Annie.behind.the.lens.

Annie Leibovitz.

Today's assignment, write about Annie. Following an incredible documentary on the history of the photographer's life, it seems fitting to touch on it today. There was a glitch in the system in class today - the internet wasn't working because of all the changes taking place in the art building. On schedule for today was presentations on each of our individual lives and our histories... through photography. Instead, due to the technology technicalities, we watched her documentary. Instead of hearing slash seeing each others' personal lives, we got a little inside view of Annie's. 

And what a life it is has been.

What struck me about this artist (pictured here, a self portrait in 1970 in San Francisco) was not her exemplary and moving pieces, but how versatile and free she is. The way she came across to me does not easily come to my fingertips - she is flowing, honest, ebbing, in motion, a culmination of her past experiences, a product of her time, yet someone who is constantly changing the times in which she resides. It is not easy for me to define her, but through her work I am able to understand it a little bit more. She seems to take on the shapes of her subjects to a certain extent. Before anyone even knew her name as a photographer, she had a way with the camera. But, she was not the one to instigate the job at Rolling Stone... that was her friend's initiative. She went along for the ride, and ended up shooting for a magazine that took the country by storm. Her covers were honest, she consistently seemed to reveal parts of each person/s beautifully and truthfully. I loved her quote in the documentary, that she thinks it's crazy when people believe one picture can capture an entire person. She disagrees. But she does capture something magical at that one moment, whether it is the whole person or just a simple facial expression. Annie acknowledges that people are far too complex to embody within one image. 

She went with the flow of the times, partied like they did, took part in what they experienced, and her pictures reflect that. Her camera was an instrument in which she could relate to the world around her and live through it. She changed with each picture, with each subject. She moved from Rolling Stone to Vogue to Vanity Fair and so on... Throughout all of it, the pictures get more glitzy, more glamourous, more flashy. Though the subjects change, as each day goes by, marvelous pictures never cease to be born. Annie has a gift for seeing light, seeing love, seeing and capturing what the subject may or may not know is on their body and in their heart. Her pieces are breathtaking and her art is her life. 

Passion.

Culture.

Discoveries Orientation at the University of Denver presented all freshmen with many experiences that we will all take with us over the next four years. For me, certain aspects stood out more than others. Number one being the excitement of meeting countless new people that became friends within a few hours. Number two involved a much more cultural situation as I traveled into downtown Denver with my freshman seminar class. Not only did we go to the Denver Art Museum, we had the privilege to discover the world’s first photography gallery. And who was the tour guide? The original founder and visionary for the Camera Obscura Gallery. At the ripe young age of 90, he stood in front of fifteen eager college freshman girls and explained what was obviously written all over his heart – his love of photography. The passion he has for photography shone in his eyes as he pointed out the different prints and importance of each. Every picture has some special meaning for him and reason for being on the old chipped-paint walls. From the way he talked about the gallery, it was apparent he put everything into the little corner house that he could. I have passion in my life, love for the people around me, the ones who care so much, for art and skiing but being in his gallery completely opened my eyes. It gave me a drive to find something I am so absolutely in love with, something that makes me wake up every morning and sends me to sleep with sweet dreams. The Camera Obscura Gallery had blood and sweat and tears poured into it over the years, all so anyone could come in and enjoy this one man’s love of photography. I feel like he wanted to share this beauty he experiences through photos with the rest of the world. He was determined to spread the light and open his doors, welcoming anyone interested into his world of wonder. To experience that little glimpse of his passion was truly moving and something worth a CLiCK. 

Sun and shine.

I love it here. The way the sun refreshes, the way the bikes breathe, the way the smiles revive. Taken quickly from my dorm window, I like the light streaming down onto campus. There is light and life everywhere around here and it persists throughout all aspects of school. Let the sun shine in!! 

SontagRESponse.

            

Imagine a world where light comes only from the outside, where nothing is definite behind your fingertips, where everything is unknown. You would of course begin to create theories of your own. You would imagine explanations that fit only what you can understand, only what you can comprehend within your little caved mind. In some strange way, I guess that is how we are all living. We operate within our own cave, understanding things only how we choose to. Such is photography. We take pictures of how we see the world in ways that we can understand it. Sontag’s passage helps to illustrate the continuity of photography and how humans use it to relate to the world outside of their ‘cave’.

            Personal Histories of Photography. Up until meeting my professor for this freshman seminar class, I always described the class to others as one purely about photography. Once I sat down with the rest of the fourteen girls in the class and our professor, I realized how wrong I was to think this class would just be about photo. I seemed to have totally forgotten the personal part of the title. Within the first few minutes of listening to Roddy, our hilarious and talented professor, I knew his relationship with photography reflected the name he chose for his class. He is personally involved with photography and is so passionate about the art, you can see it in his eyes and the way he expresses himself.

