Yubo ARDN516

Sameshima is a Japanese-born photographer based in New Zealand. I noticed that his photographs often focus on ordinary places and objects, such as plants, streets, buildings and empty spaces.

What interests me is that these subjects do not always look special at first. However, through photography, he makes us slow down and look at things that we might normally walk past. This connects closely with the direction I am currently exploring in my own photography, as I am also interested in familiar and everyday places that are often ignored.

I also noticed the relationship between human-made environments and nature in his photographs. For example, Christchurch Casino and billboard shows an empty site with grass and plants, but also buildings, advertising and a “SOLD” sign. It shows how the landscape is being changed and used by people.

Haruhiko Sameshima, 27th September 2017 (Wollensak Raptor 210mm f22 – 2 minutes), 2017 (Christchurch Casino and billboard.) Courtesy of Haruhiko Sameshima

His photographs also use different visual approaches. Some images use black and white and strong contrast to emphasise shape and texture, while others use colour and show more of the surrounding environment. In the Christchurch photograph, the moving people are blurred while the buildings remain still, which gives a sense of time and change.

Haruhiko Sameshima, 1st October 2017 (Wollensak Raptor 210mm f22 – 1/10 second), 2017 (Christchurch Cathedral and library.)

Courtesy of Haruhiko Sameshima

Haruhiko Sameshima, Karamatura Valley, Waitakere (Ferns), 1988 Courtesy of Haruhiko Sameshima

I can also feel a sense of time passing through his photographs. When I look at some of these images now, they feel like a record of a particular moment in the past. For me, there is also a feeling of looking towards the future, as if the photographs captured how people at that time might have imagined what these places would become.

Frances Densmore listening to wax cylinder phonograph with Mountain Chief Note. Photograph by Frances Densmore, 1916, Library of Congress.

Discussion:

This video begins with a series of photographs: American ethnomusicologist Frances Densmore and the Blackfeet leader, Mountain Chief, sitting around a phonograph. Most mainstream interpretations suggest Densmore was documenting a disappearing culture, but Densmore wasn't actually recording; Mountain Chief was helping Densmore understand the audio recordings.

I believe the video's real point is that photographs don't automatically tell us the truth; they can "lie." Without knowing the background story, I might imagine the white researcher actively documenting, holding a position of knowledge, while the Indigenous people were the subjects of study, the "project." This reveals a power dynamic completely different from what we initially perceive.

Therefore, when looking at a photograph or any artwork, we shouldn't judge its meaning solely based on its surface appearance. We should look beyond the surface to the essence. Historical context, stereotypes, social perceptions, and many other factors can fundamentally alter our understanding of art. How we perceive a work of art is paramount.

这个视频一一张照片开始,即:美国民族音乐学家 Frances Densmore 和 Blackfeet（黑脚族）领袖 Mountain Chief 坐在留声机设备旁, 大多数主流观点经常告诉我们Densmore似乎正在记录一个即将永远消失的文化, 但是Densmore本人并非记录,Mountain Chief而是帮助 Densmore 理解录制音频其中的内容.

我认为这个视频真正要讨论的是,照片的本身并非主动告诉我们真相, 照片会"说谎" . 假设我并没了解其中的背景故事, 我或许会脑补这张照片里面, 白人研究者正在主动记录,处于掌握知识的地位, 而原住民则是被研究的对象,是"课题",可见照片中的"权力关系"与第一眼看到的完全不同.

因此,当看待一个照片/任何艺术品的时候, 不应该只是根据艺术品的表面来评判其意义, 应该透过现象看本质, 历史背景,刻板印象,社会认知等很多的东西都会彻底改变我们对艺术品的理解, 如何看待一个艺术品是最重要的

References:

Densmore, F. (1916). Frances Densmore listening to wax cylinder phonograph with Mountain Chief [Photograph]. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/2004667752/

I learned about the artist's focus—invasive alien plant species.

Ulex Europaeus (Gorse)

1200mm x 1482mm

Chromogenic Photograph from 4x5” Lumen Negative

Even though van der Drift doesn't intend to make black-and-white judgments about the plants we cherish and the plants we dislike, but rather to celebrate the tenacious vitality of plant species, it still made me think about how we should view this situation, how we should balance the relationship between humanity and nature, or, from another perspective, how we should view whether humanity has "encroached" on natural land.

Convolvulus Arvensis (Bindweed) Negative

Chromogenic Photograph from 4x5” Lumen Negative

Image: 110x130mm, Framed: 320mm x 350mm

Ulex Europaeus (Gorse), Paspalum Urvillei (Vasey Grass) Positive

972x1200mm

Chromogenic Photograph from 4x5” Lumen Negative

I also noticed the use of negative techniques, which prompted me to think more deeply about the fundamental aspects of the subject.

These types of photos often focus on a single plant, taking in-depth shots and using artistic techniques to make it even more impressive.

best photo 11x (week1-4)

At the beginning, I didn't have a really clear direction, so I was taking photos of different things around me, such as streets, trees, bus stops, and small details that I always walked by but hadn't noticed.

Reviewing my photos, I noticed that I was often photographing these normal places from different angles. For example, I no longer always looked straight ahead, but started looking up and down. During the day, I could see the street and cars through the glass of the bus stop, but at night, artificial light and reflections gave the same place a completely different feeling.

I have also tried lots of different compositions. In some photos, especially the trees and street lights, I used a lot of negative space and placed them against a blue sky. I think I will keep exploring this style in the future development of my project.

I also started to focus on human-made art and details on buildings. Normally, I might just walk straight past them without noticing, but when I slowed down, I found many interesting things. This made me realise that there are many small details in everyday places around Tāmaki Makaurau that I usually ignore.

