Studio :Flashlight lighting at home

18/7/2014(Week 15)

Imani Najwa Binti Nordin (0319405)

Photostudio:Studio Lighting 

Lecture:

In the morning,When I came to class everyones face looked relieved seeing me with the camera since non of them had brought theirs,and for the fear that Mr Vinod would get upset they asked pretty much anyone who hasn't arrived yet to bring their camera.I had been the saviour of class(at least I liked to think that I was).As soon as I got in the studio they quickly asked me to place it on the tripod and wait for further instructions from Mr Vinod .When Mr Vinod did arrive in class he made us gather around him.In his hands he pulled out a box and showed us what the functions were.Which button does what,and how much you can increase the intensity.Which btw lowest is around 3 and it goes up till 10.We also had to build up the set again where there was a back drop and Mr Vinod was the model in the centre surrounded by flashlights and one ring light(which literally looks like a ring).A few complications here and there,where the flashlight wouldn't set off even though we had switch it off.

Exercise :Using Flashlight lighting at home :

Some of the exercise photos where Mr Vinod was the model at the beginning :

The photo overall is dark looking,however you can see that Mr Vinod had gain a rim arond his body structure that helps to highlight and give shape to Mr Vinod,that makes him stand out from the background.Not to mention it looks pretty cool.

On a lower studio box light meter.

Further Update on my final 5 themed photo :

Rational:

Nature's Nectar 

Imani Najwa Binti Nordin (b. August 1996,Malaysia) studying in Foundation in Design at Taylors University Lakeside Campus,Subang. Ever since I was little I always had a passion for photography however I would have never imagined myself entering photography classes since they look pretty intimidating.When I found out that I had an elective course for photography I decided to give it a shot.Now I find myself enjoying ever bit of aspect that my photography course has to offer.

About Photograph :

Ever since I've been in the photography class I've leaned a lot over the past few months, yet the most memorable thing that Mr Vinod has ever thought me was to always be different.Unique in a sense to start thinking outside the box.To push and go further and to take a stab at things.There was once when Mr Vinod had even asked me weather I wanted to just be good,great ,excellent or better yet create an artwork that would make heads turn.Those saying gave me the motivation to become more observant,to see and pick up tiny details  that people tends to over look,to be able to see things in a different manner.

The themed that I’ve chosen is Nature.Growing up I’ve always loved mother nature from the different types of flowers,to the textures of the leaves.I even loved getting my hands dirty digging through soil. I wanted to bring out the beauty in mother nature from my pictures.I wanted for people to feel what I feel when I’m unclose to nature.To see the difference between each branch and leaves.To make them feel sort of nostalgic just looking at it.Because to me there is nothing more beautiful then raw beauty.

On the other hand however,I had to face obstacles where I wouldn't get the perfect photo every time I pulled out my camera.After all the long hikes and all the searching I usually only end up with 2 to 3 photos that would work .I had to be patient for the most part,since I couldn't just magically make the insects appear or shape the tress in a certain way that I wanted them to be in.Nor did I have total control of the background for it to complement the main subject.With that it  thought me to look beyond and actually see the beauty in it. Often, I took my photos during the day mostly around dawn where the misty clouds would appear like fog.I usually keep in my of my exposure ,if it get too bright and sunny I would underexpose it by a few stops.

With most of my pictures being natured themed,this gave me the perfect excuse to go visit places.Most of which were hiking sights.One of the pictures that I’ve captured with the “lalng” leaves were from Broga Hills,Semenyih. Some were taken just around my garden.This gave my photos a bit of verity. I went out every week in search of something different.When I came across a few insects like the bees I quickly seize the moment.For example,when I saw the insects I had to be still whiles taking the photo working fast enough so they didn't fly off.There was also the issue of getting unclose poking my lenses nearer each time.To my surprise they didn't bother me at all which was a new experience for me.For the most part I used a low range of aperture;f/4.5,

http://imanifidnajwa.blogspot.com/

Hardcopy:

Reflection

Observation:

From what i've observed I've realised that it is important to come prepared,just incase.Like what happened today when everyone didn't bring their camera because they thought that Mr Vinod was going to teach us something else.This also brings to my next observation were we must always think ahead of time.Reason is because,all the time I tend to only think about my current problem,for example earlier today I've confronted Mr Vinod regarding my photo complications and when he wanted to see it for himself on my laptop,thats when I realised that I didn't brought it with me,only my camera.There I've missed a chance for him to figure out what went wrong.Therefore ,reminder to my dear self as well as others to always think in advance as it can save you a lot of time.

I've also realised that it is never to late to prefect your work,some of us still have to take a few more shots.

Another thing I've also wanted to mention was to trust your gut,again not rely on anyone,most of the time we as students seek opinion of our teacher/lectures just to make sure we've pleased them but unlike Mr Vinod he made us decide ourselves,we have to choose and decide which we think is our best photos,i think this is a good self learning discovery since it makes us sit and think which is best and make us focus for once.

