PROJECT #7 - Photo Collage

Internalizing
(Originals for Photo Collage can be Found Below)

CAMERA SETTINGS

WB: Cloudy

APERTURE: F5

SHUTTER SPEED: 1/30

ISO: 2800

My idea for this was about inner demons fighting to overtake us. It was not the original concept for this project, however the rain and my insane workweek prevented my original idea from reaching fruition. I set my son up at our dining room table. There was three sources of light: 1) natural lighting from behind, 2) Halogen bulb radiating from the left. 3) Incandescent light from the right in the next room. It was around 5p during the thunderstorm we had. The final lighting was dark and moody. I found an amazing backdrop image from Pinterest to set the scene.



In Photoshop: I had to flip the image orientation of one of the portraits and then create a clipping mask. I then inserted the image to make the dueling Joe’s face each other. I then erased (as well as I could) the background of both images so I could insert the “backdrop” image. I then set the whole image to Black and White, and color balanced the image so it was slightly purple in hue.



Compositional Elements – The backdrop helps to set the symmetry that I wanted for this image. I wanted it to feel like a Rorschach image.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I am quite happy with the scene of the image and how I blended all the elements together. However, the weakest part is the imperfections made by the background deleting. I would love to make a smoother transition between the images. This assignment was refreshing and challenging. It really tested my knowledge of Photoshop. I had to take many pictures of Joey so that I had the distance, clarity and focus correct for both “sides” of him. What I wish I had done differently was the pose. I should have had him leaning against a wall with one hand against it. I think it would have been easier to fuse the images.

Photo Essay Response - In Class Assignment #9

Mountains Offer No Solace in this Dying Soviet Mining Town

Daro Sulakauri captured the miners (and their families) that reside in Caucasus. The images are dark, and desolate with pops of color. They show a lifestyle that we are not exposed to here, in the United States. The opening picture seems that of a post-apocalyptic movie, not of a 2017 real world town. The images are raw, and organic which is mostly impart to their candid, unposed nature. The photo essay starts with a look into the miners starting their day of grueling labor. The darkness that surrounds them as they take a tiny mine cart down into the mines. Above them are roots, and metal rafters, as if they are being engulfed by their work. The mine for "black gold", which is another world for the mineral Manganese. This is their livelihood and what keeps their families fed, even if it is not enough. The faces of the workers are weathered, and tough. Their eyes are piercing and focused. We are then taken into the living situations of this mining town. Tenement looking homes and apartment buildings are tightly packed together; it plucks the heart strings, and it makes you appreciate the luxuries, and beauties that surround us here. Their homes are damaged, torn apart, by shockwaves from underground detonation. Can you imagine your room being torn apart, due to the work that kept you in that room? Families in America spread themselves out amongst their family rooms, dens, and various other rooms. Whereas, the family shown in Caucasus are huddled together, morosely, around  a stove in their main room. Laundry hangs drying from the ceiling. Shoes are drying, it seems, beneath the stove.  But then, in the next image, the lighting changes... We are in a bright beautiful bountiful landscape. We are viewing children playing on a platform, and there is a levity to the image. We see the cable cars illuminated, with foliage around them. Even the dim image of people packed in a rail car has light pooling from the background window. Sulakauri then pulls at our heartstrings again, showing the city covered in snow, and the post-apocalyptic feel reemerges. This last image brings the whole photo essay full circle.

This was the only photo essay that truly pulled me in, and by images alone, compelled me to read the story. As I read through the story, read the captions, and viewed the images it made me think about the levels of poverty in the U.S, and how different life must be in the Soviet Union. The face of the one little girl breaking the fourth wall in the family portrait is sobering. There is such anger and strength in her eyes. Almost as if she does not want this stranger seeing the underbelly of their daily lives. 

Question and Answer Section

1. How did the photographer approach this story visually?
   
   The photographer brought you slowly in to the workers lives, and then built up to the city, and families. The images start dark and gritty and have levity in the middle, and then draw back to the raw grit of the city at the end. 
   
2. What is successful about this photo essay?
   
   I find the entire photo essay compelling. The images were simple, and deep at the same time.
   
