Multiple Flash

Bevin Caroen, age 10, prepares to drop in, or start down the ramp, at Skatepark 41 in Moberly, Mo. The park is operated by the Family Life Fellowship church in conjunction with its Cafe 41 student ministries. It is open 7-8:30 every Thursday and 7-10 every Friday.

Fill Flash/ Balancing

Connor Elfrink uses a pitchfork to add manure to the compost pile inside Sustain Mizzou’s greenhouse. The greenhouse and the garden it stands next to are located at the corner of Ash and St. Joseph in Columbia, Mo. Sustain Mizzou students collect food scraps from dining halls across campus and transport hem to the compost via bicycle trailers.

Outtakes

Audio Slide Show

Our assignment was to find a audio slide show or multimedia project we were impressed by. I chose Death All Around by Finbarr O'Reilly, of Reuters.

It can be found here http://www.reuterspix.com/congo/

I know you might think this piece is just typical for a photojournalist. After all, don't most of us want to travel and change the world? I chose this audio slide show because it tells of a war that is largely ignored by the international community. Finbarr O'Reilly, the Reuters photographer who narrates the slide show, said that the Congo's war has claimed more than 5 million lives, making it the "deadliest since World War II." O'Reilley mentions the economic factors and the vulnerable wildlife as well as the ethnicity-driven violence that one might expect in light of Hotel Rwanda and the genocide in Sudan. He illustrates each point with photographs and uses ambient noise to match the photos. I do wish we heard voices beyond that of the reporter.

The other reason I chose this piece is personal. I lived in the Congo (which used to be known as Zaire) until I was five. My family was evacuated twice. Goma- the sight of many of the images seen here- was not far from my home in Kazuza. Two things struck me especially when viewing this slide show. First, the scene where the casket of the girl who died with cholera is being buried. My dad had a sawmill in Zaire. He said his most common request was for small caskets. Second, the fact that O'Reilly was able to obtain so many images of the military. My dad returned to the country in the fall of 2007. He was arrested for taking pictures. Because he knew people who knew local government officials he was released after a few days. However, he had to sign an agreement to only take photos while inside buildings and to exclude any military from his pictures. O'Reilly had valuable, volatile access.

Color Correction

Martha Cullifer looks on as her friend Donna Emmert leafs through paintings crafted by an artist in Columbia. The pair visited Hobby Lobby to have the paintings framed. Because the paintings are all different sizes and the canvas around the depiction is dirty, Cullifer decided to add a matte. Deciding that she needed them proved easier than picking their colors.



Outtakes- under Tungsten lighting

Painting with Light

This is the image that Rob, Colleen, Clint and I made for our Painting with Light assignment. We used LED lights with different colored gels and a long exposure. Jeff Parrett was kind enough to model for us.


104,625 patients have been wait-listed for organ donations as of October 29, 2009. Everyday, 17 people die while waiting for an organ donation. The four most needed organs are the kidneys, the liver, the heart, and the lungs.

Single Flash: Bounce & Direct

Bounce Flash

Dotti Biggs (center) chats with a guest at her grandson’s wedding. Sherry Jordan, the mother of the bride, stands with them as she observes the crowd in the church foyer. Biggs said of the wedding “It was exactly what they wanted. It was beautiful.” Nicholas Reed and Jessica Jordan were married October 17, 2009.

Lighting Diagram

Single Flash

(October 18, 2009) Hudson Brewer spoons pumpkin mush into a mixing bowl as his sister Leanna looks on excitedly. After a hearty shake of spice and a squirt of Capri Sun are added to the recipe, their mother, Charlotte, says the pumpkin muffins that come from the mix “should be interesting.”

Lighting Diagram

Some Outtakes

Metal & Glass

My Select

Three clear glasses represent the invisible nature of white light while the red, green, and blue whorls illustrate its primary colors. Red, green, and blue are the additive primaries- they form color by starting with an absence of light then combine together to make a composite color. The glasses also represent the size of the colored wavelengths. Red wavelengths are wide while green wavelengths are smaller and blue wavelengths are even tighter. RGB colors are used in technological devices such as computers, tv screens, and digital cameras.


