MarcC-Studio

In Black and White

2008-11-25T13:44:00.006+08:00

The photos above are not part of the module for grading but thought I would post it up anyway to share with you guys.

Took these series of photos just now in the comfort of my bedroom.

All these photos were taken with a single light source - my speedlite.

Since I dont have those studio lightings to play around with, not even a sync cord for my flash, I had to make do with whatever I have and can find and try think of ways to achieve the mood I want for my photos.

I tried bouncing the flash off my white pillow case (which was placed at various places beside my sister) and I thought it worked very well!

From the pics above, you guys can see the various directions the lights were coming from.

Firing a direct flash at her is not desirable as it would "flatten" the whole image.

Trapped

2008-11-19T17:10:00.015+08:00

How far will one go. what will one do and how will one feel towards change?

Construction

Losing your Physical Self

Many people become a completely different person. Plastic surgeries are so easily available nowadays. They undergo so much change (physically)that they no longer recognise who they are.

Beauty

Losing your Self Esteem

People lose their self esteem. Many unknowingly lost their self esteem when they look at how perfect (or so they thought) others around them are.

Sight

Losing the ability to Judge

When you are so engrossed in tryingg to be different, you inevitably lose the ability to judge what is right or wrong. Some wants so much to see the light at the end of the tunnel that they will do all things to get there, oblivious to things happening around them.

Ornament

Losing your Value

Some try to be nice to others around them for one reason or another but by doing so, they lose their own value. They might not be doing what they really believe in but just doing it because they want others around them to notice their presence.

Packaging

Losing your Identity

There are people who also try to change themselves so that they portray themselves as a different person infront of others. They change the way they speak, they change the way they dress, they change everything they can change hoping to present a "new self" to people around them. But they are losing their identity, losing who they first are.

Self

Losing your Willingness

When you take the first step out to change, you have sacrifice certain things in life. There are things which you have been doing all along that you can't do now.

Slavery

Losing your Freedom

Do you know that by taking the first step to change, you have actually lost your freedom? You do things you never wanted to do in the first place. You cant do things that you have always wanted to do. You lose so much.

Conscious

Losing your Sense

Sometimes, you dont even need to have something physically tying you down. Your mind can play tons of mind games with you, driving you crazy each and every minute.

Trash

Losing your Worth

Is everything you have done worth it? Or do you feel like a piece of trash after all that you have done?

Larger than Life

Losing your Perception

You think you are capable of achieving so much, but is it really possible?

Are all the changes you do worth the effort?

Do you feel trapped?

Credibility of an Image

2008-11-04T14:50:00.010+08:00

What are the ways readers can judge the credibility of an image even in this era of digital manipulation?

Let me first share an image.

Image from museumofhoaxes.com

This picture of Martha Steward on Newsweek was actually digitally manipulated. She did not actually pose for the photo (walking out of the curtain). The Newsweek editors have actually attached her head to the body of a model. On top of that, there was also no indication on the cover that the image was a composite.

From the above, the only reason I thought why such a picture was actually necessary was because it complements the headline which reads "Martha’s Last Laugh: After Prison She’s Thinner, Wealthier & Ready for Prime Time”. I guess it was afterall a sales pitch used by the company to boost their sales based on this headline news.

Just by looking at this picture, I do not think any readers will be able to judge whether this picture was manipulated or if it was a geniune credible picture used to complement the news story. In today's context, many journalist uses photos to complement the headlines and not the other way round. Photo manipulation has brought news reading to another level. Now readers have to decide for themselves - is this real?

Many would argue that a picture speaks a thousand words. But in this era where picture manipulation is rampant, it would help if one is more opionionated and to a certain extend, exercise a certain level of self-assertion when reading or viewing a picture shown in the media or even just anywhere.

Personally, I think "matching" the photos with the main story itself would not be able to proof that the picture used for that story is credible. The example of Martha Steward shared above is an example. Images can be manipulated to complement the story inorder to highten the convinencing level of the article and as a result, the viewer might be deceived.

1) One way for readers to judge the credibility of an image would be to look up for other images related to the topics online.

Photos from Associated Press, Reuters, International Herald Tribune can be used as a source of reference. Such large international press usually have their own inhouse photophotographers and thus, the angle the photos shot should vary between publishing house. Base on reader's judgement after comparing the photos with various sources, readers should be able to get a better and more diverse sense of the whole scenario when the picture was taken.

2) In recent years, new technology has also emerged that can help news organisations identify photoshop fakes. For organisations that value ethics, they must deploy this type of technology to their newsroom to prevent the errosion of credibility.

To a certain extend, readers who obtain information from an organistation who uses such technology should be more assured of a credible photo used. At the end of the day, it is still about being selective on where you get your information from and in this case, preferably from a reputable news organisation who practices strigent checks on their photos used before release.

Surfice to say, on the other hand, not many people are that technology savvy in today's era. Lets not forget the older generations who do not use the internet. So is there a way they can judge the credibility of the images? I doubt so. They are made to believe "what they see is what is real".

"While ethical decisions have long played a central role in the business of newsgathering, journalists have never been governed by formal ethical standards. This is a key reason that journalism, by definition, is actually not a profession. You can’t be disbarred or lose your license as a journalist." - Anh D. Stack and Black Star Rising editor Scott Baradell from the book Is Photoshop Killing Photojournalism?

Techonology can be a means to an end. In this case, it can serve to inform and it can serve to kill.

Imagine yourself as a reader representative for a newspaper. What would you tell a reader who complained to you about a picture of a car wreck that was particularly upsetting?

Firstly, I have to be very clear and make my stand based on two ethical issues.

1) Are the photographs altered?

- Ethical photojournalist do not alter photographs beyond what is necessary to optimise the technical quality of the images.

2) Are the photographs staged?

- Ethical photojournlists do not stag, create or alter a scene for news photography.

If both above are not commited, I would just tell the reader that I am doing my job to bring the facts and reality of life to them. Granted the pictures might be upsetting but in reality, no one wants to see only a picture of a punctured tyre in a car accident. There is a saying which goes "Where is bleeds, it leads." These photos though disturbing, serves their purpose very well to tell the story that is not encapsulated by the text.

