Composition Exercise: Week 4

23.02.2017 (Week 4)
Christina Hiew (300 416 675)
Composition Exercise

Lecturer:

In this week, Mr. Vinod teaches us about composition. He introduces us the Rules of Third, perhaps the most well-known ‘rule’ of photographic composition. The “Rule of Thirds” one of the first things that budding digital photographers learn about in classes on photography and rightly so as it is the basis for well balanced and interesting shots. Mr. Vinod also teaches us the photography rule of thirds tells us to align our subject with one of the points where those lines cross. In short, the rule of thirds involves mentally dividing up your image using 2 horizontal lines and 2 vertical lines, a subject from either the top or bottom, and from either the left or right, and it’s not in the middle.

Below are the in-class practical exercises:

Mr. Vinod told me too many space occupied in the left hand side

Again, too many space occupied in the right hand side.

Mr. Vinod told me the girl does not standout.

From the lecturer I understood that: Composition

1. The rule of thirds states than an image is most pleasing when its subjects or regions are composed along imaginary lines which divide the image into thirds both vertically and horizontally.

2.  The counterpoint enhance the picture composition by placing primary focal point at the thirds position, and secondary focal point at the diagonally opposite thirds position.

Specific Instructions for Exercise 4a: Rule of Thirds

Capture 3 Images adhering to the Rule of Thirds

1. Using 1 person
2. Using 3 persons
3. Using a scenery

When placing the image on the document for printing; place one image with the Rule of Third lines visible and another without the lines side by side (as instructed in class)

(Put to use what you have learnt in the Zone system exercises here)

1 person image:

F5.6     S1/50   ISO400

 

3 persons image:

F5.6     S1/80   ISO400

F5.6     S1/80   ISO400

Scenery images:

F5.6     S1/125 ISO400

F5.6     S1/125 ISO400

F5.6     S1/200 ISO400

F5.6     S1/200 ISO400

Feedback
Mr. Vinod told me my 1 person image exercise should walk nearer to the subject so that any unwanted things shouldn’t occur with the main subject. He also advises me I should not crop my scenery image. 

Reflection

Experience:

When I first doing the practical class exercise, I feel my pictures are empty. This is because when I look at my scenery picture, I feel unclear and unfocused within the 2 subjects, which are the sky and the building. My primary focus was the building however my picture did not portrait my chosen image (the building) to stand out.  My next exercise occurred the same error as well, where the girl at the gym room becomes the least important subject here. Thus, I would not frame a picture that does not vividly catch my attention. 

Observation:

Before I begin this exercise, the first thing I should pay attention is the people around me. This is because I noticed sometimes the rule of third required to any subject to improve the composition and the balance of the image. I observed the people around me are always moving around thereby I need to move around to get the best composition. This in turns, forces me to think more carefully about the shot, and is a good habit to get into to practice using the rule of thirds.

Findings:

The Rule of Thirds discourages placing an important element in the center of the frame. However, I learned there are two situations when a centrally placed element works effectively. The first situation arises when there’s nothing else in the scene that competes with the main subject. The other situation in which a centrally placed element works occurs when there’s a strong sense of balance in the scene. Overall, using the rule of thirds help me achieve better composed photographs.

The Zone System Exercise: Week 3

14.02.2017 (Week 3)
Christina Hiew (300 416 675)
Zone System Exercise

Lecture:

Surprisingly, the key word for this lesson is “Dumb” for the entire camera’s metering mode. Most camera's metering modes are built to give a correct reading under most average situations. However, Mr. Vinod told us under an exceptional situation, the camera's metering can easily be fooled, thinking a scene is brighter or darker than it actually is. He also emphasized even in the trickiest lighting conditions such as back lighting, extreme difference between light and shadow areas of a scene, and many similar conditions that are most likely going to throw off your camera's metering giving a completely incorrect exposure. At here, this is where knowledge of the zone system formulated by Ansel Adams can save a lot of trouble, and intriguing exposures every time.

