• Do you need any props?: Yes
• Is your vision clear? Can you develop the story further?: Yes, During my photoshoot, I will be telling a story about A girl (marine animal) felt regret and sadness after seeing her home polluted. The photo has two elements, the first is a white rose, and the second is blue silk. The white rose symbolizes the last purity/purity left in the ocean (unpolluted), while the blue silk symbolizes the polluted part. And in this set of photograph, the different between the first set is this set his when the girl grown up, and looking back to her childhood, and express her feelings of remembering.
• What locations/backgrounds/props/costumes could enhance your story?: An indoor location would be perfect for my photoshoot. background could be in a lighter color tone, because it will fite more with my blue silk. My props are Fake white rose, It symbolizes the pure in the sea. Costumes are white dress, the light color worked very well with the blue light.
• Experiment with the background: Most of my photographs is my model lying on the floor, So the range required for the background is very small, so I used a small piece of blue silk as the photography background, and also used my white rose prop to form the background

•Experiment with aperture. Shutter speed and framing

•Experiment with Photoshop techniques including but not restricted to B&W conversion, levels, cropping and sharpening.

(Sample photos I have taken for Camera test.)

Evaluate/Critique: 

Composition / Technique – Do all the elements of the frame support the subject, or are there distractions that take away from the strength of the image?: All elements of the framework support the strength of the subject image

•Where are my eyes immediately drawn? Where do you want the eyes to go?: The eyes should Immediately drawn to the persons face, I want the eyes been drawn to the the model’s facial expressions.

•Are There Any Distracting Elements?: Not really, I have asked some people for feedback, they told be maybe for some images, the flower is kind of distracting to let the viewers look straight at the models face, but only for 1-3 photos, the rest are good.

•Is the Exposure Correct?: Yes

•Would it Look Better Through a Different Focal Length?: I think I have been contributing the right Focus In these photographs, I have also been trying different focal length in some of my photos and it worked pretty well.

•What is the Background Doing?: The background is just trying to make the studio not look like a studio, and make the model look like lying in the sea water.

•How is the Composition & Balance?: I think I worked well

•Is the Colour Accurate?: Yes, it is.

•Does the Depth of Field Suit the Photo?: Yes

Storytelling quality – Does it show your vision?/Is the vision clear?: Yes

Emotional Impact – How well does your audience identify with the picture? What emotions captured in your portrait will cause the audience to respond positively? (Get feedback from others for this part): I have gathered feedback from 3 friends, 2 of them think my main topic for the set of photos is “The feeling of longing”. And the other person think that the main topic is Sadness, however the main topic I’m trying to spread is “The nostalgia for the once pure ocean and the sadness for the polluted ocean now” 

Blue shoots: 

My main topic for this project is “The nostalgia for the once pure ocean and the sadness for the polluted ocean now” and to spread awareness. For these photos, I’m mostly finding my angle and ideas through trying. And I found out if gives different kind of emotions when the blue light is darker (It gives an emotion of the Girl is covered with blue sea water, Give people a feeling of suffocation). While when the blue lighting is lighter it gives another emotion ( It gives an viewing of The girl lay in the fresh water, with no light or hope in her eyes. A faint blue light shone on her face, combined with her facial expression, revealing despair, nostalgia, and sadness).

Green shoots:

After figuring out the dark and light for the lighting, I have chosen the lighter tone. I dropped 15 photos from the  blue shoot, and the 25 remaining photos are the ones I found really shows my main topic and the lighting is feels perfect on my models faces. But I’m starting to think about how different facial expressions and movements affect the beauty of the photographs.

Red Shoots:

photographs, It’s mainly focused on Lighting, facial expressions, and angle.  The photograph lighting is mainly Blue lighting tone, but also white lighting to make the blue color lighter. There’s not to much facial expressions because of the angle, but the viewers could also see the sadness, the melancholy. The angle is the most important element in this set of photos, also this photograph, the camera angle is shooted on the models head. The main symbol in these three photos are White rose, and blue silk. I want my audience to feel the sadness by the girl, the main topic is shown by the lighting and the facial expression, and I want my audience to feel after when the ocean is polluted and her home will never be back as it use to be. But when she’s grown up, Her perspective on things is also more mature, and what she thinks is no longer what she once thought. The same action, on her face as before, showed despair, sadness, and regret. But now what we see on her face is relief, like telling the sea, “I’ve grown up, I can protect you now.”

