Assignment 4

Week Four Assignment

Principle: Inspiration and Creativity

Task: Plan a shoot around “something” that has inspired you that is not related to  photography trend (those ideas that we see repeated again and again by photographers 

We want to practice the idea of finding inspiration in ALL THINGS in the world around us.

Some idea starters may be some of the following: Movies, objects, books, illustrations, food, chores, colors, locations, concepts, poems, childhood memories, music, lyrics, an activity, lighting or mood, things around the house, an emotion, etc. etc.

Remember: Use a shot list, posing/idea guide, and pre-plan.  An interview with your subject can also be a great source of inspiration for a shoot.

My inspiration came from watching my Grandaughter Reese and her Daddy Drew, and seeing the love he has for her.  I chose to do this entire shoot in Black and White, as I think it best captures that love.

A daddy holds his daughter's hand for awhile, but her heart forever!

This was an awesome class, Brooke,  Thank you for your inspiration.  

Karen

Assignment 3

Week Three Assignment

Principle: Interaction/building relationships

Pick whichever one you would enjoy more!

Task 1: Photograph a couple:  Conduct an interview (totally casual through conversation or more formally through a questionnaire… whichever you are more comfortable with)  How can you use this information to make them feel more comfortable during the shoot or as a way to plan some personalized creativity?  Remember the tricks about helping poses look more natural.  Consider using some type of Beloved Invitations or something similar to creating some fun authentic moments.

OR

Task 2: Children:  conduct an interview (casually through conversation… likely with their parent or more formally through a written questionnaire).  How can this information be helpful for your preparation? Can you personalize the creativity?  In addition to a shot list, include some pre-planned ideas, games or activities, or interactive options to help illicit some authenticity.  Remember, our goal here is not to necessarily please the parent with the shot of the smiling face at the camera, but to catch moments of true personality through an interactive experience.

Remember: Use a shot list, posing/idea guide, and pre-plan.

Post: Your favorite 3 images and explain how the interview played a part in the planning, as well as some of the interactive ideas used to capture authenticity.

Due Date: Tuesday Night

This being a Holiday weekend, I had the privilege of visiting my parents.  I really wanted to take this opportunity to take photos of my them...ages 88 and 91.  My mother was not excited about the idea at all, but I found some great examples on istock photo of what I had in mind, and she warmed up to the idea.  We talked about what to wear, and some posing options, keeping in mind there are some physical limitations.  At this point, I think they started seeing this as an opportunity to give me a gift, and to record this chapter in time.  I wanted to capture the love they had between them..and after being each other's best friend for 67 years, it is not anything that needs to be staged.  I am blessed......

Assignment 2 - Advanced Pro

Week Two Assignment

Principle: Posing

Task: Choose your own subjects to shoot using your posing guide. How can you vary the pose?

Remember:  Use a shot list and pre-plan.

Post: your favorite pose with 3-5 variations (their perspective and your perspective).

I was asked to take photos of this little girl.....she will be having a surgery this month to have a cast put on her chest for a full year, and her parents wanted some shots before that takes place.   

Taken at her level.......

This shot was taken when she was done looking at the camera as her Mom wanted her to do.  I moved around the Mom and got this shot, and although not perfect with sun dapples, I think the emotion is there, and I hope the Mom will be happy with it!

The family shot....

My friend Kim......

Advanced Pro - Assignment 1

Week One Assignment

Principle: Preparation

Task 1:  Prepare and Shoot a detailed shoot (subjects can be whomever you like). Be sure to draw up a shot list, pick a NEW location, and scout it out. Exhaust the location!

Task 2: Begin assembling a posing guide

Post: your three favorite shots, and explain how detailed preparation helped… or was a challenge.  Did you stick to the plan?  Or did it go in a new direction?  How did preparation help your confidence? How did the idea of exhausting a location help you discover new possibilities?

I took my grandsons for a bike ride and found this very colorful park.  Of course,  I saw it as a great place to take photos of these precious boys.  I saw in my mind where I was going to pose them and thought I knew exactly how this was going to go!!   I took them back a couple days later...and even bribed them with a Dairy Queen treat at the end of this shoot!  I thought this was going to be short and sweet...they saw the park, and off they ran to do their thing! I also learned quickly that a park has many places to get in trouble with mergers, and color casts from the equipment.   Wow...do I have a lot to learn!  You can have a plan....but with little ones you better plan on being flexible (and having a silly assistant to help with the grins and giggles!!) Below are my favorite shots....This first one I put into photoshop and put in a fake blue sky......decided against it, and went for the sky as it is.

 This is my favorite...letting Blake do what he wants to do, and being ready to take your best shot!

This last one...no need to critique...just for a laugh...Blake and Caleb are showing me THEY ARE DONE!! (just noticed someone has his shoes on the wrong feet!!)

Assignment 4

Week 4

Part One: Thematic and Conceptual Shooting

My theme is mother/child time......this is my daughter teaching her son how to play "Go Fish".  I love the way that he looks at her for direction, and the joy he is getting about being this close to his Mommy...... Before taking this class, I would not have  seen this shot.  I would have asked them to look and me and smile.  How precious this is...and until now,  I would have missed this opportunity.

Part Two: Getting in your pictures

This is the hardest of assignments to date.  I am much more comfortable behind the camera, but I do see the value in this exercise.  To Brooke and my classmates...thank you for your encouragement and your kindness.  I have loved this class so much, and I am a bit sad to see it come to an end.  My best to each and everyone of you....Karen

Assignment 3

Conceptual Contrast

I liked the contrast of black and white...except for the skin tones and the green lettering, this feels like a black and white to me.

