Lighting Opportunities

I chose to discuss available light, which focuses on the quality of light rather than the quantity. Available light on a cloudy day can be the best light. The sun is not able to drown out natural hues. I really enjoyed shooting plantlife one dreary day on vacation. Available light does change with camera angle changes.

Another form of light is direct light such as the sun or fill flash, sometimes even reflective aides. Direct light and dark shadows are complementary. I tried to stay away from direct light, although I used to take those kinds of shots ignorantly of better light. I have yet to take a great photo in direct light. I use fill flash alot, but I do not see the shadows so artistically.

The last form of light is backlight. This light allows for the perfect exposure for the subject, not so much the background. I tested backlighting on vacation. I think that it can really create an artistic effect. I believe that our speaker discussed this lighting at length.

I chose the picture of my front yard to demonstrate available light. It is not a glamorous shot, but if the angle changed so would the light. It was sunlight which was available at that time of day in the northside of my home. For the direct light, I used the photo of my pups. There are strong shadows from the door to the side. This could also be seen as side light. However, the direct light does not capture all the pups, so you can tell the effect the sun has on washing out the two, while the third doggy rests in the shadow. Lastly, I chose the shot of the tree with the sky behind as my backlight. It is not the best example, but I think it will do. I felt that it was important to identify these lights within my own work!

Response to: The Camera

I chose this photo to demonstrate depth of field. This is one of the most difficult terms for me to understand, but by definition, I think that I got it. I used a wide angle lens, the shutter speed was standard if not slow and the aperature was decreased.

Shutter speed was another concept that I did not feel right at home with. I understand that between 1/30 and 1/60 is comfortable. At 1/ 30 one may need a tripod and one can stop motion at 1/250 of a second. To be honest, these fractions do not make alot of sense.

I do know that when shutter speed increases so does aperature or light emittance, thus slowing depth of field or background clarity.

Documentary: Catching the Sunset

The first shot is the long shot or establishing shot. I think that it provides the viewer with a post to see the context of the shots. In this instance, the shots are of nearing a sunset. As you can see, they are taken from the road. The second shot is the medium shot and as Ben described, it reveals a context of the photo. I think it is personally the best shot and easily the most comfortable to look at. The last shot should show great detail. Unfortunately, I have some blurring and distortion. But, this is a learning process and that was indeed the intent!

Here is my documentary of: "Catching the Sunset"!

My wiki address

My wiki is under construction, but the address is correct.

http://photoshooter.pbwiki.com/

Mario Testino: visual rhetoric

I chose this artist because he is a choice photographer to the stars. I especially like his wide range of photos. He is very creative and immortalizes his subjects. These are a few of my favorites.

I love the way that Angelina is dark, it is appropriate for her persona. I also like the classic beauty and crispness of the picture.

I like Gwyneth, she is very versatile. She looks angelic here and I think that fits her persona as well, although I think she could get away many styles.

I really like the color and brightness of Elizabeth in this picture. I love the green hues and the way they draw in the focus to her face. The brightness is uplifting. I like the contrast of colors and the use of the tele photo lens.

Dorothea Lange: the Newstand

I really like this photograph because of the historical value. It was taken in 1942 in San Francisco. I also like the picture itself. I liked that Lange was a documentary photographer. She had a focus and her work told a story of common people in an depressed era.

I think that the Depression was an important time for the media, the print media. I think that artifacts from this era are interesting in and of themselves. I like the lighting and the rule of thirds. I would hang this picture in my house. It is symbolic of a time that journalism was a serious business.

Ansel Adams: Bridal Veil

I love this picture. I think it is explosive with the water as a rushing force that illuminates a seemingly serene scene. It reminds me of an actual waterfall that I have visited. I was enamoured with the natural effect.

I especially like the way that the water appears to be conquering the forest. I think that powerful images such as these are breathtaking and I am really glad that we are taking a look at them.

I would of liked to see the picture in full color just because the forest must of been lush with greenery and the cliffs' detailed ridges. I can also see the rule of threes. I like the lighting effects on the waterfall from above and through the framing of the trees. I also really like the name and symbolic effect.

Photography is Not Dead...

I could not agree more with the author' s initial rejection to the death of photography. I think that it is alive and well. I think that the ease of the art is making it more attractive to the novice. I, for one, have never prided myself on being a great picture taker, the innovations have certainly helped me to appreciate photography and I am not so intimidated.

