Rules of Photography Part II

THEME: Italy

Rule of Thirds:

Balancing Elements:

Leading Lines:

Symmetry & Patterns:

Viewpoint:

Background:

Create Depth:

Framing:

Cropping:

Mergers & Avoiding them: (Border Merger)

Funny Captions

Photo 1:

Seventy-four year old Mark Adul attempts to beat yet another world record at his Austin lake house for longest time a senior citizen can hold their breath. Mark did come out victorious on October 3 &  unfortunately was rewarded the ability to hold his breath underground eternally. 

Photo 2:

Eighty-five year old bartender Melissa Rocha locks her walker to a stop sign on sixth street in order to prevent it from being stolen. The walker was pried from the pole a mere twenty minutes later by a group of senior citizen thugs. 

Photo 3:

Bob Rob the monkey rubs his old friend John Goodall's head in attempt to make him young again around evening time at the San Diego Zoo. Bob Rob got arrested later that day for committing illegal monkey business & got sentenced to life in cage. 

Prompt Shoot #2

Purple:

Cold:

Electric:

Warmup

1. As I moved my way through these photos my emotions changed. At the beginning I didn't really feel any emotion because they were just basic photos of couples having fun, however the photos started to capture more tragic events. Through the photos I could feel the couple's pain causing me to feel the depression and pain they felt as well.

2. After viewing the photos and reading the husband's comment I view the husband as being very mentally strong person. It is incredible that he was able to stay so strong and not let cancer take over their relationship and change who they were as people.

3. I don't think I would be able to shoot photos like Angelo Merendino's if I were in the same situation. It is very hard to see someone that you love dying and I don't think I would be emotionally stable enough to take any photos at all.

4. If I were to write a letter to Angelo Merendino I would start by saying that I'm sorry for his loss, and that I know it must have been a very difficult situation to go through. I would also write to him about how I appreciate all of his photography skills, and that his photos were capable of capturing so much emotion. I would also write to Angelo about how I believe he is a very strong person for being able to go through such a difficult situation, and to capture photos of it all.

Abandoned Theme Parks

1. Out of the given amusement park options I would most likely want to visit the abandoned Six Flags in New Orleans. I would want to go to this location the most because of how the amusement park has buildings that have been made to look just like the city scene of New Orleans. I like that it offers this because it makes the park seem much more like an abandoned city than just an amusement park. I also like that it's a park located in the U.S. so i feel like getting in trouble for trespassing wouldn't be as much as a big deal as in another country like South Korea. The rusting and water damage that happened to the park gives it a creepy vibe, but because no one actually died there I feel like I would feel a lot more comfortable exploring it.

2.

3. Unusual places photographers may like to go:

Railroad tracks

Abandoned schools

Caves

Old & abandoned historical building

Places located in the middle of nowhere (abandoned cities, random caves & cliffs, etc.)

4. Abandoned School: 

5. I think that an abandoned school would probably be one of the best places to go and capture photos at. To start it isn't a super dangerous place to go to & if you were to be caught in side of one you probably wouldn't have that harsh of a punishment. I also find it to be a really interesting location because everyone grows up going to school, so it'd be really unusual to see one super dark and  destroyed. Schools also tend to be pretty big so there would be lots of area to explore. There's also so many different messages that you could send out through any photo of an abandoned school. For example you could take a simple photo of inside a classroom and go on to talk about how the photo represents all the hardships and destruction that school work can cause to an average person's mental health.

6. I don't think that there are a lot of abandoned schools just lying around town, so in order to go to one I might have to do lots of research and a bit of traveling. I would also have to do research on the kind of laws and restrictions can be put on abandoned schools. I already know that trespassing might be an issue but as I said before I don't think the punishment would be super strict especially if your someone my age. The biggest issue that I find with going to this location would be safety hazards within the build. If there's tons of water damage or any of the walls/ceilings are falling or caving in it would not be a smart idea to go exploring in that location.

Africa

1. After reading the article on Nick Brandt's photography in Africa I felt guilty. Even though I'm not the person who is going out and killing wild animals in Africa I felt really depressed, as if I were that person. It's awful to see animals being killed especially after seeing how calm and beautiful they look when Brandt captures them in their "state of being". It makes me feel sick to my stomach that humans are so willing to kill something so beautiful just to make money.

