Magazine Cover Images

Portraits and Self-Portraits

Fashion Photography

1. In the computer, the model's lips were made bigger, her eyes were made bigger and moved on her face, her neck is made thinner and longer, and her face is made skinnier.
2. The model's body is changed by making her legs longer, her feet shorter, her stomach smaller, her neck longer, and her body in general more thin.
3. The model in this video is pretty much changed in every aspect possible; it's actually quite impressive, but at the same time it's frightening. Her legs, butt, stomach, arms, and everything else on her body that we can see was made skinnier and she looks like a completely different person. It's to the point where if you didn't see the before picture, you would think the edited version is how she's always looked.
4. In my opinion, I do not think changing someone's appearance like this is ethical because it is fake and you don't really know what to trust. Also, it really is a big cause of the false idea of beauty that a lot of people have in this day and age.
5. I do not think that there are any situations in which manipulation like this is less bad or worse than other situations, because it's always advertising some type of thing and false advertisement is also immoral.
6. The only types of changes I think would be okay are slight changes that make the overall photo more pleasing, without changing the appearance of the actual person.
7. Fashion photography seems like it's just focused around people and the clothes they wear, and what "beauty" is supposed to be like. This image of beauty is often wrong because of the manipulation we saw in these videos. Photojournalism, on the other hand, is more truthful and the area of exploration is more wide, meaning you can really put anything out there that you find interesting.
8. Every type of photography is just capturing any moment and whether the photo is manipulated or not is up to the photographer.
9. We are being shown these videos for the knowledge of what can be done in the photography world in a negative light, so we learn what not to do.
10. None of these videos are about guys because in the modeling industry, girls are focused on so much more and they feel the pressure to be or look a certain way. The false ideas of beauty are stressed so much more on women, also. The video of the girl completely being slimmed down to where she doesn't even look like herself would most likely not happen to a man.

Magazines Part II

Early Magazine Covers

Most early magazine covers included the title, publication information, and just information like that, like it was a book. When they included pictures they were just minor pictures to add a little interesting factor. Some included headlines to interest viewers like today, but surprisingly some magazines didn't even have a cover.

The Poster Cover

In the late 1800s this type of magazine cover was very popular and many talented illustrators emerged. The pictures on the cover were the kind of picture you would hang on your wall and they communicated such a message that all the words that magazine covers have today just weren't necessary. The picture communicated more of a general mood, rather than the actual articles in the magazine.This kind of cover remained successful among different magazine companies.

Pictures Married to Type

In this kind of magazine cover, text and headlines become more popular. The big thing about this type of cover is making the text and the picture on the cover work together in a symbiotic relationship. How do you make the text compliment the picture and the picture compliment the text? It has to do with depth and how you layer the text and pictures. Cover lines were once made to be very quiet and they didn't want them to stand out much, but they grew more daring with cover lines over time.

In the Forest of Words

Magazines started out very simple and quiet with just a title and some text. The attention of magazine covers then shifted towards pictures and there was very little text that went alongside these magnificent photos. As text increased and more focus was put on headlines, the text got bigger and got more focus. It happened more recent, but a lot of magazine covers now have very large headlines overlaying the picture, which is surprising since the picture used to be the most important thing.

My Favorite Cover

The New York Times Magazine, September 14, 2014, The Culture Issue

Photographer: Victoria Diehl
Designer: Raul Aguilla
"For the cover of the magazine’s annual Culture issue, the artist Victoria Diehl rendered Lena Dunham in the style of an ancient Greek bust. This juxtaposition of the modern and the classical highlights the issue’s underlying theme: the waning of the patriarchy in art and culture, and the rise of other kinds of voices. Modern typography inspired by old-style calligraphic letterforms completes the design."

I chose this cover as my favorite because, unlike the other covers, it does not consist of a man holding  a football or just a person smiling. This actually involves a lot of creativity and it's different. I really like that the New York Times Magazine chose this to represent their culture issue, since art and sculpture have a lot of culture. According to the description of the cover, the theme is the rise of women in art and culture and of course this is always a big topic in the world today. Putting Dunham's head on this old statue really sends that message because chances are that the sculpture originally was of a man's head.

