This week we looked at the use of lighting in photography and got to play around with some equipment to manipulate the harshness of our photos. Due to the poor weather we stayed inside for this lesson and took photos under hard light, diffused light and diffused + reflected lighting situations. Below are the results:

The first image was taken under hard light.

This image was captured using the diffuser.

This image was taken whilst using a diffuser as well as using a white divider as a reflector.

For my second assessment, I will be composing a series of images which must tell a story based on a chosen phrase. The phrase I have chosen to work with is “the dead of calm”. The term “dead calm” generally refers to an object having no movement however the phrase suggests something deeper than that. To me, the dead of calm makes me feel anxious. It depicts the emotion of when everything is at a standstill. When everything is calm, that should make one feel at ease, however that is not the case for many. I want to showcase this message through my photography as I develop new skills each week I attend class. I am aiming for a minimalistic structure in my images however I believe with the correct exposure as well as colour balance, I will be able to captivate my audience through my photography.

Today in class we learnt about ISO and the role it plays in the exposure triangle. ISO refers to the level of sensitivity of our cameras to light. We tested different ISOs under different lighting eg. natural lighting, artificial lighting, low lighting.

Zoom blur is the technique which you zoom your lens in and out whilst capturing an image during a long exposure. We were advised to never use this technique again after today’s exercise.

Panning is when you hold and aim the camera at a moving subject and pan across whilst capturing a still image.

For this week’s class we learnt about shutter speed and its importance in capturing moving subjects in photos. We went out onto broadway and took photos of each other as well as passing vehicles on the road as we tested out different settings in manual.

For the first assessment in life through a lens, we must compile a series of photographs which reflect on a single word theme which we had to have chosen from a list of words. The word I have chosen to work with is wilt. The word itself is interesting and not often used in my daily life however I like the way it sounds and I feel as if I could do a lot with it in this assessment.

wilt – (of a plant, leaf, or flower) to become limp through heat, loss of water, or disease;droop.

Rule of Thirds // 1/20 f/11 160

Leading Lines // 1/320 f/7.1 160

Framing // 1/125 f/7.1 160

Negative Space // 1/320 f/11 160

Symmetry // 1/125 f/7.1 160

For this week’s class we explored the use of composition in photography. The following images feature the rules of composition including the rule of thirds, leading lines, framing, symmetry and negative space. These rules enhance the key elements within my photos and adds more of an impact within the images.