It is very simular to the photographer I have inspired, we kindof had the same topic, which is protecting the ocean. In her photographs, she used a girl and made her looked like an mermaid, and lying on a dilapidated ship, looking very desperate, like a fish on the brink of death, but having given up struggling, there was still a pile of garbage next to it.

(Sample photo of the photographer i’ve Inspired name Wuxin)

Plan your Shoot & Experiment: 

• Do you need any props?: Yes
• Is your vision clear? Can you develop the story further?: Yes, During my photoshoot, I will be telling a story about A girl (marine animal) felt regret and sadness after seeing her home polluted. The photo has two elements, the first is a white rose, and the second is blue silk. The white rose symbolizes the last purity/purity left in the ocean (unpolluted), while the blue silk symbolizes the polluted part.
• What locations/backgrounds/props/costumes could enhance your story?: An indoor location would be perfect for my photoshoot. background could be in a lighter color tone, because it will fite more with my blue silk. My props are Fake white rose, It symbolizes the pure in the sea. Costumes are white dress, the light color worked very well with the blue light.
• Experiment with the background: Most of my photographs is my model lying on the floor, So the range required for the background is very small, so I used a small piece of blue silk as the photography background, and also used my white rose prop to form the background

•Experiment with aperture. Shutter speed and framing

•Experiment with Photoshop techniques including but not restricted to B&W conversion, levels, cropping and sharpening.

(Sample photos I have taken for Camera test.)

Evaluate/Critique: 

Composition / Technique – Do all the elements of the frame support the subject, or are there distractions that take away from the strength of the image?: All elements of the framework support the strength of the subject image

•Where are my eyes immediately drawn? Where do you want the eyes to go?: The eyes should Immediately drawn to the persons face, I want the eyes been drawn to the the model’s facial expressions.

•Are There Any Distracting Elements?: Not really, I have asked some people for feedback, they told be maybe for some images, the flower is kind of distracting to let the viewers look straight at the models face, but only for 1-3 photos, the rest are good.

•Is the Exposure Correct?: Yesb

•Would it Look Better Through a Different Focal Length?: I think I have been contributing the right Focus In these photographs, I have also been trying different focal length in some of my photos and it worked pretty well.

•What is the Background Doing?: The background is just trying to make the studio not look like a studio, and make the model look like lying in the sea water.

•How is the Composition & Balance?: I think I worked well

•Is the Colour Accurate?: Yes, it is.

•Does the Depth of Field Suit the Photo?: Yes

Storytelling quality – Does it show your vision?/Is the vision clear?: Yes

Emotional Impact – How well does your audience identify with the picture? What emotions captured in your portrait will cause the audience to respond positively? (Get feedback from others for this part): I have gathered feedback from 3 friends, 2 of them think my main topic for the set of photos is “The feeling of longing”. And the other person think that the main topic is Sadness, however the main topic I’m trying to spread is “The nostalgia for the once pure ocean and the sadness for the polluted ocean now” 

Contact Sheets:

Blue Shoots: 

My main topic for this project is “The nostalgia for the once pure ocean and the sadness for the polluted ocean now” and to spread awareness. For these photos, I’m mostly finding my angle and ideas through trying. And I found out if gives different kind of emotions when the blue light is darker (It gives an emotion of the Girl is covered with blue sea water, Give people a feeling of suffocation). While when the blue lighting is lighter it gives another emotion ( It gives an viewing of The girl lay in the fresh water, with no light or hope in her eyes. A faint blue light shone on her face, combined with her facial expression, revealing despair, nostalgia, and sadness).

Green Shoots:

After figuring out the dark and light for the lighting, I have chosen the lighter tone. I dropped 15 photos from the  blue shoot, and the 25 remaining photos are the ones I found really shows my main topic and the lighting is feels perfect on my models faces. But I’m starting to think about how different facial expressions and movements affect the beauty of the photographs.

Red Shoots: 

” If the Ocean Speaks”  

In these photographs, It’s mainly focused on Lighting, facial expressions, and angle.  The photograph lighting is mainly Blue lighting tone, but also white lighting to make the blue color lighter. There’s not to much facial expressions because of the angle, but the viewers could also see the sadness, the melancholy. The angle is the most important element in this set of photos, also this photograph, the camera angle is shooted on the models head. The main symbol in these three photos are White rose, and blue silk. I want my audience to feel the sadness by the girl, the main topic is shown by the lighting and the facial expression, and I want my audience to feel after when the ocean is polluted and her home will never be back as it use to be.

The title: “What if the ocean speaks”

The societal/cultural issue I want to explore with my photographs: I want to explore on animal distinction that are caused by human made environmental issue. For example such as, pollution, climate change, etc…. And the main issue I wanted to focus on is Pollution, and the type of pollution that I’m exploring is Sea pollution.

