Photography Class | DEDICDESIGN

Learning the Camera

In my photography class I completed five projects, each one built around a different skill: light, camera settings, composition, concept, and learning from another photographer. At the end of the semester I combined them into a book.

PROJECT 1

Slow Shutter and Low Light

This project was about using a slow shutter in low light. A slow shutter records a few seconds of time in a single image, which lets you blur movement or draw with light using tools like LED lights and laser pointers. It taught me how a camera works and how to shape light to make an image.

WHAT I LEARNED

Finding low light was easy once I shot at night.
I worked with what I had: a flashlight, blacklight, laser, LED lights, and a moon lamp, on walls, desks, and water bottles.
I lit my own face in a dark room and stood still, so the exposure shows my face several times.
I got comfortable with manual mode, balancing ISO, shutter speed, and aperture.
I learned how sensitive the sensor is and to be careful exposing it to bright light.
In Lightroom, I learned collections, PDF exports, and contact sheets.

Light painting from the slow shutter project

PROJECT 2

The Nature of Attention

The goal here was to shoot different subjects while experimenting with ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. I had 20 scenarios to fulfill, each with small differences in light, focus, or perspective, and I had to pick camera settings to meet each one. It was practice in using settings to say what I want an image to say.

WHAT I LEARNED

I learned to turn an image monochrome in Lightroom Classic and balance it so there's enough contrast.
I had to plan around good light, which was hard on cloudy winter days.
I got more creative with subjects, finding new spots around my house to meet each scenario.
I practiced making compositions from objects that relate to each other instead of random ones.
I got more comfortable in manual mode and the priority modes.

PROJECT 3

Still Life

This project was about building still lifes while experimenting with camera settings and lighting. I used a low ISO to capture as much detail as possible, and lit the scenes low-key and high-key against black and white foam core.

My idea was to use objects from my house to make still lifes that reflect my interests and culture.

WHAT I LEARNED

A smaller aperture gives a wider depth of field and a sharper image.
I got better at arranging objects into a composition and framing the subject.
I improved my lighting for still lifes and learned about gobos.
I got more practice working with a tripod.

PROJECT 4

Last frame of the cloud series, about ten minutes later

START 10 MIN LATER

Change Flies Over Our Heads

For this photography-as-document project, I wanted to capture the sky on a windy afternoon and show change through the movement of the clouds, which were moving fast that day. I set up a tripod in my backyard, facing the view I see every time I sit out there.

I shot at ISO 125 and f/13 for detail and a deep depth of field, and used a telephoto lens to frame my neighbor's satellite tower and a power line against the sky. With the camera's 10-second timer, I shot for about ten minutes, which gave me around 75 photos.

The photos show how much the clouds change in a short time, even though we rarely notice. I think that speaks to how quickly life moves. Hair turns gray, parents get older, siblings grow up, and seasons change. Change is gradual, and it can fly right over our heads.

PROJECT 5

Artist Emulation

This project was about emulating a well-known photographer, through composition, settings, subject matter, or anything else. I wanted to try wildlife photography, so I picked a photographer who shot nature: Eliot Porter. I already had a location in mind, just north of the Notre Dame lakes, and only had to find the right time to go.

I chose Porter for his subject matter and his mindset. He photographed nature so people would appreciate it, and he was one of the first to make color images using dye prints, with a focus on landscapes and birds. Nature is close to all of us, but it can also feel distant, and that's what draws me to his work.

WHAT I LEARNED

I got practice with my telephoto lens.
I shot real wildlife for the first time.
I had to plan and manage my time to be in the right place for the shots.
I learned how to find good spots for birds and animals, and how to position myself to get the shot.

Wildlife photo from the artist emulation project

THE BOOK

Putting It All Together

At the end of the semester I combined all five projects into one book, so the whole semester could be read in one place, from the first night of light painting to the wildlife photos at the end.