Final Exam

This is my photograph that changed my view of photography. During this photoshoot, I discovered a highly effective way to take a seemingly candid portrait: make the subject laugh. My method of doing so has several layers - first telling a corny joke, knock knock and similar, then doing a little dance, and finally, if the first two were to no avail, getting someone else to laugh in hope that the subject would join in. As one may infer, I am super professional when completing photoshoots. 

Shape is a two dimensional aspect of art. In photography, shapes are flat, express length and width, and can be of any shape, either geometric or organic. This photo is an example of shape in photography. Form is a three dimensional aspect of art. In photography, form expresses length, width, and depth. It creates a more realistic dimension to an otherwise flat, two dimensional picture. Though the picture itself is two dimensional, it can often show a three dimensional image, with use of form. This photo is an example of form in photography. 

Pattern and repetition are similar, but rather different. Pattern is the repetition of an image or symbol through the work of art. This photograph shows the pattern seen in clothing, namely superhero leggings. Repetition is the resulting unity that occurs from pattern in a work of art. In this photograph, the repeating image is the blue Peeps bunnies. 

This is my Weebly "About" page. I was inspired by this about site.

My last three projects were "First Commercial Shoot", "Garden Photoshoot - MSJHS Expo", and "One Word Project". Of these three, our One Word Project was the best. Inspired by a similar project done at UOP, we asked our subject to come up with a word that describes themselves, and then we photographed them in a pose that embodied their word. This project really made the photographer understand the subject and his/her background before even taking the picture. Also, we treated this project in a more streamlined way, having already completed so many photography projects. We were able to efficiently collect all the words and quotes, take the photographs in a similar manner so that we would have 20 photographs in the set, and then edit the pictures so that the viewer would understand the word and meaning behind it. In this way, this project taught me how to act as a professional photographer - how to manage the subjects and create a portfolio. I learned to take note of the light in the photographs as well as effectively communicate with the subjects to let them know how the shot would be set up.

One Word Project

Student Website Reviews

First Period: Sharon Hsu
Her best picture is of a girl leaning against an open gate. She is looking is the distance, towards where the arches of greenery seem to converge into a singular point. It's an excellent demonstration of depth of field, as well as use of leading lines and contrasting colors.

Second Period: Ethan Hsu
His best photograph depicts a football player tossing a football through the goal post. This photo was part of his series documenting athletes, or at least models being athletic. It's a clean a crisp picture, and the use of space makes it easy to focus on the subject of the picture. The lighting is great.

Third Period: Jason Stiltz
His best picture is of an orange butterfly perched on a red hibiscus flower. The detail is impeccable. The green background outlines the crisp red line of the flower. The photograph shows great unity and excellent use of space. The simplicity of the photo allows viewing ease.

Garden Photoshoot - MSJHS Expo

Pinecones

Pinecone Hat

Garden God

Reaching out to Nature

Portrait of Kaitlyn in the garden

My website

First Commercial Shoot

Inspired by Chris Hunt Photography for Forever 21

Photographer: Cara Castillou

Photographer: Haroon Rasheed

Photographer: Kaitlyn Shih

Photographer: Kaitlyn Shih

Photographer: M.C. Mendonca

Dave Hill Inspired Photo

Original:

Edited in Camera Raw:

-Decreased vibrance
-Decreased exposure

Edited in Photoshop:

-duplicated the best part of the image to make the purpose of the image clear
-changed opacity of several

Best Picture

My Favorite Photographers
1. Yousuf Karsh
2. Dorothea Lange
3. Irving Penn
4. Stephen McCurry
5. David Maitland

MCW Photo Story

This incredibly blurry picture shows one of the main reasons I come home for lunch.

On Multicultural Week days when I come home, I have enough time to prepare my own lunch. I made pasta and it was great.

I then have time to sit down and relax on the couch for a while. If I were really prepared, I could have come home to take an hour long nap.

Then I go outside and I hang out with my dog for a while. She is fifteen years old, so I basically grew up with her.

