Photoshop

Portraits and Self Portraits

Portraits...

Photo by monicutza80 on Flickr.

This tip with this picture was to have your subject looking at something outside of the picture. Whether it be at somebody else, or something, having them looking outside of the frame can add interest. 

Photo by a_vestergard on Flickr.

The tip with this picture was to dress your subject comfortably, but fit the mood you want to capture. So if you are looking for a more casual look, dress then in some jeans and a t-shirt. If you are looking for a more formal look, dress then up a little. 

Self Portraits... 

I am going to take inspiration from these two photos, because they have simple backgrounds, playing with lighting, and I like the sideways shot.

Photo by Darwin Bell

Photo by Ian Lott

Choice Sheets

My Plan So Far...

I have been thinking a lot recently about what classes I want to take next year, and even my junior and senior year. I am serious about wanting to become a photographer, so planning what classes to take is very important to me. So far, my idea is to take Commercial Photography next year. This way I can start to learn about more types of photography, learn how to take them really well, and I can learn how to get my work out there to become a photographer. Then, my junior year I plan on taking Advanced Commercial Photography, to learn as much as I can. My senior year, I want to be in Newspaper. I chose Newspaper over Yearbook because Newspapers are in the real world, not just in schools. When I graduate, one way I plan on getting my work out into the world, is to apply for newspaper companies in Austin. So taking Newspaper would help me to get ready for that and already know a lot about what it's like to be on a newspaper team.

I think that this is the best plan for me, to take Commercial Photography before I take Newspaper because then I can apply and use what I've learned in Commercial Photography to Newspaper, and then later in the real world to jump start my career as a photographer.


Yearbook Spread...

I like this spread the most, because it's very simple, and the colors are not too distracting to take away from the photos and the captions. I also like the colors in general, I think green is a good color to use. The spread is a little bit too business themed, but I think that this is a good general idea for a yearbook spread. 

Newspaper...

http://www.arvadawestwestwind.com/

I chose this online newspaper from Arvada West High School in Colorado. I like the colors they used, I like the simplicity, and I really like the name of their newspaper. The majority of the other schools name their newspaper after their school's mascot, and that is totally fine, but I like how they were original with their name of their newspaper. Arvada West High School are the Wildcats, so they still stuck with the "W" but they named it differently, and I like that.

Rules of Photography

Rules of Photography...

Depth of Field (shallow and wide) - What in the photo is in focus. Shallow means that not a lot of the photo is in focus, while wide means a lot of the photo is in focus.

Light (angle and intensity) - Angle is about where the light is coming from, while intensity is how bright the light is.

Shadows - The absence of light.

Diffusion (alter) - Decreasing the intensity of the light, or softening it.

Exposure - What the photo actually looks like. It it too light? Is it too dark?

Aperture (f-stop) - Aperture is inside the lens, and how big the opening is.

Shutter Speed - Shutter Speed has to do with the mirror inside of the camera, and how fast the mirror opens and closes.

ISO - ISO has to do with the sensor inside of the camera. It is how sensitive the sensor is to light.

Aperture...

• also known as fstop
• the bigger the opening, the smaller the number 
• bigger opening = more light, smaller opening = less light 
• if you have a bigger opening, the depth of field is smaller
• small aperture number = shallow depth of field 

Shutter Speed...

• most of the time showed as a fraction
• "motion blur" is when your shutter speed is too slow
• using a flash can sometimes help to "stop" action

ISO...

• as you increase the ISO, you increase the amount of grain in the photo

Types of Lenses...

Telephoto - Telephoto lenses zooms into the subject, to get a close photo. Telephoto lenses are good for sports, since you can't get on the football field or a basketball court.

Prime - Prime lenses are fixed, meaning that they do not zoom. Typically, prime lenses have a bigger aperture setting, so are good to use in low light.

Wide Angle - Wide angle lenses are exactly what they are called, wide angled lenses. These are good for landscape photos.

Welcome Back - Reflection of 2012

Part 1...

I really liked this photo from 2012, because it looks like a painting. I think it's amazing when somebody can capture that essence of perfection, as if somebody planned it and took a long time to paint it. It almost looks too perfect to be a photograph. I also like how the photo is in monochrome colors. This makes it more dramatic, along with the fog everywhere. 

I liked the idea of this photo, and how the artist went about completing it. I liked how he took the photos in a way that showed different times of the day, slowly progressing to night time. Also when they were placed side by side, they showed the island as a whole. I think this photo is very beautiful, creative, and well done. This makes me want to do a similar project like this. 

This photo is, in my opinion, a perfect pause in time. The view point at which it was taken is amazing, as well as the timing in when the photographer took the photo. The rainbow adds to the photo, without distracting from the surfer, or the beautiful blue water, or even the clouds in the background. Thinking about how the photographer probably had to also be on a surf board, shows that he or she would probably do anything to get a good picture. 

Part 2...

1. I honestly did really have a favorite, new song, of 2012. I don't really listen to the music when it first comes out, because a lot of the music played on the radio is not generally the type of music I like. This is mainly pop, and rap. However, the artist I have been listening to the most this year is Jason Mraz. He recently came out with his album, Love is a Four Letter Word. I went to his concert during the summer in Houston, Texas, I really loved it. So even though I don't have a favorite, new song of the year, I did, and still am listening to Jason Mraz a lot.

