See The Glass Half Full

See The Glass Half Full or Empty? by Margie Warrell was a very motivational read. Staying optimist in life is very important and it brings you a better life over all. From these seven tips Margie gave to us I want to have a well lit set. A bright defused photograph is needed to get the message of optimism across. Maybe trying to use more than one glass to show a difference and demonstrate  a relationship between the two objects. The angle of the camera also play a role in creating the imagery to this article. I am excited to play around and see what turns out best.

Optimism Glass Full or Empty

In this article they were pursuing the positive side of life. The things they were stating that even though life can be difficult and sometimes its quicker to feel upset or sad about something, than feeling better about something. The idea I got from reading this article to show many lights, also light colors. Maybe sweet spring colors can show a vibe of something new, something fresh. Probably some sweet flowers in the photographs are great. Being positive is a beautiful thing and many people should feel that way. Another idea that can be photograph is to put food coloring into one glass and pouring it into an empty glass so this would mean to share the positive just like the article stated positivity is contiguous

Optimism

To make use of the glass and try different variation on the glass is half full and use different bright lighting set ups that imply that there is something better coming or a better future. So bright white lighting behind the glass or maybe a yellow lighting that has reflections on the glass. Something that reflects back to the article that focuses on a positive attitude or outlook. Maybe trying a close up shot from above into the glass having some symmetry in the composition.

Glass-Optimism

The article is basically about convincing you to be optimistic instead of pessimistic. It describes how optimists usually live fuller and wealthier lives. It also tells you that things like laughing, exercising, and the like will also help you lead a healthier and a more optimistic life.

Obviously the picture would have to be light and bright. My basic idea for this would be shooting the glass from the bottom and have it towering above you. This in my opinion would show the glass as optimistic and powerful as opposed to making it small and insignificant.

Another idea, if possible would be framing the image with 2 glasses, one of which is more full then the other, and having the fuller one seem like it is taller then the glass with less liquid.

Idea for Next Week’s Shoot (Optimism)

One idea that I currently have right now as I am typing this is that in order to capture “optimism”, I have the idea of using really nice and controlled lighting lighting up the water and the glasses in the shot. It will likely be shot wide-open, and I’ll also experiment with natural light before moving onto filtered lights to see what works better.

Poetry

Phillip Levine’s “Coming Home, Detroit, 1968” and e.e. cummings’ “she being Brand” are two poems that use a car to help illustrate their messages. In Levine’s poem, he uses the names and colors of cars to paint a picture for us “Ford Rouge sulfurs the sun, Cadillac, Lincoln,
Chevy gray.” Being that Detroit is nicknamed the Motor City as it is “recognized as the historic heart of the American automotive industry,” it is fitting that Levine used one of the very things that made the city popular to show the contrast between that positivity and the negativity that came with the race riots in that time. The voice of the poem comes from someone who has to deal with the harsh reality and literal burning of their city every day but also has to continue living life as you can see with the line that reads “One brown child stares and stares into your frozen eyes until the lights change and you go forward to work.” The cars in this poem show the feeling of the time through their colors and also show that you have to keep driving regardless of what’s happening around you. The metaphor of the car in cummings’ poem is just as fiery as he details a new sexual encounter with a woman. The poem explains that he started off way too quickly and when she didn’t react well to what he was doing, he realized he needed to be gentle just as you would be with a real car.

i went right to it flooded-the-carburetor cranked her

up,slipped the
clutch (and then somehow got into reverse she
kicked what
the hell) next
minute i was back in neutral…

The way in which the poem is written speaks to the awkward reality of the situation. Sometimes cars need to be attended to with utmost care and respect.

Seeing that the two poems are so different but both use cars, it’s a bit hard to know how exactly to illustrate the feeling of what could be seen as hopelessness as well as one of passion. My car is a black 1950s Cadillac which I think is sleek enough to illustrate “she being Brand” and simple enough to illustrate “Coming Home, Detroit, 1968.” I think that even lighting and making the car seem small and far away could work well for Levine’s poem. And for cummings’ poem, possibly lighting from the back to create a silhouette or from a 45 degree angle to emphasize the contrast would work well to give it a sensual feeling.

Poetry

Both poems, “she being Brand” and “Coming Home, Detroit 1968” describes a man driving though a city. The metaphors used throughout each piece are entirely different in format, tone, and in what they are trying to express to the reader.

The first poem by e.e. cummings describes the experience and the rush of driving his brand, new car for the first time. The poem’s exaggerated composition is also similar to a car in motion and when it comes to a stop. The metaphors used throughout the poem sounds erotic. The driver explains his experience as he’s about to start the car for the first time, “..a little stiff I was careful of her.. my gas felt of her radiator made sure her springs were O.K. Later, he ends the poem describing the climax, “..the internalexpanding & externalcontracting.. brought allofher tremB-ling..” The poem interprets the desire of the first sexual encounter between a man and a chaste woman.

The second poem by Phillip Levine describes a man driving through the city of Detroit during a depressing period. The poem describes the atmosphere of the city and people. The metaphors used throughout the poem sounds sad. The narrator explains the experience of driving home seeing the misery of others, “one brown child stares and stares into your frozen eyes.. The charred faces, the eyes boarded up, the rubble.. we burn this city everyday”. The poem interprets a time in history where Detroit had deadly riots frequent which left property destroyed.

 

Poetry

The poems, “she being Brand” by E.E. Cummings and “Coming Home, Detroit, 1968” by Philip Levine are very different. It is true that each poet uses a car as a metaphor, but not in the same ways.

E.E Cummings uses a car to communicate the message that he lost his virginity. Cummings writes about the ways that you would control and maneuver a car to describe his first sexual experience. This is evident through the very first line, “she being Brand new; and you know consequently a little stiff I was careful of her” and later on at the end of the poem, “it was the first ride”.

Phillip Levine’s “Coming Home, Detroit, 1968” is graphic just like E.E. Cummings’s poem; not in a sexual manner but a violent one. Levine’s poem describes the race riot that broke out in Detroit during the late 60’s. Levine describes a scene where everyone is wreaking havoc around him and there is nothing he can do to help the situation, “One brown child stares and stares into our frozen eyes until the lights change and you go forward to work… We burn this city every day.”

I will use my pink toy Cadillac for our next shoot to help communicate the message of each poem. I think setting up the Cadillac against a black background with the car evenly lit as the main focus might be the way to go for “she being Brand”. Or maybe having one portion of the car lit instead of the entire thing making it look as if there is something occurring in one part of the car giving the feeling of privacy and mystery might also work. As for “Coming Home, Detroit, 1968”, I think that I will have the toy car back lit, facing away from the camera going towards an orange light. The orange will represent the burning city and the car inevitably being a part of it.

 

Poetry

The poem “She Being Brand”  by E.E Cummings and “Coming Home” by Phillip Levine both use the metaphor of  driving . The poem by Cummings uses the metaphor to describe a first sexual experience. He implies that is like driving a brand new car for the first time.”-New ; abd you know consequently a little stiff i was careful of her…”

While in the poem by Levine he uses the metaphor of driving a car to separate him self to the outside world and the chaos happening by being in this car he is able to detach him self from  everything thats going on in Detroit this is shown when he saids “…Stare into your frozen eyes until the lights change and you go forward to work”.

 

For the E.E Cummings i was thinking about doing more of a dark low light sensual looking imagine. and for the P. Levine i was think about orange light to represent fire and chaos.