Assignment of Which I Am Most Proud

I am most proud of my Food assignment. The images above are a few of the many photographs I took in Whole Foods for this assignment. I was initially slightly uncomfortable with this assignment, because I am generally not very good at finding artistic things to photograph in food. I have generally stuck to portrait photography when that is an option, and this assignment really left me with no other option than to take photographs of food. When I walked into Whole Foods, I was unsure as to where I was to begin. Very soon, however, I got so lost in my photographs that I completely forgot my initial discomfort. I took more photographs than I had ever taken before, and I put thought and effort into each and every one. This assignment taught me how photograph outside of my comfort zone. I am very proud of my results. 

Most Memorable Experience

       My most memorable experience this semester in Photo I was, without a doubt, the creative selfie assignment. I had so much fun with Eavan trying to capture a unique and creative selfie. We were very thoughtful, and we were filled with endless ideas. Selfies have become such a normal and casual thing in everyday life, that people haven't really taken the time to delve into the creativity that can exist behind each and every selfie. I really enjoyed this assignment, because it made me think about things in a different way. It made me realize that one can be creative with anything he/she wants to be creative with, even a simple selfie. This realization extended to my perspective on everything; I saw that art and creativity can exist in anything in life.

Culture Clash

Purpose:
To create a Clash of Cultures by creating your own Photo montage, combining images from Beijing, China and Yarmouth, Maine, USA;
To further develop your Photoshop knowledge and skills;
To create a “surreal” landscape by montaging a variety of photographs;
To know, use, and understand the Four Collage Techniques to in your Photo Montage: Juxtaposition/fragmentation, Point of View, Scale Change, Overlapping

Reflection:
            I learned a vast amount from this project from both the successes and the challenges that I faced throughout my creation of this montage. I primarily learned a lot about photoshop. I was very successful in editing the various photographs to fit into my montage. The process of adjusting, cropping, and editing the pictures in order to juxtapose, layer, and contrast them in my final project greatly enhanced my understanding of the program. Due to my success with photoshop throughout the project, I am now actually quite comfortable using photoshop with different projects. I additionally had many initial challenges that I had to overcome, enforcing my problem solving skills. It was extremely difficult to incorporate fifteen images into my project in a way that was imaginary but also real at the same time. I had to maintain the real aspect of the surreal montage, which was something I found to be quite difficult while trying to integrate many different and contrasting images. I ultimately found ways to add in many different images without losing the sense of having a real scene in the montage. I added smaller fragments, and I decreased the opacity of some images to help them blend and juxtapose together smoothly. In the end, I learned a huge amount from this project, and it was definitely a highlight for me.

Free Choice

"A Barn and a Boy"

The sound of the sprinkling rain grew stronger on a sullen Sunday afternoon. The aroma of spring was in the air, and the faint smell of burning wood coming from inside created a comfortable and calm atmosphere. I felt my camera in my hands; I knew what I had to do. I saw the rusty red of the barn and the blue of his eyes and his shirt, and I knew that I could trust my camera to capture a powerful moment. The reds and blues and browns intertwined into one beautiful shot. I saw his eyes look back at the camera, conveying so much emotion with such a plain expression. I heard children playing in the yard next door, and I heard an impatient dog barking from the street. Life was in slow motion as this shot was captured. 

"Game Face"

Game Day

Daunting, Exciting

Defending, Running, Attacking

Until the Ball is in the Back of the Net

A fight.

Culture Clash Planning

Juxtaposition~ When two things things are placed together, forming a contrasting effect.

Fragmentation~  The process of breaking multiple wholes into small, separate parts. Fragments from the different wholes are then used to create a new, unique whole. 

Point of View~ The position from which something is observed. 

Scale Change~ When the proportions of one image to another is changed. 

Overlapping~ When something covers something else partly by going over its edge. 

Annie Leibovitz

This is the link to my famous photographers video for Annie Leibovitz:

Hobbies & Interests

"Musical Escape"

Harmoniously melodic

Mellifluously harmonic

Each moment

Each second

Each touch

priceless.

The sound

The tune

The beauty

an escape. 

Free to play

Free to roam

Free to

create. 

"Tis the Season"

'Tis the season for small yellow balls.

'Tis the season for some nasty falls.

