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.