Assignment: Video Scavenger Hunt

This is Derek and I’s Video Scavenger Hunt Assignment. Derek videotaped my ice skating training session this past week. All shots taken were staged, yet we tried to make it look believable. We chose to tape myself ice skating because it is an artistic sport and is visually appealing. The initial shot of me skipping into the rink was fun to tape because Derek was simultaneously driving next to me and videotaping the scene we decided to create. For this shot angle, he dollied right and captured my moment of joy (don’t try this at home kids). Another humorous take was the tilt down shot of exhaustion. I had just got done training, and we thought this would ideally depict my emotion after a tough session. Although a short shot, one of my favorites is the mid shot of my skate that is seen by its shadow.

In the golf scenes, we were at the golf course with some friends. Doorie was practicing his putting, and we decided to place the camera at a low angle right behind the hole. This was able to capture Dorrie’s composure while putting the ball. While at the golf course, another friend by the name of Kyle was at the driving range practicing his long distance shots. We thought it would be cool to get a close up of the club striking the ball, highlighting the intensity of the action. To enhance the intensity of the swing, we kept the sound of the club hitting the ball.

To end the video, we set up to scenes that evoke two completely different emotions, anger then surprise. The first scene was shot from a high angle from the third floor of the SIS building starring the famous actors of Mohammed and Abdullah. Abdullah was “working” in his office on the second floor of SIS when Mohammed walked in and gave him some upsetting financial news. Abdullah then angrily reacts to the news by throwing his papers all over and kicking Mohammed out. The final shot is an extreme close up of CoCo Becker, one of the girls I skate with. She made the perfect actress of a look of surprise because she has great facial expression that conveys believable emotion.

Luckily, we had some great shots, which allowed us to keep the original footage with little to no editing. We chose the song “Bittersweet Symphony” by the Verve because it fit well with our particular scenes. The lyrics also worked perfectly with emotions we were trying to convey in the different scenarios. Overall, we had a wonderful time creating this project!! We hope you enjoy watching it!

Assignment #1 Photo Essay

This past weekend, I took some time to go visit my cousins at their house on Lake Monticello. This was my first time there, and by documenting the weekend with photos, I will forever remember the memories that we all shared. Before going out on their boat, we took some time to visit the Jefferson Vineyards and the Carter Mountain Orchard, where we drank fresh apple cider and devoured fresh apple cider doughnuts. Our little adventure turned into hours filled with fun, food, and photos. It was a beautiful day outside, which made for a great setting.

My favorite photo I took is the picture of the water spigot, which is picture #9. In all honesty, the picture was a fluke. I saw the spigot, got done on my knees to get the camera underneath it, and snapped the photo. After looking at it, the low angle, close up shot provided a shallow depth of field. The spigot, itself, is in focus, but the red barrel behind it is blurred and faded, which helps keep the focus and minimizes any of the distractions around it.

The vineyard pictures are breathtaking because the sunshine created perfect lighting for the vibrant colors of nature. Specifically, I like the picture of the vineyard with the church in the background, which is picture #2, because you can see the symmetry with the rows and there are these pieces of wood on top of the vines that look like a crosses, providing a great linear perspective to the white cross on the church.

The pictures of the buckets (photo #7) and apples (photo #8) are utilizing repetition within a photo. Another great photo is of the pouring of the apple cider, which is photo #10. I happened to be standing behind my aunt as she was getting her drink, and I loved the image. So, I made her pour some more into a cup as I took a picture from a high angle. The end result was just what I was looking for with the photo.

