YouTube Review

Although it might take some searching through the random webcam posts, YouTube stores many creative and compelling film clips.  These files use many of the techniques that are described in The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video.  The book serves as a solid introduction for those interested in making film clips and movies.  An example of a creative and technically interesting YouTube video is titled “Awkward Faces” by knowdat007.  The film shows a series of people who are asked to sit in front of the camera.  These subjects become extremely uncomfortable and make for a hilarious video.  There is no dialogue, there are no settings.  There is a solid background, and a face that says it all.  

Because there is little in front of the camera, one may asked why it is worth analyzing.  The simplicity of the shots and the vivid focus of the face makes this film compelling.  Anyone could have made this film, but the filmmaker uses music, lighting, and focus to make his piece beautiful.  

In every scene, there is bright light that accents the face.  Although the eye already goes to the face immediately, the artist wants to make his point clear, the face is all there is.  After reading Photo Idea Index, one might argue that a quartz light or diffused floodlight was placed on the various subjects.  After reading Bare Bones, however, it is clear that lighting can be captured in so many ways.  The videographer could have used a low ISO  film numbers that are more sensitive to light.  Also, they could have intentionally slightly overexposed by opening the aperture to f/2.  

Because of the nature of the film, there is little to say regarding composition and depth of field.  Each scene is consistently a blank background and a face.  The filmmaker is successful in keeping the background in the background, without any distracting elements.  That way, the viewer can focus completely on the face and how subtly it moves.  The simplicity of the videography plays into the film’s success.  Not much is going on, but there is so much to see.  The shot durations are long enough to show the subject get uncomfortable, but not too long that the viewer loses interest.  

If the filmmaker were to revise this piece, it could be interesting to see the camera pan across the eyes or the mouth, to add motion and more detail.  Although the film is interesting and striking, it gets quite predictable after several scenes.  The various camera angles and pans described in Bare Bones could add interest.  The still simplicity  of the camera adds beauty, though.  It is possible that change and motion would take away from the main idea.  

Group Project Reflection and Analysis

The Group:  

Although this assignment was not the first group project of the semester, it was definitely most intensive.  The task required that the work be delegated and the members of the groups work cooperatively.  This was not a strong suit for team bullshark.  Some members of the group failed to take this assignment seriously and cooperatively correspond with others.  Although group projects are inherently difficult, it was especially challenging to coordinate schedules and get everyone on the same page.  In future group projects, it will be important for the group to meet in the preproduction stage to distribute the work and set intermediate deadlines to ensure success.  

Despite this group’s cooperative challenges, shown through the pictures in the portfolio, the assignment was fulfilled well.  The photographers produced images that were appealing independently, but also worked within the portfolio.  The coloring and lighting techniques were similar.  There were some irregularities, but the group worked well with Photoshop to streamline the portfolio.  This grouping of photographs, as well as the Powerpoint it is presented on, depicts the word ‘chic’ successfully.  The subjects are different, but they are combined with photography techniques such as lighting, point of view, and color to portray the same word.  

Technical and Productive lessons were learned through this assignment.  Because the task involved photography, many of the group members set up controlled photo shoots.  Page 258 in Photo Idea Index helped with this, but creative ingenuity was also required.  If the subject was too bright, for example, one might be required to shoot in a dark dorm room with only a flash for lighting.  The ability to shoot both professionally and creatively is quite important in the communications industry, and this assignment helped provide those tools.  Productively, as mentioned above, team bullshark learned how not to run a group project.  The group members will work ahead in the next assignment to ensure that lines of communication are open from the pre to post production processes.  

The Photo: 

Above is a particularly successful photograph that was shot by a member of the bullshark team.  It works well within the portfolio in visually displaying the word chic, but also is interesting independently.  The item arrangement, colors, and lighting make this photo great.  

In this photo is a string of pearl beads, a cufflink, blush, and an eye makeup brush.  Although this scene would probably not be arranged naturally, all the items suggest glamour and class.  These attributes point to the word ‘chic’.  The arrangement is placed deliberately, following the rule of thirds by avoiding the center and following the nine divisive invisible lines (p. 82). Consistent with this rule, the contrasting line of the brush moves the eye from left to right, allowing the viewer to travel through the items (p. 102). 

When one thinks chic, they think classic, understated, and visually appealing.  Knowing this, the photographer made the decision to include colors that represented these words.  It would have been easy to avoid all color, but the blush pink adds interest to the image while maintaining the sense of classic glamour.  The business fabric backdrop (p. 52) and lack of bright color brings the image back to classic chic.  

Finally, the lighting in this image is quite chic.  Although the photographer could have made dramatic, dark shadowing either through backlighting or harsh, direct light, those shadows would not have been chic.  Instead, the lighting was diffused by other objects to achieve soft, elegant lighting with little shock (p.272).  The color is highlighted, and the cufflink is able to beautifully reflect the pearls.  Beyond this, however, ‘chic’ kept the photographer from taking dramatic risk with lighting.  

