Artist Statement

In my portfolio one can view a selection of photos taken or created by me and my partner over the course of this semester. My portfolio is very creative as it demonstrates various compositional tricks that have been learned over time and practiced to master such photos. Through out all that we learned in this semester, I feel I have done exceptionally well with Drawing With Light, a compositional trick in which one must utilize natural effects form the environment such as shadows to add emphasis and quality to a photo. I also learned more than I already had experienced with the software, Photoshop, as we used it to add more effects to our photos.

Through out the semester, I feel that my biggest challenge came when I had to be the model in a project. I do better taking pictures, than I do being in the picture, because I can’t see what the photographer does. Another challenge was when dealing with the compositional trick Macro, in which close up shots are taken to master and capture every small detail of a simple emphasis. I couldn’t exactly think of anything in the school that would be artistic in my eyes, when up close.

Since the beginning of the semester, I feel as though my photography skills have improved and I notice a good photo almost anywhere. When I take or see a photo anywhere I can identify compositional tricks and see what they used or focused on to make the photo as they did. I think that my artwork has improved and my computer skills with Photoshop has gotten better as well.

Personal Words

The lyrics I chose for this project are "Day N Nite" by Kid Cudi



"Day n nite. I toss and turn, I keep stressin’ my mind, mind. I look for peace, but see I don’t attain. What I need for keeps this silly game we play, play. Now look at this. Madness the magnet keeps attracting me, me. I try to run, but see I’m not that fast. I think I’m first but surely finish last, last. ‘Cause day n nite, The lonely stoner seems to free his mind at nite. He’s all alone through the day n nite"

I chose these lyrics because they remind me a lot of myself. In my spare time I think about everything all through the hours of the night. I also take long walks at night just to clear my head often. I keep a

Social Issue: "TORN"

In my photo I am standing in a stance as if I'm in misery and wishing things were easier.. The sky is grey and dramatically dark and light, which gives off a sense of change or undecisive mood. Photos of my dad and I are on one side and on the other side my mom and I are in the sky. The photos are cracked as if destroyed, there is a gloomy mood over the picture and there are dramatic words that spell "torn" going down the middle that divide the picture.

The photo displays the impact decisions decided by parents can have on children. I relate to this because I am a witness to this issue. Once a home has been divided the life of the parents may change for the better, but the children are often left in the wind to decide their own outcome. Parents often get so caught up in trying to get better with life and eliminate all flaws whether it be their spouse or job they forget to consider the lives of their children and the child is left to make their own decisions because no one else is there to make them. This issue means a lot to me because it explains a lot about me and why I am the way I am.

Scary Effects

I can't exactly decide which picture was my favorite. However, I liked creating the vampire picture more than I did the alien because I had trouble creating the lines that was spiraling out of the tentacles on my face. I learned more about the burn tool and that was my most favorite to work with, I like the results. I think I did well on the vampire with the blood, at first when creating the blood I was sort of at a loss because I was using the brush in a different way than usual, but I eventually got the hang of it. Based on a prior internship with web designing I know that Photoshop and these type of effects are used when creating graphics and websites on the internet.

Formal Critique

In this photo, a man dressed in what would be considered semi-formal wear is walking across a field. The significance of the photo however, is that the man is holding half filled small bags with water, while walking in the direction of a wide fire in the process of destroying a wide area of land. The photo overall gives off a disastrous tone and makes the viewer get the feeling of what one would feel after receiving sight of a disastrous catastrophe. All the land in the picture has been tarnished and burned and all lays flat. What should be sky is covered by the smoke and fog with a reflection from the fire. There is not one hint of color in the destroyed land or picture. The man is the only living thing in the picture along with the bags of water he contains. The bags are all hanging from a string and seem to be all connected and intertwined with one other, covering his body as he drags and lets them dangle from his body. What stood out as a second priority emphasis to me was that there is clearly not enough water to put out the disastrous fire or anything this man can do to bring back the land already destroyed or getting ready to be destroyed but still the man does what he can as he strides across the dead land.

Photographic Effects

Out of all the tricks we learned I like the glow it gives the picture a sophisticated look. I would like to explore more with the colors and overlay type of tricks. I will probably also utilize the healing tool, I never knew what was used to correct natural issues such as blemishes and etc. I like discovering the difference appearances in the contrast of my photos.

Portraits

I feel I did best with taking the "Prop" and "Artistic" portrait. My artistic picture is drawn with light and captures the emphasis of the light perfectly. The mood is contemplative, and I feel as though that is captured perfectly. In the Prop portrait we utilized James in his football uniform with his helmet. The picture captures the domination and dedication involved with the sport. The surprise photo I feel could of been better, and in fact my Artistic may have been more of a Surprise than the photo. The hardest task of this project was finding a prop for me, I could not think of anything to bring out ... me.

Contact Sheet

Out of all compositional tricks, my favorite was the drawing light. I feel out of all my pictures I really mastered that task. The most difficult simplicity because when in my regular day-to-day photographs I usually use the environment to bring attention to the emphasis so it was difficult for me to reverse that mindset. However, I am pretty sure I will use drawing with light in my day-to-day pictures.

Compositional Trick #8 Fill in Flash

Whrn using Compositional Trick #8, Fill in Flash, lighting from the camera is utilized to either lighten the emphasis or draw emphasis to the surrounding environment. When in a dark space and flash is off the emphasis' surrounding will be brought to more attention then the dark emphasis, but once the flash is turned on the emphasis is more visible and now the surrounding and emphasis are both visible more clearer.

Compositional Trick #7 Drawing With Light

When using Compositional Trick, Drawing With Light, shadows and natural lighting are utilized to make what w0uld be a regular average photo, an artistic phtotograph. The shadows and lighting pattern add an artistic touch to the photo. In order to grasp the concept one must draw with both lighting and shadow across the emphasis.

Compositional Trick #6 Framing

When using the Framing trick in a photo, things around the emphasis are used as a frame to capture and draw more attention to the focus. The 2nd picture is a good example where as in the first of the bird, it gets almost too chaotic and you almost loose the frame.

Compositional Trick #5 Extreme Angles

Extreme Angles is when a photo has been taken of a emphasis from a "bird's eye view" or a "worm's eye view". The angle at which the picture is taken adds more emphasis or character to the photo as seen above. The wall is taken from a worm's eye view and the graffiti is made to be that much more interesting because of it.

Compositional Trick #4 Simplicity

Simplicity is expressed through a photo when the subject or focus can be noticed with a simple environment. I tried to grasp this in my photos but the first one in my opinion is more of a snapshot where as the second one I'm closer to capturing a simplicity photo.

Compositional Trick #3 Macro

Using Compositional Trick #3 "Macro", it is handy for a photographer to know how to use, because it helps grasp emphasis. Also draw more emphasis on one subject than another that might also be in the view of the picture, without taking from the actual subject.

Compositional Trick #2 Leading Lines

When using Leading Lines in a photo the lines are used to add emphasis to the object or focus. The lines are also used almost as a guide that lead the viewer in to the main focus.

Compostional Trick #1 Rule of Thirds

Instead of taking your average snapshot of your emphasis or object in the center when using Rule of Thirds one will see a "tic tac toe" grid show up and utilize the grid so that the emphasis is not centered but placed on one of the corners. If this has been done successfully the emphasis should be located not in the center of the picture but almost in the corner.