COMD 1340 D085 Fall 23

Robin Michals | COMD 1340 Photography 1

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Lab: Week 11 – One-Light Portrait Styles

Set up:

  • The subject should be at least 4 or 5 feet in front of the backdrop to avoid casting a shadow.
  • Use 65mm focal length when you are using a camera with a cropped frame sensor, 85 mm for a full-frame sensor
  • Focus on the subject’s eyes.

The key or main light is the light that casts the shadows.

Working with just the key light:

Front view:

Photograph your subject with:

  • Rembrandt light – the light is at a 45 degree angle to the subject. Look for the key triangle -a triangle of light on the darker side of the face to position the light.

    Do not place the light too high because this will cause shadows around the subject’s eye sockets.
  • Split light – the light is at a 90 degree angle to the subject. One side of the face is dark but light does fall on the other side.
  • Front light (butterfly) – Light falls on the subject from the camera position.

     

Three-quarter view:

  • The model’s face is turned to a 45 degree angle from the camera.

Photograph your subject with:

  • broad lighting by placing the light on the side of the visible ear. There will be a broad highlight on the subject’s hair. This works for subjects wearing glasses.
  • short lighting by placing the light on the side of the invisible ear. 

Profile:

The model turns their face at a 90 degree angle to the camera. Place light like a side light. The subject faces the light BEING VERY CAREFUL NOT TO LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE LIGHT. 

Put your 20 best photos into an album on Flickr. Make sure to represent each one of these lighting styles:

  • Rembrandt
  • Split
  • Front or Butterfly light
  • Short light
  • Broad light
  • Profile

Send your 2 best to the class group.

Final statement and mood board


Through the course the projects that I enjoyed the most were the projects that captured people, like the motion project , capturing basketball players. Also taking pictures at Washington Square Park, along side my classmate, because we’re friends it makes it a experience also when coming across multiple people. I have a full schedule but on Saturdays I’m free, that gives me the opportunity to capture busy places, packed with people enjoying their Saturday night.

Engaging in street photography is an inspiring project that I’ve has the opportunity to explore, with a specific focus on capturing those spontaneous moments that tell compelling stories about the day-to-day lives of the people of New York City. The unpredictable and dynamic nature of the city’s hustling environment is what has a deep appeal to me in the world of street photography, as it allows me the opportunity ti document authentic, unscripted moments that unfold organically before the camera lens.

At the core of my project lies the art of capturing candid, unfiltered moments in the vibrant and bustling streets of NYC. These spontaneous moments, whether they involve the joyous laughter of friends on a stoop, the mesmerizing performance of a street artist, or the energetic hustle and bustle of a local market, offer glimpses into the city life. Each photograph I take aims to narrate a story, reflecting the diverse emotions, struggles, and beauty that define the daily existence of the city’s inhabitants.

The choice of a specific location for my street photography project holds importance. I am currently considering two distinct options: Brooklyn and Soho. Brooklyn, known for its cultural diversity, promises to provide a kaleidoscope of stories from people of various backgrounds. On the other hand, Soho, as a hub of art, fashion, and commerce, offers a different but equally captivating narrative potential. The location I ultimately select will become my canvas, enabling me to delve deeply into its distinctive culture and essence.

Technical proficiency plays a role in my endeavor. I plan to make adjustments to my camera settings, including shutter speed, to capture movement, freeze actions, or convey a sense of motion. Additionally, I’ll be tweaking frame and aperture settings, ensuring that I can expertly control focus and depth, thereby emphasizing specific details in my shots. These technical choices will be my tools in crafting images that vividly convey the essence of each moment I encounter on the streets.

