Friday, 11 March 2016
Friday, 4 March 2016
LO2 Photo-shoot evaluation (Multi-Purpose Suite)
What did you do in your shoot? Explain...
In my shoot today, I took a few photos of 20 HB pencils.
How did you instruct your models to use the space?
My shoot didn't utilise models - just the props, the pencils.
Did you get permission?
I didn't need permission to take photos of pencils as there were no models involved.
Did your timings go to plan?
I didn't originally set any timings for my photoshoot, but there was quite a bit less time than I would have liked. I still did well with the time I had, however.
How did you control composition? Did you use any unusual shooting perspectives or viewpoints?
I tried to use some unique viewpoints and perspectives, such as from alongside the pencils looking down the length of them, but with the short amount of time I wasn't able to use all of the viewpoints I would have liked.
What equipment did you use?
-20 HB yellow-and-black pencils.
-Canon EOS 650D DSLR camera.
What props did you use? Were they effective at communicating meaning or a narrative?
I used 20 pencils as my props. They were effective in terms of creating a unique and striking photo, and in the amount of time I had (around 10 minutes) I feel that I managed to somewhat create the meaning of all things being able to be interesting when photographed in the right way.
Were you able to control the camera settings well? What effects did you achieve?
In the time that I had, I only managed to use the manual setting and the macro setting, for a close-up of the "STAEDTLER" writing. I think my photos looked fairly striking and professional, though.
How and why did you use... (macro, aperture, shutter speed, flash, ISO, shooting speed)
I used macro to take a close-up of the wood of the pencils, and the "STAEDTLER" logo on them. I also used the flash to take a really striking picture of the red bottoms of the pencils. In the time I had, I didn't manage to use the other effects.
How did you control lighting? (Shadows or reflections?)
I used the light from the window of the MPS to take my photos, so they were all very bright and clear. I would have liked to have used the soft lights in the MPS to get a different sort of lighting, but I didn't have time once again.
Did you use depth of field? How? What results did you get?
I didn't want to use depth-of-field particularly in my shoot - I just wanted to take simple but striking photos of pencils on a clear background.
Did you use any camera-based filters such as sepia or monochrome?
I didn't use these on the camera itself during my shoot. However, I could do something like this in Photoshop.
Did you have to use any of your contingency plans? How?
I didn't have to, because I managed to get hold of 20 new yellow-and-black pencils before the shoot from Tesco. The room we used was the Multi-Purpose Suite instead of Studio One, but this was a help rather than a hindrance as there was more space and just as much light.
What plans do you now have for editing your photos?
-Make one pencil in-colour in a photograph, while making the rest of it monochrome, to make one of the pencils stand out. This would appear like a splash of yellow-and-black.
-Bring out the red at the end of a pencil, and the rest of it monochrome, highlighting the red and making it look striking.
What went well?
I felt comfortable with the use of the camera after having a day taking my tester shots a few months ago. It made me less rusty using it and refreshed my memory. I was reminded of the most important features of the DSLR.
Even better if?
If I had had more time, I would have had more practice using the camera and been able to use more effects.
Future targets? (e.g. evaluate your contact print and make plans for editing)
My editing plans are above. Here are the photos I took:
In my shoot today, I took a few photos of 20 HB pencils.
How did you instruct your models to use the space?
My shoot didn't utilise models - just the props, the pencils.
Did you get permission?
I didn't need permission to take photos of pencils as there were no models involved.
Did your timings go to plan?
I didn't originally set any timings for my photoshoot, but there was quite a bit less time than I would have liked. I still did well with the time I had, however.
How did you control composition? Did you use any unusual shooting perspectives or viewpoints?
I tried to use some unique viewpoints and perspectives, such as from alongside the pencils looking down the length of them, but with the short amount of time I wasn't able to use all of the viewpoints I would have liked.
What equipment did you use?
-20 HB yellow-and-black pencils.
-Canon EOS 650D DSLR camera.
What props did you use? Were they effective at communicating meaning or a narrative?
I used 20 pencils as my props. They were effective in terms of creating a unique and striking photo, and in the amount of time I had (around 10 minutes) I feel that I managed to somewhat create the meaning of all things being able to be interesting when photographed in the right way.
Were you able to control the camera settings well? What effects did you achieve?
In the time that I had, I only managed to use the manual setting and the macro setting, for a close-up of the "STAEDTLER" writing. I think my photos looked fairly striking and professional, though.