3.  Why did you choose this out of all of the others?
   
   As I said above, there was no other photo essay that drew me in, by images alone. I almost picked a photo essay about HIV/AIDS drug users, and street workers in Tijuana. But, those were... almost lifeless in comparison to these.
   
4. What elements of photography enhance your understanding or feeling for the story?
   
   The colors were always muted, but the edges sharp, this enhanced the mood that was trying to be portrayed. His proximity to the subjects is intimate, even though they seem part of their dilapidated surroundings, there is still a glitter in their eyes. 
   
5. Make comments about the intro/outro shots.
   
   I felt that the intro and outro shots brought the whole photo essay into full circle. It starts as it ends... dark, unsure, and organic. We start with an old woman riding the rail car up from the city. We end the photo essay with a wide landscape shot of the rail car (I assume to be) descending back into the dark city. 
   
6.  Think about the order in which these images are presented to you, is this order effective? Why or why not? What could be changed? Would it change the meaning or story?
   
   I think the order was very effective in conveying the story of the desolate mining town. As said above the images start with the railcars and workers, and then we go into their family lives, to the areas of the city, and ends with the railcar. There was one image of a young girl in the railcar, and I feel that her image could be removed and that it would not hinder the meaning of the story. 

Photo Scavenger Hunt - In Class Assignment #8

1. SQUIRREL

2. BIRD

3. SUNY ORANGE LOGO

4. FOOD

5. WATER

6. BOOK

7. FLAG

8. THE NUMBER EIGHT

9. TRIANGLE

10. STAIR

11. STAINED GLASS

12. PORTRAIT

13. JUMP

14. BLUR

15. THE COLOR PINK

16. BRICK

17. BENCH

18. FOLIAGE

19. FRIEND

20. GROUP

20. GROUP

PROJECT #6 - Light - Aerial Peace, Battlefield, Steeling Metaphysics

Aerial Peace

I had been seeing a lot of birds this past week, and thought they were so peaceful just sitting there. Our house is situated where sunsets are directly in front of our home. I was attempting to get a lens flare, when this bird just landed on the power line in front of me. Instant MUSE.

CAMERA SETTINGS

WB: Sunny

Aperture: F10

Shutter Speed: 1/125 

ISO: 100

It is sunset after an intensely hot day – I find the mood to be peaceful, and airy. The sun is setting to the right of the picture, technically right below the bottom right.


In Photoshop – I had to crop the image, and bring it beyond the left border of the image. I did this so I could patch tool the wire into the upper left hand corner, so it did a firm diagonal to the lower right corner. I then adjusted the color balance and vibrance.

Compositional Elements – I believe leading lines, and the rule of thirds are the two elements I was attempting to achieve.

Battlefield

I was intrigued with the picture shown in class of the headlights (from our back patio) illuminating the feet and crow bar of an unnamed assailant. I was inspired to set up my husband in pseudo-warrior fashion.

CAMERA SETTINGS

WB: Sunny

Aperture: F16

Shutter Speed: 1/2000

ISO: 25600

This was taken 20minutes after sunset and we are in the dusk period of the evening. There is a flood lamp on behind the head of my subject. I find this to be an intense mood, almost like a coiled spring.

In Photoshop – I reduced the noise, and despeckled the image. I then used a magnetic lasso to isolate the background, which allowed for me to color balance the sky of the image.

Compositional Elements – I am kind of at a loss for compositional elements – I find there is a balance, and a definite mood to it – almost narrative.

Steeling Metaphysics

There was no inspiration for this picture, it was a lucky capture while exploring Storm King Museum.

CAMERA SETTINGS

WB: AUTO

Aperture: F22

Shutter Speed: 1/80

ISO: 100

The sun is directly overhead in this image, and I find the mood to be uplifting, and freeing.


In Photoshop – I just adjusted the vibrancy of the image. I am epically proud of it.

