Thanksgiving

Who is excited for Thanksgiving?? I AM!!! So I just finished my last final and I don't know about you guys but I am excited for the break. I am going to Wyoming to my aunt and uncle's ranch and its going to be a blast!!! I love how there is so much food and we always have more desserts than anything else. But this year I'm supposed to bake something.. we'll see how that turns out. But I'm going to try to shoot the Thanksgiving assignment thing and I'm really excited. I didn't get to do the Halloween one so I wanted to do this one. Anyway sorry for blogging so much about random crap that nobody reads anyway :).

Joe Rosenthal

So this is the one he is most known for, from Iwo Jima. This is cropped a little, which I'm not really happy about because I wanted/ like the original one. But its better than the ones that are cropped a ton, I think. This is an amazing photo that Slade says some people think helped change the war. That is amazing from one photograph.

I like this because its like an overview of the destruction. I don't know, its all dark without any pure white, and I like that in war images.

I love that he captured this image. They have the flag and are happy about it, but then the guy still has to stand watch with his gun. This shows how that always have to be attentive 24/7.

This image in just interesting to me. There are so many things to look at, even though at the time it probably didn't seem like much was going on. There isn't actually a lot of action, there is just so many different places in focus here, which sometimes I love and sometimes I hate. I love it here.

Celebration!!! Finally! I like that the flag is almost all the way out and flat.

Did you know Slade met this guy before he died? Eddie Adams (a photographer I really like, and the best printer) introduced them because he was friends with both of them. That is cool Slade. And he said Joe was pretty cool, so thats good. We were talking about him the day before Veterans Day and watched an interview so I thought I should blog a little about him, and show other photographs he's taken.

Mini Final - Favorite 6

So I know a lot of people will disagree with me about these 6 pictures being my best, especially Slade. But, these are the 6 I wanted up here. (Although it was really hard for me to choose.) So here goes.

I love this one and I think it shows me growing as a photographer. That might seem weird, but I really believe that. Because, almost all of my other images are close-up, which I love. But its important to have different images, not all close-up. And especially for this assignmet of analogous/complimentary colors, it was difficult for me to take farther away images. And even though this one isn't really far away, I tried it farther than normal, because this was the better composition. And I feel thats what I've been learning a lot about this term: focusing and decided while taking the picture. Meaning I have to slow down and move the camera around and decide where its best when I'm taking it the first time, instead of going back and having to reshoot. This takes time when shooting, but ultimately saves time, and a perfect picture if you can't go back. I also feel like this one perfectly fit the requirements for this assignment, which is essential before exploring creative ways to fulfill the assignment. The light in this one isn't fantastic but it helps the image a little bit with dark creases and the poles on the wall. Its hard to tell on here, but the focus is pretty good on the leaves of the pillow.

So I just talked about this one for my portraits assignment, but I'm going to talk about it again. Just because its that good. I feel like portraits can be really easy to get away with, because you see a person, snap a picture, and there you go; the assignment is done. Thats what I was trying to avoid this time. I wanted my subject to interact with the camera, not necessarily look at it, but interact. And I wanted to get an emotion. I wanted the subject to be screaming at the viewer "Hey this is what I'm feeling!". I feel like this is the only one of my portrait images in the assignment and maybe ever that accomplished this. She isn't crying or doing something dramatic to tell you how she feels, she's just looking at you. Right at you. And she's letting you look right at her. She's vulnerable here; her heart is out in the open just waiting for somebody to break it. (If you're in theater, this might make more sense.) I love her eyes. Her eyes are open wide, letting you look into them. She's not judging you, hoping you won't judge her. Her expression is content. Not ecstatic, just everyday happiness at having her favorite sister take her picture. And you can tell that not from a giant fake smile, but because this is how she looks when she's happy. I guess I could be a little unfair while looking at this image because I know her well, but I feel like others could get this same emotion I'm getting while looking at it, and thats what I really strive for in my photographs, although a lot of them don't succeed. I also like that her finger is there. It tells me she wasn't posing for the picture, just in a normal position. And this position may have been awkward, but it doesn't appear so to me in this image. It just looks natural. And I love that. This is also fundamentally strong with good focus on her eyes/eyelashes/ eyebrows and okay light.

This is a very dramatic picture, which is what its supposed to be. It was set up, but it doesn't look weird and out of place to me. It looks like it could've just been like that. The light here is nice, just how I wanted it with my fancy lamp. And it is focused well on the edge of the mask. Obviously this is for the complimentary color assignment, which it definitely fulfills. I feel like this is very interesting and tells a story. Although it may not be the same story for everybody, you can imagine 100 different ways and reasons this image came to be like this. The red is from my Halloween costume and the mask is from a theater party. Did you know that? You didn't need to; its not important. What's important is that I get a feeling here and I feel like this image has an important story to tell if you look at it and let your imagination tell it. I feel this was important to put up here because although it may not be one of my most technically strong images, it is interesting to me and shows that images set up can be just as great as candid images. This diversity was also a big part of this term for me. I experimented with so many different ways to shoot and things to shoot and it goes on and on. This is one of my more "fun" shots I think. Its not all analytical or whatnot its just pleasing I think, and could let you imagine things without thinking too hard intellectually.

