Portraits

How to "Go Against" you're light meter

Notes From Class:

To Underexpose:
-faster shutter speed-1 or 2 stops-higher number
-smaller apeture
Side Light
-take light meter reading off of light side up closerm then back up, not changing light meter

-Close to the light source, correct light meter, dark background
-further away, lighten background

Great Portrait Characteristics

I think a great portrait all depends on the moment that you capture the picture. I feel that the emotion of the subject can tell you everything about them, or how they're feeling. Getting a good portrait is hard, but if you set it up the right way I think you can get a really good final product.

National Geographic DVD

Techniques or approaches that I can work on:
1) focusing on one main subject, and capturing different aspects or perspectives of it.
2) play around with different lighting, such as side, or from the back. It can add really cool effect.
3) don't be afraid to try new techniques, such as framing in a portrait.
4) practice, practice, practice. you can't expect to be perfect the first time, so go out and shoot a lot!
5) it's not the setting that makes a picture, it's the compositional techiniques you use while shooting.

Favorite Photographer
My favorite photographer from the DVD was definitely Nick Nichols. I liked his work because of his use of lighting and motion. A lot of photos I see are perfectly coordinated, but his are very spur of the moment, with bright spots of light on a subject and a lot of blurred motion.

Favorite Photograph
My favorite photograph was definitely the one with Jane Goodall offering her head to the aggressive chimp. This photo was taken by Nick Nichols. I loved this one because it was such a "had to be there" type of moment, and the fact that the photographer could capture that amazed me.

Techniques From Class
I saw Rule of Thirds being used in a lot of the photographs, along with framing.

Framing

This photo interests me because it contains leading lines in it as well as framing.

This photo frames the scenery by looking through a rock structure. It makes the whole photo more interesting to look at, because you wonder where the photographer was.

This photo is really cool because it frames the doors with the sign overhead and the ticket booth and side door. The photo looks antique as a whole, and is really intriguing.

This is a pretty classic wedding shot, but the arched doors frame the bride in, which makes it more complex.

This delapidated house makes for a very cool photograph because all the boards on top frame the rest of the broken boards in.

Hands and Feet

This photo attracted me becasue I was intrigued by the drawgins on the subject's left leg. Also, I like the lighting, almost under the feet.

This picture has so much texture in it, the feet look so little and soft. I LOVE being able to tell texture in a photograph.

Here is another example of texture. This old man's hands almost tell a story on their own, with the liver spots and flannel cuffs.

I really liked the photo because obviously the tattoos all over this person's hand. I found myself trying to fgire out what they were. The composition of this picture is actually really cool too, with the grainy background and fading arm.

This photo is so sweet and innocent, it just reminded me of my Sunday School days, so I really enjoy it.

My Rule of Thirds

I took this photo, and I'm somewhat happy with it. First, there is chemical damage which annoys me and detracts from the actual photo. Second, I would have better focus on the photo. Lastly, I would make it lighter by opening my apeture.

Rule of Thirds

 This photo caught my eye because I thought it was really interesting how the photographer could catch this moment. Also, I like how the photographer made sure that we could still see the ant.

I like this photo because we can't see the bird's face. It's the back of the bird, which is a cool view. I also like the shadow.

I love love love this photo because you can almost FEEL the texture of animal, I'm assuming an elephant. The cracks and roughness really make the photo for me.

I like how in this photo the photographer kept the rule of thirds rule strict by even making sure the blur of a person was even within the intersection.

I really like this photo because the house is kind of dark, and how the sun is a gleam.

2nd Nine Weeks: Photos conveying a message

I like this photo because of the simplicity of the background; just the black and brown mat, along with the blanket.

This photo's message to me is that smoking is cool, because there is a young attractive woman holding it, looking snobby.

This photo of the homeless man touches me emotionally, especially with the blurred edges.

This photo shows love and romance to me, and  I love how it's zoomed in on their faces.

This photo doesn't convey a major heartfelt  message particularly, but I do love the confusion in her face, and the surprise in her awkward body position.

First Roll (Choice)

Motion

Depth of Field

Rule of Thirds

Lines