February Extra Post

I have been starting again on my pictures and my portfolio. For my Independent Component 2 I have been complimenting selling my pride and joy or not. I will be trying to sell pictures soon but I've been busy with colleges and things of the sort. I have been trying to see what I can do with purchasing Adobe Photoshop. It's really exciting. I enjoy the program very much and to have it at home would be a dream. And now, it's a dream coming true.

Blog 16: Answer 2

What is the most important element to go into a memorable digital photograph?

Color is the most important element to go into a memorable digital photograph because it triggers emotion and draws in the viewer the the scene.

Form is another important element to go into a memorable digital photograph because it makes a subject look like it is in the third dimension rather that being flat, which gives it more presence.

Color has long been believed to be a form of therapy, blues and greens were placed around a person to make them feel calmer and relieve tension. Red in our society now means stop, warning, just no. It's bold and it triggers a memory response in people. White to us can mean something plain, bright, or simple, while in some other cultures it gives a sense of mourning. Color means something different to different people. Color means something different to different people because it is strongly linked to memory.

We have all seen the standard child's drawing on a house. It looks flat, like a sticker. Now add shading, it looks more tangible. That is form. Form is the difference between a circle and a sphere. Form is the difference between a straight on square, and an evident cube.

CHIC SIMPLE. PAINT. Pg 11-23. New York. 1994. Print.
CHIC SIMPLE. PAINT. Pg 24-47. New York. 1994. Print.
Peterson, David. "Visual Design: Using Color in Photography." Tips. Digital Photography Secrets. 21 December 2012. Web. 7 November 2014. <http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/2815/using-color-in-photography/>

Peterson, David. "Visual Design: Using Form in Photography." Tips. Digital Photography Secrets. 21 December 2012. Web. 23 January 2015. <http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/2835/visual-design-finding-form-in-photography/>
Peterson, David. "Six Classic Design Elements for Outstanding Photographs." Tips. Digital Photography Secrets. 30 November 2012. Web. 5 December 2014. <http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/2679/six-classic-design-elements-for-outstanding-photographs/>

Color is linked to emotion. Form is linked to touch. Emotion and touch are the essence of memory.

Blog 14 1/2: Independent Component 1

I can cot find my flashdrive anywhere. Which really sucks because there are print worthy pictures on there. Not to brag, but I take pride in what I do. Luckily, I found 454 of my pictures on a hidden file I I had forgotten about. Yay me! The bad news, they're not the good ones that I hoped to share. I'm sorry. I'm so sad, you don't know how many memories lie in that flash drive. How may hours. How many years. How many stories.

Bare in mind, I have 454 pictures. I am so not putting all of those up. I also do not have any editing software on this computer so these are raw. The ones that were touched up to perfection were done at school. And we saved to my flash drive. And now for some pictures!

There are mostly depth and line photos. Normally I would have all elements, but enjoy.

space

line

depth

depth

line

line (implied)

color

These are the Azusa mountains at sunset. I think they're beautiful.

shape

color

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 Approval

I feel sick so I'll try to make this quick. I feel really really gross.

I plan to get a new flash drive and keep on taking pictures.

I was planning to probably try selling pictures already. the demand is not high, but at least it's something. I guess I have to start all over again though.

You can not read about photography. You have to do it. It is an art.

Blog 14: Independent Component 1

I, Ester America Gonzalez, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 32 1/2 hours of work.

"Ansel Adams A Documentary Film." American Experience. PBS. Nd. Web. 25 November 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/ansel/index.html>

This is probably the only thing I looked up, really, for my independent component. The rest is in my WB. I do not like history, but I like photography. When I find I like a piece of history I am interested in,  I try to engage myself as much as I can and really take advantage of my interest. I would not know any history otherwise. Ansel Adams is probably my favorite photographer. he lived in Northern California. he photographed Yosemite. His photos are stunning, I have posters. Every photograph has a story and behind that story is a person. Whether they are trying to convey feeling or an event, it is all different. Getting a feel for the photographer that took the picture gives you a sense and feel for as to why they photographed that very picture that very way. It is quite interesting.

I completed a TON of photographs. Once I'm on a roll, I don't delete any photos that were taken during that time. I tried focusing on my use of space, shape, line, form, texture, and color. I grade pictures during mentorship, so I went back and graded my pictures. Boy oh boy am I far way from something print worthy! But I did use the six elements in bad ways and in good ways, probably half and half. But I think the element that was most important was color and the use of color.

Photography tells a story. Photos can make people laugh and cry. They are not tangible in a sense of touch, but they are visual. There is visual strength in everything . Everything makes you feel, whether it is subconscious or conscious. Everything has a story. I read a quote from one of my recent WB sources. Street photographer instructor Eric Kim said, "You can't fake passion. You can't fake love." I do not know if this impacts any of you, but this hits home for me. Photography is my passion. I am not good with words and I was never really cared for like a regular kid would have been. I have had a messed up life and I am not even 18 yet. Two sentences after that he said, "Share your time, energy, love, insights, hopes, weaknesses, and self-doubts with them." He was talking about his students. People he just met. People he does not know but he is willing to open up to them and be blind to who they might be or what they might do. He is raw. He trusts. He is confident man and it shows in his pictures. There is something so admirable in his words and in his work. I never was allowed to express myself. Just knowing that there is someone out there that has these characteristics, makes me feel safe. I have feelings and I have a voice and I demand to be allowed to express myself. To express myself in the way I see the world, through visuals. This is what I find comfortable, this is who I am.

I had a flash drive with all of my pictures, but I live with people that do not respect my space or my things. So I have no evidence. Do not bother looking for my Instagram account, it only has one picture. I had no way to upload my pictures onto my account because the device I use was taken away for no reason and I only very recently got it back, for no reason again. I'm telling the truth when I say I did my hours. In fact, I'm missing hours. I went over thirty hours, I do not know what that means but that's all I needed to log, really. Hopefully It just makes the grading process faster.

Thank you.