Thursday, December 2, 2010

Abandoned Theme Parks

1. Tell me which amusement park featured in the two articles that you would like to visit and take your camera along and what about that park made you want to go there. Write at least a paragraph.

2. Post one photo from that park. You may use the photos from the link, or you can google an entirely new photo. I would prefer to see a photo of the park in disrepair and not a photo of it when it was still operating.

3. Think of at least FIVE other unusual places you think would be of interest to photographers. List them.

4. Use google or another search engine to research ONE of your five places and see if anyone has already started documenting that place. If you find that someone has already started - post at least one photo of their work.

5. Write a paragraph about why you think that it would be fun to document that location. Tell me what interests you about that place and what kind of photos you could expect to take there.

6. Tell me what it would take for you to go and take photos at your location. What would you need as far as equipment goes, travel plans, expenses you might encounter and what laws you would have to take into consideration to take photos at your spot.

Print evaluation - My first print

1.) His shoulder.
a.) Most of everything is in focus, except for maybe his backpack.
b.) Because it was unimportant.

2.) Its decent, but I would have liked it a little better if it were darker.
a.) Probably should have let the light shine on t a little longer.

3.) Yes.
a.) I snuck up on him, put the camera on the table to change the point of view and snapped it real fast.

4.) No yellowing.

5.) A little.
a.) I don't think I squeegeed it well enough.

6.)  Yes.

Caption:

Felix is vigorously cramming for a biology exam next period at the library. He didn't think it through to well when he woke up this morning, he had just remembered the exam was next period.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Portraits and self-portraits - start looking

On your blog - post your favorite self-portrait (1 photo) and your favorite professional portrait (1 photo). Explain what YOU think makes a good photo (3-5 sentences please). Be specific. And then describe which style you think you will want to do with your next 12 frames and what parts would you like to emulate in your work.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Negatives Evaluation

1. They all seemed decent in lighting, aperture and focus.

2. All of the pictures seem in focus and balanced in lighting.

3. I like this picture because I put the most thought it in. I put it on the table and balanced it with items on the table.

4. The first thing I do is focus, because a good photo can't be seen all fuzzy. Then I make sure the light is right, because that's another important aspect of a good photo. Then I snap whatever is interesting! Felix is in  focus, he can be seen and there is balance in the picture.

5. Rule of thirds, Lines, Balance & viewpoint.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Photo manipulation & Ethics.

A) The point of the article is that images shouldn't be manipulated in any way. To bring genuine work to published news and how editing images may pose threatening situations to some subjects. It is unfair to people who don't photo shop their work to get more attention. The hard working photographer doesn't get the attention he deserves.

B) In some cases photo manipulation is acceptable, but overall it is a nasty practice. The line is thin when crossing it.

                                                                                   +
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 This image is probably the most unethical due to the fact that it manipulates peoples opinions on the war. The manipulator wanted to get a specific negative feel towards American Soldiers and took it out all on this soldier, who was later dismissed two days later. The manipulators message lost a soldiers job.

This manipulation causes no one any harm. Just a simple geographical rearrangement to make the picture fit better. It works.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Drug Cartels in Mexico

It sends a chill down my spine. Knowing that people like the Cartels are running around killing ruthlessly. The amount of people killed during the time of the journalist stay was exponentially high & pointless. The point of the passage is to bring to light the corruption and disorganization in some places caught by genuine journalists.

