Final Exam

4) My transformative photo is this photo because after experimenting with different angles and ways to take a picture of this flower, I finally found a way to get a good angle to the flower.  This picture changed my view of photography because I did not know that I was capable of taking such a picture.  I now know how to take pictures that emphasis on shape.

5) Shape is any kind of closed shape.  It usually shows a 2D view. Form is when the shape takes a 3D view. Form is created by shadows and highlights on an object.

6) Pattern refers to the combination of elements or shapes repeated in a recurring and regular arrangement.  This picture shows a pattern because the diamond shape is recurring, and it is in a certain kind of arrangement. On the other hand, repetition refers to an object or shape that is repeated. This picture shows repetition because the bricks on the ground is repeated all the way till it ends at the concrete sidewalk.

7) My weebly and About page of the photographer that inspires me

8) My last three projects: Commercial Photo shoot Spring Expo Photography Final Project

My best project is the final project because not only do I like all of my photos, but it also shows my rules of composition. This project has actually made me appreciate and enjoy nature more.  When I was taking pictures on the trail behind my house, I noticed many beautiful things about nature.  Also, it changed me as a photographer because I learned that to take pictures of living animals, I must be quick and quiet, or else I would scare it away.  Although taking the pictures was somewhat tiresome, for I walked at least 3 miles that day, I finally experienced what it is like to be a nature photographer.  After this project, I now feel more inspired to do nature photography in my free time.

Final Project

My three rules of composition: avoid the middle, fill the frame, and rule of thirds

Student Website Reviews

Period 1: I reviewed Vina Kong's weebly, and I think her best photo is the fourth photo with her dog's head resting against a red blanket.  This photo has really good lighting, and the rule of thirds is used really well.
Period 2: I reviewed Ryen Teo's weebly, and I think his best photo is fourth photo with his dog Juno sitting because the sun shining behind the dog looks really nice, and the rule of thirds is also used really well.
Period 4: I reviewed Tulika Mohanti's weebly, and I think her best photo is her first photo of Neha Saxena because the black and white effect looks really good in the photo.  The lighting and shadows also add a really nice effect to Neha, making her look like a real model.

Final Project Shotlist

I will be doing nature photography on the trail behind my house.  My inspiration for this project is from these three photographers: Patrick Zephyr John Shaw Kah Kit Yoong
1) take pictures of the road and trees beside it, use natural lighting in morning
2) hopefully get a chance to take pictures of wildlife (deer, birds..etc), use natural lighting in morning
3) both the scenery and wildlife, use natural lighting in morning
4) take pictures of insects on flowers/plants, natural lighting in morning/noon
5) take picture of the shocking difference between nature and human civilization, natural lighting afternoon/sunset

Spring Expo Presentation Project

My Weebly

presentation project where, when, and how

I am working alone for this project.  My inspiration is from the Sunset magazine.
1) take a picture of flower in a vase in my home. use natural lighting from the window that faces east during the afternoon at around 4. use aperture of about 5.6
2) in my backyard, flower bushes. use natural lighting, take at around 4 in the afternoon. backyard is on east side of the house. use lower aperture to make depth of field more clear
3) near white overhang in the community rest spot. use natural lighting at four in the afternoon. use a lower aperture to make depth of field shallower
4) take pics of flowers along the trail behind my house. use natural lighting at around 4 in the afternoon. use aperture of about 5
5) take pics of the purple flowers in front of the e-wing. use natural lighting in the morning. use lower number aperture to make depth of field deeper

Commercial Shoot

Our group was inspired by Outback Steakhouse's steak photos.

PC: Connie

PC: Carlye

PC: Connie

PC: Pavi

PC: Gracie

Photo Shoot on Tuesday

Original picture

After Camera Raw

Camera Raw edits

5 about pages of photographers

Jasmine Star's blog
Ken Kato's blog
Person and Killian's blog
Misti Layne's blog
Ashley Maxwell's blog

Best picture

Photo Story MCW

The hectic crowd of Multicultural week

The long line to buy tickets.

A booth waiting for students to buy their caramel apple flavored lollipop.