I want my audience to feel: I want the audience to resonance through my photographs, I want to spread awareness about how sea animals are really impacted by human, and they have been affected so much in the places we couldn’t see.

I will get inspiration and develop my ideas by looking for photographs that: have the same topic, or they way how other photographer spread their emotions through their photographs. But I think the best would be the photographs that had the same topic, because it would be easier to get inspired.

Create a mood board highlighting the societal/cultural issue I want to explore with my photographs: 

Find a focus:

Describe the societal/cultural issue or identity concept you want to explore with your photographs: I want to explore on animal distinction that are caused by human made environmental issue. For example such as, pollution, climate change, etc…. And the main issue I wanted to focus on is Pollution, and the type of pollution that I’m exploring is Sea pollution.

Find some photographers/photographs or look at photography genres that inspire – not too much detail, but a general idea. You need to show that your research has purposefully informed and inspired your project:

The lighting of this photo really inspired me, and I wanted to try this kind of lighting in my set of photographs.

（this photograph is taken by an online photogrpaher name Zhi yu)

The framing of this photograph really inspired me, and I wanted to try this kind of lighting in my set of photographs.

(This photograph is taken by a user on “小红书” name Pan.

The Emotion of how photograph is presented really inspiring me, and I wanted to try this kind of emotion thats spreading to the audience.

(This photograph is taken by an user on “小红书” name Wu xin)

-What makes a particular photograph a portrait?: A photograph is considered a portrait when it captures the identity and essence of a subject, showcasing their personality and individuality through composition, lighting, and posing techniques.

-Are Selfies Portraits?: Yes, selfies can be considered a form of self-portraiture, capturing individuals’ self-images in a modern, informal manner often shared on social media.

-What should or shouldn’t be included within a portrait?: A portrait should include elements like clothing, pose, expression, and props that enhance the subject’s identity. The background should be neutral to avoid distractions and keep the focus on the subject.

-What makes a “good portrait?”: A “good portrait” effectively captures the subject’s essence, personality, and emotions through elements like location, lighting, composition, and a connection between the photographer and subject.

–Can a portrait consist of a small detail only, such as a close-up of a hand?: Yes, a portrait can focus on a small detail like a close-up of a hand, offering a unique and intimate perspective that can convey emotions or stories effectively.

-When does a more abstracted representation cease to become a portrait – for example a blurred figure, or a photograph of a person that has been torn, ripped or faded?: An abstract representation stops being a portrait when the subject’s recognizable features are no longer discernible, as in a blurred figure or a heavily damaged photograph.

–Is it possible to represent a person photographically without them being present in the image – for example, through a Still-life, an arrangement of inanimate of objects? And if so, can this continue to be called a portrait?: Yes, it is possible to represent a person photographically without them being present by using a still-life arrangement of objects that symbolize or represent the individual. This approach can still be considered a portrait as it captures the essence or personality of the absent person through symbolic elements.

-Does a portrait have to be a single photograph? How about a sequence of images?: A portrait doesn’t have to be a single photograph; it can also be a sequence of images. While a single photo captures a moment, a series can offer a more detailed and storytelling view of the subject, showing different angles, expressions, or environments.

Mindmap: 

Yellow shot :

My main topic for this project is to explore the hidden beauty of nature, and for these photos, I’m mostly finding my angle and ideas through trying. And I found out that while putting the camera below the tree branches, and the branches will form shadow under the sunlight. (I found it really interesting so I tried different angles.)

Green shot:

In these photos, is the ones I really find myself been attracted. I have found that however these photos are taken in the city town, but inside these photographs, theres only nature, and this is were really attracts me. So I gathered the photos that have mostly nature elements/objects mainly observed by the viewers in these 6 photographs.

Red shot:

“See the spring”

In this photograph, it’s mainly focused on lighting and angle. The photograph is angle is down bellow the tree, which the camera is facing up, so what we can only see is the leafs and the cloudy sky. In this photograph, the feeling I want to show the viewer about is the the hidden beauty what we haven’t noticed in our eyes. Even in a bad weather, but when we look up in the sky, we can see them. The leafs, the tree branches, the hidden beauty of lives. The leafs would give the viewers a warmer feeling even in a such bad weather, because leafs is one of the symbol that signifies spring. Which this is one of the reason that I name this photograph “See the spring”

“See the winter ”

In this photograph, it’s mainly focused on lighting and angle. The photograph angle is down bellow the tree, which the camera is facing up, so what we can only see the tree branches and the cloudy sky, in this photograph, the feeling I want to show the viewer about the hidden beauty what we haven’t noticed in our eyes when we walk pass by these trees even in a bad weather. when we look up in the sky we see the branches with no leafs on, that gives a cold feeling to the viewer, it feels lonely, sad, and cold. Which this is one of the reason that I name this photograph “See the Winter”.