Digital cameras have gained a ton of attention and still capture the subject. After that I think it is up to the artist to decide what kind of photograph they are taking and what artistic attributes they want to apply. Personally, I really like sunsets. I love to capture them and sometimes I do not feel that the hues are properly represented with the camera. I would like to enhance the photo to make the view more realistic.

I do not think that photography has lost any reproductive value. I think that the art is aging like any other form of communication. Appreciation is not lost for those that respect the art.

Madi

I changed her to black and white and darkened the hues by decreasing the brightness and increasing the contrast.

the road

I really like the depth and clarity that adding some color and contrast did for the picture.

Scotty

I added some reds and decreased the brightness. I think it adds depth to the photo, although I do not like it this dark.

the glass

I

I really went to extremes with magenta and red.

Fix'er Uppers

I would like to see Madi's face brightened up or in contrast go dark. I would like to eliminate the background or at least blur it out.
I would like to contrast the colors between the condiments and the wall.
Perhaps blurring the background would be good. The glass is so crisp, I would like to either really contrast the colors or the shapes.

Hush, Bill, Hush!!

Symbolism: The muzzle and the pin symbolize Clinton quietly supporting Hillary in the presidential campaign. Muzzle the lap dog? watchdog?

Exaggeration: The lenghth of his chin and nose are exaggerated to show how much misuses them. He puts his nose where it does not belong and his comments need to be tamed.

Labeling: The Hillary pin shows that he supports his wife, a democratic candidate.

Analogy: It is like he should sit idly by and watch. He is like a dog that has just been reprimanded.

Irony: It is ironic that the ex- president is being treated like the "dog", especially after he dogged her in office. But, more recently for "barking" at Hillary's opposition.

My thoughts on Liebovitz: Women

In the first picture, the two women and child standing would make up the thirds, I think. Or perhaps, it would be the family, the wall behind, and the wall above.

In the photo of Gwyneth, I think that she, her mother, and the green would create the thirds. I really like this picture, that green is an awesome hue and the reflection on her dress really draws me in.

In the final picture, I think that the woman, the sky and the ground demonstate the rule of thirds. I like the way they have this woman in what seems like a very masculine pose.

My thoughts on Sexton:Places of Power

This first photograph is a vertical display of the rule of thirds. There is a deep hallway and walls on either side. I liked this photo because of the 3-D effect.

The second picture's rule of three is shown by the sky through the hole and the inside of the bunker?
The ladder apparatus makes up the last third of the photo.
I liked this picture because of all the things I can imagine about it.

The bottom photo is a great demonstration of the rule of thirds.
The space shuttle creates a third, the other two thirds are seen
as the surrounding structure. This picture's symmetrical style
allows us to envision the tic- tac- toe grid and makes it easy to
see the rule of thirds. I like it because of the neatness and
symmetry and just seeing the shuttle hang there like an
ornament.

My thoughts on Salgado: Migration: Humanity in Transition

Salgado uses the rule of three in these photos. In the one above, it is divided vertically. The rush of men make up a third, the trains on either side and the symetrical style makes up the other two thirds. I really liked this one, it is motion and stillness simoultaneously.

In the middle photo, it is also in thirds where there are three main focus points. The babies on the ground, the baby in the highchair, and the skyline make up the thirds in this particular photograph. I chose it because it seems to industrialize infancy.

This bottom picture is a demonstration of horizontal thirds. the skyline make up a third, the water, and the dock make up the other two. I think that the realistic fog in the distance and focus up front make this photograph both deep and intricate. I really liked it. I think the contrasts are impeccable and the shadows on the water are very cool.

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Read all about it, that is if anyone missed it! I actually thought it could be done against all odds! I would just like to publicly congratulate the Underdog, THE NEW YORK GIANTS!!!!!

Faster than a speeding sexpot..

Danica Patrick, race track extraodinaire has signed on to be the spokes person for godaddy.com, a new domain on the net. The site is based in Arizona and is known for it's racy material. I dould not think of a better example of "sex selling" considering all ogf the hype surrounding the ads.

Personally, I saw the ad and still was not sure exactly what was even being advertised. Turns out it was just the new server option. Odder than that is the fact that the site's primary angle iw the sexual spin it portrays in the content. Not false advertising there!!

