Assignment #5: High Key/ Low Key

This next assignment was a mixture of learning

how to better understand the cameras light meter

and how to manipulate its readings when needed

(just a bit) full zone system is taught in photo 2, and

how to pay closer attention to and choose more

appropriate lighting and tones of subjects so that it

is easier to get a desired look. The students could

choose to either capture a high key (about 90% of

prints tones middle grey or lighter with only 10%

of tones of contrasting low tones) or a low key

(90% middle grey or darker with 10% contrasting

light tones). The students learned how to slightly over-

expose higher key shots to keep those light tones nice

and bright (what most people should do when photo-

graphing subjects in the snow, gotta keep that now

white). And how to under expose to get richer shadows

in the low key shots. I worked with a few more who were

more interested, on how to underexpose then over develop

for increased contrast and tonal ranges. It was great to

see what they all came up with. (More did low key than

high key....could it have been that we were in the middle

of a very cold winter semester? maybe not) But there

were still some very beautiful darker images.

Todd S.

Myron L.

Trent G.

Marie B.

Stefani S.

Assignment #4: Motion Blur/Freezing Motion

The first few assignments are geared to focus on one

aspect of their cameras at a time, the last assignment

dealt with aperture now this one had them demonstrate

control over shutter speed. We discussed how slower

shutter speeds are what are responsible for blur which

doesn't have to be a bad thing if looks controlled and on

purpose, and how faster shutter speeds (faster than 1/60)

are needed to freeze motion. They could choose which

aspect/effect they wanted to experiment with, if they chose

to capture blurred motion I suggested to let the subject blur

itself within your frame and practice the habit of always

finding a way to keep your camera still (tripod) during any

slow shutter speed, it was fun to see what they came up with.

Casey D.

Carl W.

Cassidie R.

Seth C.

Shannel T.

Tiana P.

Assignment #3: Selective Depth of Field

With finals coming to a close Im excited to post

some of my students' best-of's from every

assignment this last semester. Ive been collecting

them and am so excited to share them with all of

you. And Im so glad that they are all letting me.

::I Love Teaching::

These photos are from assignment 3 (1 & 2 just

being their first contact sheet and print) here

they were asked to demonstrate their ability to

create the effect of selective depth of field (where

only one focal plane is in focus while all the others

blur around it). I tell them to not think of the scene

they are looking at through the lens as a 2 dimensional

print just yet, but to see it as a diorama with multiple

levels (foreground, mid, and background) and you limit

how many levels you get in focus by your aperture size/

number and you chose which levels you want by your

focus. This is one lesson that contains one of those

counter-intuitive concepts (there are many in photography)

smaller the number(f/4.0 vs. f/22) =bigger size opening in

the lens=more blur (selective depth of field).

This class is entry level and is fully black & white

darkroom (shooting w/completely manual settings,

developing our own negs, and printing all prints)

Some students have experience with photography

and many do not have any, there is quite a bit of range in

all their majors but that is what I love about this medium,

how broad of an audience it appeals to. Photography is the

melding of science, technology, and art.

Celeste A.

Dana M.

Loni B.

::aren't they lovely?::

A lot of driving, a tone of fun, and Svara

Over conference weekend the tripod+1(Nikkos) (no worries

rooming was kosher, same-sex roomies in both rooms) decided to

road trip it down to Cali to show our support of an amazingly

talented cousin. My cuz Jeff is studying the blessed art of photography

down at the Brooks Institute where this last winter a group of

students traveled to South India to document some really powerful

stories through documentary film and photography. We went for the

big multimedia opening of the whole project, and goodness is was

impressive.We drove down on a thursday night mostly in some

pretty sketchy conditions but we still made it in pretty decent time

to Vegas to spend the night. We raced off the next morning to Cali.

We stopped off and enjoyed some In and Out for lunch and then made

a spontaneous decision to visit magic mountain for some coaster ridin'.

It took awhile to get the tickets and navigate out of getting lost so we

got there a little late, two hours before close to be exact. But we were

determined to make it worthwhile so we mapped out a game plan and

then road 8 intense roller coasters in two hours. We literally sprinted

from one to the other and luckily we never had to wait in any lines

because it was so late in the day. But by the sixth ride we were feelin'

a little nauseous but forced ourselves to ride the last two rides on

our list, but by that last ride all excitement was gone and we were

doing all that we could to not loose lunch or pass out. After we had

some time to re-cooperate we went out for pizza (the most group

friendly choice of food) and then we took a twilight stroll on the

beach to take in the fresh air and rid ourselves of any leftover dizziness.

I loved how the stars come out so early.

{It was probably an awkward surprise for kitch's boyfriend

to hang out with crazy picture takers, as right in the middle

of their "romantic moment" I yell from the side for them to

move closer to the camera so the pictures I was unashamedly

taking of them would have a better composition....suckers}

The next day we woke up bright and early to listen to the morning

session of conference and then, during the break, ventured out to

enjoy a classy lunch with family in an open aired cafe in down town

Ventura, ooooo and then some gelato for dessert all the while

hearing the stories of my very adventurous aunt and uncle and my

other very accomplished little cousin and all their travels.

We even got in a little photographing barefoot on the beach before

the grand opening. It was so refreshing to feel the warm sun after

all the dreary snow days we have been experiencing in UT.

Then in the evening, off to Brooks. The students had turned the

whole campus into a complete Indian experience. With a grand

showing of their main documentary to start off the night but then

various screens and projections around the campus displaying

slideshows of photographs and playing bits of film. The event

was catered with flavors of india, incense was burning, lanterns

in the trees, and free real henna tattoos. {definitely more authentic

than my latest India party} I was truly impressed with the quality

of all the work, what an amazing event to display the culmination of

so much hard work and vision. Congratulations Jeff and friends.

Click here, here, and here to view some sampling of Jeff's

images in the projects {there is also tons more on that site}....

The event was held at the Brooks Ventura campus where

a lot more film is studied, so they had this awesome film

set with great worn facades. Fun for photos too.

On the way home we listened to sunday conference brought

to our cars speakers via the amazing i-phone and its radio apps.

We stopped off at the most brilliantly random 50's cafe Peggy Sue's.

Made up of a labyrinth of rooms all decorated in different collections

and themes of vintage accessories. And I have no words for the

dinosaur-duck-pond-fountains-king-kong-pirate garden in the back.

hmmmm.

Then one last stop in vegas to see the Billagio's seasonal

conservatory production. Massive amounts of spring bulb

blossoms and garden styles, complete with a butterfly house.

A very inspiring weekend.

Red, White, Blue, and Yellow...

Back at the beginning of March our neighborhood banned

together to welcome home a couple of soldiers that had

been deployed in Afghanistan for 14 months, one of them

being the husband of a sweet friend and the father to these

sweet boys that I have been babysitting these last few months.

We all tied yellow ribbons around all the trees and hung up

american flags. I sure hope those soldiers felt the gratitude we

all feel for their amazing service as they drove home through the

streets lined with stars, stripes, and ribbons. I know better now,

having worked so closely with a family of one of these brave soldiers,

what large and difficult sacrifices are made by the soldier and by their

family when they go to defend and protect our nation and our families.

I want to say thank you to all those amazing examples of

sacrifice for their service. I am so grateful for all the freedoms

that I get to partake of, and sometimes take for granted, every day.

I truly feel so blessed. It makes me so happy to see that these men

arrive home safety to be with their families again.

::Welcome Home::

{but this does mean that I wont be able to enjoy the awesomeness

of hanging out with these lil men anymore....well at least as regularly

as I use to, I'll miss you guys}