Nothing Stays the Same Forever

When I set out to put together this Photo series, I was unexpectedly surprised how the locations that I have valued have changed so much. Old has been begotten by brand new. It was startling. It was alienating. Many of these places bring a sense of nostalgia and comfort for me. But as I explore and retread the worn path I have many times tread before, I didn’t feel it. That comfort. The perfect image that was in my head had been shattered. While it still was significant, it seemed downright silly to cling too. That a regression to simpler times will solve current problems.

References

Peter Hujar: https://fraenkelgallery.com/portfolios/animals

Comments: Peter Hujar had a particular style that definitely inspired my ideas for when I photographed animals in the past. And this project was no different. He seems to just capture animals in such a humanized and relatable form.

Robert Adams: https://fraenkelgallery.com/portfolios/sea-stories

Comments: For my still life and landscape shots, I particularly liked Robert Adams work. He seemed not afraid to include alot of shallow depth of field images which I like to include in his work such as with “Questions for a Overcast Day”.I also found inspirations for my landscapes with his work in “Sea Stories” where despite being landscape shots, they aren’t very “noisy” and he sought to isolate subjects (like the birds in his shots) perfectly.

Prodrome

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 1600
• Shutter: 1/25 s
• Lens: 18-55@33 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: The first stage of the Migraine Attack is the Prodrome phase which can last from few hours to days before the migraine presents with symptoms such as irritability, increased need to urinate and most notably, sensitivity to light and sound.

Aura

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 1600
• Shutter: 1/8 s
• Lens: 18-55@20 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: The second stage of the Migraine Attack is the Aura Phase which can last from five to sixty minutes before the Migraine attack. This is the stage when the perceptions of sufferers become altered as many experience visual disturbances (their aura) like blurriness, double vision and floaters that represent that this stage has started. This also seems to be the worst stage. Many sufferers know that the Migraine Headache is imminent and much like a shot at the Doctor, there is a certain dread in being acutely aware that it is coming.

Headache

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 400
• Shutter: 1/60 s
• Lens: 18-55@20 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This is the third and most notable stage of the Migraine Attack. This is noted by intense headaches which can be described by suffers as “Throbbing”, “Drilling” and “Burning”. This is also accompanied by Nausea, anxiety and neck pain. One of the mainline treatments to these symptoms is Sumatriptan which comes in Nasal, oral and subcutaneous forms and works to constrict blood vessels in the brain and decrease inflammation.

Postdrome

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 3200
• Shutter: 1/60 s
• Lens: 18-55@23 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: The fourth and last stage of the Migraine attack is the Postdromal phase. This phase is the recovery phase from the attack where the body attempts to fix itself from the perceived painful experience. This stage is noted by inability to concentrate. fatigue and lack of comprehension.

A Day at the Beach

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/4
• ISO: 320
• Shutter: 1/400 s
• Lens: 18-55@27 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/4
• ISO: 125
• Shutter: 1/400 s
• Lens: 18-55@27 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/7
• ISO: 100
• Shutter: 1/500 s
• Lens: 18-55@18 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/8
• ISO: 100
• Shutter: 1/640 s
• Lens: 18-55@18 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/3
• ISO: 400
• Shutter: 1/320 s
• Lens: 18-55@21 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Myself

Fields of Sameness

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 160
• Shutter: 1/160 s
• Lens: 18-55@18 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This was perhaps the first time I caught that twilight moment that was talked about in class. Ironically, I was in such a rush to capture that moment that I focused on the wrong object but I still feel that it embodies my self identity. I think  the biggest challenge of life is learning that it is ok to differentiate yourself from the crowd. Which while simple sounding, it is a lot harder to follow through. For a majority of my life I have tried to conform to what my peers liked but as I did that, I devalued myself but I’ve made progress since that time, this class including ( I could never imagine myself ever being in a creative class such as this) none the less very much enjoy it.

Which path to tread?

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 160
• Shutter: 1/160 s
• Lens: 18-55@43 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This was a shot that I took while I was on the beach in Riverhead. This had some important significance to me as it was a spot in which I had hung out with friends often but it was also a spot marking the crossroads of my life. One idea I cannot get out of my head is whether the tracks represent how far I’ve come or how I tread along a path with such a unknown destination despite being able to see my immediate future.

This spot also had a significance to our town too. As I showed my brother the photos, he remarked that this was a location where a high school classmate of his took their own life. While it has been a couple of years since then, there was a sense of solemness of that spot that I hope I captured. But it also prompted Why they went to such a location. Was he facing a version of standing at his own crossroads? Unfortunately, no one will ever know.

