NCC Photography

Channel your

inner Eggleston

Fundamentals of Digital Photography: Assignment Eight

These photos were taken with slowing down and paying attention to one's environment in mind to see the potential in the unremarkable. I established a path the length of three city blocks and walked it four times. The first walk was only looking. The second walk was taking pictures while looking only to the left and up. The third walk was taking pictures while looking only to the right and up. The fourth and final walk was taking pictures while looking only down.

Photos by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

Looking to the left and up

ISO 100, 1/400 sec, f/4, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

A white fence with dying ivy.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

ISO 100, 1/60 sec, f/4, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

A weed growing in the shape and shadow of a tree.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

ISO 100, 1/640 sec, f/4, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

A Tyrannosaurus Rex in the backyard.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

ISO 100, 1/1000 sec, f/4, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

The giant skeleton and Christmas wreath and peppermints and the Beetlejuice Halloween House.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

Before light edit

ISO 100, 1/800 sec, f/4, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

An old-time box for calling the fire department.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

After light edit

ISO 100, 1/800 sec, f/4, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

An old-time box for calling the fire department.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

Looking to the right and up

ISO 100, 1/40 sec, f/16, 24 mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

A man walks among swirling leaves.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

ISO 100, 1/125 sec, f/10, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

Autumn leaves hanging on in the breeze.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

ISO 100, 1/200 sec, f/11, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

A late-changing leaf only beginning to phase from green to yellow to orange to red.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

ISO 100, 1/160 sec, f/11, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

A broken child's construction hat sits at the opening of a cul-de-sac that is painted with autumn colors.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

Before light edit

ISO 100, 1/100 sec, f/16, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

The edge of the gate points to the line of squash on the patio railing.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

After light edit

ISO 100, 1/100 sec, f/16, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

The edge of the gate points to the line of squash on the patio railing.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

Looking down

ISO 100, 1/400 sec, f/5.6, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

A yellow fire hydrant among the fallen yellow leaves.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

ISO 100, 1/500 sec, f/4, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

A rusting, whitewashed metal fence.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

ISO 100, 1/800 sec, f/4, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

A chain with a Master lock blocks a portion of the opening to the town field. No room for cars, only pedestrians.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

ISO 100, 1/60 sec, f/5.6, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

A harvest front-step decoration with a bail of hay, pumpkins, flowers, and a crow scarecrow.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

Before light edit

ISO 100, 1/1600 sec, f/4, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

Free toys. A curbside cardboard box free for all.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

After light edit

ISO 100, 1/1600 sec, f/4, 24mm, -0.3 step exposure bias

Free toys. A curbside cardboard box free for all.

Photo by Natalie Cherie Campbell. October 28, 2023, Belmont, MA, USA.

Reflection

This assignment was freeing in a way because we were purposefully looking for mundane spaces to photograph. There was so many opportunities to review the same area and really look for opportunities to photograph the everyday items and scenes that we often overlook. I really like photographing while looking down. The angle was fun, and it was surprising how much I found that I really felt was worth a photograph. There were also a few things that I had never seen despite the area being near my own neighborhood, strange things like a dinosaur in a backyard or large, imposing Halloween decorations. These were really fun discoveries for me. The autumn colors helped make the mundane spaces really pop and become something special. Eggleston, in the documentary, mentioned that photographing the color red was difficult because it didn't play well with the other colors (or some such sentiment). I really loved photographing reds, especially the fire department call box. It was also amazing to see how much of a difference a little editing created. Finally, one final observation, was that it was easier for me to feel comfortable photographing people because it was so unobtrusive, unposed, and subtle.

In the future, I think I will be more open to images that aren't as staged or obviously meant to be artistic or even magnificent. There is something lovely about photographing everyday life. I also look forward to continuing to implement composition principles, which I had fun doing this shoot.

Note: All images are lightly edited except for the three "before" photos selected for before-after contrast.

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