Definately include more media-based works in the application. Your photography is good, and it shows that you can think creatively, but they want to see that you can draw/paint/put media onto canvas (transfer your brain to the page).

Hi Stephanie,

I agree with BenC. You should add more media-based works. Putting a couple of photos in your porfolio is ok but photos by themselves do not make a competitive portfolio for a M.Arch I application. The reason is that schools want to see how you think visually, what is your aesthetic, how you solve problems, how you think in terms of design, what is your process, etc. In other words they want to see who you are as a designer and what is you potential as a designer. You last project is the only one that actually has to say something about yourself and you potential.

The danger with photography is that everyone can take pretty pictures but not everyone can actually make interesting pictures. Remember that art is an intellectual exercise and not just making pretty things and design is about solving problems.

I'm sorry to be harsh but I rather be honest and actually helping you out.

Stabb,

I'm on the same fine arts to architecture boat. Got my portfolio sorta shat on archinect recently.

I like your architectural photography work. Perhaps you could expand on that. A few words, if not images/sketches, on your process.. conceptual thinking is perhaps needed. If you add that it will be your most relevant as well as resolved work... I know its hard to do with photography, but thats definitely the way you need to go.

Good luck.

And remember, YOU CAN DO-EET! (think rob schneider)

Steph,

If photography is your thing maybe doing something with more weight would be a perfect addition to your portfolio in addition to media-based work. For example making a photographical essay on a subject related to architecture and/or cities. Your thoughts have to come out of those pictures. Have you ever seen Bernd and Hilla Becher work? They took thousands of picture of old silos and structures in a very scientific-obsessive way. Andreas Gursky has some great pictures as well. He makes portrait of modern non-places like supermarkets and stadiums.

Hope it helps! :)

You guys have convinced me that I need to include works from other mediums. I used to be really into drawing and painting, so I should be able to include a few of those sorts of things. I can't assume that admissions committees will know how precise and intense I am with my work unless I show them.

I also built a table out of chai tea cups and coffee collars, so hopefully I can find the documentation for it. It was epic and I have a feeling it would show well on a portfolio.

How many pages should I devote to photography? For a lot of the schools, I only get 12 pages of content. 3 regular photography, 3 architectural, and 6 for architecture/other mediums?



Also,
@jetvancake : I don't know if you read the artist statement at the beginning, but it alludes to the purpose behind my architectural photography. Thanks for your help/input though; do you have a link to your portfolio? I'm curious what other Art majors are sending in.

@^^ : I'm also an Art History Major, so have a thorough background on the Bechers. I've even seen their work in person. Lucien Herve (Le Corbusier's official photographer) is my inspiration.

although i dont have photography work, here's a draft portfolio i put up a couple of weeks ago..

thankfully none of the programs im lookin at have 12 page limits (i hope).

also, i did read your statement, its very well written, and i think its appropriate that its there. what i meant was to more like maybe treat your arch. photography as a 'project' or a series, and maybe have additional studies/writings/sketches that lead up to it?

how's ur essay going btw.. just finished a closetofinal draft. its 4am. urgh.. gotta wake up in 4 hrs and go to work. woohoo.

I loved pages 16-17 and the final project. In terms of formatting, a lot of the pages feel empty and I think you should choose a specific way of placing all your images. (For example, 28-29 is matted on off-white mat board and 36 almost looks like a photographic plate pressed into the page with the shading.)

In general though, your portfolio definitely shows what I need to work on in my own presentation. More drawings, more hand-crafted works, less photography (though I would completely disagree with whoever said that my works are just pretty pictures. A great photograph takes just as much time as a painting to find and print).

As for the essay, are you talking about the ones for admissions? Because I totally haven't started; I'm up working on a website redesign now.

Glad to help and thank u for ur comments.

28-30 were actually printed on larger sheets of the off white paper i haven't chopped of the edges so cleanly in my latest draft. And i think I "over-white-balanced" the image on 36. I'll try to take care of that.

I've also added a lot more text: captions / titles / write-ups on process/ on concept, etcetera.. and i think its def. less empty now. might put it up again shortly..
______________

yep, talking about admissions essays. time to get started!

where are you applying?
______________

And, i feel your pain, in terms of people trying to teach you about photography... pretty pictures and all.. hah

Its hard to show process with photography, and it seems thats quite important... I would suggest you try to figure out a way to do that as opposed to adding work that is less meaningful to yourself (not that you should hold yourself back from adding more work if it deserves to be looked at). Good luck.

