My Final 5 Portfolio of the course

This course has been very enjoyable and challenging, which made me love it that much more. I have chosen my final 5 photos for my portfolio (which was no easy feat) and these represent my range of ability to capture color and my favorite: black and white. I have discovered that I like being able to set up a scene and control the photo, but at the same time to be able to capture a “moment” is a beautiful thing. I have always enjoyed photography, but this class has taught me so much and I will peruse to learn more, one way or another.

For my first photograph I chose “Daily Addiction” a photo collage that I created in the final module of the class. I chose this photo, because I think I did “break the rule” in that I created the scenes and compiled numerous photos instead of just one. I loved taking one constant subject and arranging it in different way in order to send a message. I took the photos in color, black and white and sepia ultimately deciding on the sepia, because it to me looked more “dirty” which I was going for.

The second photograph I chose to add to my portfolio is of a fall day looking down a walk way in a historical cemetery in Rochester NY. This photo was captured while participating in module about composition and this photo captured perspective. I fell in love with the colors and the textures of the leaves and the stone walk way. While taking this photo I got down real low to the ground so I could capture the incline of the road.

My third photo was from the black and white unit. The photo is of my son and my best friend’s daughter trick or treating on Halloween, walking down the sidewalk under the street lights. I love this photo, because it’s deep and rich with contrast and the way the light does appear is clearly bright and help balance the photo. I do not think a color photo would have done this scene any justice. I was trying to get good shots all the night, but was having difficulty without using a flash, but when I just shot this photo it all came together and luckily clear without the flash.

The fourth photo I have chosen was also from the black and white module. The photo is of a pair of handcuffs on top of an open book with a heart shadow beneath it. I set the scene up in this photo, and it is a significant scene in the book that I have open. The book is a love story and I wanted to display that by adjusting the lighting and creating a heart shaped shadow. While trying to capture the shadow and ideal shot I adjusted the cuffs and the lighting at least fifty times. I am a huge fan of black and white even more so now after this course and again if this was done in color it wouldn’t have been as powerful.

My fifth and final photo for my portfolio is from the composition unit and it captured foreground. The pink flowers take the place of the foreground and allow the vivid bright oranges and yellow tones of the fall trees in the background to take a lesser part of the photo. The flowers are the focal point and I believe they add softness to the scene. I do not think that the photo would be as appealing if I did not bring them into the foreground focus. To me it seems slightly whimsical the way the stems are swirling.

Here are 10 photos that I believe to be the better of the bunch. Please choose your favorite top 5 to help me decide on my final portfolio! Not an easy task! So thank you for looking at my photos!

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Appreciation of the Outlandish

For this week’s photo assignment at first I was stumped, not because I had no clue of what to do, but to pick an idea and run with it. I am not one for traditional photos, I have learned from researching popular photographers that I like the outlandish and slightly bazaar.

For my first project, I have always wanted to take shots of someone being pierced. So I posted that on my facebook page and voila!  I have a friend who is a professional piercer here in Rochester NY, and his wife saw my post and invited me to take photos of him performing a dermal/skin diver. Two days later I was in the shop. I didn’t want to just show one photo from the process so I created a collage of the photos. I chose black and white, because it shows more depth and tone to the situation.

 

For my second project, I wanted to incorporate coffee, because I am a total coffee addict. I call this collage “Daily Addiction”. I took coffee beans and grounds set them up as if someone would “snort crack” “shoot up” , even heating it up in a spoon ! By injecting or other form of consumption of coffee/caffeine in their bodies. I know it’s an odd series of photos, but I am in love with how it came out. I think the photos speak for themselves.