How and why did you use... (macro, aperture, shutter speed, flash, ISO, shooting speed)
I used macro to take a close-up of the wood of the pencils, and the "STAEDTLER" logo on them. I also used the flash to take a really striking picture of the red bottoms of the pencils. In the time I had, I didn't manage to use the other effects.
How did you control lighting? (Shadows or reflections?)
I used the light from the window of the MPS to take my photos, so they were all very bright and clear. I would have liked to have used the soft lights in the MPS to get a different sort of lighting, but I didn't have time once again.
Did you use depth of field? How? What results did you get?
I didn't want to use depth-of-field particularly in my shoot - I just wanted to take simple but striking photos of pencils on a clear background.
Did you use any camera-based filters such as sepia or monochrome?
I didn't use these on the camera itself during my shoot. However, I could do something like this in Photoshop.
Did you have to use any of your contingency plans? How?
I didn't have to, because I managed to get hold of 20 new yellow-and-black pencils before the shoot from Tesco. The room we used was the Multi-Purpose Suite instead of Studio One, but this was a help rather than a hindrance as there was more space and just as much light.
What plans do you now have for editing your photos?
-Make one pencil in-colour in a photograph, while making the rest of it monochrome, to make one of the pencils stand out. This would appear like a splash of yellow-and-black.
-Bring out the red at the end of a pencil, and the rest of it monochrome, highlighting the red and making it look striking.
What went well?
I felt comfortable with the use of the camera after having a day taking my tester shots a few months ago. It made me less rusty using it and refreshed my memory. I was reminded of the most important features of the DSLR.
Even better if?
If I had had more time, I would have had more practice using the camera and been able to use more effects.
Future targets? (e.g. evaluate your contact print and make plans for editing)
My editing plans are above. Here are the photos I took:
Friday, 26 February 2016
LO2 Planning my UTC Photoshoot in Studio One
UTC "Pencils" Photoshoot - Studio One
On Friday 4th March I will be doing a photoshoot in Studio One, as a way of getting to grips with the shutter speed and aperture options on the DSLR. The theme is not related to my final photoshoot of "Identity of the Peak District", but it should be good preparation.
Where?
I am going to take my photos in Studio One at the UTC.
When?
I will take my photos on Friday 4th March 2016.
Timings of shoot?
I will take my photos after lunch on the Friday, 13:25 - 15:00.
Use of space (recce)?
My theme should only need a small amount of space, but hopefully that space could be in a bright part of the room to bring out colours.
How does it fit the brief?
The theme I will be taking photos for in Studio One is unrelated to my final photoshoot of "Identity of the Peak District, but I hope that it is good experience in the camera settings for when I come to do my final shoot.
Theme?
The theme of the shoot that I will be doing on Friday 4th March is "pencils". I will use plain graphite pencils and take photos of things such as: patterns, shavings, different perspectives, tops and bottoms. I could then use Photoshop to highlight colours in certain areas of the photographs to make them look really good.
Meanings you wish to communicate?
The meaning I wish to communicate is that even seemingly mundane things such as pencils can be made to look interesting in unique when photographed in the right way. I also wish to communicate that natural things like pencils can be just as interesting as state-of-the-art objects.
Equipment?
The only equipment I will need for my shoot is simply HB pencils. I will obviously use a camera and tripod to take the photographs too.
Lighting? Shadows? Reflections? Mood?
Hopefully it is a sunny day on 4th March, as it would bring out the yellow and black colours of the pencils and also create a lot of shadow, which I would want for certain photos.
Camera mode? Why?
I will have the camera in manual mode, so that I can adjust shutter speed and aperture differently for different shots. This will be good practice for my final photoshoot in the Peak District.
Aperture? Why? Think of what type of lighting conditions in Studio 1
I want a lot of light in my photos to bring out colours and to make them look as good as possible. Therefore, for most of my photos, I will adjust aperture to let a lot of light in.
Shutter speed? Why?
For some of my shots, I might have a slow shutter speed to blur sunlight. This would be a unique and effective choice for some photographs, while for some others I would have a fast shutter speed to capture a clean look.
ISO? Why?
The ISO choice I would use for my photos would likely be low-sensitivity, as it is usually very bright in Studio One so there is no need for a high light sensitivity. Also, a high sensitivity could add noise to my photos so I want to avoid using that in this situation.
Depth of field?
I will probably use a deep depth-of-field for most of my shots, in order to get the most clarity. However, I might use a shallow depth-of-field for one or two for effect and uniqueness.
