November Extra Post

What a month! It was just Thanksgiving I believe only three days ago, and now we end the month with rain. It is the first real shower in a long time, so very great for Southern California, celebrate guys!

Well, down to business... I've created the Instagram profile I will be using for my photos! You are all welcomed to check it out: 1oclockphotography. I do not have a link but feel free to look it up. Thank you.

Blog 10: EQ

I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?
This is a pretty solid EQ. It's an open ended question and 'healthy wight loss' and 'most important' are two debatable areas. I do not know much about weight loss but I would say this is a specific enough question.

b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?
Open ended, check. I believe this can be argued extensively. It is specific enough.

c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?
It is indeed open ended. This sounds nice, but it is not really debatable. Customer gets what customer wants, do not try to get creative on their specific request. Just do not cut their ear off, maybe. Other than that, the question is understandable.

d.  How can an anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?
This is open ended. And it is debatable... I like it, I like it... It makes sense. I think this may be my favorite question, great job.

Blog 8: Research and Working EQ

My working EQ is now...

"What is the most important element to go into a picture?"

Light brightens pictures.

Line gives the viewer direction.

Color projects feelings the most.

An interesting subject draws attention.

My most important source to me so far has been "Visual Design: Using Color in Photography" by David Peterson. Color has always confused me and Peterson put colors into words that really opened my eyes. I always thought lines were probably important, I never really thought of color as important until I read his article.

My mentor is Jack Bolka. He is the ROP Photography teacher at iPoly Highschool and has his own portrait studio. I am the TA for the second half of his class. His being a professional photographer is really convenient because it is like having a David Peterson that I can ask my own questions to. He is really helpful and easy going about photography. Jack answers all of my questions well, about photography and Photoshop. It is helpful to my topic, trust me. They say a photo has a thousand words. Well, that is true for structure of it as well.

Blog 7: Independent Component One Approval

For my 30 hours of independent component I will be taking pictures. There are six elements to photography: color, shape, form, line, texture, and space. There are other parts to pictures such as light and the stillness of the photographer's position. But what I mean is, what is the most important element to go into a picture? Oh, new EQ right there... But taking photos on my own may improve my skills and help me figure out what is the most important aspect of photography. It will be difficult and there would not be one definitive answer, so I think it would be a good challenge to figure this out myself, armed only with a camera and my mind.

To show my work I would probably start an Instagram for my photos. Maybe add a description to every picture of what I was going for and what I thought came out best.

When dealing with photography, the answer to what is most important will never be definitive in a book. There are techniques proving and disproving each other. The only way to truly get an answer is to get out there and do it. Therefor, I will be taking pictures exercising these various techniques.

I will update any news about the Instagram account on this blog.

Thank you.

Blog 6: Second Interview Preparation

My mentor is Jack Bolka from CBC Photography, his very own portrait studio.

Five background questions:

1. When did you start taking an interest in photography?
2. Why did you start your own portrait studio?
3. Did you go to school specifically for photography?
4. How long have you been doing professional photography?
5. What is your favorite part of photography?

Blog 5: Mentorship and Research Reflection

Finding a mentor for digital photography was pleasant. Jack was my ROP teacher last year and he had no TA (for the biggest class he has ever had!) before I asked him to be my mentor, so we were both about as equally excited.

Wow, well the most important article I have read so far has been "Visual Design: Using Color in Photography" by David Peterson. So far I have been focusing mostly on the color use in photography. This man is a genius! He has explained color so well in this article, it was eye opening and mind blowing. I know what color is but he knows how to use it, when to use it, and he is excellent at explaining color. All of his articles are magnificently explanatory. I have never understood when and how to use black and white photography; he has another article specifically for that. Also very informative. Black and white photography may not be my personal challenge any longer. Peterson even explains why he uses what controls in Photoshop and on his camera!

Blog 4: First Interview Preparation

I plan to interview Jayme of Strike a Pose Photography. She works at Downtown Covina, so it will be convenient for me to get to. She started her own business actually, out of the passion of photography. She takes stunning pictures and her reviews are all positive. They say she's nice and she gives the client exactly what they were looking for. She sounds really down to earth and fun. Definitely someone I would like to interview.

Five extra questions to ask:

1. Why did you decide to start open your own studio?
2. Did you always want to be a photographer?
3. Do you get repeating customers?
4. How do you get the word of your business out?
5. What do you do when work gets to be too much? Or does it never become too much?

(By the way, her website is right here. She's great, you should check it out.)

