self portrait project

We had to take self portraits for this project. Although we could have someone else take it, we had to set up the angles, settings etc.

I chose this picture because I row, and it's a huge part of my life. I wanted to be off center, and have the boats going by because watching and participating in races is a large part of rowing. I also wanted the lighting to be bright and cheery since I love crew and it's a happy part of my life.
I chose this picture because I am a proud ginger! I love my hair, and it is something that makes me unique which I like. I also like how it's covering part of my face because I am quite camera shy.

This final picture I chose because I love the outdoors and spend a lot of time outside. Also, since I live in California now, I can be outside 12 months of the year! I didn't want to be in focus because I don't like being the center of attention.

I put these three pictures in this particular order because it progresses from not being able to see any of my face, then some of my face, then more of my face.

George Melies

1) What did you notice/learn about Melies' style?

Melies' style is very quirky. Since he was a magician, he played a lot with the new techniques he discovered to create a very odd and surreal feel. He liked to add and take away things and people within a frame, like with the people in The One Man Band.
2) Were there consistent elements in his films? What were they?

There was definitely consistency between the films with the whole strange, kind of confusing idea with items and people changing into different things and people disappearing and whatnot. In every single one of his films that we watched, he played with the idea of hectic confusion and people and things popping up out of nowhere.
3) Did you enjoy his films? Which ones? Why?

I did enjoy his films, especially The One Man Band. This one was my favorite because I thought it was really quirky and entertaining the idea of it, and his special effects worked really well for it. Also, the kind of choppy speed worked well with the idea and enhanced it.
4) What will you take away with you from watching these films?

From watching these films, I will take away with how you can do so much work and make something really great out of so little. Instead of relying on dialogue, color, and crazy special effects, you can really utilize simple tricks and concepts to create something great.

The Artist! Film Review

1. This film follows George Valentin as his career as a silent movie actor deteriorates as talkies become more popular, and the rise of Peppy Miller’s career, which he was somewhat responsible for. As their lives go in different directions, they still stay connected. Valetin becomes desperate and loses all of his money, having no other companions except his dog, and Peppy Miller becomes more and more popular and happy. However, she still worries about him and they end of reuniting after George almost commits suicide.
2. The story is driven by the characters in my opinion since Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo were such fantastic actors. They were so animated and full of life that the plot became secondary since the characters and relationships between the characters was so strong.
3. The cinematography was very appropriate for the film. My favorite part was how the medium mocked the medium used in the 1920s by being black and white and silent. Then towards the end when Valentin is in a “talkie,” they have sound. Additionally, I really liked how when he was spending all of his money creating his own silent film, the scene of the ripping checks was transparent over the making of the movie because it added a neat effect of time going by.
4. My favorite scene was the end of the movie when George and Peppy were filming their dancing movie. I really like happy endings, so watching everything fall into place made me happy! I liked how after the music stopped, you could hear them breathing but not talking. It was an interesting choice to never have the characters speak which I thought worked out really well to enhance the film. I especially liked all of the clapboards in the beginning because it was a cute touch!
5. I really enjoyed watching the silent film, much to my surprise. I thought that I would be bored, but the actors vivaciousness and spirit really made the movie come to life. It was fun watching a movie without dialogue because I could really focus on the actors and how they expressed themselves without any words. In normal movies, you can lose yourself easily in the dialogue and not appreciate the acting skills, but in silent movies you can really appreciate the skills.
6. I would most definitely encourage someone to see The Artist!! I thought that it was SO good and fun to watch, especially since I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s so drastically different from the other movies of this time, which lends itself towards a very enjoyable and neat viewing experience! Plus, it’s great plot that’s well executed.

Portraits of Ginny

For this assignment, we were asked to capture a portrait of a fellow classmate. We also had to really focus on not just capturing a quality picture, but a picture that evokes his or her personality through setting, lighting, etc.

I thought that these pictures captured Ginny because when I first got to know her, she was very shy, and this idea was captured with her looking away from the camera in two of the pictures. However, Ginny is also very happy and bright person, hence why the lighting in all three of the pictures is bright and cheery. I especially liked how both the pink shirt and green background were very bright because it demonstrates how she views herself as bright and the people around her see her as bright as well. The second picture Ginny really liked, so I thought that it was interesting that that was how she views herself. The pose evokes her confidence, which is something that Ginny has a lot of! The final picture is very peaceful and serene, which demonstrates how Ginny is kind and soft-spoken.

Discussion Questions for Dorothea Lange’s – Migrant Mother

• Who is in this picture? How do you think they are related? What do you see in the picture that gives you clues?
This picture appears to be a mother and her children. I think she is the mother because the children are hiding up against her and seeking comfort, something that children often seek from their mothers.
• How would you describe the woman's expression?
The woman seems really worried and concerned. It looks as if she’s observing something that is upsetting, and is trying to figure out how to cope with it.
• What does the woman's gesture tell you about how she is feeling?
Her gesture suggests that she is trying to stay strong for her children, but is concerned and worried as well. Her back is somewhat hunched over to accommodate her children, and her hand near her face demonstrates how she is worried and thinking.
• Do you think Lange posed the two older children to face away from the camera? If you think she did, why would she have done this?
I think that the children probably instinctively turned away from the camera, but Lange intentionally did not change them because it makes them seem scared as well.
• How do you think the public responded to this photograph when it was published in a newspaper?
I think that the public was probably taken aback by this picture when they saw it because of the raw emotion it captures. The viewer feels the same pain that the woman does because the photo does such a good job of capturing such a strong emotion.
• Years later, Florence Owens Thompson did not want this picture published anymore because she felt it labeled her as "poor" when she no longer was. If it had been up to you, would you have honored her request? If a subject agrees to be photographed, should they be able to control how the photo is later used?
I would not have honored Thompson’s request because her reasons are kind of shallow. I think it’s important to honor a person’s requests when they are asking for a photo to be taken down for legitimate reasons, but to prevent such a strong work of art from being published because she thinks it labels her the wrong way doesn’t see fair.