George Krause and Mary Ellen Mark

George Krause

http://www.gallery339.com/html/ArtistBio.asp?artnum=45

I am drawn to this image, the contrast between her skin and the background is beautiful. One thing that really captured my attention was how her body was positioned, starting from the point of her foot there is a line that travels along her bottom and up her back, it is stunning. Also, the angle and position of her body gives the photograph a sense of movement, even if the model was not waving the fabric, my eye still travels upward. The fabric that she is waving creates more excitement as my eye travels up and then side to side.

Krause's work really captures the contrast between light and dark. In many ways, I am drawn to his techniques because that is one of the things I would like to explore more. Using models skin to make a photograph is also something I also admire about his work and one day hope to experience myself.

Mary Ellen Mark

http://www.maryellenmark.com/

This photograph is from her Miami Beach collection. When I first saw the collection I was not expecting older adults, when I think of Miami Beach I think spring breakers and parties. So, this collection shocked me and made me smile a little because I wasn't expecting images like this. However, this images caught my attention the most because it was so unexpected. It's kind of humorous because you see three older ladies with a guy holding a megaphone behind them. I really get involved with the photograph because I can feel like I am sitting in the water with them and also I start wondering about what they are doing. This photograph is wonderful because it places the viewer in the photograph and tells a story.

As I began viewing more of her work, her photographs really did start telling story's. Some of the images captured my attention so much that I felt sympathy or happiness towards her subjects. I enjoyed this about her work, I felt something more then it being just a photograph.

 

The two images depict to me a sense of hopelessness, the children's faces are pitiful. I admire how she captures her subjects true self, you find emotion and personality behind their eyes.