Stabb - Hey, i'm applying to march as well. This is just my opinion, you are free to disagree with me 100%, as I am also a newbie too. I studied architecture in Undergrad.

But anyways, the "architectural" blueprint looking fonts are distracting and sophomoric. Using fonts like that at my old school are highly discouraged, and possibly ridiculed.

Your fonts are too big in general. (expect for the last part)

Your name/page - thingy: make is small and subtle as possible.

Your blacks does not match, I dont know if this is purposeful, but if not, dbl check ur CMYK ratios of ur blacks.

Having a good amount of text makes ur portolio look much more mature. If the process of the photos were as challenging as you said, you should have no problem putting some description in them.(possible diagrams?)

The last part "Introduction to Architecture" should not be the title, but it should be "Dwelling" There is no need to announce that, nor do you need to announce architectural photography, unless that was the exact title of your series of work. Devoting a half page to something that is redundant?

Oh, as a side note, you must right "M.arch I applicant" on your title page. Every school requires you to do that.

Hope it helps, and forgive me if it was too negative, you already know your strengths, so...

agree about the fonts. they are working against you.

the photography is good, if a bit on the typical side of things. they don't say much about you or if you have an opinion.

i guess that is hard in photography by nature. you are behind the glass, an observer, not a critic...but architecture is about taking things apart and putting them back together again. you must be a critic, or at least critical. showing something of what you think is important. how the city affects you and what you think you would like to do within it are more important than a picture of the corner detail.

your architectural piece is important because it at least shows awareness of some of the issues.

if there is a way to tell a story with the photos and make them stand for something then could be quite compelling.


good luck!

All of these responses are proving especially helpful. I plan to make massive amounts of changes this weekend, so keep them coming please. :)


@howdyhass: Where do you go to school? I'm just curious where your opinion is coming from in regard to the fonts. I will change them either way; I don't want to give committees any reason to disregard me as a candidate.


As a side note, I think some of you seriously underestimate photography, but this is not the forum for this discussion. Here is the statement I am working on for the "assorted photographs" (I need a new title):

This ongoing series deals with small details and universality. When traveling in foreign lands, the expansive terrains and cityscapes are often intimidating and seemingly inaccessible. In order to begin to understand and feel more comfortable within these new spaces, it is helpful to focus in upon small details. Each of these images could have been taken in almost any location and this makes it possible for viewers to form connections with what they would have once considered unfamiliar environments. By noticing these microcosmic views and connecting them to one’s own territory and experiences, the once lost traveler quickly begins to feel at ease. These miniature views of foreign worlds present travelers with manageable pieces of their surroundings and in their universality, give them something with which to feel connected.

your new statement helps, and certainly fits with the abstraction and ubiquity of the buildings you photograph. it's unlikely anyone will read the entire statement, so consider making your key lines bold or a different color. the page # "tabbs" at the bottom are a clever touch... i enjoy your photography, but the photo titles are much too big and distracting. otherwise it looks good, i agree you should incorporate your work in other mediums to show your craftmanship & spatial ideas

the text makes a nice frame. definitely better.

if the review committee is of a critical mind they might wonder at the reasoning. if you go to mumbai does a familiar corner detail really help to understand the culture, or create an anchor to grasp onto? The images don't quite support the argument.

Perhaps if you had pictures of the same/similar building in different settings with different kinds of activity going on in the foreground (mumbai versus paris vs detroit vs....) it would be more compelling...in fact i would expect just those images based on the text. maybe some photoshop collages are in order?

is there more output from the summer course you took? it looks like interesting work why not show more?

@Stabb: I graduated from Georgia Tech a long time ago.

your experience shows a dual degree in studio arts. I would expect to see more than a few photographs from that portion of your experirence. Consider examples of other mediums and artforms you have done as photography doesn't impress like it used to.

Above is the link to my newest portfolio. I really appreciated all the feedback before and could definitely use some final criticisms/comments before I start to mass-print these later in the week.

As a side note, the main artist statement is going to be changed before I send it in.

Thanks for all of your help :)