Photography Archives - BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications

Behind the Gallery: Student Educator Joseph Rowley Shares Insights on “Across the West and Toward the North”

Alyssa Anderson — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 19:11:24 +0000

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A Window Into the Past: Photography Exhibit “Fields of Labor and Recovery” Now Open at the MOA

Alyssa Anderson — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 18:32:09 +0000

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BYU Student Wins Award for Tintype Photography of Black Community in Utah

Emily Andersen — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 17:18:57 +0000

Madison Casagranda submitted photos from her project, The Black Stories Project, to Communication Arts magazine and placed as a finalist BYU photography student Madison Casagranda recently placed as a finalist in a Communication Arts (CA) competition, and her work with tintype photography will be featured in the CA magazine. “This award is an opportunity for me to connect with the art community in a meaningful way. It also gives me confidence and helps me stay motivated to continue submitting my work for opportunities like this,” Casagranda said. Casagranda’s submission to the contest included pictures from The Black Stories Project, which is a collection of photographs of Black people in Utah. She used tintype photography to set the mood of the images. “I hope people will walk away thinking about something they hadn’t before and realize that the human experience ranges vastly. How that experience is shared affects our understanding of it. That’s one reason why I feel the tintype process is so poignant in my show,” Casagranda said. The Black Stories Project was featured in the Harris Fine Arts Center gallery 303, and has been featured in other galleries in Utah. Casagranda said she’s still working on adding to and improving on the project. “The Black Stories Project is still an ongoing project for me. I am currently working to continue to exhibit it, add more pieces to it, and potentially publish it as a book,” Casagranda said. Casagranda said she is grateful to all the people who participated in The Black Stories Project, especially Alexandria Byrd and Trissie and Clate Tirrell, who were featured in the photographs that Casagranda submitted to the contest with Communication Arts. “I wanted to connect myself to the Black community through art. In other places I have lived, I’ve had more of that interaction, but here in Utah I feel like it’s easy to live in a world where everyone looks like you and you don’t have to think about the issues facing marginalized groups,” Casagranda said.

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FAR OUT: THE WEST RE-SEEN, PHOTOGRAPHY OF VICTORIA SAMBUNARIS

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 15:24:05 +0000

EXHIBITION OVERVIEW A new exhibit will open up in the Museum of Art starting October 30 Victoria Sambunaris creates large-scale photographs that document the intersections of the natural and manmade within the American landscape. Each year, Sambunaris embarks on a lengthy journey on the road, using a large format wooden field camera to document what she encounters. With her photography, Sambunaris tries to capture the way in which humans inhabit the landscape, as well as highlight the beauty of the land and human interaction with it. Combining in-depth planning and research with a laborious mode of shooting and developing—sometimes waiting days for the right conditions—Sambunaris’s photographs communicate a deeply layered sense of place. Since 2002, Sambunaris has come to Utah numerous times to photograph the vast, complex, and beautiful terrain. This exhibition focuses on her photograph of Utah and the Western landscape. The large scale of her work simulates the actual environment, allowing minute details to materialize, subtle colors to emerge, and the viewer to feel as if they are standing in the place of the artist. This exhibition was made possible through the generosity of the: Marriott Daughters Foundation Yancey Richardson Gallery, New York The Lannan Foundation, Santa Fe, New Mexico Andrea and Patrick Lannan Michael Reynolds James Kelly Contemporary View more details at moa.byu.edu.

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FujiFilms Awards BYU Student for Photographic Story Series About Prosperity

Emily Andersen — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 16:25:01 +0000

Emma Squire is a freshman at BYU with a passion for telling new, unique stories BYU freshman Emma Squire is a photographer, a storyteller and a finalist of the Fujifilms Students of Storytelling competition. Squire’s photo series about the history of prosperity is now being displayed on her own personal Fujifilms profile page. “The idea came during an art history class. I noticed in some paintings that items which symbolized wealth a couple hundred years ago are much cheaper and easier to come by today,” Squire said. “It started with just one specific image in mind, but it soon turned into a series.” Squire’s photo series was done in two parts. First, she researched different periods of history in various countries to identify items that portrayed wealth and status. She then photographed her interpretation of the modern equivalents of those items. Then, Squire shot images of modern prosperity, after interviewing individuals to get a feel for current symbols of affluence. “My art is either telling a story or trying to make a statement. I want the viewers to be caught up in the narrative, or to reflect on the message the image is trying to convey,” Squire said. Squire is one of 600 students to submit a project proposal to the contest. The 30 applicants who were chosen each received equipment to use in the preparation for their photo stories. Fujifilms held this contest as a way of discovering America’s next great storytellers. “I hope to be able to create work that I care about and can make a living off of. I don’t know what that looks like yet, but my ultimate goal is to create meaningful art that I’m proud of,” Squire said.

