Photography Contest

1. Celebration: 4.15.11; 6pm; Newport, California; f 5.6; 1/800; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual Mode

The Story: This picture was fun to take. My family loves to surf, and my Dad has taught every one of his six kids how to surf. This particular day was the weekend that I got my camera. So, I didn't know a lot about the techniques and options on my camera. However I knew this day would be something fun that I would want to remember. I love this particular picture because you can see the celebration on my Dad's face and the success that little Timothy felt that day.

I like this picture because it illustrates celebration in a different way than I expected it to be portrayed. This may not be the best photography I have taken, but it fits the contest theme perfectly. I was debating between other images that were more creative and fun, but they did not fit the theme as well as this image did. Minor edits were done in camera raw such as saturation and exposure. No further edits were applied.

Contest: The contest I chose was titled Celebration. It was put on by Brigham Young University Idaho's Photographics Society. I chose this contest because the theme was fun. The contest date was the 5th of July, so I knew there would be a lot of firework shots. So instead I chose to illustrate celebration in another way. I chose this picture because you can feel the emotion and celebration between this Father and Son.

Contest Link: http://www.byuiphotographics.blogspot.com/ (July 5th, 2011)

Photolusion

Photolusion

Originals:


1. Running: 6.18.11; 9am; BYU-Idaho, Rexburg; f 4.5; 1/2000; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual
2. Prep: 6.18.11; 9am; BYU-Idaho, Rexburg; f 4.5; 1/2000; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual

This challenge of Photolusion was really fun to experiment with. I looked up samples for this creative photography approach, but did not get any really great ideas. Instead I came up with this idea when during this photo shoot. I was taking the model's portraits on the campus track. She loves to run and I wanted to show this passion through her pictures. She uses her Ipod to pump herself up before she runs, and this is what I wanted to portray with my photolusion. The light from the track was really bright, so I made my shutter speed as fast as possible. Minor edits were done in camera raw such as saturation, exposure, and vibrance. The original image was also cropped in Adobe Photoshop.

Posters

1. Poster Titles/sizes: RedLady 18X24

2. 5.12.2011; Rexburg, Idaho;

3. f5.6; 1/100; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual

4. Edits: RedLady: On this image I adjusted the Saturation levels, clarity, exposure, brightness, and contrast in Camera Raw. I then added a sharpening mask in Photoshop and masked out most of the effect except for right on the focal point.

5. A paragraph about process, why you chose this image(s), and explain your photographic and editing techniques.

There is a story that goes along with this picture. I opened my fridge one evening to reach for my strawberries. I am about to put this particular berry in my mouth when I notice a little friend hanging out on my strawberry. Sadly his (Nelson to be exact) little legs were stuck in a small web, but he was hanging onto life. This little fighter must have been in my fridge for at least two days. Anyways I got excited and grabbed my camera. I had to open my f-stop because the lack of light in my apartment. I chose this picture because it exemplifies what I have learned about photography as well as tells a story for me. I wanted to print something that would be fun to put up in my apartment or even my house one day, and that is why I chose this image. As for the process and photographic techniques, I had to adjust this image a lot. I took it in my dark apartment so I had to stop my aperture down to 5.6. Still the focus and lighting was not exactly perfect, so I started in Camera Raw. I adjusted the exposure and lighting, but it still needed more work. I then increased the saturation levels and opened it in PhotoShop. I added a smart-sharpen layer with a black mask. I then applied the sharpening effect to only the focal points of the berry and ladybug. I had to add content on the bottom and right side to crop it.

1. Poster Titles/sizes: Shattered 18X24

2. 5.25.11; 2pm; Bannack, Montana

3. f5; 1/100; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual

4. Edits: Shattered: I adjusted Saturation levels, exposure, and brightness in Camera Raw. I also added 3 adjustment brushes to lighten different areas of the photo in Camera Raw as well. I also added a vignette in Camera Raw. No edits were done in Photoshop.

5. A paragraph about process, why you chose this image(s), and explain your photographic and editing techniques.

I had a lot of fun with this image at Bannack. We got into this really old building that had a bunch of broken glass, bottles, and china in it. The light was low from the shadows of the building so I took my f-stop down to 5. I snapped the shot and ended with a great image that was almost perfectly exposed, but it had possibilities to be better. I started playing around in Camera raw and adjusted saturation levels, brightness, contrast, and clarity. I then added 3 adjustment brushed in order to add appropriate light around the bottles and add a more center focus to the china piece. Lastly I added a simple black vignette. I then opened it in Photoshop and up-sampled it in order to allow cropping. I then cropped the image a little to the left and ended with an 18X24 print. I chose this image because it is simple and beautiful. I don't think the quality will ever decrease, so I should be able to put this up in my apartment and future home.

