Photography course and evaluation

As I was always interested in photography this year finally just decide to start going college and study photography. Because of my busy life style and mostly working night shifts, it was a little bit brave move because I disn't want to start something and bot finish it. But because I was always interested in photography, mostly documentary photography and photojournalism, and I've always tried to learn by myself but I felt it is not the same. With this course I hopeing for the end of the year I'll be able to create my own portfolio and try to work as a freelancer in this business.

I think I've already learnt a lot in the last  2 months. I try to improve and try not to be lazy. But I think that is one of the hardest part in it. But I always think if I really want to do something I'll give 200%. A lot of thing I have to improve one pf my biggest issue is the time management. But I will learn that thanks for the HE tool kit classes.

I'm hoping for the end of the year I'll learn even more and getting ready to start out in te indistry.

Montage and selection tools

In photoshop we can create montage pictures by blending 2 or more photos together, under the same theme. For example here for practice I just created one about Senna and Mclaren the biggest names in f1 racing history.

First I used the selection tools. To select a rectangular object you just simply select the rectangular marque tool and just crop where I want to apply. I selected the whole picture by pressing the Ctrl+A buttons and selected the whole picture. Pressed Ctrl+C to copy it.

Pressed Ctrl+V to paste the image what I use as a layer now. Ctrl+T for free transforming the layer. Also don't forget to use the 'maintain aspect ratio' button on the top, to keep the correct ratio while we transforming the image.

With the brush tool just soften the edges. Used a round shaped brush. Around 50% flow to not make it too harsh.

I have done the same with Senna's face, select all by pressing Ctrl+A cut it and paste it by pressing Ctrl+C; Ctrl+V on the main image. It will look like something like that.

Free transform with Ctrl+T and blend it into the picture with the soften edge brush.


Final image:

Unit 1: Digital, street photography slideshow

Photographing people on the streets and documenting the everyday's life in the big cities is a kind of photography what I was always interested in. I just love the idea to go out to the streets and do what I love to do, taking pictures. For me street photography means a lot because I was always interested what's going out in the world and this kind of documenting could be very tasty and thrilling sometimes. The more like I'm getting into this the more I will like it I'm sure.

Taking photos of strangers could be fun and also frustrating. For me the thing is to work with people who I don't know and I don't know what will be their reaction when I put my camera in their face, is freightening. Most of the time people are amazing, so friendly and helpful. If our approach is friendly and also polite and make sure they know you are not some kind of perv, about 90 percent of the situations will be all right.

So this was my first time when I actually went in with my wide angles. If it is about street photography I rather use my wide angle lens. 35mm on my Canon A1 or just my 18-55 on my 400D. Wide angles are good for get in and show what is around the subject, to fill the frame with more action and to try to make the viewer feel like he or she is there. Feel more personal. Like William Klein, one of my favorite photographer used to do it. Operating with wide angle lens, approximately 28-35 mm-s or 50 mm is the ideal for street shooting. So these are the advantages but what about the disadvantages? My biggest problem would be to step in the area to fill the frame. I try to get over it and I think with practice I could easily get rid of the frustration.

Basically that would be my first work on the streets by myself. Where I want to improve as a photographer is to be more confident in the situation on the street when I take pictures. I have recognized that when someone just can't stand you taking pictures of them and they a little bit more hostile with you, you just smile and wave to them. Those people might just walk off or smile back. As I said being polite and friendly while shooting street photography, could be a great help for the photographer. What also learnt is you have to be always prepared for action because things just happening front of your eyes without being noticed. So a good street photographer is always ready to shoot. I tried to use slower shutter speed to add more movement to the picture or sometimes I just set the aperture higher to make most of the depth of field more sharp and just shot from the hip being unnoticed. I think with experience street photography could be my favorite kind of photography.


Joel Meyerowitz is one of the most influential photographer for me maybe because he is one of the first street photographer whose work got my interest in street documentary. He started working as am art director and soon he changed his mind after he seen Robert Frank in work. He became a photographer, an artist. He mostly known about his street work and also he was the first photographer in the late 70s who used colour film.
I always think he's photographs are more like paintings, a frozen moment of the very busy NY streets. Colour photography is a little bit far from me but that is what makes his work more unique for me. I am planning to do some colour street photography in the future, but at the moment I prefer black and white.

One of my favourite image

Colour gives a different depth of his images, using wide angle lens to get in more and fill the image.













Garry Winogrand another famous street photographer from the US. His work is all black and white and using wide angle lens mostly 28mm or 35mm. Using a Leica he's able to capture images from the everyday life. The important part is in street photography is to get in close and that's why I like the listed two photographers work.

Winogrand shot everything. In his active years he shot thousand of images. Millions of images he left behind at his death.

“When in doubt, click”

Always focus on form and content.
"Every photograph is a battle of form and content."











Winogrand often shot the streets of New York with Joel Meyerowitz side by side.
Usually shot in black and white but I found some pages where you can find his colour work.