My Lighting

Outtakes

Classmate Portrait - Andrew Williams

Single Light Exposure

Andrew Williams, a photojournalism student, stands patiently during a portrait session in Lee Hills Hall. He said, “I’m not the most expressive person. My girlfriend gets frustrated with me when she gives me a present and she can’t tell if I like it or not from the look on my face.”

This is the lighting scheme I used for the image above. I placed a softbox on a boom and hung it over Andrew's head, slightly more in front than directly overhead. Then I put a gold reflector in front of him to brighten up his eyes and add a warm tone back to his slightly washed out skin. This image was made at 1/250, f/22, ISO 100.

I never would have guessed it would be so hard to choose a select. I bounced back and forth between the select above and the multiple light image shown below. Ultimately I determined that the single light exposure more effectively portrayed Andrew’s character. His expression is honest and gentle. Although the light illuminating his face is soft and even, his dark hair is mostly in shadow and his beard provides a line of contrast between the bright skin tone and the light blue shirt that connects the shadow on his right side to the dark background on his left. Honestly, I don’t think I could pull this soft lighting off without his beard. Soft lighting generally conveys innocence and even fragility. However, with the presence of the dark hair nearly encompassing his face, the shadows present on his right side and the dark grey tone of the background to his left, there is definite a dark element present in the image. This keeps the lighting masculine. The darkness is further maintained by the fact that the light source is above and slightly in front of Andrew, so his beard receives very little light. The overall effect is that of a calm, reserved strength. Andrew is quiet, but also honest and reliable. I think that the combination of soft light and surrounding darkness communicate that sedate dignity. The thoughtful look in his eyes is paramount.

Two Light Exposure

This is the layout of the studio lights and the silver reflector I used in the image above. I used a large softbox as my key light on Andrew's left. I placed it almost perpendicular to him, but slightly forward. I then placed a silver reflector on Andrew's right to lessen the contrast's severity. Lastly, I set a light low on the ground behind Andrew and gelled it blue to illuminate the background a cool, calm color that suits Andrew's character and set him apart from the backdrop.

As far as the studio work goes, the biggest challenge I faced was getting an acceptable power ratio to my light(s) through the power pack. I tweaked every knob on the unit. For my multiple light exposures I powered my key with 600watts and left it at full power. I also powered the light that I used to illuminate the backdrop at 600watts. Both were turned down 2 stops.

Portriats (not by me)

We have been studying portraits, which are all about light, which is the focus of our Advanced Techniques in Photojournalism class. Light is where it's at. For this assignment we were simply tasked to find a portrait that utilized good studio lighting to reveal the character of the subject.

This is a photo of Corazon Aquino taken by Diana Walker for Time Magazine. In 1986, Aquino ran for president of the Philippines against Ferdinand Marcos after her husband, a politician and leader who opposed Marcos, was assassinated. She ended Marcos' 20 year term when she became the nation's 11th president. She was chosen as Time's Person of the year for 1986 - the first woman since Queen Elizabeth II in 1952.

I think chair in the portrait tell a great deal about Aquino's personality. It seems almost like a humble throne, fitting for a woman as honored and revered as she was. While the flag on the left displays the presidential seal, the one on the right is the nation's colors. She worked to lessen the authoritative role that the president plays in the government, so the presence of both flags is important. Her posture communicates a formal and elegant person, yet her slight smile looks ready to break into a grin at any moment and her left hand rests on her lap completely relaxed. She's serious and capable, but not at all untouchable.

The key light seems to be coming from the just over midway elevation and on the right side. There's some sort of super soft fill on the left. The reflection of these lights in her glasses show that the light sources are fairly large. There's also a hair light to help set her forward from the background.

