Week 12

24th October 2014 (Week 12)

Amer Eizwann (0320242)

Introduction to Photography

Final Theme-Based Project

Lecture: There was no class this week due to mid-sem break.

Theme-Based Final Project (Sports- Futsal)

- I couldnt took shots of futsal with people this week because due to the really heavy rain almost every evening and most the futsal courts around KL was either fully booked throughout the weekends or too expensive. For this week i shot just the shoes of futsal and football. I though it would be the best idea because the shoes are the most important weapon when it comes to sports that more focus on the uses of legs. 

Progress on my Final Theme-Based Project (Futsal)

1

"Elastico Superfly IC"

ISO: 400, f/4, 1/60

2

"Mercurial Vapor XI"

ISO: 500, f/3.5, 1/40

3

"Field & Street"

ISO: 400, f/5.6, 1/80

4

"Own the field"

ISO: 400, f/4, 1/40

5

"Own the Street"

ISO: 500, f/3.5, 1/30

Feedback:

Reflections:

Experience: 

From this week task, i experience and learn that if yr topic needs a model then you have to be prepared for all type of situation. I've learn that next time if i wanted to do my final theme based project i must planned ahead. i must make sure theres people that wants to play. Then i need to make sure the court/field is booked. Dont go and try to book last minute because you might not get a court. I've also learn that we must planned our shots in our head first and when we shoot we imagine the picture we mentally visualise earlier. If you dont get what you wanted then look for an alternative. Look from different angles and see which angle can make an interesting shot. 

Observe: 
This week, I observe that there are many others that has the same mind as me to book the courts at the time that i wanted. I like to do my final theme-based project during the day but its every hard to get my friends to wake up in the morning. During shooting the progress of my Final Theme Based Project, I observe that its not easy to shoot such a simple subject. I know looking that my series this week would be very dull. honestly i wasnt to sure how to compose the shot. I just tried to shot creatively by arranging the shoes and taking close up shots.

Findings:  

This week, I find out that some futsal courts are really expensive. Some of them reach up to RM 130 an hour and obviously to get a good shot you have to do it again and again which takes time and 1 hour just is not enough. I find out the surrounding and background plays an important part too. I realise that no matter how well you compose and frame a picture, if the background is not nice it will impact your photos. During the proses of doing my final theme-based project, i find out that since i only had the shoes and no model i had to find a clean grass background in order for my picture to look slightly more nicer. 

Week 11

17th October 2014 (Week 11)

Amer Eizwann (0320242)

Introduction to Photography

Exercise 5: Editing

Lecture: Today's class started with Mr Vinod asking us if we have any question based on the limited feedback he gave us. After he answered all of our questions he showed us the use of the next door studio. Somebody else had use the studio the day before but left it in a mess. So Mr Vinod asked us to clean the place up then told us that that is what the studio should look like after we use it, if we happen too.  After cleaning up the studio, Mr Vinod gave us 1 hour to go out and walk around campus and take amazing pictures for the 3rd week in a row. Then he gave 30 mins for us to edit the picture that we took and then reviewed our photos.

Pictures that I took:

1

"Lovers"

ISO: 3200, f/3.5, 1/50

2

"Stalker"

ISO:320, f/4.5, 1/4000

3

"Lone"

ISO: 400, f/4, 1/2000

Mr Vinod asked us to change our facebook profile picture to one of the picture that we took today and see how many likes we could get in 1 week. 

Results:-

I only manage to get 20 likes. 

P/S: I did not force anyone to like the picture. 

Theme-Based Final Project (Sports- Futsal)

- In last week's feedback Mr Vinod said that my choice of sports as my Final Project theme was okay but my pictures did not work out in a series. That I should stick to one (1) sport. So i choose Futsal/Football as my chosen sport. I choose Futsal/Football because to me it would be easier because i know the game. So i can tell what is going to happen next most of the next. For me when it comes to shooting sports its all about the moment. My challenge is to put an artistic angle to a good moment to produce a good shot for my final 5 photos. As Mr Vinod said, doing research about photographers that takes pictures of the field of your topic will help yr mind to come up with  creative ideas. I studied the photos of Marc Taylor who has plenty series of futsal shots that helped me compose a few good shots for my final pictures. 

Progress on my Final Theme-Based Project (Futsal)

1

"Caged Up"

ISO: 320, f/4, 1/2000

2

"Quick Feet"

ISO: 320, f/5.6, 1/2500

3

"The Chase"

ISO: 320: f/5.6, 1/4000

4

"Explode in Speed" 

ISO:320, f/4, 1/2000

5

"Mercurial"

ISO: 320, f/3.5, 1/4000

Screen Shot:

Feedback:

Limited feedback, week 11.

