Old Man Progress

The top image is the photo given to the class as part of Project 3. I have made most of the overall corrections I need to make before I begin correcting the little details in the photo. I have made such corrections as...

- cropping the image to fit the Rule of Thirds

- correct the broken fence

- adjust overall levels

- remove pixelation and random marks

- remove shadows against house

- remove unnecessary objects, such as the light and boy's head 

Experimentation

Composition in photography is far from a science, and as a result all of the "rules" above should be taken with a pinch of salt. If they don't work in your scene, ignore them; if you find a great composition that contradicts them, then go ahead and shoot it anyway. But they can often prove to be spot on, and are worth at least considering whenever you are out and about with your camera.

Composition Rules in Photography

http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/10-top-photography-composition-rules

Above is the link to a website that has the top ten useful rules for photography. We discussed focal points and the rule of thirds, but there were some concepts that I found on the site I have never put much thought to. These could really help my photography stand out among others and help me grow as a photographer.

1. Rule of Thirds
2. Balancing Elements
3. Leading Lines
4. Symmetry and Patterns
5. Viewpoint
6. Background
7. Depth
8. Framing
9. Cropping
10. Experimentation

COLOR...

This photo really captures the meaning of colors. This was one of the nominee's from the National Geographic Photo Contest in 2011.

This is another photo from the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest that really captures the feeling of the magazine. I think this is definitely a possible cover photo. The murky, green color against the zebra's black and white skin is the main focal point in this composition.

National Geographic

Winners of the 2011 National Geographic Photo Competition:

Last year, National Geographic reviewed over 20,000 submissions from over 130 countries for its Best of 2011 Photo Contest. Below are two of my favorite photos that I found, both of which focus on color and capturing the subject matter in its natural environment.

Rule of Thirds

While this video is based around layout design, it still very much applies to photography. The Rule of Thirds is something that I have always been aware of but never put much attention to. I have realized that my photography is much stronger when I directly focus on it. This video sums up the rule very well and shows how to use the rule in applications.

Project 2: Panorama

My progress on the panorama shot is shown above. The top image has been color corrected. I am not finished in that I still need to work more on the gradient in the background (left) and I need to touch up a little places using the Replace Color tool in Photoshop. I think the progress I have made is definitely noticeable though. I brought out a few of the key colors in this shot, including the brick house, the buildings in the inner harbor, and the sky.

Use of Color

While project one was restricted to black and white, project two opens up the freedom of color. At first, this was overwhelming because of all the options I can persue. But when it came down to actually taking the shots, I found it was a lot more restricted and difficult than I planned. I had to really research color used in photography to get a better understanding of how to manipulte color to percieve a message. 

Monochromatic

Analogous

Complimentary

Architectural Photography

Architectural photography is the photography of buildings and similar structures that are both aesthetically pleasing and accurate representations of their subjects. These photos can be interior or exterior. Some of the fields leading photographers include Roger Fenton, Francis Frith and Ezra Stoller. Controlled perspective is a required skill in this field, of which I am learning in Project 2 (Panorama). Emphasis on vertical and horizontal lines are key in giving the photograph direction. When you think architectural photography, most people would assume the person would take shots of iconic buildings such as the eiffel tower or the or of the Sydney bridge. Although the most interesting shots I have seen are those of average buildings that express unique character or aethetics, such as the image below.

Commercial Photography

Photography has been a hobby of mine before I ever decided I wanted to persue graphic design. In fact, my interest in photography helped me make this decision. Because of my constant involvement in graphic design, it can get tricky to simply shoot artistically appealing photography. I have a much more commerical style than I used to have. Sometimes it can be hard to set aside time from design work to just go outside and take some shots for personal work.

Below are some interesting commerical photos that take an artistic photo and apply that shot in a commercial setting.

Portrait Repair

In class, I learned how to perform basic level photo repair and corrections, particularly involving portraits. This lecture was very helpful to me as a designer. I personally think acne, wrinkles, and scars can define a person and add interest to the photograph, although they are not always wanted. Commercial photography is a good example of an industry that pushes against these characteristics and demand "the ideal person."

Below is one photograph that I took of a friend. I corrected multiple things such as overall levels, minimized freckles, and enhanced eye color. I personally think both photos are strong, just in different contexts. Commercial wise the corrected photo on the right is much more acceptable in society.

Smithsonian Magazine (3 of 3)

Keith Coleman: Keith is a well-known photographer based in New York. He was named one of the 20 most influential photographers of all time by Photo District News. His work is both provocative and strange. He shoots in both black and white and color.

Lisa K. Blatt: Her work expresses her use of minimalist compositions and vivid colors. Nature photography can easily fall into this cliché of "desktop and screen savers." Lisa's body of work is mysterious and pushes far beyond this stereotype. Her work does not have me asking questions or interest me enough to view her work in a gallery, although I appreciate her style.

Smithsonian Magazine (2 of 3)

José Antonio Martínez: José is an accomplished businessman who is obsessed with photography. This obsession drove him to sell his business and devote his life to photography. He earned his fame from becoming a portraitist, street photographer, and architectural photography. On the side, he created a series based on birds. This series is completely different than his previous work, but his style and energy remains the same.

Pilar Belmonte: Pilar's body of work, about her young son during his life-threatening episode with encephalitis, is very moving. She said the effort to record his struggle “kept me grounded, steady, focused.” Her other images were taken later, but still infused with a surreal quality that connected easily with the others. She shot this series in black and white to keep the message pure and not let the colors distract from the somber message.

Farzana Wahidy:

"In 2001, I created a humanitarian organization in Afghanistan called Aina, meaning “mirror.” The main goal of Aina was to empower local women, especially in media. We created Aina Photo to train local females (and males too) to become the first Afghan photojournalists. Farzana was one of the first, in 2002; she was one of 15 we picked from more than 500 people who applied. She was young, 17 or 18. At first her father was hesitant, but we convinced him that it would be a good thing for her to do. She had spent her life living under the Taliban; she knew what that meant for Afghan women, and she understood that she could tell their stories in photographs. Her main teacher was Manoocher Deghati, who is now Mideast photo editor for the Associated Press. She worked very hard and eventually became the first female photographer in Afghanistan to work with international media like the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse. Farzana is telling the story of Afghanistan from the inside." -Smithsonian, Reza


I think Pilar shoots in color because the vibrant textiles and colors better represent this culture.

Smithsonian Magazine (1 of 3)

Design is not a career, but rather a lifestyle. Looking at photography and other design is not good enough in today's competitive field. You must be proactive and infuse yourself into all field-related work possible. For me, this could be fashion design, interior design, art, photography, web design, baking, and sculpture. Along with subscribing to design and art magazines, I also pick up other reading material such as the Smithsonian. This past issue featured upcoming photographers that are getting a lot of publicity in the design world. I was very intrigued by many of these artists and read most of their bios. Here are some of my favorite from the issue.

Tomeu Coll: His photographs represent life in his native island of Majorca. He shoots mostly in black and white.