Portrait Photography Notes

-interest in the subject is important because you will be shooting them for a period of time

-avoid:

          *distracting backgrounds

          *shadows

-use natural surroundings

-deemphasize the nose

          *shot from 10-15 feet away

-use a wide angle lens

-shoot in a controlled environment

-low contrast

          *makes people look better

          *example: black & white

Matt Armendariz

Matt Armendariz is a food photographer based in Long Beach, California. For the past twenty years he has in someway been involved with food. He was a former graphic designer and a art director in the food industry. Armendariz started to branch out into blogging and photography in order to share his passion for all food. In 2009 he began teaching workshops devoted to food photography as well as speaking about food styling and photography. 

Matt Armendariz says:

"I believe people who cook and feed others are some of the most giving and open people on the planet."

"I believe food unites us."

"I believe real food has real flavor. You can keep the fake stuff"

Want to check out some of his work? Click on the link below.

http://www.mattarmendariz.com/#s=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&p=0&a=0&at=0

Mercy Week Day Four and Five

Mercy Week Day Two & Three

Mercy Week Day One.

exploration.

During the group exploration, my group was assigned the Great Hall. In my opinion the greatest aspect of this space is it's windows. That is why i focused mainly on the photos but still shot some of the tables because the Great Hall is where most of the Mercy events take place. I also chose black and white because I felt that it emphasized the light in the photo.

PHOTOJOURNALISM.

photo #1

This photo was taken at the Independence Day Children's Parade. It is important because it shows that children celebrate the holiday as well. The picture was taken by Mark M. Hancock. The mood is upbeat and you can see that the city is very family-orientated. The framing of the photograph is really nice because the flag almost takes up half the picture, without ruining the shot. He really emphasizes the flag but your attention is still drawn to the background.

photo #2

This photo was taken during WWII by Eugene Smith. You can tell that he is trying to protect himself. It is important because it shows a different side of the war. When looking at photographs from war, you often see people shooting each other. It is rare to see the vulnerability of soldiers. The black and white gives the overall photograph value and emphasis. The mood is very vulnerable and suspenseful. Smith framed the photo so that the soldier was right in the middle.

photo #3

This photo was taken by Michael Soluri to document "The Labor of Space Exploration." It is important because the astronaut is on his way to his training to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. This photograph follows the Rule of Thirds. The main emphasis of this picture is on the eyes of the astronaut, which also give off a mood of sincerity and seriousness.

photo #4

This picture was taken by Callie Shell on Barack Obama's Inauguration Day. This is a very important photograph because it captures a very significant time in history. It is the first time an African American has been elected President of the US. This picture contains lines, value, and unity. The framing of this picture is very nice because Obama is somewhat in the middle and the surrounding people are parallel to him and the carpet. The mood of the image is very solemn and patriotic.

photo #5

This photo was taken by Max Whittaker of a firefighter putting out the fire of the San Bruno explosion. This event is very important because it is very close to home. It was an unexpected event that has impacted the lives of hundreds of people. This picture contains value, line, unity, and practices the Rule of Thirds. The photographer framed the shot so that the image goes from light to dark when looking from the top left to bottom right. The emphasis is mainly on the water and flames. The mood of the image is helpless, yet hopeful.

Principles & Elements.

PROPORTION.

This is my picture for proportion. I chose to place a small ring

in between two larger ones. I placed the rings on a black folder

and used the black and white setting on my camera.

SPACE.

This is my picture for space. It shows the ring with negative

space in the background. I used the cyanotype setting on my camera.

VALUE.

I chose this picture for value because value is the lightness

and darkness of a color. I like how the ring is half light

and half dark.

before n' after.

In my original sunprint, i used silly bands to create the objects above.

In photoshop, i played with the color balance and different filters to get the above image.