Bryan Schutmaat

I feel compelled to show Bryan Schutmaat due to the Intermediate critique that we just had. I do not believe that Schutmaat is the greatest photographer in the world, BUT I do think he composes his photographs very well. He will probably be one of the least experimental photographers that I choose to write about in this class, however I think that we all need a little reminder of what Shane preached in his intro course: no using any form of "I LIKE/I LOVE" in critiques.

Although I feel that it is sometimes alright to speak highly of a persons work, I do not think that it is healthy for a photographer or artist in general. When we hear these "I LIKE/I LOVE" for every picture that shows up, we forget to bring up many important things that must be improved to truly make the picture great. These words sometimes give us a false sense of mastery of an art that we have barely tapped into. Remember: we are just undergraduate college students at a campus that does not just focus on art. CRITicisms are not a bad thing. They are meant to show you what you can consider while working on a piece to improve your creation. This goes for all mediums, not just photography. The absence of these words pushes us to try harder and experiment more. There sometimes has been "good" work at SNC, but not "great" work. These critiques are meant to give us ideas, tips, and advice to work towards "greatness". *whew* now to Bryan Schutmaat. I picked these photos because they work best with my evaluation of our last critique. I do realize that the project for them was to consider light and color - not focusing on concept, editing, or cropping, however there were some things that really impressed me/made me frustrated more than others. The picture above this paragraph works with the multiple curtain photos that were shown. First of all, you can tell that Schutmaat is familiar with his camera. Sure, you might think that his pictures are dull or possibly boring, but I will cover that in just a second. The picture here is so sensitive and uses the colors available very intentionally to create a very well composed picture. I feel that this is what Shane may have been striving for rather than "oh! Pretty color(s)! Picture time!" All of these baby steps that the assignment offers is potentially a strong starting point and a good opportunity to refine your skills while mustering up some sort of concept to work with throughout the semester.This photograph reminded me a lot of Sam's color/light project. There could potentially be opportunities to add people into the frame or to even leave it empty like Schutmaat chooses to do with his photography. Either way, you get the feeling that someone either was here, is going to be here at some point, or this is what it looks like when it is closed for the night. Either way, quite the eerie atmosphere. Sam was able to complete the project while getting vital feedback that possibly pointed her in a direction that she can begin to work towards. Many of the other photographs seemed like imagery that was following a strict guideline(without considering composition or the atmosphere around the color/light) when in reality, no art has strict guidelines and there is always the opportunity to put SOME unique thought behind what your professor or mentor wants to see.
There is NO disrespect behind this post. I just think that it is very important to remember where you are, what you are doing, and that always giving/receiving good compliments is not a good thing. This goes for every photography/art student. If you have received praise for your work, good, but that does not mean your work is "great". Maybe even try to force people to tell you what is wrong. If you hear some good things literally ask for some negative comments. They only help you, especially at this early stage in our artistic careers.
Bryan Schutmaat's photography showcases these great color/light situations with a unique musty, yet rich color sensitive atmosphere. Although this lonely and abandoned space takes the spotlight, I believe that the colors and lighting makes his situations a collection of photographs that create a single body of work. He is aware of this space, not literally a beam of light coming through a window, or a single color created by it. There is a nice blend between the two. These pictures are obviously "good", but they are not "great". There is more that he can do with these, but that is for him to figure out with his artistic process through plenty of experimentation. He just needs to continue to push himself, regardless of compliments or criticisms.

Critique these: what sucks about these pictures?