Check out this site for more info on the "deal".http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2006-12-06-danica-patrick-godaddy_x.htm

silence is golden

To be honest, I remember the Micheal Jordan and Larry Bird ad for McDonalds in 1994. I really did like that commercial. Although I could not find the footage, I recall it was a basketball game of pig or horse because they were comparing shots. But, I did find the following interesting.

Pepsi is planning to run a minute long silent commercial in the pregame portion of the superbowl. According to the Associated Press, the ad originated as a joke and is ultimately raising awareness for the deaf community. I think that this will be very interesting and I am curious to see how the media reacts to this form of advertising. Check out this link: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/national_world&id=5913110

I am absolutely appalled by the attention and anticipation these commercials have gathered. It is like the Emmys for marketeers around the globe. The only thing more astounding than the "sneak peeks" to COMMERCIALS is the ($85,ooo per second that is paid to gain a spot).

OJ is guilty..just look at him

This picture was surrounded with controversy in 1994 when Time magazine was accused of "doctoring" the photo to make Simpson look dangerous and guilty with the dark edges and the 5:00 shadow. I remember taking a course in persuasion and discussing the impression that this photo alone gives.

As you can see, this picture also suggests a somewhat guilty OJ within the text. However, his image is stoic and unaltered.

After reviewing the Washington State University wiki site, I have found photo editing has been around for a long time. In addition, ethical manipulation is about as.."clear as mud". According to the site, Webster University has established a policy for ethical use of photographs that include allowing brightness/ contrast control, tonal control with burning and dodging, color correction, cropping for layout, and retouching dust and scratches.

Check out this URL: http://wiki.edu/wsuwiki/Photo_manipulaiton_ethics

Am I seeing things...what diet plan is this?

I think that is incredibly unethical to use the services of photoshop or any like brand to alter the appearances of a person or any other image when consideration of appearance is useful.

That being said, is there a major concern here? He is a face attached to hopefully a list of attributes that makes him worthy of a political office. I think that this unethcial use of ateration techniques are the tip of the iceberg as far as inconsistent online behavior is concerned.

Lastly, who is to say that he did not lose a bit of weight in between takes and black is a slimmng hue.

Dream a little dream..

I like this picture by Melissa Joi Slepekis. She speaks of dreams, memories and breath. She says that she likes to record time and not try to capture or stop it.

Her images remind me of memories and what I would see in my dreams.

I hope to learn the whole pinhole process. I feel that it is an awesome art form and I would like to learn how to create, capture, and develop original pictures with these everyday tools.

Heroes and Villains

I have always had an interest in the Civil Rights Movement. ( Mississippi Burning is one of my all time favorite films) I think that these photos are so powerful and forthright. I would like to discuss them in class and hope to find a partner.

Chapter one reflects...

So far I have read the preface, intro and chapter one of the text and briefly reviewed the second chapter. I found the pictures to be powerful as described by the text. I would of never concentrated on them so much. I think that is what I am most excited about, learning how to look deeper into photographs. I have always had an interest in taking pictures and photography.

As far as the content of the text, I felt that Chapter one was a bit hurried. I like to learn about the timeline of this type of communication. I think that for the designated purpose, it was good. I had no idea about how exactly photos came to be and some of the responses of the population reminds me of how the world reacted to the telegraph...skeptical. I did find it humorous how someone thought that painting would cease.

Lastly, I really enjoyed the technology described. I did not understand everything and had to read and reread, but I really did enjoy it. I especially like how the first Kodak cameras were essentially disposable as you would take the pictures, send in the whole unit and receive the images.

I absolutely find the text useful.

Who wouldn't want to be a storage container?

I found this picture to be eye- catching with all of the bright colors. I found the definition of colors sharp and their intersections to jive well. I really like the color sphere in the billboard. I feel as though it is somewhat of a guide and I am drawn to it as it enhances the other colors. The lighting is neat. I do not desire shadows, I like the clarity and crisp shapes.

I think that the content is interesting. I feel like it has a collage type feel of the big apple and I like it.

Henri Cartier Bresson:

I like this picture because it has depth and strong angles. The focus remains on the woman's smile.

it's a snap

It is going to be a snapshot of a class. So far, we have learned about thirds.