Observation during visit to photomedia:

Whiles at the photo media studio,I've slowly begin to observe that me and all the rest were having a total meltdown especially  Katrina.Boy did I feel sorry for her since she had to edit almost everyones photo and all of the formats were wrong.I realised that the lady was a bit too harsh on Katrina when she wanted to teach her how to properly edit,pure pressure was really something difficult to work with.

I've also observed that they were totally in advance with their knowledge skills for photography.They really knew their stuff,however I still didn't fully understand why they wanted an original picture instead of the edited version.Something about the data has been erased or there wasn't even any to begin with.Though I wonder how that is possible since all I do is upload the photos using the cables and into my laptop.Couldn't be any more original then that.They also did mentioned that we should always stick with one editing software.It makes things much easier and apparently avoid using I photo edit.My bad.

Moreover,I've realised(not trying to pin point anything) but most of the time some of us cant really be bothered or are too tired to even focus during photography classes.This I think is a sort of a bad habit because I feel bad for Mr Vinod trying to get us all involved.This brings to my point where I think we should take initiative and pick up what people are teaching us.We cant always rely on one person all the time (ehem Kat).

Experience:

During todays lesson I've experience how to handle the flash light under pressure.I normally don't work well under pressure, and to be the only photographer whiles others stare me down was something I had to shake my nerves off

I then begin to get used to it slowly,tho I really wished I could have used the tripped since I was shaking most of the time

Another thing that I've realised is the amongst my fellow course mates.Most of use pitched in and gave an effort to help whiles others who sat back was called by Mr Vinod to get physically involved into the process.I sort of think that this exercise was quit a tricky thing to work with,however never the less,we can easily get away by using modern technology( light meter) it was easy to indicate which light source is the highest .

Findings:

I've found out that things are “more then what it seem” .Sometimes /Most of the time our eyes tend to betray us,fooling us into thinking that such things are proper and correct.When Mr Vinod asked use if the lights are of the same concentration and we thought it is but when we tested it out with the light metering 

Whenever it flashes it will automatically indicate if the lighting is either to bright or to dark from one another.I basically think its a nifty gadget since we couldn't possibly tell if both lights have an equal concentration.Another thing I've realised is that with the light metering,your supposed to also change your aperture to the number that it gives you for best results.

I've also realised that a rim lighting give you a really cool effect,A rim light is basically used in order to help highlight and create a rim or  a halo around the object/subject giving it  dimension and shape.Sort of like  a highlight hugging the frame of the person/subject.

I've also realised that it is best to get branded things such as the tripod and the light stand.The reason being is because most of the branded stuff although expensive are worth it.As the saying goes "worth the money ".Like earlier today Mr Vinod accidentally let his grip loose to fast but the lighting lamp was saved due to the air pressure in the light stand which helps to slow down the action and creates more friction so the camera wouldn't  easily go “THUMP” and is prone to less damage.

Most importantly,I cannot stress enough how it killed me that I didn't use the tripod,I hated the fact that my hands shook and the angle kept changing,my ocd was really drilling me,thought nothing photoshop couldn't fix.More work for me,yeah :/

Studio Lighting exercise (week 14)

11/7/2014(Week 14)
Imani Najwa Binti Nordin(0319405)
Studio Lighting & Progression on Theme based project:Presentation on 5 Images in printed form.

Lecture:
For todays lesson we proceeded with our previous photo shoot which is the study of the studio lighting.Like the previous week I came a few minutes earlier to finalise my makeup.Not long after I was done and headed for the studio whiles waiting for the others to finish up their makeup.Whiles waiting Mr Vinod did gave the rest of us our Specific feedback as well as mine.He mentioned that submission date is just around the corner and let no time be wasted.Once everyone got settled down in the studio,again Mr Vinod had mentioned about the submission date for the 5 printed:themed based project which is due in week (16) 2 weeks from now.He mentioned important details that had to be taken down,for example when the submission date was and what we should be doing now in order to prepare for the final submission.Apparently Mr Vinod said that by now we should have already selected photos that would be use to start and test print those. First we have to start selecting  photos that iterelate and compliment amongst each other ,a picture that plays to your strength.He told us how they should be printed by photoshopping the photo onto a white border and where we should get the photos printed and all the important details we should know like.

*Ps Tia(my course mate mentioned to me that I've almost always misspelled Mr Vinod's name all the time,so my apologies sir.I usually update my blogs late at night or in the wee hours of the morn and sometimes cant be bother to check my spelling mistakes.

Instructions to Studio Lighting Photography:
1.Select an image from the 1940s-1950's.
2.Only use photos that are photographed under studio lightings.
3.Pose similarly as the subject in the original photo.