            Through photography, Roddy has found for himself “an ethics of seeing.” Everything he photographs or sees with his intuitive eyes is under scrutiny. What is the light like? Hard or soft? How does the angle look with the image? What am I trying to portray? He has created within his mind a scanning system for creating the best picture he can for that moment. But it is not so much about the content of the picture as what is being experienced at that moment of time. He knows how to live, and those are his ‘ethics of seeing.’

            In the short amount of time I have spent with Roddy and my classmates - friends really – a common theme consistently presents itself. As mentioned in earlier blogs, the class is to be about “light and enlightenment.” My professor sees the world through beautiful patterns of light and relationships in ways that awe me. His ethics involve enjoying the moment, almost savoring the sweet happiness that the world seems to bestow upon him for that specific photo.  For me, my ‘ethics of seeing’ through photography is not quite as passionate as my professor’s.

            I seem to enjoy the captivity of the moment and the split second of time that is seen through the lens.  That the one click of time that Susan Sontag seems to believe “testif[ies] to time’s relentless melt.” For me, that photo celebrates that one moment, and gives it the ability to live on through the years. It is a commemoration of that split second, not necessarily a piece of it that is frozen forever. Photography is an art and a gift and an ability to capture what will eventually change. It is beautiful and I am only now beginning to understand how much of an expression and enjoyment it can be. Here’s to light and enlightenment! 

Hannah Margaret Luvisi

Hannah. Well, from the first time I met her, I liked her. Not because she seemed to be a cool girl, but because of the name. Similarities from the get-go? For sure. 

Not only did she have the same name as me, but she felt the same way about Hannah Montana as I did (I just have to deal with it a bit more because of the fact I actually come from the state). We both were ready to change our names once the little disney star hit the stage. But Hannah has become more to me than just a name-twin over the past week...

Firstly, and most importanly in my opinion, she is silly/gooofy/funny. This picture says it all, along with the quote 'Hola, me llamo Julio Sanchez.' 

This picture of Hannah shows her simplicity and contentment of where she is, especially on the streets of Denver after an exciting Photography trip! She just looks happy in this picture, which is just the kind of person she seems to be so far.  

She is thoughtful and seems to know how to pose for a picture really well :) I love the background and the lighting on the side of her head. It's just a purdy picture! 

Another thing that really sticks out to me about Hannah is her interest in photography. Pictured, she's looking at old prints at the first photo gallery in the world, here in Denver, CO. She looks so intrigued and pensive about the pictures. Getting to know her over the last week has been a blast, along with all the other girls in our Freshman Seminar and it just makes me so excited for all the times we'll have together! YaYy DU. 

Denver. Our New Home!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hlparkes/sets/72157624919998656/

Exploration-Exposure. Destination-Denver.

Our Personal Histories of Photography class went off campus today, exploring Denver and the photography opportunities it embraces. The Art Museum, the lighting around town, the first photo gallery in the world... endless opportunities to learn about "Light and Enlightenment." I loved how we were Exposed to so much, learning more about each other and photography/light along the way! 

MyHistory

Here's little Hannah, picking flowers in Red Lodge, Montana at the age of four. This picture stands out as far as my history through pictures goes. As long as I can remember, my parents have treasured this picture, framing it and keeping it close to their hearts... a childhood memory of their daughter that "is growing up SO fast!" A continuation of my life through pictures can be found at this flickr sight - http://www.flickr.com/photos/hlparkes/sets/72157624910645262/

"Lovely, isn't it?"

Following the first meeting with Roddy McInnes, our future first year seminar teacher, this title of an art piece really stood out to me. He talked about living in the moment, eating that meal like it was your last, snapping that picture as if it was the last time you'd see that subject... and this title seemed to resonate his theme. We've gotta make this life enjoyable, doing the things we love (photography, sports, breathing fresh air, laughing) and making it the happiest life we can. 

Movin On OUt...

This day seemed so long in coming, a day of new beginnings. It was also the closing of a beautiful chapter in my life, saying goodbye to my home of six years, my family of eighteen, the gorgeous scenery of my Montana... the list goes on and on of what I was leaving behind. But, just like my packed car illustrates, I am bringing that history with me where I'm headed. I do not leave anything - experiences, moments, hard times, achievements, let downs - behind. I have become a person because of all my baggage, my colored bags and tubs of a past that will continue to shape who I am. The car was chalk full of whatever we could jam inside (I was smashed into the back in what little space there was left) to bring to my new home, the University of Denver! 

My Place.

I'm behind a photo, so I put in two - both shot right by my house, neither edited. I am going to miss this place. It's full of life, the deer, the grasses, fields, trees... I live somewhat out of town so I really get to enjoy the views of my beautiful Montana. The nice thing about where I'm headed, though, is that mountains are still within reach. Colorado is still in the Rockies, so I know I'll be able to easily adjust. Yet, there is no place like home, right?