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Hunter Carrico

WRTC 103

Fielding

29-01-18

Photographic Eye

Five years of sticking with a passion. Not giving up along the way. Even when countless

people tell me, “Shouldn’t you be taking something more academic based to get into a

university?” I did not listen and look at where I am now. Photography is the “process of

producing images by the action of radiant energy and especially on a sensitive surface (such as

film or an optical sensor)” (Merriam-Webster), and it is my life. My mother bought a camera

before my freshmen year of high school, so she could learn the art form. Little did she know I

would take it away from her and run with it. My photographic eye grew and the art form started

to encompass my entire life and it is often a deciding factor in life changing decisions.

Photography is a relative modern invention and art form. The precursor comes from the

camera obscure. A dark chamber room with a tiny pin hole on one side. Which will allow light to

seep through and project an image on the other wall. Artists would then trace and paint the

projected images. Later, Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre invented a process of permanently

implanting an image on a material called the daguerreotype. (Archambault, Grundberg,

Gernsheim, Rosenblum) Thus, the photograph was born. However, this process only produced

black and white images. Color came much later. Painters would paint onto photographs as early

attempts at establishing color photography. Many early chemical processes to achieve colored

photos were too expensive and complicated for most. Other early attempts included Gabriel

Lippmann, and James Clerk Maxwell. The latter developing a process of using red, green and
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blue filters to develop a colored image. This became the bases for Kodak creating a “tripack

film” making colored images more accessible to the masses. (Archambault, Michael)

Many artists have inspired me with their work. Andy Warhol, Robert

Mapplethorpe and Susan Silva my photography teacher of four years. Warhol and

Mapplethorpe’s portrait work has inspired my own. Especially when it comes to self-portrait

work; which is my favorite genre of photography.

Warhol took inspiration from pop culture and mass consumerism. Creating pop art, and

artwork that was inspired by mass production and consumerism. (Andy Warhol, Britannica) Pop

art has influenced photographs that I have created for a self-portrait project and to be graded by

the college board for AP Photography. Achieving a 5 on the portfolio!

Mapplethorpe’s raw images of portraits have influenced my own portraits. The black and

white work of his is present in some of my pieces. I have read Just Kids by Patti Smith detailing

the life of Mapplethorpe and her. The aesthetic of the 70s through his life has inspired me to

create the same atmosphere in my work. He broke ground with controversial pieces, and I wish

to someday create pieces that having the world talking.

Susan Silva has had the greatest impact on my photographic journey. She has provided

hands on experience. Ever since I was a freshman in high school she has helped me grow into

where I am. Pushing me to think outside of the box and encourage turning my ideas into reality.

Being in her class taught me how to be a leader. She appointed me the president of the

photography club. I organized events, and kept up to date with events happing in DC that related

to art. With her help throughout the years my artistic abilities grew. I could easily take self-

portraits, develop film and produce images in a darkroom. My portrait photography skills grew

throughout the four years with her. Silva gave me the opportunity to take portraits of Oakton
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High School’s theatre productions. I would coordinate with the director on how to bring the

characters to life in front of the camera. This helped me practice my skills of directing models

and develop my creative process. A process that can come slow to me, but Susan Silva helped

me with creative brainstorms and activities in class. For example, an activity was cutting out fifty

words from newspapers and generating photography concepts with these words by combining

them into phrases.

Senior year Susan Silva gave me the challenge to take fifty self-portraits in a span

of a month. Which is more than one image a day. Completing this gruesome project was a rite of

passage as a senior in the photography class. I learned how to effectively use a tripod, focus on

me and use a shutter remote to capture an image. The early versions of photographs were dull,

but with continuing the process more creative ideas came. The project taught me if I am ever

stuck. Just shoot and ideas will start to flow. It is like free writing. It engages the brain and the

cranks start to turn. I took photos whenever I could. Photography really was a part of my life

during this assignment. Instead of picking up a camera every once and awhile. I was doing it

every day. I fell in love with how much I was doing it and I was sharing it with my friends. They

indulged in them. My heart was happy, and my confidence grew. Over a year later I still create

self-portraits every week. I share these pieces to my friends and family. I love creating artwork

centered around myself, because I get to own the entire creative process. Self-portraits have

helped me become a more outgoing and confident person. Here is an example of the most recent

self-portrait shoot I have done.

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January 29th, 2018.

I recently did two dramatic changes to my body. Adding a tattoo

and nose ring on my body. I took a series of self-portraits to show
off the new look to family and friends.
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I took field trips in my photography class. The class went to New York City and

Pittsburgh. While in NYC I went to the Museum of Modern Art, The Whitney and various art

galleries. All these places that exhibited artwork has inspired me. The architecture of these

buildings are art in themselves. I would take my camera and take photos of the infrastructure in

as many ways as possible. Many works I saw were influential pieces such as “Starry Night” by

Van Goah. Seeing his work lit the passion of creating art in my heart. A desire and dream to

become influential with my art.

While in Pittsburgh I saw the Andy Warhol Museum. Perhaps one of the most influential

buildings I’ve stepped in. I got to see his artwork throughout his short-lived career. I saw the pop

art that I’ve used as inspiration in many photographs. The way he collaborated with artists and

had his own community inspired me. From this I have met many photographers and artists. Most

I have met through networking in Instagram. Many becoming my friends. A lot on James

Madison University’s Campus. I learned how to become comfortable talking to clients and

strangers. I have learned very important people skills that many people do not have.

Photography has proven time and time again to be every important factor in my life. It is

part of the reason why I am at James Madison University. I was 99 percent positive that I was

going to put my deposit down at VCU. I was going to go for the photography program, but I

would give up many aspects of theatre. Which is another aspect of my life. However, I learned

that JMU had a photography program and a theatre program where I could double major in both.

JMU only had BA’s while VCU offered a BFA. I put down my deposit to become a duke right

away. I am still using photography in my life every week. I have met many friends here and my

exposure has really grown throughout my time here thanks to my skills I have learned

throughout many experiences.

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Work Cited

Archambault, Michael, A Brief History of Color Photography, From Dream to Reality,

PetaPixel, 10/11/15

Beaumont Newhall, Andy Grundberg, Helmut Erich Robert Gernsheim, Naomi

Rosenblum, History of Photography, Britannica,
www.britannica.com/technology/photography, 1/18/19

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, Andy Warhol, Britannica,

www.britannica.com/biography/Andy-Warhol, 01/12/18

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, Robert Mapplethorpe, Britannica,

www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Mapplethorpe