From the lecturer I understood that: The Zone System
1. Capturing a correct exposure every time, even in the trickiest light or scene situations.
2. Having a precise evaluation of the scene's tones and dynamic range prior to even making a shot.
3. Knowing when the need to use graduated neutral density filters.

Specific Instructions for Exercise 3a: Zone System
1. Capture three subjects: one light zones, middle zones and dark zones.
2. Take two images for each subject, one exposure according to the camera's light meter and the other according to the zone you believe the image falls under.
3. Ensure that the subjects you choose for each zone area (light, middle dark) have a good range of tones within the zone's area. As an example if you are capturing a subject that falls under the light zone and the subject is a white wall, it is only going to have 1 shade of the light zone, so avoid such subject matters, choose subjects that have a healthy tonal range within the white zone.

Ensure that the subjects you choose for each zone area (light, middle dark) have a good range of tones within the zone's area. As an example if you are capturing a subject that falls under the light zone and the subject is a white wall, it is only going to have 1 shade of the light zone, so avoid such subject matters, choose subjects that have a healthy tonal range within the white zone.
2. Take two images for each subject, one exposure according to the camera's light meter and the other according to the zone you believe the image falls under.
3. Ensure that the subjects you choose for each zone area (light, middle dark) have a good range of tones within the zone's area. As an example if you are capturing a subject that falls under the light zone and the subject is a white wall, it is only going to have 1 shade of the light zone, so avoid such subject matters, choose subjects that have a healthy tonal range within the white zone.

Specific Instructions for Exercise 3b: The Ansel Adam's Shot
Choose an image worthy of being called an Ansel Adam's shot (Still Life, Landscape or Portrait).In using the Zone System sketch and write down the perceived zones in the desired image and indicate the ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed used. Identify the point of interest and state the exposure settings recommended by the camera light meter and your improved settings upon using the zone system. The image captured must fulfill the following criteria:

Marking Criteria:

Students must show evidence of using the Zone System. Student must produce 1 black & white image that captures depth and richness in tonal value by capturing light, middle and dark tones while maintaining details (texture and tone) in the dark and light areas of the image.

Exercise 3a: Zone System

1. Shades of White

F5.6     S1/160             ISO400

F5.6     S1/40               ISO400

 

2. Shades of Grey

F5.6     S1/30   ISO400

F5.6     S1/125 ISO400

3. Shades of Black

F5.6     S1/50   ISO400

F5.6     S1/200 ISO400

Redo 3 Shades of Exercise:

1. Shades of White

F5.6     S1/60   ISO400

F5.6     S1/30   ISO400

2. Shades of Grey

3. Shades of Black

F5.6     S1/60   ISO800

F5.6     S1/.30  ISO800

Exercise 3b: The Ansel Adam's Shot

Zone System Sketch

Before

After

Feedback
Mr. Vinod told me my 3 Shades of exercises are too flat. Thus, I decided to redo the exercises.

Reflection

Experience:
After doing this exercise, I feel is important to evaluate the scene’s tones image with the guideline of Ansel Adam zone system. This is because the zone system lets me aware of whether, or how much, the scene brightness exceeds the camera’s limits, lets me make an intelligent decision about how to expose when the tones or contrast in a scene are “bigger” than what the camera can cap, and helps me avoid blown-out highlights.

Observation:
Well, a 1° measuring spot able to measure important areas precisely and with ease. After making few researches about the Ansel Adam Zone system through YouTube, I find under different circumstances a hand-held spot meter is needed.  This is because using a camera’s  spot metering mode is not always practical such as the size of the spot depends on the focal length of the lens and generally requires a lot of button pushing and pointing the camera this way and that . This, in turns, an exercise in frustration and wasted time.

Finding:
I learned at three stops under the Zone 5 exposure, I had made the gray  almost as dark as the black patch, so that told me the camera could hold some tonality for a subject on Zone 2.  On the bright end, the gray at two stops brighter than Zone 5 was still a noticeable light gray compared to the white patch, but at three stops (Zone 8) the gray had turned as white as the white patch.  That told me that my upper limit for recording highlight tonality is about Zone VII-1/2, or five and a half stops total range.

