Aperture

Credit goes to Shinka for providing this photograph 

Credit to- unknown 

1. We can closely relate aperture to the pupil.

2. Finish this sentence - The smaller the Aperture the smaller amount of light, the higher the Aperture the higher amount of light.

3. The larger a f-number (which provides smaller aperture) will bring the foreground and background images in focus, while a smaller number will isolate the foreground from the background, and making foreground images more focused and background blurry.

Self Portrait and Portraits Part II

• 2 - Think about your motivation and emotions: Blankly staring at the camera rarely gets good results. Be silly, don’t be afraid to over-act. The worst that can happen is that you fill up your memory card with useless photos; but you might also find yourself with a proper gold-nugget of a self portrait.
• Anticipating Behavior 
• An important element in people photography is knowing your subjects well enough to be able to anticipate what they are going to do. It's the only way you are going to be able to get pictures of it. If you wait until you see it, it's too late. The key is to watch people carefully. Always have your camera ready. If you're going to be shooting in one situation, set the aperture and shutter speed in advance so you don't have to fiddle with them while you're shooting. Watch people through the viewfinder. If you're paying attention, you'll sense what's about to happen.
•  A mirror or some other reflective surface offers an even easier way to take a self-portrait. In most cases, the camera will be included in the scene (but this can help make a statement about your enthusiasm for photography). You can use your camera as a prop, and hold it away from your face. When you photograph into a mirror, be sure your reflection is in focus. An infrared autofocusing system will usually focus on glass if it's aimed into a mirror, and will focus at infinity if aimed at an angle. You might try focusing at an object that's the same distance as the distance from the camera to the reflection, lock in the focus, recompose the image to include yourself, and take the picture.

I chose this photograph because it expresses the faith and love shared between two individuals as a whole. I like the photo because I am able to relate to part of what is portrayed through this photograph. (right) 

(LEFT) I chose this picture because I love art. As well as the fact that i find it very inspiring of my of having my own art room, or studio.
I chose this photo (RIGHT) because it is very creative.
I liked this picture mainly because the photographer has taken time to actually send a message within his photo of himself as a "midget."

 This photo to the left, is very "strong". In ways it displays, strength and freedom within. I feel free and invincible when i first caught eye of this photo which I am very glad the photographer was able to do.
(LEFT) This casual picture of a baby was just to cute, and adorable to pass. I liked this picture because it reminded me of my niece when she was beginning to find interest in her own reflections. 
(BELOW, RIGHT) This lovely photo of a couple was very easy to relate to. I liked this photo because it captured my attention because I to am in a relationship, and casual simple photos are always the best. 

American Soldier slide show and captions (review)

The most powerful image from the slideshows was probably the one of Ian beginning his transition into the Army "lifestyle." It is the most powerful because when you join something new such as a military branch, you are "Stripped of individuality in preparation for the training ahead, and in a matter of days, you begin to embrace the military mindset." 

Set #1 At home in Denver - Image #1 to #7

Set #2 At Basic Training - Image #8 to #30
Set #3 In Iraq - Image #50 to #70
Set #4 Back in Denver - Image #71 to #83

The set of images that was most powerful to me was set #2. Set #2 was the most powerful because, as Ian went through basics he can attest that the military standards of living, and orders given, were different than what we are used to here in comfort zones of our own homes.

The images all work together telling a story of a young man named Ian Fisher. Ian was a young man and his first step was graduating and receiving his diploma, but not as much as knowing that his next step in life was enlisting in the army. Little did Ian know that challenges were going to be put in place of him, and would try to stop him for becoming the great soldier that he became. Afterwards, Ian finally overcame every obstacle and when he was done with his time in Iraq he came home to a loving family and a wife.

The verb tense's normally written in the photo's are in present tense.

The captions enhance the photographs by helping to better understand what is going on as the pictures taken are then put in a time line fashion, in which tell a story of Ian's progress.

Image #5

Ian is sitting with his father, with one arm over his old mans shoulder. As they sit there and reminisce the paste of how its always been just them two. Now, as his father states, "my only son is departing for basics, and as for me, what am I to do now.?" In a silent moment between the two in the living room, his father turns to look at his son, and hugs him.

Image #17

While Ian is in formation, standing at attention, he receives a loud comment, from his D.I. (Drill Instructor), Ian is beginning to wonder what has he gotten himself into. Still he remains calm, because he has figured that it as all a mind game and they are only trying to "weed out" the "weak".

