The opening of the “Seduced by Light, Seduced by Life” student photography exhibit was held Thursday evening from 5-7 p.m. in the lobby of the Schwayder Art Building. The exhibit showcased the work of 18 students who accompanied SAAH assistant professor Roddy MacInnes on a trip to London and Paris for a winter 2012 interterm course called “Photography and the Invention of Photography.”
“It’s something I’ve been planning for years,” said MacInnes. “I wanted to introduce the students to the places where the first photographs were taken, to build a connection between the history of photography and the students themselves who were making their own history on this trip.”
The students came from various disciplines and were a mix of photography amateurs and pros. Assael Ramirez, a Denver native and second-year business student recounted the progress he made on the trip.
“I learned how to choose my subject and applied new techniques for composition and lighting,” said Ramirez.
During the excursion, the students received a new assignment each day then posted a written reflection in a class blog. The assignments prompted reflection, challenging the students with topics like “Sense of Self,” in which they took self-portraits that expressed their personalities, and “Sense of Others,” in which they attempted to convey another person’s character.
Professor MacInnes explained the reasoning behind the loose prompts.
“I purposely left the objective ambiguous so that the students could interpret it. I avoided being too specific because it would make the assignment restrictive,” said MacInnes.
During the exhibit, the photos, each about six inches by eight inches, were stacked vertically and arranged in a belt-like shape, with a thick center and two thinning sides running horizontally across the walls. The contents featured a variety of subjects including humans, objects, architecture, text, landscape and more, all shot in full color or in classic black-and-white.
Similarly, the photos illustrated a wide array of emotions, from jubilee to fatigue, from shyness to coyness to pensiveness. The somberness of a stoic countenance contrasted the spontaneity of surprised eyes, and fresh candid shots complemented static, posed images.
Witty students demonstrated the playfulness of superimposition, producing humorous photographs of photographers taking photos. In each of these cases, vivid hues drew the viewer into the picture while the eclectic composition maintained his attention.
While taking cliché photos of touristic monuments like the Eiffel Tower and Stonehenge, the students explored the possibilities of abstract art. They attempted to capture the movement and depth of everyday moments, “going beyond the snapshot,” MacInnes said.
They achieved these goals by experimenting with perspective, shooting the subject from up close and from intriguing angles, and light, generating distinct moods using soft or harsh illumination.
The exhibit’s choice of heading was inspired by a museum expo the class visited while in London titled “Seduced by Art: Photography of the Past and Present.” But although the two exhibits share the same nostalgic theme, the students’ work concentrated on the enchanting quality of light, striving to reflect and celebrate the beguiling energy of luminosity in their radiant photos.
At the end of the trip, the students compiled their work in an online book, or blurb, documenting their travels.
MacInnes likened this final product to a collective family album, a gallery of shared experiences. This London and Paris course will be offered again next winter.
For the moment, however, students can look forward to the upcoming spring 2013 interterm course called “Photography in San Francisco,” also taught by MacInnes. For more information about these courses, contact Diana Carvalho in the Special Community Programs Office. To view photos of the winter 2012 trip visit: http://www.flickr.com/groups/2069577@N25/pool/