 Silhouette

 Inside/Outside 

Decisive Moment

This is my daughter and son-in-law.  I felt this picture captured their love and playfulness.        I love getting away from staring in the camera!  

Assignment 2

Point of View

I take my grandsons to the park,  and they love to climb! (of course, they do...they are boys!)  I took the first photo straight on..feeling quite proud I didn't cut off a foot!) The photos that follow are my favorite when changing my point of view!

 Blake made it!

Less is More

I had the privilege of visiting my parents this weekend.  My Dad is 91 and my Mom is 87.  

When I arrived, they had their table set as they always do...as if they were serving very special guests.  My Mom has always loved to have the smell of fresh bread in her home,  as well.  (I can remember coming home from school to the smell of fresh bread as a child).  When I saw the table, I knew what I was going to photograph for this part of the assignment.  

Assignment 1 In Lifestyle Photo Class

Assignment 1

I chose to photograph my grandson, Blake, coloring a picture for his Mom while she is away at work.

The details were the items needed to get things done, first shown in the order his Nana arranged them, to be followed by a three your old boy's arrangement as he dives into the task at hand.  I hope the sequence reveals the rest of the story as asked of us in our assignment.

Working so hard......

For you, Momma...I love you!

I feel a bit like my grandson, Blake, as I start this class.  I have the tools and the desire (as well as a great deal of passion) to be a student of this art, but my skill level may be lacking to truly get it right.  I look forward to learning from each of you as we continue this journey in the days ahead!

Assignment 4

It took me awhile to collect my photos for this assignment...but am thankful for this extra week to get a review of these shots...tough stuff!!

Front Light....used the canopy of my grandaughter's  stroller to help with some overhead sun issues.  Love the blue sky!  1/4000 1.8 100

Silhouette of my daughter and her son on his 5th birthday...she was a bit melancholy knowing her baby is growing up and will be off to school.  1/4000 10 200

Backlit photo 1/500 2.5 200

Backlit 1/4000 2.2 320 (why 320 I am not sure)  I forget this third part of the triangle!

 Side light...wish I could take this over to recompose and not be in so tight, but this was good in that I had to move around  my subjects  until I found the light source I was looking for.  I like the soft light of this one.   1/800 2.8 100

Natural Reflector 1/1600 2.8 100

Thanks again for the extra week!

Assignment 5

Last week, I did not post an assignment, as we did not have a sunny day in which to take the requested photos.  I LOVE Fargo, but we have had a rough spring weather wise, and sometimes I find myself a bit jealous when I have seen your bare feet, green grass, and flowers in the ground in the photos of my very talented classmates!  This to shall pass....in fact, tomorrow we are expecting sun!  Yeah!!!  :)

Again, I loved the lesson and the video tutorials.  The following is my attempt at the assignment.  I look forward to seeing all of your work!

Still life.....this took me an hour to do..getting the right angle, and not catching my reflection in the bottle.  This was fun, and I hope to do more of this.  It would be fun to do something like this and  have it printed on canvas for artwork in the home!   I might play around with filters with this one in photoshop and see what happens!  Thanks, Brooke, for teaching us about natural reflectors.  I am not sure I would have thought to put white under this subject. 

1/1000  fstop 2.8 ISO 1600

(I know...higher than we were suppose to, but did I mention it was pouring out today!)  Everything else was dark and many shadows.

Still Life

This is my son, Zach.  You have seen him before, because we both share a love for photography, so he is game to hang out with me (I can't tell you what a gift that is for me!)  Today, we were celebrating,  as I had the privilege of gifting him with his first DSLR camera.   This was taken in a dark restaurant with windows to the South.  There was an overhang above them (and again, a rainy day), but I do like this photo.  To be perfectly honest...I am not sure I am fully getting accurate metering, as I took plenty of photos that were so washed out, although they looked good in my viewfinder...aaaaaagggggghhhhh.  Okay...second attempt at the photo underneath..taken today..on a sunny day.....my left shoulder was to the window while my subject looked out the window.  I was very happy with this shot...practice, practice, practice!

1/160 fstop 1.6 ISO 400

 1/2500  fstop 2.5  ISO 200

Sillhouette

Assignment 3

Composition

Happy May Day!  I have been pouring over this material this week and getting some ideas in my mind of what I was going to photograph today...on my day off from work and when I had access to my grandchildren!  We were going off to the park where I could think of color, textures, shapes, and lines.  Well.....woke up today to snow and wind like  you would not believe!  It is downright raw outside.  With that being said, I must confess that two of the following photos were taken last week when we had a day of spring...a day of new beginnings and hope for warmer weather.  Hooray for photography so we can hang on to those memories and wait for all of it to return!

2.8 - 1/200 - ISO 400  100mm Lens

This was taken from a bouquet of flowers that I mentioned last week.  I read in a book that if you spray flowers with water, it adds texture, as well as giving the idea that the morning dew is on them.   This is where the use of the manual focus points comes in handy.  Thank you, Brooke, for your tips on that in your focus discussion.

The Rose

22 - 1/80 - ISO 250

Metered off of the sky to get the silhouette effect as well as the f22 to pick up the sun rays.  You just don't know how much we miss the sun around here!  I am excited to get this effect with other photos.

The Sunset

2.5 - 1/1250 - ISO 100
Okay...not very exciting, but I drive by this everyday, and now instead of seeing it as a line of Hessco sandbags to protect our neighborhood, I see it as a line for photographing!  I like how the use of aperture can lead you to believe that the bags go on forever (and it seems in reality that they do)  They are our "designer" bags :)  As you see they say Spirit of Fargo! (I am from Fargo, ND - and yes, they say I speak just like the movie!)  I wish I would have dropped the shutter speed a bit and perhaps the sky would not have been so washed out?

The Line