Portfolio Redux

A link to my new portfolio

We seem to have a habit of doing things twice this semester, but I am glad because I had a chance to play around with my pictures again and even try some more editing. This is only the first version since I want to add a ton of pictures that aren't part of this assignment. It has been a fantastic semester. I am looking forward to seeing all of your final work. - Best wishes and luck...Andrew

Portfolio - Spring 2016...My Take

What is Dixie? It's all of you wonderful and talented people that I've been blessed to meet. Thank you for pushing me all semester with your greatness. As I look back over all your pictures, I am simply flabbergasted at what you have accomplished. I am Dixie because of you. 

Package - D-Week Lecture

     I have heard that if you walk long enough you will undoubtedly find something to trip on and this week's assignment was a shin breaker. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time running around campus and shooting b-roll and being able to attend many different types of events is what makes reporting awesome. However, the gods of electronics had it in for during the last week and taught me some valuable lessons along the way.

    I began the week shooting footage from the big mascot reveal on Monday and right off the bat I discovered how difficult it can be to run a "one man band." It is easy to focus on a subject when it isn't the invisible man or just a backpack propped up in your place. I wasn't happy with dozens of my takes for being too out of focus and all I kept thinking was there has to be any easy way out of this b.s. I ended up with some decent footage though and enjoyed finding the right locations for my shots, but oh how much I prefer just being behind the camera. It has been a couple decades since I have been on t.v. and I think it may be a couple decades more.In the end, I ended up scrapping most of the first day and found a much more interesting subject on Wednesday.

   I thought it would be fun to attempt using the Youtube video editor to complete this project but found that it was user unfriendly and took an incredible amount of time to upload videos before you could attempt to use its limited services.  I was grateful to scratch something together but wasn't completely happy with the result. That is except for teaching me everything I want to do right the next time I attempt editing a clip. For example, not acting like an idiot trying to download an assortment of apps and just use Adobe Premier from the start. I felt like I was trying to dig a mile-long trench with a plastic spoon. It pays to have the right equipment from the start.

Illustrative - April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Drivers in their 20s are 23 percent of drivers in all fatal crashes, but are 27 percent of the distracted drivers and 38 percent of the dis­tracted drivers who were using cell phones in fatal crashes. (NHTSA) 

     Did you know that 26 percent of all crashes involve cell phone use? It is said the best way to end distracted driving is to educate our friends and neighbors about the dangers it poses and I decided my post should address something I really care about. It is one of my biggest pet peeves and it is not uncommon for me to be screaming down the boulevard at the dozens of people texting down the road every day. I have written letters to the editor and even to Mayor Pike addressing the issue, but so far the publicity campaign in our city is still severely limited.
    I went through several ideas dealing with prescription drug abuse and the homeless struggles in our city before I settled on texting and driving. I am sure creating editorial photos isn't always exciting, but I had a fantastic time figuring out what to do because I was so passionate about the idea. Any one who has traveled in a car with me has probably been annoyed at my preaching and even yelling at them to lose their electronic devices. Even a simple text can change a lifetime. JUST DON'T.
   At first it felt unnatural for me to begin planning a photograph. I have always been of the mind that photography happens naturally and being able to capture the moment is where meaning is derived from. That is another reason I have been resistant to engage in digital editing because I thought what the camera snaps is what you get...win or lose. However, once I began mapping it out, I discovered how much fun it is to be creative about something you care about greatly. Considering the contexts suddenly became easy and help me develop my shot.
     While considering the physical, I wanted it to relate to the university and the students I hope to save from accidents. I had to find a location that would be easily identifiable to the community and also be functional within the shot. I settled on university avenue and wanted to include the street, camera and sign in my frame and the only way to achieve this was a slightly dangerous position just inside the road with traffic whizzing by my feet. I thought about different ways of changing the perspective and settled on a short focal length, but getting the perfect angle to contain every element was challenging. Psychologically, I wanted to create a sense of dread with the broken glass and drops of blood exploding from the street towards the sign. This took a little self-sacrifice and smidge of temporary pain was totally worth it. I wanted to highlight the temporal context by shooting during the day because it relates to the student actions and areas around campus can be extremely dangerous during school hours. Socially, I think we can all relate to that areas of education should be safe zones and anything that jeopardizes that status quo should be alarming. We live in a new electronic culture where everyone can relate to the correlation between cell phones and the use of them on the roadway. It was my hope that the different symbols in this shot would hook the audience into wondering what story I was attempting to tell and it may have worked to well. I shared it with some from friends on April Fool's day and the common response was "WTH?" but at least I know they care!

