MY TAKE: Surrealism and Pop Art.

Lately I've been straying from photography, though not by choice. Camp NaNoWriMo rolled around, so first-drafting of a novel ensued, and then every spare day I had I ended up getting called in to work. So what was supposed to be a holiday turned out to be a time of work, and every spare moment that I had intended to use to catch up with all of my TAFE work ended up being filled with tedious, stressful life. 

Stress. That's what I've been feeling lately - and it's been getting in the way of things. Namely, my creativity and my inspiration. So today I tried to forget about the stress. While I was on the train to class, I saw something I liked and I took the shot. And then I realised I could use it as my take on surrealism. 

Instagram isn't always bad. 

I loved the way that the reflections in the window made it look like a double exposure, almost like the light was continuing on as one continuous tube as opposed to three. I like reflections. I can't deny that.

Yesterday I also bluntly stated that I hate Pop Art, though I could never quite put my finger on why. I think it's mainly the vibrant colours and the way that they clash so brutally. So when I tried to work on some Pop Art tonight, I challenged myself to create something that I could be happy with. And I think I have achieved that with my shot. I don't hate it, which is saying a lot here.

Either way, you can't go wrong with cats, right?

Pop Art.

Another photography movement! 

Pop Art

Pop art came to be in the mid-1950's in Britain and in the late 1950's in the United States, and is still widely known and used today. It is a very distinctive style that involves using imagery from the pop culture of the day - for example, images taken from advertising and the news. Often seen in these images are bits and pieces from comic books, popular advertising and even clippings from photographs in newspapers. 

When most people think of pop art, the first thing that comes to mind are the bright colours and over-contrasty images. It also includes a lot of the halftone look, which is often seen in comic books. 

According to this website, there are five key characteristics of pop art. They are: 

• recognisable imagery, drawn from popular media and products; 
• usually very bright colours; 
• flat imagery influenced by comic books and newspaper photographs; 
• images of celebrities or fictional characters in comic books, advertisements and fan magazines; 
• in sculpture, an innovative use of media. 

Andy Warhol

Likely the most famous photographer associated with pop art is Andy Warhol. Even those who do not know his name likely know his famous painting of the Campbell's soup cans. Warhol's works, particularly his paintings, are some of the most expensive pieces that have ever been sold. One of his works, Eight Elvises, is the highest-selling painting to date. It sold for US$100million. 

Personally, I don't like pop art. I think it looks terrible.