Introduction to digital imaging

The first photographer whose photograph I would like to have a look at is William Klein's image what he photographed in 1955 in Harlem, New York.

In Klein's work I always see dynamic and a lots of movement, he uses blur to add more intensity to it. The direction of the guy in focus is left to right while the other person is walking the opposite way. The two persons differ in a few ways but also similar to each other. One is young or at least younger then the other, and I think the man on the left is also a dad or the child could be his daughter as well and he just arrived to them. The younger guy who is in movement, looks energetic, happy and also happy to be photographer meanwhile the other person is slowing down a bit as he looks a bit more relaxed and older maybe wiser. What I'm trying to say what I see there is the difference between the ages it could be just a couple of years but it appears for me on this picture. They both wearing suit one is wearing dark one is wearing a darker one. I also think about the vertical line between the two person it could referee to be a mirror between the young energetic and the older, wiser family man. They both enjoying a pepsi that is a similarity between them so that's why I thought about my mirror idea.

Bibliography: http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2013/04/03/175605582/you-cant-put-a-headline-on-william-klein

The photograph is from Robert Frank's The Americans book, which has been published in 1958. The book is about the post-war American life, how the photographer who was born in Switzerland seen it. He saw a different country than other people saw, he hasn't born in the country so he had the independent view on Americans. Interested about the tension in the gloss of American culture and wealth over race and class differences which gave a clear contrast to the other contemporary photojournalists.
On this image we can see bus or a tram, with open windows and through each window one person looking out. The composition is very interesting because the windows kind of split the image into individual parts, like portraits of each person. When I look on this photograph I think it is a very well composed image and also a good portraiture of the Americans in that time. Because the people look into the camera and not into the direction where the bus goes, makes the image more like a portrait than a street photograph.

Bibliography: Robert Frank (1958). The Americans. France: Robert Delpire, Grove Press, Steidl. 180.

The last photograph I will have a look at today is from my internet research and it is a portrait photograph which has been seen as a part of the Taylor Wessel portrait prize exhibition.

First what I see on the photograph is a portrait of a tired looking young woman. Then I looked into the photograph bit more and I discovered the mud patches and the dirt on her clothes and on her face. Her clothing refers for that she is a jockey. This portrait photograph is very well presented and shows a face of a tired jump jockey. The photographer is Spencer Murphy and the model is Katie Walsh, a famous and respected female jump jockey from England. The lighting is flat and the colours are not so vivid what give a bit more realistic feeling to the portrait. First I seen this photograph on the cover of BJP magazine a couple of months back. Later I did a little research on the photographer and the model and this is what I found.

Spencer Murphy for Katie Walsh

Spencer Murphy grew up in Kent and studied at the Kent Institute of Art and Design before gaining a BA in Photography at Falmouth College of Arts.

Taken at Kempton Park Racecourse his portrait of Katie Walsh was taken whilst shooting a series of jump jockeys' portraits for Channel Four's The Original Extreme Sport campaign. He says: 'I set up at the side of the racecourse and pulled in the jockeys as they finished their races. I was keen to include Katie, I wanted to show both her femininity and the toughness of spirit she requires to compete against the best riders in one of the most demanding disciplines in horse racing. I chose to shoot the series on large format film, to give the images a depth and timelessness that I think would have been hard to achieve on a digital camera'.

Shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards in both 2010 and 2011, Murphy's work will now have been exhibited as part of the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize seven times, and last year his portrait of actor Mark Rylance won him Third Prize.

Source: http://www.npg.org.uk/photoprize1/site13/exhibition_shortlisted.php

How lighting affects an image

Low key photography is when the photographer use less lighting in the picture and creates a moody effect by the control of the contrast.

This image show with a one light source to create the low key effect. When I have a look at this image I see a lonely and obviously very sad person in a bat tube. The control of the light which enables a low tonal range creates a very moody sad picture. I would also think about this person is really considering the option of suicide or similar because she looks very unhappy. Looks like everything in her life what she owned and beloved suddenly just disappeared. Even the bath tube is dirty and a woman with a dirty bath tube in my opinion is not so common because women always like to clean everything so I am sure she wouldn't let her bath room look so dirty and unassuming. So she doesn't even care about anything anymore. That is my opinion and that's what I think of this image. It is a very depressing image thanks to the low light setup.

On this website you can see more works from this photographer.

High key photography is the opposite of low key. A bit more like happiness and creating more smoother images.

The photographer on this image used the technique very well. It is a black and white picture again but this picture is completely opposite to the image before I've shown. It is a very delightful image as it is a wedding picture it has to be happy. The high key also adds joyful feeling to the atmosphere. The details are blown out the image I would call more "smooth" and easy to see, thanks to the technique. It gives the feeling that the couple on the image are very very happy obviously it is one of their happiest moment in their life. The image composed heavenly how the couple steps out of the light and all eyes on them seems to be a happy couple. With this method in photography is easy to create this kind of happy image. Often used in portraits or fashion photography and goes well with wedding.

Photographers website here.

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.