Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Monday, October 30, 2017
Photo1Q2.10: Creepy Capture
For this photoshoot, I worked with the typical group I gravitated toward, which included Noah, Eldon, Kris, and Rylen. I originally intended for my lens to be a tool in the photoshoot (with Eldon being the primary photographer), though, I found that simply taking it on my camera was enough and wouldn't make sense to switch lenses as it would take up time. In addition to being the primary photographer, I brought black paint and a couple brushes. Noah and Kris were the main subjects of the photos. Rylen and Eldon helped to get BTS photos and move the lights we had. Working with them was a breeze, as we are already used to each other's strengths and opinions. I personally need to work on decisiveness in what exactly I want as well as working efficiently with a group (as I am more accustomed to doing a lot of my work solo).
Also, Shoutout to Noah for total dedication to getting painted and providing the bedding props.
The photos below are organized from most significance to the rubric to "least". Basically, the first one is the final, while the succeeding two showcase variety of concepts, and finally BTS.
I wanted to note that in the first photograph, while I understand that post-editing isn't advised against nor is it recommended, I had to edit the eye area in Lightroom. Using the adjustment brushes, I brushed Noah's eyes and adjusted their exposure, contrast, histogram curves, and shadows to get that creepy dark effect that the eyes have while still retaining a bit of the reflection from the eyes.
Also, I did opt for a black and white photo for the primary one as it gives the image much less "vibrancy" (intentional) and cuts down the viewer's focus to just those the manipulation of light and shading. However, I did attempt something different, just for fun for the first image. I gave it an overblown red hue and boosted the saturation. It's an interesting effect. I honestly would use this one as my primary, though, seeing the immense amount of the color red in the past several creepy captures for this class over the years, I wanna stray away from it (even if it is a very advantageous color in this shoot). Less stagnation, more challenge for me.
This shoot was definitely insightful and eye-opening for the different effects that light manipulation has. I've always seen those videos/gifs where light is rotating around a face to show how it can change from emotions like anger, evil, and sinister, to complete opposites like lust, innocence, or ecstatic. However, to really learn something and keep it in my head, I always have to try it out first and practice it a couple times to understand its' capabilities. Lighting was one of my weakest components in photography since I rely so much on light that's already there, natural lighting, or editing in post (which I'm trying to stray away from).
The photos below are organized from most significance to the rubric to "least". Basically, the first one is the final, while the succeeding two showcase variety of concepts, and finally BTS.
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| Zealots of Stockholm |
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| After Hours |
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| Disobedience |
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| A basic overview of what the "bed" shot looked like. |
I wanted to note that in the first photograph, while I understand that post-editing isn't advised against nor is it recommended, I had to edit the eye area in Lightroom. Using the adjustment brushes, I brushed Noah's eyes and adjusted their exposure, contrast, histogram curves, and shadows to get that creepy dark effect that the eyes have while still retaining a bit of the reflection from the eyes.
Also, I did opt for a black and white photo for the primary one as it gives the image much less "vibrancy" (intentional) and cuts down the viewer's focus to just those the manipulation of light and shading. However, I did attempt something different, just for fun for the first image. I gave it an overblown red hue and boosted the saturation. It's an interesting effect. I honestly would use this one as my primary, though, seeing the immense amount of the color red in the past several creepy captures for this class over the years, I wanna stray away from it (even if it is a very advantageous color in this shoot). Less stagnation, more challenge for me.
This shoot was definitely insightful and eye-opening for the different effects that light manipulation has. I've always seen those videos/gifs where light is rotating around a face to show how it can change from emotions like anger, evil, and sinister, to complete opposites like lust, innocence, or ecstatic. However, to really learn something and keep it in my head, I always have to try it out first and practice it a couple times to understand its' capabilities. Lighting was one of my weakest components in photography since I rely so much on light that's already there, natural lighting, or editing in post (which I'm trying to stray away from).
I also learned, through the time limitations, that I need to improve my decisiveness. I definitely had a couple hiccups/"Umm"/"I don't know" moments and waited for someone else to express their opinion. I work off of ideas and find ways to make them better rather than creating the idea itself. This decisiveness will only grow with time, so I just have to keep growing with it.
