Week 6: Landscapes

One of my main takeaways from the landscape reading was trying to capture how the landscape feels. She went into detail about looking for patterns, seeing how people play a role in the environment and trying to capture that relationship. 

Having a 60 mile commute to work everyday in the green mountains of Vermont, I wanted to take a different approach. I wanted to try to capture "Vermontness" in my pictures. I also tried to take photos of the same thing on different days with different elements coming into play. The first two images illustrate how a foggy morning completely changes the picture versus a clear morning. 

"Getting the perfect photo" is subject to your own goals. I'll use the first two photos as an example. If I wanted a mysterious photo of a farmer's field, the first image would be the perfect photo. If I wanted the same exact subject, but on a clear day, the second would have been perfect. It all depends on what you're going for as a photographer and what you're trying to capture.

Week 5 - Assignment 3: Framing

Week 5 - Assignment 2: Centered vs. Thirds

I really enjoyed seeing the difference that framing a shot with the rule of thirds in mind makes on a composition. It definitely makes the shot more visually interesting and I find it puzzling because the shots really aren't that different. The small variation makes a huge difference on the overall composition. 

One observation that I made was that I frequently moved the subject to the right of the frame. I didn't consciously do this but seeing them all lined up next to each other it is very evident. 

Week 5 Assignment 1: Fibonnaci's Ratio

Fibonnaci's ratio was found by Leonardo Fibonnaci around 1200 AD (source). He determined there is a ratio present in nature that the eye sees as beautiful. The ratio is 1:1.61~.

Products, buildings, works of art, and photographs have been modeled after this ratio. Have an iPhone? That's in accordance with the ratio.  The source I used calls the ratio, "the rule of thirds on steroids".

When you take the sweet spot of the ratio and recreate it four times into a grid, you get something that looks similar to the rule of thirds grid, however it is different.

Here are some examples of the ratio put to use in regard to photography:

I can't even imagine trying to keep this in mind when taking photos. I think for now I'll stick with the rule of thirds, but this is great to know about. It matters because it is what we consider "beautiful".

Week 4: Lighting

I chose to photograph this watch in a variety of different lighting. I was always told natural daylight is the best light source you could have, but after completing this I assignment I realize it depends on what you are going for in your image. For example, if you want a gloomy effect, natural daylight may not be the best option. I decided to use natural light, incandescent bulb (in two stages, warming up and fully on), natural light with a reflector, and the camera's flash. These are the results.

Natural Daylight

Incandescent Bulb

Incandescent Warming up with Natural light

Reflected daylight with a DIY green reflector

With Flash

Week 4: Color Schemes

 I wanted to display the same object in two different color schemes to be able to effectively compare and contrast the role color plays on the same object. I used this apple on a red cloth background and in the grass.

Complimentary

Monochromatic

Ryan Ackerman
June 6, 13
Week III: Macro Photos

Well, as I began shooting with my Nikon D50, the lens broke. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but the aperture seems stuck closed and there is severe rattling coming from inside. I was forced to use my backup camera for this assignment.

Individual Photos: Note: I did not include all of these images in the collage