Ephemera
"Sojourn" |
Steel Wool, Digital Photography
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Exhibition Text
“Sojourn” is an ephemera piece created with steel wool and captured via long exposure photography. Drawing inspiration from the photography of Gjon Mili and Vicki Dasilva’s light painting, the piece illustrates the impermanence of light as symbolism for the things unseen through the passing of time. I aimed to capture past, present, and future into one photo to comment on the limitations of human perception.
Process
Brainstorming |
Planning |
1. Write down potential ideas, mediums, themes, and metaphors you can incorporate into your piece. Consider things that are impermanent to guide your thinking.
Location Scouting3. For this piece, finding a proper location to shoot is vital not only for the final photograph, but also for the safety of those in front and behind the camera. I personally chose to shoot on the beach at South Shore Park. There, I had access to Lake Michigan, a large body of water with a shore comprised of mostly rocks. This ensured that I would not light myself on fire or burn the environment around me. Furthermore, you should pick a location with minimal ambient light. Avoid high traffic areas and do not shoot in a location with a large amount of trees or grass.
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2. Create two to three planning sketches. Incorporate concepts from your brainstorming and consider potential locations and light sources you can use.
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Shot Preparation
4. Prior to taking the photos, set up a simple contraption to guide the sparks produced by the steel wool. Starting with a metal whisk, remove the handle and attach a spool of speaker wire to the base of the whisk with a few knots. Be sure to bring fire resistant gloves and eye protection to the location as well as steel wool and matches.
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Shooting
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5. Place your camera on a tripod near the edge of the water. Direct the camera along the shoreline and make sure that the shot is straight. Set your camera settings to an aperture of f/10, ISO 400, and a shutter speed of ten seconds. I personally shot on a Sony A6000 with a 16-50 mm lens at a focal length of 16mm. My settings were just wide enough to capture all of my light painting, however I would suggest framing the shot wider than necessary as the photo can be cropped later. Optimally, a remote trigger would be used to start the exposure but in my case I had a friend help me work the camera while I did the light painting. Start by walking a fair distance away from the camera in a straight line. Note that the exposure is ten seconds and when the shutter closes, you want to be one or two feet away from the camera. Mark in the sand where you will start the exposure from and prepare the steel wool contraption by setting a starting length for your speaker wire. Using a match, light the steel wool and start the exposure. Run towards the camera while quickly spinning the steel wool.
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Experimentation
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When capturing the long exposure, experiment with different shutter speeds, apertures, and ISOs. The optimal settings should provide a dark scene capable of allowing enough light into the sensor as to retain fine detail without noticeable overexposure. Before I captured my final image, I also experimented with various mediums including glow sticks, flashlights, and my phone. Truthfully, my original idea was to encase a bridge and stream in light. As such, my initial month of experimentation was focused on more controlled light sources. Using vinyl tubing and glow sticks, I created rings of light that produced a smoother image when thrown. On a technical level, they worked. However, I did not anticipate the limitations of my initial shooting location which washed out the light of the glow sticks. In the first park I decided to shoot at, there was an excessive amount of ambient light created by yellow street lights. As a result of the strong ambient light being captured by the sensor, the glow sticks were barely visible in the final image. This of course could have been combatted by careful camera positioning or a lower f-stop, which I did indeed try, but the previous left the image with an overly warm tone while the latter overexposed the entire image. At the first location, I tried to encase a playground in light as well. I had to give up on this idea because of the ambient light. When I moved onto the bridge and stream idea, I was able to better control the effect of the ambient light however, an unsettling yellow tone still muddled the image. At this point, I switched to my phone and a flashlight. While I managed to achieve an interesting effect, it lacked meaning and depth. Furthermore, I almost broke my foot as I foolishly decided to run through the stream without first canvassing it for rocks or checking the depth of the water. I mention this because this was the beginning of my idiocy. For weeks after, I tested different light sources and tried to incorporate the glow sticks into my piece. Finally, I decided to use my backup idea which was steel wool. On the beach, I wanted to capture sparks and reflections on the water so once again I decided to walk waist deep through Lake Michigan while spinning the steel wool. This was unnecessary as my final piece was shot on the shore. But it did allow me to see how the sparks affected various surfaces. On water, the sparks tended to create a consistent streak of light as they bounced off the surface of the water. On the rocky shore, the sparks didn’t burn out as quickly thus created more streaks of light as they bounced off the rocks several times. In the end, I decided that allowing the sparks to bounce off both the water and rocks was the most interesting. There exists a juxtaposition of land and water and a variation in the organic lines on the left and right side of the piece. Whereas on the right, the sparks form clean arcs, the sparks on the left side of the piece appear to burst into multiple thin lines.
