ePortfolio Week 14 - Final Project - Pasar Siti Khatijah

14.11.13 (Week 14)
Vanessa A/P Ah Lir, (0315830)
Introduction to Photography
Final Project - Pasar Siti Khatijah


Instructions

Choose a Subject of Interest, i.e.: Architecture, Landscape, Peoples, Person, Still Life, etc. and capture a series of 5 pictures and print them.

When all your 5 pictures have been approved you shall then begin the final phase of the project, which is to print your pictures from a photo lab and then present it in class.

Presentation method: 5 printed photographic prints, Full frame pictures with a white border around the image. Size 8×10” Matt or Glossy. Please Submit all 5 printed copies in an A4 Clear book.


Pasar Siti Khatijah

Pasar Siti Khatijah is a wet market located in the heart of Kota Bharu town, which is also a popular tourist destination and also for anyone who wishes to visit. It is the biggest market in Kelantan and there are a variety of items sold there. At the Ground Floor, traders displayed buckets of seafood ranging from mackerels to clams, rows of de-feathered chicken, and baskets of vegetables from tomatoes to lettuces. There are also people grinding old coconuts and collecting the grated powder and milk. These stalls surround a large inner circle in the middle of the market where the sunlight shines through the roof onto vegetable traders with their goods. The Second Floor has traders selling souvenirs like key chains and postcards depicting Kelantan culture. Gold and silver jewelry are sold out in the open, placed on low tables without their protective casings. Dry goods like curry powder, traditional cookies and crackers are sold in big tubs where the price varies according to the weight.

What makes this wet market so special is that traders can sell their goods basically anywhere as long as they have a place to sit or stand. It is not necessary to have a stall to display the items. All they need is a floor and they are considered ready for business. Some only have a small chair to sit on, while some only sat on the greasy floor without a slight worry of getting their clothes dirty. Others have rectangular tiled concrete slabs where they can place their goods on. Some of the traders are new but most of them have been there for many years already, doing their business in the market as a big part of their lives, depending on the customers as their sole income. The challenge was trying to ask them if they would allow their pictures to be taken. Thankfully, they were not too shy when approached by a camera. In fact, they even posed so that a good shot could be taken. Their smiles reflected courage, having dealing with challenging environments, determination to continue living and their hope for the better future.

Screenshot

FEEDBACK

1. General Feedback

• Our liberty of choice in our preferred topic and manner of execution is FAR worse when the lecturer took us on a field trip.
• We should get out of our comfort zone. There is no way we can do something safe and yet looks good.
• Designing is a form of self expression.
• Good photos must have 'holding power'.
• The lecturer gauges our learning progress and expression, and whether we can surprise him with something unexpected and exemplary.

2. Specific Feedback

Before submission

Mr Vinod: Vary your composition, engage with the people try to get a reaction. When you stand in front of a person with a camera, you will get a reaction, it may be pleasant, surprise, or mooted - these may all be normal photography wise, to achieve something more, you need to engage with the personality, by asking questions, ie: how long have you been working here, how many kids do you have, etc. While she replies you keep your camera ready, and study her mannerisms, when you see a certain reaction that's different, continue that line of questioning, and take your pictures. You have to wear two hats as a photographer and a historian or a sociologist.

After submission

Mr Vinod: Good photography brings a good feeling when looking at pictures and it also arouses emotional reaction.
In terms of choosing 'market' as a subject topic: Market is a rather difficult topic to attempt as there is always a lot happening in the background and it might serve as a mess in a photo. I was said to be unable to see potential problems in a photo like how to background affects the overall quality of a particular picture. Lighting in the picture is not really in sync with the time period. A morning shot looks like an afternoon shot because it is quite dark. It is advisable not to use auto focus as it is not as effective as using a focus ring in regards to clarity.


REFLECTION

I was a bit cautious and wary at first when approaching the traders. In the beginning, I took photos of still life like fruits, vegetables, bloody fish and meat. Then I thought that my series would look really dull if I did not include people as well, which was one of the main highlights of the entire market. It is very important to learn to engage with the people you are taking pictures of.

You cannot just walk straight at them, take a few quick shots and leave. It is quite impolite and it is not the way a photographer should behave. You got to make them feel at ease, open their hearts and you then take pictures. This way, it would not be too offending and at least they would be more inclined to let you take their photos and their expressions will be far better looking than if you approached them in a rather direct, offensive manner.

A photographer does not only take photos, he learns the story of the subject.

ePortfolio Week 13 - Studio Lighting

1.11.13 (Week 13)
Vanessa A/P Ah Lir, (0315830)
Introduction to Photography
Studio Lighting


LECTURE

1. Main light
- Most important light because it illuminates a major portion of the image. All the other lights are constructed around this light. The first light to be put in position is your main light.

2. Fill light
- The fill lights function is to basically relieve the shadow areas created by the main light, thereby reducing the contrast.
- This light produces detail in the shadow area. Sometimes a fill light can just be a reflector bouncing off the main light.
- In the case of a still life there can be many tiny fills positioned around the still life to illuminate or relieve shadows.

3. Rim light

- This light gives form or structure around the object or subject being photographed. 

- It creates a silhouette around the subject / object thereby revealing its shape.

- It most often acts as a highlight.

4. Hair light

- It illuminates and gives texture to the hair. 

- Without this light the hair texture would essentially not be visible and the hair will look like one black mass.

Exercise - Studio Lighting

Instructions

1. Students are required to find a studio photograph with the 1940s - 1950s theme.

2. Students will then imitate that particular photo in terms of outlook and studio lighting.

Screenshot

REFLECTION

 

For this week, it was my turn to be a model. My previous assumption that becoming models are easy jobs because you only have to don on an outfit, wear makeup, take photos and get your paycheck instantly. I had never been so wrong. The entire process was extremely tedious and tiring. The makeup was very uncomfortable which made me felt as if I had a second layer of skin on my face. Fake eyelashes are painful torture objects.

When I was asked to pose accordingly, my classmates who were assisting with the camera and lighting had to take some time with all the adjustments to make sure that the exposure was perfect. My back started aching, my hands felt like they were about to fall off and I thought my neck will never be able to bend again. Becoming a model is tougher than I thought.