Bonus Blog Week: Photo-journalism/Photolusion

June 14-20th, 2011
Monday:

1. Sound Lights: 6.20.11;4pm; Rexburg, Idaho;f4.5; 1/25; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual

Tuesday:

2. Bikes: 6.14.11; 8am; Rexburg, Idaho; f10; 1/1250; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual

Wednesday:

3. Early Flowers: 6.15.11; 7am; Rexburg, Idaho; f7.1; 1/320; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual

Thursday:

4. Demo: 6.16.11; 4pm; Rexburg, Idaho; f5.6;1/500; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual

Friday:

5. Flowers: 6.17.11; 3pm; Rexburg, Idaho;f9; 1/800; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual

Saturday:

6. Gracie: 6.18.11; 5pm; Rexburg, Idaho; f4.5; 1/25; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual

Sunday:

7. Tea Time: 6.19.11; 8am; Rexburg, Idaho; f4.5; 1/90; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual

This week was really fun for me to take one picture everyday. Some days were easier than other and I would just snap a photo as I walked on campus for the day. Other days I forgot and ended up taking a picture of something in my house. My favorite picture form this week is the one of the purple flowers. I took this picture on campus at about 7 am. No one was around so I got down and took a close up of these beautiful flowers. I fixed most of the photos in Camera Raw and made minor adjustments such as saturation, contrast, and clarity. The last image I changed to black and white in Camera Raw as well.

Week 8: Night Light

Light Painting:




1. Corey: 6.12.11; 11pm; Rexburg Idaho; f5; 13 sec; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual
2. Records: 6.11.11; 12pm; Rexburg, Idaho; f5; 13 sec; Canon Rebel T2i; Shutter Priority
3. Apple: 6.11.11; 12 pm; Rexburg Idaho; f5.0; 8 sec; Canon Rebel T2i; Shutter Priority
Camera Motions:


1. Blur: 6.12.11; 10:30 pm; Rexburg, Idaho; f4.5; 10 sec; Canon Rebel T2i: Manual
2. Spinning:6.12.11; 10:30 pm; Rexburg, Idaho; f4.5; 10 sec; Canon Rebel T2i: Manual

Light Sketching:


1. Painting:6.12.11; 10:45 pm; Rexburg, Idaho;f4.5;10 sec ; Canon Rebel T2i: Manual
2. Hearts: 6.11.11; 10:30 pm; Rexburg, Idaho;f9;10 sec ; Canon Rebel T2i: Shutter Priority
Blurred Lights:

1. Cars & Corey: 6.12.11; 11 pm; Rexburg, Idaho;f4.5; 5 sec ; Canon Rebel T2i: Manual

This week was challenging ,but a lot of fun as well. For Painting of light I used a phone and a flashlight. This was by far the hardest one. It took me so long to get the technique of painting so the subject wouldn't be blotchy. My favorites were camera motion and light sketching. For camera motion I aimed at the city lights of Rexburg and spun in circles. For light sketching I used glow-sticks, a flashlight, and a red light. The blurred light image is of a car and Cory shuffling with a red headlamp on. It was a lot of fun to capture light using long exposures.

Week 8: Fine Art Template

Flowers: 5.6.11; 1 pm; Rexburg, Idaho;f9/ 1/100; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual
Moss: 5.25.11; 3 pm; Bannack, Montana; f5.6; 1/800; Canon Rebel T2i; Manual

This image was created using clipping masks in Photoshop. I love this format because of it flexibility. I can substitute any image in for this one at any time. I used text in Photoshop as well to add the logo. The watermark signature was created through Adobe Illustrator and then added behind the logo text. I really like the professionalism this format gives the photo along with it flexibility. Then I took a challenge and tried a gift for Father's Day. My family is a beach-going surfing family, so I made this collage for my Dad of all the pictures of us 6 kids growing up and him teaching us how to surf. I took this surfboard shape from a live trace in Illustrator and made it a clipping mask for the collage of images. It took me nearly 4 hours, but was a blast!

Week 7: Scanography

Collage

Originals

1. Letters: 5.4.11; Rexburg Idaho; Resolution 800; Espon Stylus NX105
2. Banana Grams: 5.4.11; Rexburg Idaho; Resolution 800; Espon Stylus NX105
2. Hungry: 5.4.11; Rexburg Idaho; Resolution 800; Espon Stylus NX105

Scanography is something very new to me, but I love the possibilities this technique offers. I love the unique plane of focus. It is very limited and almost everything that is not directly on the glass is out of focus. The color and resolution is so clear and true I was surprised. At first I thought this technique was limiting, but now have come to appreciate the great art some have produced through this medium. The first two scans are just single scans. Minor editing was done such as saturation in Camera Raw. I also added a slight white vignette to 'Letters'. For the collage scan I scanned all the apple stages individually. Then I took the files into Photoshop and selected the fruit and merged them onto one layer. I then added a black mask and erased to allow the fruit to show through. All scanning was done with a Espon Stylus NX105 at 800 resolution.