PhotoClassVG

General comments: Some of you missed the point of this assignment which was to see if you can have a successful photo composition in which the focal point is in a corner of the photo or along an edge. Read the text I emailed you and also posted on this blog. Study the examples I posted. And then if you have a question, email me (vgaroza@unm.edu) or call me at 350-8322.

All of you need to spend more time in post-production, meaning spend more time in befunky.com. I shouldn't have to point out so many cropping improvements by now. Same with the exposure of some of your shots. You can't just take a quick shot and think that's it - it's done! You have to construct a photo to bring it up to snuff. Rarely do you take a photo and it's just great as is.

The next deadline, macro photography, is due this coming Sunday, April 5.

Don't forget: I cancelled the scavenger hunt assignment. If you have already done some, send me those pics for extra credit. And for Pete's sake, get busy with your photo essay!!!

Conner-------------------------------------

This is interesting. What do you see as the focal point? The light streak near the center or the black corner in the upper right?

I almost dismissed this one when I first looked at it, but then the dark left edge becomes important and draws your eye there.

Nice shot but it doesn't really meet the requirements. But wait... what were you trying to do? The light does pull your eye to the right side. Are you very clever or just lucky?

This is your best shot, and one of the best in the class. Very nice.

This one also meets the requirement for the assignment by placing the focal point, the feet, at the top edge.

Juan----------------------------------

This is your best one, closest to what I am looking for in this assignment. The focal point is in the upper left corner balanced by the long bright section coming in from the right.

I think you took the idea of "corner" too literally. It's a good photo but not quite right for this assignment.

Again... nice shoot, but you place the focal point just off-center instead of in a corner or edge.

Strange... this one just might work with the way you pull the eye up to the top edge with the red whatever the hell it is.

Another corner literally but...

Lizzy-------------------------------

Good placement of the pooch in the far right edge.

Same here.

Also good

This one is a stretch

Not as good as your first dog.

Maria--------------------------------

Okay... too bad you don't show more of the right side wall

This one does the trick

Not quite... ordinary shot.

Okay... that's and interesting... um... no se qué

Nice photo but it is centered.

I cropped this out of there but you guys probably hate it. I hate you too.

? interesting abstract shot

Very nice photo, sort of complies with the assignment with the help of a cheap lawyer.

I like the way you placed the focal point low down in the photo.

Marissa------------------------------------

That's a lot of hogs. Not bad... not great either.

I like this as a photo but how does it comply with the assignment?

I place this in the category of... it's in the corner, but so what?

It works much better in gray scale, dont'cha think?

Huh? You must have been hungry. Makes me hungry, but that's about it.

A necessary product these days, but so what? Try converting this to gray scale like the one I did above.

Savannah-----------------------------------

I like this photo but...

... cropping it like this better meets the requirements for this assignment by pulling the focal point to the right.

A decent shot on a lousy day for lighting, might work better in gray scale.

I know you love your sister, but... lose her.

This is a good one. Nice complexity in the... whatever the hell it is contrasted by the simple background. Try tweaking it a bit with more contrast.

Shania----------------------------------

How do you see this... what's your focal point? The flower a the top or the point where the two blocks come together?

Play with the exposure in this on3 to see if you can get some more contrast.

This pic doesn't meet the purpose of placing the focal point in a corner or along an edge.

Same here.

Here is your text for the macro assignment and also the example sheet. You can click on zany of the images on this page to get an enlarged version.

Macro: up close and personal

Macro photography involves getting very close to your subject, thus making it look larger than life size. Why would you want to do this? Several reasons…

1. In the course of our normal lives, we see generalities and not the details. Macro is photography’s equivalent of stopping to smell the flowers. There is a whole universe at the macro level to which we are normally oblivious.

2. Macro photography allows you to study objects in detail.

3. The composition in your photographs often improves when you are working in the macro mode because you fill the viewing area with large, dramatic shapes. In addition, your depth of field is very shallow so that background shapes are usually greatly blurred. Since the main object in your field of vision is in normally in sharp focus while the rest is blurred, it easy to establish a focal point for your photograph.

4. By coming up very close to objects, it is possible to edit them out of their usual context so that you may not know what you are looking at. Your imagination is engaged as you attempt to figure out the source of the photograph.

5. Availability of subject matter: it’s everywhere… in an office, classroom, home, outdoors, a microwave, under your car’s hood, etc., etc., etc.

I figured that this is a good assignment for this time of staying around the house. Take close-up photos of all kinds of things around the house from what might appear to be interesting to the mundane. You never know how something might look when blown up.

However: it is not enough to just shoot closeups and think that you’re done. The photos that you submit should be well-composed with good contrast, good use of the elements, and all the ingredients that we have been talking about. And CROP! And experiment with the exposure controls!

Due date: Next Sunday, April 5

You will need to crop and adjust the exposure on just about every photo that you take!!!

More examples:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------