To evoke a mood

Now that I'm taking online classes, I've been experimenting more with my thesis and the goals I'm trying to reach within the project.  This summer I am concentrating most of my efforts on concept through narration and storytelling.  I question a lot whether the primary story that I am trying to convey should be openly narrated to a viewer or not.  Should a person make their own conclusions on my imagery?  How much do I reveal?  How much do I hide?  Is it important for them to know the Korean story?

Along with these concept builders, I am also [always] working on print output.  Now that I have an amazing UV exposure unit, I can work more on print experimentation.  And again, similar questions arise...  What does this print say in digital format?  In color?  In Cyanotype?  In toning?

For now, I realize there is a goal in my imagery and with the mood I am trying to evoke.  The challenge is figuring out the best way to convey this emotion.  Take my first thesis image that I'm working with.

Here it is in digital:

Now here it is in Cyanotype:

And finally in a toned Cyanotype:

For now, I find that the toned Cyanotype is creating that fantastical world of old.  I feel that this kind of imagery grounds the idea of a per-conceived history of my Korean heritage.  I like that I lose the digital-ness of the image.  Plus, the grain!  Oh the paper grain, how I love it so!

I could care less on overly sharp imagery and the Cyanotype forgives harsh criticism on tack sharp details.  I belive the point is to embrace these anomalies.  This image also hits close to my love of Pictorialism and I indulge in the soft dreamy feel that the image evokes.

Of course I've looked at great works by Henry Peach Robinson, Steiglitz and Steichen.  Their quiet and reflective work creates a timelessness that I hope to achieve.

Fading Away, Henry Peach Robinson

Moonlight the pond, Edward Steichen

Gertrude Kasebier, Alfred Stieglitz

And while I can look at the masters, there are also great contemporary artists that continue to work on these aesthetics.  One such artist, whom I had the lovely brief chance to meet at an SPE conference is Emma Powell.  Her self-portraiture work is highly conceptual and balances the fine line of reality and fantasy.