Re: Re: Assignment 8

#19897
Duncan Rawlinson
Keymaster

Hi there!

Thanks for sending in another assignment.

The assignment reads as follows:

Lesson 8: Assignment Assignment Title: Stage it!
In this lesson you need to take 1 photograph

This lesson is about finding a way to reproduce something you imagine in your mind onto your camera’s film or CCD chip. It could be a scene from a day dream or just something you think up on the spot. Try to use your imagination to ensure it’s as dramatic as possible. You have complete creative control of this photograph. You’re not waiting for a decisive moment, and you can place anyone or anything in any position you wish. Use your imagination and have fun. Think about costumes, dramatic lighting, contradicting items, dark gloomy themes, bright, overexposed themes. Below are some more examples to get you thinking.

This is a nice photograph. Often when I’m critiquing an image I can something is a little off immediately.

In this photograph the piece of clothing that is blocking the subject is seriously hurting this image.

There is probably a reason to include the dress/outfit in the photo (that I’m unaware of) but from a photographic standpoint it seriously detracts from the image.

If you must include such an item take it off the hanger if you can.

Otherwise there are some nice elements in the frame.

The catch light in particular from your flash in her eyes is nice.

According to wikipedia:

Catch light or catchlight is a photography term used to describe either the specular highlight in a subject’s eye from a light source, or the light source itself. They are also referred to as eye lights or Obies, the latter a reference to Merle Oberon, who was frequently lit using this technique. A catch light may be an artifact of the lighting method, or have been purposely engineered to add a glint or “spark” to a subject’s eye during photography. This technique is useful in both still and motion picture photography. Adding a catch light can help draw attention to the subject’s eyes, which may otherwise get lost among other elements in the scene.

Catch light is not the same as the red-eye effect; in general, red-eye is an undesired effect (caused by the reflection of light from the retina inside the back of the eyeball), while catch lights are often aesthetically desirable, and produced by light reflecting from the front surfaces of the eye. Especially in portraiture, eyes without catch lights are often said to appear dull or lifeless. Lighting is often arranged in studio portraits specifically to create attractive catch lights.

As a specific light source, a catch light is usually fairly dim or focused, as to not affect any other part of the scene or face. Many other lighting methods, however, are known for the distinctive or unique catch light they produce. Among those methods are ring lights, which produce several highlights in a ring, and large softboxes, which produce large, square highlights.

While catchlights most often appear to be simply bright spots, as reflections of their surroundings they can contain entire images. This property is sometimes used as a plot point in movies and television. Typically in this trope (or cliche), computer magnification of a catch light is used to gain information about the surroundings of the person being photographed, essentially using the eye as a mirror.

Audiences usually perceive eyes without specular highlights to be lifeless or evil, and for this reason many cinematographers specifically eliminate catch lights on antagonistic characters.

It is also commonly found in anime, usually used in an over-dramatized manner to show different emotions accompanied by exaggerated expressions.

One element in this frame that is not ideal is the shadow from the flash. Next time try to put some distance between your subject and the background behind them. Then use more of a zoom lens to blur the background and put the focus on the subject matter.

Nice photo and cute kid!

I look forward to your next assignment.