Portraits

It's pretty bad if my grade going into my 5th week of photo is a 69.5 right? I'm barely coasting a C / D status?

Oy.

Well apparently my 'good-eye' for features isn't going to get me far because lets review my features from this past week.
Grades: 75, 75, and 50
Comments: No more swim pictures, no moment, and how could I publish a picture from a story before the story runs??

Well we've sadly moved on from sports and now have moved onto our next stage of grading period. If I didn't do too well in sports, how am I going to pick my confidence up to do well in another aspect? And the last portrait I shot (which I was really proud of) was the worst grade of the series assignment.

Deep sigh

Okay, I can do this... it can't be too bad. This week's assignment calls for a three picture series of location portraits that reveal character and work environment of the subjects we select.

We watched a video of a great portrait artist, Arnold Newman - and he's pretty awesome. Have to admit, I had never heard of him but am now a huge fan. I may have to try to recreate some of his shots with my subjects. Let's wait a week and see the stuff I can post and if I am proud of it enough.

I'm afraid that I had my chance to excel in sports - which I didn't do to my complete satisfaction - and now we're back to what everyone else excels in. I'm doomed.

Mr. B said we have a lot of work to do on our captions and features. Hopefully the new invoices that we have to turn in maybe will be bunny points and we can get some little credit to help out our grade.

Not A Sports Fan

"I'm not a sports fan."

Those five words will continue to ring in my head and continually make me laugh each time they do. He's not a sports fan. It all makes sense to me now - this is why I have done so poorly the past couple of assignments because he's not a sports fan.

I should have seen that one coming but for whatever reason yesterday in class I was shocked when he said that. Now to even back up my thoughts from my previous post, I will always remember those 5 words when he has something to criticize about my work.

He even began giving sports-photography advice and broke it down for all the slackers in my class who don't even know what sports are in season right now. All the sad mindless folk...

Nothing much to say today, just thought I would share the fact that my photography teacher admitted that he's not a sports fan and now have proof as to why my grades always suck!

Epiphany

As I was getting ready for classes today, I began thinking about everything that I had scheduled to get done. Mostly photo things which led my thought process to tomorrow's dreaded class - practicum and 3 hours of being surrounded by the friendliness people you'll ever meet in this world, not.

I remember the time that I was a history major that only involved in me memorizing the necessary facts that I needed to do well on the essays and the tests. Oh those were the days when my major seemed so 'simple' and only required me studying for something long enough to write it all down.

Now my major is more stress than anything - and not because I have to recall the fall of Rome or the rise of some empire before 1648 but because I have to deal with people who have more opinions than they'll ever need. So I kept thinking about how worried I am to go to class based off I don't want to hear the critiques of my photos because I know it only brings more insults than compliments.

However, with my major - I began piecing together - it is all opinion based and does not deal with memorizing facts, but based on my professor's "critique" and suggestions for what he'd like to see. I think before I was so focused on the grade that I was accumulating for my GPA that I lost my confidence and the ability to hear that people outside my class said I was a good photographer.

This morning, I realized that I needed to ignore the insults my peers and professors give me and only listen to the suggestions of others and take that to better myself as a photographer. I know I am a good photographer and I know that I have improved in my time here - wish my grades would reflect that.

Nonetheless, it is time to stop listening to people who think they're better in the world because of their work. I am not going to make photo my life when there's other things and people's company that I want to enjoy. I am passionate about photography but I am passionate about sports photography and don't look to strive in any other genre of photography. I will make the best of the time that I have left at WKU but my professor's aren't going to affect my mood. They don't have anything left to say that will surprise me. I know they don't like or appreciate my stuff.

Today is the day to turn over a new leaf!

Just a Beginner

Sad to think I would have killed for this well lit of a portrait in my lighting class a couple of years ago. I finally get use to strobes and think that I have an awesome portrait to use for class, thinking for sure this is going to be my strongest photo without a doubt... and as usual, I am completely wrong. In fact, it was somehow my worse because it was a "prop portrait." Apparently I am suppose to say "here Claire - since you're a swimmer I have to get you in the pool with the beads of water dripping down your head along with the medal of honor hanging around your neck."

How stupid of me. But then again I am just a beginner.



More football shooting - why? Only because I am trying to build up my skills to possibly be named the title "amateur"



Forgive me for all my negative - Nanciness but I am not really sure as to why if you don't kiss tail you don't move up in the line of photographers that get compliments along with critiques rather than just being the guinea pig for all the brutality in the world.

Some things in life I'll never understand.

South Warren

See entire edit here!

There's a new F word in my life.

Features! Features! Features!

Can I just state to everyone how much I despise that word. But on a good note I was able to get 1 of my 8 things done and that was going out to meet my high school football team that I'll be working with - and I think I'll use this picture as my action shot so I could potentially have 2/8 things done.

What's left that's going to be the pain? ....the F word and lots of them.

I don't even know what they are let alone going out to find 4 of them. WHY?! Well everyone hope for the best and I can possibly pull this off and come away with a suitable grade. On a positive note - I should hopefully get a decent grade on my action shot right?

Not likely.

WKU vs. Minnesota

http://mnstearman.smugmug.com/WKU/Soccer/13590528_tRopD#991235424_3tWq7

It may just be the time of the year that it is, but I have to say that swimming has drastically moved up my list of favorite things to shoot only because of the simplicity in getting a good, easy shot. The swimmers come down the lane close to you if you're at the other end and then they swim back which gives you an opportunity to move if need be.

However, soccer could quickly make it's way up my favorite list as well. Besides being allergic to the grass that I sat in and having itchy legs every day since - I had a lot of fun shooting the soccer team. Unfortunately, WKU didn't have possession of the ball often but it was overall thoroughly entertaining. I learned some Golden Gopher ladies can be quite the little "princesses" out on the field by shouting obscenities loud enough for the refs and the people in the stands to hear it.

I came away with a couple of decent shots - nothing to be too thrilled about. Put them on facebook in an album. Cool thing, was a guy contacted me about working for him for "The High School Zone" which is a magazine that covers all the high schools in the city. Easy way to get change in my pocket he said. So I'm in the midst of learning about what all I need to do and all that. My time is limited as is, but if I'm out shooting high schools for projects for school or anything else, least I have the chance about getting paid for it.

However, I think I am finally willing to admit that I might have added a little bit too much to my plate. (Bring on the comments for that...)

First Day of Photo

Since I already vented about this to most of my friends it only seems fair not to boggle down any of your all's time with useless information and details that happened yesterday. So I am ever so kindly going to wrap up yesterday in the form of bullets:

- ALWAYS always always bring your camera to class just in case random "you have 30 minutes to go shoot this and turn it in or you get a zero" assignments ever come up

- Giving people time and space for a summer doesn't make their CL go away or even simmer - she will always be an ass to you regardless if you ever know why.

- One photo assignment could not possibly ever be enough to give someone - so why not 8 due in a week?

And lastly

- I was told that if I basically don't want to take advantage of an amazing opportunity and a cheap workshop and have the pleasure of staying a whole week in a hotel with 3 other PJs - well then I better not come back next week to class.

Why must they tempt me with that "threat"?