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Alumni Feature: Kendal Bryan

admin — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 20:21:49 +0000

Photographer Kendal Bryan seeks moments of quiet movement in her images Sunlight streamed through a window inside Westminster Abbey, as if creating another dimension within the cathedral where Kendal Bryan stood. There were no walls between her and this second space; only an invisible line between light and dark, where she could slip easily between sunshine and shadow. It was calm, still, ethereal. Sitting in the Abbey’s pews and encompassed by its imposing architecture, Bryan felt at home. The feeling evoked memories of time spent in her bedroom when she was growing up. As an introvert living an active, busy lifestyle, Bryan’s room was her sanctuary — a place to think, to meditate and to be alone. Sometimes she would just sit and watch the sun shift the shadows on the wall. Now a photographer, Bryan strives to capture the same sense of stillness that she experienced in her childhood bedroom and in Westminster Abbey, in her photographs. Quiet Movement Bryan has been told by some people that her photographs are sad, but she considers “melancholy” or “serene” more appropriate descriptors. Despite the overall feeling of quiet conveyed in her images, Bryan is purposeful about including movement in her photographs. “I try to make sure that the light creates some kind of space, like there is some kind of divide in the room, like a reflection, or the photo is cut into certain thirds, or a different angle in the room to make it look like something is shifting,” Bryan said. “I want to create some kind of motion for your mind so you don’t become bored.” Read the full article by Abby Weidmer at art.byu.edu.

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BYU Photography Student Silvia Borja Announced as Winner of 2020 Photography Competition

admin — Tue, 19 May 2020 22:35:04 +0000

Borja’s winning piece “Fish Out of Water” was inspired by her experience adjusting to a new culture Silvia Borja — a photography student in the BYU Department of Design — was recently announced as a winner of the Communication Arts Annual International Photography Competition. Her winning piece “Fish Out of Water” represents different emotions related to social and cultural isolation we all experience in different stages of our lives. “I was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia. Originally, I got the idea [for Fish Out of Water] when I first moved to the U.S.,” said Borja. “I wanted to portray how I was feeling trying to adjust to a new culture being away from home.” Borja was encouraged by classmates and BYU film and photography professor Robert Machoian to apply to the competition. She had never applied to a competition up until this point and was completely stunned when she learned that her image was preselected and went on to win best in category for student work. Communication Arts is a professional journal for designers, art directors, design firms, corporate design departments, agencies, illustrators, photographers and anyone else involved in visual communications. It works to promote the highest professional standards for each field. The Communication Arts 61st Annual International Photography Competition received 2,511 global entries and only 121 winners were chosen by a jury of creative professionals, making it one of the most exclusive and prestigious major photography competitions. Specifically, the criteria focused on creative excellence and quality of execution in winning photographs. Borja was one of only eight students selected as a winner. “I honestly wanted to create a picture that would force the viewer to look beyond the picture, but also have it be a little ridiculous,” said Borja. “The original idea was having the model wear a fish mask because I thought it would be funny. However, when we started shooting, the mask I bought didn’t work out, so we tried it without it. It ended up looking better than expected.” The winning projects will be reproduced and displayed in the July 2020 issue of Communication Arts, both in print and digital editions. More than 25,000 copies of the issue will be distributed worldwide ensuring important exposure to the creators and publishers of these award-winning images. “I think everyone has felt like a fish out of water at some point in their lives,” remarked Borja. “I think it’s okay to feel that way — most of us do anyway.”

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BYU Magazine: Nothing Gold Can Stay

admin — Tue, 12 May 2020 20:25:43 +0000

“There were puffins flying off the edge of the cliff,” says photography major Sylvia Busteed Magleby (BFA ’20), who worked feverishly to capture Múlafossur Waterfall and the Faroe Islands village of Gásadalur behind it, bathed in fading golden-hour sunlight. She carefully balanced her camera on the wooden stem of a fence to take the snap, bracing against the chilly seaside winds. “This image captures the magic of the Faroe Islands,” says Magleby. “I did not know such a beautiful place existed.” Read more at magazine.byu.edu

