Alex Krynsky

Alex Krynsky
Joe Mcnally, unknown
2017

Joe McNally (born July 27, 1952) is an American photographer who has been shooting for the National Geographic Society since 1987. McNally was born in Montclair, New Jersey. McNally is an award winning photographer with international recognition. His work is quite popular in more than 70 countries.. He is among the rare breed of photographer who has bridged the world between photojournalism and advertising, amassing an impressive commercial and advertising client list including FedEx, Sony, ESPN, Adidas, General Electric, Epson, MetLife, USAA, New York Stock Exchange, and many more. The reason I found this image so significant is due to the fact of how well positioned everything is placed in the photo. The image makes you feel as if you're right there in the action. I am not positive whether or not the men in the picture are some sort of army or " air sea-rescue." The subject is well-focused, the background looks beautiful especially, with the city and sunset coming in, even the helicopter throws you off looking as if it's coming for you... but personally I think the most significant thing is Mcnally diving into action and having to travel with the men in the picture to take this shot. He had to physically jump in the water, position himself to get in the right spot, and manage to float and get the right shot.

Yaelin Calderon

Yaelin Calderon
"The history of a picture that changed the world"// Zbigniew Religa

Rain Bernal

Rain Bernal

Kyle Thompson, "Untitled (Ghost Town)"

2014, Digital

This image was taken as part of a series called "Ghost Town". This picture was actually taken on a set constructed in the artist's backyard. I believe this image represents the impact of childhood and the expectations that are placed on you at an early age, specifically in families where children are expected to be winners. Here, I think the artist is able to convey the weight of perceived failures and the pressures of success through a flooded childhood home. I love the soft lighting and the colors in the composition. The colors seem desaturated, but they still pop. The gold contrasts against the blue very nicely. There is a clear separation of dark and light elements. In these kinds of families, kids are often taught to ignore themselves, and their needs are neglected as well. I believe the choice to have the subject in blue against a blue background is representative of this idea.

Jessica Rivera

Jessica Rivera
Michelle Frankfurter "Destino"
January 16, 2014

I selected this image because it reminds me of my parents' migration story, how they were with about another 400 people and only about half of them made it through the trip. In this image Frankfurter captured the migrants hustling to board the cargo train that would bring them closer to their destination. This train is know as "La Bestia," which means The Beast. It is given this name because of how big the train is, and how many people board it. Some unlucky migrants would get caught under the train and be severely injured and ended up staying in migrant shelters, or unfortunately would die. Frankfurter followed these migrants through this journey across many countries like El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico. She used her platform to spread the story of what immigrants have to deal with like, gangs, the environment and the law just to make it to the U.S, and that it is a necessity for most to leave their beloved homes.

Eleseia Viverette

Eleseia Viverette
Stacey Tyrell, "Ismay, 44,"
2016

I chose this image because I could really relate to it's message. You shouldn't judge a person you should take the time to observe all aspects of an individual. This image is about how we as a society go no further than skin deep, we don't think about whats on the inside sometimes. This is actually an African American woman; but from first glance we assume it's a Caucasian woman. Sometimes I feel as if I'm being judged by the color of my skin and not as a whole.

Alexis Ramos

Alexis Ramos

Dulce Pinzón, "Catwoman"

2006

The image I chose was Catwoman from Dulce Pinzón's work called "The Real Story of the Superheroes" which shows immigrants who sacrifice their lives for others. She captures hardworking people dressed up in superhero costumes to show that Mexican immigrant workers in New York are heroes who go without being noticed. I selected this image because it reminds me of my grandmother. She was a Mexican immigrant who was a nanny just like the woman in the photograph. She was always sacrificing herself in order to send her family in Mexico money because they desperately relied on her to pay for things back home. Not once have I ever heard her complain about how she struggled to send money and as I get older I strive to be even half as strong as she is. The moment I saw this image I was reminded of my superhero, my grandmother whom I love and appreciate so much.

