Extra Credit

1. The man on the tracks was pushed there after trying to calm an abusive panhandler. Instead of helping the man, a photographer started taking pictures, hoping the camera's flash would be enough to warn the train to stop.

2. The photographer said he took the photo because he thought the camera's flash would be enough to stop the train.

3. I don't think the photographer should've taken the photo because he had the chance to save a life, but he just decided to document the death instead.

4. I don't think the photographer did all he could to help. Instead of pulling out his camera, he could've tried to pull him out of the tracks. From what I read, it doesn't sound like he event attempted to help the man.

5. I don't think I agree with the publishing of the picture on the New York Post because it was a really gruesome scene that really shouldn't have happened. It was wrong to make it so public so everyone could see the tragedy.

6. To a journalist, capturing life as it happens is more important because that's their job. They get paid to take startling pictures that provoke people's minds and get them interested. The photographer saw an opportunity to take a horrifying, interesting picture, so he took it.

7. I don't think it's ethically acceptable for a photographer to get involved with a situation because it could bring up a lot of questions and they could possibly miss an opportunity to get the shot they'd been waiting for.

8. Yes, photographers should avoid influencing events because they don't want to get too attached to a moment that is hard for them. The photographer must have had a hard time witnessing that man's death, so he should distance himself from it as much as possible.

9. Based on other photojournalists' work a sad, gruesome picture could win the photographer many awards, but they may get lots of bad comments from people outside of the photojournalism world.

Final Exam Review

Captions

1.  George Marvin warms up for his upcoming marathon in Kenya at noon by doing pushups. He has trained for the past year and doesn't plan to lose now.

2. Mr. James Warner sits in adult detention after school, waiting for his referral. He was caught starting a food fight in the cafeteria and accused his mom of "making him do it."

Rules

Rule of Thirds: where the subject is in one of the three boxes between the "imaginary lines" of the picture. 

Balancing Elements: when the objects in the picture balance each other out based on their placement

Leading Lines: the lines in the photo should lead the eye to the main subject of the picture

Symmetry and Patterns: where the picture is the same on both sides, but can often be disrupted by adding a focal point

Viewpoint: this is at what angle you're shooting your photo at

Background: having a nice, plain background is important if you don't want to distract from the main subject

Depth: creating a sense of depth needs something in the fore, middle, and background

Framing: creating a frame around the subject with natural objects surrounding you

Cropping: by cropping tightly close to the subject, you can eliminate a lot of unnecessary background

Mergers: mergers are when objects merge together and connect in a way that is not pleasant to the eye

Aperture: the hole in a camera that lets the light in; the bigger the hole, the more light that comes in

Shutter Speed: the amount of time a camera shutter is open to let in light; slower shutter speeds are used for low light conditions

ISO: how sensitive your camera is to light

Magazine Covers

Top 100 Photos of All Time

1. I chose this image because it shows a fun, playful time that the Beatles experienced. What caught my eye was their recognizable faces and the outrages poses they were captured in.
2. When I read the excerpt at the bottom, I found out that the photographer at first didn't want to be filming the Beatles at all, but wanted to be taking pictures in Africa. However, as the trip went on, he started enjoying himself and it ended in a lasting collaboration.
3. Based on the video, I learned that Benson shot multiple pictures all throughout the pillow fight before finally ending up with what he called a "good picture" which was the one below.
4. 

     5.  Harry Benson

          Born on December 2, 1929 in Glasgow, United Kingdom

          He left his Scottish school at 13 to get a job as a messenger boy.

1. I picked this photo because it has an interesting element of simplicity. What really caught my eye, though, was the fact that Michael Jordan almost looks photoshopped into the picture.
2. In the additional information at the bottom, I found that Nike paid Rentmeester for temporary use of the picture. Later, after the image became a famous logo, Rentmeester sued Nike for copyright infringement
3. Even though Nike was sued for using the picture illegally, it still made millions of dollars off of what is still a popular icon today.
4. 

     5. Jacobus Rentmeester

         Born February 8, 1836 in Amsterdam

         Went to Art Center College in Los Angeles

1. I picked this photo of because the bright colors and odd shapes appealed to me. It looked like some alien form that I'd never seen before, so I was curious.
2. This picture was taken from the Hubble Space Telescope that almost didn't work. A repair mission later fixed it, and the telescope sent a clear, vivid image of the Eagle Nebula in the Serpens Cauda constellation.
3. I learned that The Hubble has taken many more pictures of nebulas and constellations just like the famous one. Many of them are thousands of light-years away and would be difficult to see in person.
4. 

