Point of View/Macro/Motion

1. What is your interpretation of the purpose of each of these three assignments?

I think these assignments were to help us learn and appreciate different techniques and angles of photography. I think Point of view was to help learn that a photo can look completly different from another angle, or with different lighting, so it could be useful to try new things to get the best shot. The macro project's purpose was understand that sometimes getting up close can be the best way to catch the detail in things. It helped me stop and pay attention to the simplier objects around me. The motion project helped me first of all appreciate photographers who can take really good motion pictures, as it wasn't easy. I think the purpose of that assignment was to help us get more comfortable with timing and our cameras.

2. What do you think the most important thing was you learned from each assignment?

From the point of view project, the most important thing I learned that sometimes snapping a shot from dead on isn't always the most flattering angle or lighting for that object, and that it can be better to move around and try new things. From the macro project, I learned to look for the beauty of objects that are very ordinary. From the motion project, I learned how to be patient while shooting moving objects, and to prepare myself for the shot, so I can get it as clear as possible.

3. Why do you suppose these three projects were assigned in this particular order?

I think these pictures were assigned in this order because they got harder and harder. In the point of view assignment, it was very easy to move around and display point of view. However, macro was a little harder to zoom in, or find 20 objects that were similar, or make sure they weren't blurry, as they were so close. Lastly, motion was the hardest because getting a clear shot is very difficult. However, doing these assignments in this order helped me build up my confidence as a photographer, making each assignment easier.

4. How do you feel you did on each project? Be specific about areas in which you think you did well and not as well.

I think I did fairly well on point of view. It was an easy concept to grasp for me, so it was easy to take many different pictures. Macro came very easily to me, because I have always enjoyed taking very close pictures of things. Also, it was very easy for me to find a theme. I found one decoration in my house and realized many objects had the same color, so that came easily as well. The only trouble I had with that one was getting clear pictures, as I chose not to use flash for most of them to get better color quality. The motion picture was a little difficult for me. It seemed to be an easy assignment, but when I did it, most of my pictures came out blurry. I was trying to take pictures of cars and busses, which is why it was a little harder for me, but overall I understood the concept of it.

5. What was one thing you wish you would have done that you didn’t, and why didn’t it happen? (you may comment on any of the three projects or all three)

I wish that I could've come up with a more creative theme for the macro project. It seemed very generic and unoriginal to do a project with a color theme, but I ended up choosing that anyway. I think I didn't do a different one because I didn't have much time, being out for Europe and having all of my makeup work, but I think it's a really cool project and I would love to try to come up with newer themes.

6. Which was your favorite of the three projects and why?

I think the macro project was my favorite. First of all, I love close up pictures, especially of ordinary things. This project came very natural for me. As a matter of fact, I started these pictures thinking I would make some kind of collage of pictures of cool things my parents have collected over the years for their anniversary, but it turned out I had enough of the same color to use it for my macro project. Anywayyy I think grid pictures like this look so cool, which is another reason I loved this project.

7. Has one or more of these topics had an impact on your photography? How?

I think that they all have had an impact on my photography. The more I learn about techniques and different angles and things to keep in mind, the more photos I want to shoot. I am fascinated by photography and every time I learn something new, I feel that it makes me a better photographer, and makes me want to keep learning and keep shooting.

Consider the quote: "God is in the details."
What is your interpretation of this quote?
How can we see God in the details every day?
How might we use our cameras in order to discover and preserve these details?

I think this quote is trying to say that God is everywhere. He is in
everything, even if it's small. It doesnt have to be a picture of something extremly striking, like the rays of sun, or an ocean, it can be something as simple as a close up of a flower, or a single piece of grass. To me, this quote sums up everything that God is about. He is everywhere, in everything, no matter how small. We can see God in details really well when we stop and take time to actually look at what we're looking at. So many times we just glance at things thinking "I've seen this before", without really taking time to appreciate it. If we could stop and look at the flower for a bit longer, or take more time to appreciate the little things that make up our every day life, we could see God's presence there. As artists, we can use our cameras to capture the beauty in these simple things. We can get up close, really close, to the objects we want to take pictures of, to see all the detail that makes up that object. For example, from far away, a rose is just a rose, nothing out of the ordinary, something we've seen before. However, zoom in closer, and it becomes a beautiful mystery. How does it have the number of petals it has? How does it get that color? The details of every day things are sometimes the most beautiful, and focusing on those in our pictures can help peserve that.

"Photography is about finding out what can happen in the frame. When you put four edges around some facts, you change those facts." -- Gary Winogrand.