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Share Your Story: #CFACGrad Sara Anderson

admin — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 17:02:24 +0000

Photography graduate Sara Anderson shares how an experiential learning opportunity has enhanced her time at BYU Even from the road and through the car window, you could tell she had a process and knew what she was doing. It was planned. It was habit. This woman, with her orange basket full of freshly washed clothes and a handful of pins, was carefully hanging up each article of clothing to sit in the sun and let the wind do its job. The blue of the sky, the green grass, and the muted tones of her clothes all came together and I knew immediately we needed to pull over and capture this sweet, simple moment. We were on our way to another iconic location to photograph some landscapes, but I couldn’t let this quiet moment happening en route pass me by. I hurried to get my camera and BYU photography professor Paul Adams put the car into park. Brinnan — another photo student on the trip — and I walked over to the kind woman and asked if we could take a few photos. With a laugh, she responded yes and carried on with her chore. We talked about the wind and clean clothes, about habits and family. In talking with her, I felt an honesty and kindness that still touches me. She loved her small chore and the routine it brought her, and I feel blessed that I could capture a small part of it while on my field study this summer. I had the opportunity to travel through the islands of Northern Scotland and the Faroe Islands with six other students and three professors as part of a field study. Each of us worked on a project while we were abroad. Mine focused on creating portraits of the local people, talking with them and learning about what makes their heritage rich and lively. Through the process of meeting people, talking with them for a moment about their lives and capturing a portrait, I made connections with and learned from various people. This study abroad provided a unique opportunity to learn about people and myself, something I could not have experienced in the classroom. The publication of student articles allows the College of Fine Arts and Communications to highlight the experiential learning opportunities and behind-the-scenes experiences of students and faculty and tell stories with a unique voice and point of view. Submit your story at cfac.byu.edu.

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Life Imitates Art: Design Graduate Brinnan Schill Reflects on BYU, Photography

Sarah Duffin — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 15:09:06 +0000

Schill — a South Carolina native — will graduate with a BFA in photography and a BA in sociocultural anthropology on April 24, 2020 Brinnan Schill has always been intrigued by human culture. So intrigued, in fact, that she decided to pursue a degree in anthropology at BYU. But as much as she loved anthropology, Schill couldn’t seem to let go of her artistic side, and her mind kept coming back to photography. Eventually, she decided to blend both passions and applied for a double major in photography and anthropology. “I’m drawn to the storytelling elements of photography,” said Schill. “And while I started off not knowing what I would do with a double major, it has been a huge asset in both accessing my artistic self and fueling my fascination with human culture and behavior. “ In addition to feeding her curiosity about human nature, Schill says her studies have taught her a lot about her own life and behavior. Photography in particular has helped her learn how to let go of perfectionism and be open to making mistakes. “One of my favorite photographic processes is the tintype,” Schill said. “When photographing tintypes, there’s no chance for Photoshop or hiding errors. It can be a frustrating process with so many variables at play, and some days you just can’t get the chemicals to cooperate. You have to learn to shrug off the mistakes and continue moving forward. When you finally do make the image you envisioned, it is all the more rewarding!” Rolling with the punches and learning as she goes has been a theme in Schill’s photographic career.In one instance during her BFA capstone project in northern Greenland, she and another student were traveling by dog sled to a remote settlement when their musher lost control of the dog team. “We ended up sitting on a sled for hours in the middle of the arctic fjord, surrounded on all sides by miles and miles of ice,” said Schill. “Eventually help came and we were able to return safely, but it was definitely one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had as a student at BYU.” Learning to go with the flow and accept imperfections in her art has made Schill more resilient in other areas of life as well. “Sometimes things don’t work out,” she said. “Sometimes plans change and you have to adapt and realize that other opportunities will open for you.” Schill encourages new photography students to take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way, especially the abundant resources available through the university. “I’m immensely grateful for all the funding I received at BYU, both through the anthropology program and through the photography program,” she said. “Those independent projects and field studies helped me grow tremendously as a photographer.” Schill hopes to build on the skills she’s gained at BYU as she pursues a master’s degree in visual anthropology. Her latest project — a series of documentary portraits — will be on display in the Harold B. Lee Library this fall. Q&A WITH BRINNAN SCHILL, BFA ‘20 DESIGN | PHOTOGRAPHY What did you want to be when you grew up? “I always wanted to be an author! I was a bookworm and loved reading and attending writing workshops. My plan was to either be a famous author or a pastry chef.” What was your favorite class that you took at BYU? “Either Polynesian Dance or Water Aerobics. I also loved Humanities of Islam. I had a habit of taking random classes that I thought sounded interesting, which is probably why it took me so long to graduate!” Is there a specific work or artist in your field that has had a particularly strong influence on you? “I have a minor in art history, and through studying the work of Baroque painters I have developed an intense appreciation for the work of Caravaggio. Like him, I love using dramatic lighting and busy compositions that draw the viewer in while still maintaining a careful sense of balance.” Do you have a hobby outside of what you do for your major? “I love baking and backpacking! I grew up baking sweets with my mom and grandma and worked at the Grand Canyon as a baker for a summer, where I could bake all morning and then go off to hike and explore for the rest of the day. Hiking is a great way to unplug and de-stress when I’m feeling overwhelmed with projects.” What is your favorite snack for between classes? “Blue Diamond salt and vinegar almonds!”

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