Making a Black and White print

1.) List the materials (equipment) necessary to make a black and white print

  • Timers




  • Drying Cabinets




  • Tongs Or Spatula




  • Enlargers




  • Focusing Aids




  • Safelights




  • 2.) List the chemicals we might be using to make a print and where one would buy those chemicals
    Indicator (StopBath), Developer, Fixer & they can be grabbed online or near school campuses where they sell film supplies.
    3.) Summarize in one or two paragraphs the process from start to finish
    Print a contact sheet (a page of thumbprint sized images).
    In the darkroom, the chemicals are set up in trays, developer, stop bath and fixer. The negatives are laid out onto a sheet of photographic paper and exposed to the light of the enlarger. Once developed this sheet will become the contact sheet. The exposed photo paper is then placed into the tray of developer. Developing time for RC (resin coated) paper is 1 minute. Fiber based paper takes 2 minutes in the tray. Next step is to stop the developing process with the stop bath. The paper stays in this tray for 30 seconds and then goes into the fixer tray. RC paper stays in the fixer for 2 minutes, 4 minutes for fiber based paper. The final step is to wash the print in running water for 5 to 10 minutes. The contact sheet is now read to be hung to dry.
    4.) Post a photo of the equipment necessary to make a black and white print.
    1. emulsion - is a light-sensitive colloid, such as gelatin, coated onto a substrate. In silver-gelatin photography, the emulsion consists of silver halide crystals suspended in gelatin, and the substrate may be glass, plastic film, paper or fabric.
    2. aperture - The main function of a camera lens is to collect light. The aperture of a lens is the diameter of the lens opening and is usually controlled by an iris. The larger the diameter of the aperture, the more light reaches the film / image sensor.
    3. masking easel - device used to hold paper flat while exposing it to light from an enlarger. An easel border surrounding a print because its "arms" block light from striking the print paper's edges. 
    4. exposure - is the total amount of light allowed to fall on the photographic medium during the process of taking a photograph.
    5. safe light - is a light source suitable for use in a photographic darkroom. It provides illumination without the wavelengths of the light spectrum to which the material in use is sensitive.
    6. dodging - decreases the exposure for areas of the print that the photographer wishes to be lighter
    7. burning - increases the exposure to areas of the print that should be darker

    Post Shoot Reflection

    1. What challenges did you encounter while trying to get close, capture real moments, and capture action or emotion? Explain how you dealt with these challenges.
    It was difficult because when people noticed me they started acting up. So, to try to capture real moments I had to be a creep and take them without notice.

    2. What technical aspects of photography (focus, exposure, composition) did you find yourself thinking about the most? Provide a specific example of what you did to do this correctly.
    Focus, because it was a manual and blurry pictures suck. To do this correctly, I took my time focusing.

    3. Explain how you attempted to use at least one of the advanced composition techniques you learned in class while shooting.
    I added dimension to some shots, in filling everything in and balancing elements.

    4. What would you do differently the next time you shoot to improve your photographs?
    Probably take even more time to take them. More complex in shooting, not so simple next time.

    Thursday, November 4, 2010

    American Soldier: Slideshow & Captions

    A. What is the most powerful image from the slideshows? Why?The most powerful image in the slide show is of Ian kissing his girlfriend in the bleachers. Where they are the only still things in the image, while everything else is a blur. Ian is in uniform. It brings out a lot of emotion in how much the two will miss each other when Ian leaves.

    B. What sequence of photographs is the most powerful? Why?

    In sequences, the most powerful would be of Ian with his family and friend a few days before he leaves. They're running, playing and laughing and then, suddenly, everything gets serious. Ian is talking to his father, and the look on their faces are of concern, Ian's of impending fear. 

    C. How do the images work together to tell a story?
    The images play back and forth, dancing on the strings of actions & reaction. The story it tells is generic but true, everyone has gone through. Although, not everyone's gone to war, they've had to leave people to do something that needed to be done.



    A. For the photos in which Ian is the main subject of the photos, in what tense are the verbs usually written?
    They're usually written in present tense.

    B. How do the captions enhance the photographs?

    It gives meaning to the actions that are being seen, or emotion to the face, background to the story. 
     
    A. Write three of your own captions to photos without looking at the caption written by the photographer. Be sure they are written in the following form. For this assignment you can make up names and facts to write your captions.
                 
       1) Ian and a few companions blow up balloons continuously to train their diaphragm if they were ever put in an oxygen, breath defying position. 
                    2) The team waiting at a corner, prepares for target practice while taking a quick break.
                   
    3) Sitting alone on a stump during practice, Ian reminisces about what had happened that day. 

    A. How do these other features enhance the photographs?The fact that the photographer started to grow on Ian, & vice versa, things became personal and the pictures were taken to their full potential

    B. In what ways are videos better than photographs? Provide an example from the Denver Post Web site.

    Music can add to the feeling that wants to be portrayed, commentary also allows for a more personal feeling, a complete story. In chapter 2, when Ian leaves, everyone has a voice. They have the opportunity to allow themselves to be heard. His parents saying that they would miss him, how Ian was treated when he first got there. Pictures can't always be there and talk. Some details are overlooked in photos.