     5. Hubble Space Telescope

         It was renamed in honor of Edwin Hubble, an American astronomer who claimed there were                      

         more things beyond the Milky Way.
         It was launched on April 24, 1990

1. I picked this picture because it showed unusual colors and I was drawn to the focal point of the knob in her finger.
2. Based on the information, that picture was one of the first discoveries of X-rays. Anna's husband, Wilhelm, took it using different exposures.
3. Wilhelm won the first Nobel Prize ever granted to physics. 
4. 

     5. Wilhelm Rontgen

         Born March 27, 1845 in Remscheid, Germany   Died February 10, 1923

         Attended the Federal Polytechnic Institute in Zurich

1. I picked this image because of the unique way it draws your attention. For me, I was drawn to the single bright color and the contrast of the milk drop. It also forms a crown, which I thought was fascinating.
2. In order to get this shot, Edgerton had to tinker with different sources of light and different ways to capture a single, fast moment quickly. Once he took this shot, he spent his time perfecting others like it.
3. In the video, I saw how much time Edgerton spent on perfecting that one milk drop picture. He was best known for that, but he also experimented with other items that will probably be around for a long time.
4.  

     5. Born April 6, 1903 in Fremont, Nebraska      Died January 4, 1990
         Went to University of Nebraska

Magazine Cover Images

Portraits and Self Portraits

Fashion Photography

Video #1
Changes made:

• Plumped lips
• Longer neck
• Eyes/eyebrows moved down
• Thinner neck
• Larger eyes
• Darkened edges of face

Video #2
Changes made:

• Lighting
• Makeup/Hair
• Eyes Bigger
• Shoulders moved up
• Stomach made flatter
• Legs thinned and lengthened
• Elongated neck
• Brighter, highlighted hair
• Lightened skin

Video #3

Changes made:

• Shrunk legs and butt
• Thinned out calves
• Breasts larger
• Erased fat layers under arm
• Changed tone of skin
• Smoothed out cellulite
• Smaller hands
• Thinner waist
• Smaller head size
• Plumped butt
• Fuller hair and extensions
• Thinned face
• Skinnier arms

It is not ethically acceptable to change a person's appearance like this because it is basically telling them that their body should look like something else, so their body is messed up or imperfect.

In the circumstances of showing girls pictures like these to show them how to get the "best body" is more ethically wrong in some cases. You can't tell someone how to look if the picture you're showing them is false. 

Small changes like erasing blemishes or highlights in the hair are okay, but full-on body replacement isn't. The changes you make should be small and insignificant, not as drastic as like in video #3. 

I think the difference between fashion photography and photojournalism is that fashion focuses on making any changes necessary in order to get the flawless body that everyone wants to have, while photojournalism focuses on getting the most genuine pictures possible and sharing them with people.

Fashion photography creates a false sense of reality and leads people in the wrong direction while photojournalism shows people that there can still be genuinely beautiful things in the world without using Photoshop. 

I think you showed us these three videos because you want us to know how we can't always trust what we see in pictures. It is very likely that it could have been heavily Photoshopped. Photojournalism is about authentic photos, so we shouldn't rely too much on changing our photos.

I think none of these videos are about guys because it is not expected by them as much to have the perfect body. In the past, men were considered superior to women, so the women were the ones that always had to be what the men wanted them to be. This has probably carried over into the photography world where men still expect women to meet their vision of a perfect woman.

5 Websites

Spiral Staircases
http://petapixel.com/2014/12/19/disorienting-beauty-spiral-staircases-old-abandoned-buildings/

On this website, I got to know a little bit about the ways of German photographer Christian Richter. He became intrigued with the abandoned buildings and their staircases so he wanted to start photographing them.

I learned that even staircases can have all sorts of different angles you can use to create a successful piece. However, in my opinion, the shot straight down the middle will always be really cool.

A. I chose this photo because it has a very direct line of movement that the eye can easily follow. Also, if you look at it from a different angle, it reminds me of a kind of seashell you would find on the beach.

B. In the staircase photos, the main rule of photography would be lines. Our eyes easily follow the spiral down to the center which is usually the focal point. This picture also seems to be following a neutral color scheme.

C. Christian Richter took the photo.

Great Portraits

http://blog.phowd.com/2014/09/7-tips-shooting-great-portrait-photographs/

On this website, I was given many tips on how to create a good portrait. It went from tips to helping the photo look more natural, to making sure you enhance the subject with the proper angles and background. 

I learned a lot about how to position your subject in order to make their movements more natural and how just a simple position can be so powerful.

A. I chose this photo because it has a sense of playfulness in such a serene portrait. The blackberry on top of the man's nose gives character to him and the picture.

