School Photos

  • Purpose of the Photo – The photo’s purpose appears to be expressing the freshness of the season, autumn.
  • Visual Flow: Where do the eyes go first?–

    The viewer’s eyes are naturally drawn first to the bright yellow leaf in the foreground due to its strong color contrast.
    Because the leaf is slightly blurred, the viewer’s attention naturally drifts toward the subject’s face behind it.
    This creates a controlled two-step visual path:

    1. Vibrant foreground → 2) Soft human expression

  • Exposure– described as soft, warm, and even

  • No blown-out highlights

  • Shadow details preserved

  • Warm tones fit the autumn theme

 

  • Lighting& Focal Light- the soft natural lighting works well because
  1. It supports the emotional tone
  2. It avoids harsh contrasts that might fight the subtle narrative
  3. Autumn colors stay warm and inviting

* A stronger directional light could add drama, but would not suit the calm, reflective purpose.

  • Composition& Balance– the layered composition is strong( leaf -> person -> field )

 

  • Color Accuracy– Warm tones of yellow, orange appear accurate and natural for autumn.
  1. Reinforces the seasonal theme
  2. Complements skin tones without oversaturation
  3. Maintains a cohesive warm mood

 

 

 

  • Purpose of the Photo
    The purpose of this photo seems to be expressing youthful confidence and energy through an exaggerated low-angle perspective.
  • Visual Flow: Where do the eyes go first?
    The viewer’s eyes go first to the large soccer ball in the foreground because of its size and proximity to the lens.
    Since the ball dominates the frame, the eye then moves upward to the subject’s relaxed pose, creating a clear two-step visual path:
    Oversized foreground → Confident subject above it
  • Exposure
    Bright, natural daylight.

  • No blown-out highlights

  • Shadows remain visible

  • Contrast fits the energetic outdoor mood

  • Lighting & Focal Light
    Soft natural light keeps the subject’s face readable.
    It supports the casual, active theme without introducing harsh shadows.
  • Composition & Balance
    Strong low-angle composition (ball → subject → background).
    Creates forced perspective, although the large ball slightly unbalances the frame—intentionally supporting the playful tone.
  • Color Accuracy
    Natural daylight colors appear accurate.
    Blue sky + neutral clothing + warm skin tones keep the image clean and energetic.

 

 

  • Purpose of the Photo
    The purpose seems to be capturing a natural, candid moment using strong flash lighting to highlight facial features and expression.
  • Visual Flow: Where do the eyes go first?
    The viewer’s eyes are drawn first to the illuminated face because of the bright flash contrast.
    From there, the gaze moves outward to the hand placement and the diagonal arm line, creating a clean visual path:
    Highlighted face → Extended arm → Background lines
  • Exposure
    Bright flash exposure.

  • High clarity on the subject

  • No details lost in highlights

  • Background remains slightly darker, which increases subject emphasis

  • Lighting & Focal Light
    The flash creates sharp, direct lighting.

  • Strong emphasis on facial features

  • Minimal shadowing

  • Works well for a bold, high-contrast indoor look

  • Composition & Balance
    The pose adds dynamic balance:

  • One arm raised behind the head

  • The other extended toward the wall
    These diagonals give the portrait movement and prevent it from feeling static.

  • Color Accuracy
    Colors remain neutral and clean.

  • Black shirt stays deep and solid

  • Skin tones appear bright due to flash but still natural

  • Background curtains and walls stay soft, keeping focus on the subject

  • Purpose of the Photo
    The purpose seems to be capturing a straightforward, honest portrait using flash to emphasize clarity and simplicity.
  • Visual Flow: Where do the eyes go first?
    The viewer’s attention goes first to the face at the center of the frame because it is the brightest and most defined part.
    From there, the eye moves downward to the dark shirt and then toward the neutral curtain background.
    This creates a simple visual path:
    Bright center → Dark clothing → Soft background
  • Exposure
    Flash exposure creates bright, even lighting.