Dominic Leis

Dominic Leis
Philip-Lorca diCorcia
"Brent Booth; 21 years old; Des Moines, Iowa; $30"
1990–1992 Photographs, Ektacolor print

This image by Philip-Lorca diCorcia was from a series called Hustlers or Hollywood. He traveled to Hollywood and took portraits of transvestite prostitutes around Santa Monica Boulevard. He titles his work with the name, age, and price of his subject. His use of light and shadow adds a sense of loneliness to the overall photograph. The subjects gazed looked makes it seem like they are in deep thought. I like the product placement of the Pepsi that diCorcia uses which makes the entire piece an ad for Pepsi.

Charlie Ehrman

Charlie Ehrman

Bill Baggart "Untitled" 

2001, 35mm film

I chose this photo because it speaks to my upbringings. Here I see a familiar subway station in my home city of New York. A subway station which I myself have hopped on many times with my camera, snapping photo's as I go; of the iconic New York City which I luckily grew up 30 minutes from. However, this is not any normal day in the city; this photo was taken on September 11th, 2001 by a photographer Bill Baggart, who rushed to the scene as the North Tower was hit. What deeply saddens me, is that not too long after this photo, the North Tower collapsed and buried him. His roll of 35mm film was later recovered, and his photos can be found in the Newseum in Washington DC. This photo hits me so deeply because Manhattan is the city which showed me my passion for filmmaking and capturing moments through the medium of a camera. My Dad was only a few buildings down from the world trade center on 9/11 and luckily survived. 9/11 will always have deep roots in my family and friends. 

Leslie Mercado

Leslie Mercado

Robert Berger and Anne Conser, "Auditorium"

1995, print 1997

The image I chose is the Auditorium of the El Capitan Theater in which signifies a moment in time where live theater used to present audiences of all ages a real or imagined performance on stage. Now this 1,500 seat house owned by Walt Disney Company is a movie palace that premieres multiple movies throughout the years. The photograph reminded me of my visit to El Capitan and how mesmerized I was with its design. It also reminded me how looking into a photograph, you can find art within its form, shape, and space. Once inside, you can look around and find sharp, breathtaking details. Looking at the photograph, the light fixtures inside the theater give a soft golden color look onto the ceiling. The architecture of the theater can set anyone into emotional states and mood to enhance it design as art does. Overall, the ambiance of the theater takes you into the heart of Hollywood.

Brenda Juarez

Brenda Juarez

Gregory Crewdson , Untitled "Insect Window" 

1994

The reason I selected this photo is because this how I kind of see the world with my own eyes. Everything is dark and mysterious to me no bright colors around. Not an enthusiastic fan of bright colors. The reason I look at the world like this it's because I don't leave my house that much and I kind of have to blame it on my negativity and fear. The moths for me represents people exploring around while I'm stuck inside the dark room. But in a different point of view this picture it also shows me happiness. I like the way everything is mysterious with the color blue popping out trying to make me figure out what is going on. The photo could mean many different things for me but the main point is to try to escape the house and follow the moths and head to the bright blue light. A big adventure is waiting for me outside in the world.

Danielle Basa

Danielle Basa
Willy Ronis, "Amoureux de la Bastille, Paris"
1957, Gelatin Silver Print

This photograph reveals the simple pleasures of everyday life, a man and a woman overlooking Paris on a balcony.  By looking at how close the man and woman are reveal great strength in intimacy. Also, acknowledging how the clear skies are show that time sits still. They seem to have just taken a break from the world and took time to relax and appreciate the little things.The two remind me of my parents when they were still together. They were always side by side and in love, appreciating what stood in front of them, just as it seems the couple may be doing. This piece made me feel that I took my parents' bond for granted in some way. When they were appreciating life, I should've been as well. However, I've grown, and now that I've found my partner, I aspire to be here where these two stand, on a balcony in Paris, in love, appreciating the simple pleasures of everyday life.