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Photo1Q2.9: Independant Forced Perspective PT 2
Upon viewing forced perspective photos from my peer students' blogs, I learned how difficult it is to get the "perfect" picture. The collaborative exam day slides assignment did assist me in what one could improve on as well as some decent examples that I'd be interested in recreating, but my success with the part 1 work was minimal. I have decent foundations in photography, and I do understand forced perspective photography and how it works. However, I just could not come up with original, sensical ideas.
I have the same dilemma in my film class; coming up with solid ideas. If I'm given an idea with all the specifications, I can definitely execute it. However, truly venturing and creating a concept that nobody else has done before was a struggle. It's not that I'm attempting to be a perfectionist, but I just wasn't satisfied with a majority of the concepts I was planning. So instead of restricting myself to those concepts, I just went out with my camera to different areas around my apartment complex (or just within my own apartment) and a bag of random objects. Even then, it was a struggle; I literally spent that time being stagnant, with the exception of the shoe collection shot. So I thought: maybe I need to think with a more open mind, and be humble with simpler topics. Thus, I went out with my camera to just look at things and see what they could serve as. That's how I came up with the second part of my set, with the basketball hoop and hanging from the fence.  |
| Architecture/Structure | Manual | f/7.1, 1/200, 400 | 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 | Flash |
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| BTS | This was my workflow for making this photo. I took two photos with one perfectly fitting the Stan Smith (white shoe) and one perfectly fitting the Vince Carter AF-1's (brown/red shoe). Keep in mind that I am not actually in the shoe, but the forced perspective makes it appear as if I am. Merge the two, and we get the final image. |
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| Movement/Action | Manual | f/6.3, 1/500, 100 | 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 |
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| Movement/Action | Manual | f/10, 1/250, 100 | 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 |
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| Free Choice | Manual | f/6.3, 1/500, 100 | 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 |
Overall, I am not a good forced perspective photographer even with the assistance of other photographers, mostly because any idea that I can think of (which isn't a lot) was probably done already before. Sure; one might say, "just do it better" but there's only so much one can do to manipulate one's environment to the point where it appears ridiculous, at least to my eyes.
I showed more growth in my process as well as growth in being humble rather than anything in the photos themselves, in my opinion. I already understood a lot of the settings of the camera and all the technical things involved with photography, but creating an idea and setting it up well is a process I'm not too familiar with since I enjoy naturally created photos with slight post-editing.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Photo1Q2.8: Peer Blog Review
Period 3 Recommendation: Tayli Ikenaga
On the surface, one might see this as "just another blog" due to that same familiar template you get
when you create a blog, but the appeal to this blog was definitely in the content. The metadata labels are integrated for all the photos where they're needed, and the explanations well thought-out and structured, taking viewers through each photograph. Speaking of, I definitely appreciated the aesthetic to a lot of these photos (I believe they show that person's personality in an artistic sense). The most recent post (End Q1 Best Shot) was particularly eye-catching because of how close-up the subjects are to the camera. Great blog.
Period 4 Recommendation: Taylor Katahira
I appreciated the attention to having a functional blog first, and adding all the other extra stuff second. Taylor's blog is easy to navigate, and the text within all of these posts start with "Aloha"; definitely a great opener when viewing each blog post. The text in it are all genuine in voice as well. The photos on the blog definitely do show an increasing amount of potential; a promising sign for us first year students. Rule of thirds isn't necessarily an "aesthetic", but it's a great tool to use in photography and Taylor does seem to use it here and there. Her fundamentals are definitely there too. The blog is simple, but functional.
Mrs. Sheet's Class Recommendation: Austin Kirk
Many of the blogs I've looked through in each of the classes did tend to stick to the same layout that is provided when you make a blog, with the probable exception of this class being Blaze and Austin's ones. On the front, it's different through the use of a different background (a variation from the stagnation of seeing all the other blogs). The photography itself in the blog is fundamentally great, and I can tell that Austin understands how to compose a photo (not just pointing a camera at something and shoot). I would definitely try to add more textual background in the posts but I don't know the parameters that Mrs. Sheets provided for her students.
