Self Portrait and Portraits Part 1

Best tips:
1. Break the rules of composition: There are a lot of 'rules' out there when it comes to composition and I've always had a love hate relationship with them. My theory is that while they are useful to know and employ that they are also useful to know so you can purposefully break them - as this can lead to eye catching results.

2. Experiment with subject expressions: In some portraits it is the expression of the face of your subject that makes the image. Get your subject to experiment with different moods and emotions in your image. Play with extreme emotions. But also try more somber or serious type sots.

3. Engaging your subject: The first order of business is to engage your subject. This is where we all have to learn to overcome our shyness and approach people in an open and friendly manner. Be up front about who you are and what you're doing. Don't just barge into a scene with your cameras blazing. In fact, it is usually best to leave your camera in its bag when you first approach people, so as not to frighten them. Take time to engage the person in conversation, just as you would if you didn't have a camera. Remember the Golden Rule. Think about how you'd feel if someone approached you and wanted to make a photograph. How they did it would determine how you would respond.

Environmental Portraits:

This photo draws me in because it's very easy to look at and it has a point. It's a very good portrait because it shows being natural and we get a really good idea about the subject. It captures a candid moment and has very good composition.

I like this photo because it plays around with expression, movement, and props, and it captures the subject in his fitting environment. The picture is very interesting to look at because of all the things going on around the subject, but not in a distracting way. We get a glimpse into the life of the subject in a fun way.

Photography Self Portraits:

This photo is very intriguing and I think a very good example of a self portrait. The subject is center, which lets us know his importance and that he is the focus. The way the photographer plays around with movement of the head on a composed and classy body gives the photo an erie mood and makes us think about what is trying to be told. After doing some research on the photographer and his work I found out he did this series as a way of documenting his depression. The photos are so intense and so cool to explore. 

This photo makes a good self portrait because it has a main focus, fills the frame, and has an odd take on capturing one's self. You could take it as somebody comparing their old self to the new, or what you want versus what you are, etc. The way her left hand is touching her face makes a big difference I think. 

Casual Portraits:

This photo makes for a good casual portrait because it's simple, has one main focus, but is shot with unique perspective and good composition.

This photo is a good casual portrait because it's easy to look at and you get a sense of her personality. It also adds a prop, which gives it something fun and extra.

My Portrait Assignment:
For my portrait assignment I'm planning on shooting pictures of my sister. We will go downtown to a coffee shop or a record shop because going to those places are her favorite things to do. To make my shot successful I will follow the tips from the blogs that I read and break the typical rules of photography to make it unique. 
For my self portrait I will shoot myself working on a monologue or some theatre performance. Theatre is one thing that keeps me going and gives me motivation, so I think it would make sense for my self portrait to be showing that. I could also shoot a picture of me doing my hair and makeup or somehow preparing for a performance. Another one of my passions is music (if you don't already know). So, for another shot I had the idea of me listening to music or jamming out. I'm planning on using a tripod and manual settings to shoot, and using tips from the portrait websites, like avoiding the basic rules of photography. 

Current Events #4.2

1. What is the potential direct impact on goods if a 20% tariff was placed on goods coming into the United States from Mexico, if President Trump is able to push that legislation through Congress to pay for his proposed Border Wall?If a 20% tariff was placed on goods coming into the US from Mexico, the direct impact would be americans paying very high taxes on goods from Mexico, and it would have a negative impact on both the US and Mexico economy.

2. What are the three exceptions that Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez would not require a judicial order or warrant to enforce any ICE detentions requests?
Three exceptions that Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez wouldn't require a judicial order to enforce any ICE detentions requests are "inmates who have either been charged with or convicted of capital murder, murder, aggravated sexual assault or human smuggling."

3. Why did the Austin City Council approve a six-month pilot program to allow amplified music later at night than ever before in the Red River District?
The Austin City Council approved a six-moth pilot program to allow amplified music later at night to see how much it would affect the struggling businesses and noise complaints. They're trying out he extended time for 6 months to see if it will be a positive or negative change.

4. What is so unique about how Stitch Fix operates its business?
Stitch Fix is unique because it uses data to predict what its given customer would like, and they create it, and ship it to their door.

