Jay Maisel

I chose to look at Jay Maisel's photography because he doesn't just look at one area of photography, like most of the other photographers I researched did. This means that there is a larger variation and there is something for everyone to like. I also like how it is abstract and unusual, as this shows creativity. 

Jay Maisel began his career in photography in 1954. He spent over 40 years shooting annual reports, magazine covers, jazz albums, advertising and more for an array of clients worldwide. Since he stopped taking on commercial work in the late ’90s, Jay has continued to focus on his personal work.

I like the colours used in this photo. I like how the bright lights from the building windows contrast against the dull brown sky. The outline of the building can be clearly seen as they contrast agains the grey fog to create silhouettes so that shape is show. I also like how the image focusses on the nearest buildings so that you can see through the windows, whereas the further buildings begin to fade away. This allows depth to be visible and emphasises the size of the area. I like the camera angle used in this photo as it allows us to see the small buildings at the front as well as the tall buildings at the back, which is another form of contrast. I like the background in this image as where the buildings meet the sky it is quite light and mostly, but it gets darker the further up it goes. The top two corners are particularly shadowy which i find is quite effective.

Although this image is simple it is very effective. There is a high contrast between the dark silhouettes of the people and the light and plain wall. Because of this contrast the outline of the people can be seen very clearly so that shape is clear. Although Lines are visible in the wall in the background, and also texture is shown. 

This image is also very simple, however I really like the colours used, and the contrast between the confetti and the plain sky. Also, I find it interesting how the quality of the image is not effected by movement.  

I really like how abstract this picture is. It is not something commonly photographed, and is something put together by the photographer which shows creativity. I also like the combination of colour and the contrast between the silhouette and the colourful lights. 

After looking at Jay Maisel's photography I feel like I want to experiment with abstract photography and contrast, as I find it really adds interest to the image. 

Jay Maisel has influenced me to try out more abstract photography, and also to take pictures with a lot less going on in the frame, or so that the object in the photo only takes up a small part of the frame, as I noticed he does this in some of his work like the picture of the men standing in front of the wall.

After first discovering Maisel's work, I still enjoy it and admire it. The more of his work I have seen, the more I realise how different his pictures are. I like this because he takes pictures of a large variety of different things and doesn't stick to one theme.