Final Report: Mario Kroes
Untitled, Mario Kroes Source
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Celestial Touch, Maggie Lareau
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Untitled, Mario Kroes Source
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To Search Beyond, Maggie Lareau
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Untitled, Mario Kroes Source
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Galaxy-Bound Hands, Maggie Lareau
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Mario Kroes is a German photographer born in 1987 who later emigrated to Los Angeles, California. Growing up, he recalls "always [being] envious of friends that knew what they wanted to do with their lives, while [struggling] to find my own path." In college, Kroes chose to study Business Administration, working in business for a few years after graduating. However, he recalls constantly saving pictures he found online to his laptop: "After six months of saving images, I started to ask myself why I was saving all these images. At that point, I realized I wanted to do something artistic with my life." After that, Kroes left his job, bought a camera he had "no idea how to use," and began taking photos. He now lives and works in the US, flying between New York City and Los Angeles.
Kroes' style is very minimal. Most of his works are portraits. Skin is a very prominent theme in Kroes' photography; often, his models will pose nude or partially nude, though his photos don't necessarily have a sexual connotation. He seems to favor neutral colors in backgrounds and more muted colors on his models. His photos are well-composed, and often have symmetry that appears effortless and easy to the eye.
Femininity is prominently featured in everything Kroes photographs. Often, his photos will be simple shots of women in minimal makeup and with minimal props that still seem to speak. He says he finds there is "a thin line between strength and weakness in femininity," and his work is meant to intimately tie together those two sides. Another element of philosophy in his photographs is how they border on surrealism. While most of his photos do not feature blatantly surrealistic images, some of them do not seem to make very much sense at all upon first impression; you have to look deeper inside his pointed use of props and the composure in order to seek out the photos' true meanings and evocations.
In taking my own photos, his style influenced me in its clean lines and simplicity. I find something almost mesmerizing in how minimalistic his photos are. They're clear, but not harsh, and that's the feel I wanted to capture in my own images. I tried to find and keep the gentle emotions in my own photos the way he does. In addition, I wanted to represent my own femininity by choosing soft colors and taking my own self-portraits.
I have only used star stickers in my photos, compared to the array of different stickers featured in Kroes' series. I wanted my photos to look more ethereal and less bright than his do. In my own photographs, I am the model, whereas Kroes photographed model Kristina Pimenova. I hoped to be more in touch with the photos by modeling myself rather than using a friend. I think my photos have a less editorial image than his do, but mine also tell a different story. His pictures are a girl covered in the graphic symbols of her time, whereas mine are a girl covered in the timelessness of the stars.
My pictures tell the story of a girl who is dappled by the same stars that enamor her. Her entrancement isn't with pop culture, like Kroes' work suggests his model is, but rather from the idea of the sky itself. She's in love with the soft dreams that fill her head. This is my favorite set of photos I've ever taken. For the first time, I got to plan and set up before shooting my pictures, and I absolutely loved it. These pictures hold a special place in my heart. I love the balance I achieved of inspiration from Kroes' work, but also my own ideas. I'm proud for this to be the note I finish on.
Kroes' style is very minimal. Most of his works are portraits. Skin is a very prominent theme in Kroes' photography; often, his models will pose nude or partially nude, though his photos don't necessarily have a sexual connotation. He seems to favor neutral colors in backgrounds and more muted colors on his models. His photos are well-composed, and often have symmetry that appears effortless and easy to the eye.
Femininity is prominently featured in everything Kroes photographs. Often, his photos will be simple shots of women in minimal makeup and with minimal props that still seem to speak. He says he finds there is "a thin line between strength and weakness in femininity," and his work is meant to intimately tie together those two sides. Another element of philosophy in his photographs is how they border on surrealism. While most of his photos do not feature blatantly surrealistic images, some of them do not seem to make very much sense at all upon first impression; you have to look deeper inside his pointed use of props and the composure in order to seek out the photos' true meanings and evocations.
In taking my own photos, his style influenced me in its clean lines and simplicity. I find something almost mesmerizing in how minimalistic his photos are. They're clear, but not harsh, and that's the feel I wanted to capture in my own images. I tried to find and keep the gentle emotions in my own photos the way he does. In addition, I wanted to represent my own femininity by choosing soft colors and taking my own self-portraits.
I have only used star stickers in my photos, compared to the array of different stickers featured in Kroes' series. I wanted my photos to look more ethereal and less bright than his do. In my own photographs, I am the model, whereas Kroes photographed model Kristina Pimenova. I hoped to be more in touch with the photos by modeling myself rather than using a friend. I think my photos have a less editorial image than his do, but mine also tell a different story. His pictures are a girl covered in the graphic symbols of her time, whereas mine are a girl covered in the timelessness of the stars.
My pictures tell the story of a girl who is dappled by the same stars that enamor her. Her entrancement isn't with pop culture, like Kroes' work suggests his model is, but rather from the idea of the sky itself. She's in love with the soft dreams that fill her head. This is my favorite set of photos I've ever taken. For the first time, I got to plan and set up before shooting my pictures, and I absolutely loved it. These pictures hold a special place in my heart. I love the balance I achieved of inspiration from Kroes' work, but also my own ideas. I'm proud for this to be the note I finish on.
Dedicated to Jen and Natalie. With love.