Pho and In-n-Out milkshake

The delicious noodles of pho

Story with a photo - Winter Break

Winter break has finally arrived.  To celebrate the beginning of the break, my friends and I went to Fremont's Pacific Commons to watch a movie and eat lunch.  We were wishy-washy with our decision: to either eat at Blaze Pizza or to eat at The Habit.  After much consideration, we decided to eat at Blaze Pizza.  Here, my friend Iris is gazing at the pepperoni and meatball pizza with heart eyes.  She was excited to eat the hot pizza.

MSJMCW Story

Multicultural week is a week of celebration of cultures all over the world.  Every day when lunch bell rings, students eagerly rush to the horseshoe to buy delicious foods the school clubs sell. Food ranges from cake to burgers to Chinese food, food to satisfy anyone's craving. Unlike the regular lunch time, lunch time during multicultural week is a little more than an hour longer.  Students that can't drive yet, like freshmen and sophomores, spend their time walking around the horseshoe buying food.  However, students that could drive, like some juniors and seniors, drive to restaurants to buy food.  Students are encouraged to dress up according to the color that represents the country. (Asia=red, Africa=green...etc.) At the end of the week on Friday, class time is cut down even more than usual because L2 sets up an assembly to honor all of the cultures around the world.  Streamers and balloons are placed everywhere around the gym, and students perform dances to honor the culture.  To many Mission students, multicultural week is a week to cherish because the stress level decreases due to the festive atmosphere.  Multicultural week is a week to cherish.

Shutter Speed and Everything Else

I worked with Katherine Lin.
Lens Photo Blog

1. Fast or slow - why?

This picture shows a fast shutter speed because the truck on the right is frozen in motion.  

2. One rule of composition per person

This picture uses leading lines.  The lines on the ground and the the railway all go the same direction. 

3. Element of Art - list one with an explanation

An element of art shown in this photo is lines.  You can clearly see the lines on the highway and the railings, and they all go in the same direction.

4. Principle of Design - list one with an explanation

This picture shows movement because the lines on the ground and the railings lead our eyes to the truck in distance.  Then, the green truck in the distance leads us to see the blown truck and the other blue and red truck.

The shutter speed was probably 1/500.

Principles of Design - Unity

I cropped the photo.

Lens blog Variety

We chose this photo because it is a very good example of variety.  Below the person's feet, there is a pole.  Our eyes follow the pole to the three pots of goat barbecue, and the steam from the barbecue leads to the man.  This movement of our eyes show the principle movement.  Not only does it show movement, but it also shows rhythm.  There is an organized movement in the picture.

Principles of Design - Rhythm

Temperature: +3

Tint: -3

Contrast: +3

Highlights: -100

Shadows: +64

Whites: +29

Blacks: +23

Vibrance: +3

Saturation: +3

This picture shows rhythm because the picture shows a sense of harmony.  The posters are align together, creating a sense of  balance.  

Principles of Design - Variety

Temperature: +5

Tint: +4

Exposure: -0.15

Contrast: +15

Highlights: -43

Shadows: +27

Whites: -12

Blacks: +1

Clarity: +17

Vibrance: +29

Saturation: +14

This picture shows variety because there are multiple principle of design shown.  Movement is shown from the palm trees in the distance to the telephone lines to the car coming down into the horseshoe to the parked cars and to the sidewalk.  The yellow bumpy square on the ground shows emphasis because the colors stand out.

Gordon Parks Part 3 and 4

1. What is your definition of successful?         

My definition of successful is to accomplish the things I want to do.  

1. What have you given up to become successful?

I have given up my own personal time to do things I want to do.  I also gave up my family time to work on my school work.

1. What did Parks give up to become successful?

He gave up a stable family life to become successful.

1. Who was Genevieve Young's father?

He was a rich business man.

1. How much was Parks advanced to write his first book (and eventual best-selling autobiography)?

Parks was advanced about $10,000 for the first seven or so pages.

1. How much money did Elijah Muhammad offer Parks to do a story on The Nation of Islam?

He was offered at least $50,000.