Story with a photo - Har har har

"What do you call two banana peels?"

"Cara. Cara. nooo"

"A PAIR OF SLIPPERS! Do you get it? Do you get it Haroon Rasheed. I am a hilarious practical jokester."
And of course, Haroon is practically rolling around in laughter at the stupidity of my own joke and how proud I am in sharing it. This genuine laughter is what I capture.

This is my photography process. 

The name of this photography serves a dual purpose. His name is Haroon Adam Rasheed, the initials of which are H.A.R. And the more obvious reason is that "har har har" is onomatopoeia for laughter.

MSJMCW Story

Grateful to have a fourth period teacher who lets us out of class a couple minutes early, I am able to evade the herd of eager underclassmen, who trample to get food. As with most high school students, students of MSJHS leap fervently at the opportunity to obtain more food. This is why club meetings often offer food, to tempt the freshmen into joining. However, the hype of Multicultural Week is not based solely on the appeal to one's appetite. Because clubs no longer collect funds from their members, selling food at Multicultural Week is a key fundraiser for the clubs. For the larger clubs that have to travel for competitions or raise money for a product, like DECA and Yearbook, obtaining funds by participating in MC week is a necessity. The typical lunchtime is nearly doubled, and so the upperclassmen experience the luxury of traveling as far as Pacific Commons, or being able to sit down at a restaurant and enjoy a meal. This is rare, for one must usually eat in their car or in fifth period on a typical school day.

By far, the best part of MC week is the assembly. The best dancers in our school choreograph amazing routines, representative of cultures from around the world. Multicultural Week is the second best week of the school year, right after homecoming. It will be one of those genuine high school experience that I cherish.

Principles of Design - Unity

Original:

Edited:

-Cropped
-Decreased saturation
-Increased clarity

I chose this image because the symmetrical design promoted unity. Furthermore, I enjoy photographing everyday items, and this is the doormat I step on every time I leave my house.

Principles of Design - Rhythm

Original:

Edited:

-Increased highlights
-Added a slight pink tint

The repetitive pattern of the roots form the framework of the magnolia tree, the base, the most solid part of the tree. They are woven together, creating a sense of organized movement.

Principles of Design - Variety

Original:

Edited:

-Cropped
-Added a yellow filter
-Increased clarity

This image shows various principles of design, such as rhythm, proportion, repetition, and emphasis. It also exhibits my first rule of photography, depth of field.

Principles of Design - Proportion

Original:

Edited:

-Increased saturation
-Increased clarity
-Increased highlights

The gloves placed on the handles of the wheelbarrow give an approximate size of the wheelbarrow. The color contrast of red and green is striking enough to allow the eye to linger from one corner of the photograph to the other.

Principles of Design - Movement

Original:

Edited:

-Increased exposure
-Increased whiteness

Over spring break, I traveled to Catalina Island with my Girl Scout troop. We walked up many flights of stairs to see what the view would be like, and it was well worth it. The cruise ship in the top right is our boat.

Principles of Design - Emphasis

Original:

Edited:

-Cropped
-Increased exposure
-Increased highlights

This color in this picture is the main focus, or the emphasis. The lines of the fronds, the orange and violet colors of the bird of paradise, and the change in background texture draw the eye to the subject of the picture, the flower.

Principles of Design - Balance

Original:

Edited:

-Increased green saturation
-Increased clarity
-Increased highlights

This image shows a balance of grape vines on either side of the metal sun figure, as perfect as nature can create. The sunlight fell unevenly on the leaves, creating a dappled ombre effect.

Shutter Speed

1. The shutter speed of this picture is fast because the trucks in the image are crisp and clear. If the shutter speed was slow, The trucks would be blurred because they're moving.
2. One of my rules of composition is depth of field. This picture clearly exhibits that because you can see the road as it transverses through the field.
3. This picture demonstrates good use of line because the white road lines serve as guiding lines in the image, drawing the eye to the subject.
4. The picture most comprehensively shows movement. The road is typically the setting of many fast moving vehicles. So when a viewer sees a highway, they imagine the vehicles on the highway to be moving.

