Caleb Cole is a photographer from Indianapolis. His love for "junk" started when he was young and his mother brought him with her to thrift stores and garage sales. Cole has won various awards for his work. Photos from his "Other people's clothes" exhibition were from Decordova. In this series Cole went to thrift stores and selected garments. He then found a setting that he thought would go well with those outfits. He's a small man so he is able to fit in many different outfits. The photo I am choosing to analyze is the first one up above and it's titled Refinement and Elegance and it was taken in 2010. The photo is set in a fancy living room that he thought would accentuate the clothing. Cole found a room in which he could look elegant as well as have colors that complement his outfit. The room is well furnished and the blue of the walls goes with the blue of his outfit. The photo is a self portrait that Cole created using a tripod and timer.
Compositionally, the lighting is coming from the left side of the room most likely from a window. The photo has multiple shadows and highlights. There are shadows in the corners, behind the chair, and he casts a shadow onto the wall behind him. Compositionally the photo is correctly exposed and in focus. The photo was taken from a straight on angle and is asymmetrical, there are a lot of varying heights in the photo. The photo follows the rule of thirds; Cole is placed on the left rule of thirds lines and the mantle is too. Although the background is very distracting and filled with clutter Cole is a very distinct focal point. Even though he almost blends into the wall, he is the first thing you observe when you look at the photo. The photo is horizontal and it's very effective because it shows more of the room which is very important to the purpose of the photo. The wall is a leading line that leads to the left to the back corner of the room. That back corner of the room is the background as well as the wall. Cole and most of the furniture near him is in the middleground and the chair and table are in the foreground. The wall and mantle lead your eye through the work from one side to the other.
The photo is a very original, bright and interesting composition. The photo is captivating because when you first look at it you don't really know what's going on. Coles expression is also very intriguing as well as his outfit and posture. At first the photo seems very serious because of his presence and stance. He isn't smiling and looks very proper. After looking more at the photo it almost becomes humorous because of how humorous he looks in the outfit and setting. When looking at Cole he camera angle is straight on. When looking at the wall the camera angle is off to the side so that the wall is on an angle.
The photo allows you to create your own backstory. When you look at the photo you start to wonder who he is supposed to be. When I looked at the photo he seemed to be a very rich and proper man who may be a little snooty. The photo looks very realistic because it seems like a scene that would happen naturally in real life although when you first look it at it seems like something is a little weird or odd. The artist created the piece to show what environment that he feels that the outfit should go in. Cole is experimenting with "ideas of gender, image, personality, culture, and empathy". I really like this piece and all of the pieces in the series and find them extremely interesting and thought provoking. I enjoy seeing what he thinks about certain outfits and although it seems almost like stereotyping it's not offensive and quite humorous.
Compositionally, the lighting is coming from the left side of the room most likely from a window. The photo has multiple shadows and highlights. There are shadows in the corners, behind the chair, and he casts a shadow onto the wall behind him. Compositionally the photo is correctly exposed and in focus. The photo was taken from a straight on angle and is asymmetrical, there are a lot of varying heights in the photo. The photo follows the rule of thirds; Cole is placed on the left rule of thirds lines and the mantle is too. Although the background is very distracting and filled with clutter Cole is a very distinct focal point. Even though he almost blends into the wall, he is the first thing you observe when you look at the photo. The photo is horizontal and it's very effective because it shows more of the room which is very important to the purpose of the photo. The wall is a leading line that leads to the left to the back corner of the room. That back corner of the room is the background as well as the wall. Cole and most of the furniture near him is in the middleground and the chair and table are in the foreground. The wall and mantle lead your eye through the work from one side to the other.
The photo is a very original, bright and interesting composition. The photo is captivating because when you first look at it you don't really know what's going on. Coles expression is also very intriguing as well as his outfit and posture. At first the photo seems very serious because of his presence and stance. He isn't smiling and looks very proper. After looking more at the photo it almost becomes humorous because of how humorous he looks in the outfit and setting. When looking at Cole he camera angle is straight on. When looking at the wall the camera angle is off to the side so that the wall is on an angle.
The photo allows you to create your own backstory. When you look at the photo you start to wonder who he is supposed to be. When I looked at the photo he seemed to be a very rich and proper man who may be a little snooty. The photo looks very realistic because it seems like a scene that would happen naturally in real life although when you first look it at it seems like something is a little weird or odd. The artist created the piece to show what environment that he feels that the outfit should go in. Cole is experimenting with "ideas of gender, image, personality, culture, and empathy". I really like this piece and all of the pieces in the series and find them extremely interesting and thought provoking. I enjoy seeing what he thinks about certain outfits and although it seems almost like stereotyping it's not offensive and quite humorous.