Jessica Bartek Photography

2011-01-26T13:16:00.001-08:00

My boyfriend and I are starting our own studio! Please check out our site:
http://www.pixelpopphoto.com

And become a fan on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pixel-Pop-Photography/138678449526305?v=wall

Kristeen and Chad

2010-11-04T21:27:00.001-07:00

Kristeen and Chad were such a cute and fun couple to photograph.

Tiffany and Lucas

2010-09-22T09:49:00.000-07:00

Such a fun engagement session. I loved how I was able to get out of the studio and be creative. Looking forward to photographing their wedding in January.

Published

2010-08-08T14:24:00.001-07:00

I'm published! Finally received my copy of the Best of College Photography 2010.

Wedding Photographer Fail

2010-08-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

Please please please let this never happen to me!

Gruesome Roots

2010-05-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

Gruesome Roots illustrates original versions of fairy tales containing murder, suicide, and cannibalism. Rooted deep in our subconscious, fairy tales started off as something much different than the watered-down Disney versions that so many of us are familiar with today. I am interested in how dark and gruesome stories were told to children and adults to teach morals and to entertain.

In my work, I use one model to re-enact original versions of fairy tales. In doing so, I am referencing the idea of acting out the tales, and how as a child I would imagine myself as the main character when I was told some of these stories. This has influenced the construction of my photographs because I am using location and costuming that I imagined as a child to illustrate these stories.

I enjoy constructing images using everything that is available to me. This includes models, set design, costuming, lighting, and post-production in Adobe Photoshop. The desire to create work this way is inspired by films such as Pan’s Labyrinth, Ink, and Sleepy Hollow. By drawing influence from films that have beautiful cinematography but are dark in nature I create images that are visually pleasing at first glance but upon further inspection contain sinister content. I want viewers to comprehend the dark nature of how these tales were originally told. The fairy tales that are re-enacted in Gruesome Roots are tales that I have deconstructed in ways that I could not do as a child to gain a better understanding of how dark these tales actually are.

BFA Graduating Show

2010-05-02T13:18:00.001-07:00

I can't believe how quickly the show went. It was nice to hear so many compliments from strangers. I was also excited to learn that the Vindicator used my photo for the ad in the paper about the show!

2010-04-25T15:34:00.000-07:00

Aliens are something that I have always believed in. As a child I remember having an experience of fascination and fear as I watched an episode of The X-Files with my parents. Although I have never experienced anything extra-terrestrial, I am still a firm believer that we are not the only intelligent life in the universe.

In my work I use photography to show extra-terrestrial ideas. Since aliens are such a mystery, I use photography as a way to show what could be happening around us. I think of these photographs as fictional evidence of alien life. This work was inspired by movies featuring extra-terrestrial life such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Fourth Kind, War of the Worlds, and Signs. I loosely recreate scenes from these movies and draw inspiration from their beautiful cinematography.

For this series I’m using photography as a way to create fictional photographic evidence of alien life. I want the viewers of this work question their beliefs on the topic. Since images can be so easily manipulated using programs such as Photoshop many believe there is no photographic evidence of alien life. I want to leave it up to the viewer to make their own decision about what is truth and what is fiction.

Large Scale Technical Assignment

2010-03-01T10:41:00.000-08:00

Lightjet Print: 20"x30"

Grayscale Technical Assignment

2010-03-01T10:40:00.001-08:00

Technical Assignment

2010-01-26T12:43:00.000-08:00

Technical Assignment - Film Scanning
Old project dealing with made up identities.

Bones

2010-01-07T17:21:00.000-08:00

This work illustrates decay and decomposition using real bones, leaves, dirt, and branches. I scanned these objects and made scannograms rather than taking actual photographs of these objects to emphasize the shallow depth of field created using the scanner. I used a shallow depth of field to show the idea of these bones being buried on different levels of dirt. These objects were scanned into Photoshop and then turned a sepia tone to create a dirty look to the images and to add to the idea of these bones being buried.
My hopes are that by using real bones the work will easily communicate the idea of decay. I want the work to show the idea of animals and people becoming part of the earth when they die as their bodies decompose. I’m interested in decay and what people believe will happen to their bodies and spirit after death. The bones themselves are disgusting, but the shallow depth of field and the compositions are what make these images beautiful.