1. Why did Parks refuse the money?

Parks refused the money because he could not bring himself to represent a religion he didn't believe in.

1. What was significant about the movie The Learning Tree?

The Learning Tree was the first Hollywood movie to be directed by an African American.

1. What was significant about the character Shaft?

Shaft was a role model to many African American children.  He was shown as a superhero.

1. What was Gordon Parks' choice of weapons?

Gordon Park's choice of weapons was a roll of film and a camera.

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

She said that she was worn out for taking care of Parks's turmoil.  Gordon was also away from home a lot.  This relationship caused her career to set back.

1. In 1984, Parks directed Solomon Northrup's Odyssey. What recent feature film told the same story?

12 Years a Slave

1. Who was Gordon Parks, jr?

Gordon Parks Jr. was Gordon Park's son.  He died in a plane crash.

1. What is your favorite Gordon Parks photo?

My favorite Gordon Parks photo is the American Gothic photo.

1. What will you remember about Gordon Parks in ten years?

In ten years, I will remember that Gordon Parks took the famous American Gothic photo.

Principle of Design: Proportion

Temperature: -0.15

Contrast: +19

Highlights: -100

Shadows: +13

Whites: -28

Blacks: +38

Clarity: +16

The trash cans are in proportion to each other.  They are about the same size.

Principle of Design: Repetition

Tint: +10

Exposure: -0.40

Contrast: +20

Highlights: -15

Shadows: +84

Whites: -100

Blacks: -44

Clarity: +17

This picture shows repetition because the rectangle shapes repeat on the ground.  

Principle of Design: Pattern

Tint: -14

Contrast: +15

Shadows: +1

Whites: -3

Blacks: +2

Clarity: +13

This picture shows pattern because there is a pattern of diamonds. 

Principle of Design - Movement

Tint: -16

Exposure: -0.45

Contrast: +41

Highlights: -67

Shadows: -22

Whites: -34

Clarity: +33

This picture shows movement because the leaves all lead downwards.  The veins on the picture lead the viewer's eyes downward.

Principle of Design - Emphasis

Temperature: +8

Contrast: +28

Highlights: -41

Blacks: +3

Clarity: +13

Vibrance: +9

This pictures shows emphasis because the bright color of the shoes stand out from the color of the dirt. 

Principle of Design: Balance

Exposure: -0.70

Contrast: +16

Highlights: -65

Shadows: +30

Whites: 0

Blacks: -12

Clarity: +6

This picture shows balance because it looks symmetrical.  Everything is symmetrical according to the beam in the middle, so it shows a sense of balance.

Elements of Art - Texture

Exposure: -0.10

Contrast: +29

Highlights: -35

Shadows: 0

Whites: +25

Blacks: 0

Clarity: +14

Vibrance: +27

Saturation: +7

Elements of Art - Color

Temperature: 0

Tint: 0

Exposure: -0.30

Contrast: +18

Highlights: -67

Shadows: -12

Whites: -12

Blacks: -15

Clarity: +3

Vibrance: +11

Saturation: -4

Elements of Art - Space

Tint: +2

Exposure: -0.25

Highlights: -100

Shadows: -42

Whites: -23

Blacks: +39

Clarity: +18

Elements of Art - Form

Temperature: +16

Tint: +16

Exposure: -0.10

Contrast: 0

Highlights: -94

Shadows: -13

Whites: 0

Blacks: 0

Clarity: +17

Vibrance: +8

Saturation: 0

Half Past Autumn - Gordon Parks Part 1 & 2

PART 1

1. On the day Gordon Parks was born, how did the doctor save Gordon's life?

Gordon Parks was saved by being dumped into a bucket of ice water.

2. Where was Gordon born? (what state?)

He was born in Kansas.

3. What did Gordon's college adviser, Ms. McClintock tell him about college?

Ms. Mclintock said that African Americans were not college material.

4. How old was Gordon when his mother died?

He was 15 when his mother died.

5. Where did Gordon move after his mother died?

Gordon moved to St. Paul, Minnesota.

6. Did Gordon graduate from college?

Yes; Gordon graduated from college at Princeton. 