  • No strong shadows

  • Skin details remain visible

  • Slight softness adds a gentle tone to the portrait

  • Lighting & Focal Light
    Direct flash creates a clean, frontal light.

  • Emphasizes symmetry

  • Reduces dramatic contrast

  • Fits the straightforward, neutral expression of the portrait

  • Composition & Balance
    Centered composition gives the photo stability.

  • Straight-on angle

  • Balanced vertical lines from the curtain

  • Minimal distractions, keeping focus on the subject’s expression

  • Color Accuracy
    Colors appear clean and neutral.

  • Black shirt remains deep and solid

  • Skin tones are brightened by flash but stay natural

  • Background whites maintain a soft, consistent tone

 

 

  • Purpose of the Photo
    The purpose of this photo is to experiment with artificial lighting to create a completely new mood and atmosphere. By using a strong red light, the image moves away from natural portrait conventions and focuses on emotional intensity.
  • Visual Flow: Where do the eyes go first?
    The viewer’s eyes go first to the illuminated side of the subject’s face, where the red light is strongest.
    The gaze then moves outward toward the soft, diffused red shadows, creating a smooth visual path:
    Bright face → surrounding red glow
  • Exposure
    The exposure is intentionally dark, allowing the red highlights to stand out.
    No blown-out areas appear, and the deep shadows enhance the dramatic tone.
  • Lighting & Focal Light
    The red directional light establishes a cinematic, surreal atmosphere.
    It supports the experimental intention and adds depth through shadow falloff.
    The warm-red color dominates the emotional impact.
  • Composition & Balance
    The off-centered placement and angled head give asymmetry, which suits the moody, experimental concept.
    The background fades smoothly, keeping attention on the face and red tone.
  • Color / Tone Accuracy
    The saturated red is intentionally stylized rather than realistic, reinforcing the photo’s purpose:
    emotion over accuracy.

  • Purpose of the Photo
    The photo is designed to highlight the contrast between the subject’s outer appearance and inner self. The exaggerated shadow on the wall symbolizes this duality.
  • Visual Flow: Where do the eyes go first?
    The eyes first land on the lit side of the subject’s face, then move to the large, cast shadow.
    This creates a clear two-part path:
    Real face → enlarged shadow (inner self)
  • Exposure
    The image uses high contrast, with deep blacks and bright highlights.
    Shadow details are intentionally lost to strengthen the symbolic tension.
  • Lighting & Focal Light
    A strong single light source creates a sharp, oversized shadow.
    This lighting choice supports the theme of psychological contrast and adds depth to the narrative.
  • Composition & Balance
    The frame balances the physical face on one side and the exaggerated shadow on the other.
    This asymmetry emphasizes the idea of dual identity.
  • Color / Tone Accuracy
    The black-and-white treatment removes distractions and focuses on shape, contrast, and meaning.
    It reinforces the emotional weight of the image.

 

Viviane Sassen – Similarities to My Work

  • Uses strong natural shadows across the face/body

  • Creates a layered, abstract look with light interruptions

  • Prefers minimal backgrounds so the subject stands out

  • Captures raw, honest expressions rather than posed ones

  • Plays with geometric shapes and patterns of light

 

 

 

Through the portrait unit, I came to be more and more aware of how intentional choices in lighting, perspective, and composition can shape the emotional quality of the image. Before this project, most of my thoughts on a photo had to do with whether or not it looked “pretty,” but learning more technical skills, such as depth of field control, subject placement in the frame, and noticing background distractions, helped me to see portraiture as a form of visual communication rather than simple documentation. While working on these images, I was particularly interested in how the environment interacts with the subject, and tried to enlist natural elements like shadows, leaves, and low angles in expressing varied personality and mood. This process helped me understand that building a rich portrait requires both technical decision-making and awareness of the viewer’s way of negotiating the image. As a result, I believe I have clarified an artistic intention: to capture authenticity while guiding the viewer’s attention through the deliberate use of composition and light. The unit allowed me to not only improve my technical skills but also build confidence in expressing identity and emotion through photography.