However, I think there has always been a dilemma between using photos which can potentially benefit the mass from viewing (telling a better story) vs. what might be seen as upsetting to the family and friends of the victims. But when due considerations is done and measured against the individual's and the publics' motivations, I think one would be able to become more aware of the meanings and motives that may lie beneath the surface of any picture and this would better justify their stand on the usage of the picture.

Singapore Biennale 2008

2008-10-25T22:10:00.013+08:00

This is the first time I have been to a Biennale and I would say I feel each art work certainly has its own draw factor - good or bad.

The two main sites for the exhibitions, the City Hall and South Beach Development, are also very appropriate for many of the art work. The City Hall offers a rather quaint environment and the allocation of a single room to each exhibition actually sets the individual exhibit apart from each other. As for the South Beach Development, the site is rather rustic and it has a "raw" feel to it.

The exhibits in City Hall I feel are more "refined" and "sophisticated" to a certain extend and thus are very suitable to be exhibited in City Hall which eludes a sombre feel. The South Beach Developement on the other hand, has exhibits that are rather "raw" like the "Beauty and the Beast" exhibit which comprises of images of sculptures made of chewing gum.

On the whole, I feel there is a rather good mix of photography, sculptures, installations and videos on show at the Singapore Biennale 2008 and the choice of site for each installation compliments the work of each individual artiste to enhance the overall visual experience.

One of my favourite installions would be the "Impossibility of the Superstring Theory". It is actually a drawing installation by Joshua Yang at the South Beach Development.

Yang's work was actually influenced by the scientific conundrum of the Superstring Theory. His method of working is based on a strict system: 1) The line must not intersect itself at any point, 2) the line must be contiuous and have no breaks. From the above picture, we can see that he pays alot of attention to small details and is interesting how his art interacts with the pre-existing features at the installation site.

The South Beach Development is originally a site slated for revamp sometime next year. As such, the place is rather run down. The area allocated to Yang for his work is rather big but at certain corners around the site, there are rust marks and stains on the ceilings and floors. However, he has amazingly incorporated such imperfections of the site into his work, blending such spots with paint to incorporate them as part of his overall installation.

From the above photo, you can see that much effort has been put in to incorporate both the floor and ceiling as part of his installation as well. Yang has maximised the use of the space allocated for his work and this gives viewers a feel of continuation and flow.

It would be interesting to see this artiste's work again perhaps at another site. I am sure he would be able to come up with yet another spectacular piece of installation.

However, there are also installations that I do not really know how to appreciate. I believe it has its own merits but it just didnt suit my taste and I do not know how to appreciate it.

One example would be the "September Sweetness" by Thein, Chaw Ei; Streitmatter-Tran, Rich and Ko, Aung.

When I was there at the installation site at South Beach Development, I was greeted with a stale and weird smell and a site of white shabbles.

It is hard to imagine that these were actually sugar blocks.

When I referred to the guide book, I realise that these white sugar blocks were actually used to build this pagoda above. "Three artists worked closelt with structural engineers and cooks to come up with a solid sugar composition that could then be poured into moulds to create the final structure." It sure does seem like a great deal of work was put into it.

Sugar was actually deliberately used as it is fragile and could be used to establish the idea "of a slow loss of systemic structure (in Myanmar) that has been in pace for centuries".

The concept behind this installation is good but I feel it would be better if the installation had not disintegrated at such a rapid rate. It is a pity that a photo documentation of the initial installation was not available at the site to allow comparision betweeen the current state of the installation and the initial work of the artiste. I think a comparison would allow a better understanding of the artistes intentions and concept behind their work.

Another disappointment on the installation is that visitors were warned against the presence of bees (which were suppose to be part of the installation) but all we saw were...

Dead bees stuck to the installation.

However, due credit must be granted to the choice of site as it 1) Exposes the installation to natural climate to bring about the intended deterioration 2) Enable easy clean up of the place after the exhibit 3) Prevents pests like ants from infesting other exhibits on show.

Singapore Biennale 2008 has certainly exposed me to a greater variety of art and I am certainly looking forward to Singapore Biennale 2009.

Solemn

2008-10-25T12:03:00.007+08:00

Solemn

Many would relate the use of a josssticks to that of a religious purpose and I believe a place of worship is a solemn place.

I think the low-key look of this photo and limited darker hues certainly adds on to the theme of Solemn The smoke adds on a additional visual dimension to the photo.

Happy

2008-10-25T11:59:00.005+08:00

Happy

Initially I thought this flower looks like it is "dancing" happily with the skirt at the bottom flaring out. However, I got to agree that the colour of the flower certainly does not seem very vibrant.

Therefore, this picture was unable to fully express the theme on Happy.

Calm

2008-10-25T11:54:00.005+08:00

Calm

Usually the presence of flame gives the idea that a place is warm or there is hope. However, I chose to use a flame to depict the theme on Calm instead.

My intention was to bring across the theme using the "stationary flame" on the candle which is not flicking or swaying from side to side, thus giving the impression that the surrounding is calm.

Progressive

2008-10-25T11:48:00.004+08:00

Progressive

My initial idea was to show progression by depicting seedlings growing out towards the sun. But seems like its too cluttered now with so many seedlings in the picture and there is no clear focus. On top of that, the lack of a light spot (depicting the sun) seems to land the image in a very flat look. I would try to improve on this by having only one seedling growing out of the pot and into the direction of the sun.

I think that would work better for this theme.

For this second attempt, the focus is only on one seedling, hence reducing the effect of clutter. The seedling also seems to be growing towards the light and through this, I hope to bring across the idea of progression whereby a seedling actively seeks the source of light in-order to grow and progress onto an adult plant.

Lonely

2008-10-22T22:00:00.008+08:00

Lonely

The single background against the gloomy sky I felt actually accentuted the idea of lonliness of the single blub. However one problem is that the wire the bulb was suspended on is in a diagonal line. Diagonal lines tend to suggest activity and action so might not be too appropriate for this theme.

