Assignment 4 – Final Images and Self-Assessment

Headline suggestion : Dawson Tragedy – What reporter Véronique Prince had to say 8 years later

Véronique Prince works for TVA as a reporter and she covered the Dawson shooting 8 years ago. She was called on site as soon as the first gun shots were fired, and after all this time, she still has vivid memories of the event.

 

1. What worked well for you on this assignment.

I would say that I had the weather on my side. By the time it was my turn to shoot, it had stopped raining and the sun hadn’t come out yet, so I didn’t have to deal with harsh shadows hitting my subject’s face. Also, although my subject told me she was not photogenic, she was very relaxed when she arrived at school and she was pretty easy to shoot.

2. What would change in your approach if you had the opportunity to go back and do it again.

If I could change one thing, I would pick a less popular spot, or at least have a plan B. I did have a plan B in case I wasn’t able to shoot outside, but if I had known everyone had picked the same spot as I did I would have chosen somewhere else. Fortunately, I was able to find another composition that worked even though it wasn’t my initial idea.

3. Any information you would like to contribute to accompany your image.

I was really glad to try a different type of lighting than what I had planned for the shoot. I ended up picking one of those images because I really liked the backlight. I found it more interesting than what I had planned.

4. What did you learn about this type of photography.

I did learn that it is important to photograph the subject in a way that reflect his/her personality. If I had shot someone else, maybe I would have trying funkier poses, but given the reserved nature of my subject and the kind of job she does, I didn’t want to make her pose in a way that would be really out of character for her. Yes the photos might be simple, but I find it fits the subject very well.

5. What did you learn about yourself as a photographer from doing this assignment?

I did learn that I must try to be more open to trying more things as I’m shooting, like different kinds of lighting I had not planned beforehand.

Kim Hurley – ALP2 – Assignment 4 – Pre-production

1. What type of available lighting will you be encountering?

The available light is daylight, as I hope to be shooting outside.

2. What is your intention in terms of how you plan to use the available light, how will you be addressing the Colour Balance for this mixed light situation?

Since I will be shooting my subject on steps of the main entrance of the school (on Sherbrooke), the sun will be behind my subject. So essentially the sun will light the background and I will use a flash to light my subject’s face.

3. What is the reason for your lens choice? (Do you want the compression of a long lens or the exaggerated perspective of a wide angle, fixed focal length or zoom)?

I will use a 35mm lens. I’m using a wide angle because I think the front of the school had really nice architectural features and I want to show some of it.

4. What words would you use to describe the Visual Style you are looking to create in this image?

I’m looking to create a lighter feel that one would expect considering the subject I’ve chosen. I don’t want the picture to be overly dramatic and dark.

5. What aperture do you plan to use and why? Explain.

My aperture will probably be around f/5.6 to let a lot of natural light in and to have the background out of focus.

6. What shutter speed to you plan to use and why? Explain.

The shutter speed should be around 1/60-1/80 in order to let in the ambient light.

7. What ISO do you plan to use and why?

I plan to use the lowest ISO possible, around 200.  Since I will be shooting with a slow shutter speed and large aperture, I should be able to use a low ISO, if the outside weather allows it.

8. Are there any technical problems that will need to be addressed at the shoot or any steps you feel will be needed in post-production?

I will try to fix the white balance on site so that minimal work is involved in the post-production process. The major technical problem at the shoot might be the radio slave not working well in the sun, so I’ll make sure to shield it with a piece of foil or an umbrella.

9. What equipment you will need for the shoot?

White lighting + small soft box as main light source,  a reflector as fill,  a vagabond, a light stand, pocket wizards, light meter, tripod.

10. Who or What will be your subject and how will they be represented?

My subject will be Véronique Prince, a TVA journalist who covered the school shooting.

 

Inspiration images

 

 

Lighting Diagram

Assignment 3 – Final Images and Self-Assessment

f/5.6, 1/125, ISO 200

 

f/5.6, 1/125, ISO 200

1. What worked well for you on this assignment.

I was really well prepared, so I knew exactly what I wanted. I had drew a little sketch of how I wanted each elements to be places in the 2 images, so this reference really helped me stick to what I had envisioned. Once I put everything into places and looked through my viewfinder, I was able to make the final adjustments and to really have images I was happy about.

2. What would change in your approach if you had the opportunity to go back and do it again.

Since I wasn’t able to shoot with the lens I was planning on using, I would say that next time I’ll make sure that I have all the elements I had been planning for. Fortunately for me, I had another lens I was able to used and it turned out fine, but it threw me off guard a little. Also, for one of my shots, I brought a piece of pink cardboard to use as a « wall », but it really didn’t work, so I had to change my angle. Next time I’ll test it at home first before bringing homemade background to the set.

