American Soldier

The most powerful image was image 21, or the picture of Ian surrounded by other people an night. The picture is powerful because you can clearly see everyone's faces and the emotions on them.

Set 1 at home: images 1-3
Set 2 during training: 4-19
Set 3 in Iraq: 20-26
Image 27: Home

The most powerful set of images was the set in Iraq (20-26) because they evoked emotions. You were able to see a glimpse of what life was like in Iraq for them. The pictures flow nicely into a story, it wasn't hard to figure out what was happening in each photo, and it was easy to distinguish where the pictures where taken (at home, training, or Iraq).

His captions are usually written in present tense, for example, "Ian studies his transcript".
The use of present tense makes reading the captions more interesting, because although it is obvious the actions in the pictures already took place, it's cool to see actions as though they are being committed as you are reading the caption.

Self Portraits

1. Introduce movement
2. Experiment with lighting and angles
3. Experiment with different backgrounds

ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT

I like this portrait because it is both candid and posed, and while the background is interesting and busy, it describes the subject and only adds to the meaning behind the picture. 

This photo stood out to me because of the odd nature of the subject. I like it because of the colorful shirts hanging on the wall that adds more to the picture that would have otherwise just been focused on him. 

SELF PORTRAIT

I like this photo because of the lighting. The photographer chose to obscure most of his face either by the Polaroids or the dark lighting, making the details of the photo hard to miss. 

I also like this photo because of the lighting. The photographer saw the cool and different lighting opportunity and he took it. Placing himself right in the middle of the streaks of light, it makes for a contrast that stands out. 

CASUAL PORTRAIT

This photo stood out to me because of the informal tone. It conveys a casual and everyday life feeling. 

I like this photo because the subject is not only framed and placed directly on center so that all the attention is drawn to her, but the shot shows her personality. 

I plan on taking a self portrait, because I think the easiest and most accurate way to display a person is for that person to take the photo of them self.  I am going to look for an interesting background, whether that be in my house against a wall, or outside against greenery. I will take a lot of photos with different settings, lighting, backgrounds, angles, etc., to make sure I can get the best possible photo. 

Love and Loss

I felt very sad as I looked through the photos, because it felt like you were going on the horrible journey of cancer along with the wife and photographer.

I think the photographer meant that even though the photos show their life and their struggles, it doesn't show everything that happened and it's not a complete portrait of their life. It shows a glimpse of the pain of cancer and losing someone, and focuses on the hard times rather than the good moments.

I would try to capture photos like these if I was in a similar situation, but I don't think I would be able to do it as well as Angelo did. He did a really good job at telling a horrible story through the beautiful photographs.

I would thank him for allowing people to view these very personal photos. It must have been very hard for him to shoot the pain that his wife went through, and sharing those moments with other people was probably a hard decision.

Rules of Photography Part II

Rule of thirds:

Balance:

Lines/leading lines:

Symmetry and patterns:

Viewpoint:

Background:

Depth:

Framing:

Cropping:

Mergers:

Abandoned Theme Parks

I would most like to visit Okpo Land in South Korea or Takakanonuma Greenland in Japan. Both of these parks were the most intact, but also the most creepy. Okpo Land has the amazing backdrop of Okpo city, and it has a history of strange accidents. The park itself was left completely untouched, so it would be opportunistic for photos. Takakanonuma Greenland doesn't have a super detailed or weird history, but the location of the park in the wilderness creates a cool atmosphere for photos.

Takakanonuma Greenland

It would be cool to take pictures in crowded areas such as the subway, restaurants, and city streets. It would also be cool to take photos in completely deserted areas, such as a desert or a ghost town. 

I think it would be not so much as fun to take pictures in the desert, but more of a cool experience. Since its not easy to photograph in the 100 + degree heat for hours you would really have to bear the elements to get a good shot, but it would result in a photograph that you can feel more. Also the lines that the sand dunes create, the blank canvas you have for photography, the random oases, that seems really cool to be able to experience. But to take photos in the middle of the desert you would definitely need special equipment, such as a UV filter. Depending on where you live, you might not need to travel far to get to a desert. Some deserts in the US are state parks and require a small fee to get into, and might cost more because you are taking photos.