2.

3. I chose this Nick Brandt photo because of the message that it sends. In the photo you can see how something so naturally beautiful has been disrupted by human destruction. It makes me feel sorry, which is a good thing because that means the photo is able to send the message to whoever is looking at it that what humans are doing is wrong and needs to be stopped.

4. Some rules of photography that I find evident in this photo are simplicity and rule of thirds. The background of this photo is plain without any other main subjects present so that all of the attention can be focused on the Lion's head. I also see rule of thirds because the main subject isn't centered in the middle of the photo but instead in the upper left hand corner. This works well for this photo because it allows us to see all of the horizon that the lion is looking at.

5. Nick Brandt uses a Pentax 67 camera with a modified lens. This is important because it means that he must move in close to the subject,  and is able to capture the background scenery in his photos as well.

6. Nick Brandt's reason for taking these photos is to show how beautiful wild African animals can be in their natural "state of being". He also likes to showcase how humans have caused lots of destruction to these animals lives and habitats. 

7. Nick Brandt's hopes for these photos is that people will see them and feel bad for what we redoing to the wild animals in Africa,  and to make us want to stand up and do something to help bring back all the land and animals we destroyed.

8. " You wouldn't take a portrait of a human being from a hundred feet away and expect to capture their soul; you'd move in close". -Nick Brandt

Great Black & White Photographers Part III

1.What initially caught my eye about Cindy Sherman’s photography was that the majority of her photos were of women. When I think about other great photographers I normally think of photographers who take many landscape photos, or photos of the world’s natural beauties like rivers or mountains. However Cindy Sherman was a photographer who was able to showcase the world’s natural beauty through many different photos of unique women. Although her photos seem very typical, a model just trying to look pretty, her photos are actually able to hold great meaning and tell stories about these women as well as show Cindy’s own personal beliefs. I absolutely adore Cindy Sherman’s work because of the way that her photos are able to make me feel many different emotions like dangerous, empowered, girly, etc. I think Cindy Sherman is a wonderful photographer who is able to tell stories through her work and that is why I decided to choose her as my black and white photographer.

2. From Photographer's Point of View:

Photo One:

I see a strikingly gorgeous women standing before me. She stands tall and thin, her face long an ovular, the way that every women wishes to be. But behind her mask of makeup I see what’s much more important, I see  a woman who loves herself, someone who strives everyday to become better, someone who doesn’t ignore stereotypes and instead speaks against them through her beauty. In front of me stands a woman who men would think of as a possession, a toy, a piece of meat, but in front of me I see a woman who puts out the most lovely vibes but is filled with strength and courage ready to help me showcase my own personal beliefs.

I smell an overwhelming amount of rose perfume radiating off of my model’s warm body. Musky rose mixed with the smell of powdered makeup which helped my model prepare for today’s shoot. The smell of pure girliness, what some people might say is too much but others find comforting. A somewhat distracting smell but one that tells lots about my model’s own character & helps me know how to best take photos of her.

I hear the creaking of the wood floor beneath us as the model moves from pose to pose. The sound of creaking wood which adds to the home’s character and makes me feel more comfortable in my surroundings. The sound of creaking wood which aids in breaking the awkward silence between us from time to time. The sound of creaking wood which reminds me of my childhood in our old New York house.

I taste the crisp autumn air blowing in from outside, mixed with the taste of dust which you would expect from the old home we are shooting in. I can taste the baked goods cooking in the room awaiting for us whenever we finish our job. I can also taste the smells of perfume and lotion coming off of the model, gross but isn’t too strong that it’s bothering.

I feel captivated by my model’s beauty. I know what I’m doing is right no matter what all the critics have to say about me. I feel that I should continue with this project and continue to work on what I believe in and what I enjoy. I feel confused as to what I should title this piece of work, I prefer to keep mine untitled.

Photo Two:

I see a strong and independent young women in front of me. Someone who is brave and not afraid to fight for what she wants and what she believes in. She is stunning and physically attractive but just from  her looks you know not to mess with her. I see an old brick warehouse as the perfect scenery for this picture, the model looks like she fits right in. I see a wooden rocking chair in the corner that makes this photo appear more natural and like I randomly snapped a picture of the model in her daily life.

