REFLECTION
When I was 10, I took this picture, it was a bird mid-flight with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. I was so proud of that picture that I had it as my lock screen ever since I took it and showed it off at family gatherings and to my friends. This began my love for photography. When time came around to choose classes for junior year I wanted a class outside of my AP classes to really explore what I love and photo journalism was my first instinct. I've always loved the arts and languages, I'm in marching band and have played the flute for 7 years, I'm in winter guard, I was props crew head in drama, I've taken all honors english classes ever since I've been able to, and I will be in my fifth year of Spanish next year. Therefore, phototraghraphy just felt like a natural progression for me. Photo Journalism, to me, is telling a raw story, and capturing a moment or emotion with a photo. Of course there are numerous intrecacies involved with taking a great photograph that will really capture an audience and I have found out through this class just how difficult the process can be. Great composition, lighting, angle,etc are the base of a good photo and having these all in unison can be quite a challenge at times. It was a really great experience to try out camera equipment that I never would've had the opportunity to touch in any other case and experiment with ISO, shutter speed, and many other setting which were all foreign to me before this class. In the semester, I found myself questioning why I always was trying so hard when many of my friends slide by with an A in the class. I never missed a deadline, I went to 5 sports games just to get shots I would be content with showing to my peers but in reality I could've coasted by and still gotten an A. I realized that this was because of because I knew that I wouldn't be satisfied with an assignment unless I knew that I would be okay with at least one picture being framed or published with my name on it. I took this class seriously because I respect journalism and the power in story telling so much that it was hard to separate myself from the artistic integrity I wanted to hold on to. One of the biggest take aways from this class is how a good photograph should be composed whether it is a pair of teammates passing of a baton, a simple flower, or a girl in a tree the viewers eye must be drawn to what the photographer wants to portray. This is difficult to adjust to in different context: for example I learned that in landscape photography the elements should have a 2/3 to 1/3 ratio ( 2 parts water, one part land or 2 parts sky one part water, etc) but in sports and portrait photography the subject should follow the rule of thirds and be on one of the intersecting line points. Something I learned throughout the process is that I can never be good at everything and photography doesn't just come naturally, you have to put effort into making your shots mean something. I was talking to my friend who is on the year book staff at Howell and she pointed out- when I was really struggling with the sports unit- that everyone has a niche in photography and I found that mine was portraits; whether animal or human. When I was doing the shoots with my two friends I felt the time flying because I really got to be creative and choose the subject, background, composition, pose, etc and it allowed me to create photos based on my relationship with my two friends. Both their parents loved the portraits and wanted me to send all the good shots I took of them so they could hang it around the house. I enjoyed the process and feeling I got from creating something my own. This brought back the joy I found in taking my bird picture.
It is my 17th birthday in a few days and the number one thing on my list is a camera so I will be able to continue what I learned in this class and take some of my friend's senior portraits. Over the summer, my biggest goal is to take pictures and videos so I can remember the times that will never come back for the rest of my life. Overall, although this class has certainly caused a lot of stress this semester (especially because presentations are my second worst fear and we've done over 10 in one semester) it has changed how I see the world and the art of photography and brought out my creative side thats been hidden away for years.
"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence"- Ansel Adams
It is my 17th birthday in a few days and the number one thing on my list is a camera so I will be able to continue what I learned in this class and take some of my friend's senior portraits. Over the summer, my biggest goal is to take pictures and videos so I can remember the times that will never come back for the rest of my life. Overall, although this class has certainly caused a lot of stress this semester (especially because presentations are my second worst fear and we've done over 10 in one semester) it has changed how I see the world and the art of photography and brought out my creative side thats been hidden away for years.
"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence"- Ansel Adams