Author: George
Formal Elements & Paul Strand
- Explain what the phrase Formal Elements means in photography. – The elements that usually form a photo, or forms a piece of art in general. It’s combination and organization it what determines the artwork’s success.
- Describe each of the 6 elements discussed so far (line, shape, pattern, texture, tone, focus) – Line: vertical and horizontal lines, representing strength and development, converging lines are lines that seem as if they are going to connect. – Shape: the shapes give a clear distinction, for us to recognize each object individually. – pattern and repetition – pattern is a type of repetition that follows a specific strategy, whereas repetition is just a simple repeat of shapes and colors. – texture: how the photos would feel physically, e.g. rough, soft, polished. tone: a color mixture that is not the pure color hue, for photography, it is just a median color between two clearly separate colors. – focus: an object that is clear whilst the backgrounds are blurred, often emphasized intentionally by the photo taker.
- Give an example that emphasizes each element.
Line: The line are shown at the distance on the horizon, where the sea touches the sky. The line give a clear distinction between the color blue and the color of white clouds.
Shape: When we look at something, its shape tells us what it is. In this cases, the the shape is that of a broom.
Repetition and Pattern: In this photo, the tiles creates a repetition as the shapes and lines are repeated.
Texture: The ice is shown as very rough, and from what I can tell, it would wound me if I rubbed against it.
Tone: In this photo, the tone is gray, as it is a middle ground for white and black.
Focus: In this photo, the tree branches are very clear and the background is not, it tells that the author wants us to focus on the branches.
4. Can an image show just one element at a time? No, the picture could show many elements, for example, the first picture with the lines, is also a repetition and a pattern. In fact, it is nearly impossible to have only one formal element. As you can see in picture four, the texture might be rough, but it itself makes a repetition of rough patterns.
Paul Strand:
- Copy the photograph into your portfolio
- List 3 things the photographer might have been interested in capturing in this picture? – Shape, Lines, Pattern
- If you were the photographer, what title would you give it? Explain why. – A gathering of elements, because that’s exactly what it is, and there are no other titles I could think of that would give a profound meaning.
- Name one thing you think is unusual about the photograph. – It looks like a painting, the entire picture is not clear enough for me to clearly tell of it’s contents, and the texture is rough in a way that would make me think that this was painted.
- Describe the use of line, shape, Pattern, texture, tone and focus – The lines are used to distinguish between the shadow’s shades and the unshaded lights, the shapes is used to allow us to recognize the circular object in the photo, which I believe is a table. The patterns are created by the shadows, it creates a symmetrical pattern on the table and the wall. The only texture I could tell is the texture of the table, which is rough, but polished compared to the walls. There are no tones in the photos, all of the different colors were separated by lines. As for the focus of the photo, I believe that there is none, but as the table is closer to the the lense, I would think that the taker was trying to focus on the table.
- What do you think is the best thing about this photograph? – I like how many elements are included in the photo, I also like the shade patterns on the table and the wall.
G9 Engineering Project D & P
Develop and Plan
| Form | Functions | Ideas | Medium |
| Metallic | Recording | Nature | Cardboard |
| Embellished | Fitness | Motivating | 3D print |
| Painted | Mental Health | Increasing Knowledge | Laser Cut wood |
| Sprayed paint | Security | Remind | Scrap metal |
| LED | Charge | Beauty | Recycled Paper |
| Mechanical | Pleasure | Simple | Plastic |
Actual Ideas:
Speaker: this device can produce sound energy by converting electrical energy into mechanical energy, when there is a sound, an electric current is sent, and it creates a magnetic field and interacts with the permanent magnet, making the cone vibrate and thus creating a sound.
Waste Energy Converter (failed): in this product, I will use the thermoelectric generators to convert wasted energy – from easily overheated objects such as car engines, computers, and iPads – to electric energy. For powering lamps, charging phones, or storage for later use. This failed because it’s too hard to capture small amounts of heat difference (computer overheat), it can only capture a significant amount of difference.