Through his eyes

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 400
• Shutter: 1/125 s
• Lens: 18-55@18 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This was the toughest photo to find in the collection. I was trying to capture an appreciation of the legacy of Medicine has impacted the world and how I seek to be a part of that. This journey took me to the Longwood Medical Area where some of the words most renown Hospitals and Medical Schools are located. This particular statue was in front of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and depicted Dr. Sydney Farber, a pioneer in some of the first initial chemotherapy treatments and a advocate that spurred the War of Cancer.

Laris

Capturing the shadows

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 400
• Shutter: 1/125 s
• Lens: 18-55@20 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Deep Thoughts

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 640
• Shutter: 1/125 s
• Lens: 18-55@23 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Preparing

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 100
• Shutter: 1/125 s
• Lens: 18-55@25 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: For the second part of the project I enlisted the help of my friend Laris who is an art student at Stony Brook. It was much easier to try to define him. Ever since I met him, he had always carried his sketchbook with him and would excitedly explain out color theory to anyone who would listen. And he also was a avid reader of philosophy and politically active which had us talking about the world for ages. I believe I managed to capture these elements in the photo collection below. What really added value to the photographs is where they were shot also. I wanted to shoot somewhere on campus where it was more convenient for both of us and utilizing the Wang center fit that profile and in addition  provided a lot of natural light to use in my photographs.

A Stranger

Environment clouded, Mind clear

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 250
• Shutter: 1/125 s
• Lens: 18-55@34 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Unfinished

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 320
• Shutter: 1/125 s
• Lens: 18-55@35 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: The third part of this project was the most difficult part in my development as a photographer. Given the assignment of photographing a stranger, the biggest barrier was finding a stranger that was comfortable with me photographing them. Luckily, I was in Boston for this past weekend and sought to adopt the “two bird one stone” mentality and explore the Harvard Yard. Hopefully, finding someone willing to be photographed. I especially wanted to find a professor (or someone who looked like one), figuring that they would be willing to be photographed for a class. Unfortunately, I got a decent amount of rejections but I was able to find one stranger who was sitting down and  drawing in a sketchbook. To my luck, he agreed to be photographed and I was able to get some good shots but I still felt there was a lot of “noise” in the background which hindered the viewer’s ability to focus on my subject but with the use of the Iris blur feature in Photoshop, I was able to naturally guide the viewer’s eye to focus on my stranger.

Kyle

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 160
• Shutter: 1/160 s
• Lens: 18-55@43 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: One of the thoughts that Kyle mentioned about color revolved around the idea that colors are greatly associated with temperatures. And that was something that I noticed during my Beach Photoshoot. That there was a certain temperature that permeated through a lot of the photos I took but more so in this landscape shot. You can just see how the light of the sun and the dark of the clouds mix then separate creating this nice blue tinge.

Emily

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 125
• Shutter: 1/160 s
• Lens: 18-55@23 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: One of the thoughts that Emily talked about is the shapes that color takes. And interestingly enough, when I looked at the water in this photo, I saw what she meant. The unique color scheme of the water is how for an object that is relatively undifferentiated in color, it still is able to express shapes and patterns. Despite how calm the water is, there is sort of this roughness like someone brushed an excessive amount of paint and let it dry where the dark specs will clump together or even form lines and other types of shapes to complete the whole picture.

Sherry

Camera Metadata

• Aperture: f/9
• ISO: 200
• Shutter: 1/100 s
• Lens: 18-55@25 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: I felt it was somewhat difficult at first trying to match up a photo that embodied what Sherry had discussed about what she believes color is. However, it was not until I noticed that despite this being a silent place, there are objects that associate color and sound together to the point it is indistinguishable from each other. The fire alarm is one that stood out to me. Being that our minds have this visceral response to the noise of the fire alarm, the red and of course, the flashing white light as well.

Duane Michals

Introduction: Duane Michals is am  American Contemporary Photographer born in 1932. He is known specifically for using a series of images together to form a narrative. He also has done portrait photography, often times of influential artists like Andy Warhol or Joseph Cornell. Another part of his signature style is his caption which clarifies some thoughts he has about his subject, often poetically while shooting.