Shutter Speed &ISO Exercise: Week 2

26.01.2017 (Week 2)
Christina Hiew (300 416 675)
Shutter Speed &ISO Exercise

Lecture:

In conjunction with Chinese New Year Eve break, I am unable to attend today photography class because I have bought a flight ticket. I have to enquire my classmates so that I am able to catch up what are the class tutorials I had missed. Fortunately, Mr. Vinod uploaded ISO_shutter.pptx slides for our guidelines.   

From the slides I understood that:
1. Shutter speed is the amount of time that the shutter is open.
2. Shutter speed is measured in seconds.
3. The faster the shutter speed, the shorter the time the image sensor is exposed to light; the slower the shutter speed, the longer the time the image sensor is exposed to light.
4. ISO measures the sensitivity of the image sensor.
5. The lower the ISO number the less sensitive your camera is to light and the finer the grain.

Specific Instructions for Exercise 2b: Shutter Speed
Upon discussing the material on Shutter Speed in along with the discussions and exercises on Aperture and ISO, we have come to understand that Shutter Speed affects exposure and effects visibility of moving objects. While the evidence of shutter speeds affect on exposure is already evident in the Aperture and ISO exercise, the evidence of Shutter Speeds affect on moving objects has yet to be proven.

Your task in Exercise 2b is to showcase evidence of Shutter Speeds ability to freeze fast moving objects or blur moving objects.

Specific Instructions for Exercise 2c: ISO
Upon discussing the material on ISO, we have come to agree that ISO effects exposure (Exercise 2c.1) and effects the quality of an image (Exercise 2c.2).

Your in-class task today, requires you to prove that:

2c.1) ISO effects exposure
2c.2) ISO effects the quality of an image by increasing the noise and grain of a picture.

Exercise 2b: Shutter Speed:

1.

F5.6     S6”      ISO200

2.

F16      S8        ISO200

3.

F22      S10      ISO200

Exercise 2c.1:  ISO effects exposure:

1.

F5.6     S1/30   ISO200

2.

F5.6     S1/30   ISO800

3.

F5.6     S1/30   ISO6400

Exercise 2c.2: ISO effects the quality of an image by increasing the noise and grain of a picture:

1.

F5.6     S1/30   ISO200

2.

F5.6     S1/30   ISO6400

Redo Exercise 2c.2: ISO effects the quality of an image by increasing the noise and grain of a picture.

1.

ISO1600

2.

ISO3200

3.

ISO6400

Feedback

Mr. Vinod told me my Exercises 2c.2 are wrong and he advise me I can opt for redo only if I want. Thus, I decide to redo the exercise

Reflection

Experience:

When I first received this exercise, I was freaking nervous and feeling super tense. I missed the class and my mind was totally blown out because I have no basic information about shutter speed and ISO. Additionally, I have to keep text my classmates to find out what is the request of this exercise. Luckily, my classmates such as Ashely, Alif and Adrian help and guide me a lot especially when I really in big hesitation in understanding the requirement of this exercise.  

Observation:

After doing this exercise, I noticed I have to consider a lot of factors before and after taking pictures. These factors are am I appropriate to take this particular picture in such condition such as during rainy day to freeze fast and slow moving objects, what is the outcome qualities picture would look like and so on. I noticed I have to prepare or set up before I decided to take pictures since I had missed Mr. Vinod photography. Today, I finally understand why Mr. Vinod strongly encouraged us to attend all his class so that when doing his exercise will not be a troublesome later.

Findings:

A darker picture is produced when the shutter moves very quickly and only allows light to touch the imaging sensor for a tiny fraction of a second. I learn that faster shutter speed=darker picture=less blur=small fraction like1/800 or 1/1000 and slower shutter speed=brighter picture=more blur=larger fraction like 1/60 or 1/80. A high ISO such as ISO 1,600 will produce a brighter picture than a lower ISO such as ISO 100. High ISO=brighter picture=more noise=high number ISO like 3200 or 6400 and low ISO=darker picture=less noise=less number ISO like 200 or 400.