“See the heaven”

In this photograph, it’s mainly focused on lighting and angle. The photograph angle is down bellow the tree, which the camera is facing up, so what we can only see the tree branches and also leafs in a cloudy sky but with sunlights shinning in the clouds. The feeling I want to show the viewer about the hidden beauty what we haven’t noticed in our eyes when we walk pass by these trees even in a bad weather. When we look up in the sky we see the branches with leafs and also small fruits on, and sunlight penetrate through the clouds and show a ray of light. Which gives the viewer a feeling that they were draged from the darkness surrounded by clouds. The light coming from the sky like the heaven have descend a ray of light to shine the dark pass in our lifes. And thats the reason I gived this photography the name “See the heaven”.

Yellow shots:

My main topic for this project is to explore the hidden beauty of nature, and for these photos, I’m mostly finding my angle and ideas through trying. And I found out that while putting the camera closer to the ice and snow, in some angles the sun will light up the ice, and it reflects light. (I found it really interesting so I tried different angles.)

Green Shots: 

In these photos, is the ones I really find myself been attracted. When I’m choosing it, I found that these photos that how the Ice and snow have sunlights reflect on, they looked unusual, I think these are the photos I truly wanted to find and present. So I divided the reflecting snow, and the reflecting ice out, and choosed 3 good photos for each. (The first three is snow, and the last three is Ice).

Red Shots: 

And finally I choose these three photos to make the set.  (Snow Set)

“Snow” 

In this photo, It’s mainly focused on the reflection, the elements include mostly lighting and angle. This photo similar as the second photos, the main object is all snow. This photo compare to the other photos in the ice set looks more 3D, and the reflection of snow and Ice comparing and combining looks more visual impact. The name of this photograph represented the most important thing in this photo, also the most  frequent occurrences object comparing to the other two photos, which is Snow. The emotion I wanted the audience to feel is “Bright, shining, Positive and full of hope.” The theme of this photo I wanted to present is the bright of nature, the positive side. (So I used mostly light reflection in the photo.)

“Ice”

In this photo, the mainly focus is on reflection, the elements include mostly focus, lighting, and angle. This photo similar as the first photo, the main focus object is the reflection on snow and ice. But however the difference is that this photo have clearly shows the difference between snow reflection and ice reflection. The snow give more 3D view than the ice, but the melted Ice also give more reflection and light, while combining together, The collision created a greater visual impact. The name of this photograph represented the most important thing in this photo, also the most  frequent occurrences object comparing to the other two photos, which is ice. The emotion I wanted the audience to feel is “Dim but shining, a ray of light in the dim of dark, hope.” The theme of this photo I wanted to present is the hope you find through the darkness. Even Though the most part of the photo is more in a dark lighting, but there’s also light reflecting, light shining in the ray of dark.

“Unique”

In this photo, the mainly focus is on the different shapes of snow, the element include mostly shape, lighting, and angle. This photo is not similar as the first or the second photo, part from the snow and ice, there’s mostly no relation. But however this photo is the only photo in this set that has recognizable patterns appear on the snow, which was footprints. This is what the photo wanted to represent is that, however this looks simple and the symbols is more recognizable, but this photo is the unique one while they have the same object included. The emotion I wanted the audience to feel is “Mystery, secret, Unknown, expected.” The theme of this photo I wanted to present is the Unknown feeling, I used the foot steps to show, like it’s the pass that you’ve been step on, the things you have to experience. But you can’t see what’s in front, The only thing you can see is what’s now…

Select an Artist: Saul Leiter
Create a gallery of their photographs (at least 8). You can find lots of images online but try to select those that are at least 800 pixels wide. Artist: “Saul Leiter”

Make a list of at least 5 characteristics (typical things) that define your chosen photographs (Tip: think about the Formal Elements. Also, what do you see that’s similar in three or more of these pictures?): 

Describe the work of the artist referencing these characteristics (you can add more if you wish):

-Lighting: The Dark and light is shown in the photographs constantly. Most of the images are all black and white color, and for some of the photos shows the color in only one place, this makes the lighting in the picture more interesting when the lights are shown in different part of the picture, but not the hole picture.

