Extra Credit

The man in the photo had been pushed into the tracks after trying to calm down a man who was harassing people. After falling in, the man struggled to get out and the photographer supposedly tried to pull him out. After failing, the photographer said he was trying to use his flash to signal the train to stop, thus capturing the pictures. I don't think the photographer should've taken the pictures, even if he was telling the truth about trying to signal the train. Even so, the pictures should not have been used in the magazine. It's a terrifying picture, and it probably made his family go through so much more pain. Photojournalism is about capturing life, but if you have the opportunity to save a life to save it. You should not stand idly by and snap pictures. A photographer involving themselves in a situation they photograph is ethical sometimes. For example, if they went on a volunteering trip somewhere and took some pictures of what they saw in their free time, that would be okay. But in the case of the man falling into the tracks, I don't think it was okay for the photographer to take pictures after trying to save his life and failing.

Review

Aperture controls how much light is allowed to enter the lens. The bigger the aperture, the more light in the picture. Shutter speed controls the length of time the shutter is open. If the shutter speed is fast, it will freeze action. If it is slow, actions will blur. ISO is the sensitivity your picture will have to light. If the ISO is big, it will be brighter  but there will be "noise" which makes your picture look grainy.

Photoshopping is acceptable when cropping images, changing the lighting, or adding some cool effects if need be. However, it is never acceptable to modify a person's body or add subjects to a picture. This is dishonest.

Environmental portraits are pictures of a subject in their environment, essentially. For example, an environmental portrait of a rock star would be them on stage during a concert. Self portraits are when the photographer is also the subject. The picture can be formal, casual, or environmental. The picture also does not have to be of the subject's face. A casual portrait is when the subject is not looking at the camera.

Exposure is the amount of light the picture has. Depth of field is how much of the picture is in focus. A shallow depth of field is when only a small part of the picture is in focus, and a deep depth of field is when the whole picture is in focus. Focal length is a measure of how much the system divides light.

Early magazine covers were very different than the ones today. They usually had just text on the front and maybe a small illustration, but that was it. A poster magazine cover has little to no text and is just a picture. Married to type covers have a picture, but there is text around the picture stating what is in the magazine. Forest of words is similar to married to type, but is much more extreme. The text is everywhere on the cover, and there is a picture but it's surrounded by text.

Rules of Photography

1. Rule of Thirds:
The rule that your subject shouldn't be in the center of the picture but instead a little to the side to give it more emotion.

2. Balancing Elements:
There should be balance in your picture, two objects should balance each other out and make the picture seem balanced.

3. Leading Lines:
The use of lines to lead your eye to the main subject.

4. Symmetry and Patterns
Patterns and symmetry are appealing and interesting to look at.

5. Viewpoint:
Changing the viewpoint can make for an interesting picture.

6. Background:
The background shouldn't be distracting from your subject.

7. Create Depth:
Interesting subjects at different distances.

8. Framing:
Using natural frames helps draw attention to your subject.

9. Cropping:
Blur out or cut out unnecessary elements to your picture.

10. Mergers and avoiding them:
Make sure two objects don't look like one in your picture. Always look before you shoot, and  try a different angle if a merger is found.

Captions

A woman, Sana Erian, holds a picture of her deceased husband, Ardith Erian, during
a memorial service. The service was to remember all
those who lost their lives during the war. 

A quiet neighborhood in Connecticut is covered with
snow. The schools were all canceled that day, along with
most jobs.

Magazine Covers

Portrait and Self-Portrait

Portrait

Self-portrait

Fashion Photography

First Video:

There were a lot of changes made to the model in this video. Besides all the makeup, a bunch of things were modified in photoshop. The neck was made longer, her face shape was rounded, and the eyes were made a lot larger and they were moved down some.

Second Video:

A lot more changes were made in this video in addition to the make up. The nose was made smaller, the pupils of the eyes were made smaller and the eyes were enlarged, the body was made more petite, the legs were made longer, the feet were made smaller, the calfs were toned more, the neck was made longer, and the whole body was made two shades lighter than before.

Third Video:

In this video, the woman's whole body shape is completely changed. She is made much more petite and slender, her face is modified so that the features are softer and smaller, her hair is given more volume and is made longer, basically everything about her is changed.


Questions:

I don't think modifying a person's looks is ethical at all. It gives society a warped vision of what men and women are supposed to look like and it isn't healthy at all. People look at the models in magazines and think, why don't I look like that? I can't think of a situation that would make this even more unethical, I think it's just wrong overall. It destroys self-esteem at a very young age and it's just wrong. Changes that are okay would be changing the hair a little bit or making the skin free of blemishes; all things that are possible in real life. It would be even better if they just used makeup instead of photoshop. In no way should they change a person's body shape or skin color.
In photojournalism, we change the lighting and make the colors more vibrant or darker. Sometimes we crop out things we don't need, but we don't modify the subject to look different. In fashion photography, it's completely normal to edit the subject. Photojournalism is pictures of real life, and the pictures taken in this category could change the practice of people. The pictures they see could influence them in some way, good or bad. In fashion photography, the pictures of models warp people's ideas of beauty and make them much more judgmental on themselves and others.