Week 4 Proof Sheet

This week, I tried to find more ordinary subjects to photograph, such as a regular mop on the street, a foggy street, etc. I wanted to explore the "sense of everyday life." I also deliberately focused my lens on various textures, such as an abandoned mattress, a mottled ceiling, and an abandoned pole.

I hope to use this exploration to focus on "things that are not usually noticed."

I am interested in slowing down and observing familiar everyday environments. I often photograph ordinary objects and places that I would normally walk past, while experimenting with different viewpoints, compositions, and lighting.

Bestphotos:

This week, I explored how light affects the subjects I photographed. To do this, I photographed numerous objects indoors, including mannequins, real people, and collected dead leaves and branches, using various lighting techniques: reflected light, flash, backlighting, direct light, and more.

Furthermore, I experimented with using stronger light to enhance contrast.

I love these photos the most because they answer the question: "Where in the world am I, and what stories can I tell?"

This is one part of my WorkShop, NOT the whole part

Produce three photographs of a different interior scene that is lit by both domestic lightbulb (tungsten) and daylight (through a window or two). With each image use a different white balance setting – daylight (5000K), domestic light bulb (3000K) and something in between. How do these different light qualities impact on your image? How are the two different light sources being read in the final photographs? How can you create a transistion between daylight and tungsten light?

As shown in the image, from left to right, these are three photos I took indoors.

The white balance values ​​are 5000k, 4000k, and 3000k. Based on my observation, the higher the white balance value, the stronger the warm indoor light and the higher the color saturation. Conversely, the lower the white balance value, the stronger the cool outdoor light.

When the values ​​are balanced, both are in equilibrium.

Reflection: When I take photos, I consciously adjust the white balance value according to the scene and the atmosphere I want to convey to achieve the desired effect.

review by artist Joyce CampbellLinks to an external site., May 14, 2024

A Different Light: First Photographs of Aotearoa ed. Catherine Hammond and Shaun Higgins

'Mirror and portal': photographing New Zealand people and places in the nineteenth century

Cite the text (when relevant – texts can include academic papers, books, websites, films, videos, and even a conversation). Refer to the AUT library website for citation guides. 

Summarise relevant points from the reference material.  

Assess Content – what can you apply from examining the history of early Aotearoa / New Zealand photography to place-based photography?

Self-Reflection-- How might you apply this knowledge used in the development of your project? 

Text:

This excerpt highlights key lessons for place‑based photography. Campbell (2024) argues that modern digital photography produces huge volumes of images stored in the cloud, yet these files are unstable and unreliable as long‑term records, unlike durable nineteenth‑century glass‑plate negatives. She observes that quantity does not equal historical value; endless casual snapshots do not guarantee meaningful documentation of place. Heavy filtering and idealised editing create a barrier between viewers and real‑world experience, closing off photography’s ability to connect people to location and history.

Personally and in my practice of place-based photography, I've learned to resist overly stylized images, prioritizing content over quantity. Filtering and beautification isolate reality; excessively beautifying locations and people severs the historical connection between the viewer and that place—as the text states, "the portal snaps shut"—losing photography's power to connect with the past.

Self-reflection: In my own project development, I will use fewer filters and heavy retouching during the creative process, preserving the original appearance of the location and people to maintain the authenticity of the images. I will also focus more on capturing distinctive features rather than taking a large number of photos. Taking the time to observe carefully is something I should learn.

Reference:

This week,

I strolled around the surrounding streets at a leisurely pace. Sitting on a bench under a tree, I observed that the sky resembled a blue canvas for an oil painting, with the tree branches as the main subject. Therefore, I gradually began to focus my attention on the sky, trying to increase the proportion of elements within it. I experimented with photographing trees, street signs, and the community from different angles and at different times, which allowed me to explore different perspectives:)

I started trying to look up or down more often; the new perspective brought me a different experience.

Night writing (still), 2024 Silver gelatin print 254 × 203 mm

This photograph evokes a strong sense of negative space in me.

At first, I thought the black area was a beach, but upon closer inspection, I realized it represented the night sky. I love the large areas of blank space the artist left around the starry sky; it makes the image appear serene and mysterious.

这张照片给我一种强烈的留白感。起初，我以为那片黑色区域是海浪白色区域是沙滩，但当我仔细观察后我意识到代表的是夜空。我喜欢艺术家在星星周围留出的大片空白，这让画面显得宁静而神秘。

Guano, 2024​ Silver gelatin print​ 254 x 203 mm

I was interested in this photograph because the subject is something that people might normally ignore or avoid.

The artist focuses closely on an ordinary and slightly unpleasant subject, making it look almost like a flower. I like this unexpected perspective because it makes me look at something familiar in a different way.

我之所以对这张照片感兴趣，是因为拍摄者把视角聚焦人们通常会忽略或回避的事物---一坨干掉的鸟屎。摄影师将镜头聚焦在一个普通且(在社会规训下)略显不雅的"物体"上，使其看起来像是烟花炸开,也像一朵花。我喜欢这种出人意料的视角，因为它提醒我可以不同的方式看待熟悉的事物。

Ihumanea, 2024 Silver gelatin print 254 x 203 mm

I love this photo, especially the little bit of dirt on the hands. It evokes a sense of nostalgia, reminding me of the inextricable connection between humans and soil. This inspired my photography. I also really appreciate the way the photo emphasizes the texture of the hands.

Week 1: Wake Up and Notice

Proof Sheet: As shown in Figure 1

Best Photo: As shown in Figure 2. I chose this one because it's the most reasonably exposed image after my adjustments, and it's a tree I pass by every day, but I've never observed it from this angle at this time of night. I also like the composition; it's simple and guides the eye.

Light Analysis: As shown in Figure 3.

Week 1 WorkShop

ARDN516: The photographic images

by lightmeter app