DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY 1:

Julie Mahoney

This collection includes some of my favorite photos taken during this semester. When uploading them, it surprised me how different each of these photos are, because I find all of them visually and aesthetically pleasing. I think taking this class is what helped me find an appreciation for all kinds of work and see everything through an artistic perspective.

SELECTIVE FOCUS

This is one of my favorite photos I have taken. It is a candid shot that was taken very spontaneously. I loved the way the light was hitting Judah's face, and someone had said something funny right as I lifted the camera to my face. I love the colors in this photo and how the sunlight and shadows hit Judah's smiling face.

ADJUSTMENT LAYERS + BLENDING

This photo was originally taken for our Reflections Shoot. It was a fairly simple photo consisting of mostly yellows, oranges, and browns. It wasn't my favorite in the collection. But I took the photo into Photoshop knowing it had the potential to look much more interesting. I love how it turned out. My interpretation of this photo is that the ducks symbolize childhood and adolescence, and the "sky" above them represents the feeling of being young and having your whole life ahead of you. The photo somewhat reminds me of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" painting.

HEADSHOTS + ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAITS

It was freezing cold outside on the morning this photo was taken, and Alaina and I were very reluctant to go outside. However, I'm extremely glad I forced her to come with me, because the lighting in this photo is very beautiful. It complements Alaina's features very well and makes her look like a Disney Princess or something.

EMACE: PUMPKIN CARVING

I was very excited to shoot these photos because Halloween is my favorite holiday and I love the Fall as well. I think my favorite thing about these shots are how the bright orange complements the blueish-grey hues in the photo, resulting in a very clean and cohesive look.

TRIPTYCH

I like how these photos tell a story. Alaina starts out tired, then she drinks coffee, then she becomes very crazy and energized. I like how each photo is slightly brighter than the last, showing how she feels more awake by the last shot.

REFLECTIONS

When I look at this photo, I no longer see a mirror in the grass. To me, the square in the center looks like a portal to another dimension. I like how sharp the contrast is between the two "dimensions" yet how they both give me a nostalgic Autumn-y feeling.

SELECTIVE FOCUS

Here are some more examples of selective focus in my photos. It is obviously my favorite composition guideline. I like how clean each of the photos look. Also, I like how putting one subject in sharp focus can make the photo feel more personal, like the viewer is connected to the subject in some way.

STRONG SUBJECT

Alaina, who does dance, was showing me some of her stretches in the hallway when I told her to freeze and look at me. She had her leg up high on the windowsill and her other leg stretched behind her into a split. Alaina's head was resting on her front leg, which made her hair fall behind her, exposing her face. I like how you can't exactly tell what pose Alaina is in because I think it makes for a very dynamic strong subject shot.

ANGLE

The angle I shot this from was slightly to the side/behind Alaina. I was also slightly more elevated than her. I think this makes a huge difference in the photo because the viewer feels like they are witnessing a moment in her life. Also, the black and white add for a dramatic effect.

HEADSHOTS

I like how both the shadows and light hit Judah's face and make the photo look more dramatic. The colors are so vibrant and the photo as a whole looks very sharp and pure.

GHOSTS

I like how the sign adds context to the creepiness of this photo. Also, I think it is a great example of sub-framing.

HEADSHOTS

When taking this photo, I learned how much Alaina loves being on Dance Line. I asked her if we could go to the band bleachers because we are both in band, and she got really excited (as you can tell by her expression).

RGB COLOR BLENDS

I like how this photo looks like something out of a cartoon. Also, I like the story behind it and how it makes me feel. It's very personal to me, obviously. To me, this photo makes me think that if I cloned myself, we'd get along well.

RULE OF THIRDS

The lines in this photo demonstrate the rule of thirds composition guideline. I like the cool color palette and how the lego girl is in sharp focus. Even if she has a blank, emotionless expression on her face, the photo can give the lego girl a bit of personality.

GHOSTS

This creepy photo was taken on Halloween for our "Ghosts of Strath Haven" assignment. I love how the editing makes it look like the cover of a horror novel, like it is telling a story about a ghost and her two unsuspecting victims. Furthermore, the inspirational quotes in the background give an ominous sense of irony to the photo.

NATURE WALK

This photo is particularly interesting because blue and purple are some of the rarest colors in nature. I was surprised when I walked past these berries because they are so vibrant.

DECONSTRUCTED PORTRAIT

I enjoyed making this because it was almost therapeutic. I had control over every aspect of the portrait and I could manipulate how each piece came together. I think this photo is a great example of repetition in art.

ANGLE

The editing and angle in this photo make it more intense and dramatic. I like the repetition of the leaves and how some light peeks through. My favorite thing about this photo by far is how you can see the slightly moist texture of the bark, even at its furthest point.

DRAWING OVER PHOTOS

I chose to draw Alaina doing a hand-stand in this photo because I thought it would fit in with Caroline's cheerful pose. I think having one person as a drawing and one person who is in the photo makes the image look more whimsical. It reminds me of a cartoon I used to watch when I was little.

The first project we did in this class was to walk around and "Notice What You Notice." I took pictures of things that I thought would look interesting, like flowers. But by the end of the semester, I had photos of everything from pumpkin guts, to a torn up poster on a dumpster, to a mysterious stain on the floor of the stairwell. So, the biggest thing I learned in this class (regardless of photography and editing skills) was that to make art, you don't always have to capture something artistic, but you have to see everything as something to capture.

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