My partner is Clarissa Kung. She is great.

Tuesday with Farley's Kids

Shutter Speed: Slow 1/200

Lens Blog - Variety

We chose photo 6. The junkyard background shows variety. The jumbled cans and debris add to the apparent low socioeconomic situation of the subject of the photograph. The photograph effectively depicts the emotion of the scenario, in which the man from the Mississippi Delta doesn't have enough money for proper housing or a decent meal. He has to eat his goats instead. It is a good example because it is so busy, allowing the eye to roam freely to take in all the elements of the photograph.

Half Past Autumn Part 3 and 4

1. What is your definition of successful?

I believe success is measured not by fame or wealth, but by happiness. Joy is one of the greatest things life has to offer.

2. What have you given up to become successful?

I have taken few risks on my path to success. One is my time commitment.

3. What did Parks give up to become successful?
Parks gave up much of his family time with his wife and children.

4. Who was Genevieve Young's father?
Her step father was one of the founding father of the UN, Ambassador V.K. Wellington Koo.

5. How much was Parks advanced to write his first book (and eventual best-selling autobiography)?
Parks was advanced 10,000 dollars.

6. How much money did Elijah Muhammad offer Parks to do a story on The Nation of Islam?
5,000.

7. Why did Parks refuse the money?

He didn't have the same ideals Muhammad had.

8. What was significant about the movie The Learning Tree?
The Learning Tree was Parks' first film.

9. What was significant about the character Shaft?
Shaft was an African American hero. He was a figure that African Africans looked up to. He represented the dreams and hopes of the black people, and provided them with a role model to follow.

10. What was Gordon Parks' choice of weapons?

His choice of weapon was his camera. "I picked up a camera because it was my choice of weapons against what I hated most about the universe: racism, intolerance, poverty."

11. What reason did Genevieve Young give for the divorce?

She was worn out by Gordon Park's life. She wanted more freedom in her own career. She did not like Gordon's lack of organization. 

12. In 1984, Parks directed Solomon Northrup's Odyssey. What recent feature film told the same story?
Twelve Years a Slave told the same story.

13. Who was Gordon Parks, Jr?
Gordon Parks Jr was an American director, who is best known for his film Super Fly. He is the son of Gordon Parks. 

14. What is your favorite Gordon Parks photo?
My favorite Gordon Parks photo is the one with the maid with the broom and the mop in front of the American flag, American Gothic.

15. What will you remember about Gordon Parks in ten years?
In ten years, I'll remember that he was the black photographer who revolutionized photography and also was a film director and musician. 

Principles of Design - Repetition

Original:

Edited:

-Decreased exposure
-Increased saturation

This photograph shows repetition. Like many other manufactured products, each individual piece is not actually individual, but instead identical to its millions of twins. The repetition of this pattern creates unity within the photograph.

Principles of Design - Pattern

Original:

Edited:

-Increased vibrance
-Decreased exposure
-Decreased whiteness

This photograph shows variety. There is a variety of colors, shapes, and lines. All these factors roll together to create a interesting photograph. Pattern is a repeating object that is consistent throughout the photograph.

Elements of Art - Texture

Original:

Edited:

-Increased clarity
-Decreased shadow
-Increased exposure

This photograph shows texture. Plant life appears textured in images, due to the veins of the leaves, the natural change in depth of field of the leaves, and the contrast of sunlit leaves and the darkness of the plants below.

Elements of Art - Color and Chlorophyll

Original

Edited

-Cropped
-Decreased saturation of the plants
-Increased saturation of black

This photograph shows not only color, but great color contrast. The assignment was to capture green in the picture, so I shot the picture with red as well, to illustrate a greater color contrast.

Elements of Art - Space and Stems

Original

Edited

-Increased clarity

-Slight cropping

-Increased contrast

-Increased vibrance

I chose this picture because it shows use of space. Space in a picture brings attention to the subject of the picture, the sunlit branches of the tree.