Photoshop Practice
Reflection: The images contain a portrait of a boy smiling, showing emotions associated with happiness. The purpose of the assignment was to practice our photoshop skills. The first photo is raw and unedited, using the rule of thirds with space all around the subject. The second pic is edited and is cropped to make the model the main focal point. There is high contrast with the model's face being fairly bright and white while having a black tee and a black background. The message you should receive from the piece should be emotions of happiness and joy, since the model is smiling to the point his eyes are closed, you can tell the model is filled with more than just happiness, possibly excitement. To help strengthen the message, I would have used a different background, especially since his shirt was black. i believe that the image wasn't successful enough to show what message it was trying to convey.
Portraits - Edited in Lightroom and Photoshop
Reflection: The three images were taken with different lighting set ups with one being to the side, front, and with a hotlight. In each the photo, the model is also doing a different pose to convey different emotions. The first photo could represent sorrow and sadness. The second photo could represent a vague and serious emotion, and the third photo can represent humor because of the peace sign. All images have the model as the main focal point while using the rule of thirds with space above the subject's head. The first and third pics have a wide range of values from black to white with the third one being more dark, and the second pic not having many black values. Each picture has a different emotion while having the same proportions in terms of the position of the model. I believe each image was successful in fulfilling the requirements of the assignment.
BW Motion
Reflection: The image consists of a boy in the middle of the frame jumping mid-air and kicking with his right foot. The image is in black and white and shows direction with the way the model is in the air and kicking. Since the image is in black and white it has many gray values. With the model covering almost the entire frame, the focal point is obviously emphasized on the model. The image contains high contrast with many values ranging from black to white. The balance is asymmetrical with the kick of the foot creating a bit of movement although the image is stopped in motion, you can tell that the model is moving. The photograph creates a message or feeling of anger and rage with the expression of the model's face and his action in kicking. To help strengthen the image a bit, i would have possibly changed the outfit of the model to match the feeling of rage. Overall, I believe that the image turned out successful because I was clearly able to capture the model's facial expression along with the position of the body being still in motion without looking awkward.
Outdoor Lighting
Reflection: The image has a model leaning his head onto his hands which are balanced by his elbow leaning on the bench table. The bright lighting and the expression of the model's face with a soft smiles creates emotions of peacefulness and joy. The image has many values ranging from light to dark with the light sky and the shadows of the trees. There are many earth tones with the green from the trees and dirt around in the background along with the tones of the clothes that the model is wearing. The background can create rough textures from the trees and the table creates lines that also go outside of the frame. The image has a variety of shapes with straight lines from the benches, and rough edges and shapes from the tree in the background. The focal point is the model who is right in the middle of the frame. The photograph creates a message satisfaction and peacefulness with the expression of the model's face and body position. I believe that image was successful because I was able to use the natural light of the sun to create a soft image that beautifully portrayed the model.
Motion Picture
Reflection: The purpose of this project was to create an image that had something that was blurred. As you can see, the low shutter speed creates a blur in the motion of the model. The image a peculiar mysterious vibe because of the use of shadows along with the model. You can't really tell what is going on in the image and it urges you to think about what the message it is trying to convey. The shadow seems to be holding up the model with its hand. It was an interesting choice to use lines in the background instead of making it plain. The shadow creates contrast with the model because they both show figures of a body, but the shadow is a mere outline. The blur of the jumping model creates motion throughout the image as he jumps onto the shadow's hand. The main focal point is where the blurred model is jumping on top of the hand. I believe the image was successful because you can't really tell what is going on in the image, and it allows you to really think deep of what the meaning is behind the photograph.