Perhaps a horizontal line across the pic might work better.

I think somehow this pic with the cable running across in a horizontal manner does indeed look better but my concern now is whether it would look better if the bulb is more towards the right edge of the photo? Somehow I feel that isolating the bulb towards the corner actually accentuates the idea of lonely better. However, placing the bulb in the center of the photo with the vast sky surrounding it also brings out the lonliness of the bulb which is so small in contrast to the sky.

I did another attempt but this time round with a chair.

I deliberate framed this picture in such a way that the chair remains fairly in a corner of the photo and there is light shining in from the other end of the photo. This actually cast a shadow on the chair and further enhances the gloomy, and dull atmosphere surrounding the chair. Through this, I hope to bring across the feeling of lonliness that the chair might be experiencing.

Serene

2008-10-21T21:55:00.007+08:00

Serene

Taking a stroll through a path in a forest gives one a serene feel. I added abit of orange wash to it to give it a warmer feel.

Many didnt agree with it.

On second though, I think this photo indeed does look a little blend. Perhaps because everything in the picture seems to be fighting for attention (there doesnt seem to be a focal point) so it looks more distracting rather than serene.

Peace

2008-10-21T21:50:00.004+08:00

Peace

The class didnt agree with me that this picture depicts peace well. I was actually trying to capture the morning mist which gives the feeling of a very "tone down" and peaceful morning. Coupled with the orange/blue/purple hue, I thought it further enhances the peacefulness of the picture.

However some commented that they thought it looked more polluted then peaceful. On second look, ya... it does looks a badly polluted area.

Analyzing a Picture

2008-10-05T11:30:00.008+08:00

This picture above was taken from the StraitsTimes October 4 2008

Analyzing a Picture

Photojournalism - Photographs used in newspaper and magazines for their documentary and illustrative powers.

Let us first look at the Formal Elements of the photograph.

1) Light quality - In the picture above, we see that the light is coming from the sun (sunlight glare on the protester's head), possibly a mid-day sun since the whole area is generally quite well lit.

2) Focus - The focus of the photo is on the protester and the board he is holding on to. On top of that, viewer's eyes are also drawn to the massive number of protesters in the background and the large USA flag flying on the facade of a building. Notice how these elements falls along the point of section? I believe this photo has been cropped from the original inorder to fit into the space allocated in the newspaper. Since I saw another similar photo which appears larger and we can even see the same protestor's legs.

3) Angel of View - This photo was taken at a slightly above eye level view. It was taken at a slightly elevated angle perhaps to give the viewers a overview of the whole situation. It is particularly interesting that the photographer has taken it seemingly from the perspective of the protester.

4) Composition - As mentioned in point 3, the effective use of 'Rule of thirds' actually brought out the focus of the subjects in the image. Basic elements like the protestor holding a sign, the massive number of protestors on the ground and the USA flag were all present in the photo.

5) Colour - I would say the colour reproduction is rather natural. Since it is suppose to be used for photojournalism, retaining the naturalistic and realistic appeal and colour of the image is important.

How the photo might be read by the audience

Having the photo taken in the morning probably suggest that this issue/incident is of impact to those involved and to express their unhappiness, they staged a protest first thing in the day. Solely based on this photo, it is not certain which day this photo was taken. However whether it is a weekday or weekend, we can see that these people in the photo have taken time off their schedule, putting down their other commitments for the day, to participate in this protest.

Having this photo taken in the day with the sun shining brightly over them also gives the image more life and action as compared to if it was to be taken over a cloudy and gloom sky where the image might have turned out dull and lifeless.

From this photo, the boy holding up a card screaming "I've got a 4.0 GPA..." clearly suggest that he is a protestor. Next, the USA flag hanging from outside the facade of the building suggest that this photo was taken in the USA. Since so many people are gathered on ground at the background, we can infer that it is probably some kind of protest whereby the people are unhappy possibly with the govrnment over some financial issues (since the protestor's card reads "..$90,000 in debt..").

The angle of view seemingly from the protestor's point of view is interesting because it adds an added dimension to the picture. Shooting from the protester's point of view actually gives audience who possibly are experiencing the same precadiment as him to relate better with the whole situation presented. For the general audience, the slightly elevated angle gives a better and clearer pictuer of what is happening on site.

For colours, the natural tone actually provides a realistic visual treatment. This is important as it gives more life and realism to the picture. In contrast, a black and white treatment to the photo might have rendered it as a old news or something that is not as current. A high colour saturated photo might also be inappropriate for a picture depicting something that is more somber and serious.

From the above, the discussion is based solely on looking at the picture and no reference or what so ever was made with the text/copy that accopanied this photograph. If the audience has relooked at this image after reading the text/copy, they might decode the image differently or analysis it differently.

Urban Phenomenon

2008-09-27T15:58:00.020+08:00

Images of Surrealism are founded in the subconscious – usually based on fantasy and daydreams, but expressed with maximum realism. In the same way that dreams seem so believable at the time, surreal images are often pervaded by strange occurrences and juxtapositions which appear perfectly realistic.

The few images below were used in my photomontage.

Image 1: Bukit Panjang Park

Image 2: Lasalle College of the Arts

Image 3: Lasalle College of the Arts
Image 4: Fusionpolis

Image 5: Ministry of Education
Image 6: Fusionpolis

Image 7: Fusionpolis

Since this assignment is on Urban Phenomenon and we are suppose to represent it using the surrealistic approach, I decided to start with the simpliest object I have on my list which is Image 3. I cropped it and used it as a base of my artwork which I will build upon.

I attempted to work like a surrealist artiste, cropping and trimming every image I have chosen above and placing them together. All the while, I was letting my subscious mind guide me. I didnt really think much about the subject placement and just went ahead with the flow.

As I progress in my work, I realised that I was generally moving towards a particular direction and where my subconscious mind was leading me to. One after another, my cropped images were placed together.

