(P9) Hands

I found hands to be a more difficult project than I expected. Trying to focus the picture on the hands was a challenge for me and so I had to spend a lot of time trying to find the correct angle and position for the hands so that they would appear in the frame. I particularly enjoyed capturing images of my bird, however it took me several tries, as she can be uncooperative. I also enjoyed capturing my hands on the ukulele, as I love music.

(P10) Quiet Moments

     I've found that photographing quiet moments is more about finding still moments. There was a lot of noise in some of these photographs, but the stillness is what gives off the feeling of quiet. Photographing nature and empty streets is something I found to be good. Photographing architecture is also good because is does not move. Statues are also good for this.

(P6) Shadows

     I have always considered shadows to be a minor detail in photos. After doing this project, I now have a better perspective for how important a role they play in photography. I tried to capture a mixture of living and nonliving shadows. I found the best shadows occurred near sunrise or sunset. Also, architecture involving pillars or railings is good for finding shadows.

Warm Ups

Warm Up 10:

     This image depicts a simple hallway with some pillars on the right. The pillars create long, emphasized shadows. The photo in black and white emphasizes the shadows more. The lack of color simplifies the image and the shadows look harsher as a result.

Warm Up 11:

     I find this to be an entertaining image, and the idea is interesting and humorous. I find it hard to believe that the shadow in the image is cast by the three models though, as they shape they are creating is not representative of that of the shadow.

Warm Up 12:

     My favorite specific food is hard to pin down specifically, however my favorite type of food is breakfast food. The dynamic between the elements of a hearty breakfast is what really makes it magical. Some highlights are scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, carbs like waffles or pancakes or french toast, and coffee. A meal like this will definitely give me the boost I need in my morning.

Warm Up 13:

- Don't have your subject taking up the entire frame.
- A 2/3 turn will help your client slim down in the frame and allow some nature into your shot.
- Allow light to cross a subject as opposed to colliding with them.
- Be aware of hands in your shot and how they might steal attention from the face of your subject.
- Tell your client to keep their chin down, to allow us to see their eyes more clearly.
- You client should not be in a telephone pole stance.
- Have your client shift their weight.
- Be communicative with your clients.

Warm Up 14:

     These portraits both have a visible temperature. They both use a consistent color scheme. The man with the blue fence has a blue suit on, and the woman's skin blends with the grass. Both also have some contrast which emphasizes the figure as well.

Warm Up 15:

     Both these portraits appear to be taken in front of a someone's house. They both have some nice greenery involved. The one on the bottom is more dynamic, while the one on top is more still. The mood created is different in both. The one on top is more serious. The one on the bottom is more fun.

Warm Up 16:

     This portrait has a very serious tone. The black and white, coupled with the expression and posture of the subjects creates this effect. This could be used as promotional material for a band or other group.

Warm Up 17:

     This photo gives us some personality details of the subject through the clothes she wears and what she is doing. We can tell that this is someone who is creative and intelligent by the graph paper, and someone who loves nature by her presence on the grass.

Warm Up 18:

     This photo sends a happy and festive message, carried by the ideals of marriage. The aperture of the camera was likely set between 1 and 3 for this image. I feel like I would not enjoy specifically being a wedding photographer as weddings would become less fun over time.

Warm Up 19:

     I find taking photographs at the beach and tide pools to be aesthetically pleasing. The water and sky provide a nice color and contrast to my subjects. It always serves as a nice backdrop to any portrait. Who wouldn't want to spend time near the ocean anyways?

(P8) Thanksgiving Break

     I am grateful to have had Thanksgiving break at this time. I was given opportunities to make progress on my college applications, as well as other homework assignments, and just relax. I still swam and worked, but I also had some down-time to relax and enjoy myself. I was able to see some friends from out of town returning for the holidays as well. I spent my Thanksgiving with some family and friends.
     My friend Kealan came down from Cal Poly for the week, and so I spent an evening with him. We drove around and bought some food, then we headed downtown. I took him to a hotel pool that I knew of and we hung out in the hot tub for a while and relaxed. I also spoke with my friend Max who lives in Michigan. I always visit him during the summer, since we have been friends for almost 15 years.
     On Thanksgiving day, we had some family friends, Amy and Jeehon over for dinner. My mother prepared a classic Thanksgiving feast. It was Amy and Jeehon's first true Thanksgiving meal, as Amy is from the United Kingdom and Jeehon is Korean. Afterwards, Jeehon, my dad and I faced each other in ping-pong. My dad and I found Jeehon to be a very skilled player and had a hard time beating him, but we had a lot of fun nonetheless.

(P7) Outdoor Portraits

Reflection:
     I found shooting single people to be easier as it was easier to coordinate what they are doing in the shot. Finding appropriate camera settings for outdoor shooting can be difficult, however it did not take me long to find adequate ranges. I just needed a little experimentation with the settings and the direction of my subjects in order to get a good shot.

Warm Ups:

Warm Up 1
The most prominent elements and principles I see here are color, as well as unity and variety. Color is visible obviously because of the vibrant tones that appear among these desserts. Unity and variety is also prominent because of the fact that there is a variety among these treats, however they are all the same type of cookie.

Warm Up 2
This photo is a nice close-up of some pencil shavings. The dominant element here is color or texture, however upon converting this image to black and white, value and texture would be most prominent.

Warm Up 3
The memories from my childhood which I find most enjoyable are those that I spent with my friend Max. We met when I was 3 and he was 5, and are friends to this day. We would explore the neighborhood on our bikes and scooters, or play ping pong in his garage. We would always try to create new things together, whether it be illustrations or expertly crafted ping pong paddles.

Warm Up 4
The darkness around this woman creates a type of framing, as it draws our attention to the lit areas. Her raised arms frame her head, and the object to the right tightens our view to focus more on the woman.

Warm Up 5
This biker is well-framed by the supports of this bridge. The element in this photo which I find to be dominant is value, as the brilliant background sharply contrasts the dark foreground. The principle I find most dominant is contrast, as the biker and bridge elements stand out against the bright background.

Warm Up 6
The lower half of this photo seems to be the most attention-grabbing part. The upper half, the horizon brings emphasis to the lower half.

Warm Up 7
The most dominant element in this photo is texture, as the lighting and physical texture of the subject is instantly noticeable. The most dominant principle is movement, as the pattern forces our eyes to move with it.

Warm Up 8
Upon graduating from college, I want to enter the field of environmental science, the most interesting and fun subject that's out there. I care about the world we live in, and through conservation, rehabilitation of natural resources, and policy we can live sustainably.

Warm Up 9
The shadows in this photo are very long and dark. I believe the best time for capturing shadows is near sunrise and sunset. The sun will cast very long, emphasized shadows which make for a moody and eye-catching look.

P5: Framing

Reflection:
This project was one of the most difficult, because finding subjects which are framed naturally was a struggle for me. In some cases, I was just able to ask friends to pose in a certain location. In others, I just needed to search out framed objects. Some photos I took previously also worked nicely with this project. I did like this project becuase it challenged me and I got a couple good shots out of it.

P4: Space

I have found recently that taking many photos of a subject has lead to some nicer photos. Previously, I would just take a couple photos of something that I found interesting. I would get some nice photos, but I ended up with quite a few where I wished I could go back and take them again but I had missed the opportunity. By taking a large amount of photos of one subject, I would generally have at least a few high quality images to choose from of each subject.