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Artistic Inspiration
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The piece "Sojourn" draws inspiration from the works of photographer Gjon Mili and the light painter, Vicki DaSilva. Most famous for his stroboscopic photography, Gjon Mili’s work captured and examined the movement of the human body. Through single exposures, he managed to display his subjects as they existed throughout various points in time. Mili also explored the nature of movement through light painting. In his photo of the violinist, Mili captured the movement of the bow as it traveled through space. The viewer is guided through his photos by the light produced by the subject and the light focused on the subjects via flash units. His composition is uncluttered and his dark, oftentimes black, backgrounds create a strong contrast between them and the subject. I attempted to create this strong juxtaposition in my piece by incorporating a dark background that contrasted with my light source. I tried to emulate the sense of movement present in Mili’s light paintings by forming a spiral of light that naturally guides the viewer through the piece. Of course, Mili’s work highlighted natural movements thus his light paintings do not incorporate exaggerated organic shapes as “Sojourn” does. At the core of both Mili’s photography and my long exposure is the desire to breakdown movement and time and combine what was with what is to create something that will always be. Gjon Mili was far more subtle in regards to his depiction of movement compared to me. I wanted my piece to be vibrant and striking which is where “Sojourn” became inspired by Vicki DaSilva. A pioneer of the concept of light graffiti, Vicki DaSilva’s art is ephemeral as it is created with light and captured though long exposure photography. Her art often contains a message; much like graffiti on walls, she writes words that are rooted in politics, media, and social issues. Unlike Gjon Mili, DaSilva incorporates her background into the subject of her light paintings. The backgrounds are relevant to the words she writes with light. For example, in her piece “I Am Malala” DaSilva takes the photo in a classroom which directly relates to Malala Yousafzai and her fight for education. Her statements are bold and complement the background. DaSilva also utilizes light for abstract light painting as well. In her piece “Mom and Dad” she encases the subjects in light to add movement to the piece as well as subtly expose the impermanence of life. My goal was to incorporate DaSilva’s bold use of light to convey a message. I chose to be more subtle and avoided light graffiti with words and instead used an abstract form juxtaposed with city lights. I also wanted to incorporate the background into the piece in a more meaningful way but ultimately I don’t think the background of my piece is anything more than superficial. In this way, I failed to truly emulate Vicki DaSilva. However, I do think that I managed to effectively use light as a medium to express thoughts as DaSilva does in her work.
Reflection
Through the completion of this piece, I have further refined my long exposure photography skills and acquired new methods for working with light. Prior to this project, I did long exposure photography for years on a small scale. Typically, I worked with flashlights in small locations such as my bedroom. This piece challenged me to take light painting to another level. It was challenging to find a sufficiently bright light source and even more difficult to find a location with little ambient light. When I decided to use steel wool, I had to create a piece that reflected the concept of time that didn’t seem cliche or superficial. In all honesty, light painting with steel wool is fairly common in photography. As such, finding a way to use the medium creatively was another challenge. Ultimately, a swirling motion that comes increasingly close to the viewer helped me surmount this difficulty. Also, my focus on the small details like the sparks that branch out from the main swirl made my piece more interesting and different. A key part of my process was accepting the unoriginality of my technique and medium. This allowed me to approach the piece from a more creative angle. I learned that the most effective way to be “original” is to first acknowledge that most things are unoriginal. Without the pressure to create something “unique”, creativity flows out unfiltered. I am satisfied with my piece as it represents time as I intended. The light effectively serves as a symbol for time and the things unseen through the passing of it. The variations in line and the natural movement of the piece is clear and visually striking. In this way, my emulation of Vicki DaSilva’s light painting is effective. Much like DaSilva, I used light as a method of storytelling. While her messages are often more explicit, my meaning is subtle and more open to interpretation. I didn’t incorporate my background into the piece as meaningfully as DaSilva which is one aspect of “Sojourn” I wish to improve. In regards to my incorporation of Gjon Mili’s style into my piece, I captured the essence of Mili’s art but failed to replicate the beauty through subtlety present in his photos. My composition is busy and filled with highly exaggerated shapes whereas Mili’s work is very focused and graceful. “Sojourn” captures the essence of Mili’s photographs as it visualizes movement through time and space. Overall, I think “Sojourn” is a visually appealing piece. It catches the eye and doesn’t demand deep contemplation in order to be understood. But if the viewer does take the time to think about the piece, they can find a profound message. I didn’t want to make “Sojourn” a sad piece. I also didn't want to turn light into a metaphor for life and death. Instead, I wanted to celebrate time and examine movement. I wanted to highlight the persistence of the impermanent. And in that regard, I think my piece is a success.
