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