    C. In what ways are photos better than videos? Provide an example from the Denver Post Web site.

    Photo's make it personal, it's vague enough to allow that. The viewer interprets it and fills in all the blanks, it's fun  

    Friday, October 29, 2010

    Process B&W photos

    Materials Needed:
    • A metal or plastic film tank
    • Three dark plastic containers to hold chemistry
    • Graduates 
    • A darkroom timer
    • A can opener
    • A room that is totally light proof


      Chemicals Needed: 
    • Developer
    • Fixer (hypo)
    • Hypo Eliminator  

      Summary: Start out in a dark room with the film. Makes sure to have the chemicals needed already measured out. The developer (1:3 chemical to water ratio), the stop bath (1:63 chemical water ratio), the fixer ( 1:4 water to chemical ratio) & the hypo eliminator (4.4 Oz). The chemicals are 20 degrees Celsius & the water mixed with them is 68. Open the film canister and cutoff the tabs of the film to make it a straight piece of film. Put the film into a reel, threading it in between the top and bottom.When it reaches the end, pull the end off and remove the tape. Put it into the developing tank.
      Mix the chemicals. Keep the chemicals in collapsible storage containers. Pour 8 oz developer into the top of the tank when using an 8-oz. developing tank.Tap the tank against the counter to dislodge bubbles.Agitate the tank by slowly inverting it and turning it back over for the first 15 seconds.
      Repeat every 30 seconds for the recommended time (5- 8 minutes). Pour the developer back into the storage container.Pour stop bath into the now-empty developing tank. Agitate the stop bath and let stand for 1 minute. Pour out the stop bath and replace with fixer. Agitate the fixer for 15 seconds and then for 15 seconds once every minute for the allotted time. Pour the fixer back into its bottle.
    • Remove the lid of the tank and run water into the tank for 15 minutes. Add wetting agent to water to start the drying process. Remove the film, attach a clip to the end of the film, pull the film off the reel and attach another clip at the opposite end. Hang in a dust free environment
      .








    Repition

    Slice of Heaven
    Judges rate Alpine cheese in Oberstdorf, Germany. Jury members at the 5th Alpine Cheese Olympics rated over 700 kinds of Alpine cheese from all over the world.

    Vertical tables and lines of cheese brings the eyes in and out of the photo. 
    Doe-Eyed
    Lisa Simpson appears on television screens on a new Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 after its inaugural passenger flight from Singapore to Sydney, Australia.

    Spacing and having the same image of Lisa Simpson on the seats make for a dynamic, interesting picture.
    Wading through the Rubble
    A man tries to recover belongings from his shanty after a fire in Manila. More than 100 families were left homeless in the fire.

    The lines are repeating and draw the viewer continuously to the man.
     
     

    Thursday, October 14, 2010

    Funny Captions

    Panda Po bear is sliding down the ramp. He then got stuck for about three hours, fire marshals were called.

    Is this real life? My fancy cat didn't like baths, so we made a compromise.

    Following the accident of Pentmore bay, two boxes reconcile. No dryers were hurt in the taking of this photograph.

    Tuesday, October 12, 2010

    Marlboro Marine

    Sinco grew on his Miller, he became emotionally attached and therefore, cared just that much more about his work His slide show told a story and delivered a message through text, audio & image.

    The effect of the slide show moves the public. It surprisingly meant a lot in the end because of how deeply entrapped the audience became with Miller. The central message of how difficult it is for him to just get on with life like before, how suicide was a serious option and the feeling of under appreciation ate at him. 

    The image that spoke to me the most was the icon for the war. Simply because he's all dressed up & ready, yet still aloof and gone.

    The most powerful sequence of images was when Miller was standing on a parking meter and he was saying how he felt isolated & it went to stop motion with blurs of people walking by. When he ended his sentence he was alone again.

    The audio aided in telling the story, progressing it & allowing us to get inside Miller's head & feel his pain as he feels it. 

    The chronological order of the photos and how it related to what Miller was saying progressed the story.

    Friday, October 8, 2010

    FOAM & Grief.

    Looking at this picture made me immediately tear up. The lines and arrangement of everything focuses on one thing. the soldiers helmet on the gun leads to the boot, down the step, to the portrait to the crying family. Very moving. 
    I've never seen something like this before, a kid in pure joy rolling around in fake snow. It looks so fluffy, wish I was there. But then again, it looks kind of nasty.