The photo that Wafaa choose :

The photo that I photographed and recreated :

As you can see it was a but impossible to get the perfect lighting.The left corner is too dark where as the right side corner is fine.I think the original photograph has already been altered and edited therefore I don't know the original studio lighting set.However,I think I did an acceptable job making her stand out even more.You can also slightly tell her right side part of her cheekbones cast a shadow.

The photo that I choose:

The photo that Wafaa help photographed  :

Progression on the 5 Images:Themed based project:5 Images that are printable

These aren't the same bees like in the previous post.I dont know what it is,but you can actually come really up close to them,since they don't really mind my nosey camera.

more updating soon 

Hardcopy:

Feedback:
General feedback:



Specific feedback:

Reflection:
Experience:
The experience of working in a lighting studio for the past few weeks was simply a good change.Usually we come to class and sit and get briefed about something from Mr Vinod,which I might add I do miss a bit.But then again we still do have lectures whiles at the studio.My point is,it was a game changer to be able to actually physically work and do something other then sit around taking notes although thats also how I learn best.I've experienced that handling all this equipment takes great responsibility.

I've also experienced that it was kind of nerve-wracking to behind, both behind the camera and as the photographer.

When It was my turn to photograph Wafaa. I begin to have doubt in myself.I've always seen my course mate Katrina behind the lens working so effortlessly like it was second nature to her.So when it came to me,I got a little frighten,eventually I got over it and to my surprise the rest of my mates teamed up and helped me out.I then and there I realised that I was playing captain and they were my crew members trying to help figure out what I wanted,Weing Ning kept helping me out,arranging things around asking me  if everything was as exact to the photo Wafaa intended to recreate.There were minor problems like how the lighting looks,isn't it always.My mates were very helpful they helped out by dimming the lights and blocking them.There reached a point where there was a harsh shadow in the backdrop that couldn't be smoothen and so I made them switch on a different source of light and from the right I made them carry it towards the left site of the studio.There was also a malfunction when Weing Ning accidentally switched off the lights since she didn't know it would have take around a few minutes for it to restart again,she felt bad but I didn't mind,these silly mistakes are what makes things interesting,it sort of gave me a breather to calmly collect myself and figure out the situation.In the end,like all the shots the last photo was the best out of the rest.

As for being photographed,I dreaded it,owh my how I look so Chinese(no offence taken) I really did ,with my heavy caked makeup it was as if I was some Datin or something.I regreted taking a full face photo,should have done a side portrait:( owh well.All and all it took a while for me to be photographed since everyone wanted to be "next" so I just let them.Being in front of the lens I was like a dear in the headlights,lights flashed bright onto my face,everyone busy preparing me,the worst was to get your body and angle positions correct.It took me quit some time to get into the pose that they wanted me to,believe me it wasn't a breeze,they kept telling me that mr right shoulder needed to be slightly tilted and my left shoulders needed to pop up,say whatt??.I was in a very awkward position,and my hair was a mess despite having a head scarf to tie it all up.There was also the constant" move to the left","chin up","noooo you've gone to far","again","shoulders" and "to the left".Even Olivia felt tensed ,whenever  she came to fix the position of my face it felt like she wanted to tung my head off( you know i love you olivia ;) ).The longer it took the more it got to my nerves and when it was finally over,I took a peak at what they captured and there and then I hated it.God knows why my hair wasn't fixed,it looked dead and greasy but I was to tired to give a damn so I shook it off.

But did I enjoy it? Yes for the most part,helping out others was a lot more fun.I got to help out with the lighting,makeup,something that I would never possibly dream of doing.All and all it was an unforgettable experience.

Observation:
I've observed a lot lately,first I've observed that we girls share a lot of things together for instance makeup, from blushes to mascara to even lipsticks,call it gross,unsanitary too but it was kind of nice for all of us to lend out a helping hand.I've also realised that most of us were really into the photo shoot then others,like me I couldn't be bothered much with my dressing but Sabrina and the rest really did put their all into it.Maybe I should be like them,giving my 100%.I've also observed that everyone pitched in when it came to helping other peoples shots.For the most part I've realised that more and more of us are getting the hang of handling the equipment and knowing which lighting is best.

Findings:
Lately,I've realised that all of this,this studio lighting exercise all of it is actually important.Its the kind of knowledge thats hard to grasp unless your actually doing both reading and physically handling the equipment.Another thing that I've also realised is that this time around most of us were early,we came early and we did our makeup touch up in the restroom.We were much more calmer then the previous week,probably because we know whats going to happen next.