I feel like this also shows a little of what I learned this term. It takes a random object lying around the house and makes it an image. I don't think I could do this in previous years. I don't think I could take this and see something photographically interesting in it. I feel like I'm developing an eye for seeing things I never saw before. And I think this comes from having no ideas or liking one object but not knowing how to photograph it so just sitting in my room turning and turning it and moving my camera around and getting closer and farther and changing the light and adding things or taking them out of the frame. Just doing anything to that object until I finally decide how I want it. Which happened for the next image too. What really interested me at first in this object was the texture and color. And while the texture does add to it, I don't think this image emphasizes that. What I see in this image is the rich orange color, which was even richer on my camera, and great light. I love love love the dark black strip and the different shades of orange. I wish I focus on the nails more, because I think thats where my eyes keep going back to, and I think it would be nicer if that was the most in focus. But at the time, thats not what I wanted. Which I guess goes to show that art could change how it affects you, not because the image changes, but because you change. And something you might find interesting now could bore later and something you don't understand now could fascinate you later. I love how art will be around long enough for you to change your mind about it, if you give it the chance.

Cool. I think. This composition took me forever to find but it was worth it because I am extremely happy with this. I don't know how I would change the composition for the better, for what I wanted from this image. The light wasn't working from the other lamp I was shining on it, so I was like maybe if I just turn it on I won't have to use the lamp. That ended up working as well as contributing fantastically to the image. I love how the light is in the middle, and the gets really dark on the bottom 2 corners. I also love the dark strip on the cover, but then gets lighter as the light is allowed to shine through. I kept on trying to have the lamp sideways or crazy angles trying to get the purples (since this was for monochromatic) without getting the inside of the lamp. But then I realized I was being stupid, and not getting anything to work, and I should just start over. And then I got this. This image is basically what I did for every image, except this one took longer. I looked at it and changed everything and decided what I wanted. And I would take some without changing much, and yadayada ending with almost all of the images I liked being the last I took of that object, and the ones I liked the most overall often took the longest time, such as this one. But they were worth it because they give the feeling I've been looking for. I love how this one is a pretty simple, but the focus on the cover gives it a little extra interesting stuff to look at without overwhelming the image.

Simple. Thats what comes to mind immediately. And simple is often good, as I feel it is in this image. Thats mainly why I wanted to post this one. It shows the simplest image that just has good focus and lighting so it turns into a good image. And although its simple, its meaningful. You don't have to cram in a ton of stuff to make a photogragh interesting. To make a photograph interesting you have to have heart. You have to show feeling. You have to see with your emotions and heart, not with your eyes and brain. You have to crack open and be vulnerable. This might seem silly with just this little pebble button things, but I truly believe this. They are just sitting there, letting you stare at them as long as you want. They aren't hiding or judging; they are letting you judge them. I love the light in this image, although there are not shadows or anything it just seems to give it a little spark. Its difficult to explain exactly why I feel something or the formula for doing it or what I was thinking when I was shooting this. I didn't try ti get an emotion; I was trying to take a picture of the number 10. And this just ended up being one I felt had feeling. I can't tell you why or how, and I'm sure I won't do it again like this, it just comes sometimes, and sometimes it doesn't. And its different for different people, you guys might think I'm crazy for saying all this, but I really do feel this.

Sorry if these didn't make sense or were repetitive, it was difficult to get what I was thinking and write it down. And sorry if it was cheesy or whatever or not what I was supposed to write, but this is just what I started thinking of when told to write a paragraph for each image. And I know these might not be my fundamentally best, or other people's favorite, but they were important to me and I feel that they showed my work and improvement this term really well. And I really do feel like I've improved. Fall Photo '09 was great!

Assignment #6 - Portraits

So this is me, reflected from my computer screen. I thought it was really cool looking, and it didn't seem like me to me. I wasn't exactly acting like somebody else or whatnot, I just thought it was different from how I normally looked to people, so I thought it fit the requirement and was an interesting picture.

I love this one. Well, actually I would if it was in focus. But she was moving, which I didn't expect so it was too slow of a shutter speed, and it blurred. I would've rathered it sharp. But, it is focused on her if she was staying still. I didn't tell her to do this or anything, I told her to sit there and I was going to tell her something else, but then she got sick of me shooting her and did this. I loved this, because it is all her. She does this all the time, and I know how she's feeling. If only it was in focus, it might be my favorite image of this assignment. The light isn't great here, but it works.


