Unit 5 Activity 5

Unit 5 Activity 5: Landscape Depth

     In this photo, the rocks create a sense of depth for the river. The viewer will be able to look at this image and see that the river goes far beyond what they can see in the picture. The trees also help create leading lines along the river, attracting the viewers attention to the great depth of field. This image will be viewed for its natural beauty which will resonate with viewers everywhere. 

Unit 5 Activity 4

Unit 5 Activity 4: Open or Closed Landscape

Closed Landscape

Open Landscape

     Above are two pictures, one of a closed landscape and one of an open landscape. The sense of depth in the picture is much more difficult to establish, it is also a technique that a photographer may use if the sky or horizon line is not the most interesting part of the image. 

     In the open landscape, the sky is included and viewers can see the entire scene. This is a more traditional type of landscape photography. 

    Both of theses styles make the photos more open to interpretation. With the closed landscape it completely changes the scene and what viewers will see, focusing people's attention to the less obvious. In the open landscape, viewer's will interpret the landscape image as they see it in front of them.  

Unit 5 Activity 3

Unit 5 Activity 3: Landscape Photography vs. Landscape Painting

     Both of these images are examples of seascape, one of which is a photograph and the other which is a painting. The expressive possibilities in the painting are endless. A painter can look at a landscape and pick and choose what will enhance their work or eliminate what could take away from the main subject. In this case, the painter could choose to add another rock to balance the painting, or add a break  in the waves if they really wanted to. In any type of photography, the photographer has to express themselves by carefully choosing a point of view that will capture only what they want to see in the image. Photographers cannot eliminate specific objects out of the frame unless they choose a different vantage point, unlike how painters can literally create anything thing they want. 

Resources:

See where these pictures came from here and here

Unit 5 Activity 2

Unit 5 Activity 2:

Alejandro Gómez de Tuddo, Tiber River, Rome, Italy from L'objet de l'oublie Series, 2003, Lambda Print

     Both of these images are examples of photographers exploring the issues in today's society. The common theme between these two images are the fact that each deals with pollution. Both of these messages are clear and are easy to understand because the photographers make the trash or the tire in the water the main focus of each photograph. With just a quick glance, most people can easily grasp the concept that these photographers were trying to convey. 

Resources:

Check out where I got the photos here and here!

Unit 5 Activity 1

Unit 5 Activity 1: Landscape

by Walker Evans

What can you see in this image? (Objective Analysis)

Starting from the farthest reaches of this picture, I can see houses with long chimneys coming out of them, and as I look at the photo closer, I can see power lines along the left, and at the very front I can see a cemetery with the cross at the very front.

What do you think this image is about? (Subjective Analysis)

I think this image is an example of the idea that life goes on. There is clearly a cemetery that is celebrating the lives of those who have passed, but the buildings all around it shows that people still move on with their lives. The world keeps on spinning!

How effective has Walker Evans been in using landscape to communicate a point of view?

Walter Evans has been very effective in his use of landscape to communicate a point of view. He does an excellent job of capturing what he wants people to see. His main focus is the cemetery, and there are no people in their to disrupt the mood he has set in this photo.

Can this be considered as art?

Of course this can be considered art! Art isn't about how well someone can paint a picture or create a sculpture, while those things are still important, photography is a different type of art. Evans has put thought into his composition, what his subject will be, and the style of photography. This picture is his form of expression, and isn't that what art is? A way to express yourself?

Unit 4 Activity 5

Unit 4 Activity 5: Mixture of Motion

     The following photos are a mixture of movement and stillness. You can see the movement in the objects that are blurred, and because the other subjects are not moving, you can see them in perfect clarity. 

     This assignment was more difficult than I expected. Capturing people in motion while making sure others are still is tedious work! 

Unit 4 Activity 4

Unit 4 Activity 4: Slow Shutter Speeds

Photo by flamed; check it out here

     This picture is a great use of a slow shutter speed. The main focus is of the woman standing still while a subway train flies by. The train is completely blurred, giving the illusion of movement. While the woman may be standing still, it still feels as if you can see the train speeding past her yourself. 

     The slow shutter speed requires a smaller aperture hole, or a larger f-stop number which gives the photographer free range with the depth of field. They are no longer limited to subject matter because they can reach their subjects from pretty much any distance. 

     Some of the technical difficulties that they may have encountered could have been camera shake. Using a slow shutter speed is great, until the still image that you want becomes blurred in the process. The photographer may have used a tripod in order to keep the camera stable while taking the picture.