5. Where would you take a date for Valentine's Day from the list in the story inside Austin 360 page 8 and 9?
I would take my Valentine's Day date to either Three Forks or Trace. (holy yum)

6. Long Response
A few of the many potential problems with building a physical wall along the border of the US and Mexico are the cost of it and how that would affect the economy and the negative impacts it would have on the environment. It could cause lots of damage to the surrounding areas, such as flooding, destruction of habitats, and further endangering already endangered species. The wall also brings up ethical issues. Many people think it is "offensive" and morally wrong to close off the borders of our country with a physical concrete wall. There are many economical effects the wall would bring. For one it would cost between 12 and 15 billion dollars to complete the project. Trump is planning on raising tariffs on goods from Mexico, and wants the government to spend the citizens' tax dollars to finish the project. Trump wants to build the wall in the first place to stop immigrants from illegally coming into the US from Mexico. He doesn't think security / border patrol are doing a well enough job. He blames a lot of crime on immigrants and thinks they don't believe they belong in America (even though we all immigrants ourselves???). A wall would impact my life because it's a family tradition of my family to go on trips to Big Bend NP for New Years. It would break my heart to see a wall in place of the gorgeous landscapes next time I went down there. It's one of my favorite places on earth, and it would negatively impact that region so much. I think building a wall is an absurd idea. It's not like the American image to close off our borders like that. It's honestly very unrealistic to build one for many reasons. The landforms like mountains and canyons that form some of the border would make it very hard, if not impossible, to build a wall. The wall would cause economic and environmental grief. It would also further impede America's diplomatic relations with Mexico. I think building stronger fencing in some areas is completely necessary. I don't think building a complete barrier is necessary or will go through. I know that he will find some unpopular way to enforce border security, but I don't think his "big, beautiful wall" idea will go through. If a wall was to be built it makes sense that citizens would be paying for it with our tax dollars. I think it's a terrible way to spend tax dollars, but it's what our government would do.

Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO

The first picture is shot with a low aperture (higher f-stop) and the second picture is shot with a high aperture (lower f-stop).

1. What part of the body should we closely relate aperture?

Our eyes.
2. Finish this sentence - the smaller the aperture, the more in focus the background will be. The higher the aperture, the more blurry the background will be.
3. In your own words tell me how aperture impacts Depth of Field?
The aperture allows you to focus in on a subject in the foreground, which is a shallower depth of field. If can also allow you to equally focus on the entire foreground, middle, and background.

The first picture is shot with a very high shutter speed, capturing an extremely short amount of time. The second picture has a slower shutter speed, capturing a longer moment.

1. If you were assigned to shoot at Bulldogs and Hotdogs, what shutter speeds would you use to shoot the following events under the certain circumstances:

At the beginning while the sun was still up and the courtyard had reasonably good light

a.) a booth in the middle of the yard near the Tree- 1/1000

b.) a food booth outside under one of the big red awnings- 1/1000

c.) the Stars performance inside the gym- 1/180

d.) students dancing near the center of the courtyard- 1/800

e.) people streaming in from the front doors- 1/800

f.) the basketball booth where students are shooting basketballs at a hoop- 1/1000

Towards the end when there is no sun and has gotten dark enough that you can't see from one end of the courtyard to the other.

a.) a booth in the middle of the yard near the Tree- 1/100

b.) a food booth outside under one of the big red awnings- 1/4

c.) the Stars performance inside the gym- 1/180

d.) students dancing near the center of the courtyard- 1/50

e.) people streaming in from the front doors- 1/800

f.) the basketball booth where students are shooting basketballs at a hoop- 1/1000

2. List the three settings your camera has regarding setting shutter speed
Aperture Priority: The photographer controls the aperture and the camera controls the shutter speed
Shutter Priority: The photographer controls the shutter speed and the camera controls the aperture
Manual: The photographer manually controls all the camera settings

The first photo was taken with a higher iso, less exposure. The second photo was taken with a lower iso, more exposure. 

1. What are the advantages of shooting at a higher iso at a sporting event like basketball or a night football game?

With the bright lights at a sporting game you should use a higher iso so you can catch a more clear picture with the fast motion of the game.

