The Original Master of Contrast

     Whether one knows his name or not, it is likely that one has been exposed to one of Caravaggio's paintings at some point or another. Caravaggio painted many years ago, but his works of art are still among the most prominent of today. So what makes his pieces so incredibly noteworthy? Perhaps for his content choices, or perhaps due to his mastery of the usage of light and dark.'

     Caravaggio often painted scenes from ancient Greek mythology, such as the slaying of Medusa. The most striking content choice of his must be the constant decapitations occurring within his paintings. His choice to include such a gruesome scene is extremely polarizing, yet it achieves a level of emotional power that all artists strive to gain.

     Caravaggio is not only well known for his content however, he is also often noted for his clear mastery of the elements of light and dark. He used light in multiple ways: he focused the viewer's attention towards what he intended as the focal point, and also uses light as a symbol. For example, in his painting depicting the taking of christ, all of christ's captors are shadowed and in the dark, representing the darkness and evil behind their intentions.
     Caravaggio gives wonderful examples of how to best use contrast, and photographers can certainly stand to learn something from him. Photography is entirely about the difference between light and dark; without the inherent difference between the two, photography would not exist at all. Thus, for a photographer to thrive, he must acknowledge the immense importance of contrast.

An Open Ended Inspiration: Alternative Techniques

     Ever since I first saw photographs that utilize unique and creative techniques, I longed to try and attempt them myself. Thus, alternative technique has been a huge inspiration in my photography for as long as I can remember. When I speak of these creative stratagems, I am speaking mainly of things such as stop motion, long exposure, and double exposure photography.
     Stop motion photography often entails an event that we do not perceive due to the extreme swfitness with which it occurs, and thus this style of photography was popularized. Stop motion captures everything from a balloon popping to water splashing (which seems to have become quite popular recently). Yet, this type of photography is arguably, the hardest type of photography to do. This is due to the fact that alongside all normal photography rules, there are an entirely new set of rules to follow. For example, a stop motion photographer may have to worry about both exposure time, AND figuring out when to trigger the shutter at the same time.

     
     The appeal of stop motion, in my opinion of course, is that it allows us to see a world unseen. Above, you can see the beauty of water in motion, and perhaps decipher the mystical language it speaks.


     Long exposure photography has become especially popular among aspiring photographers due to the blatantly ethereal effects that may be achieved through its use. This style can be used literally in every picture in one way or another, from fireworks to stars; it all looks nicer with a longer exposure.

    

     Lastly there is double exposure photography, perhaps the most potentially evocative type of photography. With this technique, an artist may make a smooth transition or even juxtapose two disparate things. Perhaps a silhouette of a broken man, covered with an exposure of ashes; maybe an aspiring girl with thoughts of becoming an architect, achieved by comparing the two in a single photograph.

     Artists everywhere ought to at least experiment with this technique due to the amazing effects that can be accomplished with a bit of work. Granted, this is EXTREMELY tough to pull off in film photography due to a need for meticulous planning and many tries. However, the product is well worth the effort.

     The only techniques I've dabbled in thus far are the two exposure techniques, and I have to say, they are frustrating to print, but they turn out so nicely. Now that I have double and long exposures under my belt perhaps I can begin work on stop motion photography.