(Self portrait as if I were Dead, 1968)

“I use photography to help me explain my experience to myself”-Duane Michals

“My guardians angel’s name is Pete. He was born in 1898 and died in 1932. Pete had been a merchant seaman all his life, and he drowned in a terrible storm in the North Sea. During his lifetime, he never became what might have been. He guides me and watches over me.” (Self-Portrait with my Guardian Angel, 1974)

References

https://collections.lacma.org/node/194354

https://www.artnet.com/auctions/artists/duane-michals/self-portrait-with-my-guardian-angel

http://www.artnet.com/artists/duane-michals/

Still Life Project

Introduction: This project entailed a continuation of the exploration of how my Camera worked and I loved this project in the sense that the Greenhouse provides the opportunity to take great macro shots. I tried my best to also carry over my knowledge from the first project, trying to be mindful of the rule of thirds in shooting. Although, I did also experiment a bit, particularly with focus whether that blurring everything but the center of the photo or blurring the more prominent object in the photo and focusing on the background

Under Exposure

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 800
• Shutter: 1/1600 s
• Lens: 18-55@28 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This is an unedited version of a landscape scene showing the true scope of how little exposure I was getting at such a high shutter speed that necessitates fixing in Photoshop.

Over Exposure

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 800
• Shutter: 1/60 s
• Lens: 18-55@28 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: The second of the same landscape shot except I drop the shutter speed down which results in the image becoming very overexposed and also unable to really see the “freezing” of individual snowflake movement. Also this picture is a great example of how lit photographing in a snowy environment is.

Correct Exposure

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 800
• Shutter: 1/1600 s
• Lens: 18-55@28 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This was a landscape scene taken from the inside of the greenhouse  in which I wanted to capture the snow falling and freeze that motion. One of the biggest hurdles faced however was getting just the right exposure. In a very reflective environment such as snow, I run the risk of over and under exposure. Combine with the task of “freezing” the motion which required a high shutter speed, I had to adjust the exposure in post to better bring out the snowflakes in the woods.

Low ISO

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 400
• Shutter: 1/30 s
• Lens: 18-55@40 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This was a macro shot in which I experimented with the ISO setting to try to get it perfect. It was interesting to say the least. 400 is not a low ISO for daylight shooting but for close subjects it came out pretty dark.

High ISO

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 6400
• Shutter: 1/15 s
• Lens: 18-55@40 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This is the same macro shot but I increased the ISO dramatically, throwing off the white balance of the photo. While light is important, you can easily go overboard even on “light-thirsty” shots like this one.

Correct White Balance

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 400
• Shutter: 1/640 s
• Lens: 18-55@18 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This picture is the correct White Balance and I made sure to utilize the tint to bring out the greens but I still think I ran into a flaw where I had trouble trying to eliminate the glare that is coming from the center of the photo which comes off as somewhat distracting.

High White Balance

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 400
• Shutter: 1/640 s
• Lens: 18-55@18 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This was an example of a high White balance settings altered in Photoshop. I do admit that it does give the photos a sort of rustic look. However, I wanted to exemplify the shades of green which with a high White Balance was not happening.

Low White Balance

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 400
• Shutter: 1/1250 s
• Lens: 18-55@18 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This was an example of the low white balance that I had altered in photoshop. While i did enjoy the more vibrant greens with decreasing tint, I did not like how dark the background was.

Shallow Depth of Field

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 200
• Shutter: 1/30 s
• Lens: 18-55@42 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: I attempted this shot as a way to answer the question to take a picture of something that has no interests in greenhouses and found that the infrastructure above was good inspiration. Additionally, I used the adobe vivid profile and focused on trying to clarify the image as it was a little blurry. I also used unmask sharp to correct and had set my radius to be 7.5 pixels and 102% for amount.

Deep Depth of Field

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 200
• Shutter: 1/160 s
• Lens: 18-55@18 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This was an interesting photo as I wanted to focus on something that wouldn’t be photographed like the infrastructure. And it was through this focus I found that the greenhouse infrastructure also felt like it was emulating a plant. In this photo you can just see the extensiveness of the pipes, carrying water like a root system overhead.

Stopping of Blurred Motion

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/5
• ISO: 200
• Shutter: 1/1250 s
• Lens: 18-55@45 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes:This was a interesting photo because it had an opposing effect to the blurred motion version of this picture. Where the stream of water becomes more clear, you can see the helical twists and turns of it but the bubbles…they fall into obscurity. It really illustrates how much on the edge of a knife you have to be with shutter speed and you may miss things if too high or too low.

Blurring of Rapid Motion

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/5.6
• ISO: 100
• Shutter: 1/160 s
• Lens: 18-55@53 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This shot was my attempt at capturing the blurring of motion. I turned down my shutter speed but something that I inadvertently done is that I still had my shutter speed just high enough to see the motion of the bubble clearly which gives this really unique distinction between the rates of motion of two elements in one photo.

Alternative View

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/4.5
• ISO: 100
• Shutter: 1/100 s
• Lens: 18-55@18 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This photo was a interesting to take as when I saw how from such a low perspective looking up, it gave the illusion one was looking at a tall plant. However, I ran into some problems with the white background which makes it

Standard View

Camera Metadata:

• Aperture: f/4.5
• ISO: 200
• Shutter: 1/100 s
• Lens: 18-55@18 mm Canon Lens
• Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Notes: This is the second photograph taken where the same plant is taken “straight on”. It’s clear how deceptive the angle of a shot can be.

