Photobook Research Assignment 1

http://www.selfpublishbehappy.com/2017/02/ordinary-magazine-issue-3/

Throughout my research, the one photobook that stuck out to me the most was one called “Extra-Ordinary.” The cover itself is bland; plain blue with a pocketful of Q-tips, and the plainest type. It sets up emphasis on the Q-tip, a theme which is carried out throughout the entire photobook. The Q-tip as an object is rarely considered a vital necessity in everyday life; rarely praised as contributing something special to society. While the cover conveys how “ordinary” these objects are typically viewed as, the remainder of the book utilizes a unique approach to demonstrate that the Q-tip can be used in a multitude of ways that extend beyond the “ordinary.” Although every image is distinct and stands separately from the others, the general message (when the photobook is considered as a whole) remains.

The size of these photos span the entirety of the book’s pages, filling up the space completely. From the get-go, this makes the content of the images seem much larger, representing the idea that Q-tips can have a larger and more significant role in life than it appears from the outside; All of these images are more complex than the book’s exterior. The artist used the symmetry of the book’s pages to their benefit, making the images symmetrical from the left and the right side in some cases. As in the photo of the couch, this symbolizes balance between the left and right portions of the images, as well as the vertical stability and balance achieved by the Q-tips holding the couch cushions up. The third image is more abstract in its formal qualities; there is an equal and opposite symmetry of the Q-tips, differing from the first photo, zoomed in close with greater detail of the Q-tip defined. There is some sort of colored liquid surrounding the Q-tips. As this imagery stands out by itself in contrast with the plain white background, these images are much more abstract in nature, suggesting the beauty in the detail that is commonly not seen with the naked eye. Balance is again demonstrated in image 4, 5, 6, and 8, where the Q-tip goes from holding up a book cover/cup of milk, to a more complex structure of the Eiffel Tower, to an even more complex and abstract structure, back to another simple and symmetrical cube structure. The last image ends the book with a lone Q-tip floating by itself in the air, against a very blurred background of city buildings and clear sky. The switching from complex and detailed imagery back to aesthetically simple imagery further conveys the idea that there is substance in detail, that something considered ordinary within society can actually offer a substantial and complex purpose. I am especially intrigued by the 8^th image, however, which seems to be digitized rather than an actual photograph. This offers a stark elemental contrast to the other images, as it allowed much greater detail to be included, as well as random and seemingly unrelated objects (an ear, clouds, random red circles) to be included in the midst of the Q-tip structure. It also allows there to be much more depth to the image, as the viewer is able to see the Q-tips from many different angles all at once. More importantly, the structure sits on top of a street, emphasizing the idea that it is everyday things that offer the greatest complexity; that we may find this complexity surrounding us on a daily basis.

It is obvious that the artist carefully considers the layout of the photograph, in regards to what is included in the left and right pages, drawing the eye to different corners, putting emphasis on a certain object, offering balance and symmetry, and so on. Another useful technique the artist employed is the use of plain colored backgrounds, with objects standing in stark contrast to these backgrounds. This technique can be used to emphasize the importance of the image by directly drawing the eye to the focus.