Fall Final Exam Extra Credit

1. The man, Ki Suk Han, had tried to calm down a homeless man who was harassing other people in the subway station. The homeless man had pushed Han onto the track, when Han approached him. Han wasn't strong enough to lift himself all the way back off the tracks. The photographer, R. Umar Abbasi, was unable to reach Han in time to lift him off the tracks to save his life. Abbasi attempted to get the attention of the train operator with the flash of his camera, causing the photo to be taken.

2. The photographer took the photo because he hoped that the flash from his camera would notify the train operator that something was wrong. He was hoping that the operator would see the flash and stop the train before it hit Ki Suk Han. 

3. The objective of the photo had not been to commemorate the event. The photo was taken in the attempt that the flash of the camera would alert the train operator to stop. I think that the photographer had taken the picture as an attempt to help save the man, so the photographer had a warranted reason to take the photo.

4. The photographer says that he knew he wouldn't be able to reach the man in time. The only thing he could do was to either yell at other people to help or to take the photo and hope the flash would be able to cause the train to stop. The photographer did the best he could've in the situation. 

5. I disagree with the fact that this photo was used as a front page photo. That is because the event had just occurred, and gave the victim's family little time to mourn the tragic death of Ki Suk Han. The use of the photo on the front page is insensitive and unnecessary, considering the topic of the story.  

6. Morally, any human being should attempt to stop an event as tragic as this event was. If an event is life or death, then capturing of the event as it happens is irrelevant. If a person can save someone, and avoid the tragic consequences caused by any "bad things".

7. A photographer should involve themselves in an event that could end tragically, even if it is one that they photographed. Ethically and morally, it is unacceptable to not interfere and influence the event. 

8. Photojournalists aren't just their profession. They are also people, and by just existing they are influencing the events as they occur. Due to that, again, if an event is life or death, then photojournalists are morally obligated to influence the events, even if they are photographing it.  

9. The responses from the photo are all about how Abbasi should have done more to try and help the man. The appropriate response for photographers (and just generally humans) is to do everything they can do to help in the moment. 

Fall Final Review

1. Captions

Caption Rules:

1. First sentence includes major information about the photo (who, what, where, when, why, how). You may make up the information for this assignment.

2. First sentence should be written in present tense as if the action of the photo is still happening.

3. Second sentence should be past tense, and should include background information.

4. Information in caption should not be obvious by looking at the photo.

5. If there are three or fewer recognizable people in the photo, you must give all of their names (you can make them up for this assignment).

6. Use strong action verbs whenever possible.

Gretchen Lowe and her sister Lois (middle, left) balance books on their faces, while Asia Alvin (right) is watching them, at a princess training camp in England, following the recent Royal Wedding. The girls had followed the events of the wedding and were avid fans of the royal family.

Gerry Howard holds miniature pies he baked to his face in high spirits, in the bakery he has owned since 2009. Howard had worked for various bakeries before opening his own, very a lot success and popularity.

The Purple Ranch neighborhood on the coast of England remains underwater after a flood from earlier this month. The recovery process from this flood had been a long process, but the neighborhood has bounced back and flourished.

2. Rules of Photography

1. Rule of thirds- Making sure that the main focus of the photo is in one of the intersections of an imaginary grid on the photograph, the eye is drawn to those points.
2. Balancing Elements- The visual proportion of subjects that gives a sense of balance (one bigger box on the right, while two/three smaller boxes on the left)
3. Leading Lines- Lines that lead the viewers eye across the photograph (side walks, roads, fences).
4. Symmetry and Patterns (repetition)
5. Viewpoint- The point at which the picture is taken (low to the ground looking up, up somewhere high looking down)
6. Background- What is visually represented behind the subject of the picture (is it a white background, a Christmas tree, a fence?).
7. Create depth- Having a subject occupy the fore, middle, and back ground.
8. Framing- Where there is something that visibly surrounds the subject of the photo, much like a frame around a painting.
9. Cropping- Adjusting the size of the photo to encompass the main subject.
10. Mergers and avoiding them- Things that are cut off by the camera frame or colors that blend together (hands/finger/feet stuck into the frame or cut out, a girl's red swim suit blending with a red beach ball). To avoid them, be aware of what is happening around you, make sure to get clear shots of the subject that you want.


3. Camera Settings
Aperture- Where light passes through the camera, called f/ stops, the lower f/ stops allow for more light to enter, the higher f/ stops allow for less light to enter.
Shutter Speed- The amount of time the camera sensor is exposed to light, creates the brightness in pictures, allows for freeze frames, short shutter speed= short amount of time, long shutter speed= long amount of time (use a tripod for really long times).
ISO- Measures the sensitivity of the camera lens sensor, higher numbers are more sensitive to light, lower numbers are less sensitive to light (indoors vs. outdoor lighting).


4. Ethics- Photoshop Manipulation

It is acceptable to edit the colors of clothing and backgrounds. It is also acceptable to edit away frizzy hair, red eye glares, and any other superficial things, like acne. It is acceptable to alter levels of colors in the photograph, and to crop (if that doesn't take away all context of the photo).
It is not acceptable to alter the context of a photo, or to edit a photo to defame and discredit a person. Any extreme editing that leaves the model questioning if it is them posing or someone else is not acceptable, but is still widely consumed.


5. Portraits
Environmental- A picture of a person where they normally are (their work, home).
Self- A photo taken by the photographer of themselves.
Casual- Like a formal shoot, where it is planned, but more natural in a way.
Formal- Requiring formal attire, posing, planned, like Christmas Cards.
Informal- Photos that are taken on the spot, shows a person in their element, their true(r) selves.


6. Photographic Terms
Exposure- How light or dark a photo is.
Depth of Field- The zone in a picture of what is in sharp focus.
Focal Length- the distance between the lens and the image sensor.


7. Magazine Covers
Early- Where the type is from a print, but the pictures are hand drawn/painted (this is
Poster- Covers that don't have a lot of text, but have big eye catching pictures (most nature magazines, Time Magazine).
Married to Type- Where the text is around the border of the magazine, more on the minimal side, never covering the main subject's face (Vogue).
Forest of Words- Where there is so much text that seeing the pictures in the background is very hard, very very busy, sensory overload (those teen magazines, Tiger Beat).

Magazine Cover

Magazine Cover Images

Portraits & Self Portraits