Flash or no flash?
I don't think I will need a flash unless it is a particularly dark day, as it is usually very bright in Studio One.
Will you use the macro? (Close up) EV mode? (Lightens / darkens)
I will probably use the macro feature in some of my shots, to capture close-up details like pencil shavings and the stripes on the pencil. Most of the shots won't utilise it, however. EV stands for exposure value, and it is used for adjusting how bright photographs look. The camera usually does this well automatically, however, so I doubt I will need to adjust it manually.
Continuous or single shooting speed?
I will be using single shooting speed for my photos next week, because the pencils will be static so there is no need for a continuous speed. This is used for when the subject is in fast motion.
JPEG / RAW? Why?
I will capture my photos in RAW quality because this file format provides the best quality of image, meaning that my photos will look as good as they possibly can.
Equipment? Costumes? Props? What textures might they have?
The only equipment that I need for my shoot is a camera, a tripod and a few HB pencils.
Risks?
There are very few risks in Studio One. I could maybe trip on chair legs or table legs, so I would have to move some of these out of the way.
Contingency plans?
If I don't manage to bring pencils for some reason, I could come up with a shoot using the items that are on me, such as technology or books.
If Studio One is unavailable, this isn't too much of a problem as my photographs can be easily taken in a small area of space, such as a desktop, in pretty much any other room with enough light.
How will you protect your final photos?
My final shots will be stored on my SD card, my laptop and my external hard drive at home, so they will be well-protected once they are taken.
How will you get permission from your models?
I won't need any permissions because my photographs only involve pencils and no real people.
How will you ensure that your photos are in focus (e.g. image stabilisation)?
I will use a tripod to take my photos to make sure that there is no blur and none of them are out-of-focus. The photographs are actually fairly easy to take, as they involve little motion.
Framing? Where will you place the viewfinder to compose the best shot? Landscape or portrait?
I am unlikely to be using framing in this photoshoot as it revolves around details and patterns which can be made using pencils.
Describe a couple of the shots you intend to take...
- a circle created by the tips of pencils placed close to one another
- a macro of wood shavings and a pencil tip
- pencils in a line, with a splash of colour on one.
Centre of interest?
One example of centre of interest would be the first shot example listed above - a plain white circle created by pencil tips would be in the centre of the photograph.
Viewpoint? Above? Below? Eye level? Through a door/window/keyhole?
I will take photos using from eye-level, above eye-level and below-eye level, to show a range of angles and create photos which all look different. I am unlikely to frame using a door/window/keyhole because I want to keep my photos simple where possible.
How will you use the rule of thirds?
One way in which I could use the rule of thirds is by creating patterns in the two edge thirds of the photo, and leaving the middle one blank. I could also, really simply, place a pencil in each third of the photo and maybe use Photoshop to bring out the colour in the middle or two edge thirds, while making the rest monochrome.
Will you shoot in colour, sepia or monochrome?
Most of my photos will be shot in full colour, because I think the yellow-and-black of the pencils will look striking when it is covering most of the photo. For a few, however, I will monochrome out most of the photo and bring out the colour in one pencil, to make it stand out.
Will you use silhouettes or shadows?
I am likely to use shadows of the pencils in some photographs to create an imposing look. Hopefully it is sunny on the day so I can get long, dark shadows where I want to.
Will you use pattern or repetition?
Absolutely. Pattern and repetition are probably the most important aspects of my photoshoot because of the yellow-and-black pattern on the pencils, and the way I will arrange the pencils in the photographs.
Will you use leading lines? How? Create a sketch...
I won't be using leading lines in my pencils photoshoot because there isn't any larger subject for the pencils to lead to. It is a simple photoshoot focusing only on the pencils, their patterns and their arrangement.
What is the overall narrative? Is this achieved by using props?
The "narrative" of my photoshoot is that even things as seemingly mundane and ordinary as pencils can be made to look striking and imposing, when photographed correctly. My photographs will aim to show that almost anything at all can be made to look impressive.
Studio One Risk Assessment
On Friday 4th March I will be doing a photoshoot in Studio One, as a way of getting to grips with the shutter speed and aperture options on the DSLR. The theme is not related to my final photoshoot of "Identity of the Peak District", but it should be good preparation.
Where?
I am going to take my photos in Studio One at the UTC.
When?
I will take my photos on Friday 4th March 2016.