Aperture Exercise: Week 2

25.01.2017 (Week 2)

Christina Hiew (300 416 675)
Aperture Exercise

Lecture:

Today, Mr. Vinod begin his class sharp at 5pm. At first, he checked each of our last week homework and follow up he shared his 10 best pictures and 6 of his admires. These 6 admires are Herb Ritts, Mark Seliger, Prabhuddha, Richard Avedon, Manoj Jadhav, and Raghu Raj. Mr. Vinod continues his lecturer with today “Aperture lesson”.  He taught us 4 important key elements in camera such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and light. Then, Mr. Vinod demonstrated and taught us the lens and the theory of aperture effect the exposure and control depth of field.

From the lecture I understood that: Aperture
1. Controls the amount of light entering the lens.
2. Controls depth of field in your camera.

3. A lens typically has a set of marked "f-stops"

4. The In-build light mirror

Instructions:

Aperture Exercise 2a.1:

1. Take a picture of your repetitive subject starting with the right exposure combination of shutter speed and aperture.

2. Start your aperture setting from the lowest number (f1.4/f2.0/f3.5)

3. Do not change the shutter settings as the aperture is increased.

Aperture Exercise 2a.2:

1. Take a picture of your repetitive subject starting with the right exposure combination of shutter speed and aperture.

2. Start your aperture setting from the lowest number (f1.4/f2.0/f3.5)

3. Compensate the increase of your aperture with your shutter settings as the aperture is increased to maintain the right exposure.

Specific Instructions for Aperture exercise:

Upon reading, viewing and discussing the material on aperture, we have come to agree that aperture effects exposure (Exercise 2a.1) and controls depth of field (Exercise 2a.2).

Your problem task today is to prove the theory as fact that aperture does effect exposure (Exercise 2a.1) and control depth of field (Exercise 2a.2) by devising a plan and acting on it.

When updating your ePortfolio ensure you describe your plan before showcasing the evidence that proves the theory.

All images must be in black and white, you can make the adjustment in the camera (if the feature is available) or make the adjustment later in an appropriate software or Photoshop (directions: Image > Adjust > Black & White)

Aperture Exercise 2a.1:

1.

F5.6     S1/20   ISO6400

2.

F8        S1/20   ISO6400

3.

F11      S1/20   ISO6400

4.

F16      S1/20   ISO6400

5.

F22      S1/20   ISO6400

Aperture Exercise 2a.2:

1.

F5.6     S1/50   ISO6400

2.

F8        S1/25   ISO6400

3.

F11      S1/13   ISO6400

4.

F16      S1/6     ISO6400

5.

F22      S1/3     ISO6400

Feedback

Reflection

Experience:

When Mr. Vinod briefs us the practical instructions, I barely catch up his instructions because I was sitting quite far away. At first, I feel I select the wrong sitting position which caused me feel very uncomfortable and I had to keep disturb my classmate by asking a lot of questions. Until, Mr. Vinod asks us to step out from our comfort zone with our respective camera to participate the practical sessions, I feel so relieved and excited to participate Mr. Vinod practical discussion. So, I decided to take this opportunity to learn some knowledge from Mr. Vinod.

Observation:

During the in class practical sessions with Mr. Vinod and my classmates, I observed my pictures did not produced a good quality or standard that request by Mr. Vinod. I noticed, I have to keep move and adjust my camera to match the setting of the picture. After hearing Mr. Vinod advice, he strongly encouraged us to have a tripod so that we do not keep moving the camera.

Findings:
After completing this exercise, I learn smaller number setting of f2.8 has aperture that allows in a lot of light while bigger number settings of f22 has smaller aperture that allows in less light. A smaller aperture will show more in focus information that has deep depth of field and a larger aperture will show a shallow depth of field that has less information.