Good Example Of Essay On Different Photography Forms: The Thoughts And Emotions They Elicit

In today’s society photography has become an art medium that is used to express current events in a unique way. On Broadway, which was put together by Daniel Goddemeyer, Moritz Stefaner, Dominikus Baur and Lev Manovich, offers a stark contrast to the work of photographer Tomas Van Houtryve. While Houtryve’s Blue Skies is a more simplistic project in comparison to the technology behind On Broadway, its simplicity does not diminish the powerful imagery offered. Ultimately, each artist had a different goal in mind for what emotions they wanted to evoke and what they wanted to get people to think about. Both pieces were successful in achieving a response.
One of the first things I noticed in the Blue Skies series was the shadowing. Several images have long, dark shadows that exaggerate whatever activity the individual was taking place in. One image had so many shadows, the people in it were obscured. The images with the shadowing made me want to figure out what each individual was doing to create the pose the shadows were in. It piqued my curiosity. Although the shadowing is beautiful, the images that made me feel more emotion were the images with either minimal shadowing or no shadows. One image showed a large group of Muslims praying. Although there is some shadowing in this picture, it is minor. It seems almost appropriate that no shadows mocked their intentions during that time.
On Broadway is a very different way to use photography. Upon first glance it looks like something that would be on my computer when it is defragmenting. Once I had the chance, it was amazing to interact with it and see all it could do. Broadway is such an iconic street, with a great history. It was fascinating to see various forms of social media brought together in the manner the creators used. I wanted to keep looking at all the different pictures, as I loved seeing how different people spent their time on Broadway. While some photographs featured tourists exploring the street, others were obviously locals going about their daily business. This exhibit brought both peoples pictures together beautifully. Another part of this work I found intriguing was the comparison of median income and use of social media from one end of Broadway to another. It changed so much in such a short space.
Although Blue Skies and On Broadway are both photographic art, they both elicit different thoughts and emotions for the viewer. Blue Skies is a more somber and thought provoking piece. On the other hand, On Broadway is much more innovative and fun. By seeing how photography is used in both pieces, it shows what a breadth of use photography has. These pieces also highlight the importance of photography. While paint media can capture people and events, it takes time. Photographs capture the moments that happen, just as they are. There is no bias other than the viewers. This gives both Blue Skies and On Broadway a raw authenticity that is unique to photography. These two pieces have helped broaden my perspective on photography and what it can achieve. Both pieces are fascinating, evoke emotion, and set a high bar for other artists of any media type.