LO2 Sketches

LO3 Unedited Photo Contact Sheets and Evaluation of Unedited Photos

First Shoot:

Second Shoot:

Evaluation:

My photos are of shirtcliff wood's and its nature, they range from photos of flowers, trees, plants and small streams that go through these woods, I think most of these that I took worked really well, especially the ones that I focused a certain photographic element on. I also think the colour and brightness levels in the photographs are quite decent too even though I did not have to change the ISO, shutter speed or aperture much for most of the photos.
On the other hand though I do have improvements for my photos, one being the focus, although quite a few were using focus for depth of field, a few of them I was not doing this with, were out of focus for example, a whole group of the photos that I had took continuously were all out of focus but would of have generally been a good photo if it was in focus. I would also improve for next time, my knowledge on the controls of the camera, as I would of liked to have changed the ISO, apertures and shutter speeds manually, but instead I basically used the automatic features most of the time, with some having a manual input like zoom and focusing. I would finally also like to improve the way the photos were composed as some of them I did from the wrong angle or just not the way I imagined it would of looked like, this is why I should have checked the photos on the camera straight after taking them.
The meanings I was going for in my photos were nature and tranquility, I feel that I obtained this meaning in most of my images, an example that I thought went well with the meaning of 'nature' was one which was a couple of trees with a setting sun shining between two trees, I think this shows the beauty of what someone could see and that if this was taken away, such as the trees been cut down, this would not be seen by anyone ever again, so I'm basically trying to show that people should be environmentally friendly and try to look after our planet. An example of a photograph showing the meaning of 'tranquility' is a photograph of a little water fall on the route of a small stream in the forest, I think this shows tranquility as the audience might imagine the setting as very quite and calm, as streams in the middle of the woods are quite secluded and so there wouldn't be much noise.
As I said, I could of improved the composition in the photographs but most I am actually quite happy with, one of which was a photo of a flower (I did quite a few of these) where it was centered in the middle, this is using the point of interest technique and I did this as it was a bright colour (Yellow) contrasting against a darker colour (Forest Green), which was also helped with the fact that it has a depth of field with the background being the darker colour and being out of focus, this made the flower stand out as a point of interest, I feel that this is an ideal way to compose an image. In my photo shoot I always used ambient light, this is because, like I said in my planning, I am only using this because I want my photos to be natural and raw and so the best way to do this was to not have any synthetic lighting, an example of me using the ambient lighting well was on the photo I took of a leaf on the ground that had rain drops on it, the ambient lighting created by the Sun was lighting up the rain drops so that they were more visible, I also incidentally had taken it at an angle where the rain drops refracted the light so I could see objects not underneath the droplet but next to it magnified, unfortunately the photo was out of focus. Unfortunately, one thing I did not do was change or modify the factors that go into exposure when doing the photo shoot, that is one thing I would definitely improve upon doing if I ever did this again, but there was a variety of exposure settings used in the photos which were all automatically controlled by the camera, here are a few examples;

First of all, the aperture is measured in f-stop (The size of the opening made by the aperture) and the examples above range from the low of 4.0 up to 11 f-stop. The one that has an f-stop of 4 has a wide opening, this is because there isn't much light in the photograph (due to the clouds) so it has to open wide to let in as much light as possible into the camera so it can show the details. The photo with a 5 f-stop is a bit more brighter and so has a higher f-stop, it also has a depth of field, to do this it would need to lower its f-stop for it to create this effect as it is trying to let in less light to be out of focus. The photo with a 5.6 f-stop is even more brighter than the previous due to the reflections of light in the stream and so has more of a closed opening to let in less light so the details are less bleached out. Finally, the highest f-stop out of the examples is 11, this is because the Sun light is literally going into the lens, and so to make so the details aren't bleached out fully the opening is as closed as possible as it can be. Next, is the shutter speed and the slower shutter speed in the examples is 1/40, this is also the least brightest example, this is because the camera had to have more time to let in the light so it could capture the detail in the photo.The example with a shutter speed of 1/250 was accidentally took on the sports mode, which is another reason to why I need to improve my knowledge of working the camera settings. The second quickest shutter speed is the example with 1/400 which is also the one with a depth of field, the reason it's quicker is because all it had to do was capture the light coming of the object in the foreground, whilst the background does not need this as it needs to be out of focus to create the effect of depth of field. Finally, the quickest shutter speed is from the example with 1/500, the reason this one is the fastest is because I used the sports mode, I used this because the stream was moving and because I wanted a clear photo without the stream coming out blurred I used it, and the sports mode is specifically coded for the shutter speed to be that fast for that specific reason, to capture something instantly. Finally, the ISO is the sensitivity of the lens to the light, the lower the ISO the lower the sensitivity to the light, this is usually when the image comes out more clearer, especially with close ups. The lowest ISO out of the examples were 100 and this was a close up of a twig, with a blurred background (depth of field) and because there wasn't much light the lens wasn't as sensitive.