Presentation: Studio Photography Portraits (Wafaa's Place)

4/7/2014(week 13)

Imani Najwa Binti Nordin (0319405)

Presentation: Studio Photography Portraits 


Lecture :

Two weeks ago Mr Vinod had asked us to choose out a photo of women in the olden age between 1940s -1950s .We were asked to select one or two and upload the photos on the photography group page.Teh whole idea of picking out a vintage photo was so that we would be able to recreate the photo and be the model itself.In relation to that,we were also subjected to use the photo shoot studio,which was today.Before we begin taking studio photos,we had a brief lecture regarding the different types of light and the different types of lighting those of which are two different things.From what I understood Different types of light is referred  to the quality of lights whereas,different types of lighting is referred more towards the settings of the lights.There were a few type of light that was mentioned which are main light,fill light,rim light,hair light and background light.


The different types of lights are pretty self explanatory
Back in the olden days people would actually go through pain just to look good in photographs,this is because photographs were something special taken only for special moments and big events.Hair for instance,people with darker hair (black) like us :/, it would have been difficult to photograph and capture the texture of our hair therefor back in the days people would grease and put jell in their hair to make it shiny enough to be seen visibly on camera.


The Different types of light:


• The main light is the first light that you will need to position.It basically illuminates the major portions of the image and all the other lights will be constructed around the settings.

• The fill light is used to help lighten/soften the shadow areas that has been created by the main light.It is said to help produce details in the shadow areas and can also act as a flash.

• The rim light is used to give form to structure around the object/subject that is being photographed.It creates a silhouette around the subject more like a halo ring around it thereby revealing its shape.

• The Hair light basically helps to give body to your hair.It helps illuminate and give textures to your hair,making it look from 2D to 3D.

As for the Different position of lighting it is basically refereed to how the settings of the lights are placed, for example :

• Broad Light

• Remembrant Light

• Split Light

• Loop Light

Mr Vindo also mentioned about the other equipments that are useful in the studio

• For instance a soft box .

• A C curve is used as a backdrop,it is basically used so that there will be no sharp crease in the backdrop photo.

• Tracing Paper is out around your light or in front of it to change the shadow effect,making it either softer of shaper when removed.Another way to change the effects would also be to just by different types of voltage bulbs

• Aluminium file acts as a reflector to reflect light.However since the surface of the aluminium foil is rough and full of crease and bends the reflected light will begin to spread everywhere.

Presentation: Studio Photography Portraits 

The photo that I would have to recreate 

My five photos :

Hardcopy :

Feedback:

General Feedback:

As for general feedback Mr Vinod mentioned that we should all by now be well prepared with 5 pictures that we have in mind and start to develop them.He even told us that we should start taking things seriously since submission is due on week 16 (which in my calculation is next week).He also mentioned that it is important to be profesional when getting your photos developed.What he meant was that,you should know what you want and so should they,make sure that our photos aren't cropped or edited by placing a border line on the photos we want.Also not forgetting to print it on different textured paper,either smooth,mate,glossy and ect.The reason as to why we should do a test print on week 15 is to see which suits our photo more and there will be more time to fix mistakes rather then doing it on week 16.

Specific Feedback:

Mr Vinod kind of caught me off guard when he mentioned about my photos.He said they were good and at that time I thought he was talking about the photo shoot photo Im about to recreate but then he went on about the other photos and mentioned that I can safely start picking out the 5 images I want to print out.He said that maybe I can have a go and take a few other shots but for the most part I can already start test printing.

Tia mentioned to me that whiles I was gone Mr Vinod said that this weeks photos were much more satisfying then the previous week (broga hills adventure) .He also told Tia that I always seem to misspell his name and Im truly sorry Mr Vinod xp

Reflection:

Observation:

From my observation I've realised that coming prepared to class is important.To be honest when I came to class I was kind of blurred out, probably because I was so nervous for the photo shoot.When MR Vinod begin to explain all the different types of lights and lighting at first I was a bit confused.I was confused because I hadn't read the article that he posted on Facebook.This is unlikely of me since I always go to Facebook and check the updates if there are any assignments  due.But thankfully when Mr Vinod explained I begin to quickly capture what he had meant.

Other then that,I've also observed that the ones who have to model in front of the cameras were all very shy.Girls were everywhere doing their hair and makeup,red lips,bold brows and even teasing their hair.It was also very hectic when it came to setting the lights.Since I wasn't the first I got to nose around and help out the few who had to be photographed.I've realised that most of the time the makeup artist have to come prepared with a makeup kit since most of the time either the eyebrows need touch up or the lips.

Progression on project:Theme based project:Presentation on five images in Printed Form :
I've observed that I have really been procrastinating and it is really affecting me.I don't meant to be I just simply put things off and that is a big no no.I used to love every assignment I've gotten and would complete the task the second I get my chance to do so.However nowadays,what with all the projects and boos I've been putting off taking photography.The fact that I have no partner to go hike with makes it even more unbearable,I guess Im just looking out for my safety,but then again it is really annoying to just sit around and ask people to follow me hike.In relation to that,I've observed that having company is both good and bad,bad in the sense that most of my friends are impatient and always nags about getting the shot faster,most of the time I've realised that people who aren't into photography don't get to see the beauty in taking photos in black and white,even in colour they don't consider their composition.Long story short,I've observed that  cant wait for no one.Hopefully this Saturday I will be able to go hike despite the thirst of Ramadan or having any companion.   