I smell a musky scent, most likely the perfume that the model is wearing. It’s deep and similar to a men’s cologne but has a hint of rose bud that adds that touch of femininity. I smell old brick that makes me feel more at home and warm inside. The smells mixed together are strong but comforting. It’s something new but at the same time I enjoy as if it’s a smell I’ve smelled since I was born. It’s strength somehow makes me feel stronger and more confident.

I hear the tapping of the models pointed heel shoes on the floor and the window ledge. The floors are wooden, odd for this kind of building but they add lots of character. I can hear the models every move because of these floors, and I actually kind of like it. Outside and through the window I hear cars and people moving around from place to place that makes me love the life within this city.

I taste fresh paint in the building. It’s very obvious that this building is old but that someone has tried to salvage it but adding loads of white paint everywhere. I don’t like the fresh paint taste it's too overpowering, but it is definitely not even close to being the biggest sacrifice I’m having to make in order to get this shot.

I feel empowered like my own model’s confidence is radiating off of her and onto me. It makes me feel proud of what I am doing, no matter what else anybody else says. Together we know that not only do we feel good about ourselves but that we are empowering other women through showcasing the stereotypes women face.

3. I really enjoy showing my work on posters. For some reason I feel a lot more pride in my work that way. It’s really easy to make powerpoints but it's a lot more difficult and time consuming to create a poster. Therefore whenever I do create a poster that takes a lot of time and it turns out looking good I feel a lot more proud of my work.

Great Black & White Photographers II

The Life of Photographer Cindy Sherman:
Photographer Cindy Sherman was born on January 19, 1954 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. A few years after being born Cindy and her family moved to Huntington, NY where she grew up as the youngest of five siblings. Cindy was later educated at Buffalo State College where she took her first photography course, and ended up failing her first semester. After failing Cindy switched over to a painting major but was inspired to get back into photography by Barbara Jo Reveille, a photography instructor. In 1977 Cindy Sherman began her first major photography project called "Complete Untitled Film Skills", which captured images of women from 1950-60 films. Since then Cindy has came out with many other famous photo projects and has mainly focused her photography career on the different stereotypes women deal with.

Sources:
Biography.com Editors. "Cindy Sherman Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 2 Apr. 2014. Web. 11 Oct. 2016. <http://www.biography.com/people/cindy-sherman-39916>.                         

"Biography - Cindy Sherman." Biography - Cindy Sherman - Photographer, Model, Director, Actor, Avant-Garde Images, Doll Parts and Prosthetics, Movies. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2016. <http://www.cindysherman.com/biography.shtml>.                         

Some of Cindy's Photos:
http://www.masters-of-photography.com/S/sherman/sherman_14.html


http://www.masters-of-photography.com/S/sherman/sherman_15.html

Great Black & White Photographers

My Favorite Black & White Photographers:
Ansel Adams:
adams_tetons_full.html

John Gutmann:
gutmann_texas_women_full.html

Cindy Sherman:
sherman_10_full.html

Mural Project

1. For a mural project here at school I would love to create a mural with the theme of education through activities outside of in-class "textbook" learning. Capture photos of students enjoying themselves and learning through the activities that they are most interested in, whether that be sports, clubs,  science labs, etc. I think it'd be nice to also incorporate it with events such as pep rallies, volleyball games, and spirit days in order to remind students that look at the mural that there are ways to become educated and create experiences in school without being constantly stressed. For out of school I really like the idea of capturing the good kind of weirdness that lies in Austin and how it shapes the people that live here. There are a lot of beautiful places and events that take place in Austin that might seem out of the norm for people who live out of the city, but to capture this and put it on display would be a great way to show everyone how much Austin citizens love to embrace being different.
2. I think using just cell phones is a great way to show how the world is changing and might be more welcoming to younger people, but I think it'd be best to open up to regular cameras as well so everyone can be equally involved in the mural's creation.
3. I think the mural should be placed somewhere that everyone can see it but not a place that is over distracting. I think it's really nice when groups or clubs hang it by the stairs because it definitely grabs the attention of lots of students. However not everyone will go down those stairs, so it might be a better idea to put it by the library because every student has to enter the academic building at least once.