Artis 210: Studio Fundamental Photography
Project 1: Frame, Vantage Point and Fragmentation
Our first project was to take close-ups of the people around us while keeping in mind the three structural elements of photography. They are defined as follows:
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Frame - The border of the viewfinder you are looking through
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Vantage Point - Where you are standing in relation to what you are photographing
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Fragmentation - The result of the first two successfully being put into effect
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This project helped me shoot my first roll of film. Shooting analog helped me understand how ISO, shutter speed and aperture worked together.
My three photos turned out cohesive because they all incorporate props from the subject’s surrounding environment such as: the camera sign, hair, and three bowling pins. Incorporating surrounding items are my photo’s strong points because they capture people’s attention and allow people to follow movement throughout the picture.
However, these pictures were over exposed and were difficult to salvage in the dark room. I didn't really understand how the light meter worked. At this point, I didn't know how to dodge and burn. The tonality of the photos are inconsistent. If I had to take the three pictures again - I would have used an even faster shutter speed while the person was juggling. I would have changed the aperture to match the light meter when I was taking the photo of the person moving her hair. For the top left photo, I would have changed the depth of field if I took the picture again because I would have liked it if the eyes came out a little clearer. Overall, I’m pleased with the outcome. Yet, I was really happy that I had room to grow for the better in the next one!
Project 2: Shutter and Aperature
Freezing Motion
Great Depth of Field
Shallow Depth of Field
Showing Motion
Our second project was designed to help us get a better understanding of the shutter and aperture. We were asked to turn in 4 photographs -- 2 from an indoor setting, and 2 from an outdoor setting. Each of the photographs would pertain to each category: showing motion, freezing motion, great depth of field, and shallow depth of field. This would help us gain an understanding of how time and place impact a photograph.
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For this project, I was able to capture more tonalities and details. My freezing motion photo was strong. It might be hard to see, but the subject was off the ground while playing hopscotch. If I could take this photo again, I would get a better angle of him jumping, or take more photos so that I can get a shot at the precise moment his feet look like they're fully in the air. The hands show the most movement, while the rest of the piano and the subject's arms remain still. One thing I would do differently is take the photo slightly farther away so that I can get a better vantage point of the whole piano - because it is cut off towards the end. My photo of the great depth of field is also nice. It contains a subject sitting on a tree, looking off into the distance. The person's expression is quite sorrowful, and the tonalities of the bark and grass come in a wide range. However, it took a lot of dodging and burning to get the details in the trees of the background to come out. I did my best to get those traits out. In terms of contrast and tonalities, I believe that this project was better than the last one!
Final Project: A Place
The third project was to photograph a place, which may be an abstract state of mind or an environment that already exists. The purpose of this project is to unite 5 components of a photograph. They are as follows:
1.) The Subject itself that we are photographing
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2.) The Detail - the aspect that we're interested in, which is not the same as a close-up.
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3.) The Frame - What's in the view finder
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4.) Vantage Point - The position we are standing in relation to the subject
5.) Time - The moment the shutter was released
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We had to produce at least 5 prints, where you could tie in these components to each one.
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For this project, I desired to capture the invisible in the physical moments of Humanity. I'd like to leave each photograph up into your interpretation, because all viewpoints are equally valuable and accepted!
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For this final project, I was able to achieve a consistent tonality in my photos. All of the subjects fit nicely inside of the frame. The images were sharp and clear, and the details are clearly shown. The timing was right on point - especially when I was taking a nice photo of the two friends candidly enjoying a conversation, a moment the baby was looking at the camera, and when the bus came to a stop right before people shifted around. This means that I achieved a better understanding of how to use the aperture and the shutter speed to achieve a consistent, unified look at any time and place.
Final Thoughts
Film photography is no easy feat. There is a lot of room for error, accidents and mechanical malfunctions. I have grown a lot in my work since the beginning of this course. After each project, I felt a sense of urgency to improve. I asked myself critical questions such as: “How can I raise the bar and do better than my last set of photos? How can I convey something that means something to me and for my audience?” The class critiques inspired me to achieve a higher level of craftsmanship when I saw all the phenomenal things my classmates were able to capture. It was amazing to step in a room where everyone was rooting for your success. This class was only 8 weeks long, but the time we spent bonding over spilling a bit of developer on our clothes, and staying up until 1 a.m. getting our projects perfect for the next day, and the help we would offer when one of us ran out of photo paper brought us closer together.
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Overall, this photography class has made me move throughout my life differently. I used to just go to school, do my homework, and repeat the same routine daily. But this class allowed me to change the way I go about my life. It made me look at my everyday environment with a new set of eyes. I veered off my regular path - visited new places, and participated in events, and met astounding like-minded creatives - things I usually wouldn't have done otherwise. I was able to find beauty and exploration where I used to only see monotony. It opened my heart to the life around me, and I'm better because of it.