Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO.

Aperture:

f2.8 aperture.

f16 aperture.

1. The eye.
2. The smaller the Aperture the larger the f-stop, the higher the Aperture the smaller the f-stop.
3. The smaller the aperture, the more focused the entire picture will be. the bigger the aperture, the more focused the picture will be in the foreground, with the background more blurred.
4. F5.0, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8, F9, F10, F11, F13, F14, F16, F18, F20, F22, F25, F29, F32,F36.

Shutter Speed:

high shutter speed

low shutter speed

1. At the beginning while the sun is still partially up and the courtyard has reasonable light
a.) the dunking booth - 1/2500
b.) the food eating contest - 1/1000
c.) the rock climbing wall -  1/500
d.) someone working at a booth 1"
e.) the DJ/MC working at the middle of the circle 1/2
f.) the Diamonds performance. 1/1000

Towards the end when there is no sun and has gotten dark enough that you can't see from one end of the courtyard to the other.
a.) the dunking booth - 1/250
b.) the food eating contest - 1/100
c.) the rock climbing wall - 1/50
d.) someone working at a booth - 5"
e.) the DJ/MC working at the middle of the circle - 2.5"
f.) the Diamonds performance. -  1/100

2. "Aperture Priority" - you manually set the aperture, but it sets the shutter speed for you.
    "Shutter Priority" - you manually set the shutter speed, but it sets the aperture for you.
    "Manual" - you set both the aperture and the shutter speed.

3.  30", 25", 20", 15", 13", 10", 8", 6", 5", 4", 3"2, 2"5, 2", 1"6, 1"3, 1", 0"6, 0"5, 0"3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/8, 1/10, 1/15, 1/20, 1/25, 1/30, 1/40,1/50, 1/60, 1/80, 1/100, 1/125, 1/160, 1/200, 1/250, 1/320, 1/400, 1/500, 1/640, 1/800, 1/1000, 1/1250, 1/1600, 1/2000, 1/2500, 1/3200, 1/4000

ISO:

ISO 200

ISO 6400

1. Because there isn't as much light, so it would capture the image better as a whole and not missing anything.
2. Stick to the base ISO, when there is plenty of light use the lowest ISO, use it in a dim-lit room if your camera is mounted on a flat surface or tripod.
3. Use when there is not enough light for the camera to be able to quickly capture an image, when indoors use a higher number to be able to set motion, when you need to get extra fast shots use higher ISO.
4.  100, 200, 400, 800, 1600.

Sim Cam:
F4: looks best at 1/125sec - the background is barely visible, it is really blurry and you can't really make out shapes, the couple is the only thing visible.
F5.6: looks best at 1/60sec - background is more visible, you can kind of tell what's back there, but couple is still main focus. 
F8: looks best at 1/60sec - background is more visible, you can tell there is a building with windows back there.
F11: looks best at 1/60sec - background is clearer, you can see more of the colors back there.
F16: looks best at 1/30sec - background is more clear, you can see other objects on the building like ladders and a tree.
F22: looks best at 1/15sec - background is pretty much as clear as the couple, you can see everything in the picture.


I did good on both test. I think I understand the pillars of photography a lot better now, and it will enable me to take better pictures now.

Africa Black and White.

I loved these pictures. They were so beautiful. I loved the majesty of it all, how he captured everything. He captured the animals' facial expressions to where it told a story. Every photograph just looked so amazing and you wanted to see more. You wanted to know what was going on when he took the picture, and what happened afterwards.

I think my favorite picture was the elephant standing in the middle of all the trees. The sun shining through the leaves. It seems like the only place the sun is shining is right were he is standing, and the tree's parted just for him.

The photographer uses a Pentax 67II with only two fixed lenses.

He takes such photographs because he wants to capture the animals' spirit before they are no more. He believes that man will one day overtake the East African country and the animals with it.

"What I am interested in is showing the animals simply in the state of Being. In the state of Being before they are no longer are. Before, in the wild at least, they cease to exist."

Academic Shoot Reflection.