7. How did Gordon begin his fashion photography career?

Gordon asked models if he could take pictures of them.

8. What is a "double exposure?"

Double exposure is the repeated exposure of a photographic plate or film to light, often 

producing ghost images.

9. Who was boxer Joe Louis?

Joe Louis was one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time.  His wife encouraged Parks to move to Chicago and shoot there.

10. What instrument did Gordon play?

Gordon played the piano.

11. What was the purpose of the Farm Security Administration?

The purpose was to show America the conditions of the Great Depression.

12. When Roy Stryker hired Gordon for the FSA, what was Stryker's first assignment for 

Gordon in Washington, D.C.?

He had to go to a store to buy a suit, eat at a nearby restaurant, and go to a movie theater.

13. Who was Ella Watson?
Ella Watson was the woman standing in front of the American flag holding a broom and a 

mop.

14. What was the inspiration for Grant Wood's American Gothic?

The inspiration came from the feelings of racial segregation and discrimination he saw throughout his life. 

15. What did Gordon learn from Stryker about photography?

Gordon learned that the camera can be a weapon to combat injustices in the civil rights system. He also learned how much emotion a photograph is capable of capturing.

PART 2

16. When did the FSA shut down?

The FSA shut down in 1943.

17. After Gordon moved to New York, which magazine did he shoot for?

He shot for Vogue.

18. Who was the picture editor of Life Magazine when Gordon walked into the Life Magazine office?

Wilson Hicks

19. What was the first major story Parks covered for Life Magazine? 

Parks' first major story was about crime about a Harlem Gang Leader, Red Jackson.

20. Who were some of the artists that Gordon Parks mentioned influenced his work after he moved to the Paris Life Magazine bureau? 

Degas, Picasso, Van Gogh, Chagall

21. How did Parks shoot fashion when he lived in France?

He would let the model move, and he will move with the model at a slow speed.  He also took chances.

22.Where was Parks' concerto performed?

Venice

23. Who was Parks' second wife? (Who was her father? What did she do?)

Park's second wife was Elizabeth Campbell.  Her father worked for Ebony magazine, and she was a model/pursuing a model career.

24. How old was Flavio de Silva when Parks met him?

12

25. When did Parks meet Flavio?

 early 1960s in Rio de Janiero. 

26. Where did Flavio live when Parks first met Flavio and his family?

Flavio lived in a shack.

27. How is Gloria Vanderbilt? Who is her famous son? Who are her ancestors?

Gloria Vanderbilt is doing well.  Her famous son is Anderson Cooper. Her ancestors are from New York, and they were one of the richest families in New York.

28. How did Vanderbilt describe their relationship?

Vanderbilt described their relationship as a spiritual connection.

Elements of Art - Shapes

Temperature: +8

Tint: -8

Exposure: +0.25

Contrast: +15

Highlights: -16

Shadows: 0

Whites: -19

Blacks: 0

Clarity: 0

Vibrance: +21

Saturation: 0

Elements of Art - Lines

temperature: 0

tint: 0

exposure: 0

contrast: +53

highlights: -25

shadows: +22

whites: -34

blacks: 0

vibrance: +23

Favorite photo - Look From Behind, with Feeling

My group and I chose this photo from today's LENS's slideshow because:
1) The picture uses the rule of thirds.  The man in the photo isn't in the middle.
2) The picture also uses diagonals.  The tightrope and boxes on the left are diagonals, and these diagonals draw my eyes through the photo.
3) This picture uses the depth of field. The photo goes from a close up image of the man and the circus, and the diagonals lead our eyes to the far distance on the right side of the photo.

This photo is my favorite photo because not only does it use these rules of composition, but it also uses other geometric shapes.  There are also many colors that are appealing to the eye; none of the colors are too bright or too dark.

Top 5 Photos - Empowering the Poor

1. Chained Mali
2. electroencephalogram
3. Bhabi carrying water
4. Net in water
5. Nurjahan Khala

Multimedia Festival Poster #2

1. This poster is good because we used our own photos to display our talent. This poster is directly to the point and is easy for readers to read. They can understand the information quickly without having to search the poster. For example, we wrote the main information in big font..."When, Tickets, Where". Also, our filmstrip font fits the theme.