In this urban jungle we live in today, many generations today are chasing their dreams enthusiastically. Some are so engrossed in it that they are oblivious to the happenings around them. Others are so comfortable with the 'journey' that they fail to realise the danger which lies ahead of them (the edge of the 'river').

The block of grey building facade was rotated and used to symbolise a running river on a cliff but it has a shape drop at the edge. The edge of the river symbolises dangers and problems.

Buildings 'drifting' on this river were distorted to look like sails, giving the idea of a 'smooth and calm' journey the youths are experiencing.

The two brightly colour figures running represents the younger generations who are charged with energy and ambitions. Since the 'journey', as mentioned above, for them might be a smooth one, many are complacent and unguarded towards the dangers and problems they might encounter. Therefore, although they seem to be moving nearer the edge, they are unaware of it.

The older generations, represented by the old men, have their backs turned aginst this phenomenon. It portrays a case of "been there done that" and it is time the younger generations give it a go. Advices from the older generations often falls on death ears and the older generations would like the younger generations to face the consequence of their own actions, thus turning their backs against them. They tend to be sadddened by the unrealistic and over zealous nature of the younger generations today.

The many trees we see growing along the roads in our urban areas today adds a touch of nature into this concrete jungle. However, we have to remember the fact that these plants are planted there by humans and the natural habitat has long been manipulated and destroyed by us. Therefore, I added in two metallic looking plants into the picture as well.

The above is my 1st attempt at the assignment.

I would be adding more old men into the picture to push the visual aspects of the image further. Also, slanting the 'river' further, might better give the idea of an alarming phenomenon that requires our attention since the possiblity of slipping off the edge seems even greater.

Veristic Surrealism

2008-09-27T15:09:00.004+08:00

Veristic Surrealism

Some background on Veristic Surrealism

- Veristic Surrealists allowed the images of the subconscious to be undisturbed so that meaning could be understood through analysis.
- They linked images between the abstract spiritual realities and the real forms of the world.
- For them, their paintings were a metaphor to inner reality.
- Veristic surrealists hoped to follow images of the subconscious until consciousness could understand the meaning.
- The expression of the subconscious is the image and the consciousness had to decode the image and translate it into the language of its own.
- Thus paintings of the Veristic Surrealists portrayed people and objects which looked close to reality, although were represented in quite strange ways.

Information from: http://www.artsz.org/veristic-surrealism-dali-magritte-max-ernst/

Veristic surrealism has a marked difference from other types of surrealism whereby the artiste has already interpreted the work. Unlike other forms of surrealism, veristic surrealism allows the viewer to imagine the story on his or her own, and to glimpse the inner world of the artist.

The Belgian Rene Magritte had a good ability to paint ordinary objects in unusual contexts giving new meanings to familiar things.

The above painting "The Son of Man" was by Rene Magritte in 1964.

What we see in the first instance is a fruit covering a man's face.

Magritte has used the fruit out of context in this case by allowing it to appear infront of a man's portrait or seemingly, growing out of the man's face. This leaves much room for interpretation by the viewer.

Personally, I interpret it as that human beings often put on a very 'nice front'. The fruit in this picture looks very fresh and suggest perfection. However, unknown to many is what lies behind the fruit. What if the man behind is smirking or crying? We will not know unless we look beyong that seemingly perfect cover in front of his face.

Humans are difficult to understand. Emotions varies and changes constantly. Unless you can read into a person's mind, you will never know and comprehand what he is thinking.

CNM Class Shots

2008-09-27T11:57:00.004+08:00

Shooting under florescent lighting is not very idea for portrait shots since the white-balance tends to be bluish and cool. On top of that, the uneven lighting makes phots very unevenly exposed.

So before the start of the shoot, I did some test shots and adjusted the white balance to give it a warmer tone. I also mounted an external flash and have the flash bounce off the ceiling so that it will not be too harsh on the subject.

Some pointers that I have in my mind when shooting.

1) Know what you want to shoot before you start. Have a concept in your mind.
- For me, I prefer action shots and shots whereby the subjects are not looking straight into the camera (do not want them to appear to posed). I would like to take my subjects in their most natural self.

2) Make my subjects feel comfortable. Many a times, though I might be hiding at one corner of the room trying to steal some shots, but once the students realise that my lens is aiming at them, they can get quite uncomfortable and awkward. When the students are uncomfortable with my presence, the shots will turn out lifeless since they are very cautious and mindful of my camera.

3) Do not try incorporate too many details in a photo unless it is meant to be a general wide angle shot. A large aperature actually does the job quite well since it is able to blur out the background of the subject in focus.

4) Take from a variety of angles. Some people look better at certain angles and I think as a photographer, it is crucial that you bring the beauty out of your subject and make them look their best. The last thing I want to know is the subject getting angry with me because I made him/her look bad in a magazine (if the pictures are published).

5) Be ready, informed and alert at all times. Before the start of the lesson, I actually had small chats with some students in the class to find out from them how the class discussion actually goes about during tutorials. When I am better informed, I can better guage what to expect and be ready to capture the moment.

In this photo, the subjects are limited to 2 person. From this picture, we can see the gentleman in green explaining something to his tutorial mate. The eye contact between the two subject is also vital to show the interaction and connection between them.

There is a varied number of actions from the 3 ladies as shown in this picture, depicting a sense of "busy`ness", adding a level of 'excitement' to this picture. The varied expressions on the ladies' faces also added a certain sense of varied emotions experienced by the 3 ladies.

This photo was taken with a screenshot of the CNM webpage in the forground. I think it adds a sense of self-explanation to the viewer that this is a CNM lesson and that a student is giving a presentation on her work.

When the students are making their presentation, I think it is also important to incorporate the audience into the photo so that they do not appear to be talking to a empty class or even talking to themselves. Since the main focus of the picture is on the lady making her presentation, the forground (showing the heads of the audience) is not in focus to minimise the attention grabbing conflict between the lady and the audience. However, the incorporation of the audience into the photo actually shows that she is making a presentation to a group of people.