I originally wanted to find a studio portrait of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the current president of the Philippines, to use for this assignment. I was excited to find this image by Melvyn Calderon, but unfortunately I could not find the photo in any publication, so we're stuck with the watermark. I'm not sure if the fist under the chin is supposed to be vaguely reminiscent of Aquino's portrait, or if it might be a somber spin on the "pogie points" pose (the thumb and index finger framing the chin) that Filipinos know and love. Maybe it's just coincidence. The painting hanging behind her is an image of her father Diosdado Macapagal, who was the president 40 years before her. Interestingly, he lost his bid for a second term to Ferdinand Marcos.

The portrait was made in October 2000, before the Edsa II demonstrations removed Joseph Estrada from the presidency and installed Arroyo (who had been vice president) in 2001. In this image she is young and very soft looking. If I were to photograph a portrait of President Arroyo now, after she was sworn into office under such tumultuous circumstances and has survived several coup attempts, I would not see a soft, green woman. Her father's painting in the background is significant as well. She has earned her own stance as an enduring leader in the past decade, yet she is still known as Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (or GMA). Her heritage has undoubtedly affected her success. Lastly, her very polished appearance is characteristic of her identity as a Filipina. Her nation is composed of people who remain extremely clean and well groomed despite limited access to running water and reliable electricity. Their president embodies this character in her immaculate hair, make up, and dress.

As far as lighting... I almost wonder if there is a window off to the left? If not than the studio lights do a very good job of replicating the soft, even spread that a close or large window would offer. Then again, the shadows falling from her vertical arm indicate a high light source maybe 3/4 back. That sounds more like studio lighting than a window to me. The fill on the right side keeps the light ratio in the image low.

Copy Test

These are the images I made of images other people made already. It was an unexpected four hours in the lab, but I do appreciate learning the copy test method. It will no doubt prove useful in the future, and it was cool to use professional equipment like that.

This photo belongs to Steve Simon and was published in the Fall 2008 issue of pdnedu "The Photojournalism Issue". I have no idea what kind of light is happening here.

Robert Caputo took this picture. It was published in a National Geographic story entitled "Zaire River" in the November 1991 issue. The warm sunlight depicts the scene as life might feel to those in it- hot, bright. The dirty brown environment the golden sun reveals is livened by the rich hues also emphasized by the same light.

I like this photo from my light exploration take for several reasons. For one, the composition is funky since the subject is almost in the center. You also have to work to determine what that silhouette is on the far right. I like pictures that draw you in and make you wonder. Then, of course, the lighting from the fish tank proves to be the real subject of the photo.

The blue and green in the tank and the purple glow atop it are the result of a tungsten white balance setting, a fluorescent light bulb, and a beige wall. The clarity of the water is what makes it all possible. The light being reflected into color is made possible by that light not being absorbed by murky water.

Crossing the street today...

As I was walking home from class today I saw traffic backing up on S. College. Initially I thought it was some sort of fender bender since there were only a few police cars. Then an ambulance and a firetruck rolled in. As I got closer I saw a girl lying in the road and a driver's side mirror lying on the sidewalk. She had a broken leg, but I don't know the extent of her injuries otherwise.

I'm still uneasy about taking pictures in such situations. The ethics seem muddled. I mean, if it was my sister out there would I want people taking pictures of her? Honestly, I think it depends. The intent of the images and the attitude of the journalist are both key.

Student journalists taking down information from MUPD Captain Brian Weimer.

Empty Blog

I don't like starting off with a blank blog, so I'll go ahead and post a few images from my summer before getting down to business with class assignments.

My parents. I was looking at them through a hole in a crazy crawlspace at the City Museum in St. Louis. I wish that wooden post and deck weren't so obtrusive.

My little sister, Rachel. Our trip to the museum was in honor of her birthday. The glass mosaic fits her personality well and while the photo's toning leaves much to be desired, her smile is genuine.
Picasso style!