Edited Pictures

Word Association

I feel that the picture with the yellow bug in it is the best out of these three.  I really like how the car adds to the composition in color and frame.  It also gives it a feel of being somewhere else than Columbia Missouri.  But the picture in the middle my favorite picture in terms of framing because you can see what is behind the entrance, giving it depth, and what the road leads to.

Framing an Object

I think that there are strong points to each of these photos.  The one I like the best is the one where you can see both the flower and the light pole.  I just think it is an interesting perspective.  But the framing of the one where the flower is in the corner is interesting too since there is so much contrast between the pink and green and your eye is just drawn to it.  But the flower framed in the center I feel is also beautiful I think especially in the way the light is shining on it.  Basically I was just very attracted to photographing this flower because on this entire green plant, there was only one flower and that made it feel important to me.

Landscape

My favorite landscape photo is the one where mostly the sky and pillars are what’s included in the frame.  I think this is effective because it causes the audience to wonder how tall they actually are and where they are since you don’t see their relation to the ground.  The other two are still interesting but seem more ordinary.

Notes Before Photographing

The assignment for this weekend is to practice framing a landscape and objects.  I'm going to walk to MU's campus to explore and see if I can find any interesting landscapes.  I'm so happy today turned out to be nice and the sun was out.  My favorite pictures to take so far have been outside.  I really enjoy the natural light.  I also like taking pictures that capture a real moment in time instead of pictures that look too set up.

9/21/08

I'm going to try to recreate some of the elements of Annie Leibovitz's photo of Nicole Kidman.  What I think I'll try is to have the same setting of a theater and take a picture of some one from a similar angel.  Also, i will try to recreate the best I can the lighting, so that my subject will have a similar texture and that glowing silhouette look.  I don't think the stage I am using is deep enough to get a shot as wide as the one of Kidman, but maybe if I shoot from an angle I can still get that look of having the different levels of the stage and theater by getting at least one of the stage wings in the shot.  

I'm not sure exactly what to expect because I will have to work around what is already set up in the theater for the upcoming show, but hopefully I will be able to get at a similar idea as Leibovitz's photo and show a similar theme of an actress in her element on stage and in the limelight.

Emily under the Stage Lights

The way Emily is lit in this photo gives her that glowing silhouette look.  It is taken from a low angle looking up from stage left in order to give Emily's body a long look and also allow for a lot of the theater to be viewed in the background.  

This is a similar shot as the photo above it except for Emily is standing at a slightly different place on stage and the photo has been cropped.  In both photos the light coming from stage right shines down on Emily from an angle.  The whole picture creates almost one diagonal line.  When the photo is cropped like this, it allows this line to be more easily noticed because there is less distraction from seeing so much of the theater and the right stage.  In this picture the light and Emily really become what you notice right away and then it takes a moment to realize the actual setting she is in.  Also, in this photo I lowered the saturation and brightened the picture a little bit.  It changes the way the light looks a little and I just thought it looked interesting and gave the picture more of a theatrically magical feel.

Backstage Levels

This is a similar shot as the previous photo in that it is allowing you to see several levels of the stage and theater.  I thought it would be interesting, however, with this picture to brighten the theater so that it stands out.  Then I took the saturation out of the front two sections backstage to emphasize the red tones in the theater.  However, I left the doorways white and green to more clearly show that there are two different rooms being seen in the photo.

Behind the Set

This photo allows different levels of the stage to be viewed.  I like having the chair in the foreground because it helps put the scale into perspective and define the space.  Then in the farthest background the theater can be seen.  And in the center you can see a third section of the set.

On Stage

With this picture I was able to experiment with a different tone of light.  This blue light gives a softer texture to the photo.  Also, having Emily standing directly under a spotlight creates more shadows which giver her a silhouette that is less defined and makes parts of her shape unclear.  I think the way this photo is framed is also interesting in that the dark doorway contrasts with the blue wall.  However, although the sides of the photo are not symmetrical, they still frame Emily nicely in the middle where the light is brightest.