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Working EQ

1. Digital Photography
2. What makes a picture look good?

Blog 9: Lesson 1 Reflection

1. I was proud of the way I sort of kept my calm and I actually made time. I was so nervous but I went up there and remembered, "Hey, they're my friends. They're fine."

2.
a. I'd give myself a CR/AP.
b. I messed up the last minute and a half, I lost my train of thought. That is not acceptable. And I forgot to bring up my prop, whoops.

3. Remembering that I was among friends helped.

4. I would have brought my props. They were a rag and a cloth...

October Extra Post

This month... Was so bad. I can not be doing wildlife rehabilitation as a senior project. As much as I love it and find it intriguing, it does not like me back. It's October and there is no chance of me getting a mentor for this topic. Ever. Well, until you hit Palm Springs, but that is way too far. I like medical things, I like knowing down to the very inside; I like to help and I like animals. I've learned so much, like never to feed birds seeds, that you can help effectively with a hot water bottle and a cloth, and that there are many myths out there (if you touch an animal, its parent will not be abandoning it, it will only lick it clean). And with that, I hope to pursue a different senior topic. It is one that I also have a great passion for, and one that I have many connections for as well. I hope to go after photography. I read so much about photography on my own already, I have Ansel Adams Posters in my room, I take pictures for fun, and I enter many contests with them. It is something I enjoy and I feel free doing; I feel myself.

Well, I am starting to ramble... Happy Halloween, have a great night, thank you.

September Extra Post

This month I've been reading a lot about my topic. A vast majority of wildlife mentioned anywhere are birds and raptors. I had no idea what raptors where. I always thought they were just dinosaurs but apparently it extends to birds of prey such as hawks, eagles, and owls. One day I was on the internet doing my thing, when I saw this cool article that reminded me of my topic. So over the course of millions of year, the evolution from dinosaurs to birds was very very gradual. There is no "missing link" at all. But, as soon as the basic bird frame, feathers, hollow bones, bills, and shape, had changed, there was a dramatic burst of diversity. Once the basic bird came around it kind of just triggered a huge split into different kinds of birds; the little colorful ones to huge dark ones and every bird in between. I thought that was a very interesting part of my month. before, I used to not really take birds into consideration. They're everywhere and very common. After reading the article, you realize why there are so many new bird species being discovered, because they're still booming! There are flocks of parrots around La Puente, probably someone's escaped pet's family, but they don't quite look like the parrots that you'd find in the places that they are actually supposed to be in. They look westernized which is probably because they're adapting quickly. There are these birds around my apartments next to Galster park in West Covina. They look like the regular brown birds we see everywhere except, that's what they used to look like. When we moved here two years ago, they all had brown coloring but they had blue patched of feathers. But now when you look at them, they are all completely blue with small orange patches on their lower chests. This article explains everything!

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Approval

1. I think I can take a class somewhere. I don't know how I'll get there, but  it's happening somehow.
2. I can take pictures in the class. Maybe of the slideshow or activities we might do.
3. Class is for learning and I haven't learned anything yet. A class will help.

Blog 6: Second Interview Preparation

1. I do not have a mentor yet. I'm waiting on the ok.
2. How long have you been working in the field? What school(s) did you go to to get the degrees required? How long did it take you to become a wildlife rehabilitator? What made you want to become a wildlife rehabilitator? Did you want to be something else before this career choice, what was it? Do you find your work satisfactory?

Blog 5: Mentorship Reflection

1. Looking for a mentor is horrible. I can not drive. I am not allowed to do so many things, I live in a cave. I had a mentor but I do not even think I can go back because it is too far and I have no way of getting there. I am trying to look for mentors but they are all too far away. Looking for a mentor makes me feel like I failed already. This is stressful.
2. The most helpful information I have read so far is WHAT IS WILDLIFE REHABILITATION? Facts and Myths by the New York State Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. All articles I have come across so far have been the same, like they plagiarized off of each other. This article is still explaining wildlife rehabilitation but at another angle. the easiest way define something is to first define what it is not, and that is what this article does.

August Extra Post

So the beginning of school has been hectic and stressful so I do not have much to tell about my mentorship. Even though I haven't been there in a while, I did go over to my friend's house and we cleaned out his animals. It was a team effort because there were geckos, lizards, turtles, snakes, and frogs trying to go for the gold and explore outside and their food was trying to escape too. It may not have been wildlife rehabilitation exactly but, it was a handful to keep track of so many curious little lives.

Here are my two escape artists.

