Charlotte Digital Compositing

Old is New Again - Ava Shuman

My concept for Old is New Again was to create a commentary on the way we perceive war in the present day. Many photographs from the civil war features deceased subjects, which is something I wanted to touch on with my project. Photographers may have taken so many photos of people's bodies because it was convenient at the time, but it shows the massive loss that wars bring. Nowadays, there are international wars happening around the globe, and yet we have less of an idea than ever how devastating these wars can be. Gruesome imagery is censored and journalists are silenced. Our first thought about that could be that the government is protecting its citizens from hysteria and the horrors of war, but a deeper look reveals the benefits of keeping the public out of the loop. I feel strongly that the government's idolatry of war aesthetics, mindsets, and morals is leading to normalization, starting the moment we are able to play with toy guns.

To express my thoughts through this project, I created a somewhat civil-war-esque outfit and made a portrait of myself. Rather than holding a rifle like many of the actual soldiers' portraits, I hold a plastic gun. War is only a game while we are young, until we are exposed to the reality of it and forced to cope with and accept war as we are expected to. I place a photo of a soldier and a child in the background to make the imagery of childishness more obvious.

Links:
https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cwpb.03792/?co=civwar
https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cwpb.04743/?co=civwar
https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.67835/?co=civwar
https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.11700/

Old Is New Again - Ziah McDowell

Sunday's Best: Redefined

This piece explores how the outward appearance of faith can change over time while the meaning behind it can remain the same.Traditionally , "Sunday's best" was associated with dressing formally for church, so I intentionally photographed myself in a modern hoodie while holding a Bible. The casual clothing creates a contrast between present-day church culture and the more formal traditions of the past.

I placed myself in front of a historic church image from the library of congress. The church acts as the connection to the past , while the clothing shows the present. The contrast encourages the viewer to question whether Sunday's best is about the clothing someone wears or the intention they bring with them.

https://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=Photograph:%20wi0119&fi=number&op=PHRASE&va=exact&co%20=hh&st=gallery&sg%20=%20true

Old is New Again - Ryan Black

My concept was "digital museum." I love learning about history, but the 18th-20th centuries are my blind spot and in my opinion, there's no better way to learn about history than to go to a museum. To visualize this, I inserted a picture of myself in the setting as though I'm experiencing the moment with the featured individuals. I chose to wear clothing that deliberately contrasted with the others and I chose to depict myself looking down at my phone to convey that in no way am I able to interact with any of the men in the photo and that I'm a tourist to the time.

Library of Congress source.

Old is New Again - Chase Gibbs

My concept for Old is New was to show the two biggest stages in my musical journey. My younger self in the front is shown with a joyful expression, as I was just introduced to the world of music and its many capabilities. Children have such wild imaginations and endless creativity; there were no rules that guided my creation. As I am new and I'm free to create as much as I wish, there's a feeling of joy and curiosity. My young self takes old records stacked at the bottom and creates something new, something that is created without any restrictions. In my body language, I move and sway carefree, just like that music I make.

My older self is shown still playing music, but there is a distinct difference in tone. That joy and curiosity are gone; at this stage, I have learned the rules that make up the music world, and it restricts me. My face is still, and my form is stiff. At this stage in my music journey, all I could focus on was the rules and playing exactly as instructed. There wasn't any room for interpretation and making music my own.

Soured Imaged

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/ppprs/00600/00630v.jpg

https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2026169089/resource/

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/ppmscd/07000/07057u.tif

https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2026169079/resource/

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/ppmscd/07000/07046u.tif

Old is New Again - Jimmy Truong

In this composite, I'm trying recapture my memory of learning to bike in Vietnam. I've only visited Vietnam about 4 times in my life so having a pivotal core memory of learning to ride a bike creates a sentimental bridge between the two things. In a way, it also connects me with my family since most of them are from or living in Vietnam.

For the photo, I used a street photo of Hanoi with a clear view of the Vietnamese flag and then I added the biker and tricycle to emphasize maturity and difference in level of biking. The modern aspect of the motorcycle brings us to the present while contrasting with the older elements of a wet plate collodion. For the frame, I utilized the edges from multiple pictures from the Library of Congress.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/street-vendor-in-hanoi-alley-with-vietnamese-flags-34124512/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/grayscale-photo-of-a-person-riding-a-bicycle-10569410/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-a-red-childrens-bike-by-a-road-5012902/

https://www.loc.gov/item/2018670507/
https://www.loc.gov/item/2018666343/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-grey-illustration-3377414/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-gray-surface-3377405/

Old is New Again - Samantha Padro

My concept is the difference between livelihoods and generations. I used a photograph of my abuela sitting holding some mangos she grew and plans to sell. One of the ways she made a living back then was growing her own fruit and selling them. She was very proud of herself in this picture. I am standing beside her holding a grocery bag of fruit with some mangos in my arm. The grocery bag and mangos show a difference between our experiences and class. I have the privilege and easy access of simply going to the supermarket and buying them. I blurred myself a bit to represent a sense of disconnect between us, as well as wearing headphones, nice shoes, a labubu. Through the contrast between our different experiences, her labor and my access to convenience, I wanted to show the generational disconnect and the privilege of taking something so readily available for granted.

Link:

Peon couple

Old Is New Again - Jose Canas Vargas

Through this work, I wanted to show a portal into the spiritual world.

When I think of Lani, I always see her as a spiritual warrior, a woman ready for battle no matter the circumstances. When I first met Lani, I occasionally captured glimpses of her spirit self: a woman with strong arms and a big build. While contemplating the concept, I initially sought to photograph her as an African American boxer from the Civil War. This changed when the photo became much more intimate.

Indications of documentary photography are key in the photograph, capturing Lani as she puts on her gloves, with her gaze away from the viewer, announcing her ferocity for battle and the energy culminating around her, warning any suitors of her strength. This project is intended to acknowledge the spiritual side of the physical world; many grow blind to spiritual implications, and I seek to bring invisible realities into the visual. Showcasing Lani's strength through her portrait was my goal.

Ephesians 6:12

I used this Photograph from the Library of Congress