Blending Photography

Jerry Uelsmann

• Jerry Uelsmann is one of the two photographers we were given who blend their photographs in order to improve the image and make it unique. Uelsmann first began teaching a photography class at the University of Florida in Gainesville in 1960. His work has started in many exhibitions, over 100 both in the United States and international. He no longer teaches photography but he is still a resident of Gainesville. Some of his work resides in many museums of art including, Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Chicago Art Institute, the International Museum of Photography at the George Eastman House, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Bibliotheque National in Paris, the National Museum of American Art in Washington, the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, the National Gallery of Canada, the National Gallery of Australia, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the National Galleries of Scotland, the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona, the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, and the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto. His work is all black and white and is very unique and creative, some of his pieces are even disturbing. His talent is undeniable and I can see why so many people admire him. 

Maggie Taylor

• Maggie Taylor has a very creative mind which she projects into her photography that she blends. She received her bachelors degree in philosophy from Yale in 1983 and an MFA degree in photography from the University of Florida in 1987. Her work has been featured in numerous museums across the United States and internationally. Her work has also been featured in Adobe magazine. I can see why her work is so popular, she has a very whimsical style that gives a creepy, fantasy edge to her images. Something about this subtle creepiness draws the eye to the images and makes them very unique. She still lives in Gainesville Florida and is still a working photographer. 

Bill Cunningham

Who is Bill Cunningham, what is he famous for? (give a brief biography of Bill on your blog)

• Bill Cunningham is a famous fashion photographer who resides in New York City and writes a column for the New York Times on the current fashion trends he sees during everyday life in New York. He goes out every day and takes photos of people he finds interesting. He has lived in Carnegie Hall for most of his life and has never married. He is known all throughout the fashion industry and participates in Fashion Week by photographing as well.  

"It is not what I think it's what I see" Bill Cunningham.  What does he mean by this, why did he say it, what was it response to? Why is it important for him to suspend thought or judgment, and rely only upon the eyes?

• Bill Cunningham is the type of individual who does not follow trends himself, he simply observes from the sidelines and appreciates fashion through photography. When he sees something interesting and unique he takes a photo. He relies on his eyes only because that is a photographer's greatest gift. It is not his place to say whether or not the piece someone is wearing is fashionable but it is his place to say whether or not it makes a statement, whether or not it catches the eye.

He also said "Money is the cheapest thing, liberty, freedom, is expensive" What does he mean by this, what was he referring to, and do you agree with this?

• When he says this I believe he is referring everyday life that he witnesses. Money is spent without a care, while freedom to do what you love can cost a lot. Being free has it's expenses. You give up certain things in order to do the things that you love and that's a big sacrifice. Money is just paper. But freedom and liberty are ideas and those are the most costly. I do agree with him on that subject.

Why do you think I want you to watch this film, there are hundreds of films on photography, but this is one of my required films, why? What did you take away from this film? I love this guy, why do you think I like him so much? Do you share this opinion of him? Why or why not?

• I think we were made to watch this film because Cunningham is a very unique photographer. He doesn't photograph pretty things, he photographs things that stand out and make a statement, things that catch the eye. What I took away from this film is that there are many different ways to live your life; you can either do what makes you happy and live or worry what people will think and hold yourself back. Cunningham didn't care if people thought he was strange he did what he loved. I think that is why so many people like him, he's true to himself and worships the art of photography. I like him as well I think he is a very unique individual with a wonderful view of the fashion industry.