Over the course of the trimester I've come a long way. It's been really neat to see how much I've grown as a photographer and how many skills I've acquired as a result. At first, I was completely hopeless at photoshop but after working with it so often I've learned how to do so many cool things and I really discovered a passion for graphic design and photo editing. I'm fascinated with all the different photo effects and tutorials that are available, and I'd really like to continue working with photo editing software as a hobby. An example of what I've been able to do with photoshop. I'm typically a pretty organized person, but as a photographer, I rarely have a plan in mind when I go to take pictures. Usually I'll only have a general idea of what I want to do, and then I'll work backwards to find and interesting subject and set it. I enjoy taking pictures of objects and scenes, rather than people or animals. I like to experiment with composition and arrangement in order to create an interesting and unique scene and bring a different perspective to whatever I capture. I have a tendency to fill the entire scene with my subject, often cutting parts of it out of frame to create a mood of full immersion with the object of attention, and make it crystal clear what the viewer is supposed to focus on. An example of the frame filled by the subject. I've taken many art classes, so I understand the basics of the rules of composition and how to use them. However, my art skills are mostly limited to 3D mediums, so I was excited to try honing my artistic ability with flat images and pictures. Compressing a 3-dimensional scene in the physical world down to a 2-D photo is quite a jump, and I struggled sometimes with trying to best represent all the elements of a setting. I really had to focus on keeping my scene clear and uncluttered, because it really irks me when photographers don't pay attention to how busy the background looks. This often leads to the surroundings becoming a distraction and takes attention away from the subject One of the first photos I took, where the background is very distracting and cluttered vs. a later photo, where the foreground is in focus but the background fades out of focus. Overall, I've noticed a lot of improvement in my abilities as a photographer, and I think that's really visible through a comparison of one of my first photos vs. the most recent taken. When I first started the class, I didn't really understand the camera settings or how to use lighting, so my photos were improperly exposed and the contrast looked awkward. However, by the end of the trimester, I think I've gotten much better at taking photos with adequate lighting and a vivid point of interest. Overall, I'm really glad I took this class, and I think I'd like to continue positing things I create to this blog even after the trimester is over. FINAL PHOTO BOOK
0 Comments
The objective of this assignment was to take two sets of four photos that demonstrated the effect of changing aperture and shutter speed. (Click on the thumbnails to view the image.) In this set I was trying to display how shutter speed affects motion. With the slow shutter speed of 1/8 second, you can barely make out the pages, and the white blur indicates rapid movement. However, increasing the shutter speed allows the camera to get a quicker glimpse of the scene, lessening the motion blur and freezing the action. With a fast shutter speed of 1/250 sec, the camera is able to capture the pages as they are moving, and freezes them in place. They appear to be suspended in air and you can make out the detail on the pages. In this set I attempted to display how changing the aperture (the size of the lens opening) impacts the depth of field. With a large opening of f 5.6, the camera lets more light in, and creates a smaller depth of field. This shows a sense of depth, and you can tell the markers are different distances from the camera. The first marker is in focus and details can be made out easily, but the markers behind are blurred and out of focus. As you decrease the aperture, the depth of field becomes larger and more of the background is in focus. With an aperture of f 25, you can make out the details on all the markers, and it's harder to tell that they're not on the same plane. Fast shutter speed: Freezes movement, takes a quick snapshot of the scene. Slow shutter speed: Emphasizes movement, creates motion blur. Large aperture: More light comes in, small depth of field, blurs background and focuses on subject. Small aperture: Less light is let in, larger depth of field, more of image/background in focus. Our first assignment was to take 11 pictures, displaying each of the 11 given elements of composition: Rule of thirds, symmetry, pattern, lines, texture, depth of field, perspective, framing, space, balance, and color. It was also an experience to help familiarize us with using the camera and uploading pictures, as well as creating our blogs. Over the course of this assignment I learned how to work with the camera and upload pictures through a camera. I also learned about the elements of composition and it was really fun to walk around the school purposefully looking for the elements. RULE OF THIRDS: I positioned the camera so that the two pillars were in line with the 1/3rd lines of the grid. SYMMETRY: I tried to create asymmetry here through the juxtaposition of the colorful paint-splattered floor next to the neat tiles. PATTERN: A pattern of hexagons. LINES: Diagonal lines of a grate. TEXTURE: I tried to get the light to reflect off the diamonds in order to capture an interesting texture. DEPTH OF FIELD: I used a wide angle shot to capture the depth of the hallway. PERSPECTIVE: I liked the way the rail looked when I moved the camera close to it. The way the lines are aligned draws the viewer's eye from right to left and creates a unique perspective. FRAMING: The walls surrounding the alcove create a boundary around the posters and fountain. SPACE: The white ceiling to the left of the wall creates the feeling of unused space by the wall, and draws the eye from left to right. BALANCE: There is a shoe on each side of the image, creating harmony between both elements. COLOR: I liked all the different colors of the painted rocks compared to the dull gray of the others.
I enjoy working with computers, making paper models, and spending time with friends. Some of my favorite subjects are math, science, and technology. Outside of school I participate in Science Olympiad and Quiz Bowl, as well as NHS. I took this class because I want to learn about cameras and get better at Photoshop. I don't have any previous experience with photography classes, but I have taken art courses and know the basics about composition and elements of design. |
BlogWelcome to my blog! Archives
November 2018
Categories
All
|