1. What challenges did you encounter while trying to get the photos following the rules I set out for you?

I think framing was the hardest rule to capture. Because you have to set everything up in a way where everything is seen. Also framing is just a hard rule to find, because it is so sparse.

2. What technical aspects of photography or the assignment in general (focus, framing, holding the camera, etc.) did you find yourself thinking about the most? Provide a specific example of what you did to do this correctly.

I think I worked really hard to make sure all of my pictures were focused correctly. I held the camera steady and changed some angles to make things I wanted in focus, in focus, and things I didn't want in focus, not in focus.
3. If you could do the assignment again, what would you do differently now that you know some basic rules of photography?

Just look for more opportunities for the rules. Some of them were so hard to find, that I was rushing to find the prompt, then I didn't really achieve everything I had hoped for.
4. What things would you do the same?

Focus the camera, make sure the lighting was correct, get everything I needed, and keep everything I didn't out.
5. When you go out with your next set of prompts, which rule do you think will be the easiest to achieve?

Rule of thirds. Because all you have to do is put it in a corner and its automatically rule of thirds.
6. Which rule do you think will be the hardest to capture?

Framing again! Because you really have to set yourself just perfect at the right angle to get a good framing shot.
7. What rule are you still not totally clear on and what can you do to figure out what that rule is?

I think I'm still not a hundred percent on the framing. I could research a little more and find more examples to clear my mind on what is and what isn't framing.

Lines.

I think I achived this rule very good. It is clear what the subject is here because the line of boys draws your eyes directly to them. And the line of the table parallel to them is also a leading line to the boys in the photograph. I think that it is quite easy to interpret what the subject of this picture is, because it is the only focus of the picture. I think I captured this rule well, and there isn't much I would change.

Balance.

I think this rule was followed very well. This is an example of symmetrical balance and I think you can see it through the picture. Both the girls are at sides of the photograph, with a table inbetween them. I think that if you look at this picture your focus is the girls in the foreground and that they are perfect and balanced. I think I achived this rule well and there isn't much that I'd do different.

Rule of Thirds.

I think this rule was follwed very well. The subject is in the upper right corner with room to move infront and behind him. I think people could tell what the subject is, because there is nothing distracting in this picture so you know what you are looking at. I think that this rule was very easy to follow, so there isn't much else to do.

Framing.

I think this rule was followed pretty well. I set myself and the camera up to where these two girls are the frames to the boy farther back laughing at something the teacher said or did. The two girls framing in the foreground automatically draw your eye the boy farther away because it blocks everything else in view out, so your eyes goes straight to him. I think I followed the prompt well, but things could've been done different. There are a lot of examples of framing, its just a matter if finding them.

Simplicity.

I think that this rule was followed well, but there is some room for improvement. In this image I tried to capture simplicity and make the main focus of this photograph be the boy sitting at his desk listening to his teacher. In this picture I think that your eyes are drawn directly to this boy here, with a little distraction with the certificates on the wall behind him, and the desk and folder infront of him. I think on this picture I could've gone a little closer, making the background a little simpler so that the one and only focus of this photograph is the boy.

Post Shoot Reflection.

1. What challenges did you encounter while trying to get the photos of your first 3 prompts (Red, Metal, Grumpy?

Finding the prompts metal and red were not hard at all because half of the school either has something red, metal, or both. But the prompt grumpy, that was a hard one. First of all, because interpreting the prompt was hard. What does grumpy really mean? After somewhat understanding, you have to go out and find something unhappy. And that was a bigger challenge then interpreting the prompt.

2. What technical aspects of photography or the assignment in general (focus, framing, holding the camera, etc.) did you find yourself thinking about the most? Provide a specific example of what you did to do this correctly.

I think I focused most on the framing. I wanted to capture the prompt correctly, not get too much or too less in the frame. Where to cut off, and not to cut off any important objects.

3. If you could do the assignment again, what would you do differently now that you know some basic rules of photography?
I would look for all the compositions, watch out for mergers, focus, capture what you need to, and don't want you don't need.

