Project 4 - Photoshop

Project 3

Strong Contrast in Scale

Strong Contrast in Color

Contrast of Texture

For my contrasts of texture, color, and size, I tried to utilize perspectives and dynamics. For the scale one I knew that using a lego and using a shallow depth of field on him would make him seem important in the picture. By using a deep depth of field and not focusing on Matthew, it would make him seem somewhat larger and out of the picture. This added to the scale feeling. Obviously pianos are great for polar opposite color contrasts, but I turned down every color's saturation because black technically isn't a color (it doesn't reflect any colors so it appears black), and the white became whiter when I completely took away what was left of its color. This added to the color contrast greatly. Lastly, for the contrast of texture, I loved how one tree had a smooth interior but had a barky and rough exterior. I decided to crop the photo so that the viewer would entirely notice the texture contrast. 

Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope

For my kaleidoscopes I made sure to only use pictures that had lines and interesting shapes in them because I think that's what makes a Kaleidoscope cool. On top of that, I rotated and flipped the pictures around a lot to get the perfect scene. Finally I changed the view for all three pictures so that it would have an oval or circle around it to make it feel like a real kaleidoscope.

Triptych

Triptych

Diptych

Diptych

For my first triptych I decided to take pictures of three different sized and different sport balls. It's nothing special, but it symbolizes what I like to do. For second my triptych I used the idea of flashing a light around to create symbols. I turned my camera onto low light mode and put the blur strength at medium, and turned the shutter speed far down. For my first diptych I decided to create a sad and lonely feeling. I took pictures of two chairs, in the first they were flipped over, and in the second they were empty, which creates the lonely feeling (and the B&W). For my second diptych i decided to use my motion like my second triptych. I rolled a tennis ball around on a ledge while holding my phone connected to my tripod. I turned the shutter speed to 1/4 and the blur strength to medium to create this look. I like it because it looks like a painting in the sense that you can kind of tell what's going on, but it's also up to your interpretation. 

Project 3 Prework

Symmetrical - Unknown

Radial - Argento Spiralis

Texture Contrast - Unknown

Strong Contrast in Scale - Unknown

Strong Contrast in Color - Diego Cervo

Color and Grids

This project was all about utilizing grids and taking advantage of colors to make cool photographs. I really enjoyed this project because I actually learned a lot of technical skills in Adobe Lightroom.

For this photo, I saw how the bamboo in the original picture lined perfectly straight up. I knew that if I rotated the a copy of the photo, it would look pretty cool. I also edited the temperature and used my own preset to create a cool colors feel. (Cool colors)

When I was editing this picture I knew I wanted to make a mirror this time, unlike the last picture. On the last one, I rotated the picture, but on this I flipped it vertically to make it mirror itself. I knew that if I combined different types of green, such as the grass green and they lighter green on the tennis ball, I could create a variety of colors, yet continue with the monochrome theme.(Monochrome)

For my warm colors photo I knew that I could combine different buildings that have orange/yellow colors to them. I threw in the stop sign because I wanted it to also have a variety in colors. I tried to separate similar photos but also put some near each other so there would be some contrast. (Warm colors)

After going to the rose gardens I knew that I could make a good looking color scheme of red/orange and green. I tried to make large amounts of contrast so that the two colors would be more noticeable. (Complementary)

For this photo I mirrored my pictures so that it would have an abstract feel. After that I put the brick lining down the middle because I felt that it matched the valves. I also turned the temperature down to give it a cool colors feeling.

Originally I thought this would work for warm colors, but then I realized that I could make a good monochrome if I made squares out of the bridge. I think the way that it's really just gray and blue makes the colors stand out.

For this photo I decided to turn the clarity down, crop it, and turn the shadows up to make an older feeling. I wanted it to feel like it was from the 1920s or something so I came up with this. I think that it has a strong mood to it. 

Project 2 Color Prework

I think that originally this picture has a warm feel because of the way the tree provides cover for the viewer. The editing furthermore adds to this by enhancing the orange and yellow colors from the sunset.

I think this picture alone would feel sad and lonely because of the deserted streets and rain. By adding a lot of blue and black and white colors, I think it really makes the picture moodier.

Project 1 - Framing and Composition

Below I've listed my eight best photographs that represent the following techniques: bug's eye, bird's eye, frame within a frame, filling the frame, diagonals, leading lines, rule of thirds, and close up. Everything was shot in downtown Portland (except for bug's eye). 

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Bug's Eye

The world of my dog and her ball is something I will never come to understand. I decided to place her tennis ball directly underneath her to show the size comparison. However, I tried to make the ball look as large as possible to make the viewer feel even smaller next to the ball and the dog. Lily (my dog), is passionately looking at the ball, which leaves viewer feeling like a bug.

Close Up

When I originally took this close up in the Park Blocks, I didn't think of it as anything too special. After editing and adjusting the color scheme and luminance, I found that I could make the flower look frosty and cold. I think it's an interesting dynamic because on the one hand the flower is very beautiful, but on the other it represents a cold and alone world for the viewer.

Diagonals

You'd be crazy to go onto the Tilikum crossing and not take any pictures of diagonals. Coming onto the bridge, I had a lot of different ideas. I decided take this photo this way because I think the blank sky forces the viewer to look at what I want them to look at, beams coming down from the pillar. I think the design of the bridge is something that has to be highlighted - it almost looks like an old fashioned fan, the way the diagonals come down. 

Bird's Eye

As I walked through the Pioneer Place skybridge, I noticed that my reflection made it look like I was some sort of giant on top of the cars. I realized that by appearing that way directly above all the cars, I looked extra terrestrial. I then added a blue and futuristic feeling to the photo to finalize the abstract look.

Rule of Thirds

With all the old buildings in downtown Portland, one can find it a heaven for taking black and white photography. I knew coming in that many of the buildings would fit the black and white look because that's what color the buildings would've been in, back when they were built. Originally, this photo had too much of a shadow, and it was too wide. I decided to crop it accordingly and turn down the shadows, which got me this.

Leading Lines

The minute I saw this building I knew it would be a leading lines. But as the photographer, I needed to use that to my advantage. I decided to go black and white again because from this perspective the building looked dystopian and scary. I turned up the shadows a lot so that it looked like there was no entry point to the building, and so that the viewer was led over to the building itself, not what was under it. Unlike my other black and white, this doesn't represent something old, it represents a place where the leader of some empire would live. 

Filling the Frame

For this photograph, I knew that to highlight the majority of the frame, I would need to turn down the grass in the background. I liked how this looked like an uncovered artifact in some Indiana Jones movie. I decided to turn down the green saturation and luminance, and then adjust the "artifact" accordingly. It turned out like this, and I like how the grass looks somewhat dead and the center of attention is the middle of the photograph. 

Frame Within a Frame

My main goal in this photograph was to highlight the star of David and the buildings around it. Using the triangle design in the fence, I think I was able to do so. I made the sky and background black and white, and then I adjusted the luminance. I think it gives off a weird outlining feeling, between the triangle around the triangular building, and the blurry lines going around the roof tops. 

My Summer

The best thing I did this summer was see my relatives, who came from Holland and France. I got to see people from different sides of my family basically every day. Also, my brother got home from a year in Turkey at the beginning of July, which was really nice. I got to go to different parts of Oregon too. We went to Black Butte, rafting on the Deschutes, backpacking, and the Oregon Islands on the southern part of the coast. It was probably one of the busiest summers I've had to date.

My brother arriving at PDX on July 1st

The Oregon Islands in Bandon, Oregon