'Tis the season for great, victorious wins.

'Tis the seasons for losses that are harder than it's ever been.

'Tis the season to rise,

'Tis the season to shine;

You can hear it in our cries:

We surely won't resign. 

Food

"Layers"

Layers

Dense, Impenetrable 

Growing, Changing, Ever-Protecting

A cloak of bliss

Innocence  

"Sheer Bliss"

          In the dead silence, the unquestionable aura of pancakes awakens all hearts and souls on a rainy Sunday morning.  Gloominess disappears, and jubilation appears in its absence. Lacrosse defeats, surgical pains, and boredom are no longer unfortunate realties. The scent of pancakes and syrup encompasses each and every body within its reach. Suddenly, laughter fills the sullen silence. Smiles appear in the place of frowns. The rain beats down on the roof; however, the glistening syrup and all its magical powers are undeniably superior. Pancakes are a simplistic yet perfect source of happiness. 

"An Art Form of its Own"

           While the thought of consuming tomatoes, olives, and an unidentified cheese brings complete and utter disgust to my body, the mixture of these foods together undeniably retains a unique sort of beauty. It is as if the art in this photograph is the food rather than the photography. I am simply the photographer capturing its ornamental appearance. 

Creative Portraits

"On the Horizon"

The riddle of life

A horizon lies ahead 

Where will I go next?

"Bubble Trouble"

Pop.

       The boy chewed his gum tirelessly, paying close attention to the patterns and textures involved with this commonplace action. Every so often, he gathered the cool mint gum to the center of his tongue in order to blow a bubble. He is meticulous. He is determined. He is driven. He pays intense attention to all of his pursuits in life.

       ... Well. Not all pursuits. For, in his life, he had never paid such detailed attention to the art of chewing bubblegum.

       In the end of winter daze, the boy felt at peace in this large, open field. He had things to do, places to be, people to see; however, he let them go. The world froze for one single moment. The wind blew through his curly hair. He took a deep breath, and he chewed his gum. It was carefree. He laughed at his girlfriend as she desperately tried to get a shot of one of his perfectly round bubbles for her photography class. After each failed attempt, she would display a look of disappointment that only made him more intent on helping her achieve this shot. He smiled. She smiled. He was living the scene in slow motion. Life was vividly beautiful.

       He once again gathered the gum at this tip of his tongue. He blew the perfect bubble.

Click. 

"Security"

Shelter

Safe, Guarded

Dreaming, Hoping, Wondering

That one day I will have no limits

Freedom

Selfie

           I believe that this is an excellent selfie, because it captures a different side of Eavan and me. While this selfie may appear creepy, it is actually quite unique in that it does not follow the trend of the typical selfie. Rather than choosing to take a selfie in which we were smiling or making a funny face, Eavan and I chose to take a selfie with serious faces. We also used positive and negative space in a creative manner. Because our whole faces are not visible, it calls more attention to more discreet aspects of our faces that one would not see in an average selfie. Because we are not in the dead center, the selfie is more exciting and mysterious. All in all, this is a fabulous selfie. 

Portrait Techniques

"Shoot Candidly"

This strategy is excellent in order to avoid a posed look in photographs. Rather than asking the subjects to pose, the photographer takes shots of the subjects doing what they love. This adds a more natural effect to the portraits, and it relaxes the subjects. Because they do not feel so much pressure to be in a specific pose, they are able to act freely and passionately. This is something I definitely want to do in my portraits. I want to take photographs of people doing things, not necessarily aware of the fact that I am shooting. This could create a great shot.

"Obscure Part of Your Subject"

This strategy is utilized when the photographer obscures parts of the subject's face or body. The photographer does this with anything from a blanket to a jacket. This strategy leaves part of the image up to interpretation for the viewer. It also adds excitement; there is something about mystery that makes the image animated. I definitely want to try to do this in my portraits. I have used this strategy before, and it worked very well. I would really like to do this on a subject who has very piercing eyes, for it would leave a nice effect on the viewer. 

"Play with Backgrounds"

This is when the photographer places the subjects into different contexts and backgrounds in order to alter the mood of the shot. The background can be extremely minimalistic; however, the background can also be busy. It all depends on what conveys the mood the photographer wishes to portray. I would definitely like to use this strategy in my portraits. I think that background can be used very strategically to illustrate something about the subject. The background can tell a story; it can convey messages. This would be very cool to experiment with in my portraits. 

