Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Final Exam

4. This is my transformative photo.


I took this photo in December as part of my Irving Penn inspired project. I chose this photo because it was the first I took that I felt I began to show creativity in my work. In addition to the reflection of the glass around Aileen's face, you can also see her hands pressed against the glass, creating a really cool effect. After taking this photo, I had a new view on photography. I think photography shows what hasn't been seen, the things that people don't usually notice. It gives a different point of view, as seen especially with photos taken from unconventional angles or portraits that display much more than the person in them.







5. Form is more three-dimensional and solid, while shape is more flat. Shape also has a bigger emphasis on the lines that create the shape. While form focuses on lines as well, the depth of the objects are considered as well.

6. In a pattern, a particular symbol is repeated throughout the image, creating a sequence. In repetition, symbols are also repeated, but may not be evenly spaced. The repetition of symbols usually carries out a deeper purpose about the photo, emphasizing the symbol itself, while a pattern emphasizes the entire sequence.

7. 

Movement guides a viewer's eyes across the photo toward an unknown destination. In this picture, one's eyes tend to look at the bottom of the image, drawn by the wide, deep blue. Then, the eyes sweep up the photo, taking the path of the clear, blue creek towards the hills beyond.

8. Of the last three projects, I believe that the hopscotch photo from my final project was the best. My final project centered around my elementary school, to capture some moments from my childhood. I think this photo best explains how simple it was back then, compared to now. It also brings up good memories from playing around with my friends during recess, stress-free. Composition wise, the photo showed a good use of lines as well as movement. This photo gave me new perspective. When I decided to crouch down to get a good angle of the hopscotch, I realized that I was able to see the hopscotch behind it, as well as the one behind that. It reminded me of the different paths you take in life. Once you finish one path, there is another waiting for you, for you to explore and hopefully enjoy. While the project was intended for me to reflect on my past and reminisce about the good times, this photo left me looking towards the future in a more positive thought that I ever did before.

Friday, May 29, 2015

Student Website Review

Period 2: Mustafa Ahmed
I liked his picture of the Deanza Hotel (bottom left). Your eyes are drawn to the intricate sign above the building. In addition, the trees to the left create a balance with the hotel and seem to frame the picture well.

Period 3: Lucas Williams
I decided to look at the photos on my friend's website from Period 3. In Lucas's gallery, he displayed his Spring Expo project, titled "Changing Your Perspective". Going through these five photos, I believe that the last one is his best. His idea of pouring out water from a different angle greatly represents the title of his project.

Period 4: Tulika Mohanti
I liked the second picture in her gallery, of a friend holding up a leaf to cover  one of her eyes. The photo showed a nice use of colors, as the bright colors of the leaf seemed to match the color of the model's hair. With duller colors in the background as well as the jacket, the colors really stand out well.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Final Project - Shot List

1. I plan to take a picture of a slide or a swing.
2. I also to take a picture on top of a playground looking out, because as kids we thought we were almost invincible standing on top of that playground.
3. Another photo would be of one of the many murals around my elementary school.
4. One photo will be of a chalk hopscotch on the concrete.
5. One photo will be of the curved "yellow brick road" path leading up to our library. Many of us liked to walk along this path whenever we went to the library, even though it would have been easier to just walk straight up to the door.

I have not figured out the order of these photos yet. I think it would be best to decide after I have taken these photos.

My three rules of composition are lines, viewpoint, and background.
The pictures of the hopscotch and especially of the "yellow brick road" will show a good use of lines. The picture of the top of the playground, angling down towards the rest of the school, gives a good use of viewpoint. This would also be a picture that focuses on the background. In addition, one would notice the rest of the play structures in the background of the slide/swing photo.  

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Presentation Project - Shot List


  1. My first picture is of a safety guard in bright orange getting ready to blow her whistle. I see her or another safety guard almost every day when I get dropped off to school.
  2. My second picture shows the front of my first period classroom, Digital Photography. The teacher is at the back of the picture and in front of him, the project screen is lit up.
  3. My third picture is the area where I eat lunch. It includes both the square bench my friends and I leave our backpacks on, the tree with growing flowers, and the heart shaped mark on the tree.
  4. My fourth picture is of the creek path, where I walk along after school. The picture shows movement of the winding path downwards, and a small hint of the creek itself.
  5. My fifth picture is of my front door, where I end up every day after a tiring day at school. Seeing this door lets me know that I can finally lie down and rest a little or eat a small snack at the end of the school day.