Unit 4 Activity 3

Unit 4 Activity 3: Shutter Speed

Fast Shutter Speed Examples:

F 6.3/Shutter Speed: 1/500

F4.5/Shutter Speed: 1/800

F5.0/Shutter Speed: 1/800

F5.0/Shutter Speed: 1/1000

     For these images, the fast shutter speed eliminates any possibility for blur. Whether the subject is running, spinning, or jumping, the movement is captured in perfect clarity. To focus the camera, I made sure that I was in a position that would allow me to stay in one location while I took the picture, as opposed to moving the camera with subject.

Slow Shutter Speed Examples:

F22/Shutter Speed: 1/15

F22/Shutter Speed: 1/20

F22/Shutter Speed: 1/25

F20/Shutter Speed: 1/25

     These images show what a slow shutter speed will do to movement of a subject. In the first three, the subject is running and I panned the camera to follow her running. At the slowest shutter speed, everything is blurred, but as the shutter speed speeds up, there is a noticeable difference in what is clear and what is still blurry. Slow shutter speed gives the illusion of movement, while fast shutter speed is more effective in stopping action. I used the same focusing technique as stated under my fast shutter speed examples. 

Unit 4 Activity 2

Unit 4 Activity 2: Shutter Speed

By Michael Sheakley on flickr.com

     This image is a perfect example of utilizing a fast shutter speed. It is clear that there is a shallow depth of field, but why does this happen? When there is a faster shutter speed, the f-stop on your camera must decrease, or open up more because you need to let in enough light to expose the picture in a short amount of time. This limits the range of a photograph, however it makes for a very interesting shot!

     To me, this image doesn't really give you the feeling of movement just because the fast shutter speed captures a moment in time and freezes the subject. While you may anticipate the dice continuing to roll, there is no evidence of this captured in the image. For a better feeling of movement, it is best to utilize a slower shutter speed.
     One of the main problems the photographer may have encountered was timing. Who knows how many times he may have attempted to take this picture to get the final shot, but in the end it paid off. The only way to move past the timing problem is with trial and error, and lots of patients!

Resources:
Camera Shutter Speed

Unit 4 Activity 1

Unit 4 Activity 1: The Decisive Moment

Photograph by Henri Cartier-Bresson (1933 Spain)

Check out more of his photos here!

Henri Cartier-Bresson is known for capturing the decisive moment, which is part of the reason he is so well regarded. In this image above, children are playing happily in an alleyway, but the most significant part is that he has captured the moment when play is at its peak. The children look as if they will jump out of the picture and resume their game right in front of you. Henri has a knack for taking a picture at the exact time when you get the most feeling out of a scene. 

Lighting Assignment

Yay! Here are my final pictures for the assignment...

Unit 3 Activity 4

Unit 3 Activity 4 - Depth of Field

Shallow Depth of Field

 Posted by Trevor; http://photochallenge2.wordpress.com/2009/01/23/2009-challenge-day-24-shallow-depth-of-field/

http://www.dipity.com/tickr/Flickr-shallow-depth/

     In both of the images above, the photographers selective use of aperture really focuses the viewers attention on what is suppose to be seen in the image. For instance, you can still tell that the top image is a kiwi, but you can also appreciate a little more the detail of the kiwi and the vibrant green that floods the image.
     In photo of the girl with her thumb up, the attention doesn't go to the girls face, but it instead goes to what is in focus, her thumb. The shallow depth of field makes this image ten times more interesting and more visually appealing than if everything were in focus.

Great Depth of Field

http://www.prowpatareeya.info/depth-of-field-for-landscape-photos/ 

http://photo.tutsplus.com/articles/round-ups/100-helpful-photography-tutorials-for-beginners-and-professionals/

     The great depth of field images above creates an allusion of the viewer actually seeing what they would see if they were walking down the path or standing on the hills in the pictures. In the top image, the yellow tree seems to be the main center of focus, not just because it is in the center of the photo, but because the great depth of field naturally draws people's eyes in that direction.
     In the image of the rocks, the great depth of field opens up the landscape and creates an image people can find themselves lost in. The hills seem to go on forever, and in this case, the use of great depth of field lets the mind wander around the scene and think about what could be beyond the hills in the back of the image.

Unit 3 Activity 3

Unit 3 Activity 3 - More on Lighting

http://singhray.blogspot.com/2008/09/arizona-landscape-photographer-is-off.html

     This photo by Jarrod Mosier titled Schnebly Hill, is the perfect example of a picture that includes its light source. The sun is an important part of this image, but it is also important to know how to account for the amount of lighting that is present. To take a light meter reading, Mosier could have used several techniques, however, for the purposes of this blog, I will only be describing one at the moment.
     It is very possible he used a reflected metering technique. The reflected metering reads the intensity of light reflecting off of the subject and may vary according to differing degrees of tone, color, contrast, surface, and shape. It would make sense if he used this technique because of the rocks and trees that would be catching and reflecting most of the suns light.

http://favim.com/image/414436/

     This photo is another example of a picture that includes its light source. The lava lamps provide an interesting array of colored light that also doubles as the photos main light source. An incident meter would be the best technique to measure the lighting in this photo. Incident meters are used for more precise control and can give "accurate and consistent rendition of the tonality and contrast regardless of reluctance, background, color, and shape."