 

Feature - The Un-Trumpian Republicans

Kasich & his supporters "Never Give Up"

f/5 1/160 sec. ISO-3200 150mm

    The presidential election of 2016 has become a media spectacle like no other in recent history, inspiring the American public to be more active and passionate about their political beliefs. Tempers are flaring on both sides of the aisle as the remaining candidates  Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Ted Cruz and John Kasich battle it out in the daily headlines for position to be the next leader of our country. Unfortunately, rising tensions have given many citizens an excuse to personally attack each other and lose sight of the reasons that make our nation great.

     This election season is something for the history books I have voted for a long time, but never before has my mother promised to skip her family visits and fly right past America if Trump is elected president. On the other side I have my grandfather sell everything ready to go oversees if a democrat makes the White House and these are the reasons you never discuss politics with family!

f/4 1/40 sec. ISO-640 18mm

     Last year, after taking Voice & Civility class with Jennifer Kohler, I decided not to take political news at face value and to seek out my own positions. Regardless of your political affiliation, it seams everyone has an idea what the other party's candidates must look like, but has difficulty translating it into a description. This year I decided to attend my first political town hall this year when the only running candidate, John Kasich, came to greet the public and answer questions at the Dixie Center.

     Because of all the distasteful media coverage this season, some people have have labeled all republicans as gun toting, hood wearing, bigoted rednecks and democrats as communist monsters that will destroy the American dream. I advise you to develop your own opinions. If you are a registered republican, why not attend a democratic convention, or if you plan on stumping for Bernie, take a moment and listen in person what the opposite candidate has in mind. The best way to know a person is to look directly in their eyes and then decide if they are good...or not. Here are the faces of the Un-Trumpian Republicans.

f/4.5 1/125 sec. IS0-3200 120mm

f/5.6 1/125 sec. ISO-3200 300mm

f/5.6 1/100 sec. ISO-3200 300mm

f/5.6 1/100 sec. ISO-3200 300mm

f/5.6 1/80 sec. ISO-3200 300mm

f/5.6 1/80 sec. ISO-3200 300 mm

f/5.6 1//80 sec. ISO-3200 300mm

f/5 1/100 sec. ISO-1600 190mm

f/5.6 1/100 sec. ISO-3200 300mm

f/5.6 1/80 sec. ISO-3200 255mm

f/5.6 1/100 sec. ISO-3200 300mm

f/5 1/100 sec. ISO-3200 210mm

f/5.6 1/80 sec. ISO-2500 55mm

f/5.6 1/100 sec. IS0-3200 300mm

f/5 1/80 sec. ISO-3200 150mm

Hard News - Red Rock and Racers

2016 SKYWEST Mini Indy

f/22 1/40 sec. ISO-160 110mm

Today was the perfect day for some experimental fun with my camera. I had been planning on attending the event for several years and it presented the perfect opportunity to try something different. The great thing about this location was being nearly inside the action and close to so many people having a great time. I went with the intention of focusing on the cars and just playing around with shutter speeds, but found some great bonus stuff along the way.

f/5 1/800 sec. ISO-100  90mm

f/5.6 1/1000 sec. ISO-200 300mm

f/5.6 1/800 sec. ISO-160 300mm

f/5.6 1/1000 sec. ISO-160

f/6.3 1/800 sec. ISO-200 190mm

f/5.6 1/800 sec. ISO-125 300mm

f/5.6 1/800 ISO-100 39mm

f/5.6 1/640 ISO-100 55mm

f/8 1/800 sec. ISO-200 300mm

f/5.6 1/400 sec. 300mm

f/4.5 1/800 sec. 95mm

f/22 1/40 sec. ISO-100 55mm

f/6.3 1/800 sec. ISO-200 190mm

f/5.6 1/640 sec. ISO-100 55m

f/4.5 1/500 sec. ISO-100 130mm

f/6.3 1/800 sec. ISO-250 300 mm

f/5.6 1/1000 sec. ISO-320 240mm

f/5 1/800 sec ISO-250 75mm

f/22 1/40 sec. ISO-160 110mm

f/4 1/1250 sec. ISO-100 75mm

Mini Indy Overflow