3. Any information you would like to contribute to accompany your image.

My assistant was really helpful with the final adjustments I made to my lighting. He helped me try different options to ensure the best final result possible.

4. What did you learn about this type of photography.

The planning process and the accessories can make or break your pictures. If you don’t plan every accessory and even the lighting (never rely on the sun, because you never know what kind of day you’re gonna get), it can ruin your shoot. In my opinion, you have to be very detail-oriented in order to be a successful food photographer. I really enjoyed doing this assignment, it was a lot of fun!

5. What did you learn about yourself as a photographer from doing this assignment?

I did learn that I might have what it takes to become a food photographer. I really enjoyed searching for inspiration images, the accessories, trying to bake the perfect muffins and finally getting the results I I had in mind. I’m a really patient person, so all the planning process and the careful set up of each element were far from a hassle for me.

Kim Hurley – ALP2 – Assignment 3 – Pre-production

1. What type of available lighting will you be encountering?

The available light is a mix of daylight, flash and slightly yellow fluorescent lights.

2. What is your intention in terms of how you plan to use the available light, how will you be addressing the Colour Balance for this mixed light situation?

In order to get the soft look I’m aiming for and not depend entirely on the weather conditions the day of the shoot, I will close the curtains to block the daylight and use a flash with a scrim jim. I will bring a white cloth to diffuse this light source even more need there be. Also, as fill, I will try to use a reflector as fill to highlight the front of the food. If this is not strong enough then I will use a small softbox. Also, for one of the shots, were we will see the wall behind the food (as I will shoot straight on), I will probably have to light the wall with a softbox pointed upward.

3. What is the reason for your lens choice? (Do you want the compression of a long lens or the exaggerated perspective of a wide angle, fixed focal length or zoom)?

I will be using a 70-200mm lens, as I want the nice compression of the long lens. I want the food to be the star of the food, so I will use a very shallow DOP.

4. What words would you use to describe the Visual Style you are looking to create in this image?

I’m looking to create a very light, soft environment. Since I want the focus to be on the food and I don’t want the props to overpower the images and the images to look too staged, «Less is more» will be my motto for the shoot.

5. What aperture do you plan to use and why? Explain.

My aperture will probably be around f/5.6 to let a lot of natural light in and to have the background out of focus.

6. What shutter speed to you plan to use and why? Explain.

The shutter speed should be around 1/100s or slower in order to let in the ambient light.

7. What ISO do you plan to use and why?

I plan to use the lowest ISO possible, around 200.  Since I will be shooting with a slow shutter speed and large aperture, I should be able to use a low ISO.

8. Are there any technical problems that will need to be addressed at the shoot or any steps you feel will be needed in post-production?

I will probably have to adjust the white balance a bit in post-production, but I’ll try different adjustements (gels and no gels, white balance in camera) on location to ensure minimal work after the shoot.

9. What equipment you will need for the shoot?

For the shoot, I will be using flash (1 white lightening) as a backlight, maybe 1 white lighting for the wall + small soft box, a scrim jim, a white translucent cloth, a reflector,  pocket wizards, light meter, tripod. For the food, I will bring my own wooden table top, dishcloths, jam, coffee, a coffee pot, a glass, a plate, a spoon and the food. I will also bring wetones, Q-tips, olive oil and a small brush.

10. Who or What will be your subject and how will they be represented?

My suject will be delicious muffins.

Inspiration images

 

Lighting diagram

Assignment 2 – Final Image and Self-Assessment

ISO 400, 1/30s, f/4

ISO 400, 1/30s, f/4

Short description : The subject in my photographs is Caroline Messier, a sexologist and Ph.D student. She is featured on the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine because she recently opened her own office. Since she is a therapist and works with people, it is important to portray her as the engaging, trustworthy and sensitive professional that she is. In order to do that, my subject has a relaxed pose and nice smile, and the background is bright, to give a very light and relaxed feel to the image.

1. What worked well for you on this assignment.

One of the things that went well on this assignment is that I picked the right subject. I knew that Caroline was comfortable in front of the camera, so that helped me be comfortable as well and take the time I needed to shoot get the right pictures.

2. What would change in your approach if you had the opportunity to go back and do it again.

If I could go back, I think I wouldn’t hesitate to try other things to get the right pose. I really wanted to use the red chair, but the teacher made me realize that maybe it wasn’t the right chair for the kind of pose I wanted to do. Next time I’ll hesitate less to try new things to get what I want instead of sticking to my first idea, even if it doesn’t work that well.