Stop motion

2009-10-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

Stop motion video made up of nearly 400 images. The theme deals with the places we dream about rather than the things that happen in dreams.

Music: Sigur Ros - Hoppipolla

The Four Elements of Nature

2009-06-26T12:56:00.001-07:00

For this project, I wanted to use the classical elements of nature; air, earth, fire and water as a theme. Since most of the elements represent goddesses or femininity, I wanted to use female models. When I think about goddesses of ancient Greece I think of women wearing long flowing dresses. I decided to have each model represent a specific element. I attempted to associate the elements with colors and environments that I felt best represented that element.

I decided to pair a portrait image of each element with a darker side to each element. I wanted the darker side of each element to essentially show how that element can harm or kill someone. Too much earth could result in being buried alive. Too much water could result in being drowned. A lack of air can lead to suffocation and too much fire could result in catching on fire.

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

2009-06-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

I really love watching movies and being inspired by the cinematography. Tim Burton recently released some photos from his version of Alice in Wonderland. I can honestly say that I cannot wait to see this movie. These images are completely surreal and amazing.

Dorothy

2009-05-27T11:40:00.000-07:00

Renee

2009-05-01T17:43:00.000-07:00

Final Project For Advanced Photo

2008-12-07T14:40:00.000-08:00

Final project for advanced photo dealing with dreams and surrealism.

The Photographic Witness

2008-11-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

Advanced Photo project that deals with questioning the reality of a photograph and asking what is fact and what is fiction. I'm not very religious, so I chose bible stories that I find to be ridiculous and re-enacted them using miniatures. I tried to make it clear I'm not a believer by using toys and a shallow depth of field to tell these stories. These are printed 12x12.

New Assignment: Art As a Creative Social Practice

2008-10-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

This assignment was to make a postcard about Youngstown that is going to be sent to a class in Chattanooga. They will respond to our postcards and send us one about Chattanooga. I worked with Sierra on this assignment and she came up with the idea to do a then and now type of postcard. We decided to do the old Liberty/Paramont Theater. I really wish they would rebuild and reopen this theater. I've been lucky enough to go inside once.

Intervention in a public space

2008-10-09T18:37:00.001-07:00

Latest project for Art As a Creative Social Practice: intervention in a public space.

Experiment in the Philosophy of Everyday Life

2008-10-09T18:04:00.000-07:00

Experiment in the Philosophy of Everyday Life #64 - Find a blue food.

Why is it that the only natural blue food I could find was blueberries? There are so many artificially blue foods, most of them being sweets. It's weird that we live on Earth, which is called the blue planet, and so few natural blue foods exsist.

Carousal

2008-09-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

I love going to the fair.. it always brings back memories. My family brings a trailor every year and we used to camp out when I was younger. I also used to show my horses and llamas in 4H.

Class assignments coming soon.

Why I love night photography.

2008-07-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

I love night photography.. especially when I have a S3 to play with.

American

2008-05-23T18:33:00.000-07:00

Final Images- Portfolio Review

2008-04-10T18:44:00.000-07:00

Little Worlds, Little Narratives

2008-04-10T18:24:00.000-07:00

2008-04-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

During my portfolio review it was noticed how well these two images work together, which is really interesting because they were taken in two separate photo classes.

2008-04-02T20:24:00.001-07:00

I think this is possibly one of my most controversial photos and I love it.

Color photo assignment: Document truth

2008-02-18T11:50:00.000-08:00

2008-01-22T14:33:00.000-08:00

My best friend since I was 5 came to visit from Florida to show off her new baby girl. Since money is tight, she wasn't able to get any photographs of them taken, so I thought it would be nice if I took some of them for her.

What Lies Beneath

2007-11-20T06:43:00.001-08:00

Project 3

2007-11-11T07:57:00.000-08:00

Tell a convincing lie.