Timings of shoot?
I will take my photos after lunch on the Friday, 13:25 - 15:00.
Use of space (recce)?
My theme should only need a small amount of space, but hopefully that space could be in a bright part of the room to bring out colours.
How does it fit the brief?
The theme I will be taking photos for in Studio One is unrelated to my final photoshoot of "Identity of the Peak District, but I hope that it is good experience in the camera settings for when I come to do my final shoot.
Theme?
The theme of the shoot that I will be doing on Friday 4th March is "pencils". I will use plain graphite pencils and take photos of things such as: patterns, shavings, different perspectives, tops and bottoms. I could then use Photoshop to highlight colours in certain areas of the photographs to make them look really good.
Meanings you wish to communicate?
The meaning I wish to communicate is that even seemingly mundane things such as pencils can be made to look interesting in unique when photographed in the right way. I also wish to communicate that natural things like pencils can be just as interesting as state-of-the-art objects.
Equipment?
The only equipment I will need for my shoot is simply HB pencils. I will obviously use a camera and tripod to take the photographs too.
Lighting? Shadows? Reflections? Mood?
Hopefully it is a sunny day on 4th March, as it would bring out the yellow and black colours of the pencils and also create a lot of shadow, which I would want for certain photos.
Camera mode? Why?
I will have the camera in manual mode, so that I can adjust shutter speed and aperture differently for different shots. This will be good practice for my final photoshoot in the Peak District.
Aperture? Why? Think of what type of lighting conditions in Studio 1
I want a lot of light in my photos to bring out colours and to make them look as good as possible. Therefore, for most of my photos, I will adjust aperture to let a lot of light in.
Shutter speed? Why?
For some of my shots, I might have a slow shutter speed to blur sunlight. This would be a unique and effective choice for some photographs, while for some others I would have a fast shutter speed to capture a clean look.
ISO? Why?
The ISO choice I would use for my photos would likely be low-sensitivity, as it is usually very bright in Studio One so there is no need for a high light sensitivity. Also, a high sensitivity could add noise to my photos so I want to avoid using that in this situation.
Depth of field?
I will probably use a deep depth-of-field for most of my shots, in order to get the most clarity. However, I might use a shallow depth-of-field for one or two for effect and uniqueness.
Flash or no flash?
I don't think I will need a flash unless it is a particularly dark day, as it is usually very bright in Studio One.
Will you use the macro? (Close up) EV mode? (Lightens / darkens)
I will probably use the macro feature in some of my shots, to capture close-up details like pencil shavings and the stripes on the pencil. Most of the shots won't utilise it, however. EV stands for exposure value, and it is used for adjusting how bright photographs look. The camera usually does this well automatically, however, so I doubt I will need to adjust it manually.
Continuous or single shooting speed?
I will be using single shooting speed for my photos next week, because the pencils will be static so there is no need for a continuous speed. This is used for when the subject is in fast motion.
JPEG / RAW? Why?
I will capture my photos in RAW quality because this file format provides the best quality of image, meaning that my photos will look as good as they possibly can.
Equipment? Costumes? Props? What textures might they have?
The only equipment that I need for my shoot is a camera, a tripod and a few HB pencils.
Risks?
There are very few risks in Studio One. I could maybe trip on chair legs or table legs, so I would have to move some of these out of the way.
Contingency plans?
If I don't manage to bring pencils for some reason, I could come up with a shoot using the items that are on me, such as technology or books.
If Studio One is unavailable, this isn't too much of a problem as my photographs can be easily taken in a small area of space, such as a desktop, in pretty much any other room with enough light.
How will you protect your final photos?
My final shots will be stored on my SD card, my laptop and my external hard drive at home, so they will be well-protected once they are taken.
How will you get permission from your models?
I won't need any permissions because my photographs only involve pencils and no real people.
How will you ensure that your photos are in focus (e.g. image stabilisation)?
I will use a tripod to take my photos to make sure that there is no blur and none of them are out-of-focus. The photographs are actually fairly easy to take, as they involve little motion.
Framing? Where will you place the viewfinder to compose the best shot? Landscape or portrait?
I am unlikely to be using framing in this photoshoot as it revolves around details and patterns which can be made using pencils.
Describe a couple of the shots you intend to take...
- a circle created by the tips of pencils placed close to one another
- a macro of wood shavings and a pencil tip
- pencils in a line, with a splash of colour on one.
Centre of interest?
