Final Reflection Project

Weakest Photo:

http://lovejiane.blogspot.com/2011/03/outdoor-portrait-with-reflection.html

For this year in photo, I've learned many things. For this being my weakest picture, I definitely learned a lot. For example, I learned that I had to have everything planned out before I shoot anything and to be specific on certain things. I had to be clear of my placement and my direction to the model. Because pictures like this, the message is very vauge and it almost seems like there was no message at all. It looks like I just took a snapshot. But in this picture I did learn that I shouldn't have something dead center, and in this picture, I put my model to the side just so she isn't right in the middle. I also learned to add texture in pictures so I used the texture of the tree.

Strongest Photo:

http://lovejiane.blogspot.com/2011/02/still-life-photography.html

This photo I feel is my strongest photo. This was still life and since there were no models, I felt that this was easier to work with than with models. It was easier to set everything up and position everything. I learned to add different kinds of texture in photos. In this one, I added the hardness of glass and the smooth looking texture from the mask. I learned too that to not have such an empty background, so I had to add something very tall in the back to contrast with the smaller objects. This one was my favorite to do because I had to work with a different type of camera and differnet kind of developing technique. I learned how to make "the right" shadows for pictures and that its ok to make shapes with them. But then I also learned that its bad to have shadows in pictures and I learned ways to get rid of them. I also learned that you could add more than one elements of design in a picture.

Besides from taking pictures, my printing skills still hasn't changed when it comes to craftsmenship, I still print my pictures kind of crooked, but printing the picture itself has gotten better. And I learned how to make contact sheets and add filters to pictures and when I need to use them. I also learned how to 'bracket' on a camera, although I never really used it.

What the teacher could do to make this class better and make assignments more easier is give us more time to shoot or not assigning 2 big projects at the same time. Maybe like a big project and a small project, just so we're not rushed and we're still busy at the same time. Other than that, everything else is pretty good.

Fashion Shoot Project

The fashion pictures are on Christine Galvan's blogspot.

Barbies and G.I Joes Articles

What was the purpose of creating this miniature town?
The purpose was so that he could "relive" what happened back when we was at war. It was like he was trying to refresh his memory of what had happened. I think he has lost his memory and this was his way of remembering what had happened.


The artist explores different themes in his fictional story, are any of these themes related to your art work? It does not have to be limited to visual art. How?
These themes relate to my art work because the themes that I use could be fictional and making up stories. Also he uses props in all his pictures and in my photos, there are props being used as well. He also shoots outside a lot and when I do shoots, they are mainly outside and I use the field and the grass and anything else nature related.

What kind of depth of field does the photographer use? Why do you think the photographer specifically chose this one?
The photographer uses shallow depth of field and its probably because he wanted us to focus on what was in front of us and the barbies and also he wanted us to focus on what was actually happening rather than the background.

Picture Series Project

This project we had to create a story using pictures. We had to take either 1 picture or a series of them. Our theme was a suspenseful one, which was what we tried to create. In these photographs, the one thing that is in every picture is the bag of crackers because that's what the person was going after. Where these pictures were shot were outside because we felt that it would give a more suspenseful feet. The emphasis of these pictures is to capture that I was being chased and that the person was after something. This creates texture from the grass and trees and wood from outside and a smooth texture from the cement. I feel that we did accomplish our suspenseful theme to this and each one did clearly tell what was happening.

Series: Contact Sheet

Includes : Christine Galvan, Farhiya Mohummod, Victoria Van.

Cultural Identity Picture with Reflection

This assignment was about cultural Identity, and my original Idea was to take 2 pictures of farhiya, one with her "cultural" clothing on and the other in her regular clothes, and I was going to put them on the same paper. But the printing got way too difficult for me because the lighting would be hard to fix and try to get all my whites. So I just decided to print out one picture instead and I decided on the one where she's in her cultural clothes. I just wwanted to show her culture and her heritage. This wasn't my favorite picture, but I did like my original idea. And in this picture, it shows her in her traditional clothing. Its organized by her in the middle but I was shooting at different angles. And I wanted the emphasis on her.

