Analysis of an Image

The image I chose to analyze is Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. It was created in 1889 by Van Gogh in the south of France. This is one of his most iconic paintings and it embodies the post-impressionism style of art.

When looking at this painting, the denotative meaning of it is a starry night sky. The audience immediately sees a sky of whirling clouds, shining stars, and a bright crescent moon. The swirling sky takes the viewer’s eye around the painting, creating fluidity. However, when looking at the connotative meaning of it, there is more than meets the eye. Once you look past the literal meaning of this picture, the stylized depiction is meant to convey Van Gogh’s emotion. The dark colors contrasted with the brightly lit windows create a sense of hope. It is widely speculated that Van Gogh wanted the true meaning behind the swirling night sky to represent his struggle with overcoming his illness. His illness was really a battle over social anxiety that began with him cutting off his ear about a year previous to the creation of this picture. This battle was a battle of madness that he struggled with his entire life and that is perfectly represented in this image. All of the strokes and colors used show the thoughts going through his head at that time.

Along with having a deeper meaning, this painting is valuable as well. Not only is it an authentic Van Gogh, it is probably his most well known painting as well. This factor alone gives it an important cultural value. The aesthetic style of it is original; it is widely accepted that this painting helped end the era of Impressionism and was one of the first Post-Impressionism paintings. It greatly influenced Expressionism and Fauvism styles of art. One more thing that lends great value to this image is it’s ability to be reproduced. When I was a little girl, I remember going to an art museum with my parents and purchasing a copy of this image at the end of the tour. It was hung in my room. The value of this image is increased by the availability of it for popular consumption.
Starry Night is an iconic image. Not only is it a painting, but it has a symbolic meaning of overcoming an emotional struggle. Individuals from all cultures and backgrounds can come together and feel the true meaning emoted from this image. All members of society have the same types of feelings and can universally look outside the individual components of this image and understand the true emotional meaning of it that Van Gogh created. 

Film-based vs Digital Photography

Both digital and film-based photography are widely used in the world for both similar and  very different reasons. Both of these types of photography can be used as an art form or, putting it simply, to capture moments. While both are alike in having the same goal at hand, to take pictures, they differ greatly as well. When comparing them, differences in image quality, expense, film speed, range of light, as well as other characteristics prove to make digital based photography the more superior of the two options.
The strengths of digital photography include film speed. When compared to the film-based camera, digital cameras have a much greater speed. The higher sensitivity in the digital camera ensures that digital photography should be used when photography high motion action or low light situations. Not only does the digital camera have fast speed, but you don’t have to change the film in a digital camera as you would a film-based camera to enhance the film speed. Also, digital cameras are much easier to keep clean. They are environmentally sealed. Dust easily settles on the film placed in film-based cameras, which can ruin a picture. Also, digital cameras are more cost efficient and convenient for the modern day age. Film-based cameras are expensive, due to the constant cost of film.
The negative aspects of using a digital camera consist of a lack of dynamic range when compared to a film-based camera. The lights and highlights of an image are lost when using a digital camera. Light captured in a digital camera are not as soft and authentic compared to the use of film.
Strengths of film-based photography include a higher image resolution, more leniency with overexposing a photograph, and a better capture of highlights and shadows. Film-based cameras typically use medium or large format files. These files record much higher resolution than the typical digital camera. Not only do these cameras have better quality of photographs, but they also allow leniency if a photo is accidentally overexposed. For example, you can overexpose the film by two or three f-stops, and the picture will turn out okay. You have better control over the light released by the f-stop and can make the photographs customized to fit your vision.
The negatives of film-based photography are, as stated above, the expense of it. Also, you must have a lab to develop your film. The convenience of developing the film quickly is not there with this type of photography. One last negative aspect of this is that you can only take a limited number of pictures on a roll of film before it must be changed. This is drastically different when compared to the digital camera.
When looking at the strengths and differences of each type of photography, the positive aspects of digital photography outweigh those of film-based photography. Thus, digital based photography is superior. However, both methods are effectives ways to permanently capture time.

http://digital-photography-school.com/film-vs-digital

http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/index.php/film_vs_digital_photography

Representational Picture

This particular picture, while maybe appearing funny to look at by the viewer, has more meaning and depth behind it then when first seen. Before I explain why I chose it as a representation of myself, a little background history on it is needed.

The selected image is of my friend Ethan and I. This was taken in fall of 2009 when we were both first year freshman Visualization students here at Texas A&M. The very first day of class, Ethan sat down right beside me in our studio class. He had crazy colored hair, a giant hook through his nose, and listened to music that involved someone screaming like they were dying every three seconds. To put it lightly, I was terrified of him. We didn’t speak for three weeks and every day we would sit by each other, making our silent judgements and secretly wanting to get to know each other. Around the end of the first month, we slowly began talking. As time went on, I began to really get to know him, and cherish his friendship. He became one of my best friends here in College Station.

This representational picture of me was taken during one of our crazy allnighters where we were supposed to be working on a project but apparently decided running around Target and posing like a dog was a much better idea. (I like to think we were completely delirious from lack of sleep). I chose this image because it embodies not only my freshman year of Visualization, but my entire stay here at Texas A&M. Being in college has given me the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people whose friendship and presence in my life has influenced me as a whole. An example of friendships formed in college are the people who are in my major with me. We are all diverse and unique individuals, thrown into each others lives through common interests. I’ve made some of my closest friends in college through this major which has allowed me to grow as an individual, both on a work/school level and on personal level as well. All of the people I have been blessed with meeting in college have truly shaped me into the individual I am today. I’m constantly learning, changing, and growing as I pursue my degree in Visualization, which is why I chose this picture as a representation of myself.