As a current Industrial Design student getting closer to graduation, I'm looking to expand my horizons and knowledge in the Design and Artistic world. I'm looking to increase my knowledge and eye for photography to apply it to Industrial Design and create better designs.
A little about me...
I'm a senior Industrial Design student. I'm currently the president of the KU IDSA organization. I'm looking to get more involved with the school and the community. This fall I will have the opportunity to experience other design aesthetics and culture in Florence, Italy at a Design Academy. This opportunity is a chance for me to increase my cultural knowledge as well. Having already moved from a Latino American culture to an American culture has giving me a lot of potential to create different designs that are inspired by different cultural backgrounds. My country of origin is Colombia and I have lived in the U.S. for almost seven year. After my arrival to Kansas I was offered the opportunity to stay and learn English and continue my major of interest and after a year of stay I met my husband. Right now I only speak English and Spanish, but coming back from Italy I hope to have some knowledge of Italian.
Photography...
I have a personal passion for photography and I like to think I have an eye for it as well. Now that I'm closer to finish my undergraduate studies I feel it is time to learn more about photography and apply it to design. I have started to notice a little difference between one setting and another in a DSRL, but I feel like I need to learn more to differentiate it a little better. As I'm trying to build a good Design portfolio I'm noticing how important it is to have good quality photographs to show case my project the way it need to be shown. to be able to study abroad is a huge opportunity for me and I want to get the most of it. I want take and bring good images from Italy. Lastly it is just necessary to be able to know more than basics about anything in order to become a successful designer and to gain knowledge in photography puts me a step closer to find the dream job!
Getting Started...
I haven't taken a good quality picture until this class, so there are a few things I need to keep in mind to make sure I got all I need to get started.
- I need a digital camera that shoot RAW
I got a DSRL Camer Nikon D3100 (DSRL stands for Digital Single-Lens Reflex Camera)
- Batteries: cameras come with one battery, but for a long days of shooting is better to have two. Keep one in the camera and another fully charge in case the first one dies faster than expected.
-Memory Card: Either SD or Compact card. This is determine by the type of camera that is purchased. Mine needs an SD card.
They also come in a variety of memory space. If the idea is to take lots of photographs, it is better to buy one that has a lots of memory like 4 or 8GB or have more than one handy in case one isn't enough.
-Lenses: Typically DSLR come with a kit lens. This lens has a good enough range (Aperture and Exposure) but if I need more range possibilities I would need to buy other lenses.
-Card Reader/External hard drive: These two items are essential to be able to transfer the digital copies to the computer to be edited, organized and ready for printing.
-Editing: A software to edit and organize images is a must. Softwares such as Aperture, Lightroom or Photoshop are good options for photo editing.
-Printer/Photo paper: It is nice to be able to have access to a good photo printer that will show the quality of the picture. Photo paper it is also key to be able to show the quality of the paper, sometimes that could make or break an image. Matte or Luster are the best option for photo printing.
-Online Sharing: IT is good to have an online storage option to be able to share the photos with friends and family. One good option is Flickr.
Taking Pictures: Nikon D3100
-Place the memory card in the camera and go to the camera menu to format it.
-Go to camera settings to change the ISO. Try to keep it between 100 and 400
-Select Manual Mode to be able to change the Expose and Aperture as you are taking pictures.
-Make sure that the image quality is RAW. Nikon gives the option to take RAW and JPG's together. that is a good Idea to be able to have two different formats available.
-Keep in mind that both the aperture and the shutter speed needs to be control if the camera is set to Manual.
-Other options to control one or the other is to set it to (A) which will control the Aperture rather than the Shutter Speed.
- (S) for Shutter will have more control over the Shutter speed.
- (P) Programs offers the option to have the camera automatically adjust to the environment in which the photo needs to be taken. Sometimes this is a good thing, but the background may affect the result of the image.
To Control Exposure...
-The manual and shutter mode will allow to control exposure
-The Nikon D3100 has a rolling button that allows to adjust the exposure by using the thumb while holding the camera.
-If more exposure is requiered because the environment is too dark the camera needs to be adjust it to an slower shutter speed.
-If the exposure is less or the image is in movement the shutter needs to be set to a faster speed.
Slower shutter > Smaller Fractions
Faster shutter < Bigger Fractions
-The aperture will determine the amount of Exposure as well.
Picture Taking Process...
-Consider light and color temperature. Sometime that could be control by changing the white Balance under the camera settings.
- Also consider having a gray card inside the picture frame to use as a reference point when editing.
-ISO for exposure sensitivity (not always necessary)
-Shutter Speed
-Aperture
-Lenses
-Extra light sources (flash)
-Background setting
-Shadows
Criteria to Evaluate Photos:
-Color/B&W
-Position
-Focal Point
-Focus
-Symmetry
-Histogram
Paul Graham: "Photography is Easy, Photography is Difficult"
"Because life is flowing through and around us, rushing onwards and onwards in every direction."
