National Geographic

For whatever reason, I have always loved the pictures National Geographic posts. Maybe it's because I love photography, or because I love traveling, or maybe it's because they are just down right amazing a lot of the time. I think it would be amazing to not only be able to see all of the unique places they go to but to be able to photograph and share those experiences with those who may not be able to do so themselves.

Here are just a few of the photos I've seen that were great!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View more incredible photos at: http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/

 

 

Ferguson

The photos below feature some of the most unique signs I've seen across the media.

 

This kid should be in school not protesting on the streets.

Photo by Jimmy Bernhard, KSDK

 



There will never be any peace if we don't stop the violence.

Photo by Scott Olson, KSDK

 

What happens if we find out Mike was the guilty one?

Photo by Scott Olson, KSDK

 

The officer would have acted the same way regardless of skin color.

Photo by Scott Olson, KSDK

 

The attention Ferguson is getting on the media.

 

 

I think that these photos could all be arranged in a circle. Without people protesting, there would be nothing for the media to report on. Once the protestors see they are getting the attention they want, they will continue to protest with the hopes of being featured on TV, the Internet, and other forms of social media. It's a chain, and until someone breaks it by ending the violence, it's going to continue going.

The Ferguson Frenzy

We all have seen and heard about the recent events that have taken place in Ferguson, MO. This city seems so far away from those who live in the suburbs, like myself, but they are actually much closer to us than one may think.

I find it interesting how those who have been rioting, looting, and destroying the city of Ferguson are also some of the people who are saying there needs to be an end to police brutality. It is hard for me to understand how those who committing such acts of violence can expect police to NOT step in. Breaking into stores, such as QT, and stealing their merchandise and setting the store on fire is a crime. Assaulting officers is a crime. Shooting innocent people is a crime. So tell me again, how is the police's involvement in Ferguson being viewed as "police brutality" to some? If people in Ferguson weren't acting out violently then there would be no reason for the police to even be involved. Do people really think police officers are wanting to face the protests and riots for their own pleasure? Do people really think the officers want to potentially risk their own lives to the hate and violence that is going on in Ferguson at night? The police are trying to END the violence and PROTECT the innocent.

With that being said, there are people who are protesting peacefully, and bravo to those people because that is a step towards the justice they may feel they deserve. Violence is not, and never will be, the answer to our problems. It saddens me to see the media showing pictures of Martin Luther King Jr. related to this event because his protests were not like this one has been. His had a purpose to help the people as a whole.

The protests in Ferguson are about one man: Michael Brown. Did the people protesting even know Mike? Do they really CARE about this man who died? Personally, I don't think a majority even knew him. I think they think that protesting about this one particular shooting will benefit themselves personally. I think they think they know the whole story when they don't. I think they need to calm down, stop the violence, let the investigations continue, and allow the facts arise.

What happens if the facts show that the officer really did kill Mike in cold blood? Will the violence continue in Ferguson? Will the chaos end once an officer is behind bars? What happens if the facts show that Mike Brown really was assaulting the officer who shot him? Will the protests and violence continue? Will it stop? Will people think they resorted to violence to defend a man who was guilty?

Everyone needs to take a few steps back for a minute and reevaluate the reasons why they are getting involved with this situation. They need to make sure they are being respectful members of society while protesting whatever they are protesting. They also need to know what they are protesting.

Stop the violence. Promote protest for peace.



 

 

 

 

 

Georgia O'Keeffe

Georgia O'Keeffe has been well known for decades in America. Her first work was exhibited in New York in 1916. Her work was well-known in more countries than just America though. O'Keeffe's work ranged from many different types of mediums, dates, subjects, and qualities. She kept a lot of her own work so she could document her progression from start to finish.

"I have but one desire as a painter – that is to paint what I see, 

as I see it, in my own way, without regard for the desires or taste of the 

professional dealer or the professional collector." - Georgia O’Keeffe

 

 Georgia O'Keeffe is actually one of my favorite artists because I really love how she would take something generic like a flower and zoom it in really love up to show all of the little details that we sometimes miss out on. 

 I also really love the color schemes she used in her paintings. This painting above makes me think of poinsettias because they are such a bright red color.

Check out more of her artwork online.

Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol was an American artist who was one of the leading figures in the visual art movement which is also known as pop art. Warhol used many mediums such as drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, silk screening, sculpture, film and music. 

His work explores the relationship between artistic expression, celebrity culture, and advertisement in the 1960s. He was a commercial illustrator, but also a controversial artist. This piece above is an example of his work featuring celebrity culture; the woman above is Marilyn Monroe. I really like the idea of taking one photo and replicating it over and over again with a different color scheme.

Above is a picture of the inside of The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which has a large majority of his work and it's the largest American museum that is about just one artist.

See more of his work here!

Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso a Spanish painter, sculptor, print-maker, ceramicist, and stage designer who lived primarily in France. He's known as one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century because he is widely known for co-founding the Cubist movement, the invention of constructed sculpture, the co-invention of collage, and for the wide variety of styles that he helped develop.

 

These two paintings above were done by Picasso. He created his own style of artwork that is well-known throughout the world. Although his work is quite famous, personally, I am not a fan of his style of work, cubism, when it comes to portraits because I prefer more realistic portraits. 

 

This piece above is suppose to represent tea cups but it's more abstract than his two portraits above. I like how he used contrasting colors like blues and oranges because it makes your eyes wander across his painting. I like how he split up the painting with black lines. 

See more of his work at: http://www.picasso.fr/us/picasso_page_index.php

Child Prodigy - Kieron Williamson

Kieron Williamson is merely ten years old, but he paints like Claude Monet. He was discovered as a child prodigy when he was only six years old. 

In 2009, he had an exhibition where all 16 of his paintings sold out in only 14 minutes. In 2010, he held another exhibition and all of his paintings sold in thirty minutes.

He is known for his water color paintings, but has worked with other types of mediums as well.

 

This piece above was made with oil pastels. It's crazy to think that the person who drew this is just a kid, but his attention to detail is amazing. I love the colors in this and how the landscape in the background reflects into the water.

 

It's interesting to see the texture from the brush strokes throughout the sky and hill on the right side of the painting. But it's equally as interesting to see how smooth his brush strokes were in the water to show how calm the water was. 

See more of his work here!