One example of centre of interest would be the first shot example listed above - a plain white circle created by pencil tips would be in the centre of the photograph.
Viewpoint? Above? Below? Eye level? Through a door/window/keyhole?
I will take photos using from eye-level, above eye-level and below-eye level, to show a range of angles and create photos which all look different. I am unlikely to frame using a door/window/keyhole because I want to keep my photos simple where possible.
How will you use the rule of thirds?
One way in which I could use the rule of thirds is by creating patterns in the two edge thirds of the photo, and leaving the middle one blank. I could also, really simply, place a pencil in each third of the photo and maybe use Photoshop to bring out the colour in the middle or two edge thirds, while making the rest monochrome.
Will you shoot in colour, sepia or monochrome?
Most of my photos will be shot in full colour, because I think the yellow-and-black of the pencils will look striking when it is covering most of the photo. For a few, however, I will monochrome out most of the photo and bring out the colour in one pencil, to make it stand out.
Will you use silhouettes or shadows?
I am likely to use shadows of the pencils in some photographs to create an imposing look. Hopefully it is sunny on the day so I can get long, dark shadows where I want to.
Will you use pattern or repetition?
Absolutely. Pattern and repetition are probably the most important aspects of my photoshoot because of the yellow-and-black pattern on the pencils, and the way I will arrange the pencils in the photographs.
Will you use leading lines? How? Create a sketch...
I won't be using leading lines in my pencils photoshoot because there isn't any larger subject for the pencils to lead to. It is a simple photoshoot focusing only on the pencils, their patterns and their arrangement.
What is the overall narrative? Is this achieved by using props?
The "narrative" of my photoshoot is that even things as seemingly mundane and ordinary as pencils can be made to look striking and imposing, when photographed correctly. My photographs will aim to show that almost anything at all can be made to look impressive.
Studio One Risk Assessment
Saturday, 20 February 2016
LO2 Types of Lighting
There are three types of lighting that can be used when taking photographs, and these are:
Diffused Lighting
Diffused lighting is lighting which is not harsh and direct: it appears softer. One example of diffused lighting is clouds in the sky lessening the effect of harsh sunlight. This type of lighting can often make it easier to take photos of your subject because there is not harsh contrast in lighting in the shot.
Direct Lighting
Direct lighting is simply when your subject is lit by something directly, such as harsh sunlight, which is not softened or diffused. It can create unique and fascinating shots when used correctly, but is generally the most difficult type of light to work with.
Reflected Lighting
Reflected lighting is when your subject is lit by light that is reflected off something, such as a building or some water. Like diffused lighting, this type of lighting is soft and it usually takes on the colour of the surface that the light is reflecting off.
Diffused Lighting
Diffused lighting is lighting which is not harsh and direct: it appears softer. One example of diffused lighting is clouds in the sky lessening the effect of harsh sunlight. This type of lighting can often make it easier to take photos of your subject because there is not harsh contrast in lighting in the shot.
Direct Lighting
Direct lighting is simply when your subject is lit by something directly, such as harsh sunlight, which is not softened or diffused. It can create unique and fascinating shots when used correctly, but is generally the most difficult type of light to work with.
Reflected Lighting
Reflected lighting is when your subject is lit by light that is reflected off something, such as a building or some water. Like diffused lighting, this type of lighting is soft and it usually takes on the colour of the surface that the light is reflecting off.
Friday, 19 February 2016
LO2 Legal and Ethical Considerations
Legal and Ethical
Child Protection
It is legally necessary to protect children when taking photographs. This is so that they can’t be exploited or abused in any way. Although I won’t be taking photos of any children in my shoot, it is important to know the basic rules. In a nutshell, these are:
-always get the permission of the child’s parents
-get the permission of the child / tell them that they are going to be photographed
-don’t photograph a child when they are outside of set events
-make sure they are suitably dressed
-have the child’s parents present at the shoot
Data Protection
Personal data stored on computers, such as photographs, is protected by the Data Protection Act. In this digital age, a lot of information is stored on a computer so it is important that it is protected to stop it falling into the wrong hands or being hacked. As a part of the Data Protection Act, companies must:
-declare how their data will be used
-declare where they will store their information and how they will keep it safe
-declare who they will share it with
Photography companies must use photographs only for the originally agreed purpose and get consent for them. If I were to take photographs involving people, I would have to tell those people the how I would store the photographs, how I would keep it safe and if I would share it.
Friday, 5 February 2016
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