Assignment #1

Tempting:

This freshly baked chocolate chip cookie photo literally makes my mouth water and makes me crave my mom’s freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Since the photo is taken close up, one can easily see how gooey and moist the dough looks and how the chocolate has not hardened yet because the cookie is still cooling. There is nothing more tempting than a warm cookie that has just come out of the oven. This photo was taken by Maggie and was found on her pinterest account. http://pinterest.com/maggiecheney/

Deceptive:

When a ballerina is dancing on point, she has to make challenging and complex positions appear effortless. This photo is quite deceptive because it is a close up shot of a ballerina performing a passé. The light coming through the window gives the picture a warm color palette of orange, red, and brown, which gives off a sense of ease. However, balancing in the passé position on a small wooden block is easier said than done, and to me, this photo is quite deceptive. This photo was found on Alisha Malandrini’s pinterest account. http://pinterest.com/alisha_may_m/

Hard:

The light casts a shadow on the hard, brick wall, providing contrast and visual interest. The lighting of the photo also makes the texture of the brick come to life. This photo was taken by Heather Braum and was found on her pinterest account. http://pinterest.com/hbraum/

Cluttered:

Since the photo is more of a high angle shot, one can clearly see how the entire room is filled with boxes, files, and miscellaneous objects. The angle of photo also makes me feel overwhelmed because I am not sure what to look at first. Also, the room is so cluttered that you cannot even see the floor. This photo was taken by David and was found on his flickr account. http://www.flickr.com/photos/puuikibeach/

Isolated:

I like this photo because it is really powerful, and I feel like it is speaking to me. The man is deep in thought or seems to be dealing with some sort of life struggle that is causing him a great deal of pain. The black and white colors could be used to represent good vs. evil or even strength vs. sorrow. This silhouette of a man is surrounded by empty space, which makes me feel sympathetic toward his situation. Personally, another way I see it is that sometimes you have to isolate yourself and find a quiet place in order to have a clear mind and be able to think without having any interference in your thoughts. This photo was taken by Brenda Kofford and was found on her pinterest account. http://pinterest.com/bckofford/

Texture:

The lighting definitely makes this photo of an octopus’ tentacles intriguing. The smooth texture of the outside of the tentacles is depicted with the use of brighter lighting, while the rough texture of the inside of the tentacle utilizes darker lighting. I think this picture gives a good contrast between smooth and rough texture through the use of lighting. It is quite fascinating that one animal’s body part can have such contrasting textures. This photo was taken by Denise Liberi and was found on her pinterest account. http://pinterest.com/liberi/

Low Angle:

This is a low angle shot camera shot of a Cirque Du Soleil juggler. I like picture because the focus is on the rings flying up in the air not on the juggler. Even the position of the juggler’s head forces you to look up. The black background makes the bright colors pop. Also, I really like how the juggler’s arms are positioned at a ninety-degree angle, resembling a goal post. This photo was taken by Marissa Morrison and was found on her pinterest account. http://pinterest.com/thesnail/

Beautiful:

I think every figure skater can honestly say there is something beautiful and almost magical about an empty ice rink. This photo of an outdoor ice rink was taken at night, and the utilization of the black and white photo makes for a great contrast. The light reflecting off the ice makes it look like the ice is glistening. This photo was taken by Robert Diaz and was found on his flickr account. http://www.flickr.com/photos/diazcreative/

Repulsive:

This is a picture of some of the prisoners of a concentration camp. Although I am not sure which concentration camp this is, the picture is repulsing because it shows the injustice of human beings. The picture shows how the prisoners were packed together like sardines. The picture is also close enough up to the prisoners that the viewer can visibly see how thin the men are by the details of their upper bodies, especially their ribs and narrow faces. This photo was posted on “Pin Star’s” pinterest account. http://pinterest.com/PinTerresteD/

Close Up:

I love this close up picture it perfectly frames a typical Starbucks mug. Since the picture was taken so close to the mug, Starbucks’ green and black log is really emphasized and one can see the tiny details of the logo that cannot be seen from faraway. I also love how the handle on the right side of the picture is blurred, providing the picture with a nice sense of contrast. This picture was taken by TigersharkG7 and was found his or her’s flickr account. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tigersharkg7/

My Cluttered Photo:

This is my original photo that was taken at a slight angle just at eye level. The angle allows one to easily see the open drawers of both dressers, making the picture seem 3D. As one can see, the room is in a complete state of disarray, and the room needs to be tidied up. This type of clutter is extremely annoying.