Monochromatic
Reflection: In the photograph, there are vehicles spread throughout the scene with blocks stacked up in an in-particular fashion. The blue creates a very "cool" feeling because of all the blue displayed throughout the monochromatic photo. Since the wheels are missing on the large truck and the car is placed in an awkward position, it can create emotions of sadness or wreckage. There are many ridged lines coming from the cars and blocks with a very soft plain background. The work is organized asymmetrically with many light and dark values from shadows. The focal point would be the car in the roll of tape because of the position it was placed in making the photo "unbalanced." The image reflects on other monochromatic works and can create a mysterious message that the audience would have to figure out. The placement of the cars in the background make your eyes move throughout the whole entire photograph and question what its purpose was. Overall, I believe the image was successful with the ability in making you look throughout the whole photograph and presenting a cool mysterious vibe.
Challenge with the Truth
Reflection: (on paper)
Photo Series - Remnants of Dreams
Reflection: All the images are in black and white with a grainy texture to represent "remnants of dreams." In the majority of the images, the model is human while two other images have an animal as the main subject. All the images have many light and dark values with dark shadows. The series creates a pattern throughout all the images that shows that they all in some way relate to each other. the images contain high contrast with many light and dark values for the shadows and vignette. The majority of the images have a sense of symmetrical balance with the focal point of all the images being in the middle. The shallow depth of field and vignette help to emphasize the idea that the images are supposed to represent pieces that you would try to remember from your dreams. The photographs create a mysterious aspect because of the tones and the emotionless expressions in the models' faces. To help strengthen the message, the images could have had a bit more blur. Overall, the images were successful in creating a mysterious dreamy vibe.
MOPA
Reflection: The image contains a silhouette and blue highlights on the model with a blue light illuminating the background. The model is a shirtless male who is over the average build of muscle. the photograph can evoke mellow and soft emotions because of the blue. The focal point of the image is the model in the middle, the light blue glare in the background can also cause the eye to move around throughout the photo in harmony. the depth of field creates an endless open space of blue which emphasizes the idea that the image is supposed to represent a dream. The image creates an endless space that the viewer can get lost in. The dark silhouette of the model also helps to emphasize the idea of dreams and how you can't always fully remember every single detail. The image was successful in representing the idea that it was supposed to be a dream, or a dreamlike state.
Photographer Recreation - Manuel Alvarez Bravo
Reflection: The purpose of this project was to recreate the photos of the photographer we were assigned from our teacher. It wasn't hard at all working in a group in order to create these pieces because I am used to having help and taking advice from others on how to improve my pieces. With the help of my group members, it was easier to pose our model to mirror the picture that we were to recreate while I would adjust the frame to match with the composition of the original photo. Working in groups allowed the underclassmen we were working with to gain some experience in group work and gain knowledge on the skill level required for when they would be seniors working on their portfolio, which I believe is an essential skill to have. Recreating the photos allowed the students to analyze the style of another artist's work which could be used as inspiration and something to tone their ability to critique a piece and say how it works / does not work.
Macro Shot
Reflection: This assignment was fairly interesting because of how it was way out of my usual theme of taking portraits. Two of the three images are macros that were shot in the grass fields of the school while the third picture contained the two macros on top of the picture of the grass fields from where they were taken. The stem of the flower in the first macro creates a vertical line throughout the frame with very organic shapes coming from both the flower and the bug with earth tones moving throughout the photograph. Both the flower and the bug have a smooth fine texture to it along with the blurred background creating focus on the subject right away. The bug on the flower creates this natural harmony of nature with the focal point dead center because of the blurred background. The second macro creates direction with the large hard in the frame that leads to a small ladybug at the tip of the fingers. The proportion of the hand to the bug is fairly large with smooth textures coming from the background and the hand. Both macros have an interesting viewpoint on what the main focal point of the photo is which allows the viewer to really analyze and move their eyes throughout the piece.
Soft Focus and Duotone
Reflection: Photoshop is an essential skill needed with modern day photography. Most photographs these days aren't raw and unedited as photographers tend to use many editing programs such as Lightroom and Photoshop to make photographs look better, and even change up the whole look of the photo.
Kaleidoscope
Reflection: The kaleidoscope assignment offered yet another interesting and fun way to use photoshop to change up the way the photo looks entirely.