I absolutely love this image. I was shooting and shooting Samantha and none of them were working for me. Then she just looked up and I knew it was the image I was looking for. I told her not to move an inch while I focused and made it perfect. I just love her eyes and mouth. You can tell she's happy even though her mouth isn't in a fake smile. She just seems OPEN. And thats what I was looking for. Her heart, soul, is what I feel in this image. Although it might not mean as much to other people, I feel like this is my sister. Simple as that.

This is a little like the other one with her face in her hands, but I feel there is a difference. Besides being close, this one shows a different emotion. The earlier one was more "UGHHH. I don't have enough time and my eyes her and I'm tired and stressed, etc". Whereas this one is "I just want to go drink hot chocolate and read a book by the fire while its snowing outside because I just need a little break." This also isn't as in focus as I'd like but somehow I think the hair looks really cool and strangely in weird focus.

So I love the focus on this one, and the light is pretty cool too. Except, the thing about it is that its just what a portrait is, technically. Its not really great, it just is a portrait. So it doesn't really speak to me. Its not extraordinary, it seems like a normal portrait, which isn't what I wanted and not what I was striving to accomplish. It works for me, just doesn't stretch anything or go beyond what I've done before. It doesn't have the heart or soul that other one did.

So this is me, not being me. Because I am definitely not paranoid about being sick; I never take any precautions. And this is what my uncle gave me for my birthday when I turned 14 ad I have a full drawer dedicated to all this cleaning stuff. He was joking, but it actually came in handy. I like how it is me, but not. I don't relaly like the colors; they seem all dull because the light isn't good. I like how my eyes are looking to the side, like I'm looking at something thats freaking me out. I do like the composition.

So I used my blank mask from theater to also not be me. I like this one because of the emotion you get from the mask. This is in a mirror, obviously since you can see the camera. But it didn't seem like cheating to me. I feel like although I project the emotion onto the mask, its not my emotion. It's the mask's. I don't know why, maybe because of the way I'm holding my head or something, this image just really intruiges(sp?) me. I just keep looking at it trying to figure out what I feel, but I can't. And I love that. This image is a mystery for me, while also completely understanding the basics of what is going on here.

I don't really like this one, mainly because its not in great focus, the light is bad, and you can see my finger taking the photograph. Although I didn't mind that in the above image, that was different. That showed me taking the photograph; this one just hints at it weirdly. But I do love how the eyes are looking down. I was trying to get this feeling of looking away or something; I don't know, I don't really remember. But this one didn't work as well as I was hoping.

I always like looking at portraits after I take them, but they're never my favorite to take. Me and my sister always take them of each other, which works out well, but thats the only person. Everybody else gets mad and are like "No I hate my picture being taken!" So I never get willing subjects and they always try to do weird model things and won't let me take time, which is necessary for portraits. So to fulfill the requirement I did take photographs of another person, but they were very sad and no good enough to upload. So, anyway, although some of these are similar, I do like them, mostly. Not my best assignment, but not too bad either, I don't think. I feel like I did push my limits and got Samantha to crack open a little, and that image gave emotion that was much needed. So, hope you guys like them and tell me what you think!

RANDOM SHOT

So I shot this for 50 free shots. I'm not sure why I like this exactly, but I did and wanted to upload it. I like the light being in th middle of the seat, and the little metal type doodad latch thingy mabobber whatchamacallit casting a shadow thats in focus. I also like the little dots on the green swing that you can see. And I like the gravel thats not in focus but you can tell what it is. I also like that the angle isn't the one people normally take. But, it isn't a super in focus or super interesting image. So it didn't get in the 8 posted. Poor swing. This is in my backyard and there used to be two big kid swings but then i changed this one to a litle kid swing so my cousins could swing because I was babysitting. So the 8 month old one loved this one and sat there not scared at all having a blast. Then his older brother, like 3 years old was incredibly scared and wouldn't move. He would sit there but was such a baby he would cry if i pushed him. He's a wimp. But yeah, thats the story that goes along with this image.

Portraits.......

So portraits. These can be really fun, I think. But they can also be annoying. Because I have a problem with getting people to let me photograph them. I ask them and they're all "No, I don't like my picture being taken." So its difficult. And they can take awhile getting the person to cooperate. And yada yada. They take more effort, I think. But then, they take less. I don't know, I'm in a weird mood. This doesn't work. Okay I just wanted to blog about portraits. I will post them by.. Tuesday??

Richard Avedon

Richard Avedon! He can photograph people, thats for sure. I saw the link on Slade's and didn't think much of it or go to it, but then I saw Emma blogged about loving the site. So I decided it might be worth my time. I only looked at the wild west ones, but I loved them. They are just on a different level than some other photographers have of the same basic idea. All of these people really tell a story, which is why each on is interesting. I especially loves the two side by side of people in the same situation and you can tell they have similarities and differences. Anyway, I didn't want to blog too much, just wanted to mention that I think he's really good. So if you weren't going to look at the link, look at it!! You will be impressed.

Avedon is pretty much the bomb. ---Thats all you need to know about him. It says everything Emma wrote about in 6 words.