Week Six - Editing Your Photos

For week six the theme was "Free Shoot" and I took the opportunity to capture images from the Dia De Los Muertos event held at LBCC on November 2nd.

Dia De Los Muertos is an event where everyone can honor the memories of deceased friends/family. The event included sugar skull painting, face painting, tamales and was completely free for those that visited.

Kylie McLoude and Bianca Pulido intently paint sugar skulls at the Dia De Los Muertos event.

This event is held annually at LBCC on the Albany Campus.

First year LBCC student Keyna Hurd paints the face of Mextli Palacios at the Day of the Dead festivities on November 2^nd while Obed Aguirre watches after he had his face painted. Keyna learned about the opportunity to do face painting at this celebration when she checked LBLive on her phone. She is a Psychology Major and was able to express her creative side at this event.

Topic One: My Hometown
For the "My Hometown" photo shoot I will be capturing photos in the City of Albany. I have lived here for nearly twenty years and truly consider Albany my home. For the portrait shot I am going to try and get a picture of Mayor Sharon Konopa on the steps of court house. A visit to the local skatepark is where I am headed to obtain an activity shot. There are always skaters down there and I am excited to try and get some stop motion action shots. The final shot is a landmark shot and I am going to try and get photos of Hasty Freeze in downtown Albany. My biggest challenge will probably be the Hasty Freeze shot because I want to get photos of people that don't know I am there taking pictures. People tend to start posing or hiding when a camera shows up so I am going to have challenges with that shoot.

Topic Two: Photo Editing
Chapter 7 of Photojournalism: The Professionals' Approach is on the subject of Photo Editing. Two tips that I found most useful were in regards to cropping. It is important to "crop ruthlessly" but also be mindful not to change the story by cropping. As a photographer you want to cut out anything that is not essential to telling the story so that the viewer is not distracted by unnecessary images. At the same time, you don't want to crop out the story that the photo is telling. A crop can change the overall feeling of a photo and change the viewers final perspective. It is important to not deceive the viewer with a crop.
For the rest of this term I am going to try and be mindful of my cropping techniques. I will be always try to balance getting rid of the unnecessary part of a photograph but also stay true to the story that I am trying to tell.

Week Four - Environmental Portrait

For this assignment I chose to capture the LBCC mail room delivery driver. Pete McDanal has worked at LBCC for many years and is almost an institution on campus. He delivers all the campus mail and packages all around Albany campus and his personality is something staff look forward to seeing every day.

Pete McDanal is the LBCC mail room delivery driver.

He handles all the Albany campus mail and packages and ensures

they arrive at their designated delivery locations timely.

Pete McDanal has worked in the LBCC Mail room for nearly ten years
and serves as the delivery driver for all on campus mail and packages.

Topic One - NPAA Code of Ethics

The National Press Photographers Association has a Code of Ethics. There are 9 different standards that they suggest all photojournalists follow. The most interesting code for me was number 5 which states: "While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or influence events." This particular code can be a bit tricky to manage as a photographer. Often times we are met with a particularly impactful subject that pulls on our heart strings. There is the choice to just photograph the scene as is without impacting the subject(s) or to choice to render aid, change, alter the situation before taking a photo. It is important to remember that a photojournalist needs to be able to tell a truthful story as if they are a fly on the wall and not become part of the story or impact in anyway as that would only water down the end product for the viewer.

The NPAA also publishes a list that says "Ideally, photojournalists should:". The overall list was very useful but the most impactful item to me was number 7 which states, "Strive by example and influence to maintain the spirit and high standards expressed in this code. When confronted with situations in which the proper action is not clear, seek the counsel of those who exhibit the highest standards of the profession. Photojournalists should continuously study their craft and the ethics that guide it." I found this interesting because it points out that following the Code of Ethics is a daily challenge and struggle and should be considered heavily when you choose to become a photojournalist. It is important to find that mentor that will help guide future decisions as you are faced with new circumstances on a daily basis. It is important for all photojournalists whether new or in the field for 20 or 30 years to constantly remind themselves of these core values and set out to follow them and model them daily.

