So I had my last Thesis meeting for this quarter this past week. It went well and I left with a smile on my face. It felt really great to hear that I had made progress. To hear it from someone else gives me a sense of accomplishment and encourages me to continue on with my work. I brought tons of source materials including websites for Elliot Erwitt and Mary Ellen Mark and a few books highlighting some other influencial artists that I have found and been pointed to. The crowd favorite, however, happened to be my book of Sam Jones' photography of celebrities. I love this book. I talked my parents into getting it for me for christmas because I simply adored all of the photos that consists of it. I brought it to share because I love it so much, but I must admit that I didn't think it would go over as well as it did. I thought that because it was a bunch of rather commercial-looking photos all of celebrities that it wouldn't be taken very seriously. To my suprise, they loved it.

My committee did, however, come to a slightly different conclusion than that of my last wip review with my advanced photo class. While paging through my resource materials and looking over my contact sheets, Ryan found one other photo that he preferred to some of the enlarged photos I hung up. They suggested that when taking more photos, I should try to control and direct the subject and environment more. I really do like being in control and comprising a composition that I know what the general turn out will be. While I do like this idea, I am a little confused as to whether I should make yet another complete turn in my thesis or if I should just keep doing what I have been and just direct when I get the chance. I just feel a little bit like it will be difficult to direct a subject when I have just walked up to them on the street and don't know anything about them. My thesis is supposed to focus on people's character, or characteristics, that I find so interesting that I want to photograph it and share it with my audience. I will do my best to get the photos I want and I am still really excited to shoot some more photos; which is a good sign in my book!