Week 10 Photo Challenge: Open Challenge

For this week’s final photo challenge with it being left open to us to do anything, I decided that I wanted to make it look as real as possible that I was actually in my direct field. So for the challenge I looked for a photo online of sports photographers on the sidelines doing what they do best of taking photos of the game that is in progress. I set my camera up on my tripod with my high definition telephoto zoom lens on the camera as well so it would match up with the other photographers in the photo as well. I took my Nikon 35mm film camera and put it on me down to my side so it looked as if I had a back-up camera as well and I also put on my press pass to make it look as legit as possible. I then had an assistant capture a photo of me using my Iphone 4 taking multiple photos of me set up in the position of me to be taking photos on the sidelines as if I was really there. After taking enough photos and looking through them to make sure that there is one that was usable, I uploaded the photos into my computer and did some small exposure correction in bridge. After that, I took the touched up image into photo shop and cut myself out of the original background and placed myself into the photo that I found online. I did some resizing of the image of myself to make sure that it fit well into the image and that I fit correctly. After I got myself into the photo I went back into the exposure levels and did a few more adjustments to make sure that it looked all natural.

Week 10 EOC: Mission Statement

The first mission statement that I was able to find that actually is a decent one came from a photography company called Visage Company Photography & Media. When it comes to their mission statement they are being forth and honest about what they do and how they make sure that they achieve what the customer expects and wants. In this particular statement they are not rambling on and on about pointless nonsense that doesn’t get their point out there of what they do and of what is expected of them as professionals. They succeeded in making themselves and their website a little more interesting to continue to look at. Here is their mission statement: Visage Company Photography & Media’s goal is to stay above the photography industry’s standards and provide exceptional, one of a kind photographs to our clients. We create meaningful and beautiful images, while providing a pleasant, patient and understanding attitude towards our clients. We'll honor services and products described and agreed upon with our clients, while maintaining a high quality of service and work with reasonable prices compared to our competitors. Visage Company Photography & Media will abide by and observe laws pertaining to doing business in the industry and never sacrifice quality over quantity. We develop partnerships with clients, so they know that their photography and media needs are being met, and that every job is a success for Visage Company Photography & Media and our clients. We believe that Visage defines your look, your style, or the way you present yourself. Your look. Your style. Your image. REDEFINED. www.visageco.com/mission-statement

The second mission statement that I found is for a company called Latvis Photography. This is again like the first one that I found that basically gets directly to the point of who they are and what it is that they provide. I find it much easier to be able to look more into a company when they are more forward about what it is that they provide to their customers service wise. Here is their mission statement: Latvis Photography, a San Francisco-based commercial photography business, is committed to operating a profitable and growing business by producing higher quality products, at better prices, delivering our goods and services faster than the competition. Since 1978 Latvis Photography has been meeting the diverse photographic needs of Bay Area businesses and individuals. We specialize in executive portraiture, product, event, and architectural photography; providing photographs for use in advertisements, annual reports, brochures, magazines, websites, etc. Latvis Photography works in partnership with free-lance talent, utilizing state-of-the-art technology and exclusively employs only those vendors who exercise an aggressive recycling program. Lats Latvis, Principal of Latvis Photography, received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the San Francisco Art Institute and an M.B.A. degree from Golden Gate University, School of Business. www.latvisphoto.com/miss.htm

  

Week 9 Photo Challenge: Legendary Photo

For this week’s weekly photo challenge I had to come up with the idea of how to create a legendary photography. I had one idea in mind on how I wanted to accomplish this challenge, but after some serious consideration on how to do it I didn’t feel it would truly fit this assignment to well. So after I had seen another classmate’s photo I got a different idea of how I wanted to create mine. Since I plan to become a famous sports photographer and I plan to someday work for the Dallas Cowboys directly, I went just a little different way. I wanted my photo look and represent as if I was walking on the red carpet for a show or award ceremony. I wanted my background to look like the walls that all the celebrities stand in from of when the paparazzi is trying to get that great photo. So I made sure that I had myself dressed up nicely to look like I was really going to an award ceremony. I took my snuggie that is a Dallas Cowboys blanket and pinned it up over the door in my apartment and then set my camera up on the tripod. I decided to use my smallest lens that I have which is my 50mm lens. I had my ISO set at 100 and the f/stop was at f1.8 with the shutter speed set at 1/125 of a second. I took many different shots to try and get the perfect legendary shot. I did use all the ambient light that I could in my apartment plus I felt that I may have needed that extra bit of light so I also used my 560 off camera flash with a soft box diffuser to help give that softer look to my skin.    