2. This poster is MUCH better than our last one. Firstly, we used color. Our last poster was very boring as it was all black and white. This poster is also better because we used layers, unlike our last photo. We had a lot of layers so we could edit them individually to our liking. We also used our own pictures and placed them on the photo using the smart object feature we learned with the tutorial. 

3. First, we thought of the color scheme we wanted to use. We did not want to leave the background just white. Then, we found a font we liked that fit our theme. Then, we went and took some photos for us to put on our poster to show photography. Once we got all our pictures and information we need to put, we began making individual layers while editing the photos in Camera Raw. We then continued to dabble around with our poster, editing it to our group's liking. 

Movie Monday - The Photo League

1. What was The Photo League's credo?

The Photo League's credo was that the camera has a potential to change the world; it's more than a device for taking pictures.

2. What organization did The Photo League separate from?

The Photo League separated from an organization called The Film and Photo League.  This organization mainly took pictures of class conflict and labor unrest.

3. What was the workshop?

The workshop was the organization's principal focus, and it was open to anyone with a working camera and a five dollar tuition.

4. Who taught "the workshop?"

Sid Grossman taught "the workshop."

5. If you were to devote one year of your life to one project, what project is worth your time and energy?

I would devote my time and energy to capture the moments of the world's unique cultures.  Then, I would publish them to let the world see each countries's special cultures. 

6. What was The Harlem Document?

The Harlem Document was a portrait of black, urban America and the people, culture, and lifestyles of Harlem during the 1930s.

7. Who started The Harlem Document?

Aaron Siskind started the Harlem Document. 

8. A photographer discusses a photograph where "the children looked like they came out of a __________ painting. Who was the painter? 

The painter was Caravaggio. 

9. Why did the photograph mentioned in #8 look like it was by the painter? 

Caravaggio's paintings were known for having intensely dark and somber backgrounds. He also extended the action of composition beyond the picture plane and into the viewer's space. Caravaggio was known for the intense detail in his paintings. 

10. Who was Lewis Hine? (name two significant contributions)

Lewis Hine was a photographer and a sociologist.  He took pictures of child labor, which helped change child labor laws.  He also took pictures of the drought relief in the American South.

11. Who was Weegee?

Weegee is a nickname for a man called Arthur Fellig.  He was known for his stark black and white street photography.  He took photos of mostly crime, murder, and death in New York City.

12. How did The League change when The Nazis took power?

Many talented refugees escaped Europe to avoid Nazi rule.  They began to take part in The Photo League, but they were seen as "alien," which caused problems.

13. How did The League change during WWII?

The Photo League began to move away from photographing impoverished neighborhoods in New York City and also from the realist side of documentary photography. It reduced the number of photographs that were taken of class and the daily struggles of workers. 

14. How did Siskind change after WWII?

He turned away from the social and political world after WWII.  Instead, he looked inward to seek meaning in the many insentient forms that he observed around him.

15. What was the Saturday Evening post?

The Saturday Evening post was a magazine that was first published twice per month.  In then started publishing weekly in 1897-1963, and then biweekly until 1969. 

16. Who was Barbara Morgan? What did she photograph?

Barbara Morgan was a photographer that mainly took pictures of modern dancers.  She was the co-founder of the photography magazine Aperture.

17. What eventually undermined the Photo League?

Many of the members of the Photo League were strong believers in progressive social and political causes. However, The FBI accused this of being communist and "subversive and anti-American". The Photo League was placed on the U.S. Department of Justice blacklist by Attorney General Tom C. Clark.

18. What was the "Growing Menace" mentioned in the film?

The "growing menace" refers to fascism in Europe and of Japanese imperialist conquest in Asia. 

19. Who agreed to serve as President when The League was under investigation?

W. Eugene Smith agreed to serve President when The League was under investigation.

20. What happened to the league?

In May 1949, FBI informer Angela Calomiris testified that the Photo League was an organization that supported the Communist Party. Recruitment slowed down and many old members left. The League disbanded in 1951.