Assignment #2

Composition: For this photograph, I took a picture of myself taking a picture by using a mirror. I chose to wear a dark hat and scarf to provide contrast against the white background. I framed the picture with my eye in the center of the photo to provide a focal point. Part of the lens is cropped out because I felt that the cropping would prevent the viewer's eye from getting "stuck" on the lens, as it is more in focus than the other objects in the frame.
Concept/Aboutness/Idea: In this photo, I wanted to show something about myself, and do it in an interesting way. I chose to take a picture of myself taking a picture in order to show a very literal and somewhat unusual interpretation of the classic self portrait.
Context: I think this image reflects my love of photography and gives a good representation of who I am. To me, it's about being yourself and doing what you enjoy.
Interpretation: Other students said that they liked the high contrast of the photo, and the composition. They said the eye was a strong focal point, and that the lens acted almost like another eye to balance the photo.
Evaluation: Based on the evaluation, I am happy with the way this photograph turned out. I think the composition worked better than I had originally thought. I do not think I would change anything about this photo.
Extension: I would like to make a series of photographs that document the "documentation" of photography. I think it is interesting to see a photo of someone taking a photograph. I would like to try to do this in more creative ways.



Composition: For this photograph, I zoomed in to create an image of a person that is almost abstract. While the viewer can easily recognize what the subject of the photo is, the cropping and the pose create a scene that may not be obvious at first glance. The lines of my legs and the textures in the floor and in my clothing provide interest, and allow the viewer's eye to move throughout the frame. The bright shoes provide contrast against the dark shades prevalent in the rest of the photo.
Concept/Aboutness/Idea: In this photograph, I wanted to make a beautiful image that could be understood and interpreted in many ways. By eliminating the head, shoulders, and hands from the frame, the emotion of the subject is less clear. This allows viewers to interpret the photo in their own way. I created this photo by using the timed shutter on my camera to photograph myself.
Context: To me, this photo is about finding beauty in detail. The ballerina costume shows stereotypical beauty, but the framing of the photo emphasizes the details and the textures of each element.
Interpretation: In class, other students interpreted this photo as an almost abstracted photo of a person. They also said that the lines of the legs and arm worked really well in the frame.
Evaluation: Based on the evaluation, I think the photo worked really well. I think the photo had very nice contrast, composition, and a good range of values. I don't think I would change anything in this photograph.
Extension: I would like to continue to make photographs that make people look at things in new ways and that present an almost abstract picture of a recognizable object. I think I would like to do this by photographing objects close up and from unusual angles.



Composition: In this image, the subject is standing on the other side of a dirty glass door, which gives the photo a hazy and distant appearance. The dark clothing provides contrast against the white snow, although the glass diminishes this contrast to some extent. The hearts hanging in front of the glass provide interest.
Concept/Aboutness/Idea: In this photo, I wanted to convey an attitude of isolation and loneliness. The downward glance of the subject, the glass door, and the snowy scene help convey the sadness that an outsider might feel. I used the self timer function on my camera in order to give myself ample time to get outside the door and in position before the photo was taken.
Context: This photo is meant to show the isolation that I have felt this year. Most of my friends have graduated and moved away, and I often feel lonely and isolated while at school.
Interpretation: In the in-class critique, others interpreted this photo to give a feeling of sadness and isolation. However, the contrast was lower, and the glass less obvious in the printed version of the image, so some students suggested a higher contrast.
Evaluation: Based on the critique, I definitely would increase the contrast of the photo and make sure that the dirtiness of the glass was more obvious. These things were somewhat lost in the printed version.
Extension: I like that the wintry surrounding helps to convey the loneliness of the subject. I think I would like to create some more photos that use the weather to help emphasize the emotions in the image.



Composition: In this picture, the subject takes up a majority of the frame. The background is plain in order for the viewer to concentrate on the person. The angles of the hat's brim, the coat collar, and the hand move the viewer's eye through the frame. The dark hat and coat provide contrast against the bright background.
Concept/Aboutness/Idea: In this photo, I wanted to use clothing to disguise myself. The clothing not only hides my hair, body, and most of my face, but it also gives a feeling of mystery to the photo. I used a tripod and a self timer to take this photo.
Context: To me, this photo is about hiding who you really are. It reflects our tendency to keep thoughts or emotions hidden from others in our lives.
Interpretation: In class, other students interpreted this photo as a recreation of a film still from an old movie. I hadn't thought of it from that point of view originally, but after it was mentioned, I can definitely see how it could be a scene from a detective movie. I kind of like the fact that it can be interpreted that way.
Evaluation: Based on the critique, I think I achieved an interesting composition with a good range of values. In the printed image, the edges of the coat are a little blurry. I think I may have sharpened the image too much. I would definitely change this aspect of the photo.
Extension: I like that the subject's clothing obscures their identity, and I think I might want to explore other ways this can be done. Perhaps with the use of scarves or sunglasses instead.