Final Idea:
Heart rate monitor:
G9 Engineering D & I
Defining my problem, user & constraints:
- What problems or needs could be addressed in my product?
Energy Capture and Storage
2. Market analysis relating to the topic of Energy Capture and Storage in which sale is possible
- People with less/no access to electricity and have no choice but to try to catch up with contemporary devices. My project could be to provide them with the ability to charge without need to pay electricity bills
- People who like to go camping might want to use their phone to take photos or contact their families might not have the conditions to replenish their phone, I could design an apparatus that charge their phone using solar or kinetic energy.
3. What problems could arise in the future?
- What could be made in the time restraint of a mere five lessons?
- With all the already original designs out there, how can I make something original?
- How do I know about the accessibility of whatever materials I need?
- How do I generate 30 divergent ideas?
- What will I use to design my final idea, though I only know tinkercad
4. Examples – Precedents
Solar Panel: This type of energy capture device captures and utilises the most common source of energy, which is the sun. This device captures the light energy and NOT heat energy of the sun. This could relate somehow to my idea, as I could use solar energy as a source of charging phones if in the nature, especially for someone who is in the desert.
Windmill: A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy (kinetic)
Watermill: A watermill is a utilizer of hydropower, though not usually used to produce electric energy, it can be modified – like a windmill – to do so.
Speakers: Speakers work by converting electrical energy into mechanical energy (motion). The mechanical energy compresses air and converts the motion into sound energy or sound pressure level (SPL).
Abstract Art (Unfinished)
Definition of abstract photography:
An abstract photography is a photo which doesn’t represent any immediate object or idea in mind, which forces the viewer to think about the photo in greater lengths.
Researching the starting point:
- How can photography change our relationship to things? It makes us think more deeply about the thing around us.
- What is pictorialism? It is the idea that photography can be art and not just representationalist and used only for science.
- What is abstract photography? Abstract photography is photos which doesn’t represent any immediate object or idea in mind, which forces the viewer to think about the photos in greater lengths.
- Write a (very) short biography of Albert Renger-Patzsch (just 1 or 2 sentences). After serving in the WW1, he studies chemistry and came across photography, in 1925 he pursued photography as a career and rejected pictoralism, after that he taught photography and in his last years became a free-lance photographer.
- From looking at his images above, What types of subjects do you think Albert Renger-Patzsch preferred to photograph? Industry, architecture, nature, and common objects
- Why do you think he entitled his famous book, ‘The World is Beautiful’? Because he wanted to show the beauty of the world without using photography techniques
- Why do you think Edward Weston moved away from the soft-focus of pictorialism to the new Straight photography movement? – the idea that ordinary objects and scenes can be photographed to reveal their beauty – because he believed that pictorialism has a overly heavy manipulated process
- Give examples of one of his pictorialist images and one of his straight images.
Straight
Pictorialist
9. How has Aaron Siskind above been influenced by the Staight Photography Movement – Aaron Siskind took photos of ordinary object arranged in a patterned way, without using any editing techniques.
10. Name some other photographers that have been influenced by straight photography – Alfred Stieglitz, Ansel Adams, Paul Strand, Sadakichi Hartmann
11. What makes the work of Andreas Gursky and Uta Barth abstract. Are they straight photographers? Why? – Uta Barth’s work is abstract because her work is “as much about vision and perception as it is about the failure to see” which means she tries to get the viewers to think “be aware of their own looking”, and her out-of-focus images. Andreas Gursky’s works are not abstract, because they are usually landscapes that are not out-of-focus, they are both not straight photographers because their photos don’t have much minor details
Wrong Photos – Contact Sheet Questions
How is context important in Photography?
Context is important in photography because if people don’t understand your art they will not resonate with it and therefore will not like it / buy it. Context is important for people to understand the message you are trying to send, which is why modern and abstract art is the embodiment of trash in every sense.
What is the purpose of rules in photography?
To help take better photos.
In your mind, what are (some of) the most important rules in photography?