Famous Portraits

Leo Dicaprio

Annie Leibovitz

1997

Dovima with Elephants

Richard Avedon

1955

Yitzhak Rabin Israel

Arnold Newman

1967

      I absolutely love the techniques used in the portraits of these talented photographers. Annie Leibovitz's portrait of Leonardo Dicaprio is outstanding. First and foremost, her use of the rule of thirds is extremely effective. Placing Dicaprio off-center adds a lot of interest to the portrait. His piercing and intense stare is emphasized by this arrangement. The contrast between light and dark is also huge in this photograph. The white swan contrasts the blackness on the left side of the photograph. Perhaps Leibovitz is trying to convey a message, for it is extremely clear that the two halves of the photo contrast significantly in terms of lightness and darkness. I love the idea of conveying a deep message through photography; it is beautiful. Richard Avedon's portrait of the lady weaved into the elephants is gorgeous. I primarily love the way he captured the woman between the elephants; it looks as if she is interwoven between them. It is almost as if she is one with the elephants in a symbolic manner. Avedon similarly uses a contrast between light and dark in the image which adds to the effect of the portrait. It is extremely creative. The image is very expressive, and it illustrates deep emotion. I particularly love Arnold Newman's portrait, because the background conveys messages that completely surpass the photograph. By taking the portrait in this setting, Avedon ensures that the viewer is able to infer different things about the subject. The photograph tells stories; it is powerful. I also love how Avedon took the portrait from a different perspective. This adds interest to the photograph. On the whole, the stylistic aspects of these photographers' portraits are incredible. Each portrait is not merely a portrait, but it is a story. They all convey messages and powerful emotions. 

History of Photography

I gathered a huge amount of interesting and beneficial information from completing and presenting this poster. First and foremost, I learned how dense and intricate the history of photography really is. There have been so many people and innovations that have contributed to modern photography. There has not been one single person or invention that has defined photography. It truly is the culmination of amazing people and outstanding creations. Furthermore, I learned about the importance of pushing the boundaries in order to achieve amazing things in photography. As I listened to the presentations, I picked up on a recurring theme of escaping the confines of conventional society to produce new and inspirational photography. Whether it is Robert Mapplethorpe and his controversial nude photos, or Jerry Uelsmann and his groundbreaking manipulation of photos in the darkroom, or Annie Leibovitz and her seductive magazine portraits, or, frankly, anyone in between, these groundbreaking photographers have paved the way for modern photography by tirelessly pushing the limits. Finally, I learned how far photography has come since the 1800’s. It is incredible to visibly see how these people and innovations that have popped up over the past few centuries have collaborated to work towards modern photography. The progression of photography towards what it is today is truly inspiring.

Shadow

"Life in Technicolor"

Life in colors:

Brilliant

          bright

                    bold.

The wars

          the hatred

                    the sadness

                              the remorse

                                        the crime:

All-Excluding.

                                         The peace

                             the love

                   the happiness

         the laughter

the freedom:

All- Encompassing.

One bowl: life

in Technicolor. 

"Candlelight"

Oh candle,

so bright,

please illuminate my night.

Night has come, 

and Day has gone,

so please hold your flame until dawn.

Carpe Diem

"Seize The Day"

            I learned a multitude of things as a result of doing this project. I primarily learned key information necessary to success when using Photoshop in one's photographs. I learned how to transform and adjust the photos in a way that makes them more effective and interesting for a photographer's purpose. I also learned how to look at everyday objects with a creative lens. Venturing around the school on a search for the shapes of various letters hidden in everyday objects inspired my imagination and demonstrated to me that creativity is a huge component of photography. Finally, this project undoubtedly illustrated to me the wide variety of projects one can do with photos. Photography is a sea of possibilities. Creating phrases with photos is definitely a unique project, and it is unlike anything I had expected to do in photography class; however, it was entirely a plausible project. On the whole, these and the other more minor things that I learned through this project will be very beneficial to me moving forward with my photography. They have showed me how to have an open mind and how to take things as they come. They have showed me how to be innovative and how to be creative. This project was a great experience to enhance my photo experience.