2. What suggestion did the author make about using a low iso?
Lower iso normally gets you a clearer and brighter picture and its preferable to use the lowest iso possible for the best quality photo.

3. What suggestions did the author make about using a high ISO?
Higher iso is good for shooting indoor things because the light may be a little wacky and it will be able to capture things better. It usually adds some gran to the photo.


List the aperture settings available on this camera. 2.8 - 22
List the shutter speed settings available on this camera. 1 second - 1/4000 second
List the ISO settings available on this camera. 100 - 25600

Photo Manipulation and Ethics

A. What are some of the main points you read about in the website above regarding manipulating images?
Some main points regarding photo manipulations are that some photographers will merge, distort, or alter their photos in some way. They say they do this to better get their message across or to make an individual more attractive or something. This is seen as unionist photography, though. Just like you would;t change a persons quote nan interview, you shouldn't alter an image because then that shows something that isn't even truthful.


B. What is the philosophy of newspapers like the Washington Post and the New York times regarding image manipulation?The philosophy of the Washington Post and New York Times and other newspapers regarding image manipulation is that the photos should not be altered because thats displaying an untruthful event and photography is a truthful showing of something. 

C. What do you think are acceptable things you could do to an image and not cross the line unto an unethical manipulation?Some acceptable things you could do to an image are change the brightness, tint, contrast, and other basic photo settings. These effects can possibly but don't necessarily change the image's story, they simply make it a nicer and prettier picture to look at. 

D. Post the manipulation (this means get that image and post it on your blog) that you think was the most unethical, and explain why you think it was unethical. 
I consider this photo the most unethical because the reason it was changed was to tell a story that isn't originally shown. If the school wanted so badly to show its diversity, it could've had somebody specifically shoot one. What they did was desperate and untruthful. 

E. Post the manipulation that you consider the least unethical, and explain why you think it is not as bad as others.

I consider this photo the least unethical because the way they changed the photo doesn't alter the story or the meaning, etc. of the picture. The photographer simply distorted the photo a little bit to get the picture to fit on the slender cover of the magazine.

Prompt Shoot #1

The word is Happy. The rule of photography is cropping.

The word is Square. The rule of photography is avoiding mergers and rule of thirds.

The word is Bowie. The rule of photography is simplicity.

The word is Metal. The rule of photography is simplicity.

Current Events #4.1

1. How many educators will be trained at the new Holdsworth Center the first ten years?
3000 educators will be trained at the new Holdsworth Center the first ten years.

2. Who are the eight richest men in the world and why are they in this story?The eight richest men in the world are Bill Gates, Amancio Ortega Gaona, Warren E. Buffett, Carlos Slim Helu, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Lawrence J. Ellison, and Michael R. Bloomberg. They're in this story because their wealth combined is as much as the poorest half of the world's population's wealth combined.


3. What are the top-5 fields to start a new business in, according to the story on page B5?
The top five fields to start a business in are healthcare, marijuana, E-commerce, tech, and home building maintenance. 

4. What are the four "acts" for visitors to the new Kennedy Space Center exhibit, according to the story on page SA3?
The four "acts" for visitors to the new Kennedy Space Center exhibit are "What is a Hero?", "Through the eyes of a hero," "A Hero is...", and the Astronaut Hall of Fame.

5. What are 5 of the predictions for TECH in 2017 from the technology writer for the Statesman? 
The five predictions for TECH in 2017 are that Twitter will begin to go downhill, the Amazon Alexa will have a backlash, Apple will get worse before it gets better, Uber and Lyft will come back to Austin, and AMD acquisition rumors will be revived. 