Compositional Elements – multiple leading lines from the sculpture.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I believe all three of these images have strengths. The glare of the light on the ax, the angle of the wire, and the lens flare on the sculpture. I am very proud of the colors, and clarity of the images. The weak aspects are minor, but I wish I was able to achieve the ax picture more quickly, and while the sun was setting behind my husband. With the bird, I wish during editing I was able to obtain a less “sherbet ” looking sunset. Even after I adjusted it in class, it’s still a little cartoony…. But beautiful. I wish with the sculpture photo that I was able to clear up the steel, and make it more legible, to give it a more organic feel.

Ethics - In Class Assignment #7

• After reading the article Altered Image, Vanished Trust: Photojournalism in the Age of Digital Manipulation, answer the following questions. Your response should be at least 200-300 words.
  
• QUESTION: Where do you think digital artists should draw the line when it comes to digital manipulation?
  
  ANSWER: I think that Asia Hamilton said it best in the Vanished Trust article, "I think photo altering is ok if the photography is art or editorial related,” Hamilton said. “However, photojournalism should not be altered because it is a documentation of facts. The news can only be trusted if it is completely factual.” I agree wholeheartedly with her point of view. The line must first be drawn based on the way the image is being used. If this is for art or editorial purposes, than an imaged can be digititally manipulated. However, I find a large problem with the fashion industry altering the images of already malnourished looking models. This misrepresentation of image is influencing other designers, not to mention the way we (as people) think we should look. Our culture is overly obsessed with image and looking good.
  
• QUESTION: Should there be a code of ethics for photographers and other digital artists?
  
  ANSWER: I feel that for professional photographers and digital artists employed by large corporations and media outlets should have a code of ethics, or guidelines for their work. I believe that this would minimize the "fake" images that are being shown to the public. 
  
• QUESTION: Where do you as a photographer/artist personally draw the line?
  
  ANSWER:  I want the pictures I take to be as honest as they can be. If I edit an image using Photoshop it is due to my inexperience with my camera, and to attempt on making the picture appear the way my eyes viewed it. However, if I am taking a picture and am turning it into a piece of art I will add flecks of light, glitter, transparent pngs, swirls.. Something that takes a picture and takes it up a notch. However, I would never try to say that this image was "real life" or #SOOC or #NoFilters. I would present it as an illustration. 

• Respond to these question for one of the photographs we looked at today in class (vietnam, fire escape, vulture) and answer the following questions: Your response should be at least 200-300 words.
  
• QUESTION: If you were an editor...Would you publish this? Why or Why not?
  
  ANSWER: The images we saw today were all tactfully done, even though they were of intense situations. They showed the mood of each situation, showed the emotion of all involved and truly made me (the viewer) think. As an editor, I would completely publish these images. I feel that images that I see on the nightly news, or in online newspaper articles are far more grotesque and are inappropriate. Our culture is so obsessed with shock value, and I hate that the news outlets are becoming more cinematic with their photos and less journalistic. 
  
• QUESTION: Do you think any good came of these images or were they just insensitive and used sell papers or acquire fame?
  
  ANSWER: These images did influence change. The fire escape photo brought to light how unsafe those structures were, and they were rebuilt and made stronger. The Vietnam image brought the war into the homes of the families of the soldiers serving overseas, and to those who were having doubts about how awful the war was. The vulture image allowed people to step beyond their first world problems, and think about donating, volunteering, or advocating for people in third world countries. 

PROJECT #5 - Composition - Serenity

Serenity
Composition Project

I spent the weekend working (and camping) at the New York Capital District Renaissance Festival. The festival was held on a farm, and thus the camping situation was on those grounds. I was surrounded with awesome sunrises and sunsets, animals, and rustic barns. In front of where I slept was Rosie, their longhaired steer.  I found her and her enclosure to be so beautiful. Plus, in the morning the sky behind her was amazing.

CAMERA SETTINGS

WB: Shade

Aperture: f18

Shutter Speed: 1/80

ISO: 160

This picture was taken at 5:45am and the sun had just risen behind me. The mood is light, and just serene. 

In Photoshop: 

The original image was very dark, so the first thing I did was to increase the exposure by +1.5 and the gamma correction by +1.0.  I then adjusted the curves of the image to a loose “s” type curve.  I balanced the colors so that the clouds stood out. I had to use some clone stamping, and patch tools to take care of some glaring highlights, and odd The last thing I did was isolate Rosie, and made her slightly brighter and more vibrant. I did this so that she stood out from the brown dirt and barn that was above and below her.

