Three concepts I learned this semester are:
How to effectively use studio and natural lighting to enhance my photographs. This will be extremely useful as lighting is everything in a photograph, and the amount of light directly impacts the mood, disposition and quality of the image. I learned about the many ways to use lighting in a studio setting and how to confidently take a portrait without fear of the lighting equipment. I now have a better thought process when it comes to taking a photo and where the light will fall on my subject. Learning about light also has prompted me to buy a reflector panel and has helped tremendously with my portraits.
Another amazing thing I learned this semester was how to use correct color profiles and printer profiles and best file formats for printing. It has greatly increased the quality of my prints and will so in the future. The workflow processes I learned in Camera Raw have helped with my editing as well, helping me create clearer, sharper images. Also, the use of the high-pass filter in photoshop is amazing! The other biggest takeaways I have gotten with the editing tools, and the class as in general, is how to get my photograph right the first time, instead of spending so much time in post-editing.
Finally, I have a better understanding and greater comfort level using the terminology associated with photography. Our gallery visits as well as looking and critiquing photos in class allow me to look at my work with a better eye and be able to speak about it. I am look at photographs, use professional vernacular and really have gained a deeper understanding to process and meaning behind other’s, and even my own work.