Focused cropping, having image focus, and good lighting.
When might it be a good idea to deliberately break the rules?
When following a rule could potentially be visually worst than a wrong photo, i.e. when there are no clear leading lines, you don’t need to force yourself to follow that rule.
Do you think it possible to break rules if you don’t know they exist? Give reasons for your answer.
It is possible to break a rule without knowing you did so, because it is very hard to abide by all the rule of photography in just one photo.
Can a ‘bad’ picture ever be ‘great’? – How important is context in photography? (context= why a picture was taken, when or where it was taken and what message you were trying to make)
Yes, a photo that doesn’t follow the rules can be pretty, as they could have amazing color in the background and good lighting, but the best of ‘bad” pictures can never beat the best of “good” photos.
(This is an extension of my dx post)
The Paper Menagerie CER
In Ken Liu’s short story, “The paper menagerie,” the author tried to communicate that different cultures can affect one’s identity.
When jack was mocked for his culture and looks, he tried wanted to change his culture and he was disdained with his looks, but since he can’t change his looks, he tried to change his culture. He also tried to change the culture of his entire family since he is ashamed of his culture. “‘Fashao la?’ Do you have a fever? I brushed her hand away. ‘I’m fine. Speak English!’ I was shouting.” Here the author use dialogue to show that Jack’s mother’s Chinese embarrassed him in front of the American and he wants to make his mother speak English to not embarrass him anymore.
In the story, Jack had strife with Mark, and the “popular” Mark made Jack’s life miserable in school. This made Jack want to change even more, because Jack thinks: if he changes his culture and buy real toys, he will fit in more. “Mark was disappointed by my response. ‘Show me your toys.’ I didn’t have any toys except my paper menagerie… he was really just a piece of wrapping paper… ‘Here’s your stupid cheap Chinese garbage.’… ‘And I want some real toys.’” The fight with Mark open Jack’s eyes to the fact that his paper menageries are actually just scraps of paper, and “real” American, have cool, detailed toys like Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars. That made Jack feel as if he doesn’t belong, and made him want to integrate into American culture even more.
We could clearly see the change in cultural mindset throughout the story of the paper menagerie. From his being mocked, and his conflict with Mark the popular dude, which is the “other culture” in this story.
Thesis Statement For the Paper Menagerie
The main character in Ken Liu’s short story entitled “the Paper Menagerie” initially believes that to live in America, you have to be American through and through, for example, speech english, and do American stuff. And when his mother doesn’t, it make him uncomfortable and he starts ignoring his mom. But later he understands that his mom only cares for him, and he realized that he was the bad guy all along. His changing understanding is revealed through the use of symbolism.
Learner portfolio and goal-setting
Strengths: Writing, I think I am good at writing. I like writing, but I do not know if i am good at it.
Weaknesses: Reading comprehension, poem interpretation. Finding themes, finding evidence.
Goal: Writing a work that i myself can enjoy and be proud of, because last year after I finishing my works I can think of nothing but how to improve this work, but I want a perfect writing created by myself.
Resources: My required readings, this can help me with vocabulary and knowledge.
Threats: My will to study, I may not be able to convince myself to improve, for I don’t have the tendency to.
Oppressed by the Status Quo
For 10 years he has suffered. For 10 years he lived in fear, his pride stomped on. And now, he’s free, from the evils of Mao and his senseless revolution. The content of this journal was taken directly from words of Liu Yinglong, our main character. Please read for the sake of truth and justice.
While many things stayed the same, others have changed. When Mao was condemned, the people were not swayed, they still worship Mao and communism is still a part of Chinese culture. Even though capitalism was introduced and is making great progress for the Chinese economy. And Mao’s intentions are not kept: the undestroyed four olds are being preserved, and the relations between students and teachers are as good as ever. There are still loyalists who despise capitalism and the four olds. And after the years of struggle China has went through, all kinds of problems remain: poverty, starvation, racism and oppression. But in the end, we did indeed escape our slavish fates, and we can only be thankful for the changes our government has made.