Photos That I Took For The Group Project

Picture At the Pulitzer Prize Gallery- At the Newseum

Final Salute: Newseum Blog Post

Todd Heisler’s great work as a photojournalist is represented in his collection of images, titled “Final Salute.”  These photos, taken for a news spread in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain News, were awarded the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography in 2006.  For one year, Heisler followed those responsible for notifying families of fallen Marines, and also profiled funerals of those who passed.  These images remind the public of the cost of war.  One particular photograph, which is featured subtly in the Newseum in Washington, D.C., shows a picture of Marines sending a flag-covered casket on a commercial airplane.  Although the scene of men bowing over a fallen brother is already striking, Heisler used lighting, color, and lines to make the image award winning.  

When one looks at Heisler’s photograph, their eye immediately goes to the brightest point underneath the airplane.  This works to the photographer’s advantage because the bright light features the subject, the marines and casket.  Acting almost as a spotlight and a backlight, there are dramatic shadows that portray the emotional weight of the scene.  Despite these shadows, however, little is left to the imagination.  Heisler is giving people a firsthand account of the realities of war.  It seems that politics and the media cast enough ‘shadows’ on this issue, and dramatic dark shadowing would have reinforced that trend.  Given this, the subtle yet striking lighting in the bottom cabin was an appropriate choice that was consistent with the goals of “Final Salute.”  

It is appropriate to analyze the use of lines and color simultaneously in this image, because each line represents a change in color.  Beginning at the subject, one immediately recognizes the red and white stripes of the American flag.  Highlighted by the light, these colors instill patriotism and pride within the average American observer.  Jim Krause, in his book Photo Idea Index, encourages photographers to explore “colorization” while conveying emotion (Krause 146).  Although Krause suggests digital color tinting to achieve this, it seems that Heisler took advantage of the colors that existed naturally to instill and portray emotion.  The lines of the American flag point upward, drawing the eye upward toward the upper half of the image.  This introduces the viewer to another set of red and white lines on the airplane.  One would think that these lines intend to represent patriotism and pride as well, but in this image the two lines on the plane seem to divide the lives of soldiers and civilians.  The cabin windows show several passengers looking out the window, completely unaware of the cargo that is entering their plane.  The white and red lines on the airplane, which span across the entire image, symbolize the disconnect between civilians and soldiers in time of war.  Civilians (the passengers looking out the window) continue their lives in wartime, occasionally consuming the information available to them.  Meanwhile, soldiers (the men in the bottom of the airplane), continue serving those above and their country dutifully.  

Although Heisler’s photo is not featured prominently in D.C.’s Newseum Gallery of Pulitzer Prize Photographs, it commands the attention of all who walk through.  It’s use of lighting, color, and lines speak thousands of words regarding military sacrifice, political communication in times of war, and American values.  Few Americans lack an opinion about the military efforts that exist around the world.  This image is attractive to those who care about those who are fighting and who demand more answers.  Through his award winning collection of images, Heisler successfully takes the first step in blurring the thick white and red lines that divide civilians and the military.  

Chapter 6: Shock Advertising and Benetton

In Chapter 6 of the Visual Communications textbook, advertising, shock images, product placement, and credibility is discussed.  The author uses United Colors of Benetton, a clothing company that has tackled many tough social issues from drug epidemics to AIDS.  The company does claim to fundamentally care about these issues,  many argue that Benetton is using shocking images to sell their products.  A priest romantically kissing a nun, for example, is provocative.  This causes people to look at the image and talk about it to others.  The reaction that proceeds, whether it be positive or negative, creates attention.  Although the two people in the photograph are the dominant subject, viewers cannot help but notice a colorful brand to the side or in the corner.  Because viewers are naturally drawn to shocking images, they are also attracted to the Benetton brand as well. 

Benetton’s advertising strategy began widespread debate surrounding the ethics of advertising.  The company pushed “the line” so far that, many argue, that line disappeared.  Images that were printed onto magazine pages and plastered on billboards have little to do with Benetton’s products, they simply aim to present controversy and motivate conversation.  On one hand, this aim is commendable.  These unorthodox methods are exactly what the public needs to make change.  On the other hand, however, many argue that Benetton is taking advantage of shock imaging to sell completely unrelated products and get their name out there.  An AIDS victim has little to do with the latest turtleneck, yet Benetton plasters the disturbing images to sell that turtleneck.  Despite this possible confusion of interest, it is clear that AIDS is the bigger issue on the page, not Benetton.  The logo that the company includes on its shock advertisements is quite small, as to not take away from the emotional weight of the picture.  It is not Benetton that is motivating difficult conversation, it is the reality of the photographs.  Benetton did not create the environment where drugs, AIDS, and religion were causing problems.  The company is simply taking the first step in addressing tough issues.  The correlation between Benetton profit and attention and shock advertising is irrelevant.  The pictures that they print are making change, and the good that they do in the world is all that matters.