Final Project – LMG
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Author Archives: Luis Miguel
LMG – Work in Progress
For my final project, I decided I wanted to begin with photographs from the last year as I am making sense of all of the events that have happened since then. From those moments that I anticipated, to those that were unexpected, these are a few screenshots of the work in progress of my Blurb Photo Book. So far, I have been making sure that the flow of my photos flows to tell my story, and I have tried to stick to what was most relevant at each point in this personal experience. I was able to get into the city this weekend and shoot some more black and white film, so I’ll be excited to mail it in for development and see what I get and how I can incorporate it in my book. I have not decided the colors or inclusion of text, if at all, in the book. Excited to hear your feedback!
Final Project Proposal – LMG
I. Proposal —
For my photo project I’m going to compile photographs of my life before the pandemic, while also including photographs of more recent days in its impact on our lives. I am going to create a photo book through the Blurb Photo Book service. Most of the photographs I will be including in my photo book will be digital as most were taken with an iPhone. I did shoot a roll of film before COVID-19 resulted in city lockdowns and remote learning, so I hope to send my film to a processing lab then consider it for my book. Additionally, weather and public safety permitting, I would love to go into the city and shoot in both digital and black and white film to capture the stillness of the city during this pandemic.
I’m motivated to work through a photo book because I believe it will allow for me to tell a personal experience of how I lived and interacted with the world. Specifically, about how I noticed spaces around me, went about my day to day and tried to make the most of my last few weeks as a Bowdoin senior. With the speed of an overnight train, the pandemic turned the way in which we thought about our sense of normalcy. Additionally, this is a processing that allows me to reflect on how I have been learning and experimenting with photography. I was so used to pulling out my phone for everything but taking photos of shadows, but now I can see that there is a gift to capturing other moments, even when we are not thinking in the long run. I hope to bring my photos from the past year into the book, because it is almost a bittersweet experience of reliving those feelings and memories.
As we have mentioned in our class discussions, most generation-zers (post millennials) do not develop or have photographs printed. A photo book will be a great way to self-curate a personal experience that friends and family might ask about in years to come when they come across it. Much like I have been able to explore family photo albums, this will be something that will survive these days when the pandemic is still in our minds, but will feel even more comforting when we are back to our regular normalcy and able to see the people, places, activities and things we miss doing. For me, I feel my friendships and ties getting stronger during these difficult times as we all have a sense of having had lost something together, this photo book is going to allow me to share the pages of memories that, hopefully will give others some comfort when I share it.
II. Timeline —
04/28 — Select 20 photographs from my digital archives and think of their placement in Blurb Photo Book. Try and get into the city to shoot with 35 mm camera. Share with class and get feedback on work-in-progress.
- Photographs will be both color (digital) and black and white (film).
- Digital will be photographs pre-pandemic. Film will be the leading-to and current realities of the pandemic.
04/30 — Sending any needed film to Chicago photo lab for processing – delivery.
05/03 — Finalize decisions for photo book, length, photo organization, text or no text.
05/06 — Share Blurb Photo Book pdf file.
05/08 — Join in on the class critique/conversation!
Photo Project Research
Research —
I. Photo books
I enjoyed the approach the French photographer Bernard Plossu had in this photo book. He was drawn to capturing people, landscapes through black and white photography.
https://aperture.org/shop/vamonos-bernard-plossu-in-mexico-books-signed
This photo book allowed for me to think about my relationship to the people, landscape and political history in Chile. I spent seven months living and traveling through the country and its interesting to see photographs of places you’re familiar with, through someone else’s perspective.
https://aperture.org/shop/paz-errazuriz-survey
The Places We Live is an authentic capturing of the realities of those families that live in over populated cities, shanty towns… but there’s more than that. This had me thinking about old facts and realities in our healthcare and general welfare systems and a need for reform to better cover all individuals.
https://aperture.org/shop/the-places-we-live
II. Newspaper
The Great Empty by the New York Times is a collection of photographs of landmark places in the world – empty because of COVID-19. I’d like to capture something similar of the areas of the City of Chicago.
The empty streets of Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain. I also lived here for seven months last year.
View of Rome from the Spanish Steps, another site I have been to. These stairs were packed when I think of the mental photograph I remember.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/23/world/coronavirus-great-empty.html
III. Photographs
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/conflict-time-photography
This photograph is from an Exhibition at London’s Tate Modern called, “Conflict, Time, Photography.” It almost made me think of its description of the current times we’re living in. Although we aren’t in a war, the streets are as still and silent.
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/talking-point/making-art-isolation
I appreciate how artists like Mark Ruwedel have been able to find inspiration for their photography through the stillness of isolation and remoteness. The scapes which he is able to capture are able to become the subject, because of their permitting us to consider the space and its details.
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/vandenberg-battersea-from-the-series-on-a-good-day-p13477
This photograph comes from a series called, On a Good Day by Al Vandenburg. The photograph is labeled taken in 1975, and the collection features people who might’ve been prompted to pose, but naturally also are able to share their smile. In this photo, I got the sense that these women, given their body language, are friends and have a self-confidence. What might’ve been a “good day” might’ve just been this, moments where people are just enjoying their company.
https://www.artic.edu/artworks/100089/chicago
Closer to home, both the Art Institute and Photography Museum at Columbia College have photos of our city – quiet. The Art Institute’s is a winter stillness. Columbia College’s is a photo three days after the Financial Crash of 1988. The streets now, are definitely something similar to both of these photographs.
Slow Seeing pt. 2
For my slow seeing revisited, I wanted to capture light as it changes in the rooms in our house, gives life to and animates our plants and creates shadows in our neighborhood.
Through this assignment I noticed two things about myself – I tend to seek sunlight and I have preferred to go on walks with Clinton and my siblings either during the afternoon and evening hours.
