Saturday, November 6, 2010
Skip Bolen
"Skip Bolen is dedicated to "capturing the moment" of some of the most exciting musical artists and jazz performers both on and offstage using only available light, revealing images infused with a spontaneous intensity, raw energy and collaborative spirit of the live music or jazz performance. He is always in constant pursuit of impromptu moments that display the heart and soul of what is Jazz and live music."
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So much of what jazz is is being in the moment and being connected to the people playing with you and listening to you. That said, these photos embody that perfectly. They have such a raw quality to them, like a lot of more improvisational jazz pieces, yet they are really beautiful because of how human their subjects come across. No one is posing, no one is set up or ready for the shots. It makes for a really interesting feel, almost like the camera is another instrument in the ensemble.
ReplyDelete-Elliot
This artist seems focused on music/musical things which is pretty great considering that they are using and art, black and white photography, to capture another art, music. I like how the emotion of the subject is captured and you can really tell that they have a strong bond and passion for music. I think that having the Con be such a strong part of Oberlin will be a great opportunity for you to capture similar passions and learn a lot about your fellow class-mates. Excited to see your work!
ReplyDelete-Rachel
I love the way this photographer was able to capture not just musicians in concert but also the passion and love these performers feel for their art. Tight framing and an absent audience make the photographs feel extremely intimate. Within the frame each performer is wonderfully balanced with their musical instrument.
ReplyDelete-Sophia
There is a lot of emotion in these shots--he did a fantastic job capturing the motion (not to mention emotion) of the musicians. They are obviously not posing for the shots, but in the middle of playing. A lot of my photos are also of instruments, so I'm looking forward to seeing how you capture them.
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ReplyDeleteThe framing of the third picture of the man with the trumpet (the picture with the rapturous bassist in the background) makes the photo really dynamic. Sort of an image of the sound itself as well as the musicians. Exciting.
ReplyDeletethese are so wonderful and having spent all day in the print lab yesterday i know you recreated it really well - well done!
ReplyDeleteBolen's photos capture every aspect of his subjects' performance. Their energy is transmitted through their sweat, the ripples of their cheeks and the metallic shine of their instruments.
ReplyDeleteThese are great portraits of musicians. They really capture a certain feeling from their performances. This is a great project to take on at Oberlin with the conservatory here. I look forward to seeing your prints.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite parts of any music, but Jazz in particular is the emotion that you see on each artists face during that solo or at the beginning of a song when they are excited to hear the end. This is such a great moment to capture and the photographer has a real knack for it. I'm excited to see what Con students look like in concert.
ReplyDeleteI am a big jazz lover and I love the way that these shots capture the whole feeling of the music. one can really see the intensity of the musician. the prints of yours that Ive already seen are really good, and I look foreward to the rest
ReplyDeleteThese are all really beautiful portraits, including the one that is simply of the trumpet. His use of a shallow depth of fields contributes to the intimacy of the shots. The lighting is also incredible and dramatic and helps set the mood.
ReplyDeletethe photos of yours that i've seen stand up excellently to skip's. you both portray the art well, and i'm mad jealous of your pick, because it's exceedingly easy to get shots of jazz artists on this campus.
ReplyDeleteThe way the light hits and accentuates the folds of fabric and the lines of the instruments makes these photos come alive for me. There is nothing contrived about the images. The silhouette effect created by the back-light in the first photo is a great addition to this group. I love the way these photos make me feel like I am intruding on a creative moment, the effect (affect?) would be so different if the audience was more than just a suggestion.
ReplyDeleteI really like these. They capture so much of the emotion entwinted with jazz. Also, having already seen some of your prints, you really did a great job with the emulation.
ReplyDeleteThey are beautiful!! The photographer did great job for catching the expression of performers. Also I like how the photographer used the light, shadow and the depth of field.
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