Best Covers

1. The Advocate: Formal
2. Wired: Informal
3. OUT: Informal
4. Harper's Bazaar: Informal
5. ESPN: Informal
6. New York: Formal
7. The Atlantic: Informal
8. Bloomberg Businessweek: Environmental
9. FamilyFun: Environmental
10. The New York Times Magazine: Environmental
11. Harper's Bazaar: Formal
12. Vanity Fair: Formal
13. Variety: Formal
14. New York: Informal
15. Men's Health: Informal
16. Bloomberg Businessweek: Formal
17. Golf Digest: Environmental
18. Kinfolk: Environmental

Magazine Tips

• Pick a color/design that pops out to the viewer.
• Reach out to people's emotions.
• Make something unique about your magazine and keep doing that to make your magazine recognizable. 
• Include enough information, deals, and other things to make the magazine worth the money.
• Make it clean and simple.

Purple, Cold, Electric

cold

 electric

 purple

American Soldier

A. I believe the most powerful image from the slideshow is the three guys sitting on the bed with their arms around each other. They look like they are emotional and if I was to take away a potential situation from just looking at the photo, I would guess that they don't want to lose loved ones in the war.
B.

• At home: photo #1-3
• Basic training: #4-19
• Iraq: #20-27

C. The most powerful set of images is the basic training set in my opinion because everyone looks so innocent and they are being thrown into this completely different world of war.
D. The images all work together to form a story because it shows every part of what he went through, including how he got from one place/point in the story to the others.
E. In most of the sentences where Ian is the main subject, they are written in past tense.
F. The captions really enhance the images because although the images are impressive, a caption always helps in really getting the story/point across. If you know what's happening in the pictures, then you get more out of looking at it.

Self Portrait and Portraits pt. 1

Tips

• Play with Eye Contact
• Take Unfocused Shots
• The settings in which you make pictures of people are important because they add to the viewer's understanding of your subject.

Environmental Portraits

I chose both of these environmental portraits because they both show a lot of emotion and their environment really gives the setting. The man sitting on the couch alone in front of a painting of who you would assume to be him and his wife, who probably passed away. The man in the other picture is in his place of living and it looks very dirty and he looks very unhappy.

Self Portrait

I think both of these self portraits are very cool. Portraits are actually my favorite kind of photo to take, so usually when I see others that are cool I just automatically like something about them. Maybe because they're black and white or the fact that neither of them are dolled up or anything, it's like a very raw state.

Casual Portrait

I chose these photos because they weren't as weird as all of the other ones on the google search. There weren't any interesting casual portraits. Also, both of these people are famous from acting.

Portrait Assignment Plan

For my assignment I plan on using my girlfriend as my subject because she who I shoot mostly, and I plan on shooting her in a setting with a lot of feeling/expression of who she is. So maybe like her in her room with all her posters around her, or a bunch of clothes on the ground because she is messy and she loves different kinds of fashion. To make sure I get a quality photo I will adjust the ISO according to how much light there is in the room and I will make sure every photo is properly focused. Since she won't be moving at all, I think those settings are more important than shutter speed.

Love and Loss Warm Up

1. As I worked through these photos I felt my sadness increasing throughout. Seeing their happiness wither away because of the cancer is very depressing.
2. This quote in my opinion means that these photos are so up close and personal that it really shows them and who they are. It's not just a portrayal, it's like a live stream of all that they're feeling.
3. If I were in this situation, I don't believe I could take such private photos like this to share with people. More importantly, I think I would be so saddened by the situation that I wouldn't have any inspiration to take photos.
4. If I could write a letter to Angelo, I would commend him on his beautiful photos and his strength in difficult times. I would also send my apologies about the tragedy he has had to face.