As I said in my plan, I was going to use the macro setting, I used this mostly for getting a depth of field on an object, mostly being flowers or twigs, I may have also used this when taking photos that I wanted to present the technique of leading lines, I did this on a few branches that were reachable and placed the camera going so that it was showing the branch going outward, thus creating the leading line, I then used the macro with this so that the front of the branch was in detail, but as the branch goes more outwards there became less focus.
The brief asked for something to do with identity, and I chose to represent the identity of Sheffield's woods and nature. My photo fits this brief because they were taken in Shirtcliff woods, one of Sheffield's many woods and then my photos also feature things to do with nature within the forest, this being the flowers, river streams and the sun setting, these are a few examples;

 This is an example of flowers being apart of nature, this represents the nature of the woods during the Spring.

 This is an example of the sun setting, this can create shadows and also a range of hues based around orange and yellow, it also refracted the light seen in the water droplets making them more visible.This shows you how the sun effects the look of nature in the woods

Then finally there is the stream, this shows the nature through reflections of the light on the stream.

Unfortunately, I did not take any inspiration from any photographers that we had researched i.e. Martin Parr, Duncan Philpott etc. and I think I would if I was to do this photo shoot again as it would help me come up with different ways to do my photos.

Finally, I used many photographic elements in my photos, the main few being; 

Composition:

 

This is an example of composition because I have arranged the point of interest which is the yellow flower, contrasting against the darker green leafs, in the centre, this is commonly used in composition and I have done this as it's the first thing I want the viewer to se eand focus on.

Formatting (landscape and portrait):

This is an example of formatting as I have done this photo in landscape, unfortunately I did not take any photos in portrait, which I could have admittedly done with a tree for example. This photo links to another photographic element known as leading lines, this is shown by the dirt trial, although it isn't straight it or leads to a point of interest, it still resembles something you would see in leading lines.

Centre of interest:

This is an example of a photo showing a centre of interest. The feather is the centre of interest as the feather contrasts against the background of the floor, which is a lot darker and so the feather can be seen more clearer. It is also another example of the previously mentioned composition.

Viewpoints:

 

I used both viewpoint; Eye level view (Left) and Birds Eye view (Right). This was manly used just to get different perspectives, I took the eye level photo because the flower faced forward and so I wanted to get its 'face'. The birds eye view photo was took because I wanted to get a picture of something on the floor and trying to take that at eye level wouldn't have come out as good as it has in birds eye view.

  

Rule of thirds:

This is an example of the rule of thirds as there is at least one point of interest crossing one of the lines in the rule of thirds, this being any one of the flowers from the flowers in the photo.

Lighting:

This is an example of lighting, I'll admit I could have used the EV settings to adjust the lighting when taking a photo. On the other hand, I used lighting in this photo by letting the sun shine through the trees, the tree's trunks came out almost silhouette like. It also created a few shadows on the ground, that you can hardly see.