In conclusion, my street photography project is a dedication to showcasing the authenticity of New York City’s daily life, weaving stories through images that capture the soul of this city that never sleeps. Whether I choose the streets of Brooklyn or the fashionable alleys of Soho, my journey will be an exploration of real, unfiltered urban life. It’s an opportunity to share the beauty and diversity of the people who call this incredible city home, and to convey their stories through the lens of my camera. Growing up in the city, I’ve grew to understand that images go a long way, there’s many people that haven’t seen passed their borough or state yet alone don’t know what happens outside and through the city among different backgrounds.

Final Project Proposal

“Winter Village At Bryant Park”

It’s the most wonderful time of year! New York City is the place to be during the Holiday Season. From the infamous Rockefeller Christmas Tree to the dazzling window displays, New York City has it all. There are couple places that really goes all out during the holiday season and one of them is Bryant Park. I will be photographing Bryant Park during its holiday season also known as Bryant Park Winter Village. During the Holiday season visitors can stop by the village and drink some hot chocolate or shop at the many Holiday themed pop up shops. Visitors can also glide through the ice and skate at its outdoor ice skating rink. When it’s time to fuel up, visitors can visit the food hall and indulge in some delicious food.

Photographing the Village is no easy task. There are thousands of visitors that visit the Village everyday so, getting that perfect shot is going to be a challenge itself. I will be visiting the park at least 3 different times to expand my photo gallery and portfolio. Some may take place during the day and others during the night. Photographing the village will require all the skills I learned in class as well as on my own free time. I have a couple of ideas that I would like to accomplish composition wise, other than that I plan to shoot freely. I am going to diversify the photos, so that no shoot is going to be the same as the last. I have only been to the Village once, so Photographing this atmosphere is going to be a fun task. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, so just getting out there and immersing myself into the holiday spirit is something I can’t wait to do. I wouldn’t really consider this as a project but, more so an activity that I would enjoy doing during my free time.

Final Project Proposal

Project Title: “Through the lens of Chinatown”

For this project I want to capture the diversity, history and everyday life of New York City’s Chinatown. I want to showcase the Chinese culture fusion with the urban landscape of NYC. The story I want to depict through my photographs is to showcase how immigrant communities have contributed to the city’s unique identity. I want to convey the cultural, busy life of this neighborhood’s social fabric. The subject matter for this project will include architectural elements, culture, daily life, the local business, markets and shops. I will be shooting in Chinatown, more specifically Canal Street and East Broadway. For the schedule I want to plan out to visit Chinatown at different times of the day. Shooting times will vary to capture different lighting conditions and moods. Early morning scenes in the marketplaces. Afternoons to document daily street life; and evenings/nighttime to capture the neighborhood’s vibrancy after dark. To further show the essence of Chinatown I will be using different photographic techniques such as, the rule of thirds, diagonals, taking off guard portrait photos, different angle views, photographs with symmetry, etc. Overall, I want to showcase Chinatown’s rich culture and daily life.

Final Statement & Moodboard

The place I have decided to do my photo shoots/final project is called Caesar’s Bay. There are a couple of reasons I decided to go with this place, because not only is it next to a shopping center but an arrangement of activates next to it. For instance there is a sports center and a park within the bay. Although I like this final assignment to mainly focus on the bay and its people who come look across the ocean. People can be seen fishing, playing in the park, jogging along side the bay and some even riding family bikes or petal-powered go-karts. Overall just having a good time taking in the view and relaxing on the benches. Strangely a calm environment. Another key point of using this area is the view of the Verrazano Bridge connecting Brooklyn to Staten Island. Its a great spot for people to take pictures and hangout.

So since this is mainly focused on a bay, it would be a good idea to take morning picture when the sun is rising or midday as it casts the shadows across the bay. Similar to the Exposure lab in a sense and a good place to capture freezing motion which I was able to get for the assignment back then. I might even be lucky to capture a picture of the Verrazano Bridge during the night where the light cast into the water. Which would silhouette the people within the shot as its night. As well as focusing on light directions from that assignment, since the sun basically shoots its rays on the bay at all times. Showing of the environment which is like it’s own wholesome area where people gather to chill and watch the scenery.

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