Nicole Kidman photographed by Annie Leibovitz

Annie Leibovitz is a wonderful portrait photographer who made her name famous through the pictures she took for Rolling Stone Magazine.  John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Pattie Smith, Keith Richards, and Mick Jagger are just a few of the celebrities that she has worked with.  Born in Waterbury, Connecticut in 1949, Leibovitz originally planned on being a painter until she discovered photography on a trip to Japan her sophomore year at San Francisco Art Institute.  In 1970 she took her first pictures for Rolling Stone and by 1973 she was made chief photographer.  Ever since, she has continued to have a very successful career in photography. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/annie-leibovitz    

The image of Leibovitz’s that I have selected is a photo of Nicole Kidman taken in 2003 for Vogue.  The focus of the photograph is not consistently clear.  Due to the stage lighting being used, different areas have dramatically varying focus.  The clearest areas of this picture are around the edge.  While Kidman is the subject of this photograph and its focal point, the light surrounding her creates a foggy, filtered look.  Kidman, herself, is clear but the intense stage lighting give her a glowing, indefinite contour.  The lines in this portion of the picture are not particularly sharp and are more organic rather than geometric looking.  The shapes that Kidman’s body makes are wrapped and curved. Her right arm is relaxed, her legs are crossed, and her body is slightly bent.  However, adding some contrast, Kidman’s left hand on her hip creates an angular line. In addition, Kidman is seen in profile which adds even more of a striking angularity. Also, the clear focus and geometric lines surrounding the picture (such as the stage wings, the door, and the curtain ropes) create a frame for the intensely lit center. 

I feel that this photograph has a lot of depth to it because it appears to be broken up into three different spaces.  The area backstage where Kidman is standing would be the first space and the area that first draws the attention of the eye.  Then in the background there are the stage left and stage right wings, which create a second section.  Finally, behind the wings is the theater, which creates a third space and has depth even within itself due its architecture and balconies. 

Overall, this photograph has a soft and smooth texture.  The light reflects off of the wood floor giving it a sleek sheen; the light reflected off the white gown makes Kidman’s body sparkle and her skirt look as fluffy and light as a cloud.  The lavish theater adds to the glamour of the shot.  Everything about the photo points to the theme of a sophisticated star in the spotlight.

Leibovitz shot Kidman from a low angle on stage left pointing the camera up toward her.  This shows off Kidman’s profile and long, slender body.  It also allowed Leibovitz to capture more of the theater in the top of the frame. While this photo is not perfectly symmetrical, it is well balanced within its frame.  The focal point and areas that are brightest are centered and the stage wings are equally lit.  In addition, the contrasting lighting is a prominent part of this photograph.  The contrast between the harsh stage lights and the regular, clear back stage lighting allows what is happening in center of photo to truly stand out and be unique.  The light also provides contrast on Kidman’s figure between the backlight that gives her a glowing silhouette and the lighting on the front of her body that allows her to still appear clear and not just a shadow.

The spatial perspective in this picture is also very intriguing.  A theater is well known to be constructed to have the stage appear to be the focal point and at the very front of everything else.  This photo makes the backstage appear to be the most prominent area and the entire theater (stage, seats, curtains, and all) becomes the backdrop.  Photographing from this perspective allows the audience to see the traditional stage in a new light and from an angle that many people never get to experience. 

Park Landscape

In this picture I first put it on a gray scale.  Then I increased the contrast and changed the lighting levels. I think these changes especially helped increase the visibility of the reflections on the lake.

Fenced in Flowers

In this photo I added more color to the fence so that it wouldn't blend in with the grass and the flowers as much.  I really like the idea of the division the fence creates between the two.  I also made the entire image brighter and changed the saturation a bit.

Color Contrast

With this photo I changed the colors of the flowers and the leaves to make them brighter.  Then I took away all the saturation from the background.  This really allows the aspects of the picture I like best to stand out.

My Pointe Shoes

Look Up

Flowers at the Park