Katherine Fajardo

Katherine Fajardo 

Oscar Castillo, "Happy Couple in Lil Valley"

1972, Color photograph 

I selected this because the makeup caught my eye, but as I looked at the photo I was continuously drawn to it for the old school romance. To the left of the image, there are hearts tagged on a wall together, and the female is grasping onto the male as to signify a connection and with the added hearts one can assume romance. It's romanticized further ass she is holding onto this man but appears that she could handle her own if need be. The males smile reminds me of the smile my father would have on his face when my mother would throw shade. Knowing what I know now of Oscar Castillo's amazing photography being based in East Los Angeles, I can imagine this is what my parents must have looked like when they met in Lincoln Heights at the young age of 17 and 15. 

Sunny Choi

Sunny Choi

Hiroshi Sugimoto, "Cabot Street Cinema," Massachusetts

1978, Gelatin Silver Print

The image I chose was Cabot Street Cinema (1978), by Hiroshi Sugimoto because of the black and white long exposures. The way the photo was taken, took an hour and a half of exposure for it to show the white screen and the pitch black seats that are most likely empty. I like it because it brings a lonely yet nostalgic vibe to the photo alone when the theater is a place where many people gather to see movies that are shown on the screen only to be quiet and be the only one in the theater. Nothing is on the screen and no one is in the theater brings in a wave of emptiness along with omnisity when there's nothing to see in a dark theater alone but a white screen shining through that empty feeling like you're about to die.

Ethan Barker

 

Ethan Barker

Philip-Lorca diCorcia, "W, November 2007, #6"

2007, Archival pigment print

I selected this image because it makes me think of how sometimes it's the thoughts that we choose NOT to verbalize can still haunt our minds.  I see a snapshot of a man in a deeply candid moment as he realizes how distant he is from his partner.  I notice four sources of warm light and the man  is not illuminated by any of them which further emboldens the disparity I feel in regards to narrative.  The artwork above the bed conveys distrust, betrayal, and deception - all of which I feel summarize the tone of this image.  The turned back to the sleeping subject particularly captures emotional distance and distrust  The man seems to have no intention of waking his partner and confronting the problem.  Instead he appears to have just changed into a suit and will be leaving with no goodbye.  I love how diCorcia photographs an uneventful, safe environment yet manages to portray dark aspects of human interaction through manipulation of light, positioning of subjects, and choice of gesture for his subject.

Leandra Argott

Leandra Argott

Alexander Yakovlev, "Mirages, Ana Turazashvili"

2014

I chose this image from Alexander Yakovlev Mirages collection of dancers to show how strong women are by how Ana Turazashvili, the model, is jumping with perfect lining and how strong she is with pushing her body with all her strength. I like the detail of her muscles showing each crease from her feet to her legs to her arms to her hands. This portrait amazes me because Alexander Yakovlev, a Russian Photographer, caught the elegance and power of this dancer with a simple jump. To me this image is a power pose that shows her confidence and she is breaking free. I like the use of the flour because that is another way of showing how she is breaking free, the picture makes the jump look effortless which makes it that more powerful. This portrait is truly a piece of art that amazes me on how perfect Alexander Yakovlev captured this image.

Cori Kim

Cori Kim

Harold Corsini, "Playing Football"

1935, gelatin silver print

This monochrome, aerial image of football players in Harlem, NY was taken by Italian photographer, Harold Corsini when he was just 16 years old. It's archived in the George Eastman Collection in Rochester, NY. When I saw this image in The Radical Camera I stopped. What first got me was the size juxtaposition of the small people and the larger-than-life shadows, because of this I concluded that they were children (perhaps, I'm not sure) and it made me think about being 10 years old, playing in the streets at twilight, about being young and rushing to be as big as those shadows. Somehow it gave me a sad nostalgic feeling, like here are these kids caught in a meaningless moment, one of millions of others and here I am 70 years later getting all emotional. It makes me wonder where those kids are now, did they ever get big, do they still like football? Aside from the instilled emotions, the image grabs me compositionally as well, I love everyone's movement, captured by a fast shutter speed, also how their shadows nearly line up with the white line. The composition and spacing is pleasing, I also feel that the visual wouldn't have worked as well if not an aerial. The whole thing is just really fun and a little grimy, but it a good way.