On the surface, one might see this as "just another blog" due to that same familiar template you get
when you create a blog, but the appeal to this blog was definitely in the content. The metadata labels are integrated for all the photos where they're needed, and the explanations well thought-out and structured, taking viewers through each photograph. Speaking of, I definitely appreciated the aesthetic to a lot of these photos (I believe they show that person's personality in an artistic sense). The most recent post (End Q1 Best Shot) was particularly eye-catching because of how close-up the subjects are to the camera. Great blog.
Period 4 Recommendation: Taylor Katahira
I appreciated the attention to having a functional blog first, and adding all the other extra stuff second. Taylor's blog is easy to navigate, and the text within all of these posts start with "Aloha"; definitely a great opener when viewing each blog post. The text in it are all genuine in voice as well. The photos on the blog definitely do show an increasing amount of potential; a promising sign for us first year students. Rule of thirds isn't necessarily an "aesthetic", but it's a great tool to use in photography and Taylor does seem to use it here and there. Her fundamentals are definitely there too. The blog is simple, but functional.
Many of the blogs I've looked through in each of the classes did tend to stick to the same layout that is provided when you make a blog, with the probable exception of this class being Blaze and Austin's ones. On the front, it's different through the use of a different background (a variation from the stagnation of seeing all the other blogs). The photography itself in the blog is fundamentally great, and I can tell that Austin understands how to compose a photo (not just pointing a camera at something and shoot). I would definitely try to add more textual background in the posts but I don't know the parameters that Mrs. Sheets provided for her students.
Monday, October 2, 2017
Photo1Q1.7: End Q1 Best Shot
When I came into this class at the beginning of the quarter, this class was exactly how I thought it would be. An immense emphasis on blog use, developing basic camera skills, etc. Compared to 8 weeks ago, I don't think my skills have improved drastically, but rather the skills I have are slightly refined and "straightened out".
This new best image was a spur of the moment image. Moanalua, I remember, either scored a touchdown or intercepted a touchdown pass against Radford. The score was something like 20-14 and there were already some not-so-dedicated fans leaving. But that interception helped Moanalua to a 20-21 victory in the end. This was one of those moments. In addition, this picture consists of almost entirely upperclassmen, with some familiar faces that I won't be seeing next year. The meaning behind it has a higher value than the objective quality of the image.
Below are two free choice images.
This image is from the song contest. It was pretty remarkable how this lined up. I liked the composition with the guy in the purple smack-dab in the middle, like a standout among standouts (looking at the shirt colors).
This is a photo of a Lonzo Ball jersey I recently got from Swap Meet. I'm a big Lakers fan, and although we haven't been doing so great during the preseason, I always gotta have faith in my favorite NBA team.
After this first quarter, I thoroughly enjoyed working on blog posts and doing the snaps. Although nobody outside of photography class actually views these photos, it definitely helps in preparing me for making any future photography portfolios (in fact, I have one right now in the form of a website). I also thought that the snaps was a great way to keep students interested and busy, despite the "rigor" it might cause. But hey; if I can do all four snaps, then you can too! The themes are pretty great as well. I've even looked ahead into quarter 2 for some ideas (or to start looking at photos I've already taken that match the theme).
This new best image was a spur of the moment image. Moanalua, I remember, either scored a touchdown or intercepted a touchdown pass against Radford. The score was something like 20-14 and there were already some not-so-dedicated fans leaving. But that interception helped Moanalua to a 20-21 victory in the end. This was one of those moments. In addition, this picture consists of almost entirely upperclassmen, with some familiar faces that I won't be seeing next year. The meaning behind it has a higher value than the objective quality of the image.
Below are two free choice images.
This image is from the song contest. It was pretty remarkable how this lined up. I liked the composition with the guy in the purple smack-dab in the middle, like a standout among standouts (looking at the shirt colors).
This is a photo of a Lonzo Ball jersey I recently got from Swap Meet. I'm a big Lakers fan, and although we haven't been doing so great during the preseason, I always gotta have faith in my favorite NBA team.
After this first quarter, I thoroughly enjoyed working on blog posts and doing the snaps. Although nobody outside of photography class actually views these photos, it definitely helps in preparing me for making any future photography portfolios (in fact, I have one right now in the form of a website). I also thought that the snaps was a great way to keep students interested and busy, despite the "rigor" it might cause. But hey; if I can do all four snaps, then you can too! The themes are pretty great as well. I've even looked ahead into quarter 2 for some ideas (or to start looking at photos I've already taken that match the theme).