Unusual Perspectives

"Happy Place Found"

             The slopes, his playground, 

                                  the winter, his wonderland. 

           Laughing on the ground,

                                                 endless smiles within this young man.

Love of liberty, 




                           passion for freedom. 

         Skiing with creativity,

                                           so fast that no one can see him.

 The season, short,

                            each day, precious.

                                          Moments like these filled with great import, 

                                                        the memories leaving him breathless. 

Composition

"Peak-A-Boo"

In this first image, I photographed Ethan Nightingale. I used two compositional strategies for this photograph: Background Simplified and Rule of Thirds. Background Simplified was a very effective compositional strategy to use for this image, because the background is less sharp than Ethan's face, carving out a significant amount of focus to be paid to his single eye. Everything that surrounds Ethan's face is reduced in depth and sharpness, thus making obvious the focal point of the photograph. The second compositional strategy I used, Rule of Thirds, was similarly a very advantageous strategy for my photograph. The center of interest, Ethan's eye, is located at an intersection point when the frame is divided into three parts horizontally and vertically. This adds more interest and excitement to the photograph as a whole. 

"On a Snow Day"

In this second image, I photographed my dog, Yogi, on a snow day. My dog, refusing to go beyond the door into the snow, simply sat on the porch and stared right at me, as if to tell me indirectly that he was not to go any further. I captured this whole moment, using most notably the Rule of Thirds and Background Included. Yogi's eyes staring right back at me are at an intersection point when the frame is divided into three parts horizontally and vertically, adding to the interest and therefore comical aspects of the photograph. I also used Background Included, for everything surrounding Yogi is included in the photograph, even the depth beyond the windows in the door. Finally, I also used Different Points of View by getting down to the level of Yogi.

Shapes, Geometric and Organic

"Song in the Snow"

"Natural Beauty"

I found the guitar and jagged piece of wood in a closet in Mrs. Noack's classroom and immediately envisioned them as perfect subjects for this assignment. The guitar's shape is fantastic, for it's body provides a sense of fluidity, while the neck and strings add a linear effect. The wood's shape is fascinating due to its organic features; the jagged edges are are all unique and interesting. Furthermore, I took both of these objects outside and placed them in the snow. I did this for two reasons: I primarily chose the environment outside because of the natural lighting. I personally do not like to use flash; therefore, I found that outside I was getting the best results in terms of the image quality without the flash being necessary. Secondly, I chose to take the photographs outside, because I thought that the snow would be a good background to enhance the unique and beautiful shapes that both the guitar and wood possess. 

Motivation

I enjoy photographing anything from landscapes to portraits to anything in between. In the past, I have had some photographing experience in which I have had the chance to explore different subjects for photography. Last summer and spring, I was an intern for The Forecaster and went to various events with my camera to shoot pictures. I had six or seven photographs featured in the paper, one being a hilarious photograph I took at the Diaper Derby during the Clam Festival. I also took several students' senior pictures this past fall. Whenever I travel with my family, I take photographs of everything I find interesting- landscapes, animals, and food. Due to my experience thus far working with photography, I have found that I enjoy photographing all kinds of things. I would say, however, that my favorite thing to photograph is people, as I discovered when I took the senior portraits this fall.

What motivates me to do well and be successful is a multitude of things. I think that, in school, a big thing that motivates me to be successful is grades. I tend to work very hard in order to receive high grades and therefore be successful. The knowledge that success could help enhance and build up my future is something else that motivates me to be successful. I work extremely hard, because I know that it will ultimately pay off in my future when I am looking for a job and trying to build a life for myself. Finally, I think that doing things that make me happy really motivates me to do well and embrace whatever it is that I am doing. Whenever I enjoy what I am doing, I end up being successful, because I am very dedicated and enthusiastic about it. I think happiness is definitely a key to success. Furthermore, what motivates me to do photography specifically is the final product. I love taking photos and then being able to view them later and look back on fond memories. The ability to capture special moments in time is incredible, and that is a big part of what motivates me to do photography.

In order to help me be successful, the best thing that the teacher can do for me is provide me with constructive feedback. I heavily value other peoples' opinions when I am working on projects, so this would undoubtedly help me be successful.