Image #48

Ian and his father are spending some time together before his deployment to Iraq. So they decide to go to the hardware store and buy some tools before he leaves. As his dad breaks the silence between them he says, "..you watch yourself while you're out there fighting, and if one of 'em son b'itches takes you down, and you aint gon' make it..give 'em hell."

They enhance the photographs by actually getting to listen to the actual person tell it in there own words as to how they felt and what they thought.

The videos are better in the fact that you can actually get to listen to that person, or multiple peoples opinion on what they think and how they feel, as to oppose to looking at photographs and really digging deep to try and understand the story behind it, because everyone's view is different.

Photos are better than videos, because as it is said, "a picture is worth a thousand words." When you think about it, it all depends on who is the viewer and how are the perceiving the photo. whereas videos, you get the direct statements from that individual plus others.

Mural Pictures

FUNNY CAPTIONS

LEFT: In this photo you can see that you can actually perform a mathematical type equation for females concluding that they are in fact "evil." How somebody figured this out, I have not even the slightest clue...but when you think about it it is kind of almost true in some way, if not, it is completely true.

ABOVE: This photo is of Mandarin Airlines that has a wonderful time getting onto the runway. As they are getting on the runway someone informed the Captain about the crash that happened to the right of the airplane.

LEFT:

Jessica and I in photoJ class

Great Black and White Photographers part 3

1.) What first caught your eye while looking at your photographers photos? Is there something in particular about their photos that made you want to choose them?

What first caught my eyes while looking at Manuel Álvarez Bravo's photographs is how all his photos were in black and white. Yes there actually was one particular thing about his photographs that influenced me to choose them, that was they were simply based. Not much distracting from the subject of the picture.

2.) Look at those 2 photos you posted last time in the assignment Great Black and White Photographers Part 2. Use your five senses to tell me more about those photos.

I see: black and white photographs that contain simple subjects.

I smell: a country side like atmosphere.

I hear: (in the bee suite photograph) the buzzing of the bees, and for the wide open country picture I could hear the silence of the country  side away from the city.

I taste: nothing but open space in my second photograph ( the wide open country one).

I feel: loneliness and yet happiness in the open country, and I feel protection in the bee suite photograph.

3.) Finally, what would you like to create to show the world your great photographer. Ideas include, posters, power points, a blog, etc. You tell me what you would like to create so we can come up with a plan to share your thoughts and ideas about your photographer with your classmates and with the rest of the school.

I would like to create a mural of multiple photographs containing certain ideas or subjects by my photographer. 

Academic Shoot reflection

1. What challenges did you encounter while trying to get the photos following the rules I set out for you? 

The main challenge I encountered, was the fact that in most classes were not really doing anything that would, or could help me take a photo that was involving one of the rules.

2. What technical aspects of photography or the assignment in general (focus, framing, holding the camera, etc.) did you find yourself thinking about the most? Provide a specific example of what you did to do this correctly.

The aspects of photography I thought about mostly, was how I would take the photo. Such as the stance as I was taking the photograph in. I tired to take multi-shots of the same picture to attain different pictures to choose from. 

3. If you could do the assignment again, what would you do differently now that you know some basic rules of photography?

I would pay more attention to the surroundings, and the rule I was trying to show. As well as focusing more on the subject of the photograph.

4. What things would you do the same?

I would definitely do the "balance" picture that I took before.

5. When you go out with your next set of prompts, which rule do you think will be the easiest to achieve?

I think it would be easier to achieve the rule of "balance", and "simplicity".

6. Which rule do you think will be the hardest to capture?

I think the "avoiding mergers" would be hardest for me to capture, because everywhere I looked, was a merger somewhere within the photo.

7. What rule are you still not totally clear on and what can you do to figure out what that rule is?

I am a little edgy on the rule of "avoiding mergers". Keep taking pictures of mergers and understanding what exactly is a merger and how to capture a photograph that shows 'avoiding mergers.'

Framing

1. How well did you follow the rule?
I would say that I did pretty decent upon following the rule of "framing."

2. What is the subject (be very very specific)? 
The subject is the girl on the laptop in the back close to the bookshelves.
There you can see that the bookshelf acts as a top border frame, and the guys at her side both left and right serve as the side borders.