Hidden Support

Notes: When shooting in the greenhouse, one of the questions posed to us was to shoot elements that someone who does not appreciate greenhouses or nature, would appreciate. Throughout the photo shoot, this one element that stuck out was not the plants themselves but the infrastructure surrounding them that gave them life.  However, it is ironic how despite it’s upmost importance, it easily blends into the background of any photo I took of plants due to the color schemes chosen by the builders of the greenhouse. This has a significant metaphorical meaning to me. I think it is easy for us to look at our own lives and think that we don’t have much support in our lives, yet it is only when we introspectively look closer into our lives do we see that we do. The emotional support that we deem so essential is simply obscured from our often myopic view.

Introduction

This is my presentation on the time of day. I found this a interesting project to work on and it made me much more aware of the impact that natural light has on subjects.

Early Morning (6:58 am)

This photo was taken on the dock of Port Jefferson. I was coming back from work and there was just the beginning of a glow on the water that looked amazing. I had previously night shot and I experimented with the ISO in order to get the perfect combination to capture that peaceful moment.

Stats:

Aperture: f/7.1

ISO: 400

Shutter: 1/15 s

Lens: 18-55@48 mm Canon Lens

Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Mid Morning (8:50am)

This photo was taken on a side street along Upper Sheep Pasture Road. I am amazed at the fact I was able to capture the intricacies of the shadows in the picture. I also tried to experiment with the “Rule of Thirds” but I don’t think I focused well enough on the tree to make it more prominent in the photo.

Stats:

Aperture: f/13

ISO: 100

Shutter: 1/60 s

Lens: 18-55@33 mm Canon Lens

Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Noon (1:13pm)

This was taken along the train tracks by my job (I know, kinda dangerous but I checked the lirr schedule).  I was pretty bummed initially because  this was shot the Sunday before the project was due and as I was driving to work, I saw how cloudy the previously sunny day became. However, the clouds provided a rustic tone that I may not have gotten in a blazing sun noon. I just also like how solid the sky looks like a wall of baby blue.

Stats:

Aperture: f/13

ISO: 125

Shutter: 1/60 s

Lens: 18-55@33 mm Canon Lens

Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Early Afternoon (4:06pm)

This is a shot of my backyard. I wasn’t sure if I should include Macro images in this project but I was fascinated by the pattern of shadows on the hull of my old Sunfish Sailboat. I also wanted to try to push the boundaries on the types of angles I can adopt while shooting. I originally wanted to try to get more parallel to the top of the sunfish but the angle seemed off so I did a slightly elevated angle and shot down to really get the details of the hull and also the sides too (look at all that grime!!).

Stats:

Aperture: f/13

ISO: 125

Shutter: 1/60 s

Lens: 18-55@21 mm Canon Lens

Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Dusk (6:15pm)

This was an interesting photo and experience trying to take it. I was back at the same train tracks shooting location 5 hours later except the sky was very deep into dusk. Unfortunately, I had to stay longer than normal to cover a call out and missed the sunset that would have provided the prime shooting scene. However, all was not lost and in addition to my camera, I also had a tripod to utilize. This enabled me to not only crank up the ISO, increase the aperture but lengthen the shutter speed substantially to maximize exposure. This brought out the remaining colors of dusk substantially but at the cost of focus which I want to try to figure out how I could minimize. I also went into PS and further increased the saturation and exposure and was able to elucidate out more light. So, although it was somewhat a mishap and far from a good photo, I learned significantly about increasing light when there is very little.

Stats:

Aperture: f/10

ISO: 3200

Shutter: 5 s

Lens: 18-55@29 mm Canon Lens

Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS

Night (10:23pm)

This photo was another interesting photo. I was driving back to Stony Brook from my hometown in Riverhead along the dark backroads and I thought it was a great photo opportunity as there was this sense of peacefulness I got from standing at 10pm on a dark backroad in the relative middle of nowhere. This photo taught me a decent amount the obvious need for a tripod. If you see the settings I had below such as ISO 6400, high  ISO and the aperture needs to be very low in order to gain decent exposure on my photos but still having a moderate shutter speed to counteract the shake in my hands while shooting. With use of the tripod like in the Dusk photo, I’m able to achieve more exposure not at the expense of the other settings and would have had much more clarity than shown here now with this photo too.

Stats:

Aperture: f/5

ISO: 6400

Shutter: 1/13 s

Lens: 18-55@36 mm Canon Lens

Camera: Canon Rebel T6 EOS