Experience:

Todays lesson was very nerve wrecking I was at the edge of my seat hoping I'd get through the day.Most people were really looking forward for todays photo shoot but as for me I just wanted it to be over.Probably because I had just  recently wore a Hijab and Im still trying to get used to it.Its not such a big deal really,not that Im saying Im against it or anything but if you place yourself in my shoes I think you would understand me even more.Maybe i was also just way too nervous as well.Im quit the camera shy so when Mr Vinod said that I had to  find another other then the previous ones I've showed him,I got even more nervous.I had to search for vintage people with head scarves within those few hours before it was my turn to shoot.My stomach ached trying to find the right photo to replicate.It was very hard for me and Wafaa to find a perfect well covered hijab vintage 1950s look,most of the models wear scarves but show peaks of hair and I tried my very best to search for ones that were fully covered.But rest assure it was that hard,we even tried to search for Arabian and Iranian girls but to no such luck i found non that looked vintage enough.Long story short i didn't have much time to search for a picture that I thought would be worthy to reenact so I asked Mr Vinod if I could prosponed my shoot to the upcoming weeks class.Mr Vinod did hesitate a bit saying that next time I  should be well prepared .Sorry sir,I will.

Progression on project:Theme based project:Presentation on five images in Printed Form :
As for this weeks experience,I went to Wafaa's house to take photos of nature since she mentioned about her house being near the gold course.We had a sleep over and the next morning around 7:45am we went out of the house and walked around.Since naturally a golf course is pretty flat and straight forward with their nicely cut grass it had those typical scenery's however it was still nice.We were supposed to go near the lake when this guard shoo'ed us away for our own safety( incase a golf ball hits us :p).And so I proceeded by taking close up photos of plants instead.I must admit that I think it would have been a whole lot better to go hike up and take photographs there but there weren't any place that was exotic enough.


Findings :

This time around I've found that different terms can mean two different things.For instance "the different types of light" and "the different types of lighting".

I've also found that working in the studio can be quit challenging.There has to be specific people in charge for specific things,for instance,the hair and makeup artist are in charge of anything related with makeup by fixing the models hair and filling in their eyebrows.Camera crew,which are the lighting people have to work their way through. Although,along the lines my fellow classmates got the hang of it and it was all good.I was being nosey and manage to to help around a bit however thinking about it now I wish I could have done more.

I've also found that the makeup that you put on  before the shooting doesn't really matter much this is because most of the time I've found that the lights are to bright which causes half of the makeup not to show on camera.This is where the makeup artist comes in and retouches the make making it more bolder then before.I've also found that since not all of us had obvious facial structures the photos look flat and not 3D like.Therefor,lighting plays an important role in bringing out those facial structures,for instance the butterfly light position helps to shadow and create that cheekbone effects that girls love.

On the other hand so far my progression on my 5 pictures have been on the slow paste.I haven't had the time,most probably because it the fasting month and its quit hard to find someone to be willing enough to go and hike with you,tho this shouldn't be an excuse I will still try my best to capture stunning images when I get the chance too.I think sometimes Mr Vinod thinks were not ready enough for this big challenge however I do know some of us have really good photography skills and will manage to create spectacular shots .

Progression on project:Theme based project:Presentation on five images in Printed Form :
As for this week,I've found that I've been really trying to spot for different unusual things,things that people usually overlook.Details in dead plants and so on,their not really hard to photograph since I usual later on use Photoshop to edit and crop my photos.However the backgrounds really bothers me,most of the time they are to cluttered and when I blur them they become to distracting.I know I should practice more on how to achieve good quality photos and that I shall. 

Lastly I've did my research and used the helpful links that Mr Vinod gave us
my favourite site at the moment is fubiz,they have amazing photos and I've fallen in love with most of them.There was a series that I particularly loved,it had spenticular images of the palm trees and volcanos,most of the pictures shot looks like the place is up in flames with the heavy fog.A few shots of the island and the stretch of the island looks marvellous.

since I couldn't read the article since it was in an entirely different language , I just had to admirer it.