    ATPI Photography Shortcourse





     The globe coming from the shadow gives me a feeling that there's more then meets the eye. Layout of the passport is unique and chronological, I want to travel the world. It also reminds me of Star Wars.

    Wednesday, October 6, 2010

    Great black & white photographers part 3

    The floor is damp, I feel wet. The morning chill broke through my jacket as I hurried across the street, avoiding the non existent traffic. I just didn't feel safe in the middle of the street. The cold, crisp smell after rain filled my nostril and the aftertaste of coffee (because I drink coffee) dizzied me. I was late for the first day of school.
    It's eerie, I see fields and fields upon white. The cold numbs me and crawls up my spine. Feeling scared and tasting the dirt as the smell initiates me, I continues to pose like that statue I am.  It's never enough.

    Monday, October 4, 2010

    Filling The Frame

    At first you're just like, 'oh cool, someone with his big head drawing stuff' but look closer & you'll see an abundant amount of stuff. First off, his reflection in the mirror looks pretty interesting, it's a few shades darker & fits the frame. Second, the random drawing poking out on the bottom right is just there. Third, his drawing is nice and he dresses accordingly too. Also the basket and media make for a busy scene.

    Action & Emotion.





    Being on the stage, it's a new feeling, being nervous, in the middle of some guitar solo. This picture resembles the frightening jitters of public performance but also the confidence of these band members, it's a good feeling. They can pretend they know what they're doing & by the end they'll have the crowd fooled.

    The Story

    This is the story of a  young girl in sewing class. Her face expression represents playful confusion and a sort of nonchalance. She's having fun & she knows what she's doing. Probably could be doing something else though. 

    Thursday, September 30, 2010

    Ten Pictures.

    Merger
    Balance

    Balance

    Cropping

    Depth

    Thirds

    Framing

    Thirds

    Lines

    Simple

    Symmetry

    Viewpoint

    Friday, September 24, 2010

    Hurricane Ike


    During Hurricane Ike, the anticipation and fear of what was going to happen next kept people on edge. And when Ike hit, it hit hard. These pictures greatly capture the reform and rebuilding with great balance and simplicity. The first, with the man walking in the middle brings simplicity and a matched colored theme. The second has great balance with the three boys walking across and the lateral sign gives movement to the boys direction. The third one's composition is great, the man, waiting is the foreground but he fits the bottom thirds of the picture. The last picture is also another thirds one, it may seem like a lot is going on but what is being focused on is the men on the cars fixing what they can and the two buildings on each side draw attention what is further out there.

    Great black and white photographers, PART 2.


    Josef Koudelka, a Moravian native, was born in a small town. Born in 1938, he began photography with a Bakelite camera & later earned a degree at University of Technology in Prague. He went on to end his engineering career and pursue photography. Working on grants and other funding he was awarded the Overseas Press Club's Robert Capa Gold Medal of courage for smuggling pictures of the Warsaw pact invading the Czech for reform. Going to win many pretiged awards & recieve much praise from others he resides now in France & has two daughters and a son all living in different parts of Europe.

    Pinhole

    1) All the light spots on the negative were darker on the postie & also the positive was more detailed.
    2) Dictionary;; Negative - noting an image in which the brightness values of the subject are reproduced so that the lightest areas are shown as the darkest.
    My definition is basically that it captures the luminance or light of the picture. 
    3) If the light in the picture hits 0 degrees, which means it's head on, it won't bend but if it is being hit at with an angle of 90 degrees or more it will bend the opposite direction.  

    Merger

    The pole leads you off the page and back to the men in uniform instead of blending in with them. But the buildings in the background drown out the soldiers.

    Rule of Thirds

    On this photograph the eye is attracted to the mother's lips the to the baby, who is the focus of this picture. He's centered to a third of the picture which adds to the dynamics.

    Balance

    This photo represents balance in a loop. It brings you back to the son kissing his mother then back again because of the focus on their heads.

    Framing

    The top picture's framing is the mess on the outside, it feels like the inside of the wreckage looking out.
    On the bottom picture the flags lines lead straight to the woman talking, framing her instantly.

    Simplicity

    It's simple, the point of both pictures is of these people's grief of 9/11.The close up of the man's face shows his tears and the little girl crying with a picture of his father is straightforward.