Idea Blog: Background Hunting

One of the biggest humps i need to address in my photographs is an issue of background. People said that the background was too distant from the action occurring in front of the background. I still want to show the idea of separation between the 'developed' and American background, but also has color, shades, and textures of those that remind me of Kenya. Here are a few test shots that i took, while i was searching. I feel these might function much better together with the concept and still resemble the imagery of a bustling and busy 'developed world' background.

These photographs i took quickly as i was exploring, and they feel like they would work much better in my concept than the ones used right in the city. I will continually search for more locations, and edit them, changing their colors in photoshop to match colors and tints that remind me of Kenya.
Some key pieces in here that are characteristics important in the background are broken, and cut down fences, splitting and neglected pavement and dirt, and an overall yellowy tint to the trees and grass.
I don't mind the blue sky because i feel like that resemble the city in the background.
I will continue to shoot and search for locations.

Artist Blog: Peter Keetman

Peter Keetman is an Artist i have recently discovered, who was born in Wuppertal-Elberfeld, Germany in 1916. He started attending the Bavarian State Educational Institute for Photography in Munich. In 1937, he recieved his diploma, and after that, he started working as an industrial photographer. During World War 2, he became injured and was unable to work, however, he continued to work, creating photographic imagery especially focusing on experimental work.
One piece i find very visually creative, as well as somewhat related to my work is this following piece.
This piece is a photograph of a man, through i wire mesh window covering, something that might keep the mosquitoes out, but let air in. The interesting thing about this piece is its duality in its function.
Firstly, if you look at the piece from afar, you can clearly see the man's face, without even focusing on the water droplets that have fallen into some of the wire mesh squares. it is a very interesting piece, that could possibly mention something about this man, feeling as if he is being separated from us, or something on the other side. The barrier in this case would be the wire mesh.
However, once you look much closer at the piece, you notice that each of the water droplets that have placed themselves uniquely in some of the wire mesh squares are a completely unique and new portrait of the 'man behind the mesh'. This brings into play thoughts of identity crisis, roles and people you 'act out', or 'play as' in reference to different groups of people that you hang out with, and even thoughts of different parts of your life could possibly be trapped in the 'wire mesh' of time and place.
This lovely flip-flop play between the two sides of the story is something that i am tempted to try and include, without losing the idea or concept of my piece, and hopefully some tips on brainstorming and word splitting will help me find a way to incorporate this idea.