Robin Michals | COMD 1340 Photography 1

Author: chrish51

Final Project Statement – Chris H.

For my final project, I want to take pictures of popular Asian cuisines. Specifically, I want my theme to center around popular noodle dishes from Asia. The story I want to tell is how Asian countries can prepare the same dish in many ways while still providing a variety of flavor. Specifically, my subject matter will include noodle dishes from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. My shots will take place inside the restaurants for aesthetic purposes and to also capture the restaurant’s design language. With the restaurant’s aesthetic in the background, it can bring out the dish and help the audience better understand the culture behind the food. Shooting will likely take place in the morning to allow natural light into my photos.

There are many photography composition and techniques I can use when doing food photography. For example, Close up shots can bring out the intricacies of a dish and show some of the ingredients used. High angle and bird’s eye view are popular angles used in food photography because it also captures the theme of the restaurant. Simple things like the table and utensils can allow people to better understand the culture behind the food they’re eating. A high angle of view can show the entirety of the dish and allow the audience to see some of the ingredients used. Bird’s eye view can also capture other side dishes that pair well with the main dish. For some shots, I would like to experiment with freezing motion as noodles like to slip out of chopsticks often. By freezing motion, I can capture soup droplets coming off the noodle or the steam emitted by the hot soup. Overall, framing and angle of view will be some of the fundamental techniques I’ll keep in mind when shooting food photography.

https://app.milanote.com/publish-preview/1NJJZ11RduNZeN

HW #1 Composition Chris H

The photograph that spoke to me the most is called “Conversation” by Thomas Holton. Holton follows the Lam family as he encapsulates their ongoing life in a small apartment at Ludlow Street. In this photo, Holton captures the father’s firm pose and assertive glare as his kids unwind in front of him. The purpose of this image is to portray the authoritative power of a parent. The positioning of the three show that the father is always in control as he observes his family in the background. With just a simple glare, a parent can have an entire conversation with their child, letting them know that they’re doing something they’re not supposed to. This photograph evokes both an eerie and reassuring feeling. Eerie because the father will scold his kids if they misbehave; reassuring because he is protectively watching over them.

Three of the formal elements that are most important in this photograph are rule of thirds, dominant eye, and symmetry. Holton utilizes the rule of thirds by centering and focusing on the subject in the middle. Although his two sons are also in the frame, the father is in focus and centered in the middle quadrant, making him the main subject in regards to the rule of thirds. Similarly, by implementing dominant eye, we can also feel the father’s assertive energy as his face centers the photograph. Dominant eye brings the audience’s attention to what the photographer is trying to convey. In this case, Holton wants us to feel the authoritative power of a parent through body language and eye contact. Lastly, there is arguably a sense of symmetry in this photograph as well. With the father centered in the middle and his sons on either side, folding the picture in half would give each half an equal visual weight.

Thomas Holton – The Lams of Ludlow Street