An example of following a specific guideline from the NPAA Code of Ethics would be if you choose to photograph an event in the local community and someone offers to pay you for your service or sends you a gift afterwards. While it might be tempting to accept such an offer it is important to remember number 8 on the list and not accept those gifts as it may influence the coverage you give to that event or subject. It is important to maintain a sense of neutrality when photographing any event/subject so that the reader is able to focus on the photograph but not be unduly influenced by your own thoughts/opinions.


Topic Two - Favorite Fellow Student Work

Looking through our students' pages in my photo journalism class I was immediately drawn to two pictures. The first picture was taken by James Dewey looking at a security camera and I thought it was a very creative and different way to take a picture. Security cameras are often overlooked and to have someone not only notice it but use it in a creative fun way I thought was really intriguing.
For more pictures by James check out his blog at: http://jdewey13.blogspot.com/

Photo by: James Dewey

The next picture I was really drawn to was taken by David Buresh. This photo had a strong emotional impact on me. It was a photo that was captured at just that right moment and the expression on the young child's face coupled with the texture of the woman's hand and the younger child cradled by a father just left me with a happy, positive feeling.
For more pictures by David Buresh check out his blog at: http://davisburesh5577.wixsite.com/jn134

Week Three - News and Feature Photos

Feature Photos

Members of the LBCC American Association of Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) attended a monthly meeting on October 13th in the CC Building of Albany Campus. The theme for this month's meeting was coloring and door prizes included art themed coloring packs.

LeAnne Trask and Kristi May, members of the LBCC AAWCC Chapter, work on coloring skills during their monthly member meeting during the month of October.

LeAnna Trask adds color to her chosen design as she mingles with colleagues at the monthly AAWCC members meeting at LBCC. Members enjoy soup along with learning about current happenings within the AAWCC local chapter.

Week Three Blog Forum Questions

Topic One

Two possible subjects for my environmental portraits are Mindy McCall and Pete McDanal from the Mailroom at LBCC. Mindy McCall works in Public Safety at LBCC and Pete is the delivery man for the LBCC Mailroom. Both subjects have jobs that lend themselves to a great environment portrait. With Mindy I would shoot her from above and below surrounding her with the public officers. I would take the picture on campus with their mini golf cart in the photo. With Pete I would take the picture in the mailroom with him holding boxes and mail bags. I can contact both of these subjects by walking to places of employment at campus. Mindy is located in the Public Safety office and Pete works in the LBCC Mail Room from 9am-1pm every day.

Topic Two

So far in this class my favorite picture I have taken was at the Benton Center Ceramics Studio. The composition on this photo was very pleasing to the eye and I really liked the detail that the image held. 

My least favorite photo was the photo I took this week at the AAWCC monthly meeting. I was generally unhappy with the composition with the photo and felt like it was a boring photo that held no creativity.

The skill I need to work on to improve my overall picture ability is to take more pictures and really make people uncomfortable as I invade their personal space. Getting closer to subjects and taking photos at very different angles and from different perspectives will really help the final picture quality.

Week Two - Shooting News and Feature Photos

Photo Credit: www.charitybuzz.com

Topic #1 - Photographer of the Week

For this assignment I have chosen to research photographer, Nigel Barker. Nigel served as a photographer and judge for 17 seasons of America's Next Top Model which is where I was introduced to him. In addition, he has his own show on VH-1 called The Shot and was awarded the "Film Heals" award for humanitarianism at the 6th Annual Manhattan Film Festival for Dreams Are Not Forgotten.

Nigel's claim to fame is his relationship with his models. Nigel began his career as a model and that seems to influence the choices he makes behind the camera lens. He is able to make his models look timeless through his ongoing ability to look at the bigger picture and makes sure that the model or subject of his photo is comfortable.

