Final Project-The Flame

The Flame

Artist's Statement

Varya McCaslin-Doyle

The flame is a forbidden beauty. With the great color of the flame, it can also cause great damage. It can contain abstract shapes and colors in one moment and then be gone in the next. These photos capture the dynamics of these abstract shapes and colors. By using other solid shapes in the frame, the flames remain contained inside of the shot. The color of the flames contrast against the blacks in the photo in a bright and appealing way. The photos show how bright and colorful flames are against black backgrounds. The colors represent the beauty of the flame while the black background represents the cold and eerie cogitation that can come with a single flame. 

Final Project-Final Contestants?

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Final Project-Artist Statement

I choose fire as my subject because I had had success with photographing fire before and I wanted to see where I could take it. I found it interesting to play with shutter speed and the shapes fire can create. It was interesting to edit the photos. Initially I thought that all the photos would be black and white and close ups of the flames. I found that the shape of the container, and the grain of the table created a more visually framed subject. The color of the flames contrast against the blacks in the photo in a bright and appealing way. My goal became to show the the contrast of the flames within its environment.

Write-up (Naked Judging)

105.

I like the overall constant movement in all of the photos. I like the contrast between the glittering water and the organic shapes of the children. I admire the creative angles the photographer choose to emphasize the movement. The only photo I do not like is the last one. I found it not only unfitting to the collection but difficult to decipher. All of the other photos have a subject that is easy to see and focus on. The last one seems to abstract when compared to the rest of the collection. 

Final Project-Post 1

Portrait Re-submission

Edited

Both of the large studio lights from both sides with a white reflector under the subject's face. I boosted the overall brightness and contrast of the photo to bring out the light on her face and the texture in her hair. I boosted the saturation of reds and blues in the photo to bring out her lips and the flowers in her dress. I used the masking tool in Lightroom to make her open eye brighter, to bring out the highlights, and to enhance the color. 

Original

Original Submission-Re-edit

Using the brush tool in Lightroom, I brightened and heightened the level of contrast in the subject's hair. Also using the brush tool I boosted the light in her eyes as well as the color. I boosted the overall clarity and sharpness of her face. Then using the stamp tool in photo shop removed some of the stray hairs on her forehead and cheek.

Original

Portrait

Edited

This was taken with a simple light from the right of the subject's face. I wanted to create the illusion that she was trapped in the dark.

Original

Portrait-Writing Assignment

Jessica Sarah Ruth Selmser, Death of the Innocence, Sarasota, FLAt first glance you see the little girl with a paper bag over her head, and you think she is being silly. Then you see the couple on the bed naked and having sex. After you see the couple, you realize what a disturbing portrait this is. With the little girl in clear focus and the solid square shape of the bag, your eye goes directly to her. The couple and the background is out of focus and suggests that it is of lesser importance than the girl in the foreground. However, this part of the photo is almost more important than the little girl in some ways. The light of the girl could be described as split lighting. Since the lighting of this photo might not have pre-conceived, one could assume that there is natural lighting presence from perhaps a window on the left and light from a lighting fixture in the rooms. It is probable that the composition was pre-conceived. In which case the photographer was trying to recreate natural light or used the light that was already available in the house. The seemingly natural lighting of the photo makes it very real. There is something particularly disturbing about the smiling frogs on the little girls shirt and tWhe fact that you know as the viewer that she is staring directly at the camera. At the same time there is a disturbing disconnect between the figures in this photo. All of these elements make this photo a successful image and idea. 

Glitzy-Re-submission

Gritty/Glitzy/Gloomy/Ghostly Assignment

Glitzy

Original

I took this photo thinking of glitzy portraits. I chose to use colored eye shadow. 

Edited

I chose to crop out the nose and enhance each color with the color levels in photoshop. I also chose to darken the the blacks which brought focus  to the eyes and increased the focus on the bright eye make-up. 

Ghostly

Original

I took this photo by lighting pieces of paper on fire and letting them burn in an antique ashtray. I used a tripod and a slow shutter speed.

Edited

Originally I intended these photos to be gritty. However, when I began to edit these photos I noticed that some of the shapes in the fire looked ghost like. I enhanced these shapes by converting the photo into black and white. Elevating the levels of white and increasing the level of contrast. However, the first edit had too much glare due to the contrast, so I changed the tone curves to decrease the over the top glare. 