Amer, the project work showed some promise, I liked the pictures no1 & 2, it has good impact and feeds of each other in the series. The rest need more work, they lack impact and energy or rather it the kind of involvement the earlier two has. Meaning, I feel part of the picture with the other two like I'm there, whereas the latter pictures there seems to be a disconnect. Anyways, just keep shooting and researching. - Mr Vinod

Reflections:

Experience: 

From today, I experience that i got while walking around campus and shooting was to just shoot and try shooting at angles you never think it would work but you'll be surprise. The experience i got while doing my theme-based final project (Sports- Futsal) was how to get a natural movement from the players. I called up a few of my friend and said to them that i wanted to just play a game of futsal. I didnt mention that i will be taking shots of them while playing for my Final Project. Without them realising i took pictures while they were playing so they acted more naturally when dribbling and controlling the ball.  

Observe: 
Today I observe that even though theres clearly nothing amazing in the campus to take pictures of BUT its just all in the way you see things. We must work on our imagination and try to compose a picture in our head once we see an interesting angle. While i was doing my Final Project pictures, i realise that people look better when they dont know that their picture is taken. It makes the picture look so natural. Another thing thing that i observe that my pictures could had been better with my models were all dressed the same way but then again, they didnt know that it was suppose to be part of my assignments. 

Findings:  

I found out that there are many interesting angle that we could taking in campus. It just depends on how you look at things.  While doing the final project, i find that everyone is a good sports model is they dont know that their photos are going to be taken. We have to sometimes make up stories to make yr model to show up. We must give them a good reason why they should stay. Especially if your models are teenagers that has trouble waking up early in the morning.




Cast & Crews/Victim of My Theme-Based Final Project (Sports- Futsal)

Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bukit Bandaraya Class of 2013 feat. Arieff BR.

Week 10

10th October 2014 (Week 10)

Amer Eizwann (0320242)

Introduction to Photography

Exercise 5: Editing

Lecture: Today's class started with Mr Vinod shine a light on our E-portfolio, he straight away mention that no one but Rahila mention about our final project. He explain that we were suppose to post out 5 shots of our topic and explain about our theme which no one did. I guess most of us got the information jumble up. We though we had to show Mr Vinod himself and after showing him then we post it up on the blog. After explaining about the final project for sometime Mr Vinod gave us 1 hour to go out and walk around campus and take 1 picture that has a WOW factor just like last week. Then he gave 30 mins for us to edit the picture that we took and then reviewed our photos.

Picture that I took in campus:

1

"Mirror"

ISO: 250, f/5.6, 1/640

The picture when through few steps of editing.

1) Convert to B/W

2) Curves and Levels adjusted

3) B/W gradient added

4) Dodge tool applied

Theme-based Final Project. (Sports)

Why i choose Sports as my topic is because ive always been expose to sports. I grew up playing sports and watching my other family members play sports. For me to do sports as my theme will be a challenge but at the same time i would be comfortable doing it because im use to the atmosphere and it helps when i know the game so i know what to expect when something is about to happen. 

1

"The Curl"

ISO: 800, f/2.8, 1/800

2

"Light Trail"

 ISO: 3200, f/16, 4 secs

3

"Snooker"

ISO: 1000, f/5.6, 1/60

4

"The Pool"

ISO: 200, f/4, 1/1000

5

"Independent 57"

ISO 1000, f/4, 1/80

Feedback: Limited Feedback, Week 10.

Amer, your final 5 pictures were lacking artistic value, they were not aesthetically strong in that it didn't have holding power.

You the topic of sport is very broad for just 5 pictures, perhaps you need to narrow it down to "a" sport, try just the field game, and dont just resrict yourself to the players on the field... you could take pictures of someone holding the football close up (texture), sweat on skin, legs/body clashing for the ball, mud on the shoe... etc.

Be more imaginative, explore the subject in depth.

Reflections:

Experience: 

From today, I experience that the picture that we took from our topic has to be posted up on the blog every week. While going around campus this time i knew what to expect already since we had done it last week. So i avoid going to the normal place everyone goes and when on adventuring the deeper part of the campus. The experience i got while doing my theme-based final project (Sports) was how to interact with people. I actually sat down talking with this young guy i came across at an eatery for an hour before telling him that i wanted to take shots of him plus explaining to him how i wanted the picture to look like. I did the same thing with my neighbour. We talked and I explain what i wanted him to do.   