Photo1Q1.6: Independant Forced Perspective
(Answer from group forced perspective) I have not done force perspective photography at all prior to this assignment. The teaser images for this assignment were somewhat odd to be honest, as they seemed silly in practice and didn't really tell a "story" since the focus is instantly on what the process was to achieve the photo instead of the photo itself (of course, not every photo has to tell a dramatic story but I just like photos that do). Some of them were interesting concepts, though, and I have an idea of what I'd like to do for some of my independent photos.
In order to find inspiration for this, I looked up ideas on Pinterest and Google. I kind of hop all over the place for inspiration. This assignment was especially difficult and resulted in me settling on a mediocre shot due to poor time management.
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| f/1.8, 1/100, 400 | 50mm f/1.8 |
For this image, I demonstrated the use of food/drink in forced perspective. I do know that this is not actually food, but I put it under that category since my intention was to replicate it in that manner. Below is a better image of how I set the process went in shooting it.
First off, I know that my aperture is very wide, which kinda contradicts the purpose of this assignment (to further widen our scope on aperture on the deep depth of field end of the spectrum). However, I wanted to keep it wide because I wanted the bokeh effect. It makes the lights appear more like food and less like a wire stringing together bulbs. It took a little bit of manipulating and required me to move some objects back and forth to get the right effect, but I ended up with the setup above.
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| f/11, 1/25, 3200 | 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 |
In this concept, I honestly was running out of ideas, so I stacked several shoe boxes together and kinda just went with it. This assignment was probably the one I'm least proud of (with this image being the image I'm also least proud of) because of how "meh" the images look. I just don't like the way the image turned out, but I just reached a "writer's block" in this section. I attempted the "use architecture or a structure as a prop" concept, though I don't ideally think it fits any of the categories.
Overall, I think the bokeh effect worked well. My concept was put into practice, and it came out the way I wanted it to come out, minus the slight tilt the photo has. The concept I attempted and came up with for the second one was just a mess.
For the next concepts over fall break, I plan on doing something drastically different. I'd like to use the sky, nature, or any natural objects as points of reference or "objects" in the photo. If this photo assignment is a 6, I want to make it a 10 with the next two concepts.
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Photo1Q1.5: Group Forced Perspective
In my group were the following students: Kris, Eldon, Noah, and Rylen. Due to a college presentation, I was unable to do much with the group other than the last shot, where I posed for it.
I have not done force perspective photography at all prior to this assignment. The teaser images for this assignment were somewhat odd to be honest, as they seemed silly in practice and didn't really tell a "story" since the focus is instantly on what the process was to achieve the photo instead of the photo itself (of course, not every photo has to tell a dramatic story but I just like photos that do). Some of them were interesting concepts, though, and I have an idea of what I'd like to do for some of my independent photos.
In this photo, Kris is eating a scaled up apple. Rylen is holding said apple on the right. In order to magnify it's size, Kris stood further back than Rylen in relation to the camera.
In this photo, Kris and Rylen are pushing against a clothespin. The hands on the bottom are "fighting" against this push, in a way.
In this photo, Rylen and I posed on top of a bench with the eraser below. This eraser acts as a floating platform in some aspects (Eldon's blog has a better version of this in action, I just like the pose I made here).
Probably the most challenging part of shooting these perspective photos was just lining everything up. Conceptually, all of the photos are easy to come up with since all of our ideas are relatively basic and don't require too much preparation. Setting up the camera is easy as well, though, of course, there are still limitations even when shooting with the smallest aperture on our lens (f/22). Posing people can be quite awkward too, because they also have to "imagine" the object in play. In addition, holding up certain objects and keeping them stable was a huge struggle.
Awareness from this group practice can assist me in giving me an idea of what one must do and not do when creating forced perspective photography, as well as bringing more objects. I can already think of multiple ways to fix the stabilization issues (use a chair or some object to hold it for example; like a tripod).
Overall, I think our group could have improved on time management since we didn't have much time to retake our shots. Indecisiveness is a likely factor (there's a difference between ensuring high quality and simply being too picky).
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