I think Paul Graham clear some of my doubts about photography. I feel like I have an eye for it, but I wasn't sure of I was looking at the right things. I see photography as Design. There isn't right or wrong as long as there is an audience that admires and appreciates what we do.
I chose this quote because really is all about the here and now and what we have the chance to experience and how we experience it.
John Szarkowski: Intro to William Eggleston's Guide
" We have been told so often of the bland synthetic smoothness of exemplary American life, of its comfortable, vacant insentience, it's extruded, stamped and molded sameness...that we have come half to believe it.
Reading this article, I chose this quote because it shows and tell the other side of a photograph. While, there are many experienced photographer that take professional, beautiful and thought out photographs; there are still the chance to be successful by just documenting the reality of life. whether is documenting strangers or people we frequent daily.
Photographers...
William Eggleston
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| William Eggleston's Guide |
Robert Frank
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| Robert Frank's The Americans |
Is it political or racial issues reflected on these two photographs or is it more about culture and the Americans/everyday people?
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| William Eggleston's Guide |
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| Movie Premiere, Hollywood by Robert Frank's The Americans |
Both photographers reflect the American culture. Eggleston by the use of color and Frank by creating different cultural references in the American life. They show different point of views one a more general everyday life image and the other a more criticizing and meaningful image. Also both of these photographers books were described as bland, general and meaningless; however they both was the initiation of color exploration and the other was a book mean to be seen by the eyes of the immigrant or non-American.
Why do we take pictures:
-As source of inspiration
-Means of communication
-Buffer to interaction
-Circumstances.
American Photographers...
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| Albert Renger-Patzsch |
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| Walker Evans |
Walker Evans: Genuine photos. More natural expression.
Style: When he was taking the pictures no one recognized the quality of the images the same way that is recognized now.
I had the opportunity to see some of Walker Evans photography in a museum before and I think the portraits are amazing. They translate so much emotions and the fact that they are black and white makes them even more dramatic. His landscape and single house images also reflect a message of the time were they were taken.
Let's compare Evans and Christenberry house photographs
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| Walker Evans |
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| Christenberry |
Nudes & Nature...
I love this kind of photography. It represents the simplicity that a photograph is able to show the nudity is so delicate. It is not vulgar or over exposed. His contrast with the natural elements like corals are quite admirable. He almost creates a relationship or similarity with the human body.
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| Edward Weston |
Three photographer that dealt with the color of Light:
Todd Hido, Nan Goldin and Joel Meyerowitz
Todd Hido: I personally admire the dedication that Todd puts into his color light images. Most of them are represented by the dim light of the night and fog that is created by nature. That with juxtaposition of the incandescent light inside the houses or apartments, make the photograph have a unique look and texture. in the contrary I found the nude images rather bland. There is no sign of female admiration to its nudity.
Nan Goldin: Past the photographs of the drag-queens and the color light (warm) added to most of her images which create a dramatic effect on each image; I don't particularly like her work at all. Mainly because it looks vulgar and grotesque. Once again if there is an exposure of the human body, there should be some sort of delicacy or admiration to it. Not just have it there to show your intimate life.
Joel Meyerowitz: I like the different scenes photographs. The Chaotic fumes of the building falling and the peacefulness of the water and wind.
Comparison between Guy Bourdin & Jan Groover
Guy Bourdin: He is definitely a modern fashion magazine photographer. I don;t particularly like the subjects he photographs, but I do like the manipulation of color and the use of photography illusion. He divides the images in two part by having a concrete pole be the focal point or adds a photograph inside the photograph. I feel like the combination of bright colors and the divided focal points create an overall successful photograph.
Jan Groover: This photographer has a different way to photograph and even though I don't know much about the reason of the photographs I really like the different subject matters that Groover photographs. It is such a great way to make photos interesting. I relate and like the photography style. I enjoy the close-up shots like zooming in and cropping the subject. I find them more interesting. The combination of material such as spoons, plants, etc. make the photograph innovating.
Contrast: I decided to put two of guy Bourdin images next to the Jan Groover photographs that are divided in three sets. I feel like there is a lot of similarities between the two because they share a concrete pole division and the street landscape. I also think they both create a different focal point on the photographs either by dividing the image in three parts or taking a picture of a picture.
Contrast: I decided to put two of guy Bourdin images next to the Jan Groover photographs that are divided in three sets. I feel like there is a lot of similarities between the two because they share a concrete pole division and the street landscape. I also think they both create a different focal point on the photographs either by dividing the image in three parts or taking a picture of a picture.
Gregory Crewdson and Cindy Sherman
Film Still: Sometimes end mis-construct. Typically a photographer that records in a photo things that are happening during a movie. They are frames of the movie.
Diana Arbus and Cindy Sherman
Portraits...
the capture of a person or a small group of people. The objective is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the subject. A portrait is generally not a snapshot, but a composed image of a person in a still position. A portrait often shows a person looking directly at the camera.
Diane Arbus creates an image to make it look like there is nothing out of the ordinary. It is almost like she is creating a reality of what "freaks" are and expose them to the rest of the world. Even what it could be a normal portrait is almost exaggerated to look abnormal.