Progression on them based project-Present 5 images (Broga Hills)

28/6/2014(week 12)
Imani Najwa Binti Nordin(0319405)
Progression on Project-Theme Based:Presentation of 5 images in Printed Form

Lecture:

So I came to lecture a tad bit late,luckily I didn't miss a thing.As I came in Mr Vinod was giving feedback on my other classmates working progress.When it came to my turn ,Mr Vinod gave a few comments(which I  have posted on my previous post) regarding the pictures I took of last week.Long story short he did this with all his students.Being the nosey person I am,I payed attention to what Mr Vinod had to say to the rest of my classmates work.I've found that he wanted different and unique photos,something that would stand out.After giving his feedback,we proceed with out lessons.Todays lesson Mr Vinod talked about the previous results of our leaning style and inventory test.Basically the reason why we did the test was to understand ourselves more bette.it was a test to determine how we learned best.There are many different learning styles form visual learner,auditory learner,tactile and even visual-tactile which is best of both.Before lesson ended Mr Vinod took us to the photo shoot studio and introduced us to the equipments there.There were green screens,lights and lamps all for our use.

*I forgot to mentioned that last week Mr Vinod asked us to choose a few portraits of vintage pictures.We are supposed to pose if not identical something similar to the photos we had chosen .And this week is my turn to pose in front of the camera.

I do hope I don't look lost like a deer in the headlights.

Progress on my 5 presentable images :

Coloured Photos :

More on my facebook page 

Hardcopy:

Feedback:

General Feedback:

As for general feedback Mr Vinod did mentioned to us that the closer we are towards the end of the final submission due for our major 5 picture project the more we have to WORK HARDER.He mentioned that if we wanted our work to be selected ,exhibited and even published later on we should be stepping out our games.Mr Vinod said that we shouldn't just be going to only one destination but to explore,to have some different variety.Not only that,Mr Vinod made a point that we should all be active and take not only just 5 photos but more since we are closer to our deadline."RAMP IT UP NOW" -Mr Vinod.

Specific Feedback:

As for my specific feedback Mr Vinod mentioned that my pictures were nice.The first and last ( the lalang shot) were good.However he didn't specifically mentioned if they were publish worthy.He mentioned that it was all up to me,that I have to decide whether I want it to be good or great,or excellent or better yet something HEAD TURNING!

In addition to that,Mr Vinod did mentioned that I seem to have grasped the exposure and composition to a certain degree but I still must learn to see beyond what is seen ,there lies the key.And so he wishes me good luck.

Reflection:

Observation:

I've came to observe how much I've enjoy taking photos in black and white.Normally i would overlook the whole black and white photos since they are quite boring,but to be honest ever since I've been taking photos in black and white I've came to realised that it is actually quit difficult and is a challenge.It is off a skill that not everyone can do,and it takes time.Therefore,I feel even more challenged to take the photos .This is because photos in black and white requires you to have plenty of  patience to calculate and determine the perfect shades for each section of the photo.Just like the lessoned we had learnt regarding the Ansel Adams shot.

The fact that not everyone can take good shots in black and white makes me feel more engrossed to perfect my work,weird thing is I function that way.Although,I must admit Im not very good at it yet and sometimes I cheat by just taking the shots in the shade I think is suitable enough I still think that if I have a lot of determination I can be able to capture shots just like Ansel Adams.( < big dreams right here )

Another thing that I've also realised is that everyone is unique,most of us have similar test results but for the most part how we study and absorb information is somewhat different.Some of my classmates can listen to music and do their work perfectly fine where as me and a few others have difficulty in focussing when being greatly distracted by the music.Whenever I play music I end up singing along.

Experience:

Whiles hiking Broga hills,it was a refreshing experience.I gathered all my old schoolmates and made them hike with me.To my least expectation they were all anctious and excited.They called me up early at 4 am  just to make sure I was wide awake and dressed.I was ready by 4:30am.Sadly one of my guy friends didnt even woke up after several calls,so we drove by his house and literally threw rocks at his window.Eventually we were on the road by (6 am) on the way to Semeyih.The drive there wasn't so bad since I liked road trips.Sadly we missed the sunrise instead we just saw the sky getting brighter,sort of pinkish.We were of course near by already.Once we've arrived,we parked our car and up we go .

The trail way I must admit was pretty rocky,there were uneven steps and had no railing.I was scared to death because it was so slippery and to make matters worse my jogging shoes were frictionless.Along,the way up,there were breath taking views,I had to stop and had to at least take one random shot.My mates were getting bored since all they wanted to do was to get to the top.So off we went higher and higher.Again I took shots of the pretty landscapes.Long story short,there were much photos to take,but I was too into nature to actually capture them all.I guess that was my lost,sometimes I get distracted pretty easily.All I wanted to do then was to relax and let my skin soak the sun,wind in my hair and enjoy every bit of it all.We sat on giant boulders and rested there for a bit,talking,wondering,we were pretty much quiet the entire time just laying.I guess we were up there for a while.

There was that one part where you had to climb up a huge ass rock and I made it thorough with a bit of a boost,sometimes people seem to think im to fragile to do stuff. Anyways my guy friends all failed the first few attempts and I was laughing at the top.