Current Articles: Google Art Project- Exploring Museums Virtually

1. I feel as if this author's viewpoint about this is that she prefers to see art in person and not on the computer and looking at it through the computer is nothing like seeing it in person. But she does think that you can't go through this process without getting frustrated. Some of the drawbacks are that the image can come up blurry, is full of bug and information gaps. Some of the positives of the program is that you can search up all these museums by yourself and you could spend hours on the computer looking at art and you can zoom up on the picture, magnify it, and look at the photo on high resolution. 
2. I think looking at art online is a convenient way, but I don't think its the way to go because its not looking at it in person, and having that thrill of seeing art physically right in front of you. And a lot of things are going digital so I wouldn't want to do that. And looking at art is more for someone who has no time to travel and look at museums or has the patience to do that.
3. An experience I had is, I would religiously watch So You Think You Can Dance Season 7, and I found out they were going on tour so I had gone to the tour and I got to meet the dancers and seeing them in person is way much better than seeing them on TV. It really is different because they look bigger on TV when most of the dancers are tiny. So everything is better if you see it in person.

Outdoor Portrait with Reflection

*I tried to rotate this picture but when I would save it, I would upload it but then nothing would happen and it would go back to its original way.

This assignment, we had to shoot an outside portrait using a scrim, and the purpose of using a scrim was to soften the lighting, because the light from the sun would just be too harsh and possibly make the picture super bright. This photograph is just very simple, it involved Victoria and a tree, I want it to be very simple because it is a portrait, and when I think of portrait, I think of simple. But then I wanted to include something else as well, because I think it would make the photo more interesting, so I wanted her to stand next to something earthy. I also wanted the photo to focus on her, and the background just consisted of the school building and some leaves from the tree that was hanging. The emphasis is on her, but I tried to make the picture have balance by having both things on each side and not everything in the middle. This picture does have texture because of the tree, the tree creates this rough edgy texture to it but then you can also see a shine on Victoria's hair which makes like a smooth texture. I just wanted to create a photo that's simple yet fun.  I felt like this piece was just ok, but definitely not my best. 

Responses to Cultural Identity

When I had asked people about what cultural identity meant to them, the frequent answer I would get from them, are usually something that has to do with their OWN culture and their own beliefs. I wouldn't really get an answer on another type of race except their own. For example, when I asked my mom, she would give me something about our religion and how Filipinos act and whatnot, and I had asked around my friends what responses they got, and they had gotten the same thing. But I would also get answers like: "Cultural Identity has something to do with the food you eat, the kind of people you hang out with." and so on. But even then, when food would get brought up, its usually a type of food that has to do with what their culture or their race eats. Also, cultural identity doesn't have to do with just food you eat or the kind of people you hang out with, it also has to do with the type of music you listen to, your hobbies, any sports or activities you do, and the list goes on. It could even be stereotypical, that's usually the kind of answer I would get anyways. 

Cultural Identity Resources Consulted Page

http://fotografiadeautor.es/

http://www.moriyamadaido.com/english/#/gallery/

http://www.gonzalezpalma.com/v2/expo.php?portfolio=17

Still Life Photography

In this photo, some materials I used were a mask, a really pretty candle holder with flowers and a candle. And everything was put in a plan background and this shoot was indoors so we had to do the lighting ourselves by using hot lights and such. We also used those old huge cameras, the ones where we see the picture upside down and we only had 2 shoots at a time and the negatives were big as well. The way I arranged it was that, I want there to be a lot of different types of texture, so we have a shiny feel from the mask and a hard feel from the candle holder. Also the flower gives it a soft texture. The way this picture is organized is I wanted everything to be together but not really uniform. I wanted there to be levels as well. The emphasis of this picture is the middle part, be the middle of the candle holder and the mask and everything in the middle. I also think that the materials so well with each other when it comes to theme. Line is created by the branches of the pretty candle holders. which draws the eye to it, and then I look at everything else below it, but my focus is the candle holder. The feel that I get through this picture is a type of dim relaxing yet fun feel. The candles and flowers symbolize relaxness and calmness while the masquarade mask gives it a fun party feel. I really like this picture because the print came out beautiful and I love how everything is arranged. I also love the materials I brought in. 