B. In this photo I think the main rules of photography would be lines and balance. The outline of the man's face combines with the balance it has on the whole picture.

C. It doesn't say who the photographer is.

Killer Timelapse

http://blog.ted.com/2014/10/07/how-to-create-a-killer-timelapse-with-joe-capra/

This website was mainly an interview of a time-lapse photographer who shot in Rio. He wanted to capture the beauty and activity that went on there, and based on his interview responses, I can tell he loves his work and enjoys traveling to all the different places. 

A. In the video, I watched regular people from Rio de Janeiro go about their daily lives, and it's very different from our way of life! 

B. Joe Capra made the time-lapse video and he explained how he's grateful to have been able to travel all over the place just to film.

C. There isn't really a story that goes with the time-lapse, just a beautiful, lit up city and a wonderful beach.

D. I learned that Capra's favorite places to film were Iceland and Greenland. He said he even got to watch some of the ice caps melting which was a cool, new experience for him.

Dog Photographer
http://www.lightstalking.com/anne-geier/



On this website I looked through a series of dog pictures that were taken in different settings. I also learned about how Anne Geier's love for animals developed into her passion for animal photography.

A. I picked this photo because it really stood out to me the second I looked at it. The way the colors pop together makes me excited and I love how bold it is.
B. The most obvious rule of photography is the rule of thirds, and I think the dog is well placed.
C. Austrian photographer Anne Geier took the photo.

Slow-Motion Hummingbird
http://petapixel.com/2016/11/17/slow-motion-hummingbird-captured-240fps-iphone-6s/

In this video, I saw the details of a hummingbird flying while in motion. The video had been slowed down so I could see exactly what was going on.

A. In the video I saw a hummingbird come to feed out of the feeder. It had been slowed down a lot so I could actually see the movement of the wings going back and forth.
B. Photographer Jessica Dyer took the video
C. All the story says on the website is that Dyer captured the hummingbird with her iPhone shot at 720p and 240fps. Her favorite part was when you could see the wings moving and the sound of the chirping was also slowed down.
D. I learned that the iPhone can take better pictures and videos than I thought. The video seemed to be shot with a professional camera.

Prompt Shoot #3

Tiny

Numbers

Blog #4: Magazines Part II

Image Based:
This is the most common type of cover and it usually has very few people on it. The person could be looking directly at the camera, or off to the side somewhere for a more dramatic, interesting effect. The expression on the person's face determines the mood for the magazine cover and sets the standard for what is to come. However, the mood of the cover has to match the style of it.

Illustration Based:
This type of magazine cover has only illustrated images on it. The designers use the technique to show something funny or interesting and a lot of magazine covers want that sort of style. They are published independently and don't rely on newsstands to do their business for them.

Type Based:
Though this technique is rare, it portrays a big, bold message that it wants to get across to its viewers. The "type" is the wording on the cover that makes it stand out.

Concept Based:
This cover is also rare, but it is kind of like a combination of all three others. It wants to send out a funny, interesting message to its readers and make a connection with them. However, the message must be instantly recognizable to the viewer, which can be hard.


The relationship between words and photos on a magazine is based on the message it's trying to send. Sometimes a single picture can't describe everything the creator is trying to say, so they need certain words to sum it up (and vice versa). This relationship is important because without words and pictures, we wouldn't be able to explain or express ourselves efficiently to other people.

Blog #3: My Favorite Cover

Favorite

"For W’s December/January Art Issue, the magazine collaborated with artist Yayoi Kusama to create this iconic cover image depicting George Clooney. The visually arresting image is the highlight of the cover story, for which five leading female artists were invited to create interpretive portraits of the actor. Clooney wears a suit painted by Kusama with her signature polka dots and stands against a polka-dotted backdrop. Planned to coincide with the opening of an exhibition of new work by Kusama at David Zwirner Gallery, the cover makes a powerful reference to the artist’s iconic self-portraits."

 On this cover, I really love the way Kusama blended the subject of the picture with the background. Everything on the page pops and shows off its neutral colors. The bold contrast of the shades really brings out Clooney's face and I can tell that is the focal point of the picture. His face isn't as pale as the pure white, but not as dark as the black, so he's somewhere in the middle. This whole cover seems to be based around symmetry and balance. The lighting is never too dark or too bright in areas and Clooney was well placed in front of the background so that his suit really blends in. What I seem to gather from the picture is that Clooney is a very bold, serious man and he seems like an important person but in a funny way.

