Kyle Kopta Digital Imaging

   Regardless of how my documentary turned out in the end, the experience of it has been invaluable, and the lessons I have learned from it are ones that I can apply to all of my work in the future (both in photography and elsewhere). If you had asked me just a few months ago to hunt down a stranger in a different town and ask them to collaborate with me on a project, I wouldn't have thought I could possibly achieve that. Although the project has been done for several days now, I am still finding myself thinking about it all the time, which is a clear indicator to me that the project was worth something substantial in and of itself.    I don't know why I care so much about Gerry Matthews and his little museum in Walla Walla, but I do. I found Gerry's museum through the website Atlas Obscura , and I was immediately intrigued by the polarizing reviews of his work. One online reviewer describes Gerry's work as "a weird collection of a perverted old man's garbag...

   Platon is a beautiful photographer that one can learn from in terms of how to collaborate and connect with the subject of a photograph. Platon's portraits are instantly recognizable in part due to the technical aspects of his process (film, lighting, position of the camera, etc), but they are iconic mainly due to his attitude towards the camera as a vehicle for a story and a feeling. The subjects of Platon's portraits, whether they be revered politicians or disenfranchised individuals, are not a means to an end; they are a learning experience and an opportunity for genuine human connection.    The lessons one can take away from Platon and this documentary as a whole are ones that can be applied directly to my documentary. What really stuck out to me was the idea of having to earn the moment where someone is open to the camera. One must be able to spend time on the connection with the subject in order to get something out of it that results in a moment worth sha...

   The following images are from my first shoot for my photograph documentary. The subject of my documentary is Gerry Matthews and his Museum of Unnatural History in Walla Walla. I feel the story of what he has created is important because his little self-made museum is truly a passion project that one is not likely to see around here. Gerry has spent his retirement creating this body of work that boldly speaks his thoughts on the world around him, and he only asks that people see it.      The ability to go back to the museum for another session is going to be very beneficial to me because it allows me to evaluate what I was able to get the first time and make a list of things that I need to capture or work on technically. For example, one of the things on my list is to adjust my white balance because the lights in the building are very yellow and very strong. Visiting a second time will also help me build a better relationship with Gerry. He did not...

   The following images are part of my backup plan for the documentary project in case my main idea ends up not working out. For the past couple of weeks, I have been very interested in the recent U.N. climate report that has given a 12 year deadline on how long world industries have to change their coal emission habits before catastrophic damage is done to the environment (at least noticeably more than what has already been done). The Armageddon-esque rhetoric has sparked a more passionate and aggressive discussion on climate change, and many people are becoming more aware of the adverse affects of fossil fuel emissions and poor agricultural practices (sea levels rising, human conflicts, etc). With this in my mind, I have become hyper-aware of the trash and litter in Howard Amon park where I walk everyday. I like how most of these photographs turned out, but what I am really struggling with is the idea of making a documentary rather than a themed series. The concept of cli...

   Chapter 8, 'Physical and Material', explores the idea of works that rely on their medium itself in order to push a narrative or highlight the physical properties of the art itself. In terms of photography, this can manifest itself in making deliberate choices to shoot on film or incorporate photographs into a larger installation. Considering the availability and popularity of image taking today, the conscious decision to use older analogue techniques or elevate the physical image beyond the single frame is one that holds significance in the artistic process. Along with this, the democratization of publishing photography has resulted in innovative ways of presenting and distributing photography to the world.    One such photographer who has innovated the way that their photographs are viewed is Jason Evans with his NYLPT project. While Evans' works is available as a printed book, it is also available as an app for your smartphone. The app uses a randomized algor...