1/30 f5 ISO 400

1/20 f4.5 ISO 400

1/40 f5.3 ISO 400

"Being bad feels pretty good, huh?"

This week, I was given the opportunity to be a little bit of a rebel and break a few rules. Although they are all incorrectly composed, my photos still manage to exhibit the theme of memories. The first, taken at a birthday party, acts as an example of a time and place in one's life when memories are made. The second displays the ways in which we keep memories, through photographs themselves or through fond recollection. The final photo encapsulates the feelings of nostalgia that memories often induce, and equally shows that much like the figure in the photo, our memories become faded and unclear over time, making it hard to distinguish faces or events. 

In their technicalities, the photos all act as examples of poor composition. The first photo primarily breaks the rule of thirds, but also fails to use asymmetrical or symmetrical proportions. There is  a merger by the subject's head with the mirror frame, and the blurry cup in the lower right corner equally distracts from the focus. The second photo exhibits poor use of line - although their are many lines to be used, they are fairly crooked and unbalanced. The subject's eyes are partially closed, and the viewer's eyes are drawn to the outlet in the right corner - the focus instantly becomes unclear. The final photo has a number of mergers around the subject's head, and shows a lot of dead space in the majority of the photograph. 

Through this process, it's safe to say I've learned that not all photographs need to be impeccably composed to be great, but their composition needs to have purpose. In my series, I feel my photos have their errors and quirks, but in relation to my theme, they create a certain feeling and significance. 

All photos taken with a Nikon D3000

15 seconds f 5.6 ISO 400

15 seconds f 5.6 ISO 400

15 seconds f 5.3 ISO 400

I'll admit it: I don't think I've ever been so intimidated by a photo assignment in my life. Although the concept of painting with light was not unknown to me, I had never experimented with it and had a preconceived notion of total failure. Much to my surprise, after I spent some time in the dark with my camera and a small red laser pointer, I was actually capable of producing some interesting photos - who knew?

Going into this assignment, I really had no conception of what I wanted to portray or express through my photos. Once I got the name writing and swirly lines out of my system, I began to settle in and actually create real photographs. In a sense, my final photos exhibit the natural state of something. I tried to convey things in their unrefined form, from the bones in a hand to the stems and roots of a flower. When painting with light, it's easy to make an image extremely surreal, but why not make it as real as it can be? 

There is a clear sense of simplicity to my photographs, but I feel there is equally a sense of depth that is understood. I found that when painting with light, it becomes habit to try and (both literally and figuratively) spell things for your viewer. Through my own process and experimentation, I found that is isn't always necessary, and even a beginner like myself can find ways to express ideas without them being too obvious.

In the end, I found there was nothing to fear when painting with light. A shutter speed adjustment here and a laser pointer there, and I can finally say I've conquered the challenge. Congrats, me!

All photos taken with a Nikon D3000

Nikon D3100 f10 1/15 ISO 200

Nikon D3000 f5 1/500 ISO 400

Experimenting with light - it sounds a heck of a lot easier than it actually is. After my adventures with a number of extension cords, windows, and light reflectors, I've finally accumulated mixed lighting photos that I am satisfied with. Through my many attempts at creating interesting light combinations, I've found that I now have a better understanding of how to manipulate light to produce better photographs. Rather than sticking to the given light or working solely in the studio, I've found a new comfort zone using natural light, be it in combination with artificial lights or on its own. 

In my photos, I predominantly played around with shadows. I found the enormous possibilities available when mixing light sources, and I've begun to gain a better understanding of how to use light to my advantage. I've fallen in love with the potential of texture when combining lights, and this assignment has allowed me to discover my own techniques when taking photographs. My photos lack a central theme, but focus  more so on the creation of depth and texture. The contrast between background light and main light varies between the two photographs, but I feel both accomplish a similar goal.