2. The movie of the year is a hard decision for me, because I liked all the movies I saw. I ended up seeing the Hunger Games, the Avengers, the Dark Night Rises, Breaking Dawn Part 2, the Hobbit, and Skyfall. I think if I would have to pick my top 3 movies that I saw starting with my favorite, it would be: the Avengers, the Dark Night Rises, and Skyfall. I have always been a nerd, along with my dad and brother, about super heroes. So we really enjoyed the Avengers and the Dark Night Rises. As for Skyfall, I was not that excited to see it, because I have seen every other James Bond movie, and there are about 23 or 24. However, when I saw it, I really liked it.

3. I don't watch the news very often, but I think that probably most important news stories was the one about the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. It pains me that those kids were killed. Even worse, that the kids who were not hurt, had to see their friends and teachers be shot and die. Also, before, the gun restriction laws and the stuff about mental health being too expensive would be brought up but only to be lost in the other things people were trying to fix. Now, the government is taking this more seriously and restricting gun laws, and hopefully they are also going to be making it more convenient for people to afford mental health care, so that this won't happen anymore. It makes me sad, and angry that it took so many lives lost, to finally get the government's attention on these issues. Think about the other instances where things like that happened before? It's just sad.

4. I don't really think there was a "most important" person of 2012 that would pertain to everybody. To me, I think that the most important person of 2012 year have been the friends I have made in the band, here at Akins. They were so welcoming at the beginning of marching season, before school even started. They made me comfortable and they all became good friends of mine. They are always telling me what a good person I am and I know I can talk to any of them if I need to. They all make me laugh and they have taught me to relax more and have fun. I don't know where I would be without all of them.

5.


Part 3...

1. I will remember my whole holiday, but the one thing I will probably remember is when I played Risk for the first time. Risk is a board game where you are basically trying to take over the world. The game board is a map of the world, but instead of the countries, they are divided into general territories. I had no idea how to play and almost the whole time I was asking questions non stop, so I could get a reminder on how many dice I could roll, and other things like that. The game takes a really long time to play, so after a few hours we decided to call it quits and decide the winner on who had the most territories. My brother, Ben, ended up wining. Second place was, surprise, me! Then it was my other brother, Matt, our mom, and then our dad. I ended up having all of Europe, and North Africa, as well has Egypt.

2. One of my 20312 resolutions is to accept myself. I have never been the most confident person, and my outlook on myself has never been very positive. I am taking the time to accept some things about myself that I don't particularly like. I have already accepted my height, buy learning about a few actresses, and singers who are either the same height or taller. These women include Blake Lively, Taylor Swift, Jordan Sparks, Julia Roberts, and the comics portray Wonder Woman as 6 foot. This helped me to realize, that even though I will alway be taller than most girls out there, I am not alone.

3. In 2013, I am looking forward to living my life and focusing on myself more. I have always been worrying more about my friends and if they are okay. I still do care about my friends, a lot, it's just that I need to also learn to focus on myself some more. I am also looking forward to starting driving school, and turning 16 later in September.

In the mail, I got 3 pamphlets from the Oxbridge Academic Programs. They sent a letter as well, explaining how they want to look into their schools and think about attending a seminar this summer at one of their colleges. One pamphlet is about their school in New York, another is about Spain and France, and one I find the most exciting are Oxford and Cambridge in England! I am still reading up on these, and if I can apply for a scholarship for the trip, my parents are up to talking about letting me go. This could be really exciting for me, and it means a lot to me that I was invited to look into these schools, because I am only a freshman. So far I haven't found anybody else who has gotten the letter, and the pamphlets in the mail.

Caption #1

who - President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama
what - hugging each other, embracing, they are clearly in love
where - outside, airport in Washington D.C., Kennedy International Airport, he is on the tarmac and just come off the airplane call Air Force 1
when - October 15, 2012
why - He was out campaigning and he hadn't seen her in 3 weeks so he missed her
how -
background - President Obama tripped and fell on his way into the terminal. He hit his head hard enough that he required medicine attention from the nearby doctors.

sentence #1:

President Barack Obama embraces his wife Michelle after getting off the airplane at Kennedy International Airport in Washington D.C., he has just returned from campaigning in Ohio Sunday afternoon.

sentence #2:

The President, while on his way to the terminal tripped and fell, requiring medical attention for a cut on his left cheek.

Caption Head:

Stumbling is way to the Presidency


Caption #2

who - Korean pop singer Psy
what - performing in front of a crowd of five thousand people
where - central Seoul
when - November 23,  2012
why - to share his music
how - Psy is in a box on a crane, above the crowd
background - Psy's song, Gangnam Style, hit the top the the world pop charts with over 800 million views on YouTube

sentence #1:

Psy delivers Gangnam Style in front of a crowd of five thousand people,  while standing in a box hovering above his fans on November 23, 2012 to share his music with his fans live, in central Seoul.

sentence #2:

Psy hit the top of the world's top pop tunes with his song Gangnam Style, which has over 800 million views on YouTube.

Caption Head:

Gangnam Style takes over the world


Caption #3

who - Christian Haupt a three-year-old actor
what - Christian is throwing the first pitch at the Los Angeles Dodgers' and San Diego Padres game
where - Los Angeles
when - September 4, 2012
why - Christian was chosen
how - wearing his Dodgers' paraphernalia and blue Nike shoes
background - Christian Haupt had been chosen to throw the first pitch for making an appearance in the new Batman movie, the Dark Night Rises.

sentence #1:

Three-year-old actor, Christian Haupt, throws the ceremonial first pitch at the Los Angeles Dodger's stadium against the San Diego Padres on September 4th, 2012.

sentence #2:

Christian was chosen to throw the first pitch, for making an appearance in the new Batman movie, the Dark Night Rises.

Caption Head:

Little tike throws the ceremonial first pitch