MMS 173 Assignment 2: KNOWING WHERE I'M AT (Part 2)
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To write a general assessment of the class, I visited the portfolio sites of about 30 random people. While scanning through each of their portfolios, I have noticed that there is variety in the levels of photography skills and knowledge in the class. Like me, there are classmates who take pictures as a simple hobby or means of entertainment and can only use their phones to take pictures. In some instances, it was obvious that the person is a beginner at taking photos. Instead of showcasing knowledge and technique in photography, their photos were taken with the intention of simply capturing memories. Nonetheless, there are also students who can take great photos just by using their mobile phones. Despite the lack of equipment, they had enough knowhow on different angles, how to get good lighting, as well as how to achieve good photographic composition.
On the other hand, among the class were those who already have pretty advanced skills and take photos that are already near professional level. Moreover, there were also students that already do photography as a professional job. They displayed great understanding of photography techniques as well as knowledge in composition. They know how to take photographs aligned with the concept of each shoot. This ability makes them very capable of conveying different types of messages with their photography.
While there were many great pictures that I have seen from my classmates, I think that photos that stood out the most to me were those that were taken of their family members or loved ones. One can argue about the techniques used to take those photos but I just found them memorable because they felt very personal. Aside from that, photos that I found interesting were those that were taken in different landmarks all over the world. It showed and reminded me that the class is made up of people in different environments and backgrounds.
Sitting Pretty
(by Trixia Daquil)
One of the first things that I want to praise about this picture is how the lighting created good contrast that allowed the textures of the subject to shine through. Due to the sheerness of the cat's fur, the light is able to make it look as if she is glowing. In addition, the light casts a shadow that makes the layers of her fur more visible, becoming a point of interest in the picture.
Something that can be improved would be choosing a better background. However, I think that in this instance, it would be hard to do so because the focal point and main goal of the picture was to capture the light hitting the cat’s face. Changing the background would be hard, especially since the subject is an animal. Thus, one adjustment that could be made to take the attention away from the background is by raising the contrast and darkening the shadows of the picture. Since the things in the background are already in the shadows, making these changes can help make them less noticeable. Furthermore, it can also give even more emphasis on the subject as it also increases the highlights of the shot.
Where Morning Light Meets Petals of White
(by Keizza Nazarie Gumatay)
I personally like the composition of this picture. The flowers, which I assume are some type of daisies, are front and center, establishing its position as the subject. There is also good depth of field showcased which helps further emphasize the two flowers in the center. Additionally, the picture displays great usage and understanding of the rule of thirds, with both flowers being positioned along the upper and lower gridlines. At the same time, I personally think that making the picture a tiny bit brighter would help. Nonetheless, it is overall a nicely taken picture that showcased enough knowledge of photographic composition.
Steel and Sturdy
(by Maria Lourdes Bantigue)
This picture is one that I find interesting. The colors in it are muted which gives it a kind of mysterious and moody look. Moreover, I like the contrast between the colors of the buildings on the side and the Tokyo Skytree. While the buildings give off a dark brownish brick color, the Skytree is a light bluish gray. It also helps that there are no visible clouds in the picture because it adds more to the sentimental and misty feel of the picture. Another aspect that I liked about the picture is how the composition of the picture directs the viewer’s eyes towards the subject. It is also interesting how the Skytree stretches until the top of the picture which consequently leaves minimal negative space. Lastly, while it could have been better if there weren’t any transmission wires along the center of the picture, it fortunately doesn’t cover the Skytree, which makes it decently acceptable.
Narrow Alleys and the Bashful Sun
(by Amira Bea Nirenzo)
This picture uses a quite similar photographic composition as the previous photo, however, it gives off a totally different vibe. Unlike “Steel and Sturdy”, it features much brighter colors and uses a tall crop, as compared to the former which, I assume, uses a 3:4 frame. Despite being similar in the way that they feature two straight roads, I think that the previous picture would not have benefitted that much from a tall crop because its main subject is the Tokyo Skytree at the center of the composition. This picture, on the other hand, benefits greatly from it because its subject is the much narrower alleyway itself instead of something that is in the middle. Thus, I think that utilizing a tall crop composition was a great idea.
Focusing more on the picture alone, I liked the fact that the title includes the mention of a “bashful sun” because that peeking sunlight was also something that I noticed when I first saw the picture. Because of the minimal sun exposure, the picture, to me, feels more like a slightly chilly afternoon. Lastly, I think that the photo could use a slightly lower brightness level as well as a bit of contrast so that the tiny ray sunlight in the picture is highlighted a little more.
That Mirror Shot
(by Alexis Jemn Alviso)
This picture shows good utilization of depth of field as well as the rule of thirds. While the background is blurred to give focus to the main subject, it still features a famous landmark which gives the picture a sense of familiarity and because of the way the picture was captured, it also gives off a bit of nostalgia. At first I thought that it would have been a bit better if the person in the photo was shown a bit clearer, however, I think that the way the photo was taken instead gives off the feeling of sentimentality. It gives me the immediate impression that it was captured with care and adoration.
To put it out first, if I would rate myself out of 10 after seeing my classmates’ work, I think that I would give myself a 5 out of 10. In my opinion, I am not a complete beginner and I think that I can grasp what makes a nice picture, however, I am also not near a professional photographer which makes me fall right in the middle. If I challenge myself, I think that I can produce a picture with decent quality and composition, however, I will not go as far as to say that I am knowledgeable enough. There is still a lot that I have to learn, especially when it comes to the different styles of photographic compositions. This is me talking as someone whose first instinct is to put a subject in the center of a picture because it is what I know will look nice. Which, to be fair, is not bad at all but it also does not make me a very capable photographer that can capture different types of pictures.
To make improvements in my photography skills, not only is it important for me to take note of different types of techniques but also put them into practice because just knowing in theory would not help me make progress. I think that what I should also work on is exploring different composition styles and not just the centered subject that I am used to. To do so, I should start by being able to clearly identify what I want to convey through my pictures. Subsequently, I need to learn what composition technique is best suited for my subject. Finally, aside from working on composition techniques, I also need to be more open, creative, and imaginative. I think that to achieve better results, I should also step out of my comfort zone.
Links to the Photos Critiqued:
Trixia Daquil:
Keizza Nazarie Gumatay:
https://saigumatay.wixsite.com/lumierelens/about-5
Maria Lourdes Bantigue:
https://mms173desbantigue.framer.website/articles/mms-173-assignment-1
Amira Bea Nirenzo:
https://sites.google.com/up.edu.ph/mirabeesportfolio/photography/assignment-1?authuser=0
Alexis Jemn Alviso:
Total Word Count: 1435
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