Christian+Patterson

1. Give some historical background on their life. /20

Famous Photographer: Christian Patterson Born in 1972 in Fond du Lac, WI Based in Brooklyn, New York His most renowned monograph, Redheaded Peckerwood, was published in 2011. It follows the trail of a killing spree across Nebraska and Wyoming. Starting in 2005, he traced the path of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate back and forth.

2. Describe their influences. /5

3. Describe their style and major genre (Documentary, Fashion etc.) /5 Avant-Garde? His pictures suggest a story and a background

4. Upload a minumum of 5 Photos that represent their work.(Screenshot = Command>Shift>4) /25 What design elements are aparent? Why are they a good representation of this photographers work? Describe the use of light.

This photograph uses curves and colour to highlight a little bit of interesting in the mundane. This is indicative of Christian Patterson's tendency to photograph unassuming objects with their little quirks. In this case, the purple light is what really makes this photo. With white light coming from one side and purple from the other, interesting shadows and bands of dappled light are created.

The glow at the base of the tree is eye catching, and gives the tree a supernatural look. It takes a moment to realise that the tree is on fire, and its moment of glory will soon be over. The photograph is balanced, with the tree's columns coming out to the left and right, and the horizon is located in the bottom third of the frame. The fire burns at the intersection of lines and the sunlight is blocked out, so the dark branches of the tree contrast with the sky and give the flames center stage. Rule of thirds - bottle in top third of photo Little s curves and triangles This picture uses the rule of thirds, with the bottle in the top third of the photo, and the spill has triangle and S shapes in it. This photo has many design elements working together. First I see the bright orange standing out against the white. It is effective because of the simple, balanced composition. The two towels hanging side by side, barely touching seems representative of the relationship between roommates. Lastly, the texture and s curves present in the towels add the final layer of interest to the photo. The little curved up lip on the right towel stands out. Christian Patterson's subjects seem to appear just as he found them, not cleaned up or arranged, but rather in whatever state they have been left in. The light is bright and diffused, though clearly coming from above to create the soft lines and shadows in the moulding and toward the bottom of the towels. This photo is balanced and there is a slight sense of direction towards the right because of the clouds and the rollerskate. []

Nice choice of images and analysis. Thanks for the link. 55/55