Blog #5 Ralph Gibson

Ralph Gibson is a famous American artist from California that focuses on photography. Ralph was born on January 16,1939 and at the age of 83, he continues to work on his photography. It seems that Ralph Gibson's preference is to work in black and white with very dramatic tones to create mysterious pieces. Occasionally Ralph will work with a macro lens, but he normally works close to his subject at hand and works with a 50mm lens in order to catch these masterpieces. 

With Ralph Gibson's work, it seems he likes making sure there is a balance between his black and whites. In this picture, the nice contrast between the all-black clothing to the white rose gives the viewer a focal point, with the contrast being so dramatic. There is also a blurred background to make sure his subject is the only focus. I love how you can still see very intricate details in his hands with his nails and the wrinkles being so focused. 

This photo shows a man holding a French flag. This is part of Ralph Gibson's archives during his time throughout France from 1971-2004. This photograph obviously shows the French flag, but if you look closely to the right you can still see the figure of the male holding this flag. With Ralph's compositional prowess, he uses the white from the building to help lighten up the spot for his subject. I have never seen something like this which is cool to see. I love how the difference, in the contrast, is very noticeable.