Ensemble Practice

So we were in Smith's room after school getting ready for ATPI when someone called Rush asking if someone could take pictures of band students practicing for the contest they had the next day. So I volunteered to go. However, this was the only group practicing. So I proceeded to take quite a bit of pictures. 

 ISO: 500   f/5.6   1/25sec

I tried to be a little creative with this picture but I don't think it worked. I wanted to get all three of them but I also wanted to show the music they were working on. I don't like this picture because the guy's saxophone is kinda awkward looking especially since its kinda growing out of Olivia. However, I don't think its too terribly bad, I probably could have just done it better. 

ISO: 500   f/4.0   1/25sec

This is another picture but from above. I tried taking one of all of them at eye level but you couldn't see their faces because of the music stands. I don't exactly like the above shot but at least you can see everyone's faces. Since this was the only group practicing, I wanted to take a lot of pictures to make sure they yearbook staff member got what they wanted. It was a little room so I couldn't get too creative but I did what I could. 

Acceptance Letter

ISO: 400   f/2.8   1/3200sec

I honestly don't understand why my settings are the way they are. The ISO should have been lower because it was sunny outside. But this was my bad image of the set and that's why I wanted to blog about it. This was the first spot I put her and when I took the picture I noticed the sharp shadows and the shadow going across the ground. After I noticed this, I moved her to the right some. This assignment was one of the many headshots multiple people had to take of seniors with the "unique college" acceptance letters and this one one the worst of the three that I took. I must have had a big brain fart because this should have been better since it was a headshot.

Basketball..again.

This was the JV boys basketball game against Marshall. 

 ISO: 1250   f/5.6    1/160sec

I can't decide if I like this picture or not. I like how our guy has his intense face going on while he is trying to get the ball from the other guy. However, I don't like how I cut off the other guy's leg. Also, and I'm being really picky about this one, but I don't like the player behind our guy's arm. To me its just distracting.

ISO: 1250   f/5.6   1/200sec

So with this picture I tried to recreate that picture that I had last year that went into the TOP portfolio, but I tried it from a different angle. However, I don't really like this angle. I cut off their legs a super awkward angle and I don't have room to crop since I barley got their fingers in the shot. I definitely could have made this picture better if I would have paid attention to what I was actually getting in the shot. 

More Basketball

ISO: 1000   f/3.5   1/200sec

So this was the varsity boys basketball game against North Caddo. I actually more pictures than I usually get when I shoot basketball, so I guess it was a pretty good game. This picture, I have a love-hate relationship going on. I like that Red is in the air and in focus but number 4 is really distracting and irritating. One thing that I need to work on is trying not to get random people in the shot when I have a main action going on. Maybe if I would have zoomed in a little more then it would have been better. 

High Key

This was my first time working with high key settings. I didn't set it up because someone had already done it but I did learn the jist of what was going on...pretty much just where the lights go. Two on the sides pointed to the backdrop and one behind me with the big umbrella. 

 ISO: 160    f/8.0   1/250sec

So yearbook is doing a story with multiple teachers and what their "famous quote," I guess you could  call it, is. Mrs. Nix's quote is about how her students will fail in life and never amount to anything so we wanted to make her look very sassy. We did the hands on this hip to give off the "sassy" impression.

ISO: 160    f/8.0    1/250sec

The yearbook is also doing a story on one person from every grade and their special talent or story. This is a picture of Madison Maynard who is a freshman. She is a very elite gymnast who is training to one day possibly go to the olympics. This is the second picture I've taken of her this year, but the first one she was able to do a pose. however, she recently had surgery to take something out of her leg and put it in her arm. so they had to change the story a tad bit to focus more on her injury. We wanted to show her gymnast side, thats why she has her jacket and medal, but we also wanted to focus on her injury too so we told her to lean on her crutches. 

Pine Tree Basketball

ISO: 1000   f/4.5   1/250sec

I finally understand how to set up the new lighting! The first time I had to set up the lights by myself, I didn't have the right equipment. The person who packed all the gear only put 4 pocket wizards in the case, but we need 5. However, I made use of what we had and the lighting looked somewhat alright. Anyway, in this experience I shot varsity, and when I got there the lights were already set up. However, I looked at all the settings to understand exactly what was going on. The lights on the sides aren't pointed directly at each other, which I thought at the beginning, but instead they are pointed a little more towards the court. And the light on the side of court is pointed toward the ceiling of the court. 

This was the best picture I had from this game. I liked it because he is really sharp and the ball is in focus! and also the ball is in his hand.. not awkwardly in the middle of his hand and the ground. It also shows his face and number. It also shows him being all neat and running in front of all the other players being the awesome Kevin he is. 

Girls Basketball

 ISO: 1250    f/4.0    1/200sec

The lighting I had to set up for this game was not good. The person who packed the gear only packed 4 pocket wizards and we needed 5. Anyway, I made the best of the situation and did what I could. I set up two lights pointed at the ceiling. One on each side of the court. This picture I had to crop kinda close to her right foot because I think I accidentally got the lightstand in the picture so I had to get closer than I wanted. Also, in this picture the color balance was really off. It looked extremely orange, and it still kinda does. But I like that she has the ball in her hands and that she is ahead of the other team.

 ISO: 1250    f/4.0    1/200sec

I wish this picture was better. One I cut off number 3's hands and number 20, Chandler.. i think, looks a little weird. Anyway, Claire said she liked it so I decided to keep it. Chandler was about to shoot at the goal but number 3 was obviously in her way. One thing that really bothers me about this picture is the robot looking girl in the background. I tried to find a way to crop her out but I couldn't find a way to do it. 

ISO: 1000   f/4.0   1/250sec

This picture cracks me up. The girl from the opposite team looks really strange because of how she is jumping in the air. What I like about it is that they are in focus and the ball is sharp too. Laiken's face even shows that the other girl isn't even phasing her because she is focused on either passing the ball or shooting towards the goal. I almost cut off the other girl's hand though. I really need to pay attention to every aspect of my pictures and not just the person who is the main focus.