Rules of Photography Part II

Theme: Flowers

Mergers

Cropping

 Leading Lines

 Balancing Elements

Framing

Symmetry and Patterns

Background

 Viewpoint

 Rule Of Thirds

 Depth

Africa and Abandoned Theme Parks

Africa

1. After reading this article, I have a lot of respect for Nick Brandt. He seems to really believe in the topics he speaks about and that he really cares for the animals that are being killed and he wants to do something about it. I really like the way he talks about why he doesn't take the photos from afar with a lens with a very long zoom; he says he wants to capture their soul and that is very cool in my opinion. Also the fact that he would wait 18 days for a good picture is respectable and I think he deserves a lot of credit for such a cool photo that he really worked for.
2.

3. This photo displays an interaction between a family (I'm assuming) of baboons that you really can't pose or make up. I just think it's quite priceless and I like it because it's simply attractive to the eye, the light coming in is really cool, and I also like the baby baboon and the emotion he creates.

4. I think balance is evident in this photo because neither of the subject outweigh the other and I also think simplicity plays a big part in this photo. Although there are trees in the background, they are blurred out and only add good things to the photo.

5. 

6. Brandt takes these photos because he has fallen in love with the animals and the landscape of Africa and if I were to guess, he would still do it even if he didn't get paid for these photos.

7. His hope in taking these kinds of photos is that he can really capture his love and feelings for the animals in a way that other photographers can't.

8. "I want my images to achieve two things in this regard-- to be an elegy to a world that is tragically vanishing, to make people see what beauty is disappearing. Also, to try and show that animals are sentient creatures equally as worthy of life as humans." -Nick Brandt

Abandoned Theme Parks

1. If I were to go to any of the abandoned theme parks from the two articles, I would choose Takakanonuma Greenland, Hobara, Japan. It looks very hazy and like there is a thick fog surrounding all the rides. It looks like it's colder and cloudy. You can almost tell it's a place outside of the U.S. I feel like I could take some very cool photos of all the greenery surrounded by the thick fog.

2.

3. Other places that would be cool for photographers to shoot in my opinion could be abandoned swimming pools, abandoned skate parks, abandoned apartment buildings/condos, malls at night when everything is closed and dark, cool parks at night, etc.

4. 

5. Abandoned swimming pools such as this one remind me of old call of duty maps I used to play on and they've always just struck my fancy and I think they're super cool. I would like to find a cool one someday. I think they are cooler when they're indoor and/or graffitied like this one. 

6. It's kind of hard to tell what it would take to get shots of any of these places I listed; it could be up to luck, such as finding one nearby and being able to take photos of it without even having to travel out of Austin. But if I was to find one of the cool abandoned swimming pools like the one above in the middle-East I would of course have to get airline tickets and such. Same circumstances for if I was going to a really cool abandoned theme park in Japan/South Korea.

Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO

Aperture

1. We can closely relate aperture to the human eye.

2. The smaller the aperture number, the higher the aperture size.

3. Aperture affects the depth of field in a shot because it controls what the picture is focused on. 

Shutter Speed

Low Shutter Speed

 High Shutter Speed

with good light:

a) high shutter speed

b) medium shutter speed

c) low shutter speed

d) high shutter speed

e) medium shutter speed

f) medium shutter speed

with low light:

a) low shutter speed

b) low shutter speed

c) low shutter speed

d) low shutter speed

e) low shutter speed

f) low shutter speed

• You can shoot in aperture priority mode and the camera automatically sets the shutter speed. You can set the camera to shutter priority mode and you choose the shutter speed, but the camera will set the aperture for you. If you choose manual mode, you choose the aperture and the shutter speed.

ISO

1. Advantages of shooting at a higher ISO when shooting at a basketball game or a night football game is that in these situations, there isn't very much light available and you don't want the pictures to show up dark. A higher ISO will make the picture lighter.

2. The author suggests to try and use lower ISOs whenever possible. He says that whenever you do, give your camera enough time to take the picture and that moving subjects will end up looking like ghosts.

3. The author suggests using higher ISOs whenever the picture does not have enough light. Also he suggests using a higher one whenever you're capturing an ultra-fast subject.

