Six Weeks Project, Statement

First, I am highly disappointed in my progress from this year, or rather, my lack thereof. Working two jobs, I have hardly any time to shoot anything. My photography skills are lacking - if it wasn't for me being a trainer, I probably wouldn't even remember how to use a camera half the time, and it's becoming increasingly frustrating/exhausting to me. However, I have LEARNED a lot from the mistakes I've made. There's a lot of them, so that's where I've gone with my blogs this year. My experience at JEA was also fairly useful, and I wrote what I learned and have applied to my photography since.  Hopefully I'll be able to shoot more next semester, being that I'll only have one job by then.  I intend to really step it up next semester in this class. I've come up with a few ideas that I want to work on.

• "The Night Circus" photo illustrations (My big, ongoing project for the semester)
• "Fairy field"
• "Metamorphosis" self portrait
• Trenton/Kelsoe photo story
• Remake the Wacky Weather self portrait
• "Animal" portraits - people painted like animals (lion, tiger, zebra, etc.)
• 
  

Basketball, JV Girls vs Spring Hill

ISO: 1250  f/5.6  SS: 1/200

This was the JV Girls game against Spring Hill.  It was TERRIFYING for me because there was NO. GEAR. AT. ALL. We had to deal with two flashes instead of three, hence the awful shadows.  It was very frustrating, especially since it was my first game for the year, AND I didn't know the new set up, AND the gear was missing, AND, AND, AND... But these turned out to be some of my best photos so far. Not that these are really that good either. I didn't compose correctly. I thought they were better than they actually turned out. So I'm frustrated.

Note to All Photographers: I WILL kill you if you ever take all the gear on a game day again. I WILL.

However, I did do a fantastic job of capturing emotions/reactions in these photos. Now that I know what I'm doing, I'll definitely get it right next time. I was just so stressed with trying to deal with the gear fiasco that I couldn't hardly focus on the game until nearly half time.  If nothing else, I at least got useable photos. So I'll get it right next time!

Jr Photog Proficiency Tests

Photo by Sabrina Larson

These photos were taken during a proficiency test.  For this particular photo, I asked Sabrina to take a portrait with no other instruction. She could use any subject she wanted, any place, any lighting, etc.  Sabrina decided to take me out to the theatre building and have me lean on the railing. She had to pose me, set her camera, and she had three tries to expose properly.

Photo by Sabrina Larson.

For this photo, I decided to just test to make sure they could actually take a headshot. I wanted to make sure that they took something away from the headshot lesson you gave. Clearly they did, except for the plain background choice, but I didn't worry about that because the exposure and composition were correct.

What I got out of these proficiency tests was just what I did and didn't know MYSELF! I had to go look up the Sunny 16 rule before I could even expect them to know it! I know it now, of course, but I didn't that day. I also realized again that I have no idea how to use flash. At all. I'm horrible at using the flash. I don't know what any of the settings mean. I can change the power, but that's about the extent of it. The 7D's still confuse me. I don't understand the focus at all on that dang camera. So it looks like I need a little training on the gear myself.  It made me realize that I really, really do love photography, though! It kills me to be in front of the camera, but I looove teaching other people. I love watching other people get it right. It's so awesome. :)

Self Portrait Attempt... And Failure.

ISO: 200  f/4.0  SS: 1/320

These self portraits were a total failure. I was inspired by the "weird weather in Texas" photo assignment. I knew we had fake snow in the classroom, so I took it and tried to take a picture of myself "playing" in the snow, with a very green background. This would've been the best photo, had it been in focus where it was supposed to. Self portraits are SO hard to focus though, especially when you don't have anything to place in your spot.  The focus is more on my hands, I think. Regardless, I need to be more prepared. I didn't have a tripod, so I used my fence post instead.

Something that would be useful is finding a way to know where to focus without being behind the camera. Maybe put a mark where I was standing when it was in focus or something.  I was slightly under exposed too. I should've used a flash on this photo. Probably would've stopped the action of the "snow" better.