Having the subjects all look in a specific direction actually suggests something is going on at that particular direction (in this case, the left side of the picture).

In this photo showing the tutor offering her suggestions and advices to the students, I have actually incorporated the overhead projector screen into the background. If the tutor had been shot against a white background, it might not be reflective of the situation that she is tutoring in a class.

During critic session, the students actually get to walk around the class to view their friends work and to share their opinions. In this picture, I particular like the fact that the lady on the left has some sort of gestures, adding a touch of action to the picture.

Acknowledgements or enjoyments can be expresses through smiles and laughter and I think this image above has conveyed the idea that they enjoyed the lesson/sharing session.

Lastly, this close up shot above actually conveys a idea of the cosiness to the viewer and the camera caught in shot actually adds a touch of glamour to the picture. Every CNM student should feel special.

ISO

2008-09-27T11:56:00.002+08:00

In traditional (film) photography ISO (or ASA) was the indication of how sensitive a film was to light. In Digital Photography ISO measures the sensitivity of the image sensor.

Generally for digital photography, the higher the ISO, the brigher the image. However, the higher the ISO, the 'noiser' (more grainy) the image is as well.

A higher ISO is typically used for low light condition such as indoor photography.

Personally, pushing the ISO up is the last resort for me when taking under poor lighting conditions. When a place is not well lit, first I will attempt to widen the apperature size by lowering the f-stop. If the picture is still underexposed, I will lengthen the shutter speed (the lowest I would possibly go is 1/30 secs since anything longer than that might result in handshake blur). If the combination of both still produce a underexposed image, I would then proceed to increase the ISO setting. However each increment meant a 'noiser' image and this is not really advisable if I would like to blow up the picture when I develop the photo.

To better illustrate the differences in photo effect taken with different ISO settings, the aperature was set at f/5.7 and shutter speed at 1/80 secs for both photos.

ISO 100

ISO 1600

From the above, the most obvious difference is that the 2nd photo with a higher ISO appears brighter then the 1st picture with a lower ISO. Upon closer inspection, despite the brighter image, it seems 'noiser' as well as compared to the first photo.

Symbolic of the Sun

2008-09-27T11:44:00.007+08:00

It was quite tough trying to decipher and express the theme "Symbolic of the Sun".

When I first started out shooting on this theme, I came up with the following.

f/5.7 & 26mm & 1/250secs & ISO 250

f/5.6 & 85mm & 1/2500secs & ISO 250

Both of these pictures were shot at the Esplanade. However, after the presentation in class, I felt these two photos were more actually more like iconic or direct representation of the sun.

I thought about it and realise that when we say something is "symbolic", it should be referring to an object having a relation with or representation to another object.

I did a second attempt on this theme.

f/5.7 & 64mm & 1/640secs & ISO 400

This image above is of a few bamboo poles. A bamboo pole is used when we need to hang our clothes to dry. So logically speaking, no one hangs their clothes out to dry when its raining. Therefore, I thought this would be quite reflective of the theme.

However, talking about drying of clothes when the sun is out, why not try an attempt at that?

f/5.7 & 85mm & 1/80secs & ISO 100

So I took this photo of my neigbour drying their towels at the corridor on a sunny day. Some might think that the colour blue (it was purely coincidental) does not really reflect a warm sunny day but to me (I actually did notice that), I think that it is a very interesting contrast.

Most importantly, the fact that the towels are left out in the open to dry shows that the weather is good and reflects very well on the theme "Symbolic of the Sun".

Metering

2008-09-24T13:36:00.006+08:00

For Canon users, there are basically 3 basic kinds of metering (Partial Metering is not discussed).

1) Spot Metering
This is for metering a specific part of the subject or scene. The metering is weighted at the center covering about 3.8% of the viewfinder area.

2) Center Weight Metering
The metering is weighted at the center and then averaged for the entire scene.

3) 3D Matrix/ Evaluative Metering
This is an all-around metering mode suited for portraits and even backlit subjects. The camera sets the exposure automatically to suit the scene.

Different metering can be used to draw attention to the different focal point in the photo.

The above was shot using spot metering on the light blub. Notice now the whole lamp is well exposed but the surrounding seems under-exposed. The beauty of using spot metering is that it draws the attention directly to be subject/object in the photo.

The above was shot using center-weighted metering. Basically in, the camera does the calculation of the exposure based on the middle portion in focus in the viewfinder. Subsequently, it uses this calculation to average out the overall exposure for the whole picture. However, in this case, since there is a brighter spot in the center of the picture, the original contrast between the lighted and unlit part of the image is quite high, the center-weighted metering is not very useful in achieving a overall balanced exposure for the whole picture.

A 3D matrix metering was used for the above picture. Unless the center-weighted metering, the 3D matric metering actually takes into account the exposure of the varies parts of the picture and takes and average of everything exposed. This allows a even and balanced exposure for the whole picture taken.

Although the 3D matric metering does not have the dramatic effect as produced by spot-metering, it ensures that all subjects in the picture are well exposed.

Close-Up

2008-09-24T13:17:00.010+08:00

Close-up is also usually known as macro photography.

The easiest way to achieve macro photography is to use a macro lens. Otherwise, alternatives like adding a close-up filter, reversing your lens or extension tubes might also work.

When I took the following shots, I didnt use a dedicated macro lens. Was actually experimenting taking macro shots using manual focus (since at such near distance, the auto focus cant really work).

This was actually taken with a 17-85mm lens - not a macro lens. It is definately not close up enough and I will be getting a dedicated macro lens to work on this theme.

The macro lens in school is always unavailable for loan and a dedicated macro lens is too ex for me... so I purchased a +4 close up filter for my 50mm lens instead...

f/7.1 & 50mm & 1/40secs & ISO 640

f/5.6 & 50mm & 1/40secs & ISO 640

f/7.1 & 50mm & 1/40secs & ISO640

I decided to do a close up on ice. I thought those "cracks" and frost in the ice are very interesting subjects to shoot.

Played around with various lightings to add an additional dimension to the photos.