These three videos are to show us what really happens in fashion photography and to show us how messed up it is to change someone's appearance just so they can meet society's standards of beauty that were made by these companies. I was wondering where the men were, however. There are plenty of male models and they go through photoshop like women. Female models and male models that are photoshopped change how people think people should look and what they think beauty is. There should be videos that show how male models are photoshopped so we can see the drastic changes that are made to them as well.

Purple, Cold, Electric

Purple

Cold

Electric

Magazines Part II

Early Magazine Covers

  Early magazines used either a table of contents for the cover page or a small illustration for decoration. As time went on, magazine covers became more and more interesting; taking care to illustrate what the magazine was about rather than an irrelevant illustration.















The Poster Cover

In the early 1800's, more professional illustrations appeared. Soon, the more popular covers had little to no words: just illustrations. This applied to covers that had pictures, such as this one. Magazines tried to create a memorable cover without using words.












Pictures Married to Type

Soon, another type of magazine layout became popular. This layout included text around the main model talking about what was inside the magazine. Usually, the model was almost a full body shot with the text carefully laid out around her. This is still a very common layout today.










In the Forest of Words

Most recently, the Forest of Words layout has been introduced. It's where the cover lines are as important as the cover art, not bothering to leave room around the model.

Favorite Magazine Cover

The New York Times Magazine, May 19, The Secret Lives of Germs

Photographer: Hannah Whitaker
Designer: Arem Duplessis
"This cover story by Michael Pollen argues that while we have been obsessed with eradicating germs, there are health advantages to being exposed to them. The cover shot by Hannah Whitaker of a baby being licked by a dog makes graphic the prevalence of germs in our everyday lives.

-------

This magazine cover is very interesting to me. It appeals to me emotionally, mostly, because of the dog licking the baby. Then, I notice the word "Germs" and I understand what the picture is about. I want to read the magazine because it really caught my eye. The lighting is outdoor lighting, which really makes the picture seem natural. I also like the way they set up this picture, the way the dog has her arm around the baby. 

Best Magazine Covers 2013

1.                                                            

Formal

2.

Informal

3.

Informal Environmental 

4. 

Informal Environmental

5. 

Informal Enviromental

6. 

Formal

7. 

Formal

8. 

Formal

9. 

Formal

10. 

Informal

11. 

Formal

12. 

Informal

13. 

Informal Environmental 

14. 

Formal

15. 

Formal

16. 

Informal Environmental

17.

Formal

Magazine Tips

When designing your magazine cover, you should be thinking about five things. Is the picture intellectually stimulating, does it appeal to emotion, what will the picture look like after being printed, and does it arose interest in the viewer?

American Soldier

I believe the picture of the soldier's silhouettes walking past the sunset is the most powerful picture. Something about how the lighting and movement is captured just makes it such a moving picture to me.

Set 1: 1-8
Set 2: 9-30
Set 3: 50-70
Set 4: 71-82

I believe set three, when they were in Iraq, was the most powerful. It shows what the soldiers saw and did while they were in Iraq.
The images work very well together and they create a very interesting story. They are a time lapse of a boy who joins the army and eventually returns home. They work so well together because of this.
The captions are usually in present tense, really making the viewer feel like they are happening right now.

Devin and Ian say their vows at the Misty County Presbyterian Church.
Ian wanted to be married before he is sent back
to Iraq.

A small boy pretends to shoot the troops with his fingers as they drive by.
Many children have grown up with the soldiers being here.

Ian and his friend, Sean Dexter, get ready for their Turning Blue
ceremony. This ceremony is to signify the end of their training.

Rules of Photography Part Two

Rule of Thirds:

Balancing Elements:












Leading Lines:

Symmetry and Patterns:













View Point:















Background:

Depth:

Framing:

Cropping:

Mergers:

Self Portraits and Portraits.

Alter your perspective.

Fill the frame.

A self portrait doesn't have to be of your face.

 For my photographer shoot, I will be taking portraits of me and a friend. Most likely, I will be shooting in my house, but I'd like to maybe go to the park and take pictures there. I think that would make things a little more interesting. To make the shot successful, I'll have to remember the tips I read. I have to make the pictures interesting to look at by altering my perspective, or filling the frame. I also have to remember my rules of photography. In this prompt, I believe rule of thirds will be useful, as well as simplicity. 

I liked this picture a lot because it's something
different. It's a self portrait, but not of the
face. There's emotion in the picture
and I love how the photographer
captured that without showing the face.

This picture was so interesting to me.
I love how the main subject (the man) is
behind some out of focus cherry blossoms.
It makes it interesting to look at and gives it a
feeling of whimsy. 

I loved this picture. It was so
interesting and cool how the
photographer angled this so that
it gives the illusion the girl has
no body. It really gives it a
sense of magic. 

This picture is a great
self-portrait. The lighting
is what really makes it interesting
to look at. I love the
way she's posing and how
she isn't looking at the camera.

I love this picture. It's very casual and laid-back. I love how the girl
has her back to the camera and is watching the sunset. I
just love the overall feel of this photo.

This picture is really cool.
I like the effect the photographer
did on the subject. It's an awesome photo.