Project
When I was in the city center of Manchester I also had to look after a few things. Health and safety is also a very important subject. The fact is that the photographer usually behind his or her DSLR and completely reduces the whole view for the world could be dangerous. I've nearly had a serious confrontation with one of the metrolink vehicle. So always important to think twice before the framing, is it could be dangerous or not.

I have also used my iPhone to record the environmental sounds and in powerpoint I just put them together as a slideshow and uploaded to vimeo.

My first photo was at the university district. I've taken this picture with my film camera and I used the ilford xp2 film. What I tried to use on this picture is the negative space composition. This guy on the picture wouldn't mind being photographed he just turned around. What I should have done is wait until this place would be a little bit crowded and then move in a little bit closer.

Also the same spot. I took this picture about these guys packing out their van. I liked the straight lines and the boxes in the foreground. It also looks good better on black and white.

On this picture I just tried to create a blurry image with a slow shutter speed. This photo was taken at Piccadily tram station. But this photo's composition accidentally not that bad. I tried to create a similar feeling when I have a look at William Klein's photos. He said that the Blur is an element of photography. I think the same. What I tried to do is to show how the crowd getting off the trams and that would have created a motion effect. But this is all right as well.

The next picture, I traveled to victoria station with tram and I saw this guy standing there and I just took a picture of him. The reason why I took this picture would be because of the big gate. That gives a frame to the picture.

This photo looked interesting for me because of the vans. I could "cut" them in halves and the guy with the chairs also gives a bit to the image.

This weird band was pretty interesting they were wearing masks. Bit weird but the tall man and the short old man gives a little bit to the composition. Basically I tried to create a rythym in the composition woth them two. And also the band is funny in the background.

This guy was a pretty good musician I think. I tried to frame this picture so I can see the people moving that gives a motion to the picture and it is not that boring like that. Also used a wide angle lens but what I don't really like is the two persons are not more in the frame.

This guy was on Market street in the city centre. I just asked him can I take a photo of him he said of course. I should have stepped back and show more in the frame I think. He didn't make any problem of being photographed.

The last picture would be a night scene of a dirty alley in chinatown. It is a little bit defocused but I still like the depth of field. I also shot this one on film.

This would be my slideshow of my street photography. Also uploaded to vimeo.

I hope this little street photography taught me a few things about capturing a moment what is basically the street photography's principal. And also learnt that to think before press the shutter. I tried to focus to the image exist in my mind before I take the picture.

HDR image

HDR images made of several pictures taken with a different exposition. It could be under-, over exposured. After all this we just have to put the images together and make some adjustments in photoshop.

First of all I open my image in raw mode. I make 3 jpeg files by under exposing one and over exposing the other one.

Ok now open them in photoshop. After I opened them I'll pick the over exposured one select all with Ctrl+A or we can also use the rectangular selection tool. Ctrl+C to copy the image on the under exposured one with Ctrl+V to paste the image. Now the first image will appear as a layer on the second image.

Now I used the gradient tool to fade away the are what I didn't want on my picture. Using a layer mask set to white and using the gradient tool which is set to black, and just drag it from the area what we don't want to.

From the bottom left corner I applied the gradient tool towards to the centre of the picture. I have also used the dodge and burn tool to lighten or darken a few areas near to that little runnel. The burn tool or the dodge tool is practical if we want to lighten or darken an area. On keyboard just press the O button.

That's how I use gradient tools to create an HDR image.

Levels and curves

Levels

The first thing we do with our picture is to adjust the saturation with shifting the levels of black and whites. On this picture I've shifted the greys to the level I think is good.

Once we double clicked on the background layer we just go to the levels option on the bottom right corner.

After all this I've just flatten the image and saved it with 72 ppi resolution in jpeg.

Curves

In the curves option we can fine tune the colour contrast. We can adjust all the three colours contrast at once or individually.

On the curves menu we see the dark tones on the left and the light tones are on the right.

This is a non-destructive method to adjust the saturation of the colour. So if we use only the layer- adjustment layer menu it will harm the finished photo. If we work with layers only we can always also go back in the history and edit it or remake any changes.

Research on 3 photographers & Influence

My research on the 3 photographers who I choose. I've picked them because their work interest me more than other photographers.

First I want to write about Don McCullin. McCullin's work interesting for me because of the way he documented England in the late 50's and 60's. He took pictures of the London gangs and the homeless people of the area. He's work on vietnam and cyprus is also interesting, because he covered pretty much of these conflicts. He's photos are strong and very emotional. He's friendliness and honest way of approaching people is visible on them pictures. His documentary work is interesting to me. How to document people in their own environment even if they live in a big city like London or an area torn by a conflict like Cyprus.