High/Low-Key Photography

2008-09-24T11:50:00.016+08:00

For high-key photography, generally, the histogram would lean towards the right.

f/5.7 & 85mm & 1/1000secs & ISO 250

Usually, in order to get a relatively high-key photography, the exposure (EV) might have to be adjusted slightly to push the brightness up. Some processing using Photoshop to increase the contrast might also enhance the photo.

In order to avoide the picture looking too flat, there is a need to provide a focal point and it is also helpful to have small areas of darker tones to outline the distinct feature of the object captured.

For low-key photography, the histrogram would lean towards the left.

f/4.0 & 24mm & 1/1600secs & ISO 200

Similarly, the EV (exposure compensation) can be set to 1 stop lower to give a greater contrast. Low-key photos turn out better using a smaller aperature (large f-stop) as you have lesser light entering through the lens.

Composition of the picture is also very important when taking high/low-key photograph.

Without a proper composition, the photos might just look like over-exposed and under-exposed photos without any artistic value.

I experimented with a few other high-key photos.

f/6.3 & 24mm & 1/800secs & ISO 200

f/6.3 & 35mm & 1/1600secs & ISO 200

Both pictures above are taken at the St. Andrew Cathedral. It was actually quite a daunting task to keep the pictures appropriately exposed, to ensure that details of the objects are not lost, but yet at the same time, capture it fairly high key, keeping the colour tones toward the higher end point of the histogram.

f4.5 & 50mm & 1/40secs & ISO 640

Back home, I experimented with a piece of tissue paper too! The shadows were essential in bringing out the outline of the tissue paper.

I did another attempt at low-key photography too.

f/6.3 & 26mm & 1/160secs & ISO 200

This was shot at the stairways of the Asian Civilisation Museum. Quite a similar concept as my first low-key photo but this time round, I paid more attention to the details and ensure that it is not too under-exposed that lots of details (especially those on the railings) are lost.

Zoom Shot

2008-09-24T11:29:00.009+08:00

When I first got this assignment, I was thinking "zoom shot? meaning using a zoom lens and capture something that is far away?" haha. But of course I was partly right and partly wrong. Of course we have to use a zoom lens to capture something further away to bring it close to us. But, in order to show that we did zoom in the process of capturing the photo... okay.. it quite difficult to put it in words. Let me show you some shots I took.

This photo was taken at f/5.6 at 1/2sec. So basically, I focus my lens on the esplanade (zoomed the lens in to the max) and upon clicking the shutter, I slowly and carfully zoom my lens out. One problem I encounter was that I only have 1 pair of hands and having to click the shutter and turn/zoom the lens wasn't easy. Thus, I recommand anyone trying this method to use a timer (about 2secs) so you free up your hands from the shutter button.

Various effects can be created depending on whether you choose to zoom in or zoom out when taking the shot.

This photo was shot at f/4.0 at 1/2seconds. In order to keep the light sensitivity down (to prevent overexposure) I set the ISO at 100. This picture was taken in with the lens fully zoomed out and when the shutter is open, I gradually zoom in.

This shot was taken at f/4.0 but at 1 second with an ISO of 100. When taking this shot, the lens was zoomed in fully and when the shutter is open, I zoomed out.

Was told that if you want the subject (in thise case the square lightings on the Singapore Flyer) to be more prominent, when the shutter opens, you should hold the zoom position there for a moment before zooming in or out.

f/14.0 & 70-2oomm & 2.5secs & ISO 100

This photo was taken at the Fusionpolis. In this zoom technique picture, I used a combination of zoom with a additional rotation of the camera on the tripod. The resulting effect I feel is very interesting. The swirls are caused by the camera rotating on the tripods whereas the streaks of light are caused by the zooming of the lens. The constantly changing LED lights on the buildings also provide a spectrum of colours in this picture.

Depth-of-Field

2008-09-24T10:47:00.020+08:00

The depth of field refers to the portion of the photo that appears sharp in the image. With a larger aperature (lower f-stop) one can achieve a shallower depth of field. A shallow depth of field is good when taking portraits to remove/blur out the background which might be distracting or cluttered.

This photo above was taken at f/1.8 with a focal length of 50mm. As you can see, the depth of field is very shallow creating a blur at the background. This actually focuses the viewer's attention on the subject and minimises distraction from the background.

This photo was also shot at f/1.8 with a focal length of 50mm. Idea is to focus on the guy in blue (listening attentively). In order to minimise the clutter at the background, a large aperature (lower f-stop) was used to blur off the background but still reveal a hint of what the subject might be focusing on (which is his friend doing a presentation).

When taking images of building and landscapes, most of the time, we want everything in shot to be in focused unless there is something in particular that we want to focus on. So in-order for everything in the picture to be in focus, the aperature should be smaller (f-stop larger). This picture above was taken at f/5.6 with a focal length of 17mm @ Biopolis. However, do note that when an aperature is smaller, this means that less light will be entering the lens and this has to be compensated with a longer shutter speed or higher ISO.

For a better comparison between the different depth-of-field, I have placed this two photo side by side for a comparison. The picture on the left shot at f/22.6 has a smaller aperature but deeper depth-of-field. The picture on the right was shot at f/2.8 and has a larger aperature and shallower depth-of-field.

Notice how the image on the right has a much blurrer background as the one compared to the picture on the left. Therefore, the choice of f-stop, which will affect the depth-of-field, very much depends on how much of the background you want to keep in focus in your photo.

Shallow Depth-of-Field

Went to the Hort Park (Alexandra Road) over the weekends and caught this shot of a flower.

This was shot at f/5.6 with a focal length of 73mm and ISO 200. I could have used a smaller aperature but cause it was a rather impromptu shot, I overlooked on that aspect. I should also have paid more attention to the two flowers at the back, perhaps to keep them out of the frame, because they look rather distracting in the picture now.

This picture above was taken at the Botanical Gardens at f/4.0 with a focal length of 50mm and ISO 160.

