Digital Photography 1

Alaina B.

This portfolio represents my work in Digital Photography 1 from the fall of my Freshman year. In this class, we learned many different photography techniques as well as Photoshop. Enjoy exploring my work.

Window

I took this photo for a photoshoot focusing on angles. I was able to get to the bottom of the stairs and shoot at an upward angle. creating a worm's eye shot of the window. While editing this image I was able to make the sky completely white which helped make my model stand out. I learned that getting a worm's eye angle helps make the image look different and more interesting to the viewer.

The Jump

This photo was taken early in the morning when the fog was still thick and it was hard to see around. I love how I was able to capture my friend while she was in the middle of jumping, and I love how it looks like she is completely frozen in the air. I think it is really interesting how the background is almost completely white from the fog, but the grass is very green and clear.

Sunny Days

This picture was also taken for our leading lines assignment, and I was able to get a picture where the rays of the sun fall perfectly on my friend's body. The rays shine right over her head and a little bit of her body, but not so much that they make the photo too bright. The sky was a beautiful shade of blue and orange that morning, and I was able to enhance that color even more with the help of editing. This photo gives off a very happy and energetic feeling, and its composition really helps it stand out from my other photos.

Pumpkin Carving

Near Halloween, we carved pumpkins and created a story like based on the images. We used the EMACE technique which stands for establishing, mid-range, angle, closeup, and extreme closeup. The EMACE technique helps make a story because it shows progress throughout an image and it shows every detail of the scene.

One Light

These photos all came from a challenge that we did called The One Light Challenge. This challenge was really interesting because we had to experiment with different lighting angles to get the perfect shot. Each light angle creates such a different picture, it was surprising to see how much of a difference one light can make.

Toy Story

For this photo, we used small toys to create a story. In this specific image, I created dinosaurs attacking the soldier dolls. I used multiple lights with red plastic on top to make the scene more dramatic. I also incorporated selective focus because the soldier dolls that are closest to the camera are out of focus, but the rest of them are in focus.

Selective Color

This photo combines multiple things that I have learned over this quarter. The original photo comes from our sub-framing assignment. I then put it into Photoshop to use selective color. I made the background of the image black and white, while I kept my subject in color. I think combining these two techniques helps make the subject stand out to the viewer.

Tracing

For this image, I used Photoshop to combine two of my images. One of the images I used as the background, and the other I traced over and placed on top of the other image. I love how it seems like Julie is jumping off of the bench, but it leaves some mystery because we don't know where she's jumping to.

Reflections

For this image, I used reflective glass to reflect the hallway. I love how the person at the end of the hallway is walking freely. I like how you can only see half of the hallway in the reflection so you can still tell which side is the real hallway and which side is the reflection.

Hands

For this shoot, I took photos of hands all over the school to show how every person's hands tell a story. I love how no one's hands are the same, and there are small parts about everyone that make them different. I had some people do different poses to make more variety in my images, and I think it made this group look good together.

The Fog

This photo was taken in the early morning fog which was still thick and hard to see in. I love how the colors are muted but still noticeable. I also love how one subject is pointing off to the distance, while the other is looking that way. I love how this picture gives a gloomy yet friendly mood. This photo is a great example of midrange because it shows a bit of the background, but not too much.

The Stairs

This photo was a part of our assignment on sub-framing. I was able to use the sides of the stairs to create a frame around my subject. It helps the viewer focus on the subject by not bringing much attention around them. This photo also uses a bird's eye angle that helps the picture have a dramatic effect. Throughout this assignment, I learned that there is sub-framing everywhere, but you just have to look closely.

Framing

This photo is taken from an assignment on sub-framing. I framed Julie's face in between the back of a bench. I edited the image slightly, but the lighting originally made her eyes and skin super vibrant. I like how you can see a bit of the background on the edges of the image because it shows that there is some kind of tree or plant in the back.

Seasons

This photo is from our assignment on strong subject. In this picture, the viewer's eyes are automatically drawn to the leaf because it stands out from the background and fills the frame. During this assignment, I learned that to make a subject the main focus you should try to make it touch the sides of the frame, or at least close to it. I love how the leaf is changing colors because it was in between seasons. The colors are so pretty and they make the image stand out.

Goldfish

This photo is from an assignment on neatly arranged objects. I arranged the Goldfish in a neat circle and set up lights to get the perfect picture. I then used Photoshop to help lighten the image and make the Goldfish stand out. I cropped the image square which I think helps make the circle stand out because it fills the frame completely.

Water Drops

This picture was a part of an assignment on silverware. I think this picture is really good because it shows the water pouring off the spoon really well. I think the droplets of water on the bottom also add a lot of detail and make the photo more interesting. Editing the picture to be black and white also makes the image more dramatic, which makes it stand out to me.

Ghosts

During this photo shoot, I learned how to use a lower shutter speed to create the illusion of ghosts. The lower shutter speed allows the subject to move away after a few seconds, allowing them to appear see-through and ghostlike. I then edited the photos to create an errie and spooky look.

The Bird

Taking this photo was a funny yet scary experience. This photo is part of a shoot based on leading lines, and the bird happened to be in just the right spot. We slowly inched closer to the bird to get as close as possible, and soon after I took this picture the bird flew just over my friend's head. We learned that it was probably not a smart idea to get close to a bird this big, but the picture came out amazing and followed the rules for a leading lines photo.

Figurines

This photo is from a shoot focusing on the rule of thirds. In this photo, the subject is placed on one of the grid lines. This composition helps make the subject stand out and helps the viewer's eyes focus on the subject. It also helps make the photo more interesting by showing more of the background as well as the subject.

Abstract

These photos are from a shoot focusing on abstract pictures. For each photo I took I wanted to make sure that it was difficult to tell what the subject was. I think that guessing is the best part of abstract images. I love how much detail is in these images which makes it even more difficult to guess because of the options that it could be.

Triptych

These photos all tell a story. Each image has a meaning, and when you put them together in a line it shows the order in which it happened. Triptychs are perfect for showing three images at one time instead of having to scroll through them. Having them all together allows the story of the image to flow together.

So far this year in photography I have learned various techniques that help make my photos stand out. I never knew how many different ways there were to take pictures. Along with taking pictures, I learned how to use Photoshop to make my pictures stand out even more. Photoshop is great for adding things that don't actually exist into your images. While I learned a lot about taking and editing pictures, also I learned how to put a lot of thought into my pictures and find meaningful things around me. Outside of taking pictures, I learned how to find beauty in nature and wherever I go. I never stopped to notice how beautiful everything around me was, but once I was told I had to take pictures, I started to notice my surroundings.

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