(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.