At home, I spend more of my day on the top floor of our house. Multiple windows allow for natural light and I enjoy looking at the city skyline throughout the day. As the evening light aims directly into my room, I love spending them in my room as the sunlight sets.
The afternoons are spirited, I hear the birds singing their spring songs, the squirrels running around and Clinton tugging at his leash to sniff new patches of grass. The evening hours have a comforting low light, pink skies and puffy clouds, it almost feels like a dream.
I used to think that I had to be somewhere busy like a city in order to capture “better” moments, but have realized that slow seeing is about appreciating what we overlook, the objects, places and areas closely around us. I appreciate and will continue to observe the resilient nature I have been noticing; from sunny days to snow storms and the occasional hail mix, the spring trees continue to bloom and the grass grows its hair. All this considered, I’ll be super excited when the city reopens and I can head back to my favorite spots and shoot some more!
Recreations…
Warmth, Light, Presence
During my childhood, my family moved houses around the second grade. We remained at that home, what I consider my childhood home, for ten or eleven years. Most recently, during my college experience, we moved houses again to find ourselves at our current home. I bring this up because I remember we had designated spaces on bookshelves for our hefty photo albums and family letters. From the two times I remember helping pack up our belongings, the collections of photo albums were some of the first to be moved with the furniture.
Over the years, I have enjoyed looking through these albums learning about the different family members and the stories my mom has shared with my siblings and I. I am impressed with the consistency my parents photographed the early years of their marriage, important events in their lives and family gatherings. As I am the last of four, I struggled to find the photographs in which I finally appeared, but once we found them, I am glad they had plenty of film.
I chose this photograph because it captures the essence of two family members: my great grandma who has me on her lap, and one of my older sisters. I love this photo because I am reminded of the immense love both had/have for me. My great grandma passed away when I was twelve. I remember the day before she passed, she was still showering me with multiple forehead kisses and wanting to hold my hand. When she would visit the US from Mexico, she would alternate weeks staying with my aunt’s, but stayed the longest with my family. I cherish the memories I remember with her. When my mom would say no candy, my grandma would sneak us both a small piece of a sweet or hard candy. Vivid moments like these are priceless for me.
This is also one of my favorite photographs because my sister Elizabeth is attached to both my grandma and I. My birthday is coming up next week and I probably would not have touched these albums before then. This assignment is timely, these photos are an “in” to when my dad was able to capture my first few days at home with family. Elizabeth and I have a very special bond, although we are not twins like our older sisters, in a sense we are. In almost all of the photos captured after my birth, she is in most hovering around me and smiling. My mom reminded me that all of my sisters were so excited.
Since my grandma’s passing, I started to think more about something my mom shared years ago that became more special to me while at Bowdoin. As I walked home to my dorm room during cold winters nights, I could pinpoint the big dipper in an enormous collection of stars. I started to associate these, even if they were not the same… with different people or the presence of someone in my family. I found comfort in these moments, thinking of those people – and as I rediscover these photographs, I continue to find and appreciate the love of family I am so lucky to have.
Luis’s Mom
The photographs I took of my mom are a collection of some shot over the past week, others go back about a year and a half. I enjoyed taking these photos and finding the ones I had previously taken of her. Those that I found in my digital archives were photos of my mom and I while on vacation in Mexico. Some of these are still my favorites of her. From a young age my mom and I have been travel buddies, and sharing these with her allowed us to relive those memories and be hopeful for all those others we’d love to have after these past few weeks indoors.
Sustained Hope Through Faith
As time progresses and religious holy days approach, I started to think more about the importance of Easter and faith, especially during the global pause that CO-VID 19 has caused. My family, the majority of family friends, have a strong hold on faith that I can see both at home and around our community.
At home, I have noticed how my parents, regular Sunday mass-goers, have turned to prayer. Everyday there is a regular time for gathering and praying, as well as tuning in for the daily services held by Pope Francis in Rome.
Around my neighborhood I have also noticed how religion is an important part life for many other families. From Lenten and Easter decorations and symbols of faith on houses, front yards, windows… I appreciate the time people take to remind themselves as well as others of the importance of faith, a sign of hope.
I start with a photo of Clinton, my dog, because the virus has been a consistent reminder of how we must stay inside – including him – and do our part even as the days become more pleasant. I’ve tried to then capture moments from rituals I have noticed at home, sights during walks in the neighborhood, the uplifting messages of other neighbors and the hopeful progression of spring. At the moment, I feel the consistency in my family is holding on to the comfort of being together and the realness of our faith as the world tackles the virus.
Shelter in Place – Chicago
Today marks two weeks since I have been home. I found myself under stress as my original spring break plans had taken a turn and I realized I had to return to Brunswick and collect my belongings. The reality seemed surreal, I was waiting for the spring air in Maine, the highlighting moments of our Bowdoin careers with my friends and so much more.
However, during this uncertain time I am thankful that I am able to be at home with my family. I have described the scene back home in the city as an extended winter. As we transition into spring, the days are still gloomy, temperatures are chilly and the only regular scene as I look out my window are dogs and their owners out for a stroll – because of worries of the virus. Only essential personnel are allowed to carryout their normal workdays. I worry because two of my family members, my dad and one of my sisters, are both essential workers.
I have tried to capture some of the moments with family and the stillness in the city I continue to notice since the governor and mayor announced the shelter in place order two weeks ago.
I have an opportunity to reflect when I am out in the neighborhood walking Clinton. There are signs spring is on the way. I hear the birds chirping, the squirrels wrestling, the trees bulbing and earthworms wiggling. All these remind me to keep a positive attitude and with time, as the flowers will bloom, we will also get through this pandemic.