lonely swings

awkward stand

walk down the beach

dinner!

swing push

lifeguard eclipse

wine glass

Skinny Dipping

Final Project Mid-Point

These are bad photos but it was just the two of us brain-storming. For the most part I have locations picked out already and those really aren't my concern at the moment. Elissa and I tried to figure out which dance moves she would want to do. Thus far we've come up with a stretching photo, split, and a few others. The idea is to make one continuous sequence throughout different locations in Pittsburgh.

re-Do Assignment: Picture 4

This again is a picture of Elissa, this time in bed. When this photo was taken I had already stopped taking pictures for the assignment and was simply taking pictures of her to annoy her. She happened to look away at the very moment the photo was taken, I remember seeing it on the LCD screen. I really like the idea of the picture. I wish I had taken a few more after I got this one because when it was blown up the quality wasn't that great but it looked really good while small.

re-Do Assignment: Picture 3

This is a picture of my girlfriend, Elissa. We were wandering around downtown and it had rained the day before and that morning (hence her boots) and she decided to jump in some puddles. The lighting was weird in this one as well but I think I fixed it for the most part. I also enjoy the concept of adults jumping in puddles because I feel it's a universal symbol of childhood.

Re-Do Assignment: Picture 2

This is a picture my roommate took of me of me being all surprised in the shower. The lighting came out very orangey before working on it. I think the final image came out much better than the original. I'm still trying to get the hang of Lightroom, but the photo before this definitely help me get a better understanding.

Re-Do Assignment: Picture 1

This is a shot taken of me by my friend Tom a few days after the original portrait assignment was due. I really enjoyed playing with this in Lightroom because there were a lot of different colors to play with and each setting I manipulated I could clearly see the results.

Here is the finished project side-by-side with the original of Alfalfa.

This is the project about halfway through...

This is the original photo of Elissa that I edited down.

For this photo I really enjoy the WRONG WAY sign with all of the beer. I think of it almost as subliminal messaging, not that I have anything against beer. I think this picture would have been better if I could have gotten the delivery flatbed in the picture, because this is barely have the alcohol being loaded into Milano's basement.

I did my best to edit around the cases so that they were brighter and not so much in shadow. You can see the spots where I failed to stay completely in line with the boxes, but for my first attempt I don't think it's too bad.

With this picture I'm try to encapsulate the view of the surrounding area around Duquesne that hasn't changed (ie, Mellon Arena) since I got to school. So much construction has been going on in the area that I believe this is one of the few unchanged views. I like how the construction saw (I think?) cuts part of the picture off because I think he highlights the idea that the area is in a state of change.

I think this picture emphasizes the road of college for many students. It's a long path that fades to almost invisibility in the end. Also, it helps that the flags are Duquesne's colors and representing the school. Aside from the symbolic message of the picture, I really enjoy the geometry of the picture. It's very angular with the rigid lamp posts and outline of the glads, as well as the skywalk above them with it's arching metal support.

With this picture I tried to emphasize the construction and the developmental progress in the background with all of the "stop", "don't do this", "don't go that way" signs in the foreground such as the red light, ONE WAY, and No Left Turn signs.

Potrait Photos Revamped

I had the opportunity to meet up with one of my best friends yesterday on one of the middle-of-nowhere stretches of 76. We pulled over to the side and went hiking up in the endless hills surrounding the high way. It was a much more comfortable experience because I felt more comfortable with positioning him (and he was a more willing subject), and my favorite photos were the ones that weren't planned. Here are my favorite results...

Potrait Photos

I have to say that over all I wasn't pleased with my work. I felt very uncomfortable with going out with the mindset of taking pictures of people. I normally enjoy taking pictures and getting that one good portrait, but that wasn't really an option this time. Some of my later pictures are better than the ones I posted, I'm just not as comfortable with them. After doing the assignment I definitely feel more comfortable taking pre-set up portrait photos and know that I could do better if this assignment was reassigned.

South Side Train Tracks

This is an image of from South Side right next to the jogging/running path that winds along the river. These train tracks are heading towards South Side Works and the Birmingham Bridge.

10th St. Bridge & South Side

This is a picture from the Duquesne Footbridge that captures the 10th St. Bridge into South Side just as sundown is beginning.

Non-Commercial Aruba

This is a picture from the eastern side of Aruba, which is radically different from the commercial, tourist side. The eastern side of the island is a rocky plateau full of beauty formed over thousands of years of volcanic, oceanic, and aerial damage.

This is my current least favorite photo on my camera. It's from my girlfriend's housewarming party and is essentially a waste of space because no one is actually paying attention in this shot. Each person is in the middle of doing their own thing, and the colors of the clothing and the room generally clash.

slinky&shades

This is one of my favorites taken so far - my new pair of orange shades hanging through a slinky I found. It's taken in my dorm room with the camera setting "Party."

"A scientist overlooks an eruption at Mount Etna, one of the world’s most active volcanos. The Sicily, Italy, volcano is almost constantly in a state of eruption.

Photograph by Carsten Peter"

I enjoy this picture because of the color scheme - reds, oranges, yellows. The magma firework in the background attests to the wonder and strength of the volcano. Additionally, I enjoy the sharp yet tiny image of the small man, which displays how small man is compared to the power of nature.

First Post

Welcome to my blog. It is going to be full of amazing pictures and information eventually so everyone should stay tuned.