Close-up:

 

I did this a lot in my photo shoot as I used the macro setting, I did this because I wanted to get detail on the objects I was taking photos of in the forest. This being an example of such, it also used created the effect of a depth of field as the bud was in detail and in focus whilst the background was not.

Leading lines

Unfortunately, when taking the photos with leading lines in thought I did not think about having a point of interest at the end of them, this could have been useful to lead the viewers eyes to this point of interest. Above is a photo I thought had the element of leading lines within it.

Texture:

This is an example of the photographic element texture in my photo, because this is the woods there was many opportunities for different textures, I chose to contrast the smooth water against the rough rocks within a stream. The water made the rocks stand out as the water was also very reflective whilst the stone did not reflect much light. and so you could tell the more dull objects apart from the less dull object.

LO2: Planning the Official Final Photoshoot

Where?

The photo-shoot will take place in Shirtcliff woods, Woodhouse, Sheffield.

When?

The photo-shoot will take place on the 21st of April 2016 between the times of 16:00 and 18:00pm

Risks?

Shirtcliff woods has quite a few risks to consider as there is trip hazards, water hazards and maybe even theft that could happen, as it is a public place, but is secluded from the public eye and so anyone could steal or damage your property.

Theme?

My theme for my shoot is going to be nature and tranquillity.

Meaning behind it?

The meaning I'm going to try and show through my photos is that being alone can normally connote peace and tranquillity, because for example a person could be working on their own and this can be peaceful for them because they’re away from distractions. The meaning with nature in the photos will be that it obviously contains nature, mainly the plants and trees, the meaning behind using nature is to express the need to care for the planet and be environmentally friendly so that people can enjoy the beauty of nature in the future.

Equipment?

To take the pictures I will be using a Canon DSLR 650D as this has many professional options to choose from that I can use in the shoot, such as aperture, ISO control, portrait and landscape mode etc.

Lighting?

I will either use the natural lighting around the environment I’m taking photos of, this is because my theme is nature and I want it to be the natural light that comes with the nature, but I may have to make adjustments on the camera so that colours and detail don’t get bleached out or the image may come out too dark to see any of the detail.

Camera Mode?

I will mostly be using macro, landscape and sports settings on the camera, macro will be used to have a close up on some objects in great detail, I will also use it to give my photos a depth of field as the background will go out of focus whilst the foreground does not, I can then use this to maybe make point of interests in the photographs. Landscape will be used to take photos of a wide area, maybe to take some photos with the leading lines technique. The sports setting will be used to capture running water in the streams you will find in Shirtcliff woods in detail as it will not blur the water because this setting has a very fast shutter speed to capture something in that very moment in good detail.

Aperture?

Aperture is how much light is let in, basically meaning how bright I want my photo, I will be using natural light so I will not change the aperture much, unless the light is too bright, in which I would have to lower the aperture so less light gets in so it doesn’t bleach out detail.

Shutter Speed?

The shutter speed is how quick or slow the shutter closes when taking a picture, I will not be changing this for most of my photos as they will mostly be still shots, but if I’m using the sports mode it will be taking photos with a very high shutter speed, I may also incorporate the burst mode feature so it continuously takes photos, this is good because I can analyse the many photos I took and choose the best ones.

ISO?

If there is a lot of light when taking the photo, I may need a lower ISO but if there isn't I will be using a higher ISO.

Depth of Field?

I will be using depth of field mostly when using the macro feature, this is so that I get great detail in the foreground whilst the background is out of focus, I would also like to use it in some photos using landscape mode, maybe using a deep depth of field.

To Flash or Not to Flash?

I will not be taking photos with the flash because the location will have natural lighting, during the day so it will be bright and I will only use the flash if it’s too dark to see the details.

Macro, Exposure Value Mode, Continuous or Single Shooting?

I will be using the Macro mode with single shooting and maybe even continuous shooting mode.

File Type (RAW or JPEG)?

The file type I will use is a RAW as this is an uncompressed file that can be converted to a JPEG that is compressed and a RAW file also preserve the sharpness, contrast and other information that is on the camera.