This is the same flower as of above but taken from a slightly different angle to show the who bloom of the flower. This was taken at f/4.0 with a focal length of 50mm. and ISO 160

This photo was also taken at the botanical gardens at f/4.0 with a focal length of 50mm and ISO 200. I particularly like this photo because of the high contrast between the sharpness of the flower buds against the blurred background.

Deep Depth-of-Field

Both pictures above were taken at Biopolis with f/5.6 with a focal length of 17mm for the first picture and 20mm for the second picture and ISO 200. With a slightly smaller aperature (larger f-stop), I am able keep more subjects in the photos in focus. Comparing this two images above, I prefer the 2nd picture as comperatively, it has a strong and more interesting picture composition.

Perspective

2008-09-19T22:27:00.026+08:00

Perspective refers to the relationship of the captured image in a photograph. When the techniques and principles of Perspective are applied skillfully, the images produced will give the viewer a sense of depth and distance or volume and space. In other words, a photographer can manipulate the perspective to change and create an illusion of space and distance by either expanding or contracting various factors in the image captured.

This photo was actually taken at Taipei GaoXiong. When taken at a low angle, this picture actually gives the illusion that the pathway is very long. The depth of the photo is pushed back to create more space and distance.

f/5.6 & 22mm & 1/160secs & ISO 400

Shooting upwards, along the angle of the tree trunk, the length and height is actually enhanced and a illusion of a longer trunk is created.

f/9.0 & 17mm & 1/160secs & ISO 800

This shot was taken outside the old Supreme Court. Taking it from a bottom up angle actually makes the pillars look longer and higher and at the same time, adding a touch of majestic and grand feeling to the place.

In fashion magazines, photographers typically also uses alot of perspective techniques to make a model appear taller or with longer sleeker legs.

f/4,5 & 17mm & 1/250secs & ISO 200

Had an opportunity to work with a model on a shoot at Chijmes and I attempted to elongate his legs and I think it worked pretty well here (but pardon the picture composition/pose). It helps that one leg was placed slightly forward and I shot from a low angle upwards.

f/5.6 & 17mm & 1/250secs & ISO 100

Owning to good natural lightings on the day of the shoot, the colour of this photo I feel was simply stunning. Its been a long time since I last took a train to Malaysia. This was shot at Sunset Way (somewhere near Clementi).

I got to keep a look out for the train while taking the shot and I was practically sitting on the track when I took this shot. Getting down low accompanied with the use of a wide angle lens actually further exaggerates the depth of this railway track.

Freeze Action

2008-09-19T22:27:00.025+08:00

Freeze Action or Fast/High shutter speed is used to freeze motion images. When using a high shutter speed, usually, we will need to compensate with a higher ISO or larger aperature depending on situation and intended effect.

Took the above pictures at a SAF commissioning parade sometime back. This was done with "Continuous Shooting" in order to freeze the multiple actions of the caps in the air

Honestly, I feel the quality of the photo above is bad. The lighting is bad, the contrast is bad, the White balance is off, the composition is bad, and every thing that can gone wrong has more or less gone wrong. However, I feel this picture illustrates the point of "freeze action" very well. This picture was taken when the subject (me) was almost falling over during my wakeboarding session. If the shutter speed was any slower, this picture would have been a total blur because not only am I still moving on the water, I am also swaying left and right on the verge of falling.

This photo could have been better if I have calibrated my white balance manually. Somehow, the auto white balance didnt really work - perhaps it was a cloudy day and the lightings varied quite abit from place to place and time to time. Also, a larger aperature and higher ISO might have helped brighten the picture alittle.

This above image was shot at 1/1244 secs. The shutter speed has to be fast to capture the "anti-gravity" look of the hair when the subject (my sis) spun around causing the hair to lift off. The aperature was at f/3.5. A larger apperature was used to compensate for the faster shutter speed which might reduce the amount of light entering the lens.

f/3.2 & 1/400secs & ISO 640

For this attempt, I decided to capture water droplets dripping from a tap. It is not always necessary to use a flash burst of light to capture a freeze shot. As long as there are sufficient light, a freeze shot can still be successfully captured with the aid of a high shutter speed. For this set up, I placed my study lamp very near to the right of the tap.

The three pictures shows very varies stages before a water droplet leaves the tap. I personally like the third picture the most in this series of water droplets photos.

Long Shutter Speed

2008-09-18T21:10:00.038+08:00

I made two different first attempt with long shutter speed.

f/20.0 & 1/20secs & ISO 200

First as shown above is the penning effect. The background is blurred while the subject (in this case a car) remains in focus. Having a blurred background removes any possible source of distraction and draws the viewer's attention directly on the subject.

However, this is not a very good illustration because the car is still slightly blurred due to handshake.

In order to take good penning shots, it is advisable to mount the camera on a tripod to minimise any possible blur due to handshakes.

f/13.0 & 1/20seconds

This picture you see above, has a opposite effect from the penning shot earlier on. In this picture, the background is clear whereas the subjects (the guy running and the bus) are blurred. In this picture, the subjects both appears to be in motion.

f/11.0 & 1/15secs & ISO 100

For this picture above, the guy in blue's action seems to be freeze but the vehicles at the background are blurred. For this, a flash was fired so that the action of the guy can be "frozen" and will not contribute to any motion blur but the vehicle's motion blur are captured.

f/8.0 & 1/50secs & ISO 200

Tried a penning shot again (similar to that of the 1st pic) but this time with a tripod. I cropped the picture leaving ample "breathing space" on the right side of the photo so that the car does not appear to be "smashing" against the edge of the photo which might not be visually attractive.

The ISO has to be lower and aperature has to be smaller (larger f-stop) to compensate for the longer shutter speed (to capture the blur) so that the eventual photo's exposure will be balanced out.

Shapes

2008-09-18T21:10:00.037+08:00

Pic 1

Pic 2

Pic 3

The above series of pictures were taken at the lecture theatre. From the above, we see that there are different angles whereby you can shoot the same subject but yet, bring out a different look/feeling to it.

For pic 1, it looks more like an abstract flower. The seats' shape actually look like flower petals, slightly oval and elongated.