Observe: 

I observe that Mr Vinod has also stop giving us feedbacks. He told us that he'll give us specific feedbacks rarely now that the formative exercise is over. General feedback in the other hand will still be given. I observe that Rahila's shots were better than mine in the sense that she was patient to wait for subject to walk pass and do other things that made the picture interesting. There might be a chance that maybe she was just there at the right place at the right time but no doubt her pictures stands out. Patient is something that i have to learn better because i know i dont have the patient most of the time when it comes to waiting. I need to keep up and compete not just with her but with the rest of the class. While doing my progress on the final project i observe that we have to really choose a suitable subject based on out themes and the pictures must have a common feeling to it. When i showed Mr Vinod my pictures, he told me that my picture didnt pair with each other. it had no series. Which i had to agree. There was alot of different.... things going on in my pictures. although all of them were sports and movement but it didnt seem connected. While doing the final project too we have to had good source of light with a suitable background and in my case, a model that knows what he or she is going to do.

Findings:  

I found out that there are many question that is important to us as a design students. Asking this question every time when you wake up so that when you so something it does not lead you to the wrong way. In class i find that there competition. Everyone was producing interesting shots and i have to really thinking hard, smart and think different if i wanted to tamed the rest of my classmate and be on top. I know im lacking in many qualities and thats something that i should work on so that i can work better than others. With the knowledge about photography i had before i came to Taylor's and on with the new things and tricks Mr Vinod has teach us i should use them wisely to come out with a final project that everyone can remember. i hope so. While doing the final project, i find that not everyone is comfortable with a random guy like me to just walk up and ask if i could take picture of them. We have to act pro and deal with our model/subject with respect so that eventually they will feel comfortable with us taking picture of them. 

I also took some extra shots this week for my Final Project.

1

"Panna"

ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/1000

2

"Takraw"

ISO 400, f/3.5, 1/60

3

"Feel The Game"

ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/2000

4

"The Golden Touch"

ISO 200, f/8, 1/1000

Week 9

3rd October 2014 (Week 9)
Amer Eizwann (0320242)

Introduction to Photography

Exercise 5: Editing

Lecture: Today's class started right away. Mr Vinod didnt say much about our E-portfolio, he straight away start with this week's topic which was about editing in photoshop. He teach us how to change coloured image to black and white in different ways and he also teach us how to remove spots from faces. Another than that i teach us the important part was how to change the image and canvas size while still retaining the details and resolution of the original picture. After that Mr Vinod gave us 1 hour to go out and walk around campus and take 1 picture that has a WOW factor. Then he gave 30 mins for us to edit the picture that we took and then reviewed our photos.

Picture(s) that I took.

1

"Princess Jasmine & Helper Yong"

ISO: 250, f/4.5, 1/1000

The picture was edited to B/W and the colour levels was adjusted. Then i increase the curve and balance the dark area using levels. I then added layer of gradient. I use the stamp and patch up tool to clean up Jasmine face and also used the dogde tool to lighten her face up as it was really dark due to the shadow.

2

"The Car Park"

ISO: 250, f/11, 1/500

The picture was edited from colour to black and white then adjusted. I used curve to brighten up the picture then use levels to control the black area and add contrast to the picture. then i added and layer of very dark brown-ish purple and change the layer style to soft light and lower the opacity to 10%. The i played with a layer of black and white gradient before adjusting the curve again. 

Screen Shot:

Feedback:

Reflection:-

Experience:

In today's class ive experience using photoshop in a different way. Although i though i was quite familiar with photoshop but Mr Vinod showed a few step that ive never done before. Today's class also involve us walking around the campus for the second time to take one (1) picture that was interesting and had that "Wow Factor". This time it was way harder than the first time because the 1st time, our subject was 3 person but this time there was no subject. We had to find our own subject that we though it is interesting and take a picture of it. Back in class we had to edit the picture(s) that we took, so this part i was okay with because i was using to editing pictures with photoshop before. That part i was comfortable with.

Observation:

From Today's class i obverse that there more than 100 different ways to edit a picture. Even if its just changing a coloured picture to black and white. Plus there are many function in photoshop yet for me to explore as Mr Vinod explain some of the tool that ive never use before in photoshop. As for the exercise that was asked to take around campus, i realise that finding a good subject is easy, but to find a subject that really stands out is very hard. You have to be at the right place and at the right time to capture "Wow" moments. In the beginning it didnt look as hard as it was because you will think as a first year student you can find interesting things around campus, but its at these times u actually think that is interesting and what is not and i observe that nothing much around the campus is interesting. While editing the pictures back in class, i can see that it was easier for me to edit my pictures in photoshop because ive had experience using it.  

Findings:

In todays' class i find that just because you've use something before, doesnt mean that u know it all. I never knew that we could crop our picture without reflecting on the pixels. After Mr Vinod explain how to do so i started thinking i should had done that with some of the pictures ive printed before to maintain the quality of the picture. During the time we had to take picture outside the classroom, i find that there is nothing really that interesting in campus unless you what you want to take and where to find it. I wish i had a better imagination when it comes to composing a shot. i normally better adding onto others ideas and opinion to try and make it better but its been a good practise for me to work individually so i can improve myself.