I did get a scratch on my knee on the way down,which brings to another story.My friend wanted to make sure it was safe to slide down so he insisted on going first,then I.So he slided down and I went right after,at first it was okay but i started to realised I lost my grip and I went super fast,my friend Hariz also lost control and nearly knocked a tree so he went sideways,I tried to avoid other people and went sideways as well towards the left,still loosing control I was about to hit this kid and we'd both be sent down into this deep pit,luckily this kid managed to  stop me from skidadling,my hero :) So of course I was worried sick for the child since his hands got hurt a bit but he managed a smile.Anyways right after my other friend Kavin stopped just behind me.He told me that he too lost his grip and was nearly about to send me and the little boy down the pit hole.Man that was a relief.

Long story shot,we made it down,drove home tired,stopped by the roadside to eat chendol and rojak.

And I would do it all over again.

Because they deserve an appreciation  post 

Findings:

From what I've understand a visual learner is someone who learns better when the person can relate to another or to a fact.In simple words the person learns better when they have guidance before hand.

I also found that not everything is permanent,like the world we too change,this test was to show how we've change over the few months.It is okay to change,change is normal.

I've also realised that majority of us had grown up in a teacher centric environment which is actually not healthy for our development.We tend to be to shy in solving the questions for the fear of getting scolded and so on.So what do you do when this happens?I've found that you should start being active by doing something.take notes and start writing.Writing helps to imprint the information in your mind and I can safely say this works for me.I've always realised that my mind wonders around a lot  and I get distracted pretty easily.Im the type of person who cant stand still for far to long,to spark my interest,the speaker has to have a good point and so on.A trick that Mr Vinod shared was that he used to tape record his lecture talks and pal yit in the car on the way back.I think this is a briliant idea because for someone who easily forgets I try to recall things after lectures so they stay better in my memory.

Something important Mr Vinod mentioned was that you cant wait till your older to become more disciplined,you must start now or it'll be to late.As the saying goes "Old habits die hard".

Oh did I mentioned that the photos that I took were mostly in colour .I've decided to take this opportunity to use photoshop and edit the photos into black and white.Now sometimes its not as easy as it look,trying to decide which shades are better and to visualise the final outcome beforehand takes time.

What I first did was I opened my photo in photoshop.

Next under

image>adjustments>black & white

From there on I played around with the colour edits.I adjusted the reds and yellow which I ofund makes the photo either lighter or darker.I've found Cyan makes the Background either lighter or darker .Overall I decide which part should be the darkest and using the Ansel adams concept I made sure I didn't over expose certain areas just to keep details from missing.Editing the photos weren't so hard,I think with practice I could probably do better.

This time around I've also realised that my photos are more towards scenery,there are only one or two of which are close up shots.I've had much thought put into this and I guess I've decided that I would do close up shots of nature.Because there is so much beauty that people miss out on,like what Mr Vinod said,most of the pretty pictures have already been taken by someone,not saying your picture is bad,its just not special.So it would be a lot interesting taking photos of miscellaneous things that I'll  find in the woods.

Overall I cant wait to go out again to hike and take my photos,its just a point of fasting and getting through it.Let that not be a challenge.

Progress on the 5 pictures (Taman Tar)

13/6/2014(week )

Imani Najwa Binti Nordin(0319405)

Lecture :Regarding our progress so far on the 5 pictures

Lecture:

During todays class Mr Vinod just dived into our topic for today,which was our progress so far on how much we've done over the past week.He first begin explaining to us that even though we do not need to bring our cameras doesn't mean we wouldn't have weekly exercises,e explained that we will still have these sub exercises such as learning the uses of studio lighting.Mr Vinod explained that this would be a very handy topic to grasp,since we are currently studying this once we get into degree some of us may have the upper hand than others.He did mentioned that we were to (recreate a look from the early ages from the (1940s' up to the 1950s'),the 1960s' were acceptable but he stressed that we should keep between this range.This is because,lighting in the ages became more dilute.Back in the day people would get all dolled up,dressed all prim and proper when wanted to be photograph,It was a big deal back then,just because taking a photo was something formal it wasn't an everyday thing and it would have been costly.Now days however,we wouldn't take the effort,probably just to look good but we wouldn't go to extreme measures and get our hair done and makeup.As usual Mr Vinod does stray from topic,but I like it,a change of topic keeps it interesting.He gave us a tip on how to do our POD assignment which was a cut out project,he mentioned that we should cut on glass piece which is far better then a cutting mat,which makes perfect sense(thanks for the tip).

Moving back on topic, we got in a circle and Mr Vinod begin asking what progress we've done so far.To his disbelieve he was shocked that non of us made an effort to actually take time and did some research regarding out major assignment(deeply sorry sir).With that he begin to explain that we should at least make an effort (2 hours minimum or right before bed and click on the links for inspiration )

He also added that we should be jotting down ideas and what we've learned along the journey,it is important for us designers to carry a mini note pad,this is used to help metre your progress.

