American Soldier - Photos Make the Story

A. There were three images that I thought were very powerful in the photo, one taking place in the 2nd set of photos (Basic Training) and the two others taking place in the 3rd set (Iraq). The first one is of a soldier crouching in the undergrowth with a rifle armed. The second photo is of five soldiers looking at something that can't be seen by the viewer. The third photo is of soldiers loading into what looks like a mobile home or trailer, but one soldier, Ian, is enjoying a smoke. I thought these images were powerful because of the emotion they displayed - intensity, concentration, and exhaustion.

B. 
Set 1 - Home - Image #1 to Image #3
Set 2 - Basic Training - Image #4 to Image #13
Set 3 - Iraq - Image #14 to Image #26
In Image #27 he is returning home.

C. The most powerful set of images was in Set 3. Set 3 takes place in Iraq and captures the soldiers in action and the effect it has on them. It's very easy to read the emotions in these images, and many of the soldiers look grim or exhausted.

D. The images show a montage of what takes place in Ian's journey. Not only do they clearly display the process in chronological order - leaving, going to basic training, going to Iraq, and coming back - but they also display how it changes Ian by including photos that show his emotions. What he goes through and how it changes him both tell his story.

E. Many of the verbs are written in present tense as if the scene in the photo is happening at that moment. 

F. The captions add to the story that the photographs tell. On their own, the photograph tell a simple story about a boy joining the Army and going through Basic Training, but with the captions, more details are revealed behind the photos and give the viewer/reader a sense of familiarity with the subject.

G. Ian Fisher was known as the local tough in Lakewood, Colorado, but as graduation comes near, he has to think about his future. Fisher settles on joining the Army, like his father, and eventually sets on his way to Basic Training after a heartfelt goodbye from his friends and family. Basic Training proves to be a challenge for Fisher but he perseveres. He leaves Basic Training with a spring in his step and a good feeling about his future. But things go downhill at his first assignment in Fort Carson, which is only an hour's drive away from his hometown. Fisher struggles between his duty to his assignment and the familiarity of home, and he faces challenges with drug abuse. He is given a second chance after his bad experience at Fort Carson and is on his way to deployment to Iraq. 

Warm-Up and Portrait/Self-Portrait Preview

Love and Loss Warm-up

1. Looking through these images, I felt a sense of familiarity with the subjects. Through these images, I could tell what kind of relationship the subjects had and what they had to cope with. As the images progressed, they told the story of a woman living with cancer and how she dealt with her illness. All without a single word. I felt a little hopeful sometimes, seeing the woman being supported by her husband, but often I felt the heavy weight of depression and dread, knowing how it all might end.

2. "These photographs do not define us, but they are us."

After viewing these photos, I understand now what the photographer was conveying. The photos do not tell you what kind of people they are. They do not tell you about the subjects' personal life or personality or memories. The photos show the struggle that this couple goes through as a result of cancer. It is through struggle that one's true self is revealed. The photos are a part of a significant part of this couple's life, and it is a part of their story. It is a part of them. 

3. I honestly don't know. Would I be the cancer patient or the loved one? If I were the cancer patient, I think it would be easier documenting my own life. It'd be easier to deal with the fact that as I took those photos, I would be making my final mark on the world. If I were the loved one, however, I think that it would be a little harder. It would be hard to take these photos knowing that any day could be the last day you talk to them. However, I would still be glad that I would be documenting them, so that if they do die, I would still have those pictures to remind me of them.

4. If I could write him a letter, I don't think I would have a lot to say. It's harder when you don't know someone, because you don't know what's the right or wrong thing to say. However, I would write something along the lines of: 

Dear Angelo,

What you did for your wife, Jennifer, was very brave. It's hard dealing with the loss of a loved one, and even harder when you know that loss is in the future. But I think it's beautiful, that in her last days, you documented as much as you could to capture a special part of her.

Self Portraits and Portraits (PART 1)

TIPS

1. Hold your camera at an angle

2. Take a series of shots

3. Play with eye contact

Environmental Photo

I really like the colors in both of these photos. In the first photo, the colors of the background and the farmer are muted, but then there's this strike of red on the photo from the cranberry field. I think it gave the photo a nice effect. In the second photo, the colors of the sunset merge and contrast with the shadowed snow on the ground. A lot of elements in this photo made it an appealing photo to look at. I picked these photos because they show the relationship of the subjects with the environment.

Self-Portrait

I couldn't just pick two for this one. 

The first three photos are more serious. I like the first photo because of how reflective it is. I thought it was a really cool effect that sparked my interest, and it gave the photo a kind of intense feeling. The second photo is meaningful. The angle was turned upside down to make it seem like the subject was falling upwards, or like they were losing their footing and falling into nothingness. The third photo has a cool perspective that makes the subject seem like it's larger than the mountains in the distance. Plus, I liked how the yellow line leads the eye to the subject. This photo gave me a sense of wanderlust. Finally, I picked the last photo just for fun, because I thought it was funny and I needed a laugh today.

Casual Portrait

I chose these two photos because of how contrasting they were. Both photos convey emotion, but one is happiness while the other one is dark depression. I like how the lighting in the photos makes a big difference between them and helps to set the mood. The first photo is dark and intense in contrast to the second photo that has softer and brighter lighting. 

For my portrait assignment, I'm not exactly sure how I will plan things out. I don't think I want to photograph just ONE subject, and instead capture many subjects, including myself. I would like to shoot in many different kinds of background and settings. I may choose a certain theme for my photos, or I might just go with the flow and capture the image when it arises. To make my shots successful, I'll choose angles and perspectives to make the photo interesting. I'll capture the relationship between the subject and the setting or an object in the setting whenever possible, and capture the subject's face to give the photo a sense of familiarity and emotion. And of course, I'll use the rules of photography - particularly leading lines, balance, and framing. 

Rules of Photography Part 2

The theme: Flowers

Rule of Thirds - Where the frame is dived in 9 sections (3 up and down and 3 left to right) and the subject is placed somewhere in the outer sections.

Balancing Elements - Balancing the photo in the picture by placing another subject of lesser importance.

Leading Lines - The viewer's attention is caught by appealing lines that lead to the subject of the photo.

Symmetry and Patterns - Using symmetry or patterns in the picture to catch the viewer's eye.

Viewpoint - From where the photo is shot (above, below, ground level, at the side, from the back, ect.)

Background - Placing the subject against a simple background so that the viewer's attention is not misled.

Create depth - Placing the subject (or subjects) in a foreground, middle ground, and background to create depth.

Framing - Placing natural frames around the subject to isolate it from the rest of the background.

Cropping - Cropping a subject in order to mute out the background and bring the viewer's full attention.

Mergers and Avoiding Them - Merger is when a subject interacts with another subject in the photo. This can be good or bad.