Compositional Elements: 

Since this is a composition project, I tried to use a few compositional elements. I made sure to use the rule of thirds, while positioning Rosie. I think the barn adds a fair amount of texture, as does the depth in the clouds. And even though you can’t see her eyes, I am using the compositional element of dominant eye. She was completely posing for my camera.

Final Thoughts

I believe that the strongest part of this image is Miss Rosie. I truly feel that she is the undeniable focus of this image.  The weakest part I think might be my cropping. I kept going back and forth about the feeding trough to the left of Rosie. I left it in because I felt it set the scene appropriately. I found this assignment to be my most successful yet. I shot a few of these in Manual, and a few in Aperture mode.  I found the images that were taken with Aperture “A” mode to be more visually appealing.  However, the others were still considerably better than images I had taken prior to this class.  Something I learned about during this assignment was about moving subjects. I had to be very patient with Rosie, and had to come back a few times in order to achieve a group of images that I thought would work for this project.

PROJECT #4 - Depth of Field - Maturity, Solitude and Reflection

Depth of field is the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a scene that appear acceptably sharp in an image. A photo with a shallow depth of field means that your subject is in focus, while the objects beyond (or right in front of your) subject are out of focus. A photo with a deep depth of field has all aspects of the image in focus


Taking pictures of my son, Joey, is always a “hit and miss” experience. However, he was very excited to help me with my homework, while we played at the park. We were towards the end of the day (4pm) and the sun hung in the west, about a third of the way to the horizon line, with very little cloud cover, however there were quite a few trees causing shade.

Solitude 1
Depth of Field Project - Shallow

CAMERA SETTINGS

WB: Sunny

Aperture: F4.5

Shutter Speed: 1/800

ISO: 400

Solitude 2
Depth of Field Project - Deep

CAMERA SETTINGS

WB: Sunny

Aperture: F20

Shutter Speed: 1/125

ISO: 1000

ABOUT THESE IMAGES:

In Photoshop – all I did was adjust his eyes, so that they were more piercing. I achieved this by isolating his eyes with the magnetic lasso, and then increased the brightness, contrast and vibrance.

Compositional elements – I believe the pier creates a frame around Joey, also they are lines that draw the eye to the rear of the picture

Reflection 1
Depth of Field Project - Shallow

CAMERA SETTINGS

WB: Sunny

Aperture: F4.5

Shutter Speed: 1/1000 

ISO: 100

Reflection 2
Depth of Field Project - Deep

CAMERA SETTINGS

WB: Sunny

Aperture: F22

Shutter Speed: 1/125 

ISO: 360

ABOUT THESE IMAGES:

In Photoshop – with the deep depth of field, I had to decrease the exposure and brightness of the image, so that it matched the coloring of the shall depth of field example.


Compositional elements – I feel that lines are used here, you almost wonder what he is looking at in the water (to be honest, they were weird fish, that saw us sitting by the water, and were expecting us to feed them, so they were lining up.) I think if I cropped the picture, I may be able to achieve the rule of thirds.

Maturity
Depth of Field Project - Shallow
(Submitted for Critique)

CAMERA SETTINGS

WB: Sunny

Aperture: F6.3

Shutter Speed: 1/500

ISO: 2000

ABOUT THIS IMAGE:

In Photoshop - Using the magnetic lasso, I isolated the background of the image, and I increased the vibrance of the image. I, then, inverted the lasso, and decreased brightness while increasing the contrast of the image. On the whole image I decreased the gamma correction of the image.

Compositional Elements: I believe symmetry is obtained in this image

FINAL THOUGHTS

I believe that I achieved the requirements of this assignment in all of these images. I find the images to be sharp, and eye catching (but, I’m biased, I really like my kid). I believe the images of him sitting on the pier to be a tad dark, I may want to adjust the exposure of the image, or just brighten him. I also wish that I captured the photo of him on the bridge better, since he is slightly blurred, and the bridge is more in focus.