 3. Is it clear to people looking at your photos what the subject is?
Not really.

4. If you didn't follow the rule well, what could you have done differently?
Could have taken a closer picture of the person, but still keeping the same idea in mind.

Avoiding Mergers

1. How well did you follow the rule?
Not as good as I thought.

2. What is the subject (be very very specific)?
The subject was "Avoiding" mergers, but now that I look at it again, I didn't do as well. There is a student close to the foreground that cuts the guy, with stripes on his shirt along the shoulder going downwards, in pieces, like his hand appears on outside of the guy closes to foreground, and then there you can only see the top part of his body.

3. Is it clear to people looking at your photos what the subject is?
No, not at all

4. If you didn't follow the rule well, what could you have done differently?

I could've tried another picture. Maybe look, or take a different picture. 

Rule of Thirds

1. How well did you follow the rule?
In following the rule of "Thirds," you can say I did good.

2. What is the subject (be very very specific)?
The subject is the girl in the middle of those two girls closer to the edges of the photo. (left, and right) Then you see the two boys doing work in the background, along with the teacher, on far left. Overall, the subject is the girl looking down in the middle which defines the rule of thirds because she is in the center of it all.

3. Is it clear to people looking at your photos what the subject is?
In understanding the rule of thirds, yes, it is definitely clear for others looking at my photo.

4. If you didn't follow the rule well, what could you have done differently?

I can only say, that I should have tried taking the photo from another angle. Probably taking this photograph from a little lower view, almost at desk level.

Lines

1. How well did you follow the rule?
I followed the rule of "Lines" alright you could say, but definitely could have been better.
  2. What is the subject (be very very specific)?
The subject is of this football player, Hampton, surrounded by lines as he walked into the library. 

3. Is it clear to people looking at your photos what the subject is?
If you already know the rule of "Lines," then yes. If you are a person just learning then this could be a little difficult, but not much because there are a lot of lines to see in the background.

4. If you didn't follow the rule well, what could you have done differently?

In this photograph I could've got a closer shot of the individual, but I caught him on my way out and had time to catch the shot real quickly. 

Simplicity

1. How well did you follow the rule?
In this picture I believe I did alright at following the rule of "Simplicity".

2. What is the subject (be very very specific)?
The subject is of this, is a JROTC cadet, working hard on a computer and with nothing really exciting just keeping it "Simple" you could say.

3. Is it clear to people looking at your photos what the subject is?
Yes, by looking at this photo it should be pretty easy to tell what the subject is, but without doubt I also think it might be a tad difficult for some viewers to comprehend the photo's subject.

4. If you didn't follow the rule well, what could you have done differently?

I could have taken a closer shot of the photo, maybe even a "Front" view of this individual working.

Balance

1. How well did you follow the rule? 

I followed the rule of "Balance" pretty good, but I feel I could've done better.

2. What is the subject (be very specific)? 

The subject is the balance of the students all focused on the teacher during spanish class. It is also balance because there is 3 students in the back, and between the gaps of those three students there is 2 students filling in.

3. Is it clear to people looking at your photos what the subject is? 

Yes, it should be clear to other people who look at this photo what the subject is.

4. If you didn't follow the rule well, what could you have done differently?

The things I could've done differently, were trying to take this specific photo from different angles, and perspectives to get a variety of pictures to choose from.

Africa and Mural Project preview

1. We could do a theme of all the styles of clothing people wear in high school. 
2. We should open it up to our regular cameras for those who don't have camera ready phones, but also because of the fact that stuff can happen and at least here the photo's will be saved properly before being posted.
3. The mural should go in several places on campus: a little bit after the main stairway, of course somewhere along the AHA academy, and somewhere in the college and career center.

Africa and Mural Project preview

Credit to Nick Brandt

 My reaction to the power point was a really intrigued kind of reaction. It was the kind you get whenever you find a surprise waiting for when you get home after getting into trouble. I was amazed by the photo's that were presented.
 The reason it is my favorite photo from the power point is because it shows just how the strongest and most feared animal, can even be loving to its mate.
 The rule of photography that is evident in this photograph is, the rule of balance. The rule of balance describes the balance of something within a photo. Here in this photo of the lions touching heads, it is balanced because there is no other subject involved, nor is there any background interruptions. Therefore, it is a balanced photograph.