4. What things would you do the same?

I would keep looking out for any of the prompts that I saw, and capture them. I would make sure the camera was focused and the picture was clear, and I would make sure that the camera was steadied.

6. Are you interested in shooting those prompts again, why?

Unfortunately, no. These prompts were very vauge and everywhere. Even though they weren't so easy. They were a little boring and there was a million ways to interpret the prompt.

Avoiding Mergers.

On this, I think I followed the rule very well. I think this is a perfect example of a merger. The main focus of the picture is cut off vertically, not showing half of the body.  You cannot tell what he is looking at because he is halfway cut off. I think you can definetly tell what the subject is here, because the person is cut off and you wouldn't think of a good photograph as being cut off.  

Filling the Frame.

This picture is interesting to me because there is some weird substance floating around in the air. It makes you wonder. What is it? Where did it come from? How did they do that? Looking at the girls faces, something interesting obviously happened and it makes you want to know more.

Action and Emotion

This photograph portrays action and emotion to me, because this group of high school students are working hard to serve and help the homeless and hungry. By the clothes everyone is wearing, you can tell that its winter, cold, and not best for everyone to be outside. Even through the conditions, this group of kids have come out to help the people in need.  It displays emotion, especially in the woman's face on the left, because you can see how grateful she is the she is getting a meal from people who are happy to help.

The Story.

To me, this picture has the best story. At my church, we have this annual tradition called "See You at the Pole", and this looks just like it. It looks like an array of students. Different grades, different ages, different races, different ways of life, all coming together to connect with God. An early morning on a regular day, coming together to pray. The sun is peaking through the trees behind them, they're joined hand in hand, united as one.

The Falling Man.

After reading this story, and seeing the picture, it gives me mixed emotions. The immediate first thought is, poor man. There he is falling to his death. Just falling out of the sky. Then, you feel, its kind of a feeling you can't describe. You wonder how the man felt falling. What made him so calm and collected to realize that no matter how hard he tried, like the others, swimming through the sky, that that wasn't going to help anything. That no matter if he was fidgeting for dear life, or just falling, that he was going to die. It's a puzzling thought.

9/11 Photo Guidelines.

This is an example of a merger.

I chose this picture as a merger because half of the guy's face is cut off. This is a bad merger because you can't tell what emotion is displayed on his face because you can't see half of it. 

This is an example of balance.

I chose this picture for balance because the shape that the men take on is more attractive to the eye than if all the men were spread out. There is an order to the picture which makes it looks balanced.

This is an example of framing.

I believe this is a good example of framing because you have flags from all over the world in the foreground, then the capitol in the background.  All of the objects in the foreground frame the capitol nicely so that it is a focus of the photograph, but not just the main one.

This is an example of lines.

I chose this as an example of lines because the memorial goes straight through the picture, drawing focus on the man kneeling and touching the memorial. 

This is an example of the rule of thirds.

I believe this is a good example of rule of thirds because the main focus of the picture is on the man with the hard hat. He's in the lower left corner with space in front and behind him.

This is an example of simplicity

I chose this photograph for simplicity because the one and only focus of the picture is the man. There is nothing in the background or foreground distracting the eye from the man and the bell.

Red, Metal, Grumpy.

This is my red.
I think on this prompt, the only composition I captured was simplicity. Its a plain red background with the work CASPER and nothing else really going on.

This is my metal.
In this picture I think I captured balance, lines, and rule of thirds.

This is my grumpy.
In this picture I think that there was just the rule of thirds.

The Camera.

Some words that sound important:
image sensor - a device that converts an optical image into an electronic signal. Used mostly for digital cameras.
pellicle - a very small mirror in the light path of an optical instrument such as a camera to split light beams.
scale-focus - a type of focusing system that has an adjustable focus but lacks a range finder.
digital SLR - are digital cameras that use a mechanical mirror system to direct light from the lens to an optical view finder to the back of the camera.

