Tips 4, 5, and 6

Continue taking better pictures with these next tips!


4. Move In Close (Fill the Frame)
      Instead of taking a picture of the scene as a whole, try focusing on one aspect of the scene (a single flower instead of a flower bed). An easy way to do this is to just simply move a few steps closer towards your subject. You could also just zoom in until your subject fills the viewfinder. It's also a good idea to use macro on smaller subjects. That way, you'll get sharper close-ups. 

5. Lock the Focus
     Used for creating a sharper image of an off-center subject. Basically, you'll want to
        a) center the subject
        b) press the shutter button half-way down
        c) re-frame the picture (while still holding down the shutter button)

        d) Take the picture!

6. Take Vertical Pictures
     Many subjects look better in a vertical photo rather than a regular ol' horizontal one. This doesn't require a skill. Just make a conscious effort to turn your camera sideways! Simple, I know.

     

Three composition tips

There are ten things to keep in mind when taking photos whether for fun or for publishing. Today I learned the first three in photojournalism.

1. Eye-Level

     When taking photos, especially of pets and children, it's a good idea to KNEEL or BEND down to THEIR eye-level. Instead of just simply looking down at the subject, look at the subject eye to eye. Or eye to lens. This creates a sense of intimacy. 

2. Check Background

    Usually, people don't take the time to notice what is behind their subject. It's not always pretty. Many times, the background may look cluttered and that creates a distraction and takes away the focus from the subject. If you are in a situation where you can't make your subject move, move yourself! Try to position yourself so that when you are taking your picture, the background emphasizes rather than distracts. If you can't change the background you may also try blurring it instead. Also, watch out for trees and poles that appear to "sprout" out of people's head or shoulders. The human eye views things in 3-D. The camera not so much. When looking at a photo, everything is flat. So be sure to not shoot a photo of someone standing in front of a pole or a tree.

3. Fill Flash
   Using flash outdoors may not be so obvious, but it really does help. Honestly, using flash outdoors is more of a situational technique. It's usually most helpful if your subject is in a shadow or is wearing hat that shadows the face. It also depends on what your subect is wearing, where the sun is, the time of day, etc,. Turning your flash on is a great thing to do on a cloudy day. It brightens faces and makes the subject stand out from the background. Three things to consider about using flash outside are:
     - Is your subect in shadow?
     - Is your subject backlit (more light behind the subject rather than to the side or in front)?
     - Does your flash reach far enough? On regular cameras with the internal flash, you are safer standing 10-15 feet from your subject otherwise, the flash won't make a difference at all.

MHS Photowalk (:

After we learned the basics of photojournalism and about a few techniques, we all grabbed our cameras and went for a walk around the school. The assignment: take several pictures using the techniques we learned about.

This first photo is an example of framing.

Framing is the use of a secondary element (the railing) to highlight or emphasize the subject (the white mustang). Instead of just taking a picture from a downwards angle(which is also a good technique) I had to bend down and shoot the photo from in between the rails, emphasizing the white mustang. The words 'Memorial' and 'Mustang' are framing the horse as well.

I took this photo using the "worm's-eye-view" angle. The opposite of a "bird's-eye-view".

One very important thing to remember when taking pictures is to vary your angle! Instead of snapping a photo at eye-level, using a different angle makes the picture a lot more interesting and it catches the viewer's eye. I just sat underneath this basket and looked up. I don't really like the way the lights blind me but I didn't think about that when I was taking this...

This is a tree. Just a regular ol' tree outside in the courtyard. The only thing special about this tree is that it was shot using the rule of thirds.

 The rule of thirds means the main subject of a photo is not directly in the center. Imagine a rectangle with two lines running across horizontally and two lines across vertically. Those lines cross each other at four points. These points are the ideal focal points. Notice the trunk is not exactly in center. It's to the left a bit..yeah, that was done on purpose.

Photojournalism |ˌfōtōˈjərnəˌlizəm|

Today in Photojournalism, we went over the basic composition of what photojournalism is and here are three things I learned.
1. Photojournalists are not out to try to persuade their viewer. They only present the picture as is and let the audience form their own opinion.
2. The three main qualities of photojournalism that it distinguish from other forms of photography are :
    - Timeliness
    - Objectivity
    - Narrative
3. Photographs are a universal language. Just about everyone in the world knows what a camera is and knows how to operate one. It does not matter if there is a language barrier, photos are understood by EVERYONE



I'll just go ahead and add a fourth. Photographers cannot be shy! Ahem, that is the word that most people use to describe me! So this is a great chance to learn to put myself out there :) Can't wait!

Never forget 9/11

This past Sunday we remembered the tragedy that is 9/11 on its 10th anniversary. It is a day that no one will be able to forget, whether they want to or not. I was one month shy of 7 when the attack happened. I remember my teacher had turned on the TV to watch the news after she received a call but I can't say I truly understood what was going on. Little did I know, America would change forever. The image of the two towers burning and crumbling to the ground evokes so many emotions that cannot be contained. While some feel anger and hatred, others feel sorrow and remorse. The attacks made American pride grow into what it is today - an immense power.

Ten years have come and gone so quickly and yet, families still cry over their loved ones and heroes are still commemorated.  

Growing up, I became more exposed to exactly what happened and why it happened and who did it. I didn't really learn much about the attacks until I was about 9 or 10 and I am grateful for that because I believe that a 6 year old who knows such fear and tragedy would always live with worry. 

The media plays a huge part in what the we see, hear, and read about. And with that comes a big responsibility. It must decide what is appropriate to show to the public and what crosses the line as far as invading someone's privacy or disrespecting an individual goes. I believe that the people are entitled to see as much as possible until an image or a story becomes too graphic or too personal. So, let's take the photos of the  people we saw leaping or falling off the buildings. They weren't dead. Not yet, at least. As upsetting as it may be, it is something that anyone could have seen had they been there at that moment. Just because millions of U.S. citizens could not see the jumpers in person that day does not mean that they did not plummet to their death. If anything, those images stress the severity of the conditions and the desperation the people felt. And isn't that what the is what media is out to do? Inform? I believe that each individual  photojournalist capturing photos and filming videos should be the one who makes the important decision of whether or not he/she will record such moments. They should decide whether or not they want to share what they see with the public. But in some cases, photojournalists capture everything and let their editors decide what to publish for the world to see. Either way, what makes the memory of 9/11 stand so strong is thanks to all the photos and footage available today. Without it, our memories wouldn't be so vivid.

 

Since everyone's idea of a disrespectful and "out of line" picture differs my question to you all is:

Where do you think the media crosses the line?

Beginnings..

This is a blog mainly for my photojournalism class but it will definitely turn into something I incorporate into my daily life as time goes on. Well, maybe not DAILY but weekly for sure. I've always been meaning to start my own blog and I figure this is the best chance to make it happen seeing as making this blog is mandatory. But that's okay, I'm happy about it:)

So this is my first assignment in Photojournalism called All About Me. It's a collage of photos that describe me and my life and what I find important. Hope you like it!