Going through my first five portfolios was astonishing, not only with their respective photos but also in their overall e-portfolios. So far, what I find interesting is how each of their personalities, motivations, and priorities are reflected. I read about their differing intentions behind each photo and what they thought about it. It is by far, a humbling and valuable learning experience.
One of the photos that particularly stood out to me is Rhea Yvonne Ocubillo’s picture at the seaside of Mall of Asia. I’ve been there years ago but I didn’t really find it interesting besides that it is a huge area of water that I don’t usually encounter, and that the sight of it is particularly refreshing. Rhea’s work was able to memorialize it in a meaningful and nostalgic manner. For me, it looked like that sea held many memories of people and they remained in there as free as they could along with the waves, standing out among what I have seen so far. It made me realize just how photography can diversify and reimagine perspectives.
Scanning through 25 e-portfolios reinforced what I had initially thought of. Additionally, there's a significant number of people who produced outstanding photos in itself and who emphasized meaningful contexts within and behind the frame. There were also those who showed great potential for further improvement, and those whom I wondered if they were gifted with excellent photographic sense.
Nevertheless, I can see that all of us had something that made so much of an impression that we wanted to preserve it in the form of a picture, and employed whatever means we thought could best preserve or represent it. I can see that most of us were already able to employ certain photographic compositions, consciously or not, and some were able to capture great displays of design principles and elements.
Overall, I can see everyone's enthusiasm towards photography in diversity, and that's a takeaway I may not be able to capture but will remain memorable!
Church at Night
by Eroll Dave Clemente
by Eroll Dave Clemente
Particular elements evident in this photo are color and texture. The texture helped give it a sense of emotion and realism, while the colors of the church and the statue helped give both emphasis and contrast from the dark sky. Personally, the texture evoked an emotion in me because it gave the impression of vulnerability. For me, it shows how fragile these statues can be physically and contextually. Contextually, mainly due to the image of the baby. What I find particularly intriguing is how the overlapping composition of the photo gives somewhat an eerie feeling and it appears that the baby is being protected. Although I would like to point out that it could definitely improve with a better quality, I also think that the grainy appearance of it contributed to my initial impression.
Adding to the photographic composition employed, I think the rule of thirds can also be considered.
What stood out for me in this photo is the layers of frame within a frame employed. It definitely had something unique in it, especially with its form that makes it seem that you’re peeking through a curved pathway or building which I didn’t really expect a candle holder to be capable of giving an impression of. There’s also significant emphasis and contrast to the scene where the frames will lead you towards but I believe it could also benefit if the background either clearly displayed the environment or is purely white to enhance clarity because the partial appearance made it seem confusing or distracting on my end. Overall, I think it’s a good and innovative display of both the composition and home decor.
Untitled by Aaliyah Lexine Jade Z. Huerto
Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel
by Asleya Faye Ruste
This photo particularly stood out to me because of its heavy display of radial composition. It displays great harmony between the lines, colors, and form where you can derive multiple interpretations (e.g. a flower). There’s also an emphasized focal point through the contrasting color of blue found in the middle which helps guide the viewer. However, as the photographer also stated, I also think it could benefit from zooming out to provide additional context and a clear representation of the chapel.
Crystal Waters
by Audrey Shane Flor
There’s not much I can say about this photo because it stood out to me mainly because of how ethereal it is. Elements present in the photo are a line that represents the horizon, texture for the waves and clouds, and color whose harmony added significant impact in the photo’s overall display of unity towards a peaceful and soothing atmosphere.
PETUNIA
by Richelda Mei Reodica
This photo exhibited a great display of both color and texture from the subjects portrayed which helped them stand out from one another through emphasis and contrast. However, as I have stated, subjects, I think there can be at least two subjects in the photo and each can be a photo of its own which might become confusing for viewers to understand what exactly the photographer would like for them to pay attention to. Nevertheless, I think it has a nice quality to it and it keeps the viewers engaged because of the many things their eyes can explore.
I would rate myself as a solid 3/10 relative to the class. Scanning through 25 e-portfolios really gave me the right opportunity to realize how lacking I am in terms of passion, and diversifying both composition and subject apart from my initial shortcomings in terms of physical equipment. Although my shots can be considered good to an extent, it made me realize just how much I lean towards sentimentality and I feel like it would benefit me to familiarize myself more on how to add technicality and targeted efforts towards proper execution of it, considering my goal of achieving a professional vibe in my future works.
Despite this, it doesn't keep me from wanting to produce pictures that tell a story. I've observed a couple of these within the class' outputs and as a beginner, I was both overwhelmed and astonished because although I expected to see outstanding outputs, I didn't expect them to be as immersive as I experienced looking at them.
Reflecting on my submitted assignment 1 output, I could tell that my perspective was still considerably limited. During and after assignment 2, I became open to the idea that what I did to my photo, which I found particularly seamless at the time (i.e. Kami's picture) might've eliminated some authenticity of the essence I strived to capture. I noticed that he looked more alive and well-represented without the filter. Additionally, Avatar's photo didn't just involve the subject itself to enhance emphasis but also the background, which I realize is also a factor in my observation for improvement. To put it simply, being exposed to a diversity of outputs and stories within and behind the frame allowed me to reflect, broaden my horizon, and realize the importance of criticism along with commitment if I want to continue pursuing the field, with development in mind.