Blog #2: Best Covers

1. Formal
2. Formal
3. Informal
4. Environmental
5. Informal
6. Formal
7. Formal
8. Formal
9. Formal
10. Formal
11. Formal
12. Formal
13. Informal
14. Environmental
15. Formal
16. Informal
17. Formal

Blog #1: Magazine Tips

When designing a magazine cover I should think about....

1. How to make the image be emotionally irresistible 
2. How to pull an audience in by attracting their curiosity
3. Showing something interesting and promising with your product
4. If it is fast and efficient
5. If your design was worth it

Portraits and Self Portraits Preview

Hold Your Camera on an Angle

Focus Upon One Body Part – Get Close Up

Move Your Subject Out of their Comfort Zone

Environmental Portrait

I like this picture of the man in the cranberry field because the lighting really captures the color of the cranberries and it uses the rule of thirds.

I picked this photo because it shows up very clearly and I really know what the subjects is. Also, the light on the pebbled ground gives it really good texture.

Photography Self Portrait

I picked this self portrait because it takes you a second to really see the full picture. It took me a moment to realize that the whole room was covered in newspaper. Also, the man is wearing neutral colors like his background, so the object in his hand stands out a little.

I picked this photo because it plays with the lighting in the room like one of the websites I looked at mentioned as a tip. The light kind of splits up her features and makes it more interesting to look at.

Casual Portrait

I picked this photo because it captures the woman's peaceful state and doesn't look staged. She looks very calm and without a care in the world.

I picked this photo because it was taken when the boy's face shows the wonder he feels as he looks at the flower. It's in a natural environment and it seems like he's he only one in his little world.

For my portrait shoot, I intend to shoot a picture of my little brother doing some sort of physical activity. He loves sports so it shouldn't be too hard to capture him having fun while doing it. My backyard has swing sets and jungle gym activities that he likes to play on, so I might shoot him there. I was thinking about maybe having him look at the camera directly since he has really pretty eyes, or get a side view to show off his long eyelashes. Either way, I want to capture the beauty of his eyes somehow and how they stand out against his face. To get a quality picture, I want to use a fast shutter speed to get him in action or maybe add a little blur to the background to emphasize his face/figure.

American Soldier

A. The most powerful image from the pictures is the one called "Doing What He Can" because it shows just how grueling being in the army is, and how Fisher's perseverance has kept him going.

B. The images work together to tell a story because they show how Fisher first got started in the army and what hardships he had to go through in order to get to the end of his training.

C. The captions enhance the photos because I am able to tell what emotions or events the people in the picture are going through, or have been through. I am not able to tell those things from just looking at it, so it helps.

D. Ian Fisher decided to join the army to serve his country and God. Upon the first few days of basic training, he reawakened an old injury that he had, which brought him some trouble. He recovered from those injuries and continued with his training. Through the next few weeks, he dealt with the hard physical training, disobedient squad mates, relentless drill sergeants, and sleep deprivation. After his 14 weeks of basic training were over, he graduated and was deployed to Iraq for a 1 year mission. There, he dealt with more emotional hardships and behavior. However, he got baptized on his mother's wishes because she wanted him to have "a little extra in his pocket." After his work in Iraq was finished, he came home and his family was happy he was there for good.

E. When Fisher is the subject in the picture, the verbs are usually in present tense.

F.

1. On average, the captions are about 2 sentences.
2. The first sentence of the captions usually explains what's going on in the picture.
3. The second sentence usually gives information that I can't tell just by looking at the picture.
4. The third sentence provides a quote from someone relevant to the picture.
5. Yes, the quote is usually in the third sentence.
6. Yes, and it seems to just provide more background information.

G. It's possible to tell a whole story with just pictures and captions because the pictures provide a visual for the reader to analyze, then there's the written part that provides more information about what's going on.

H. You need a story to go with the pictures and captions because those are just additions to the actual story you wanted to tell. The pictures and captions can help with the story, but you go into more detail and provide more insight if you actually write out the whole thing.

Rules of Photography Part II

Avoiding Mergers

Background

Balance

 Cropping

Depth

Framing

Leading Lines

Rule of Thirds

Symmetry and Pattern

Viewpoint

Funny Captions

Dr. Bob Jr. is seen here at his dance competition ceremony Sunday afternoon on an unnamed street in Oklahoma with all of his supporters. Dr. Bob Jr. was diagnosed with cancer in 2015 and died a day after this photo was taken.

Jared Firebird is spotted raring down Rain Street on Saturday morning in a hurry to get to his senior citizen swim competition. Jared was outside watering his garden when he realized he had to leave, hence the lack of clothing.

Brothers Todd Duncan and Steve Harold take a leap of faith out of a plane on July 4th over New York and experience what it's like to plunge to their death for the first time. Sadly, they were hit by a stray firework and their remains were found later that night.

