Quinns photo 3 portfolio

Over the semester my photography skills have developed a lot. Especially through the use of digital cameras and exploring how to use different settings. However the assignments “Capturing the Place of a Sound” and “Alternative Lighting Techniques” gave me the challenge of thinking outside the box and allowed me to experiment with new lighting techniques that I've never really tried before. I learned how to perfect exposure settings for each picture to convey sound through the photo. These assignments expanded my understanding of photography both as a technical skill and learning the art form. 

The most challenging aspect of this semester in photography had to be using the darkroom. Whether it was using the film camera, learning all the different chemicals and when to use them, or keep retrying until I got the perfect lighting on a photo. These were all things that challenged me but learning how to process film was a fun experience. Although it was hard I learned a lot about contrast and how it can affect the final product of a photo. I learned that perseverance is important because it is a lengthy process but you just have to stick to it and you'll get some great results. 

I think these two are my favorite photographs of the year they were both taken on the New York trip. The first one of the building has great elements of shape, perspective, and pattern. I really like this photograph, I've always liked taking pictures of architecture and I think getting the right perspective can make or break architecture photography. The second photo of the guy on the motorcycle has a great perspective along with bright colors that pop also it tells a story. I like taking photos of people and cars/bikes, especially in the city, by taking a picture of someone in the middle of an action speaks a thousand words. I like how this one came out and I found myself happy with a lot of photos on that trip.

I would say I put a lot of effort into each assignment. I find that the more time you put into a photo assignment the more/better pictures you will get. I think I've only improved too compared to the beginning of the year. I would say my strength as a photographer is different perspectives, I love experimenting with unique perspectives and getting different-looking shots that I've never got before. An area I think I need improvement on is definitely editing my photos. I feel that a better understanding of Photoshop would definitely improve the final product of some of my photos. I don't edit my photos too much because I don't really like to but I do admit I think it would improve some of my final pictures. 

I think photography allows you to kind of slow down and really pay attention to small details in things. For example in New York theres so much going on, everyone is in a rush, it can be really hectic at times. Although when I was photographing the city I found myself slowing down and really taking in every little detail. I think photography can also influence and change perspectives, when photographing you have to heavily consider looking at things with alternative perspectives. Moving away from eye-level photography and looking at things in a way you normally wouldn't and through that can give you new perspectives on how you view things.