Don McCullin also shot landscape pictures mostly on black and white film. He shot this picture early morning in Hartlepool. For me this picture is more like a portrait than an industrial landscape. Probably because of the man who makes me think he works hard for his money even in this hard environment. Early morning heading into the factory. The composition of the picture is just catches  my eyes. In the background the chimneys blowing smoke in the air drawing lines on the sky. In the foreground the man  heading to work. No trees and nothing friendly on this framing. Look like a very cold and tough place especially when I'm sitting in my comfy, warm room front of my laptop.

References: Don McCullin, England 1960s

McCullin is well known about his work in Vietnam and Cyprus covering conflicts. But for me the most interesting in his work is the social documentary part. Photographing everyday's war against poverty and documenting some people life in bad circumstances could be interesting. This picture for me is one of my favourite from his book. He shot this picture in portrait format so the garbage on the bottom of the frame attracts the eye first. Then the roadside leads my eye up a bit where I can see these children 'playing'/boxing. So when I have a look at the central of the frame I see these little guys boxing each other. What makes me believe this area could be a little bit more rough than other parts of London. I'm sure McCullin couldn't catch similar moments in any posh areas of the capital. I think it could be a late afternoon when children playing outside their home. What I don't like in this picture is the depressing atmosphere what McCullin describes well with working on black and white film and the dirty street scene.

Because I'm more likely interested in this kind of work, Don McCullin is one of my influential photographer. So when I go out to the streets I try to find similar stories like his.

The next photographer would be Andre Kertesz. Kertesz work was known of his groundbreaking contributions in composition. The main reason I like his photography is because of this.

References: Andre Kertesz, 1920's

He took this picture in Meudon, France. The composition of straight lines lead the eye of the viewer in the middle of the picture. Well captured moment when the train is in the picture at the same time when the man who carries a painting steps into the frame. One of the main reason why I like Kertesz's photography is because of the composition. But also the patience how he took them photos what I would like to learn of their photography. With the composition Kertesz could create a lively atmosphere in the otherwise quiet street.

Reference: Andre Kertesz, photographs

This picture of the chairs in Paris is also a good example for Kertesz's vision of composition. I think the way he shot this picture by composing the horizon slightly above the half of the frame and chairs in the foreground gives a nice rhythm to the picture. Also the lamp posts in the background and the trees. He was waiting for someone to cross the street and give a little life to the picture. In my opinion Kertesz's photographs are very calm and silent. Kind of polite how he approaches street photography. Mainly focused on the elements and composition on his photographs. Compare to my last chosen photographer where I think the different is huge.

My last chosen photographer would be William Klein. He also used black and white film. His approach to street photography was something new. He used wide angle because he liked to go in close to fill the frame. This is also one thing what I've learnt of Klein's work to get in close. I think that what makes a great street photograph or social documentary picture. Work from inside to show every detail it is like being in the situation for the viewer itself. He photographed the people of New York and the block where he used to live. About a year ago bbc broadcasted a short movie about his life and work, and I've found it pretty interesting. Klein's way to approach his subject is very interesting to me because I would like to learn how to be that confident to work with people like he did. That's why I chose him as one of my influential photographer.

So one of my favourite photo of Klein is this one which he took on St. Patrick's day in New York. First when I have a look at the picture it is a little bit awkward for me. But when I try to understand I just get into further and further. First of all the depth of the picture what grabs my attention. I can see the lady stepping in the frame. She stepped into the frame where everyone is wearing black coats she wears a bright one what creates a big contrast. Because Klein was using a wide angle lens to fill the frame he could also catch the crowd looking into another direction. For me it creates a movement and a contrary between the movements. People are looking at something in the same direction while the lady completely switches the direction by moving the other way. I don't know how Klein caught that moment but his vision of photography and composition is just fascinates me.

So that would be my 1000 words of my 3 photographers.

Composition

Research about composition techniques and work with the elements.

There are many techniques how to frame a picture what element the photographer would use to create that photo. First we have a look at Rule of thirds. This is a square based composition. Basically the screen would be sliced for three thirds horizontally and vertically. The best composition is if you would but the main element somewhere near to the crossing point of the thirds. 

Rule of thirds

www.flickr.com

The horizon is a bit lower than it logically would be and you can see the tower runs along the line of the third and meet with the bottom one. It also gives a balance to the picture.

Point of view

Point of view will give an interesting angle to the viewer. Try to see and capture the field as a photograph.

On this picture the photographer changed the point of view by lowering it it gives a different perspective to the viewer.

You can find this picture on this webpage.

Geometrical shapes

Shapes and patterns and symmetries what catches your eye. Symmetrical shapes can give a kind of rythm to the picture. Like Henri-Cartier Bresson used the shape of the stairs and the rails to create an abstract image but he also brought some movement some live into the frame with the cyclist.

Reference to this picture .

Negative space

Creative space drags more attention to the subject. Negative space is the space around your subject; the space can be totally contrasting from the subject making it visually easier for the viewer to grasp.

Simplicity

With this composition the photographers try to keep the frame simple and make the viewer easier to focus only on the subject.

Here is the link for this picture.