Meaning
“Sojourn” is an illustration of the impermanence of light as symbolism for the things unseen though the passing of time. Perception is key in our lives. How we perceive the world affects our thoughts, emotions, and senses. As perception is so vital to us, it’s ironic that the human perception is flawed. We see the world as images and our minds transform them into a motion picture. This is to say, what we see is limited by our own minds. While our minds fill in details. there are certain things we simply cannot see, for example: past, present, and future. We can only see what occurs now in the present. In the postmodern novel “Slaughterhouse Five” by Kurt Vonnegut, he writes of aliens called the Tralfamadorians who are able to do what we as humans cannot; they are able to see the past, present, and future simultaneously. In this way, “Sojourn” is a contradiction to the human perception. With a ten second exposure, I captured past, present, and future. Additionally, light is impermanent thus “Sojourn” is a contradiction to light as well. Eternalized in a photograph, this image is the only evidence of what occurred on that day. But if we are to consider time as a combination of past, present, and future, we can see that this piece still exists. Somewhere in time, this piece has yet to be created. Somewhere else in time, this piece is being created. We exist in the point in time when “Sojourn” has already been created. But somewhere out there on that beach is the combination of past, present, and future and “Sojourn” is suspended midair. This piece represents the things unseen as time moves forward. While no one may know that this piece was made on that beach, it doesn’t mean it didn’t exist. Just because one cannot see something does not mean it does not or did not exist. This is true for all events in time. Eventually seasons change and things seldom remain the same; but even as the new arrives, they do not negate what was. Because what was, still is despite our flawed perceptions, Like the name suggests, the light in my piece was there temporarily. But as a contradiction to itself, my ephemera piece “Sojourn” exists to examine the existence of what was, still is, and always will be. As time passes, there are things we simply won’t notice. Rarely do we reflect and consider that we are not the only ones who have been where we have been. We cannot see history and we cannot comprehend what will be. The swirl in ‘Sojourn” is a visualization of this. The light comes closer and closer to the lens almost as if conveying a message from time itself that says time is not merely what is or what was, but rather the persistence of then, the continuation of now, and the anticipation of what is to come. Time is not meant to be forgotten. It is to be one with the present and the future.
Connection to ACT
1. Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork.
I am able to identify the cause-effect relationship between my inspiration and its effect upon my artwork by analyzing the movement and line of my piece. It is evident that my use of exagerated motions and vivid lines draws from Vicki DaSilva's light graffiti. Furthermore, by capturing movement through space and time in single exposure, my piece emulates the intent of Gjon Mili's photography.
2. What is the overall approach of the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration.
The author's point of view regarding Vicki DaSilva is that she is an artist that uses light as a means to express bold ideas through the juxtaposition of the natural and the artificial. In regards to Gjon Mili, the author's point of view is that Mili was a pioneer in the art of stroboscopic photography, a medium though which he revealed the nature of movement.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
While researching, I've come to the conclusion that time is a concept we as humans have yet to grasp in its entirety, thus artists like Gjon Mili dedicate their time to explore it. Furthermore, I’ve concluded that light plays a key role in our perception of the world.
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central theme of my inspirational research was persistence of light through time.
5. What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
While reading my research, I inferred that Vicki DaSilva consciously uses light as her preferred medium to juxtapose the impermanence of light with the long lasting effects of the subjects of her light paintings. Furthermore, I inferred that Gjon Mili used stroboscopic photography to contradict the human perception of time by blurring the lines of past, present, and future.
Sources
Websites
DaSilva, Vicki. "Bio & Cv." VICKI DASILVA. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
Barclay, Christian. "Vicki DaSilva." Format Magazine Urban Art Fashion. FormatMag, 07 Oct. 2008. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
The New Yorker. "Slide Show: Gjon Mili and the Science of Movement." The New Yorker. The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
International Center of Photography. "Gjon Mili." International Center of Photography. International Center of Photography, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
Books
Mili, Gjon. Gjon Mili: Photographs and Recollections. Boston: New York Graphic Society, 1980. Print.
Keimig, Lance. Night Photography and Light Painting: Finding Your Way in the Dark. New York: Focal, Taylor & Francis Group, 2016. Print.
DaSilva, Vicki. "Bio & Cv." VICKI DASILVA. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
Barclay, Christian. "Vicki DaSilva." Format Magazine Urban Art Fashion. FormatMag, 07 Oct. 2008. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
The New Yorker. "Slide Show: Gjon Mili and the Science of Movement." The New Yorker. The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
International Center of Photography. "Gjon Mili." International Center of Photography. International Center of Photography, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
Books
Mili, Gjon. Gjon Mili: Photographs and Recollections. Boston: New York Graphic Society, 1980. Print.
Keimig, Lance. Night Photography and Light Painting: Finding Your Way in the Dark. New York: Focal, Taylor & Francis Group, 2016. Print.