Equipment in the Shoot?

I will only be using the DSLR 650D Camera

Contingencies?

I will have to do the photo shoot another day if the weather isn’t suitable, or have to do it again if the photos are not of a good quality or if I have lost the photos due to poor backing up of the photos. I will also have to take spare SD cards or batteries just in case I run out of space or battery

Protecting My Photos.

I will have my photos backed-up on a spare SD Card, USB Stick and on my laptop, both in the files and an online drive (i.e. Owncloud, OneDrive etc.)

Obtaining Permission from Models.

My photos are of nature and so I will not use models so I do not need to obtain permission by using a model release form to get it.

Ensuring My Photos are in focus (Such as stabilisation).

I will make sure my photos are in focus by taking lots of shots and even using the burst mode so that I rapidly takes photos, then I can review them and see which ones are in focus.

Framing, Landscape or Portrait?

I will be using landscape for the most part.

Description of photos I intend to take.

I will be taking photos of plants and the general nature in Shirtcliff woods, including flowers, trees, streams and leaves.

Viewpoint?

I will do most of my viewpoints from in front of the object and also a few from a high angle, but not a full birds eye view.

How will I use the rule of thirds?

I will use the rule of thirds by making sure that there are something interesting in each part of the photo, so this gives the audience something interesting to look at.

Will I be shooting in Colour, Sepia or Monochrome?

I will be using colour in my photographs as I want to capture the nature as the way it is, but I will probably include a monochrome filter in editing.

Will I be using silhouettes and shadows?

I will try to take some photos by making silhouettes like twigs and branches for example

Will I be using Pattern and Repetition?

I will try to use patterns and repetition in my photos as they are quite a few opportunities in the woods that I can use.

Will I be using Leading lines?

I will be using leading lines as there are footpaths and trees that I can use to do this.

The Overall Narrative?

The overall narrative of my photos is just to show the beauty of nature and how we should preserve it for future generations to enjoy.

LO2 Contingency Plan

LO2 Audience Profile

Ideal Identity: 
Micheal Aylesbury is a 38 year old Charity worker that lives in Sheffield, UK. He has a family of 2 kids and is married to his wife Susan Aylesbury. He has trips out with his family to the forests, countrysides and normally visits his cottage in the Summer, which he rents out during the rest of the year. His main hobbies include gardening and cooking, he rides bikes as an activity and drives a hybrid car.

LO2 Call Sheet

LO2: UTC Photo Shoot Practise Evaluation

The photos; 

What I did in my shoot was dismantle two pieces of technology that teenagers use day to day and took the photo's of the circuits contained within them. I planned to do single shots and I followed that with my photos been took one by one. I did try to use different perspectives like macro and close ups on the controller. The only equipment I used was the Canon DSLR 650D camera to take the pictures and a chair to place the items on so I could take a picture of them. The props were the only things I took photos of and these were the game controller and mobile phone. In my opinion I need more help with the control of the camera as most settings I'm not familiar with, I managed to at least take three shots with a depth of field. I used macro so I could get a close up on the circuits inside the item, but I would like to have been able to control the aperture and shutter speed. When taking the photos I didn't use shadows, reflection or a flash, I only took the photos without a flash. Even though I did use depth of field, I feel like I could of done it better if I was actually focusing on taking photos with a depth of field. I didn't use any camera based filters mainly because I didn't know how to use it, but I would of used monochrome on some shots if I did. Another thing I would improve upon is actually using photographic elements. If I was to edit them I would add the monochrome filter or make a point of interest in the photo by making the point coloured whilst the rest is in monochrome as this would also help with my photo having a photographic element included in it. So, I think that the positives about this shoot was the composition of the items in the photo, which could be improved upon, and also the features like the depth of field or macro shots were quite a positive outcome of the shoot, which could also be approved upon with me knowing more about how to use the camera. So in conclusion I need to improve on knowing the setting of the camera and giving a better composition in the photos.