While I was reading this, I kept trying to formulate a solid opinion to write about, but I'm feeling pretty ambivalent. Dangin distorts reality, and creates ideal beauty, which goes against how I live my life, but he does it as a real art form. He stays true to the human body, respects it. I'm struggling with actually considering this as an art form, because it goes against some of the morals I usually stand by, believing that ideal beauty is a viscous trap, and true beauty comes from within. I have a lot of respect for what he does, and I think it's important to stay open-minded, but he creates artificial beauty, knowing that people are insecure and will try to match that in real life, and never succeed. Do y'all agree or disagree with any of that?
I think Dangin is an artist and stays true to his art form. He may not be shooting the photographs but without him these photos would not be what they are today. His input can either make or break a photograph, especially if it is an ad for a magazine or something like that. Every artist strives for perfection but perfection means different things to different people. As the reading says, "any art student with a Mac can wipe out a zit" but Dangin seems to have the ability to really transform a photograph and make something completely new from it, something that he believes is perfect and that he can call his own. And as Leah said, he does all this while staying true to the human body and respecting it. Creating beauty and staying true to the human body...sounds like the work of a true artist.
A "photo-whisperer" this man is able to see things in a way that the photographer did not even think of. I am not sure if that is entirely a good thing, how much of the photograph is credited to the photographer if tiny changes change the entire feeling? I do feel as though he is an artist like stated above, Dangin has great patience and what seems like an artist eye with almost more of a painters eye. Yes he alters the persons body but for the ad or the photograph or the client. I feel as though we alter our photos as well, with angles and other mechanisms.
Yanno I was always against photoshop.. i felt art had to be created by hand.. but now i think of it art always comes in its own form and thats what I feel Dangin is experimenting with. We had the project this week for it and let me tell you, it was the most frustrating piece of work ever! I'll give him credit! I mean mine doesnt even really look close to the orginal picture, he does have a lot of patience and a lot of time to create things. I mean taking pictures is recording an image so i guess he is taking something recorded and altering it.. right? I think he's talented and was able to figure it out and make it work, its outstanding, and his images and teeny tiny!
I do consider Dangin as some sort of artist, but I don't think that what he is doing is completely necessary. Sure every image in a magazine or advertisement has to be touched up and photoshopped, but I don't agree with extent of the changes he makes. In one part of the article is says that "Art directors and admen call him when they want someone who looks less than great to look great...or someone who looks amazing already to look, as is the mode, superhuman." I think the fact that his goal is to make people look so perfect that it is unnatural, is kind of scary, especially since he is so good at it. These days it's impossible to tell what was photoshopped and what is actually real,and what you see in a magazine is actually nothing like what the model looks like in real life.
"Post production work is nothing new" I like how this was stated in the article. I feel its important to be reminded of it. I know people are usually offended by the post production work, even me. But now i'm able to view it as an art in itself. Yes, its fake and manipulative, but anyone can see after reading the article, that it is an art form. I really respect the fact that Dangin is really passionate about the work he is given. Considering all the flack he must face on a regular basis. To be honest, I've never researched post production work. I'm guilty for assuming the worst and even had my share of looking at it in a negative light. I'm happy I was able to get a better understanding of this process.
I thought it interesting when Dangin states that "Nothing is a problem and everything is a problem". His unique eye for retouching other people's images is able to see what the original artist does not and enhance the image through this "virtual plastic surgery". Even though he is "perpetuating unrealistic images of the human body", he still wants to stay true to the structure that lies underneath everyone's skin, by understanding "the skeleton and musculature and how it works". I also thought it was interesting how with his "manipulations" he is able to help the photographer guide the viewer's eye through points in the image, allowing some things to stand out above others. He is able to create something beautiful with the ordinary, it's eerie to think that so many of these mass produced images today are not entirely realistic because of these "tweaks".
