6 of my Final Selects

Class 11

I'm still debating between my two ideas. My book will either be a custom made calendar with the portraits I've done. My other idea is to make a paper magazine spread. I still have not chosen, based on the content I have I don't think I'll be able to complete a calendar by the due date so maybe the paper magazine will be easier to achieve with less photoshoots.

The actual content of my book will be either a printed calendar, or a 12 cover shots that could be a paper magazine spread cover. I will either do a printed custom calendar from online, or just do a flip book that I make myself after printing the photos from CVS.

Option #1: 

Option #2:

Final Project Ideas

My original idea was to create a calendar composed of 12 different portraits of important people in my life, with each shoot being somehow tied into either something specific about themselves or their personality, or something about my relationship with that person. I want them to be all very high-camp, vibrant, colorful shoots with a lot of fun props as well as colored lights and backdrops: very charlotte rutherford/ david lachapelle-esque.

                                                         

My second idea is to do kind of like a paper magazine photo spread, because that's by far my favorite current publication and I think that the style of Paper and Drew Elliot (the head of the magazine) is so along the lines of what I picture for my work. So, I was thinking each page would be a different portrait along with like fake headlines or something

                                                 

Choice of Photographer

CHARLOTTE RUTHERFORD

Charlotte Rutherford is a photographer/ director that works predominantly with today's biggest celebrities as well as up and coming stars on photoshoots as well as music videos, and more. She has a great, unique style that is high-glossy, colorful, and very glamorous. I love portrait photography, and to me, she's the new queen of celebrity portraits. She shoots for magazines like Wonderland, PAPER, Nylon, and many more of today's coolest publications. Her work with celebrities ranges from pop stars, to Real Housewives, and movie stars. Her music videos are all works of art as well, featuring artists like Kim Petras, Marina and the Diamonds, and Tinashe.

Lighting

PART 1: 

DIRECT LIGHT: ISO 1600 F 4 Shutter Speed 24

DIFFUSED LIGHT: ISO 1600 F 3.5 SHUTTER SPEED 13

PART 2:

LIGHT FROM THE FRONT: ISO 1600 F 4.2 Shutter Speed 50

LIGHT FROM THE SIDE: ISO 1600 F 4.2 Shutter Speed 15

LIGHT FROM ABOVE: ISO 1600 F 4.2 Shutter Speed 10

LIGHT FROM BELOW: ISO 1600 F 5 Shutter Speed 40

LIGHT FROM BEHIND: ISO 1600 F 3.8 Shutter Speed 20

WRITE UP:

While taking the photos, I realized that the direct light was more aesthetically pleasing and the diffused light had a lack of contrast that kind of washed everything out. Diffused light is more of a casual look, while hard light looks more like it's what some people desire in pictures of themselves- I could tell by the way my model reacted to the different photos. When doing the second part of the homework, I think that the light from the side did seem the most natural and realistic. I think it would be a good time to use direct light if you're taking a portrait of someone, and it would be a good time to used diffused light when your subject is too bright.

Color

Pop of Color: F 3.5 Shutter Speed 20 ISO 1600

Complementary Colors: F 5.3 Shutter Speed 400 ISO 400

Monochromatic: F 3.5 Shutter Speed 8 ISO 400

Composition

LINE-  F 3.5 Shutter Speed 80 ISO 1600

SHAPE- 4.2 Shutter Speed 50 ISO 1600

REPETITION- F 5 Shutter Speed 10 ISO 1600

CONTRAST- F 5 Shutter Speed 50 ISO 800

TEXTURE- F 5 Shutter Speed 50 ISO 400

RULE OF THIRDS- F 6.3 Shutter Speed 125 ISO 400

Depth of Field Part 2

For the first picture, the camera was set at ISO 200, F 5.6 and shutter speed 80

For the second picture, the camera was set at ISO 200, F 22 and shutter speed 6

Depth of Field Part 1

For both pictures, the camera is set at ISO 200, F 3.5 and shutter speed 200

Shutter Speed and Motion

These are my two photos for the "Shutter Speed and Motion" homework. Overall, I feel I succeeded but I had much trouble using my camera during this project because: number one, the focus was hard to correct because the cars were moving so fast, and number two, for some reason I could not figure out how to get the exposure on my camera any lower than 4.5. It changes when I tried it in automatic mode, but in manual I can only get it to 4.5. I will bring my camera to class and maybe someone can help me. Here are my two photos, though:



This first photo was taken at the faster shutter: the camera was set at ISO 200, 1/125, and F4.5



This second photo was taken at the slower shutter speed: camera set at ISO 200, 1/60 and F4.5

Barrett Chapter 2

Number 1:

• Description: Description is the process of noticing fine details about a photo and sharing your opinion with others. To describe the photo is to list all the visual elements that stand out to you.
• Subject Matter vs. Subject: When describing subject matter, one is pointing out what is the main focus of the photograph. However, the subject is a term that is more descriptive of finding the meaning or significance behind a photo.
• Form: Form is the way the viewer sees the subject matter. Some elements of form described in the reading would be color, texture, and light.
• Medium: Medium is a term used to describe what kind of materials were used to make a certain piece of art. Mediums can range from technological to physical, including painting, drawing, digital graphics, and photography. 
• Style: Style is the cohesive element that can be seen throughout all the work of one artist. When looking overall at someone's body of work, to identify their style would be to pick out their most commonly used medium or subject matter.

Number 2: 

• Comparing and Contrasting: Barrett describes comparing and contrasting as a way of critically analyzing an artists work by visually pointing out similar and dissimilar aspects in their previous work. It's a good way to help an artist improve in the future.
• Internal and External Sources of Information: To include external sources of information is to make a statement about the relevancy of the work in tandem with other artists work and the criticisms of such.

Number 3: 

• Description and Interpretation: Barrett describes how description and interpretation may go hand in hand, but are not the same thing. While describing visual elements of the work, it is almost impossible not to input your own opinion or thoughts on deciphering what the details mean all put together in the context of the whole photograph. Interpretation is more along the lines with the feeling or emotion you get from the work.
• Description and Evaluation: In the reading, Barrett says that descriptions are rarely "value-free." This means that in a critic's description of a work, it will often be riddled with small indicators that tell you how the critic actually feels about the work. To evaluate the work is to discuss the influence it has, both on you and all viewers. 

Number 4: 

• One of my favorite other points that Barrett made in the reading was towards the end when he said that it's very important for viewers of art to read or engage in descriptions of the work, because people "tend to look through photos as if they were windows rather than pictures." I thought this was such an interesting concept because I feel like maybe that's not always a bad thing: for someone to interact with a photo as if it was a portal into the world they're looking at, then maybe it says something about the level of intimacy in the photograph. Another thing that Barrett said that stood out to me was there is only so much that a critic can discuss while talking about medium, form, style, etc. and I didn't realize how important external sources of information could be while critiquing an artists' work. And thirdly, I enjoyed when discussing style that Barrett brings up that style is not just the aethstetic or feeling of your work, but it also has to do with the mediums and forms that you shoot.
• I learned that description is one of the most important parts of critiquing artwork. That you cannot just base your critique on your interpretation or evaluation, but that it's important to take in the technical elements and observe the photograph as a whole.
• I enjoyed this material. Having some experience in photography I definitely knew a lot of these words and definitions before, but it's always good to have a refresher from a new voice. I like the way Barrett explains things and uses examples to show what he means. This was very informational and I feel like I learned a lot.