For pic 2, its a slightly rounded rectangle with contrasting handles. This picture almost looks like a repeat pattern.

For the last pic, the seats again forms a elongate oval shape.

This photo above of the air-condition ventilation was also shot outside the LT (FASS). Rings of circles can be seen from the the above ranging from smaller to larger circles.

Circles work particularly well within pictures because the rounded edges contrast peacefully with the angular edges of the frame.

Colours

2008-09-18T21:10:00.036+08:00

Dont you think its interesting that these buttons we see at ATMs actually have the same colour combinations as traffic lights? The use of these colours on a traffic light was thought to originate from the nautical right-of-way.

The above picture of the pebbles was shot outside the University Cultural Hall. Basically, 3 colours can be seen here. Reddish-brown, black (which looks bluish under the lighting/incorrect white balance) and a little green at the top of the photo.

I felt the composition of this photo could be improved by taking it from a lower angle, giving it a better varied field of depth. This photo looks quite flat now and the lightings on the pebbles look too harsh. Perhaps shooting this on a sunny day, where there is a warm cast of light would be better.

Colours can actually draw strong emotional and psychological responses. It is possible to create a feeling of excitement and energy with some colours, but an air of tranquility with others.

This shot of a chair was taken at the University Hall. Basically, I contrasted the red chair against the grey wall. Red on its own is a very strong colour and gives the feeling of passion and to the chinese, its also auspicious colour. Having contrasted the red chair against a neutral grey coloured wall, the colour of the chair is further enhanced.

Texture

2008-09-18T21:10:00.034+08:00

Generally, a tip for taking good pictures of 'textures' is to avoid a harsh flash light or direct light source. A harsh flash or direct light would actually "flatten" the whole image and you would not be able to bring out the texture of the subject. This photo was taken from a tree trunk outside LT10.

As you can see from this pic above, this tree trunk is actually backlit. Under normal circumstances, the trunk would appear under-exposed. However, with a little help of a piece of white paper or a reflective surface, I was able to illuminate the front of the trunk without the use of a direct/harsh lighting which might affect the overall effect of the photo.

This shot above was taken from the road outside the University Hall. To add on to my discription above, to maximise the visibility of texture, the light source needs to cast shadows into the furrows and dips in the surface and illuminate the ridges.

From this second picture above, in order to accentuate the rough texture of the ground, I actually bounced the flash from an angle on the ground so that it lits up the top surface of the road but at the same time, cast shadows into the grooves.

Form

2008-09-13T12:32:00.007+08:00

Personally, I feel food makes very good subjects for the concept "forms.

Lighting actually plays a very imporant role in bringing out the "3D`ness" of a subject.

Take the above picture for example. Light emitted from the top left hand corner of the photo casts a very nice shadow on the other side of the corn. Shadows when used in an intended manner, gives a added dimension to a subject but when unplanned, can look unsightly and affect the overall visual appeal of the photo.

This picture of a sculpture above was taken at the museum at UCC. When the light from the top of the sculpture cast a shadow on the concave parts of it, the 'form' of the sculpture is further enhanced, giving it a 3-dimensional look.

This is a picture of the same sulpture as above but taken at a different angle. For this, the light was shining from the right side of the photo, casting a shadow at the background. Since the light is shining from a single angle here, we can see the gradual light cast on the legs of the sculpture. This gradient actually also enhances the 'form' of a subject.

Took the above from one of the door at the new built alumni club house. The tones in the photo helps distinguish the contours of the subject (the door handle). If a subject is lit from the side, you will be able to get a higher proportion of the subject to be half lit and half in shadow. This provides the crucial mid-tones that reveals the contours of the subject.

Lines

2008-09-13T12:16:00.018+08:00

Line are considered the most basic element of design. One of the most important characteristics of a line is the direction.

Vertical lines suggest stablility. This photo below was shot at Lalu Hotel (Tai Zhong - Sun Moon Lake).

One thing interesting about this hotel is that lines basically runs through the whole hotel. From the interior to the exterior.

Even in the lift, as shown below.

For the lift, the designer chose to arrange the wooden strips in a horizontal manner instead, to give a sense of calmness.

The above is the external facade of the hotel. The infinity pond actually over looks the sun moon lake. From this, we see how the designer has actually incorporate both vertical and horizontal elements to elude a sense of calmness yet giving the building power and stability.

Apart from 'architectural lines' as seen from above, we can also find 'lines' from the nature and things around us.

Lines from tree trunks and branches. These two above were taken from Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in NUS. Nature itself is able to form intricate pattens using all these natural elements above.

Lines from electrical cables. This was taken at LT10.

Palm plant from Faculty of Science

Going back to elements from the nature, I think most of us have taken for granted the art created by nature. Personally, I think the folds on the leaves on the palm plant are interesting but they are usually easily overlooked and not many people pay attention to them.

Through this photo, I hope to trigger the mindset of people around me off to start looking at things around them from a different angle and hopefully they will stop say "this is boring... that is boring..." and perhaps fine new meanings in things.

Comments on World Press Photos

2008-08-14T21:38:00.015+08:00

(Image from http://poty2008.dcmag.co.uk/3913562628353997603/2007winners.html)
(Image from http://www.worldpressphoto.org/index.php?option=com_photogallery&task=view&id=1105&Itemid=187&bandwidth=low)

Having looked through the 3 weblinks given, I personally am very attracted to "Street" and "Spot News" photography. These two genres of photography poses a very big challenge to the photographer as the subjects/actions are ever changing and a second late, one would have missed the most magnificant photo momement. Having a sharp eye and of course quick response plays a large part in capturing these moments. Apart from these aspects, most of the time, as such photo moments are rather impromptu and can even catch the photographer by surprise, the outcome of the photos can capture and convey the most natural, real and "raw" message.

To end off this post, I will share with you guys a amateaur "Street" photography i attempted when I was at Taipei a few months back.

This photo was shot at a underpass in Tai Zhong. Personally I felt it wasn't a very well composed photo and it lacks a "story-telling" factor in it.