Assessment

Well, I have applied for March assessment for this course and have enrolled on my next course, 'Progressing with Digital Photography'.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this course although at times challenging; I wouldn't have it any other way. It has been good to focus my photography and look at things differently, trying things I probably wouldn't have before. The lighting section particularly has convinced me to buy an off-camera flash and to use reflectors and angle to get different effects. I always have tried to capture a moment or situation but now feel there are times I will manipulate things to get a desired result.
There were projects I may go back to even though I have now completed the course, either because I did not have the time/circumstances to complete them the way I would have liked or I feel I could now improve on them with the benefit of what I have learnt throughout the course.
I have tried to observe others' work but think there is more I could look at and learn from. I plan to visit more exhibitions and look at more photographers/artists' work over the next year as well as always taking a second look at my own work and perhaps bring it out to air more often rather than sitting in a folder on my computer!

Snow

How can you not be enthralled by the snow and its beautiful effect on our surroundings? Fields blanketed in snow and skeleton trees become elegant shapes outlined in white. People come out to play whatever their age and us photograhers, well, we can't resist!

I have always loved the delicate and intricate shapes of snowflakes, I have found this site with beautiful images taken with microscope photography:

http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/photos/photos.htm

Science enables us to see how truly amazing an artist nature is, on a microscopic level as well as what we can see with the naked eye.

Assignment 5: tutor feedback

My tutor was pleased with my submission for this assignment. He had a few minor suggestions if I feel I need to make any changes.

I have decided not to make any amendments as I feel that the overall document would be changed, e.g. increasing the saturation of the final sunset picture would mean it would not blend with the other images on that page.

Assignment 5: illustration and narrative

For this assignment I created a 'magazine cover and article' on my weekend trip to the New Forest:

http://www.vixart.co.uk/assignment5.pdf

Project 65: symbols

"List more than one symbol for the following subjects...":

Growth - acorn/seedling, graph (stock market, etc.)
Excess - piles of waste/rubbish, plates piled high
Crime - weapons, graffiti, car on bricks, smashed windows, swag bag/stripy suit
Silence - zipped mouth, fingers to lips, empty scene, tumbleweed, library?
Poverty - shanty town, people in rags, empty pockets, run-down buildings

Project 64: evidence of action

I could only capture this on my phone camera but how could I resist! I believe the action missed is obvious!

Project 63: narrative picture essay

I chose to extend Project 62 - the Dickens Festival, Rochester, Kent

Project 62: researching an event

I chose to research an event earlier in the year. I had skim-read the materials for the whole course and knew of a local event that would be ideal for this project - the Dickens Festival in Rochester.
I started by looking on the Medway Council website, downloading a programme of the events that went on over the bank holiday weekend in May, 29th -31st.
I looked at previous images from the festival via 'google' and 'flickr'. Being a yearly local event I have already attended this in the past so knew partly what to expect - certain figures that would be there, e.g. Fagin, Miss Havisham, etc.
I looked up times and a likely date I could attend. I then planned photos I would like to get:

• Grand parade (12.00 starting at Star Hill, moving along the High Street into Rochester Esplanade and finishing in the Castle Gardens)
• People in costume including famous characters
• Victorian games and costume competitions
• Funfair (possibly go back at night?)
• Crowds and atmosphere

Project 52: tungsten balance

Taken without flash on auto white balance - very yellow/warm colour to the room

With flash but still auto white balance the room looks drained and cooler

Taken without flash and on the tungsten white balance setting - still a warm shot due to the slow shutter speed but less yellow cast.

Project 61: making the best use of built-in flash

Taken with flash under fluorescent lighting - the flash has caused a hot spot when reflected on the glass jar - perhaps would be better with diffusion but off camera lighting would be better.

The flash has reflected off the copper pot but has also caused harsh shadows behind it.

The flash has reflected on the shiny surface of this kettle but I think because it is 'brushed' there are not the same hotspots.

The flash has not washed out this statue but you can see the strong outline shadow on the left side.

The subject looks too bright against the darkened background, the flash has lightened the face and burnt out the shirt.

Taken with flash in a room lit by tungsten bulbs - perhaps still needs some brightening but the colours are warm and deep.

Taken with flash only, the colours are a little drained and very dark background.

I am not sure the flash made any difference to this shot as the camera has darkened the light shades and ceiling to expose for the bulbs?

The flash has brightly lit the shiny black surface of this appliance, also highlighting any dust!!

I don't think there are many situations in which built-in flash is best if there is another option. i think it is about convenience and having it to hand. It is very limited but can still enable you to get a shot you may not have done otherwise. Built-in flash is probably best used for a short distance away but still with some distance from the background to avoid harsh shadows as well as too brightly lit foreground.