3. Any information you would like to contribute to accompany your image.

At first I thought I would use a light with an umbrella to light the background, but since it was a really sunny day, I was able to expose the background and get a very sunny ambiance. I’m very pleased with the fact that I got the kind of overall feel I was trying to achieve.

4. What did you learn about this type of photography.

This kind of photography can be harder than it looks. If we have to shoot a subject in his/her own work environment, it might not always be the best decorated space and we have to compose our shot in a way that makes the place, and more importantly the subject, look good.

5. What did you learn about yourself as a photographer from doing this assignment?

With the shoot, I realized that I’m becoming more and more comfortable with giving directions to my subject. I don’t hesitate and go and show them how I want them to pose, instead of just waiting and see if I’ll get what I want. If the subject and I have a great connection, I can even go and move the subject if my directions aren’t clear enough. This allows me the achieve the result I want.

 

 

Kim Hurley – ALP2 – Assignment 2 – Pre-production

1. What type of available lighting will you be encountering?

The available light is a mix of daylight, flash and slightly yellow fluorescent lights.

2. What is your intention in terms of how you plan to use the available light, how will you be addressing the Colour Balance for this mixed light situation?

Since the background will be mostly lit by natural light and I plan on using the natural light as a fill, I might use an amber gel on the softbox lighting on the other side of my subject’s face (main light source) if there’s a difference in the color temperature. As far as the white balance, I will probably set it to flash as it will be my main light source.

3. What is the reason for your lens choice? (Do you want the compression of a long lens or the exaggerated perspective of a wide angle, fixed focal length or zoom)?

I will be using a 50mm lens, as I want a bit of compression but I still want to show the background, and I also want the focus to be on the subject and not the environment.

4. What words would you use to describe the Visual Style you are looking to create in this image?

I’m looking to create a very light, relaxed and natural environment. My subject is a sexologist and she needs to appear approachable instead of looking severe and serious.

5. What aperture do you plan to use and why? Explain.

My aperture will probably be around f/5.6 to let a lot of natural light in and to have the background out of focus.

6. What shutter speed to you plan to use and why? Explain.

The shutter speed should be around 1/200s or slower in order to let in the ambient light.

7. What ISO do you plan to use and why?

I plan to use the lowest ISO possible, around 200-400, or lower if possible. Since I will be shooting my subject close to a window, I should be able to use a low ISO, depending on how sunny it is that day.

8. Are there any technical problems that will need to be addressed at the shoot or any steps you feel will be needed in post-production?

I will probably have to adjust the white balance a bit in post-production, but I’ll try different adjustements (gels and no gels, white balance in camera) on location to ensure minimal work after the shoot.

9. What equipment you will need for the shoot?

For the shoot, I will be using flash (2 white lightening and vagabond), one medium softbox, one umbrella  pocket wizards, light meter, 2 light stands, tripod. Also, I might be using a foam core to bounce the light coming from the umbrella, but I’m not sure yet, I’ll have to see what the background looks like without the foam core first.

10. Who or What will be your subject and how will they be represented?

My suject will be Caroline Messier, a certified sexologist and Ph.D student.

Inspiration images

Lighting Diagram

Assignment 1 – Final Image and Self Assessment

f/4.5, 1/60, ISO 400

1. What worked well for you on this assignment.

My subject was very cooperative and he didn’t seen to mind posing for me. He was very relaxed, which helped me relax as well. Also, I was able to shoot where I wanted to photograph my subject, so I didn’t have to come up with a plan B, which was a relief considering the time was limited.

2. What would change in your approach if you had the opportunity to go back and do it again.

If I could change something in my approach, I guess I would like to bit a bit more experimental and creative with my approach. The final image I chose was a pose suggested by the teacher, and I’m quite pleased with the result. I hadn’t even thought of trying that pose.

3. Any information you would like to contribute to accompany your image.

At first my goal was to get a moodier shot of my subject, but in the end I chose to simply have my subject well-lit and to show his surroundings. Since I wanted to show my subject in his work environment, I thought it was cool to have him seated on the machine.

4. What did you learn about this type of photography.

I learned that even though we can’t integrate creative exterior elements and don’t have much control over what the person is going to look like, his/her ease in front of the camera and the background, you really to think about how you want to compose your shot and get creative in that way. It might not be the most exciting kind of photography out there, but there’s still ways to have fun and be proud of your work.