1.  He uses a Pentax 67II (with only two fixed lenses).
2. In 1995 that Brandt fell in love with the animals and land of East Africa.
3. To record a visually poetic last testament to the wild animals and places there before they are gone at the hands of man.
4. "What I am interested in is showing the animals simply in the state of Being. In the state of Being before they are no longer are. Before, in the wild at least, they cease to exist..." "To me, every creature, human or nonhuman, has an equal right to live, and this feeling, this belief that every animal and I are equal, affects me every time I frame an animal in my camera."

Academic Shoot Preview: Academics and Community Service

 The photo is titled as "Political Secrets" and in this photo there is a female located right of the american flag, but left of the man in which she is leaning towards as if she is whispering something to him in a low voice.

1. I Picked this photo because from frame of mind I pictured normal politicians within our government, speaking of secrets behind one anthers backs. Also because of the fact the photo was taken at Texarkana, TX. 
2. The rules of photography which are evident are; the rule of balance, the rule of simplicity, and the rule of thirds. 

1. Where do you think you could take photos like the ones you look at today?

 Photos I observed today can be taken in a science classroom, in a library, and in the gym.

2. Whose classroom would you like to visit and take photos in? 

I would like to visit a history, math, science, english classroom.

3. What will you do, as the photographer, to get amazing photos like you look at today?

Try to find classrooms performing group work activities, or individual pictures of students working on assignments. Only those who appear to work hard would be in the photographs.

Filling The Frame

This is filling the frame to me, because I see people on both left and right. On the right side there are people getting food, while other side is serving food. It is filling every part of the photograph to me because the food on the table, and the fact that there are young people serving the elder(ly).

Action And Emotion

This photograph shows emotion, and action. In this photo we see two students of honorable mention and a teacher, which I assume was very cool. While the girl is smiling, indicating happiness, the two males are performing actions in a playing/ joking manner.

The Story

In this photograph it is very easy to interpret that the individuals within the picture are holding hands while in a moment of silence after saying the pledge of allegiance. The story that the picture tells can be of many things, but I believe it is telling of prayer after saying the pledge of allegiance.

Avoiding Mergers

Credit to Larry Rader for providing the picture

Avoiding a merger in this photo can be shown just simply looking at how the person at the right of the picture is partially seen. As well as seeing only part of the Verizon advertisement. The photographer could better his next shot by making sure that all parts of the photo show, instead of leaving parts of objects or people in half or less.

Framing

Credit to Larry Rader for providing this picture

In this photograph you can see how our american flag is displayed very proud. It is framed by the outline of the building it was hung on. Looking further into this photo you can almost achieve a great sense of pride in being an American. Especially, if you are one who is very patriotic.

Balance

 This photo contains an excellent example of balance.
In the photograph there is two doors with writing on them, and between those two doors is one with no writing on it. Along within the window panes of the doors you are able to look and observe the scenery behind the photographer. Which in return keeps everything in balance; not so "plain Jane."

Credit to Larry Rader for providing the photo

Lines

Credit given to Larry Rader for providing the photograph

My first observation upon looking at this photo I had quickly noticed the parallel lines within the picture itself. Which is what makes this photo a good example for lines.

The Rule of Thirds

Credit to Larry Rader for providing the photo

This photograph is an example of how "The Rule of Thirds" is applied. If you were to draw three rows and three columns. The photo of the tower will be seen as the background focal point, while in return the middle tower would be the middle focal point, whereas the building in the lower right corner and the one in the lower left corner; they'll both be the foreground focal points.

Simplicity

Credit to Larry Rader for providing this photograph

This is a very good example of simplicity. The photo is focused on just the tower with a clear blue sky in the background. Of course everyone who is around, or was around on 9-11 then you know it was a tragic and shocking day for the U.S.
Never shall this day go unforgotten!

Unusual and interesting photos: Part 3

• Four things every photographer should know how to do: take a photo of a reflection, take a photo of a hand, take a photo of him/herself, and take a photo showing perspective.
• Some photographers get hung up by finding subjects for their photos. They want something spectacular. A better skill to have is being able to make the ordinary seem extraordinary.
•  A good skill to have as a photographer is to look at things from different angles to get the best shot. Do not let an awkward angle deter you from your inspiration. Take the shot even if you have to look straight up.

Yes the photographer followed the suggestions fully. These kind of paintings are the ones that might influence me, that and 3D paintings done in oil pastel or chalk.