DSLR Camera

1. On this camera, apertures f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, and f/22 are available.

2. On this camera, the shutter speeds 1 sec, 1/60 sec, and 1/4000 sec are available. 

3. On this camera, the ISO settings available are 100. 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800, and 25600. 

Funny Captions

 

A couple from Dripping Springs want to grill some squirrel for supper, so they use what they have. They had never been able to afford a grill, but this was a fine idea to them.

 Beatrice celebrates her 100th birthday with a cake. She smoked cigarettes her whole life and she doesn't slow down for anyone.

Bill, Richard, and Roger play some poker while their wives are at church. They played all the time back in the day before they got married.

Mural Project

1. If we were to portray a theme in panels around the school, I think it would be cool to do a theme that isn't basic or relating to academics or the normal boring high school topics that won't ever matter in the rest of everyone's lives. I think the theme should be related to heartbreak or anxiety or the feeling you get when you bomb a test or when someone makes your high school experience horrible.
2. I think we should open up the project to any type of camera. I think people should be able to use their phone camera, their own personal camera, or a camera belonging to this class. Anyone should be allowed to share their take on the topic.
3. I think a good place to put this mural on campus would be up on the wall for everyone to see outside of this classroom, or in one of the display cases we have scattered around the academic building. Or we could put it in the fine arts building on a free wall. 

Great Black and White Photographers pt. 3

Great Black and White Photographers pt. 3

1. When first looking at Lisette Model's photos, I thought there was a lot of feeling and story without any words and that caught my eye. They are also the kind of photo I really like because I like focus on the subject.

2. Picture one: I see an upset child who is wondering why their emotion is worthy of being captured. The child looks like they are caught off guard and they don't know how to react. I smell tears and saliva. I smell trees and grass and the outdoors in the evening. I hear heavy breathing from the child who is calming down. I hear cicadas and crickets. I taste my own mouth watering instinctively and the moisture in the air. I feel the emotion in the child's eyes. I feel for the loss of innocence this child will experience soon enough.

Picture two: I see two people having a celebratory kiss. The woman's eyebrows and cheeks are raised and the man's are as well. I smell wine, champagne, and perfume. I smell the odors of people. I hear conversation, music, and the noise of glasses hitting the table. I taste my drink and the smell of the room around me. I taste what my nose smells. I feel happy for the lovers, but jealous. I am sad that I can't join them in their happiness and love.

3. In order to share this photographer with the world and the rest of my class, I would either make a presentation on a computer program such as PowerPoint, or I would make a poster. I would include all of her pictures that I found appealing and I would give the date it was taken, its title if it has one, and I would give information on the photographer herself. I might also include feelings the photo portrays, such as the ones in question #2.

Academic Shoot reflection and critique

1. The biggest challenge I encountered while following the rules set out for us was entering the classroom itself; it's a bit embarrassing for some reason and it made me nervous. Luckily the art class drawing hallways made that part easier.

2. I think the aspects I was focused on the most were rule of thirds, avoiding mergers, simplicity, etc. I just wanted to make the photo look the best it possibly could.

3. If I could do the assignment again, I would most likely search for a more powerful photo.

4. I would have the same focus on rule of thirds that I did the first time.

5. When I go out with my next set of prompts, I think the easiest rule to achieve will be rule of thirds

6. I think the hardest rule to capture will be simplicity and balance.

7. I'm not completely clear on balance. I should probably go back and look it over.

http://ivyphotojblog.blogspot.com

Good: The subject is focused while the background is out of focus and it looks good. Also, they used rules of photography well.

Could improve: The quality in the third photo is a little blurry. Not bad though.

Academic Shoot

Academic Shoot

 1. Rule of Thirds

2. The subject of the photo is the guy focusing on his drawing.

3. The subject is clear to the viewer.

 1. Rule of Thirds/Lines

2. The subjects of this photo are the 2 girls.

3. The subject is clear to the viewer.

1. Rule of Thirds

2. The subject of the photo is the guy making a straight line with his ruler.

3. The subject is clear to the viewer.

Christian Ruhm

Part One

1. Christian's work is interesting and effects such as the ones he uses are impressive, but I personally am not very visually pleased by the work on this page. In other words, I wouldn't share it or go back to it because it doesn't interest me enough.