Blog 4: Interview Preparation

1. I plan to interview Judy (I don"t know her last name) from Wild Wings of California in San Dimas. It's the closest place and person that does wildlife rehabilitation full time. It looks and sounds so interesting there; they specialize in birds and raptors.
2. So what draws your rehabilitation interest to birds? How/when did you notice that being an wildlife rehabilitator was what you wanted to do? What were you doing before becoming a wildlife rehabilitator? What part of wildlife rehabilitation do you find the most difficult/challenging/taxing? What was becoming a wildlife rehabilitator like, especially bird rehabilitation because that's what you need the most permits for?

The questions will not be necessarily in that order.

This blog assignment was so interesting, I didn't know there was a local bird center! I thought I'd have to drive to Palm Desert for the closest interviewee!

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Working EQ

1. My topic will be wildlife rehabilitation.
2. So, what is wildlife rehabilitation?
3. I accidentally made my working blog on my other email and I could not get it to transfer to my email that this account is on. Just in case it does not want to be on the side panel, here it is.

Thank you.

Blog 2: Summer Mentorship Component

1. If you'd like to browse at my mentorship log, click here.
2. My first mentorship was with Gary Mitchell from Planet Rehab: (323) 350-0873. My second mentorship was with Anne O'Donnell from Father Kolbe Missionaries of the Immaculata: (626) 543-5458.
3. From my mentorship with Gary questions like, "Why do we use plastics so much,", "Why are there people so dirty,", and "Are these people really this gross," came up frequently. You do not believe what I found on the floor of a public family beach. People should have more shame and a sense of cleanliness. From my mentorship with Anne not many questions of the work i was doing came up. The questions I had were for Marge Volpe, rest in peace. She was a funny spiritual Italian woman, so talented and full of life. She worked for National Geographic's Traveler magazine and traveled the world constantly. I had questions for her, questions that will forever go unanswered. The items in her house were so interesting, everything had a story. It's like you could feel that everything in the house once had a significant past life. I found letters from NASA thanking her for her support and mention in Traveler magazine! I found the letters among her plenitude of Italian cook-books! I had a question from both organizations, but it was more of a question for me, "What can I do to help these good people more, and promote their cause?" All I want to do is help better this world, so where do I start?
4. The most important thing I gained from these experiences was to trust people more. Both parties go out of their way to make me feel at home, feel comfortable, and to have fun. I don't confide in people and I will never ask for help. In all my days, I've learned to not trust a single soul and just face life on my own. These two organizations showed me that yes, there are bad people, but, also that it's ok to let your guard down. They're both like family to me and I hope to one day be able to be as kind as they all are.
5. I know now that for this senior project I will be an animal rehabilitator. The time I spent with Gary was so much fun. Helping the environment and animals isn't only about cleaning them up and giving them a home, it's about making a change in the community as well. The position is well rounded and satisfying.

Blog Assignment 1

1. What presentations did you see?

I went to: Archaeology, Soccer Training, Creating a Franchise, Plant Science, Real Estate, Boxing, No Presentation, Computer Science, Angioplasty, Landscaping, Magic the Gathering, Animal Adoption, Dentistry, Firefighting, Organic Architecture, and Domestic Violence.

2.   What questions do you have that haven't been answered about the senior project? This can be about the senior project in general, any components or about a presentation topic you saw or what they said.

Does the activity have to be short? Does it count for time? Some people were very worried that they did not make time, is it pass or fail? Or is it like P and Above but NC all below?

3. What has the most important part of the senior project based on what you are seeing in the 2-hour presentations?

It's about the way you convey the structure of you answers. If you have a weak explanation for your answers, it shows that you did not think about it, it is just an extra answer for the sake of the grade, or you're just nervous. One should not rush and just take their time to explain in depth with good organization how you got to the answers. But getting to good structure also means that you had to be paying attention to your mentor. Find a good mentor and do the project on something you are passionate about. 

4. What topic are you considering doing and why?

I am considering botany, the study of plants, or herpetology, the study of reptiles and amphibians. It's difficult finding a mentor in the state at least for herpetology. Herpetology has been an interest to me as soon as I knew the word existed. I've always ADORED reptiles and amphibians. Sadly, I am poor and can not afford to travel across the country where there are internships for people of my age. After my lovely animals, I am very interested in plants. In Southern California there are some pleasing internship options, they're out there. All my life it was all about plants and animals; they're all amazingly fascinating. I am still looking to see which botany internship would best suit me but also keeping my options open for herpetology opportunities.