6. Long Response
If I wasn't in school, I would definitely watch the inauguration. It's a very practical, educational, and interesting thing to watch. This whole presidential race has been very back and forth and controversial, so I think watching the inauguration would be cool. Also, Trump always tends to say something that pisses people off so I wouldn't want to miss that. I've always been too young to understand what's been going on in politics, so it's been kind of cool to keep up this time. Seeing how people have been reacting on social media since the election has been a rollercoaster. On twitter I can't go ten tweets without seeing something completely bashing Trump (not going to lie I have contributed my bits and pieces), or saying something like #TrumpTrain. I think it's cool that people are all so passionate about their opinions, but I think it gets to a point where it's a bit excessive. Some people are mean and completely close-minded which is so unnecessary. You don't have to see eye to eye with someone on a topic, but you really don't need to have a petty fight about it over the internet. I don't feel worse, but I for sure don't feel better about our presidential-elect. I am honestly really disappointed that after 8 years of the Obamas being great role models for not only adults who can vote, but for the youth, that they are being replaced by an ignorant, sexist, stubborn, and just plain rude man who is expected to be a role model for our country. I don't know the extent of my parents opinions, but I know that they are definitely anti-Trump. 

Cropping

This photo is cropped so the main focus is on the statue. You can also see all the smoke in the background, but you know the focus is supposed to be on the statue.

This photo is cropped to show the wreckage of the building as well as the buildings in the background. The way this photo is set up makes it so that the crumbling building isn't thrown in your face.

Viewpoint

This picture uses the bird's eye view to its advantage because you can take in so much at once. you get to see all the clutter, the machine, the water spraying, and the people helping all at the same time but your eye rests on the people in the center.

The worm's eye view of this photo makes it interesting to look at because you get the whole length of the building and it looks out of proportion compared to the people walking past.

Symmetry and Patterns (repetition)

This photo is symmetrical because if you split it up the middle you would have a firefighter and a half on either side. It's framed and focused in a way that's pleasing to they eye.

This photo isn't symmetrical, but it is divided by the sign in the middle, giving it a pattern with people on both sides. 

Create Depth

This photo looks like you could walk right in and it is set up nicely because the shoes in the foreground are the main focus, but it also has things going on int the background.

This photo has people in the foreground, but the focus is on the background.

Nat's 2016 Year In Review

Top Albums:

1. Skin by Flume

2. Blank Face by Schoolboy Q

3. Help by Blackbear

4. Coloring Book by Chance The Rapper

5. Blonde by Frank Ocean

Top Concerts:

1. Blackbear/Kyle/Hoodie Allen @Emo's @Emo's

2. Kygo @ACL Fest

3. Goody Grace/Gnash @Grizzly Hall

4. Porter Robinson and Madeon @ACL Fest

5. Schoolboy Q @ACL Fest

Top Artists:

1. Blackbear

2. Gnash

3. Major Lazer

4. Tory Lanez

5. Lil Uzi Vert

Top Movies:
1. Sing Street
2. The Purge: Election Year
3. Danish Girl
4. Secret Life Of Pets
5. Independence Day: Resurgence

Top TV Shows:
1. Gilmore Girls
2. American Horror Story
3. Inside America's Toughest Prisons
4. The Bachelor 
5. The Fosters

Top Restaurants:

1. Snooze

2. P.F. Chang's

3. Slake

4. Voodoo Donut's

5. Hopdoddy Burger Bar

Top Stores:

1. PacSun

2. Zumiez

3. Target

4. Walgreen's

5. American Eagle outfitters

Simplicity (background)

This photo is nice because the subject isn't too big and contains the only bit of color in the photo and has a neutral background that doesn't distract.

This photo has an obvious subject that takes up a majority of the frame and the picture is focused on her. She also contains the small bit of color that isn't yellow.

Rule Of Thirds

This photo places the subjects in the right-most third of the frame and has the action aiming towards the center.

This photo is nice to look at because of how the main building is on the left third of the page and only takes up the bottom two thirds because of how it gets more narrow at the top.

Lines

This photo has nice vertical lines that allows your eyes to directly shoot to the subject. The man's body also makes a subtle S curve.

This photo has the lines of the water spraying and the long metal arm thing of the machine that both lead to the people standing in the platform. 

Balance

In this photo, there is one firefighter on either side of the one in the middle, creating balance. The photo can be divided up the middle and it would be balanced nicely.

Framing

In this photo the clippings on the window frame the body of the main subject. It was a very unique and interesting way to set up the shot and I can't tell if it's looking through  window or mirror.

In this photo, the airplane is nicely framed by the smoke and the trees/building.

Avoiding Mergers

In this photo, the photographer did a good job of making sure the building in the background didn't distract from the subject by making the edge of the building cut through his head or arm or something. The focus and cropping and viewpoint all make the picture easy to look at and we can easily tell that the focus should be on the man's sign and his face.

