Blog Notes 114-119

Camera Settings- blur out the focus in background, use wide open aperture

Emphasize important parts of the images

Lense- between 50mm and 100mm

Faster than 1/60^th of a second

Slowest speed to not use tripod

Lighting

Indoor- 45 degree angle and reflector

Simplest lighting

Reflector is critical and shadows can be greatly downsized with it

Outdoor- sun can be too harsh, use open shade and reflector

Cloudy days are good for portraits

Avoid busy backgrounds

Candid Portrait

Captures a person going about everyday life and activities (Don’t pose!)

Background gives context and meaning.

Capture different moods

Similar to a family snapshot

Take more time with a candid photo

            Camera Settings

Use a flash if necessary

Get close

Environmental Portrait

A subjects surroundings, or environment, helps add to the person’s story

It does not only show the face but the subject’s life as well

You will need to find the environment and how crucial it is

How large you do you want your subject in the photo?

            Camera Settings

Wide angle lens- especially indoors

24-35(ish) mm

Super wide around 20mm.

Higher aperture for better depth of field

 

5 Random New Photos

This is my sister Lindsay... she is very strange.

D90

ISO: 500

Shutter: 1/2000

F/ 4.5

Focal Length: 10mm

This is Paradise Pier in California Adventure theme park

D90

ISO:3200

Shutter: 1/50

F/4

Focal Length: 14mm

Again, this is Lindsay, she likes dancing in public.

D90

ISO: 200

Shutter: 1/4000

F/3.5

Focal Length: 10mm

 

This is California Screamin', a roller coaster in California Adventure theme park.

D90

ISO: 500

Shutter: 1/100

F/20

Focal Length: 10mm

This is my cousin Leo wearing his Nightmare Before Christmas Mickey hat.

D90

ISO: 500

Shutter: 1/640

F/4

Focal Length: 11mm

Self Portrait

This is my self portrait. It was taken in my room at my desk which is where I spend most of my time while I'm at home.

50mm f/1.8

Portraits Continued

Collaborative project between the subject and the photographer
Photo must express feelings from both parties.
Have good interactions even if you don't know the subject.
35mm cameras are fast and are able to respond to change in facial expression and actions.
Slow Film(50-100 ISO)- crisper photo, slow film = slow shutter, use tripod
Fast Films(400 to 3200 ISO)- more sensative to light and ideally suited to available-light photography. Coarser grain than slow film speed.
B&W vs Color-
B&W can focus the viewer on the subject. eliminate certain distracting elements, like bright colors or clothing, serious quality to it.
Color can carry feeling and emotion. Warm colors set an energetic intensity mood. Cool colors have restful and calm feeling.

Good Focal length and lenses
24mm- too wide: too much distortion
50- slight distortion
100mm- medium telephoto that delivers a near normal perspective. Face appears narrower.

Tripod- 3 legged metal stand to mount your camer. Holds camera still and will sharpen your shots.
Cable release- flexible wire, one end attaches to shutter release, other has a button. When pressed, it takes photo.
Reflector- reflects light to lighten shadows

Formal Portrait- Simplest portrait and should emphasize the person and nothing else. A neutral background is needed.
Don't let the sun into the background
Can be face only, or a full body view. Relaxation in photographs looks better.

Julia Margaret Cameron(England, 1815-1879)- no one was around and became obsessed with photography. Self taught and Self confident
One of the first people to make photography art not just a way to document the world.

Julia Margaret Cameron's portrait of Darwin
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Charles_Darwin_by_Julia_Margaret_Cameron_2.jpg

Portrait Journal Notes 102-107

People- most interesting photography topic

Environmental Portraits- setting that says something about person
Formal- emphasize only the person who is the subject
Candid- capture a person going about everyday activities

Almost everyone could afford a photograph over a painting.
Gaspard-Felix Tournachon(France 1820-1910): AKA Nadar- plain black background for artists, writers, and actors
August Sander(Germany 1876-1964)- mainly environmental photos. 1892-1954 Sander took pictures of all types of citizens in an effort to create one huge portrait of his entire nation.

Value is important- range of light and dark areas in a photo
Allow subject to POP
Value also allows emotion. Shadow suggests darker mood. Brightness conveys positive feelings.
Shape is critical when composing an image. Subject= dominant shape

NADAR SELF PORTRAIT
http://www.masters-of-photography.com/images/full/nadar/nadar_selfportrait.jpg

AUGUST SANDER SELF PORTRAIT
http://www.museenkoeln.de/_medien/mlk/Sander,August.jpg

Photo Essay Pictures

This is a photograph of the progression that cities are showing in order to clean up. In the bottom corner, there is a ash tray, and as the photo fades into the distance, there are two more trashcans.

Focal Length: 200mm

f/9

ISO 3200

1/2000

This is one of the main points of my project. This photo alone shows the carelessness of ordinary Americans. The fact that the bottle was 1 inch from the recycling bin is truly disgusting and saddening.

Focal Length: 48mm

f/4.8

ISO 3200

1/1000

This photograph shows the amount of random items that are put into trash and recycling cans. Inside of the unit that clearly states "RECYCLE BOTTLES" and "RECYCLE CANS", there are 2 coffee cups and a plastic smoothie cup.

Focal Length: 50mm

f/6.3

ISO 3200

1/400

This is another photo of progression. This picture was taken in downtown Redwood City, which has recently been mentioned in magazines such as NY Times for their incredible work on improving the city. The city has been striving to keep clean and divide trash and recyclables.

Focal Length: 18mm

f/6.3

ISO 1600

1/4000

This is a picture of a soda cup from Pizza My Heart. The cup was carelessly discarded into the bushes, where there bright colors stood out and show the contrast between nature, and the actions that are being carried out by humans to ruin it.

Focal Length: 200mm

f/6.3

ISO 3200

1/640

Redwood City was recently delivered all new trash cans because of a recent contract change from Allied Waste to Recology. These trash cans were all delivered to one company and each color represents a different type of trash. Black is average garbage and waste, blue is recyclables, and green is yard waste and compostables.

 Focal Length: 18mm

f/6.3

ISO 2000

1/4000

This photo was taken on Haight St. in the Haight District of San Francisco. The neighborhood is well known for its population of hippies and homeless people and recently, a clean up has been arranged. This sign is telling pedestrians to not litter or drop trash. To add the San Francisco/ Haight St. character, the famous legs coming out of the window are in the background.

Focal Length: 50mm

f/1.8

ISO 2000

1/400

This is a picture of a dumpster in the famous alleyway next to Amoeba Records on Haight Street. The objects that are used to keep the trash off the streets are just as dirty themselves.

Focal Length: 50mm

f/5.6

ISO 800

1/1250