Something that got stuck in my head was the fact that with more research and jotting down these ideas the faster you begin seeing different aspects you miss out,Mr Vinod mentioned that apparent reality is something that everyone sees,and to be different,to make heads turn,you will have to go beyond,make the effort to study.

Update (20/6/2014)
Of Everything

So finally I've gotten the chance to go hike up the Taman Tar's hiking place which apparently is called "Bukit Kenanga"? Like whut .Anyways,I've been meaning to go hiking and take some nature photos since I felt that I've been way behind.Sadly something urgent came up and I had to leave early unexpectedly :/ and long story short,I manage to take a few decent photos,since I myself am not to sure of my theme,all i know is I want something nature related.

The thing that Mr Vinod mentioned about photography is that most pictures have already been taken,pictures that are regularly taken like a single flower or the lake view.It means ,someone before you had probably taken the exact same photo before you( fells like a slap to your face) and knowing that kind of made the picture less special.I've thought hard on what I should take photos of for this assignment and to be honest I still am a bit lost,I've considered to take details of nature and I actually like that but I also would like to take landscape shots of the spectacular view.This makes me scared because some of my class mates have already finalised on what theme their going to be using for this assignment.

But then again,noting is for certain,I think its okay to be kind of lost,its fine if we don't know what we want right?

What Im trying to imply is that,so I didn't narrow down my subject matter,does it matter?Sooner yes,but for now I'd like to experiment and see what works best,tho I wouldn't stray far away from nature but it would be interesting to work on other things then taking the same regular shots that I will have to for weeks.All Im saying is that I will work on both details of nature and landscapes and see which is more successful,after all aren't we designers,we're supposed to be outgoing and explore more.

Take a stab at it.-Mr Vinod's famous words.

Details of nature:

More to scenery:

Abandon House :

Hardcopy :

Feedback:
General Feedback :
As for general feedback I don't think there is any specific thing that was mentioned other then the minor few.Mr Vinod did mentioned stuff like keep taking photos constantly to avoid loosing your touch.There were a few questions raised regarding the trip back to the same old place of the original shoot.Mr Vinod mentioned that it wasn't necessary to revisit the original shoot however it is crutial to do so,this is because having to revisit a place you will begin to be more observant then the previous time.At the same time,Mr Vinod also mentioned that we should visit other places but of the same theme.

Specific Feedback:
For todays week,Mr Vinod told me that I have done great progress and that I should keep out the good work.He mentioned that my exposures were correct and all was fine.There were a few particular shots that he liked.Overall he told me that I should keep progressing as I will find more interesting details that could be taken off.Most importantly do not slack off.

Reflection:

Experience:

I've came to experience how important it is to do research.When Mr Vinod told us about that it opend up my eyes at how little I knew of anything,ideas that pop up into heads should all be jotted down to meter our progress .When taking photos we should also take our time and analyse ,be critical,ask ourself if this photo is unique? If not way? And how would I make it unique?This would help train your mind to look out for something different.

Another thing that opened up my eyes is how Mr Vinod mentioned that we should be careful on how we photograph something ,sometimes when we take photos of textiles we will take great shots but thats about that,it is as if we are promoting other peoples art instead of ours,there is no contribution as to how we effect the photo. I agree on this aspect,the photo may be pretty but thats just it,it doesn't look like we as photographers have anything to do with it.

Observation:

I've observed whiles having our group discussion is that most of the students have really interesting ideas for their photo assignment,some were of the usual and some were pretty interesting.There was a point in which we would tell Mr Vinod's our ideas on the photographs we would take and Cherry wanted to take a photograph of a village nearby her house area,where everything is pretty much traditional.Mr Vinod added that may be a good subject.Something he said that caught my attention was how he mentioned that you don't  necessarily need to take photos of the village people,tiny details that people miss out would make good interesting photos,for example some worn out shoes,shoes are a good subject to portray what kind of people live there without really showing the person itself.

I've realised that it is hard for me to go hike up somewhere and take pictures,most of the people I relied on are way to busy or simply cant find the time to help me,no I do not need help and I probably should just man up and go all by myself.I probably would if its the last resort and technically it is.

Findings:

So far my findings are about how lame it feels to live in Malaysia.The themes that I choose were more to the urban lifestyles,the victorian centuries in which we don't have.I was planing to take photos of abandon places like those but sadly Mr Vinod too mentioned that we do not have places like those.so I had to scratch the thought away.

Today I've found that along our lessons learning how to take photographs in black and white,I realised it is a knowledge that is really useful.This is because,not everyone can do it."Sure its a nice shot but you just lost the detail of leaves cause its too dark".Im beginning to appreciate how other professional photographers can actually have the patience and the ability to think one step ahead in order to produce a good outcome,they visualise beforehand and it is a skill that Im trying to achieve.

Learning Style Test Results :