5. What did you learn about yourself as a photographer from doing this assignment?

I already knew that I was comfortable around people, but this confirmed it. To meet one person and immediately have him pose for you can be quite challenging for some people, but I see that it’s really not something that bothers me. I did learn that I should trust my instincts a little more. Sometimes I’m afraid to try different things that I had not planned beforehand, and I really must try to just go with the flow of the shoot and have my subject do other things.

Kim Hurley – APL2 – Assignment 1 – Pre-production

1. What type of available lighting will you be encountering?

The lighting in the lab is fluorescent light.

2. What is your intention in terms of how you plan to use the available light, how will you be addressing the Colour Balance for this mixed light situation?

I will try as much as possible not to place my subject directly underneath a ceiling light to avoid harsh shadow under his/her eyes. If needed, I will add a green gel to the flash lighting the background to match the available light, and I will use the fluorescent white balance on the camera. I might also use an orange gel to warm up the image a bit. 

3. What is the reason for your lens choice? (Do you want the compression of a long lens or the exaggerated perspective of a wide angle, fixed focal length or zoom)?

I will use the 50 mm to shoot my subject. Since I might shoot vertically, I don’t want the subject to be distorted therefore I couldn’t use my 35 mm. I also want to show the machinery surrounding the subject, and I think the 50 mm will help me do that. 

4. What words would you use to describe the Visual Style you are looking to create in this image?

Moody, natural, in action (as much as possible).

5. What aperture do you plan to use and why? Explain.

I will use an aperture between f/4-5.6 to emphasize the subject and blur the background. 

6. What shutter speed to you plan to use and why? Explain.

I will try to stay around 1/100th or slower in order to let in the ambient light. Since the subject won’t be really moving it should work. 

7. What ISO do you plan to use and why?

I plan to use the lowest ISO possible, around 200 if possible. Since I really want to shot to be clean and avoid grain, I’ll make sure to change the speed and the aperture before boosting the ISO. 

8. Are there any technical problems that will need to be addressed at the shoot or any steps you feel will be needed in post-production?

Since I would like to shoot my subject in action, I might have a bit of trouble with the tight space. I will have to pay close attention and not place the subject too close to the light source. Other than that, I will try to fix the light color with the gels on site, but I might have to correct it in post production.

9. What equipment you will need for the shoot?

Profoto flash (or white lightening + vagabond), one small softbox, one umbrella with 1/4 cto gel and 15 green gel, pocket wizards, light meter, 2 light stands, clips to attach the gels to the umbrella, tripod

10. Who or What will be your subject and how will they be represented?

My subject will be a mechanical engineering student using one of the pieces of equipment they learned to manipulate. The student will likely appear focused on what he/she will be doing. 

Lighting Diagram

ALP – Assignment 4 – Photo Story

My dear friend Katrina once told me that in Ontario, women only have one baby shower even though they had more than one child. When she announced me that she was pregnant, I knew that her baby shower would be a very special day, as it was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for her. With the help of her mother and mother-in-law, she organized a day that was truly reflective of her roots and personnality. Since both Katrina’s parents were born in the UK, I knew there was going to be an homage to her English roots. It came as no surprise that hot tea and various types of finger food were served in her mother-in-law’s finest china. My friend has a great sense of detail, and this could be seen everywhere in the house that day. Everything, from the baby shaped ice cubes, napkins and the small personnalized blue gift boxes, had been carefully thought out and executed. Many guests from different parts of the city, and even the world (her 83‑year‑old grand‑mother flew in from England) were present to show Katrina how much we appreciate her and are happy that she and her husband are entering this new chapter of their lives. As a friend, I was truly honored to have the chance to capture this special day.

APD2 – Assignment 4 – Composite

The purpose of the images produced for this assignment is advertising. I chose the same product for the two pictures, but in different flavors to emphasize the cohesive nature of the concept. This is a reason why the images work well together. The viewer can see the link between the two images, and can even image what other images from this series could look like, had I chosen different flavors. The overall message of this ‘ad’ is that the jams produced by Première Moisson are natural and do not contain several unpronounceable ingredients. The main ingredient is fruit (strawberry or blueberry in this case).

Creating this series was very interesting. After thinking about it for a while, I realized that the best way to shoot the fruits while keeping the same vantage point as the jar was to have them ‘float’ in the air above the jar. I believe that if I had shot them differently, at another angle, the result wouldn’t have been as realistic as the one I obtained. In order to do this, I took a fishing line, wraped it around the fruits and I had my assistant hold the line while I was shooting the fruits. Since the fruits span, I could shoot the same fruit several times without it looking the same. In post-production, I selected the fruits I wanted from many images, and pasted them on the original image that only showed the jar. I was able to play with the size and the orientation of each fruit for a more natural look.