Portrait Photograph Indoor Lighting w/ Reflection

In this photo, since the assignment was a portrait I just wanted this to be simple, at first I was thinking of a more 50's rockabilly look, but then I just decided for this one to be simple, and the clothes she was wearing that day was perfect for the shoot. So the way this shot was organized was just to have her stand there and pose and I didn't want anything else happening because I wanted the focus to be on her. And adding other things to this portrait would take away the attention to her. Some elements and textures were, her top was a silky fabric and her hair added more texture to it. Also the ruffles on her shirt also helped. What I am trying to communicate is that, she is very simple but elegant because the shot was simple but her clothes says otherwise, What I think of the work was that, it was good and lighting played a huge factor in this shoot since it was inside and we depended on the hot lights for lighting and it was a struggle trying to get the shadow out of the background. Also while I was printing, there would be more lighting on one side of the face and darker on the other so printing was sort of difficult. But overall I think it turned out well.

Still Life Resources Consulted Page

The resources I used for the still life photography is:

1. http://www.fototv.com/still-life-photography
2. http://www.paulpolitis.com/
3. https://lsfilter03.sandi.net/contentfiltering/blocked.aspx?id=2454538809875186560
4. http://www.annedarlingphotography.com/still-life-photography-tips.html

Contact sheets (Initial the 2 we shot)

This was found on Christine Galvan's blogspot, she had my name labeled already.

Portrait Photography

I finished the portrait, I printed it but I just need to to scan it and put it on my blog, I will update this in class

Portrait Resources Consultant Page

http://weddingdayfilms.com/wp-content/eric.jpg

http://www.georgedeloachephotography.com/images/black_and_white_portraits_008.jpg


http://www.gailnoglephoto.com/images/childwrosebw.jpg

http://www.photos-of-the-year.com/image/people/605/35641fxbw_filtered.jpg

http://caytonphotography.com/blog/uploaded_images/jackie_blog-747313.jpg

Current ARTicles: Kanye West's Album Cover

A. What do you think about the cover? Is it controversial enough? Why?

I think the cover is unique and its something that normally isn't done, or something that artists normally wouldn't put as a album cover, so that makes it interesting. I think this is controversial enough because it exposes a bit of nudity and it is something that concerns the parents and something that they wouldn't want their children to see, especially if its in public. Also some people might not agree with this being banned because they might say that it is art and art should be expressed however the artist pleases. So there are disagreements, which can be a reason why it is as controversial as it is.

B. What is your opinion on Art being controversial?

My opinion on art being controversial is that, it is art and people should have the freedom to show that in their art form, and I feel as if it is not art if there are limits set. Also nudity and such (since it is a controversial thing about art) they can use that as a method to sending a message, and seeing what the artist is trying to convey.

C. First he interrupts TS during her acceptance speech, now this? Do you think this is a publicity stunt and is it good to promote his Art?Why?

It can be a publicity stunt but for this particular art, I wouldn't have promoted this because after the Taylor Swift interruption, he already has a bad name to him and then he goes and promotes this album cover...I wouldn't have done it, but at the same time, I wouldn't want to pick an album cover that is "safe" and something that wouldn't attract people.

Art Show Piece

The piece in the art show that caught my eye and that I found interesting, was the many pictures and faces of the baby, because I thought it was interesting how the photographer arranged the pictures and was able to capture all the expressions and emotions of the baby. Some of the principles of design that I found in the picture is texture, like even though it was just the face of the baby, sometimes a piece of cloth from the blanket would show and the lighting of the picture would change. Also as a whole, when all the pictures are put together like the way they are, an element that is used is unity. What the photographer is trying to infer is maybe that she loves and is proud of her new baby sister and that she wants to show her off to everyone.