Photojournalism Assignment

I was taking photos in the snow and this man was walking his dog through the park. He stopped to play with his dog by throwing snowballs up into the air. Due to the heavy snowfall the photo originally came out very monochromatic with little decipherable detail because of it, especially after the crop. I darkened, added contrast to, and sharpened the foreground (the man and his dog). The back I used a landscape gradient to lightly contrast and sharpen the branches in the upper right hand corner of the photo. 

Photojournalism Writing Assignment

This photo was taken by Christina Garcia Rodero in Saint Yves Baconois, Haiti.

Magnum does not provide the full story of how this photo came to be. It is clear that the photographer was in the right place at the right time. The motion of this woman's body as she is splashed with water from the waterfall exudes a undeniable presence. The smile is genuine and full of emotion. The movement behind her perfectly out of focus provides reality to this photo as well as an important balance between the subject who is stagnant and the changing background. This once again draws the attention to the woman enjoying the waterfall. Although her figure is in movement the shutter speed was just fast enough to capture the details of her body and the brilliant smile on her face. 

Project 3-Landscape

Edited


Original

This photo I took after two girls walked by in the park. As they walked by they said to me that they would try not to mess up my shot. Little did they know they made this shot. I increased the contrast and detail settings in light room to make the distant figures pop.

                                                                            Original

Edited

I was walking on a path in the park trying not to get my camera wet from the snow. This man walked by the end of the path and I quickly snapped a shot of him walking hurriedly by. I increased the contrast and converted the photo into black and white.

Edited                                                                Original

      

This one I also took in the park. I wanted to get a feel of how long the creek in the park.  I converted the  photo into black and white and increased the clarity. I chose this photo to blog because I like the way the textures in the photo make the composition and add depth to the photo. 

Weekly Write-up 2/11

This image is successful for a number of reasons. In particular the angle chosen by the photographer creates a grand feeling of space for the viewer. The light source from the right allows for great detail to be seen on the trunk and in the branches of the trees. Creating a dramatic setting when combined with the light from the moon. It seems like this photo was taken with a longer exposure during sunset, allowing light from the right and the misty appearance of the moon as well as the clouds in the distance.

Photograph by Tom Schwabel-National Geographic

Project 2-Motion

Original

Edit 1

Edit 2-Final

Special thank you to Mikey Elliot (left) and Phil Bidwell (right).

Writing Assignment-2

I chose this photo for two main reasons: I love fencing, and I love the movement and direction within the piece. This week I attempted to take some fencing photos myself, it presents many challenges. Part of what makes this photo work is the contrast between the white uniforms and the black background. The movement in fencing is so quick, the choice of overlaying exposures shows the viewer all the movement that can happen withing a split second of movement.

Image Source: london2012.com

(Source: london2012.com)

Project 1-Abstract

Project 1-Abstract
Varya McCaslin-Doyle
CART 210

Original

Edited 1:
First, I cropped the image. After converting it to black and white, I rose the orange and red gray levels.  I rose the grain amount, adjusted the highlight and shadow saturations, then finally rose the level on the highlight hue.

Edited 2:
I shifted the red and orange hue and saturation levels. I adjusted the purple and green defringe amounts. Then, I played with various levels of calibration shadow tints and hues.

Edited 3:
I knew I wanted to incorporate more green and yellow into my last edited photograph. To do this I started by adjusting the green and yellow hue, saturation, and luminance levels. In order to increase the effect, I increased the contrast of the shadows and decreased the highlights.  

Post One-1/21

Varya McCaslin-Doyle

Buddha's Hands

This photo was taken at Sonnenburg Gardens. I found the oriental garden peaceful and the coins sitting in Buddha's hands to be a interesting subject matter. I remember crouching down around the statue, trying for this shot from many different angles. This was the first real outing I had had with my new Nikon SLR and I was eager to try it out on anything and everything  Out of the many hundreds of photos from that day this one has a certain presence that seems to attract many viewers. As I shared it with friends and family for critique, this one was consistently pointed out as a favorite. Overtime, it has become one of my favorites and what I consider to be one of my strongest pieces of work. I like how the contrast of colors creates a strong depth of field and how the textures of Buddha's robes creates movement throughout the piece for the eyes to follow, the framing creates boundaries for the viewer but the textures allow life and a visual paths for exploration. 

Varya McCaslin-Doyle