pIcTuRe On1
Repetition was the prompt for this picture. I attempted to portray the prompt through the use of a tight frame and no background in order for the viewer to focus their complete attention on the use of repetition throughout the entire shot front to back regardless of what the focus may be.
The concept behind my image wasn’t much of a thinker. All I really wanted to portray was the prompt so viewing the picture the use of repetition is pretty straightforward. I used a few lantern lights found within my home and lined then up without any space in-between in order to portray a stronger sense of repetition within the photo.
When starting out I assumed the prompt to be pretty easy. Finding a pattern and taking a few pictures at different angles but then I attempted to take a different approach and create my own repetition through the use of lantern lights found within my home. I turned the lights on within the lanterns in order to add yet another new element to the picture because I knew I would be converting it to black and white and turning the lights on would add brightness as well.
The goal behind this image was to fulfill the prompt for my set of pictures.
To be honest I don’t want this picture to be political or anthropological or chemical I want this picture to portray a sense of simplicity. I want this picture to represent repetition and I didn’t want the viewer thinking more into and trying to contract a political standpoint from it. It’s simple and that’s how I like it.
Unfortunately I honestly am not very familiar with artists or my time and therefore cannot compare my work to theirs but I would assume that along with the many of photographers out there that attempt to portray a political standpoint through a piece of cheese there are those who still appreciate a simple photograph that is straightforward and beautiful without trying to send a message or portray a story.
CRITIQUEEEEEE
Viewers enjoyed this image. They thought it was interesting and the framing was spot on. Although they enjoyed the framing and how the subjects of the photo took up the entire frame and the amount of zoom that allowed the viewer to approach an almost sense of uncertainty of what is it the image the amount of contrast was definitely something worth fixing in the image. One issue brought up with this image is the fact that this image was almost too bland and all one color. The angle was interesting but the color contrast took away from that.
I personally love this image. While I understand what the class was saying when referring to color I almost like the fact that the image was almost a chaotic blur. Organized patterned chaos. I could definitely use this image as a jumping off point for patterns. Giving bland everyday patterns a new look and taking a new approach to something that most would see as mundane.
For this image I wanted to create somewhat of a similar effect as my first image. The emphasis of this picture is the entire picture. The entire picture is in focus and the light is evenly portrayed throughout the entire picture and lastly I wanted the perspective to be from underneath the flowers almost as if they are falling or coming at the viewer.
This image concept was completely centered around my prompt of “Once Upon A Time” and as explained below I attempted to portray a whimsical almost fairy tale-esque feeling through the use of lighting and perspective.
This image was much more spontaneous and happened while taking pictures outside. I really didn’t have a method or idea of what this picture was going to look like or turn out to be, I saw a beautiful tree and went from there snapping pictures from all different angles and all different locations throughout the park and tree.
The prompt was “Once Upon A Time” and in my opinion the whimsical look of the flowers and the way the light hits them almost as if they are being lit up reminds me of a princess and a ball gown and the way a flower would look in a “far away land”.
Like explained above although I am not familiar with very many recent photographers work I once again didn’t want to attempt to portray anything heavy. “Once Upon a Time” is an extremely light prompt reminding me of my childhood and the easy going feeling of the tender age of “kid” so portraying anything more than a whimsical flower would just not have fit the prompt I explored.
CRITIQUEEEEEE
This image was definitely interpreted as pretty. It is a picture of flowers so I wouldn't expect anything less. After thinking and talking about the image for quite some time the class finally ventured upon the topic of happiness and how this image although somewhat dark for a picture of flowers attempts to portray a sense of light and airiness through the flowers. Nothing was really mentioned too much about the actual technicality of the image more so the narrative of the image.
I love this image but the one thing that I would have loved to change about this image is the contrast. I would have loved for the raindrops to definitely make more of an impact on the whole story of the image or I would have hoped to keep this image in color because the color kept the depth and contrast of the raindrops alive.
I love this image and I have actually been thinking an awful lot about an extension for this image. And I would love to use this picture as a jumping off point for a fairy tale narrative told through flowers rather than human beings or something related to human beings.
pIcTuRe ThRe3
The Coke can was a bit hard to photograph. I wanted to create a whole new perspective on the Coke can and doing that was a bit tougher than I thought. I wasn’t really too concerned about the lighting but I did want the perspective of the can to be almost as if it was falling and could tip at any second.
The concept within this image was once again following the prompt. The prompt was balance and as explained above I am a fan of the simple so I wanted to once again to portray a straightforward image of “balance”. I didn’t want the viewer to have to think or attempt to put meaning behind the image I wanted them to appreciate the perspective and ability to make a simple Coke can something they hadn’t seen before.
This image took careful planning because it took me awhile to portray this Coke can without making it seem like a boring old photo of a Diet Coke that just wasn’t aesthetically pleasing. My brother taught me how to balance a Coke can when I was really little and every time I had a pop it would be balanced in front of me on whatever surface I could find. I remembered this as soon as I saw balance and thought this was a perfect example of balance through the use of flash. I experimented a few times with the angle and perspective of the shot and decided that this was the best shot because like explained above I wanted to portray a sense that the Coke can was falling.
The goal of this image was to fulfill my prompt of balance in a straightforward simple way that attempted to portray a simple grocery item in a new inventive way.
Once again this image wasn’t meant to portray anything heavy, political, or social. It was meant to depict a Coke can with a new perspective. It doesn’t relate to any photographers because like I have previously mentioned unfortunately I am not familiar with any.
CRITIQUEEEEE
This final image was a crowd pleaser. The majority of my classmates really loved the framing of this image. They enjoyed a new fresh take on a coke can which was something they really hadn't taken notice to before.
What definitely worked for this image was the framing and the angle in which the image was taken. The contrast was also working because it once again allowed the angle and framing of the image to shine.
I wouldn't change anything about this image. I know that is a bold and bland statement but I love the way the pop can is almost coming at you because of the framing of the photo. I like the blurry background and the way the contrast highlights the core of the image which is the coke can. I like that the prompt for this image was balance and the entire image portrays a sense of imbalance.
I think this is a beautiful stepping stone for a series of photographs depicting all different types of pop cans and/or pop bottles. I think a series of things people don't usually see the beauty but rather a thirst quencher would be a wonderfully interesting series.
Kanako Sasaki was born in Sendai, Japan 1983. She attended Ithaca College for Journalism in New York in 2001. Following Ithaca in 2004 Sasaki also attended School of Visual Arts in New York and lastly around 2006-2007 Sasaki did a stint at the Royal College of Art. Now Sasaki lives in New York and teaches photography classes around the area and has been since around 2004. 
The project title is known as Walking in the Jungle. As a whole Sasaki focuses on the "celebration of the capacity for survival of universal emotions." Sasaki searches for a universal memory "of a bygone time in order not to lose her own memory" of not just her past but the past in general. This project solely focuses on the use of photography to access histories and memories. The memories of specific times and places that reveal her memories and nostalgia she has toward the past. Her past and other's past for example she pictured a memory of AF taking place nearly 60 years ago after having to hide in the attack for days on end because of the war currently taking place, World War II. 