Week 9 EOC: Emotional Photo

When I had to choose a famous photograph to write about for my EOC this week, I decided once again to think a little more outside the box and go with a photo that really touches hoe with me. I wanted to choose a photograph that relates more with the type of work that I plan to be doing myself, instead of being like everyone else and choosing a photo that would just be way too common. I’m a very unique person so I try to make my work stand out that way also. With that being said I decided to choose a photo that I was able to find from this week’s game on Thanksgiving of the Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo trying to throw the ball from inside the pocket. In this photo you can clearly see that he is attempting to look down the field to find an open receiver to catch the ball and make a touchdown. This particular game was played against the Miami Dolphins who actually ended up losing the game in the last few seconds of it by one point, the final score being 20-19. Also in this photo it displays great sportsmanship of the team members of the Cowboys offensive team trying to help keep their quarterback protected to make that play complete. The emotional attachment I have to this particular photo aside from the fact that obviously I’m a die hard Dallas fan but the fact that my main goal I actually have set for myself is to be the main photographer that works for the team in the near future. I want to be that particular photographer that is down on the sidelines of the Dallas stadium capturing this particular photo and have it known by anyone looking at it knowing exactly which game and which specific play it was.  

Week 9 BOC: Cyber Monday

For this week’s BOC I went and searched for the best lens that I have wanted for the longest time and found it listed in the sale for cyber Monday. I have been wanted this lens ever since I read somewhere from another famous sports photographer. He recommends that this is one of the best lenses to shoot sports from a far range. Of course I still need to get the better camera body to go with the lens but first thing is first. The particular lens I have found and am ready to purchase to help me get the better photos that will help me to increase my money making flow is a Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens. This lens can be found on B & H Photo’s website listed under the holiday specials and gift ideas section. It just happens to be the very first one at the top of the list when you click on the link that will take you into the section of lenses and flashes. The going rated special price for this particular lens is $1,614.00 with an instant savings of  $140.00 bringing the total down to $1,444.00 and the shipping is free within the USA. This particular special offer ends on January 7, 2012. There is also that option to buy it used and save a pretty penny or two, but who knows the real quality of an item that has been used and how many more great shots you can actually get from it. That buying price is listed at $1,299.00. Honestly, I think I’ll take my chance and spend the extra and buy the brand new one at least that way I have a little better of a guarantee and warranty on the newer lens.

Week 8 Photo challenge: Combat Photography

For this week’s photo challenge of a combat photographer, I was a little confused on exactly what was required for this challenge. So I had the opportunity to talk to a couple different people and asked them what their interpretation was of the assignment. I got a couple different answers to my question and decided to take the second answer and go for that approach on this challenge. I decided to capture a photograph of myself having a pillow fight with myself. I set my camera up on my tripod next to my kitchen so I could have enough light without having to use a flash. I was using my 50mm lens and had the f/stop set all the way down to an f/1.8 aperture. I also had the ISO set at 400 due to the minimal amount of light that was available. I had the shutter speed set at 1/125 of a second. I took various shots to try and create the illusion of the idea that there was actually two of me battling each other. I wanted it to look more real than fake so I made sure that I had different shirts on and that my hair was styled differently. With having taken many different shots there actually was only 1 shot from each direction that actually worked well with each other. Once I had gotten the two that worked I took them and uploaded them into bridge first to correct the lighting of them, following up with them in photo shop. After getting the first image lined up I took the second image and used the magnetic lasso tool and cut myself out of the other image and lined myself up in the new photo. After that was done then it lead you to the image you see before you the final product of my version of a combat photograph.

Week 8 EOC: What makes a Photograph Great?

What do I think makes a photograph great? That is actually a harder question to answer than most people would think. When it comes to making and creating a great photograph, there are many things that come into factor with the whole process. With what many will think it is not the printer that makes a great photograph or the camera its self, no it’s the person that is actually looking through the viewfinder at that particular moment in time. Every person that aspires to become the next great photographer thinks they have what it takes to be the best. Well that is true in some sense of the word; every person sees things in a different aspect than the next person. What may look great to one person may not have the same exact effect on the next person. “Every image needs strong underlying compositional order so that it grabs the eye from a hundred feet away.” A great photo has to have something in the image that is going to make the viewer look at it and say something that is going to express the greatness behind your photo that will always be in your mind when you or anyone else ever looks at that photograph. A great photograph is one that will get out there to the right person and will end up being published all around the world. A great photograph will be great to the extreme of a Pulitzer Prize. A photographer knows when they are taking the photograph whether or not that photo is going to be classified as a great photo. A true photographer has the eye to see a great photo as it emerges unlike someone that is just taking photos as a hobby for fun.