2016 Reflection

This is one of my top photos of 2016 because it was shot at a rally for the presidential election, which was a major topic throughout the year. This picture really captures how some citizens felt so strongly about candidate Donald Trump and how passionate people are about the future of our country. As americans we are so privileged to have the things we do and to have the right to express ourselves. Many americans, as shown in the picture, are very determined and ambitious and this picture captures it.


This is one of my top photos of 2016 because this year people all over the world made such huge advancements in accepting and equalizing the LQBT community. People are becoming more and more open to the community and it is really cool to see how much progress has been made in equality compared to years past. This photo is also pretty comical seeing the old woman's reaction to the drag queen.


This is one of my top photos of 2016 because it is such a powerful and impressive shot of a riot. There were many protests this year about things such as racial and sexual equality, politics, safety, and many other things. This moment was captured so perfectly in time.


This is one of my top photos of 2016 because something about it draws me in and tugs on the heart strings. Every time I was on a new website looking at photos for the assignment I kept going back to this one. It's astounding to see the effects of violence on such an innocent kid. No matter how much improvement has been made this year in our world's social, economical, or political statuses, it can't outweigh the effects of tragedies such as the one caught in this picture.

There were so many amazing new albums and songs and even new artists popping up constantly this year. Being such a music enthusiast it's hard to pick just one, but because Mr. Reeve's is making me I would say my top song of 2016 would be Firestone by Kygo, released on May 13, 2016. This is my pick because it brings me back to such a genuinely happy event in my life. It is such a beautifully written song full of metaphors about love. And what I love about it is that it is such a subtly powerful song and the lyrics don't have to represent a romance between two lovers, but it can be about a passionate friendship or relationship with a family member. When I heard this song played live at Kygo's set at ACL this year, words cannot describe the mass amount of emotions that flooded me. This song is so strongly connected to my life from the past year in a positive in nostalgic way and that's why it's my top song of 2016.

My top movie of 2016 was by far a movie called Sing Street. I found this movie when I was scrolling through the 'recently added' selection on Netflix, and hitting play was probably one of the best decisions of my life. The movie was released in the United States on April 15. It's about an Irish school boy who puts together a band to make friends at his new school, express his love for music, and ultimately win over a girl. Even though I didn't discover it until November, I have already seen it a number of times and have the (inspiring, beautiful, incredible, catchy, and 80's style) soundtrack memorized. This movie has made it into my top 3 and I don't see it dropping out anytime soon.

I think the top news stories this year were the many acts of terrosism throughout the world. The one I chose specifically was the Orlando shooting at the nightclub. This was my top pick because it was the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the United States. It really drew attention and support to not only those individuals and their families, but also to the entire LGBT community. There has been so many violent actions made based on mere hatred and disrespect and it's so sad to see how many people are affected so harshly by it, even with how advanced we are compared to the rest of the world.

I think the most important person of 2016 was Hillary Clinton. She had such a positive impact on so much of the population. Clinton was the first woman to be elected as the primary candidate in a US political party. She showed constant hard work and determination throughout the presidential race and all with a smile on her face. By winning the popular vote, but losing the overall election, so much controversy and protesting began.

I think the biggest entertainment story of 2016 was Leo finally getting his Oscar! He definitely deserved it and I don't know a single person who is upset that he finally got his recognition.

One thing I did on my holiday break that I will remember was taking our biannual trip to Big Bend National Park over New Years. We spend every other year with my dad on New Years and for as long as I can remember we have been going down to Big Bend for a week of hiking and photography and family time away from the chaos of the holidays in the city. This year, my best friend/cousin from New York who I usually see once a year came down for a week and came with us on our trip.

Some of my resolutions for this year are to be more patient, organize and manage my time better, spend more time with my family, and save money.

This year I am beyond excited about going to New York City for the first time. I have wanted to go for such a long time and this summer I am lucky enough to go twice. I am going once with the Starlight Theatre Co. and once with my family. Another thing I am looking forward to this year is the amount of amazing concerts I will get to go to. And last but not least I am getting my driver's license at the end of January.