What does this quote mean? Consider the quote in context of our work with framing and composition

This quote means that a photographer can change the whole mood or story of a scene, just by where they take the picture. By closing off that little frame of the world, you can create facts all of your own. This can completely manipulate what the viewer thinks of this photo, or setting. If they saw it in person, they could get a completely different feel for the area. However, when a photographer snaps a photo, they're capturing what they want the viewers to see, what they think of that world. The photographer can use different angles, lighting techniques, etc. to create "facts" that are not necessarily correct, but what they want to be known. When you snap a photo, you snap your opinion, because everyone has the capability to interpret each scene different when they get to see the whole thing.

How do you think you did on the lighting assignment? Be honest and specific about the feedback you received. Did you think your positive or negative feedback was deserved? Why or why not?

I think overall I did a good job on this lighting assignment. I actually ended up preferring the pictures I took at home over the pictures I took in the boxes at school. I was very happy that I understood the assignment enough to be able to take pictures on my own and get the right product at the end. The only think I think I could've improved on for this assignment was working with diffuse light. It was hard for me to do, because the best diffuse light was during the day with the snow, and I work during the day so I had no time to go outside and take pictures. I think it's harder to capture diffuse light as a beginner inside a house, or school, etc. That being said, I think that is the main area I need improvement in. However, I feel that I did fairly well at capturing the technique of silhouette lighting. I was very nervous when I started that I wouldn't do it right, but was very happy with my results when I was looking back at the pictures. I got many comments on how it helped others understand how to do silhouette lighting, and that the light background contrasting with the very dark outline of the tea pot made it easy to see the silhouette. I think this was very positive feedback and helps me know that I did well on the assignment. I think that the feedback was definitely deserved, as I think that I did pretty well on the assignment. I tried different angles and different techniques to get this picture as good as it could be, and I think these positive comments reflect my hard work on this assignment. I was very excited about this photo because after I shot it, I thought the black outline was perfect, and the picture just worked. Before I did this shoot, I was nervous that I couldn't quite get silhouette lighting right. This feedback helps me see that what I did was right, and that I do, in fact, understand how to shoot silhouette lighting shots.

Technical vs. Emotive

When you first look at a photograph and make an initial judgment of it as being 'great', is it because it is technically great or because it makes you feel something? In other words, are you reacting to its technical quality or its emotive quality? Explain in detail.

I think that when I see pictures, I judge whether they are good or bad
based on the technical aspect. I don't really pay attention to the emotional
side of it, unless it is something really graphic or dramatic. I usually judge
pictures on how clear they are, how well I can see them (based on lighting) or
the colors used in the picture. I look more for the uniqueness of a photo and
the "coolness" of it rather than if it brings out emotion for me. I think that
being able to bring out emotions in people can make a good picture even better, but I also feel that without the technical aspect of that picture being on par, the rest of the photo will just fall through. I definitely think that before any emotion is added to the picture, the technical quality needs to be there first.

Andy Goldsworthy

3. What is your interpretation of Andy Goldsworthy's work- do you like it? What do you think he is trying to say or accomplish with this work?

I think that Andy's work is honestly quite odd, but cool in a way. My interpretation is that he likes to do 3D live art, which is really unique. I like Andy's work because you don't see that very much. It's different from plain sculpture or painting. I think by working with nature so much he is trying to spread the word that nature is beautiful, and that we really need to protect it. If stop caring about nature, we won't have beautiful things like his sulptures to look at.

4. What inspiration for your own work can you gain from Mr.Goldsworthy's style, materials, work ethic, ideas?

Watching this film, I picked up from Mr. Goldsworthy that you can take different pieces of nature and put them all together to get the look that you want. It doesn't have to be there from the start, you can do soemthing yourself like how he used the stones full of iron to make some of the water red. I learned that you can enhance nature, it doesn't all have to be there tfrom the start. I also learned from him to do this kind of art out of passion and love for it. Even though his sculptures got ruined sometimes, he did it because he has a passion for it. He also isn't getting paid for making this art, but he does it because he loves it. It inspired me to take pictures just because I love it, not for a hope that i will become famous from it, or make any money off of it.

5. What specifically do you connect or NOT connect with his work?

I really connected with Andy's work because I also love working with nature. Many of my photo's are of things in nature. I, like him, appreciate the beauty in nature. I also really love his motives for doing this kind of art. I can connect with him and what he is trying to get across by doing this kind of art. I share a lot of the same views on the environment as he does, so it was easy for me to see why he would want to do sculptures like this in nature.