unique

* Points to take note
1. Attention
2. Balance and Composition

* Signifier
The Merlion

* Signified
Selling the idea of uniqueness and magnificence of Singapore

* Focus
Central of focus – merlion as the main idea

* Colour
Bright and rich colours – vibrant and active, more appealing, connotes happiness

Blue sky and water symbolises cleanness and beauty, instead of the dull brown waters in reality

* Position
Top half of the photo, camera angle creates the effect of looking up

Reinforced by the female models, tilting of the head

* Meaning
Why females only? (mother and daughter)
symbolic representation of family, love

Subtle usage of the colours red and white to represent the country’s colour, red top of the lady as a colour of warmth=family

Older lady and girl – universal representation of a mother and daughter=family

* Background
Tall building as a iconic sign that represents business and city life, portraying Singapore as a sophisticated urban city

Crowd symbolises excitement and life. Eg. People are always attracted by crowds and queues, not wanting to miss out of anything good

Self-Assessment
I would rate this assignment 85/100. The choice of photo was excellent, since everyone knew the subject and local context of it. Analyzing the photo was kept short and straight to the point with questions to involve the audience. Furthermore, the audience was engaging to discuss their own interpretation of the photo and purpose to add on to my analysis.

creep

2007-10-21T17:54:00.000-07:00

Theme :
Creep

One subject three intentions: Realistic, formalistic and expressionistic interpretation.

Select appropriate subject under given theme. Create three images (photographs) exploring three aesthetic intentions of a photographer.

Details
* Location: Botanic Gardens
* Time: 1800hrs

Reflection
* One : Realistic
* Two : Formalistic
* Three : Expressionistic

I chose Botanic Gardens because my initial subject of interest was the creeper plants creeping up the trees or walls. However, was I was walking around the garden looking for a good shot, I chanced upon this dark creepy tunnel along this little trail. I felt that this set of photos really suit the theme very well. The thick layer of hanging creepers was blocking the sunlight, creating this dark creepy feeling for anyone who passes through the tunnel. Even when I was inside this tunnel snapping my photos, I had this feeling that there were eyes watching my every movement through the vegetation. Photo One is my realistic take of the subject; I increased the brightness to show the actual natural tunnel, because the hanging creepers above were blanketing any sunlight from entering. For Photo Two, I took a close up of the creepers above me to represent the formalistic angle. I thought the intricate interlacement of the creepers was expressing the beautiful and abstract pattern of nature. My expressionistic take is shown in Photo Three. As I was snapping my photos, this lady in the photo happened to walk by. I was quite impressed with her courage for walking through this lonely trail and creepy tunnel by herself. I was wondering if she was ever worried for her own safety before she entered this trail.

Self-Assessment
I would rate this assignment 80/100. (40 for creativity and 40 for effort)

joiner

2007-10-20T17:54:00.000-07:00

Theme :
The day after

Hockney explored difference between mechanical view and eye’s/minds view (single vs. multiple point of view).

Photomontage is the process (and result) of making a composite photograph by cutting and joining a number of other photographs.

Details
* Location: BB HDB Estate
* Time: 1600hrs

Reflection
I decided to try my hands on a landscape piece for this assignment, with the intention of doing a panoramic view to explore the concept of photomontage. My choice of subject was the high-rise residential area uniquely in Singapore, because of the lack in physical area. I am sure you will agree that everyday you are bound to see something new on another piece of land. With so many high-rise buildings sprouting out at an alarming rate, does it not make ponder when will the view of the endless horizon be blocked? What is going to happen the day after?

This assignment took up a lot of my time because of the multiple angled shots as well as the processing of the photo. It is amazing I managed to piece this huge photo together without my labtop having to crash on me.

Self-Assessment
I would rate this assignment 80/100. (40 for creativity and 40 for effort)

essay

2007-10-10T17:53:00.001-07:00

Theme :
We live in a country where only thing which is constant is change.

* Create 8 to 12 pictures essay on above theme. Select appropriate point of view which addresses the theme.

Details
* Location: Changi Coastal Walk
* Time: 1430hrs

Reflection
To work on a photo essay as the third assignment was a great leap from the previous assignment. I am beginning to feel that the learning curve for this module is a rather steep one for me. For this assignment, I chose to focus on Changi coast as my subject. I am trying to portray the transformation from a fishing village that Singapore used to be to a place of leisure and livelihood for many. The scenery by itself has a touch of the rustic past with a mixture of modern lifestyle. The kelong walk, numerous fishing spots as well as the seafood businesses are reminiscent of the old fishing village that once stood here. Despite the area bustling with activities, Changi coast is also a favorite spot for leisure as seen with the numbers of chalets sprouting in the area and several centres for water sports. My intention was to capture the liveliness and energy emitting from this tiny spot in Singapore. My last photo shows the unsightly scene that few would notice. The trash that is scattered over the beach emphasizes on the importance of keeping the environment clean in order for the continuity of these activities.

Self-Assessment
I would rate this assignment 95/100. (50 for creativity and 45 for effort)

exposure

2007-10-10T17:53:00.000-07:00

Theme :
light, colour, texture and patterns

Observe how light interacts with object creating shadow and sense of depth. How colours change their saturation through dawn to dusk. How light create patters and how shadows make texture feel tactile.

Details
* Location: NTU Design School
* Time: 1800hrs

Reflection
My conceptual process was rather short initially, since I do not have any idea how to approach the assignment. I spent more time listing down possible subjects that might be of interest. After narrowing down, I finally settled for NTU Design School and LaSalle College of Art. What better way to start the module with a subject related to design? Furthermore, both buildings were recognized for their unique architecture.

After surveying both places, I chose NTU Design School as my subject due to the requirements of the assignment. Although LaSalle College of Art’s interior design appealed to me, I felt that it was difficult for me to express exposure at my beginner’s level. Thus, due to my limitation in skills, I made my decision.

My initial intention was to capture the harsh shiny architecture in harmony with the lush greenery covering the building. However, I decided to focus on the shiny walls and the sky to express the theme. If you notice, the sky is overly exposed, but the reflection on the walls shows the true colors of the sky. I thought that it was interesting to see the vast limitless sky being captured in tiny panels of the wall.

For photo 3, I tried to dabble around with the different filters. Photo 3a is shot using the normal filter and photo 3b is shot using an orange filter. I had to adjust the brightness to compensate for the details of the building.

During class, after listening to others explaining their photos and concepts, I realize this module was going to be challenging. There were so many students who were either professional photographers or experienced in that field. I figured out that I needed to put in more research to live up to the class standard. Looking forward to the next assignment.

Self-Assessment
I would rate this assignment 92/100. (50 for creativity and 42 for effort)

photogram

2007-10-10T17:50:00.000-07:00

You’ll make your first photogram using flat bed scanner instead of photosensitive paper. The theory is similar. By placing objects directly on the scanner bed in an interesting composition you can create an image without a camera.

Details
* Subject: Endermints and Dates
* Method: Photogram - Scanner
* Model: Brother MFC

Reflection
I like to title my piece as ‘Out of Place’. I chose these sweets because I thought the reflective wrappers would create an interesting effect. True enough, as the light from the scanner hits this reflective surface, it creates this blurred and shiny effect around the sweets. It is interesting to note how the golden sweet will be much more vibrant compared to the other sweets.

Self-Assessment
I would rate this assignment 90/100. (50 for creativity and 40 for effort)