Assignment #2: Written Reflection

Before I began taking any portraits, I thought about who would be the best people to take pictures of. I wanted to feel comfortable around the people I chose, and for them to feel comfortable around me. This way, I could avoid the awkward tension while taking pictures and my models could feel more relaxed when posing. I also wanted people who were not camera shy and who had certain personality traits that I could capture in a photograph. When I first took my still life pictures, I took them in Dows during class. We used white objects behind a fabric. This idea got me thinking about different methods I could do out of class as well. Ideas such as sheets or curtains as a background.

How did you select the locations for your shoots?

The first pictures I took were of my friend Brandon. It was around six at night, where the light was beginning to get softer. We went to the third floor of the library, where the soft light was coming in from the southwest. I shot my pictures of him through these windows by the individualized cubbies. The next time I shot pictures was of my roommate Brynn. We were studying in a study room on the second floor of the library. I noticed the shadowing patterns on the walls and immediately went to my dorm to get my camera. This was around four-thirty at night, where the light was also coming from the southwest. I took about half of my still life pictures at Dows during class, but the rest of my still life pictures I took at an Airbnb house that my parents rented on family weekend. I found white, unique objects and took pictures of them behind a curtain.

How did you direct your sitter (s)?

When it came to taking pictures of my sitters, I didn’t have to tell them what to do much. I chose outgoing people where I knew they would have no issue coming up with different poses. I did tell both of my sitters to wear a neutral colored shirt. Furthermore, I also told them to pose where the light hits them the best. I showed them a few examples of what I meant by this on the internet, and they began to understand the concept of the assignment quite well.

What did you learn in this process?

For starters, I learned to always look at the criteria for the assignment before taking any pictures. If I had looked before I started shooting, I would have known to bracket each picture. By completing this assignment, I also learned what exactly bracketing was. At first, I had no idea what this meant until I eventually asked. I also learned that I tend to like when the pictures are dark and underexposed. When bracketing my still life pictures, most of the pictures I liked out of the three options were the darker ones.

What would you do differently if you did it again?

To begin with, I would have read the assignment sheet before I began shooting. That way, I could have bracketed pictures for each shot. I also would have taken more portrait and still life pictures, so I could have had more to choose from. I plan to take more pictures after I receive my grade, so I can improve my grade. If I did it again, I would also try to take pictures in the morning. On assignment one and two so far, I have only shot later at night. I want to see the difference between light in the morning and light during the evenings. The last thing I would have done differently is ask one of my sitters to wear something slightly nicer. As I reviewed other people's work, I saw they did this, which resulted in the pictures looking more elegant. I thought their pictures turned out pleasant, and I think next time I would suggest it to my sitter.

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