Ad Buster

Maybelline is a makeup company whose slogan is “Maybe she’s born with it.  Maybe it’s Maybelline.”  This gives the viewer the idea that it’s possible she is naturally beautiful, but Maybelline’s products will ultimately enhance your beauty.  In this magazine ad, I changed the text to say, “She’s not born with it.  It’s definitely Maybelline.”  I included a close of up the text just so it’s a little more readable.  This exaggerates the point from the original motto to emphasize that their makeup and products will make their consumers good-looking and this is the only way to do so.  It also implies that natural beauty has nothing to do with it.  This particular ad is selling a new type of foundation that Maybelline says is “perfect”, when in reality there is no makeup that produces flawless skin once its applied.  The intended audience is females from a wide variety of ages, but probably starting around middle school.  Maybelline ads are seen in numerous magazines, on the Internet, television, etc. so they are widely known and viewed by various people.  Males of all ages would be the ones most likely excluded from this advertisement simply because it is not relevant or applicable for most of them so if it seen in a magazine they would probably just flip right past it.  The emotion being exploited in the viewer is definitely pessimistic and somewhat mocks the original slogan.  It may also feel a little bit cynical yet gives Maybelline a potential sense of self-importance.

Body Photography

 

These photos are of Abby, who is a sophomore majoring in dance at the U of A.  For this project, I decided to address the ideas of body movements.  Abby has been dancing since she was three years old, so posing in a variety of diverse dance moves came easily to her.  I wanted to explore the different angles and positions she can effortlessly reposition her body into by shooting some wide shots of her entire body and some close-ups mainly focusing on the legs and feet.  The close-up shots emphasize the muscle and strength that is required to be a dancer, which also shows that a lot of hard work and practice go into making a task such as this seem so simple to an outsider.  The pointe shoes are often considered a very recognizable symbol of someone who is a dancer, so the close-up photo of the shoes instantly tells the viewer who the person in the photograph is.  

 

The work of Eadward Muybridge influenced the ideas behind this photo project.  He was interested in motion and wanted to capture how people/animals moved on film.  Muybridge took an interest that he had and turned it into a photographic experiment.  He wanted to know whether all four of a horse’s hooves touch the ground at the same time when running.  From there, he began his project.  Like Muybridge, I took something that interested me and explored it further.  I am always intrigued and impressed by dancers and their ability to gracefully move about.  I don’t have any experience with dancing (I won’t count ballet in second grade as experience), so I wanted to take a closer look at someone who has had years of practice and time to perfect the technique.  While many of Muybridge’s photos are of fast-paced action, such as a horse running, my photos captured each movement, but they were done so in a slow, controlled manner by the dancer.

Documentary Photography

I chose to photograph public art, whether that may be wall murals, graffiti, words written or spray painted with stencils on buildings or the ground.  Because these are all designs in the public, they are not limited by who sees them, especially if they are in high-traffic areas (such as a couple of the images taken on the U of A campus).  Perhaps the people who created the art did this on purpose--to paint or write each of these things so they would be seen by lots of people--the words written in their messages become a lot more meaningful when exposed to many people.  Most of these pieces of art are actually graffiti but have a positive message or leaves you with something to think about such as "You are so beautiful", "Don't STOP Believing", "Stay Positive", and "Destroy Power Not People."  Although these examples are all the works of some type of graffiti, it still is a form of art.  Public art can come in many forms (a common example would be the wall mural), but some people may argue that not all these forms are acceptable (like the graffiti).  When I came across these more unusual forms of graffiti, they made me take a second look, which may be the goal of the artists who painted these.  The same goes for the wall mural--all these artworks were created to stand out and be looked at, whether they are "defacing" public property or not.  The concept of public art cannot be defined by one simple, universal example.  All these images help define what public art can truly incorporate.

Be In Love--Tucson, AZ

Stay Positive--Tucson, AZ

You Are So Beautiful--Tucson, AZ

Don't Stop Believing--Tucson, AZ

6th Street Mural--Tucson, AZ

"The most valuable possession is an open heart.  The most powerful weapon you can be is an instrument of peace."-Carlos Santana
Graffiti Quote--Los Angeles, CA

Obey--Westwood, CA

Destroy Power Not People--Westwood, CA