-Focus: Saul Leiter largely used focus in his photographs. For example, the type of photo where he was taken in the car, sometimes the main focus was on the raindrops sliding down the window, and sometimes the main focus was the object behind the window.

-Object: Object has been seen in every of his photographs, such as umbrella, car, street lights,  humans, etc…

-Theme: Most of his photo is taken in the subject ‘Theme’. In his photos, there’s fogs crowded near the object. which gives an unusual perspective, this makes the viewers fall into the scene of these photographs. Like they were in a theme like movie.

-Tone: One of the big artistic features in Saul Leiter’s Photos is the rain in his picture. In most of his photos, they were taken in a bad weather, there’s mostly no sun, but rain and lots of clouds. And some of the perspective is taken through the car window and where it can see through the street outside, on the car window there is raindrops sliding down, and the camera is closed to the window which gives the sliding raindrop an tone vision.

Explain why you have chosen this photographer including how the photographer relates to your vision: One of the biggest reasons that I chose Saul Leiter is because I enjoyed taking photos that are like movies theme, and play around the lighting and focus. The photographs that Saul Leiter have taken really draws me in, and really makes me think of the photographs I usually like to take.

If you can – Find a quotation by your photographer and Explain why you chose the particular quotation and how it helps you understand the photographer’s work: One poignant quotation by Saul Leiter is, “My photographs are the tiniest part of what I see that could be photographed. They are fragments of endless possibilities.” This quote encapsulates Leiter’s unique perspective on photography, highlighting his ability to capture fleeting moments and transform them into timeless images. It reveals his deep appreciation for the vast array of photographic opportunities present in everyday life, showcasing his keen eye for detail and beauty in the mundane. This quotation helps us understand Saul Leiter’s work by highlighting his focus on subtle, overlooked aspects of the world. His photos often depict ordinary scenes with mystery and poetry, inviting us to see beyond the surface and discover hidden beauty in everyday moments. By viewing his work through this lens, we can appreciate how Leiter’s photos transcend simple documentation, offering a glimpse into a world where the ordinary becomes extraordinary.

Evaluate an Image: 

Pick one photo from your artist’s collection and answer the following questions using this photo.

• Why did you choose this image in particular?: Because the theme of this image is similar to mines.

•What do you find surprising or unusual about this photograph?: Yes, it looks like there’s rain and fogs covering around the human and the dog, I thought it’s going to be blurry and I couldn’t see the object easily, but I can still see the object very clearly while the fog and small rain is governing around the object.

•Look carefully and choose ONE of the Formal Elements that you think is important in the photograph (E.g. Focus, Light, Line, Repetition, Shape, Texture, Value/Tone): I would say Light. 

•Describe why you think it is important (2 or 3 sentences): Because This photograph is well presented base on the lighting. For example that with the fog gathering around the object, but there’s also light shooting behind the fog which forms a shadow like vision to the object.

•In what ways are your chosen artist’s photographs abstract?: Saul Leiter made his photographs abstract by focusing on a difficult perspective as usual. Using his car window photographs as an example, these type of photographs are more focused on the natural effect not humanized object. Just like fog, raindrops, clouds, natural light, etc…..

•What do you like about the style? Be specific and explain your answer: I loved the focus, lighting in his photographs. In his photographs, the biggest vision is the movie theme lighting, it looks like it was a photograph taken in the city, but for me, for the viewers, the very first thing that drawn to the eyes is the nature artifact. I’ve been drawn to this type of photographs which is the style I also liked to take, and his photographs have build connections to mines.

•How will you adapt this style to your own photography? How does the image/artist inspire YOU?: I have been taken this kind of photographs for a while, but the difference between our photographs is mines is more focused in the nature artifact than Saul Leiter’s. To adapt this style to my photography, I would again continue to focus on the lighting and focus in my photographs and focus on my vision of natural object.

Working Title: The Unremarkable Features

This theme that I wanted to work on is mainly Objects that are environmental. The message I wanted to contain are the beauty of the objects that we haven’t been noticing in our lives. I want my audience to see another world in my photo, in another perspective. And I want their reaction be like… “oh, I haven’t been noticing this object in that perspective.”  How they will be surprised that some recent object they have seen in their lives every day also has another perspective of beauty. I will find photographers that explores nature, and photographers that explores the creative and abstract way on their photographs. In conclusion, I will explore and discover the difference of nature, and the beauty of nature through this project. Nature has knows us well, and we’ll also know the nature well, because when we spend a depressed day, nature can calm us down and make us feel better.