Reflection on the first Semester

     My first and most favorite photographer that I discovered was Masashi Wakui. All of his work appears to be photos of the Tokyo Proper area, a city so large that an artist can base an entire career off of different photos of it. His work is very traditional in terms of styling and technique, but in my opinion, is unparalleled in quality. Wakui would take every photo at night, using only the city lights to illuminate his subjects. For example, a photo of a man holding an umbrella would only be recognizable because of the radiating colors coming from a neon sign behind him. 

     I have learned and practiced many useful techniques like the rule of thirds, close-ups, and how to use leading lines and diagonals to create perspective. My favorite project would have to be project two. I enjoyed the freedom of taking photos that were bound by very general requirements. Some of the other projects required me to take a picture that matched a predetermined description, and didn't really allow me to express myself creatively. 

     I think the most major change in my perception of the environment actually comes from the act of shooting photos at our field trip destinations. I moved to Portland right before the school year started, so many of the shooting sites were completely unexplored by me, and now are remembered only as the place/places where I took certain photos. 

     I would say that I have a higher standard for good photography now that I know more about the fundamentals, but I don't think this directly correlates to me outputting a better product. Most of the photos that I have taken to fill a certain role or technique on a project are pretty mediocre; I think the best photos are the ones that I take first, and then observe the technique and the reasons as of why it's a particularly good photo after the fact.

     In the second semester, I would like to learn how to take long exposure photos of things like tail lights at night, or any moving light source for that matter. I've tried to take long-exposure shots before, but have never done so successfully.