Assignment 2

About:
Even though photos are static images, they can evoke a three dimensional feel if taken from a correct angle. Ever heard of the phrase 'looking at the world through rose-tinted glasses'? Well, this is a blue-tinted world for you.

I didn't read the email about 'no flash' until it was too late, and I couldn't burn away the flash part as it occupied too much of the picture space, with the light dispersement and all.

I liked how it came out though, because the details in the background are clear and there's a lot going on within the picture itself, but not so much so that you get a headache spotting all the little details. Just enough to intrigue. :)

How:
Being a first time photographer, I was seriously experimenting with the camera, and was taking pictures through all sorts of surfaces; and I chanced upon this glass 'tunnel' that was a closed path down to citylink mall near the war memorial.

The blue is also from the glass itself, and the shape of the tunnel gave the picture a natural 3d-isque feel to it.

Myself appearing in the picture was due to a complete accident on my part, but I liked it, so I kept it there.

About:
The contrast of a man-made creation versus a creation of nature is something that is not uncommon in Singapore. We're such a steel and iron society, yet we attempt to soften it by planting flowers and trees and shrubs to deceive ourselves that nature is still very much a part of our lives.

How:
I had to use a rather fast shutter for this shot due to the wind and the promise of rain.

Though I originally had no idea how I achieved the 'blur foreground, focused background' look, after fiddling around with the camera again, I realized all you had to do was to do a manual focus, where you adjusted the focal length yourself and decided which parts of the pictures you wanted to be in focus.

Hopefully, I'll be able to make this my trademark, but I acknowledge the fact that 1)some people might think that I'm focusing on the wrong thing and 2)it doesn't look good for all shots.

Peer evaluation:
Someone suggest cropping the image to cut down the focus on the flower. I went home and cropped it a little, and I think that it looks much better.

Self evaluation:
For the first picture, 85/100.
Even though certain elements were present due to pure coincidence, I just have to know how it happened so that I can replicate it again right?

For the second picture, 90/100.
I really like the colours, and I like how the focus is on the building instead of on the flower - a picture with an atypical focus.

Labels: 3d, a2, contrast, flower

PUAY! :) // 12:04 AM //

Comments: Post a Comment

Presenting works that I think are extremely well-done,
which I feel deserve a 100/100,
along with a short descriptions as to why I think so.

Assignment 5

Xinying 'The guy in the alley'
Despite the rather literal take on the subject, I like how she used the colours in her pictures, and they allow people to instinctively pick up the 'creep' vibe. Though there came up the question of the difference between formalism and expressionism, I think she tried to overcome that hurdle by playing with space, moving the guy closer or further away from the camera to achieve different effects. The pictures also make good use of lighting (or the lack thereof), and I am particularly amazed by her usage of the handphone as a light source. Talk about being resourceful!

Assignment 4

Desmond's 'The Day After'
One look and you can tell that he deserves full marks for effort. What I like best about it though, is the panoramic quality it has, which is distinctively different from taking the same scene with a wide-angle lens. The different shadows and colours - these details that simply will never be able to exist in a single shot - make the photo stand out, and I particularly enjoy the notion of playing with time and freezing it in a single frame within a photograph. Simple choice of subject, but intensive effort and the overall aesthetics of the piece make it a perfect 10 work for me.

Assignment 3

yikang's 'this was my jc'
I was, in a word, awed by his photos. You can sense the sadness and nostalgia bursting from his lens, emphasized rather ingeniously by the way he inserts himself into the shots, dressed in his school uniform and holding things that are now symbols of memories. A very overwhelming piece of work.

Assignment 2

sam's 'Uomo di rispetto'
This appeals to the Final Fantasy fan in me, and I think that the printed photograph came out much better in terms of the colours. Having a perfect model - in terms of looks and obedience - doesn't hurt as well.

Assignment 1

desmond's 'advertising me'
I like the little details in the picture, and how he arranged everything to give it a 'just right' feel. Though a rather common interpretation of the subject, I think his saving grace is the usage of the magazine/newsprint in the background, which gives the entire picture a certain balance to it, that allows you to observe just one part of the picture at a time, without one part distracting you from another; and creates a 'theme' of sorts to link the entire photo together.