2. I am guessing he took the original photo just like any other photo, and then he used a program to add this effect. Or maybe these were the original photo; he just used a mode on the camera and took different angles, making the final product.

3. Another building I have come across that I think would work good with this collection of photos is the Frost Bank. I'm not sure of the difficulty of getting the photo, since it is such a tall building and I don't think there's any lookouts or anything that could help in getting a good angle.

Part Two

1.

• The most recognized painting in the world has a lot to teach photographers, mainly connection with your subject. As has been said before, that smile says a lot about the connection between the painter and the subject. That is what every photographer should be looking for when they take a portrait and one of the reasons why this is such a memorable image.
• Most photographers look for that moment, that bigger than life explosion of happening that hooks people in. Nighthawks is a soft hook. This is a photo that grabs your attention because it is so quiet. Photographers also have to be on the lookout for these quiet moments as well.
• Norman Rockwell was very good at creating a memory in our heads the instant we see one of his paintings. There are some books that have less story than this image. Do that with a photograph and you will have succeeded.

2. Favorite: Nighthawks by Edward Hopper

3. Photo: 

4. This photographer followed the suggestions because very few things are happening in this picture, but its soft hook makes you wonder what is really happening.

5. I think I would be most influenced by the Mona Lisa painting; the suggestion on subject connection. I really like how much you can tell, or assume, from the subject's facial expression or the way their eyes are looking at you. You can almost tell their feelings for the photographer.

Academic Shoot Preview

Academic Shoot Preview

Action and Emotion

This photo is special because of the subjects' reaction to the bubbles. They look amazed and excited and the picture is pretty cool because it captures that, as well as the experiment that they are reacting to. 

Filling The Frame

This photo is filled with the most interesting stuff in my opinion because it's dark, yet keeps its quality and the picture has light where it needs to be. I also think the experiment they're performing with their welding helmets on looks almost magical; sort of space-like.

 The Story

I think this photo told the most story out of any of the others because you can see how young the kids are and how thrilled the homeless individuals are. The expressions and the physical behavior in the photo really communicate a story. 

Jostens 2012 Contest

My favorite photo from the Academics & Community Service section of the contest is "Political Secrets" taken by Allison Fahrni. In the photo a woman is whispering into a man's ear and there is an out of focus American flag in the background, which I really like because of the title. The photo really has a "political secrets" theme to it and I really like the way the photographer focused this photo. The rule of photography, rule of thirds, is executed well in this photo.

Planning for Academic Shoot

1. I think I could take photos like the ones I viewed today anywhere in the Bowie community, classrooms, or events.

2. I would like to visit any of my favorite teachers' classrooms over my years at Bowie. Most people would think going to an English class isn't a good choice because there isn't much action or experiments, but I think there may be a lot of interesting behavior to shoot in class discussions and diving into literature. Or I could visit an art classroom and shoot some kids working on artwork.

3. As the photographer, I will utilize the zoom feature and I will change angles and I will get the best shot on things. I will capture the story and the emotion.

Ethical Vs. Unethical Manipulations

Ethical Vs. Unethical Manipulations

 I would say this manipulation of OJ Simpson is the most unethical. They made his skin and eyes darker to make him seem more like a criminal that needed to be locked up forever and no matter what he did, I think it is unethical to change his appearance to make people have an even worse impression of him. Not to mention making his skin darker in order to make him scarier could be seen as slightly racist...

I would say that this photo it speaks of in the article where all that is manipulated is that shot of a tiny portion of somebody's legs is the least unethical. The photographer had no need for that part of the photo and it is so small that you can't tell who the person is, so it's not offensive that the person is being removed or anything of that nature. The fact that you would lose your job for removing that small unimportant part of the photo seems a bit crazy to me; I don't see that manipulation as unethical.