Warm Up

1. While looking at these pictures, I felt very sad for Angelo and his wife. I also felt a bit angry because they must've known that her health was going downhill.
2. The comment that Angelo made made sense now because he showed how his family's life story was told through photography. He showed that his life wasn't defined by those pictures, but his life was those pictures.
3. If I were in his situation, I would certainly want to take pictures like that. It would be a hard, sad journey, but I would do it for the benefit of the memories in the future.
4. If I could write a letter to Angelo, I would thank him for his time to tell his story through photography. I found it very inspiring and touching, and I wish things had turned out better in the end.

Prompt Shoot #2

Purple

 Cold

Electric

Africa

1. I noticed that Nick Brandt has a huge passion for wildlife in Africa. He spent several months in the dry desert just to observe them. I also noticed that almost all, if not all, of his pictures are in black and white. This also gives his pictures a special aspect to them and brings out their individuality.

2.

3. This is my favorite picture of Nick Brandt's because it almost looks like the elephant is                          dissolving into smoke. It's an interesting illusion with a nice effect.

4. I would say the main rule of photography in this photo is simplicity. You can clearly see that the subject in the picture is the elephant and the background is not distracting from it at all.

5. Nick Brandt uses a Pentax 6711 with only two fixed lenses and no telephoto or zoom lenses. This is important because it makes him get closer to the subject of his picture instead of far away.

6. Brandt wanted to take these photos because he found the animals to be, "profoundly iconic" and "mythological". He just overall loved the natural state of the animals and wanted to show them off.

8. He wants to show people how beautiful those animals can be and raise awareness for them because humans have quite a big effect on how these animals live and we just don't realize it.

9. "When people in Africa are poor and starving and there are no crops left to eat due to the deforestation and global warming leading to ever-worsening droughts, they cannot be blamed if they kill the last zebra walking through the bush for their family to eat." - Nick Brandt

Mural Project

1. A theme that we could photograph here at school could be something like community service or leadership positions. We have a lot of leaders at our school, so we could find a wide variety of them. Outside of school, we could do a theme like sports or Austin attractions. Austin is a fun city with lots of things for tourists to come do, so we would get a lot out of that.
2. We should open it up to using regular cameras that way our pictures are more likely to turn out the way that we want them. Phone cameras aren't always the greatest or most reliable.
3. I could picture a mural on our campus somewhere on an outside wall that people walk by regularly. For example, maybe by where the bike racks are or all along the front entrance of the school.

Great Black and White Photographers PART 3

When I first saw some of Ansel Adam's photos, I just loved the simplicity of them and I knew right away what the subject was. They seem very mysterious and peaceful. I was drawn to how beautiful they were and creative way he showed it.

I see the tree bending against the wind as it fights to stay upright. The branches wave frantically in protest and bow down to the force of nature. The mountain stands boldly in the background, refusing to be unnoticed.

I smell the earthy breeze blowing from the mountains: a bit of floral mixed with the thin climate. The clear sky adds to the clearness without a hint of rain. The smell of pine floods my nostrils and overwhelms me.

I hear the rustling of leaves and twigs creaking. The wind whistles in my ears and I hear birds chirping, waiting for a chance to roost in the branches. The skittering of insects distracts me as they seek refuge under the rocks.

I taste the grainy sediment blown up from the ground. The cool air flies across my tongue and burns my throat. I get a green, earthy flavor from the wind blowing my way.

I feel the rough bark of the tree and the curves of the limbs beneath my fingertips. I feel the tufts of green at the tips of the tree's long arms. The smoothness of the rocks contrasts with the hard, stubborn bark.

I see the ridges in the worn wood and the curvy edges of the petals. The folds in the flower come together nicely when they are closer to the center. The small veins in the petals add the tiniest of details.

I smell the musky scent of wood and the sweetness of the flower. The musky air in the room emphasizes their distinct aromas. 

I hear the buzzing of insects outside the window, trying to reach my prized subject. The wind bangs the open door against the wall. 

I taste the sweetness of the air. The woody scent mixes with it and becomes its own unique essence. Warm air flows into my esophagus and overwhelms me with that floral scent.

I feel the rise and fall of the ridges on the board and the soft edges of the petals. The dense bud in the center unfolds to reveal more and more secrets. The firmness of the wood under my hand reassures me.

To show my great photographer, I would enjoy doing a simple blog or powerpoint. This would allow me to easily convey what my photographer did and why I found them interesting.

Levels and Cropping

Rule of Thirds

 Framing

 Balance

 Avoiding Mergers

 Lines

Simplicity