While I was reading this, I kept trying to formulate a solid opinion to write about, but I'm feeling pretty ambivalent. Dangin distorts reality, and creates ideal beauty, which goes against how I live my life, but he does it as a real art form. He stays true to the human body, respects it. I'm struggling with actually considering this as an art form, because it goes against some of the morals I usually stand by, believing that ideal beauty is a viscous trap, and true beauty comes from within. I have a lot of respect for what he does, and I think it's important to stay open-minded, but he creates artificial beauty, knowing that people are insecure and will try to match that in real life, and never succeed. Do y'all agree or disagree with any of that?
ReplyDeleteI think Dangin is an artist and stays true to his art form. He may not be shooting the photographs but without him these photos would not be what they are today. His input can either make or break a photograph, especially if it is an ad for a magazine or something like that. Every artist strives for perfection but perfection means different things to different people. As the reading says, "any art student with a Mac can wipe out a zit" but Dangin seems to have the ability to really transform a photograph and make something completely new from it, something that he believes is perfect and that he can call his own. And as Leah said, he does all this while staying true to the human body and respecting it. Creating beauty and staying true to the human body...sounds like the work of a true artist.
ReplyDeleteA "photo-whisperer" this man is able to see things in a way that the photographer did not even think of. I am not sure if that is entirely a good thing, how much of the photograph is credited to the photographer if tiny changes change the entire feeling?
ReplyDeleteI do feel as though he is an artist like stated above, Dangin has great patience and what seems like an artist eye with almost more of a painters eye. Yes he alters the persons body but for the ad or the photograph or the client. I feel as though we alter our photos as well, with angles and other mechanisms.
Yanno I was always against photoshop.. i felt art had to be created by hand.. but now i think of it art always comes in its own form and thats what I feel Dangin is experimenting with. We had the project this week for it and let me tell you, it was the most frustrating piece of work ever! I'll give him credit! I mean mine doesnt even really look close to the orginal picture, he does have a lot of patience and a lot of time to create things. I mean taking pictures is recording an image so i guess he is taking something recorded and altering it.. right? I think he's talented and was able to figure it out and make it work, its outstanding, and his images and teeny tiny!
ReplyDeleteI do consider Dangin as some sort of artist, but I don't think that what he is doing is completely necessary. Sure every image in a magazine or advertisement has to be touched up and photoshopped, but I don't agree with extent of the changes he makes. In one part of the article is says that "Art directors and admen call him when they want someone who looks less than great to look great...or someone who looks amazing already to look, as is the mode, superhuman." I think the fact that his goal is to make people look so perfect that it is unnatural, is kind of scary, especially since he is so good at it. These days it's impossible to tell what was photoshopped and what is actually real,and what you see in a magazine is actually nothing like what the model looks like in real life.
ReplyDelete"Post production work is nothing new" I like how this was stated in the article. I feel its important to be reminded of it. I know people are usually offended by the post production work, even me. But now i'm able to view it as an art in itself. Yes, its fake and manipulative, but anyone can see after reading the article, that it is an art form. I really respect the fact that Dangin is really passionate about the work he is given. Considering all the flack he must face on a regular basis. To be honest, I've never researched post production work. I'm guilty for assuming the worst and even had my share of looking at it in a negative light. I'm happy I was able to get a better understanding of this process.
ReplyDeleteI thought it interesting when Dangin states that "Nothing is a problem and everything is a problem". His unique eye for retouching other people's images is able to see what the original artist does not and enhance the image through this "virtual plastic surgery". Even though he is "perpetuating unrealistic images of the human body", he still wants to stay true to the structure that lies underneath everyone's skin, by understanding "the skeleton and musculature and how it works". I also thought it was interesting how with his "manipulations" he is able to help the photographer guide the viewer's eye through points in the image, allowing some things to stand out above others. He is able to create something beautiful with the ordinary, it's eerie to think that so many of these mass produced images today are not entirely realistic because of these "tweaks".
ReplyDelete