April 21
Duane Michals,
Chance Meeting, 1973
Emily Richardson - Art 125-02
I
really like the storyline of this series of photos. It makes me wonder
whether or not the man knows the other man. Maybe it’s a long
lost friend, or maybe he just thinks he looks familiar. The expression
the man’s face walking towards the camera is what gives me these
ideas. The man is looking directly at him and the other man is looking
straight forward, until the very last photo. The series gives a mysterious
feeling. The men are walking down an alley, which gives a mysterious
feeling.
The background of the photos is consistent and I really like that. It’s
not distracting from the subjects or the story being told. The brick
building on the left side makes the surroundings in the first photo
look close together. When the man moves and you can see the right side
of the alley, it opens the frame a lot more.
The tonal values of these photographs are good. The darkest tones would
be the clothes the men are wearing and the bricks would be the second
darkest. I like the way the light coming from the dark alley is kind
of off center from the men. The light being at a diagonal, gives the
photos movement. That makes sense because the men are “moving”.
The ending of the story (the last photograph) makes me wonder what happens
next. I want the men to meet again or start a conversation. Although
I would like to see what happens next, I do think it’s a good
stopping point. The story leaves you with questions. You could imagine
the next photo’s yourself and it’s not limited to what could
have happened.
Chris Hoult - Art 125-01
This series of photos by Duane Michals titled Chance Meeting,
brings several different thoughts to mind. I have to say that I find
myself wondering what is happening between the two gentlemen in the
photo. Do they know one another, did they exchange words or gestures?
Michals, I am sure, had in his mind what this story was about but when
we look at them we can put our own version together and make it totally
different.
The pictures are very gray, dark, spooky and maybe even a little mysterious.
Michals use of lighting in the series is very good to me. It appears
that there is just a row of light that follows the street and everything
else is supposed to shadowy. The white shirts the men are wearing and
the tones of their skin give them just enough “color” to
offset them from the blackness of the ally they appear to be in.
The depth of field in all six photos is good, with your eyes being led
down the center of the photos following the street, which is lighter.
I seem to find myself looking past the men in the photo to see if I
can notice anything else in the picture. Overall tonality is gray in
all six pictures with the street and background being the light areas.
I think he used good composition on most of the photos, telling a story
that you can put your own spin on. However, the man in the foreground
of photo five is out of focus and that is the first thing that I noticed
about that photo. I realize the main focus that Michals was probably
going for was the man walking away so this may have been intentional.
I personally would prefer that the entire foreground be in focus since
that is where most people’s eyes start to view anything.
I enjoyed this series of photos and am excited about doing the one for
class. It gives me several different ideas about what I can use as my
“story” and how to make it so other people can try and figure
out what I was thinking when I put mine together.
Rich Tague - Art 125-02
The series of photographs from Duane Michales Chance Meeting
makes me think of a video, rather than a series of photos. Possibly,
because of the attention the approaching man is paying to the other
gentleman, rather than the camera. It’s like the camera is hidden
from view, a long telephoto lens was used or the set was staged. It’s
interesting to watch the expression on the approaching gentleman’s
face the closer he gets to the other. Being in a dark alley, the man
looks suspicious. The approaching man holds his hands in a defensive
manner, possibly because the other man has his hands in his pockets.
The closer they get to each other, the approaching man looks to be more
weary of the other. In such a wide alley, only two people present and
the fact that the approaching man can’t escape, because of the
wall to his right, would make him defensive, as well. Once they pass
he looks over his shoulder just to make sure no danger is present. Then
in the 5th frame, the look on his face appears to say, “How silly
of me!” or possibly “Do I know him?” Then ironically,
in the last frame, the other man turns, possibly thinking the same thoughts.
As far as the series of photos, it makes you want to know what’s
going to happen next. If the last frame or two were absent, it would
“leave you hanging.” When I view them in order, even knowing
nothing happens in the end, there is a sense of anticipation. As far
as composition, I appreciate the closeness of the wall on the cameras
left, it gives the sense of “no escape” that possibly the
approaching man feels. The approaching man appears to be in a hurry
and weary, whereas the retreating man appears to be confident, again,
possibly because of his ability to move towards the center of the alley,
not to be invasive of the other mans personal space. The darkness of
the alley, the litter strewn about and the length of the alley make
the scene all the more eerie feeling. All in all, I like everything
about the photos.
Beth Stanley - Art 125-01
In Duane Michael’s series of photographs titled “Chance
Meeting” I don’t feel the curiosity that the author himself
was feeling. I feel that a chance meeting in that of itself can be important,
but to me not every casual encounter was a huge significance. Michael’s
composition style is sound, though his shots are quick, sometimes out
of focus; I think I would feel better about the composition if it were
in deed in focus.
I unfortunately have an eye for detail, every thought, every effort
put into a piece really says a lot about an artist. Not many painters
just slap a bunch of colors on their canvas and call it a masterpiece,
but some can throw a bunch of colors together and are still celebrated
even beyond their death.
Michael’s style just does not appeal to my inner eye for detail.
It just doesn’t suit my taste. His contrast is wonderful, the
photos perspective carriers your eyes even beyond the two men meeting.
I believe that for this piece to be more effective, that it should not
have had such a distracting perception point. Your eyes fall that alley
way until you reach the extremely bright light at the end of the tunnel,
to metaphorically say.
I think the buildings on either side of the men are more compositionally
sound than the two men themselves. I find my eyes wandering over to
the two buildings; I have no interest in the two older gentlemen in
their business suits. My eyes are focused on the detail of the bricks
the stair wells up overhead. It is very busy and does not have enough
focus on the two gentlemen.
I’m sure many have found this composition pleasing, but I just
can not seem to feel the same way about this photograph. I’m sure
he has far more grandeur pieces. As the saying goes, you can never really
knock something until you try it. I feel Duane Michaels is in fact a
acquired taste.