This is the inside of a camera with some labeled parts.
1 - LCD display
2 - Sensor
3 - Memory
4 - Battery
5 - Flash
6 - Shutter
7 - Lens

More important words:
aperture - in optics, this is a hole or opening that determines the cone angle on a bundle of rays that come to a focus on an image plane.
shutter - this is a device that allows light to pass for a determined period of time for the purpose of exposing a photograph.
exposure - is the total density of light allowed to fall on the photographic medium during the process of taking a picture.
depth of field - the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a scene that appear sharp in an image.
f-stop - the focal length divided by the effective aperture diameter.
focal length - measures how the image focuses or doesn't focus.

Viewfinder diopter adjustment - a small knob that allows you to adjust the viewfinder sharpness to your own eyesight. It adjust the focus on the viewfinder only, not the lens.
Aperture/Exposure Compensation/Erase - changes the compensation of the aperture and exposure. The delete button just erases any pictures that you didn't want.
Live View/Movie Record - Lets you see what your doing on the LCD screen. The movie record button just lets you record video instead of pictures.
AE Lock - the auto exposure lock, locks the camera's auto exposure.
ISO - measures photograph's sensitivity to light.
Menu - lets you access features to change
Drive Mode - lets you choose between shooting a single picture or multiples at one time

White Balance - sets the white balance for the picture
AF Mode - auto focus mode.
Playback - lets you see pictures you've taken
Speaker - lets out sounds (videos)

Mode Dial - changes the mode for picture taking
Shutter Button - what you press the take the actual picture/video
Flash Button - adjust the flash

Auto/Manual focus switch - Lets you shift between Auto and Manual focus.
Image Stabilizer switch - keeps the picture from being shaky without a tripod.
Lens Release Button - lets you take off the lens to change it out.
Microphone - Records the sound.

(I couldn't find definitions for some features, sorry.)

Great Black and White Photographers Part 2

Yousuf Karsh
One of the most famous portrait photographers of all time.
Born on December 23, 1908 in Mardin, Ottoman Turkey
Died at the age of 93 on July 13, 2002 in Boston, Massachusetts. Buried at the Notre Dame Cemetery in Ottawa.
He was a Canadian photographer with Armenian heritage.
At the age of 14 he moved to Syria, then to Canada where he became an apprentice to John Garo and later a great photographer.
He became famous after photographing Winston Churchill after his speech to the Canadian House of Commons.
Photographed 51 people off the list of 100 of "International Who's Who".
Karsh published 15 books with his works including:

• Faces of destiny; portraits by Karsh (1946)
• Canada: as seen by the camera of Yousuf Karsh and described in words by John Fisher (1960)
• In search of greatness; reflections of Yousuf Karsh (1962)
• Karsh portfolio (1967)
• portraits by Karsh (1968)
• Faces of Our Time (1971)
• Karsh portraits (1976)
• Karsh Canadians (1978)
• Karsh: a fifty-year retrospective (1983)
• Karsh: American legends (1992)
• Portrait in Light and Shadow: the Life of Yousuf Karsh (2007)
• "Karsh 100: A Biography in Images" (MFA Publications, 2004)

Bastrop Fire 2011 Warm Up

This is the photo that impacted me the most from the Bastrop Fire. I think this image exposes the colossal damage that this fire is doing. Smoke covers the Austin skyline and it has a somber air to it. It so sad to see something so horrifying taking over ours and surrounding cities.

First Photos.

This is the picture that I took that I like the most. I like this picture because it captures her quirkiness without being too posed. She has a little half smile that in the moment seemed good to capture. 

 This is the picture that I took that I dislike the most. I dislike this picture because it is super-blurry, its tipped at a weird angle, and it just doesn't capture her personality. I think that if this picture were a little more focused, The camera was facing right, and she had been doing a different action that I had captured this picture would be a lot better.

This is the picture that Mr. Reeves picked out that I liked the most. I like this because I think it captures a genuine personality. It looks so cute and quirky. You can tell, even though you can't see her mouth that she has a smile on her face, and she is happy. Its just a nice picture that looks happy