Visual Culture Weeks 2 and 3

I realized that I forgot to post some comments on visual imagery last week for DMF, so I am including extra images this week.
Above photo:
Big oak tree
Leaves
Grass
Lake
Sky
Distant mountains
Sailboat
This picture originally caught my attention because of the tranquility it suggests. It is a photo that was taken and then adjusted using Photoshop. The eye is immediately drawn to the boat for a few reasons. First, an area of light surrounds the boat, which creates a silhouette. Also, the boat is more or less at the center of the photo. Finally, the boat is the only real object in a very natural setting. I love how the giant oak tree creates a heavy frame, as if offering protection for the serenity of the view behind it. I appreciate that the only colors are a variety of blue shades. I also like how the blades of grass all move in one direction to show the invisible wind that moves the boat along the glassy lake. All in all I find this picture to be very calming.

Objects:
Pupil
Eye
Eyelid
Scales
My first reaction to this photo was actually "gross" but I decided to take a moment to study it, and I started to realize its beauty. Obviously this eye belongs to a reptile of some kind. I feel that the eye of a reptile can be quite alarming, especially in this magnitude. I believe this is mainly due to the fact that the pupil is a slit instead of being round, and the shape is associated with something more demonic than a normal animal. Yet I love how the sharp jagged edges of the pupil, along with the pure black color, contrast with the marbled yellow of the eye itself. I like how the small reflection of light in the eye is the only indication of a spherical shape. Once a viewer focuses on this picture, it is difficult to look away; it is almost hypnotic. The photographer chose an animal with orange and white coloring instead of green, which I think adds to the intensity of the piece. The orange scales surround the eye and move in a spiraling direction, which really adds a certain kind of depth to the picture.



Objects:
Child
Wood wall
Brick wall
Sidewalk
As I continue to write about visual imagery, I realize that the pictures with the fewest recognizable objects in them tend to be the ones that are the most appealing. I just love the above photo...the kid is so charismatic without even saying a word. Using the rule of thirds, his face is placed in the right spot to draw the eye in. His body positioning is great because, while it is a pose, it says something about his personality. The best part is the way he holds his fingers in a peace sign, in a perfect way of creating a small frame below his eye. The audience would already be drawn to his eye, but the peace sign completes the attraction. The gesture, in combination with the lack of a smile says to me "I got attitude, and life is cool."

Objects:
Butterfly
Sky
Clouds
City
Buildings
Skyscraper
Another photo that has probably been through some Photoshop adjustments. Of course, the transparent butterfly was the first thing to grab my attention. It is placed at the center of the photo, and the dramatic lines of the wings against the busy background make it a good focal point. I like how the bottom of the wings have retained some color, and I wonder how the artist achieved that specific affect. I also like that the cityscape background has a fishbowl effect on it, so that you see the city more through the eyes of the butterfly than the photographer.