Madison Urich Style Assignment

(Original) Henry Wessel’s photography book is titled Las Vegas. A lot of the colors are pretty muted and within individual photographs the color palette is pretty limited and incorporates a lot of neutral colors. The majority of the photos execute a warm color scheme.  The photos are very succinct and you can tell that one artist photographed all of these images. The subject matter is given away in the title; Henry photographed parts of Las Vegas. More specifically, most of the photos were taken in hotels of this popular city. A few photos that standout as a little different include ones of the top of a castle building, one of water rushing over rocks, one of a wishing well waterfall, and one of a roomservice tray placed on funky carpeting. A lot of the images are of the tacky and kitsch interiors of hotels. This includes windows and curtain pairs, patterned carpeting, ornate light fixtures, flowers or vases, and corridors. Some of the images show off a number of angles built into the architecture. He photographs as though he is a visitor exploring and simply viewing all of these scenes, as any other tourist would see them. He captures the everyday in ways that make the viewer appreciate them in new ways and linger on the subjects instead of quickly passing by, as most people do with these views in real life. He also captures a few scenes that are unique to Las Vegas and the west, such as a cheap wedding venue. Additionally, he captures other scenes that you wouldn’t expect to see when you hear “Las Vegas,” such as barren dessert, deteriorating spaces, and average buildings.  Everything is always in focus and you get the sense of space in each image. He uniquely captures all aspects of this city without being flashy but dwelling on the ordinary and showing off the mundane.

(Additional) I also found Henry Wessel's Night Walk collection to be very interesting. He singles out a single scene in which he wants the viewer to focus. These are not unique places, but everyday places that you would see in a walk through a neighborhood or town. Each of these images are taken at night and focus a lot on light and shadow. Whatever is chosen to be illuminated is what Henry is focusing on and catches the interest that shows this everyday space in a new way.