"Someone who is comfortable, someone who is happy, you see them immediately sit up, stand up and feel better about themselves. If you're able to capture that in a picture, that's the most beautiful picture you can ever take of someone". Nigel Barker

Topic #2 - Feature Photos

Two suggestions I particularly liked from the 22 Ways To Find a Feature list were:

1) Keep an idea book
2) Shoot from a unique vantage

These suggestions stood out to me because as I work my way through campus as a part time staffer and as a student I encounter many great story ideas and suggestions. Not always are they happening at that very moment so keeping an idea book would help me capture those thoughts and ideas and allow me the ability to preserve them when I have the time in the future to really process the ideas. Shooting from a unique vantage point is something I am working hard at doing this term. I want to make sure and not take the standard photos at eye level (or at least my eye level) and work to show my audience a different perspective that adds drama/emotions to a photo.

Over the next many week in this term I plan on implementing both of these strategies immediately. With all of my future photo assignments I will be making sure to take pictures with a unique vantage point whenever possible. Since we are required to turn in 3 different shots each week I am planning on making sure at least 1 if not all three really try to incorporate a unique vantage in the shot.

Weekly Photo Assignment

LBCC Benton Center offers multiple open studio hours for students currently enrolled in at least one ceramics class. Students can practice a wide variety of clay skills and firing techniques during these times.

Benton Center students Debbie Vandersomen and Susann Underwood (left to right) work on their clay skills during an open lab studio time at the LBCC Benton Center ceramics studio.

LBCC student Rebecca Suing adds design elements to a project for her ceramics class during open studio hours at the LBCC Benton Center. The state of the art facility includes stoneware kilns, raku kilns, electric kilns for bisque, salt kilns and motorized and kick wheels.

Week One - Campus Life at LBCC

Assignment #1

TOPIC #1 - ABOUT ME
My name is Leta Howell and I am working on earning my second degree at LBCC. Back in the mid-90's I earned an Associate of Applied Sciences in Visual Communications and immediately entered the printing industry. After twenty years in the industry I have gotten tired of hitting my head on the glass ceiling. I have been unable to move up to the next step in my career due to the lack of a management degree so I am here at LBCC to earn an Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer Degree with a Business Administration focus. I took this class because it fulfills my degree requirement but also allows me to expand my photography experience. I have always enjoyed taking photos and am excited to learn all of the ways I can improve my overall skills. I have always been the photo mom for all of my kids events and our families live as well as our Boy Scout troop. Lately I have been asked to take senior pictures for multiple kids and currently my son who is a senior is requesting that I take his pictures. I want to learn new skills to make his photos really awesome.

TOPIC #2 - GOALS

My three goals for myself during this term are: 1) better understand composition 2) learn how to use the features on my camera so I don't always use Auto 3) learn to look through the lens with a photographers eye

TOPIC #3 - LBCC PHOTOS

Three subjects that would make good subjects at LBCC would be:

1) Veterans - pictures of veterans taking classes, participating in classes

2) Chess Club - attending chess club meetings it would be interesting to take pictures of members playing chess, talking about chess and learning. Could position them outside on the courtyard grass.

3) LBCC Board Meeting - would be interesting to attend one of the monthly board meetings and take some shots of the overall room along with closeups of the various board members. With negotiations happening with part time faculty I could see getting shots of them in the room.

Students Noah Shelton and Forest Gilpin try out the pool table in the Hot Shot
Cafe during the first week of Fall Term classes at LBCC. Forest is working
on earning his Associates of Science degree with a History focus.
Forest is a Theater Arts Major at LBCC.

Barista Rebecca Fewless makes a customers drink at the LBCC Hot Shot Cafe.
Rececca has worked at the Hot Shot Cafe for three years.

A student at LBCC finds a quiet spot to study
during Fall Term at LBCC.