Estefany Rodriguez

Estefany Rodriguez

Sylvia Plachy, 

2000 Black and White Print  

The reason I choose this photograph is because it looked intriguing to me. Once I read about the meaning behind this photograph made it more interesting and relatable. The artist mentioned that she made this photograph to capture the many ways humans impose and reflect style and styles in the world around us. This reminded me of how there are some women who try and attempt to get the body image of others in what they see in the media or in this case a Barbie. For instance, a family member of mine was once obsessed with the image of wanting to change her looks to match what she saw in the internet that ended up messing with her mind. This affected her in being unhealthy in just trying to meet the medias expectations, which us humans should not have to compare ourselves in order to fit in. We are all individually unique.  

Sarah Marks

Sarah Marks

Felix Gonzalez-Torres, "[No Title]"

1985, Instant black-and-white print

I selected this image because it gives rise to a bittersweet feeling of nostalgia within me. Torres, a cuban emmigrant who fled to America, used this work to convey the "sense of exile" that he felt in America. The use of a black and white medium suggests time, distance, and alienation. The close values make it feel as if the barbed wire fence is blocks passage to the ocean. The ocean being representative of  "yearning for the infinite". The slightly worn quality to the photograph ages it, adding to the nostalgia. Using the ocean as the horizon line leads the eye and adds to the idea of the sea being representative of the infinite.

Yaelin Calderon

Yaelin Calderon

Zbigniew Religa// The history of a picture that changed the world 

1987 , ________

Coming across many different types of amazing photography, I selected this particular picture because it caught my attention for some reason. It made me actually want to look up its history behind it. It was taken in 1987, and it turned out to be that it was actually a real life scene. It was one long day for Dr. Zbigniew Religa after 23 hours of heart transplant. He was very successful and in that time of area doctors did not have all the right tools and machines. The surgeon sleeping in the corner, the bloody mess like a very hard job has been done. It's very touching and powerful that someone had the ability to save someone's life. His assistant in the picture just fits perfect for that shot. The focus is the doctor and the patient, all the machines plugged in gives you the chills and shows you how gloomy the picture is. How people go through so much and people showed really appreciate what they have. In a way he changed someone's world.  

Jennifer Brown

Jennifer Brown

Barbara Davidson, "Taliban Prisoners of War"

2016, Digital Photography

I selected this image because of my immediate focus on the man's eye. The man is clearly suffering and due to his intense facial expression I almost did not notice that he is surrounded by other men, all of whom are distressed. I found it interesting that a majority of the natural lighting is on the man's eye, possibly contributing to my attention being drawn to the eye to begin with. The photo's negative space (the wall) ironically embodies the freedom that the positive space (men behind bars) does not consist of as they are reaching out past the bars and attempting to advance to the positive space. The positioning and facial expressions of the men represents their misery. Although there is the slight negative space, there is an intense amount of despair that is seen all over the rest of the image. I was personally moved by the the boys face on the bottom right corner. I feel as though the face being in the shadow and covered impartially by the hand reaching out ties the photograph together.

Hasana Johnson

Hasana Johnson

Edward Weston "Neil Asleep"

1925, Gelatin Silver Print.

Edward Weston is a photographer from Illinois and I found this photo of this young boy interesting because, When I was young, sometimes I'd cry myself to sleep, and the couch was the only place that comforts me. I'd sink inside with tears in my eyes and then fall fast asleep.  I didn't understand what the couch meant to me until for 4 days it held me. As I cried every night and worried for my mother's life, the couch would comfort me. In my senior year when college was near, and the stress was up to my ears, my couch, it would comfort me. 2 years in college, late nights running wild, at 5 am my couch was there to catch me. Now as an adult, I see why Neil sleeps in a posture of fatigue yet shows so much peace. It's because no matter what you go through, the couch is always comforting. 