Resources:
Introduction to Light Meters

Unit 3 Activity 2

Unit 3 Activity 2 - Light Sources

Single Light Source

This image of the model Bruna, is an example of a single light source. The main light is coming from an almost 45 degree angle which creates shadows across the left side of the photograph. The angle of the single light source adds nice depth to the image, as well as a more serious mood.  

See where this picture came from here!

Multiple Light Sources

This photo by David Briggs was specifically created to show the effects of multiple light sources. You can see the two different shadows that are created because of the lighting. One is smaller and darker, implying that the one light source is at a higher angle, while the second light source is at a less severe angle, creating a longer and dimmer shadow. All of this added depth is from the multiple light sources, which, like the single light source, creates a more visually interesting photo.

If you want to learn more about multiple light sources, check out David Briggs website, The Dimensions of Colour!

Unit 3 Activity 1

Unit 3 Activity 1 - Lighting

Lighting is an important aspect of photography... choose wisely!

Hard Light Photo Example:

The spotlight in this photo is extremely focused, creating dramatic shadows that really make it come alive.
Check out where I got this Michael Jackson picture here!

Soft Light Photo Example:

This overcast sky creates the perfect soft light setting. There are no harsh lines or shadows that make the picture overly dramatic, and the soft light adds a more subtle, calm feel.
Click here to see where this picture comes from!

Unit 2 Activity 4

Unit 2 Activity 4: Symmetry and Asymmetry

Perfect Symmetry

This photo clearly represents symmetry. If you were to cut this photo in half, both parts would be a reflection of the other. Symmetry creates a type of balance that is aesthetically pleasing to the viewers eye.

by ~fragilereality on DeviantArt

This picture by ~fragilereality is an excellent example of asymmetry. The photo carries a heavier weight on the bottom right, as opposed to being exactly balanced liked the photo above.

My examples :)

Rule of thirds: The palm trees are in the right third of the photo and are the dominant factor in the image.

Asymmetry: There is an uneven weight in the image of the bag on the left and the stack of notebooks and folders on the right. 

Fill the frame: The cookies completely fill every part of the frame, leaving no negative space. By coming in extremely close, you can see details of the cookies that you wouldn't be able to see from far away.

Center of focus: By taking the picture in a reflective surface, I was able to center myself with the pool and trees in the background, but the main focal point is still me in the middle of the photo.

Unit 2 Activity 3

Unit 2 Activity 3: Rule of Thirds

Rule of Thirds Examples:

The rule of thirds in photography means that the main subject of an image is located in at least a third of the image. If you imagine a tic tac toe square in the picture, the points of intersection are where the subject should be. In both of the images above, the main subject is located in a third of the picture, thus fulfilling the rule of thirds. 

Not Rule of Thirds:

Notice that in these two pictures above, the main subjects are not in a third of the picture. Both subjects serve as more of a focal point of the picture rather than fulfilling the rule of thirds.

Where did these pictures come from? Check out these awesome photographers work!

Lizard

Ant

Girls Shoes

Dog on Beach

Unit 2 Activity 2

Unit 2 Activity 2: Passage Questions

‘To quote out of context is the essence of the photographer’s craft. His central problem is a simple one: what shall he include, what shall he reject? The line of decision between in and out is the picture’s edge. While the draughtsman starts with the middle of the sheet, the photographer starts with the frame. The photograph’s edge defines content. It isolates unexpected juxtapositions. By surrounding two facts, it creates a relationship. The edge of the photograph dissects familiar forms, and shows their unfamiliar fragment. It creates the shapes that surround objects. The photographer edits the meanings and the patterns of the world through an imaginary frame. This frame is the beginning of his picture’s geometry. It is to the photograph as the cushion is to the billiard table.’

~ John Szarkowski; The Photographer's Eye

The Steerage by Alfred Stieglitz

1. When Szarkowski talks about "quoting out of context," he means that his picture only tells part of the story. The picture that people see may not be a fair representation of the actual events. For example, there is a picture by Alfred Stieglitz called The Steerage in which a ship is bound for Europe. Some people believe that this is a picture of people boarding the Titanic, but people would never know the difference unless they read a description of the photo. 

1. Below is a painting by Degas from the end of the last century. People during this time period would have found his paintings completely shocking because of their "raw" material. He painted what he saw, and used various color patterns to create moods for his pieces. Another major shock factor was the fact that he so casually painted these portraits of people. During this time, it was common for portraits to be formal and have structure, but Degas didn't do that. 

The Tub by Edgar Degas; 1886