Karen Castillejos

Karen Castillejos

Abelardo Morell "Manhattan Bridge Morning"

April 30, 2010

I chose this image by Abelardo Morell shot with the technique called camera obscura. He create these series by blacking out one of the windows in the room to create a giant camera then creates a small opening and put a lens. I chose this specific image because it gives me a sense of peace and loneliness. Sort of like a dream without pressure or stress. The colors of the picture are what gives it this emotion. Not only that but also the lack of people, cars and boats that are usually in this crowed city. The white couch is part of the this feeling because it's where we sit after a long day. 

Abraham Ugalde

Abraham Ugalde

"Henri Cartier Bresson, Hyères"

1932, Gelatin Silver print

Candid photography is a type of photography where one capture an image without the subject posing. Henri Cartier Bresson mastered this style. Henri Cartier Bresson photograph where influenced by Cubism and Surrealism. One of the many reason I choose this photo was the fact that the subject is blurred out while the foreground and background are in focused. This photo captures the essence of movement in the photo by having the subject blurred causing one to feel like they are moving themselves out of the picture as well. Or chasing the subject that is in motion. I find the composition astonishing. How the lights and shadows causing the ground and wall and stairs to have texture in the photo. This photo reminds me of the importance of the moment. Many times, one does not stop to enjoy a moment going through the motions not realizing the valuing of the moment. 

Aura Estrada

Aura Estrada

William W. Dyviniak, "Automobile Accident"

1945

Out all the photographs I saw, one image stood out to me by far. It made me feel fear, discomfort, and curiosity. All my life I've felt weird about cars and car accidents. It's almost as if I'm afraid of having an accident that has to do with cars so when I saw this, it really hit home for me. I get worried when I see drivers being reckless. My mind immediately thinks of the worst scenarios. I know accidents can happen because that's just the way life is. One minute you can be here, alive and the next you're gone. It really forced me see things from a new perspective. William was known for recording the horror of all United States highway accidents. As soon as I saw this, so many questions came to mind. Questions like how did that even happen? How did you end up stuck in the wires? Was he being reckless? What were his last moments like? 

Wainan Cheng

Wainan Cheng

Daniel Motz, ''Hand of God''

1986, 35 mm

I am a huge soccer fan, and every soccer fan probably have seen this iconic picture in their life. I selected this picture for various reasons. To be a soccer fan, you need to know its history. This picture is an iconic picture that involves a lot of controversy. First, you can't use your hand in soccer, especially when you score with it. Second, this happened after the Falklands War, with the British being victorious in the war, and it was seen as a form of revenge by the Argentinians. Third, Argentina ended up winning the world cup after this match (which they should not have if you can't score with your hand). I am also attracted by how Maradona and Shilton are in mid air (thanks to a fast shutter speed), with Shilton in a superman pose and Maradona in a sort of a dancing pose. This image shows us how a moment frozen in time can foreshadow a historical event.

Alison Nelson

 

Alison Nelson
Erik Johansson, "Don't Look Back"
2014, Inkjet Print

Erik Johansson's a photographer and image creator from Sweden. His work can be described as surreal scenes created by combining different photographs to make them look real as possible. I found this image in his book, "Imagine" and immediately felt a deep connect to it. We can see a young woman, alone, with a long empty road ahead. She's holding one suitcase with the floor crumbling behind her. Although it's not as dramatic as his others, this simplicity can express many different interpretations. For me, I see a girl who has faced many hardships in her past but the only way for her to move forward and find herself, she must leave everything behind her. She may not know what the future holds but she does know she cannot look back or stop, because if she does the floor might just crumble right underneath her.