"Earth Day Photo Contest"

What did you on April 20, 2012? Do you actually know what day it is?

It was the Earth day! It was on last Friday, and some of you may have noticed that there were a few exciting thing going on campus. (I saw a big metal wheel-shaped thing in front of the HUB, did you?) Well other than the exciting performances, there was one event for Earth Day that caught my attention.

Photographers and filmmakers, the EPA wants you! As part of its Earth Day activities, the Environmental Protection Agency is launching an interactive film and photography project: Submit your own videos and photographs documenting what your doing to protect the water you drink, what steps your taking to reduce air pollution, and how you're contributing to the overall health of your community: Video on You Tube, Photos on FlickrVideo entries should be submitted via YouTube, in the following categories: Reducing your carbon footprint, conserving and protecting water, protecting the environment, and reduce reuse recycle.

Photo entries should be submitted via Flickr, in the following categories: People and the environment, the beauty of nature, wildlife.

Submissions are open between now and the end of April.

You may think, oh there is no need for me to try this out. However, it is a great way to try out taking pictures. These people are giving out opportunities to actually take pictures related to a theme. You do not have to be a professional to actually take good pictures. The freshest starter's mind is actually the greatest asset in anything! You beginners are the ones who have the ability to give your own taste in taking pictures. You might bring something new to the world of photography! So, why not give it a shot? Of course, you might not get a prize on your first entry, but you might find it actually fun and enjoyable to take pictures. Just try out, and it will be more than you expected.

"Light Trail Shots"

When I was fooling around with my camera, I tried to capture the light trails created from the lights in my room. It was great training to know how to use the camera manually and to experiment with shooting in low light at longer exposures. You do not need a particular type of camera but just a camera that allows for the controlling of the exposure shutter speed. There are no perfect aperture and shutter speed settings to capture a light trail because the result will be different every time. However, I’ve found that usually shooting at shutter speeds between 5 seconds to 10 seconds and 1600-2400 ISO work most of the times. If it does not work, try a few test shots to see how the exposure works. You will figure it out easily. Also, do not worry about the blurriness and the lack of focus because you are not taking a picture of a specific object so it does not matter whether the exposure is long or short. The next thing you have to consider is the timing. There is no right or wrong way to time your shot. Hitting the shutter and releasing it can create a lovely unbroken line – but sometimes shooting with shorter exposure times while the camera is in the frame can be effective also. Once again it’s about experimenting with different timings and seeing what effects it produces. It is not difficult to take it unless you know the timing of the light and the setting. Once you know how to take the light trail pictures, try creative perspectives, angles, and locations. You may feel that I am being vague with my words, but in the end, personal experience will be the best teacher.

The next few pictures are my highschool house party pictures.

"Photographer Kim Jung-Man"

Photos: from Kim's website

     Kim Jung-Man is a famous photographer from South Korea. He has been taking pictures since he was in his late 20s. He worked as a commercial photographer. Throughout most of his highly successful 30-year career, he still wants to push himself, and decided to challenge himself in sharing the beauty of Africa and started a project called “Africa! Africa!”

     Before we talk about his project, I want to talk about a short introduction of this photographer. He was born in 1954, and was raised for a large part of his youth in the rural outskirts of Burkina Faso, West Africa. He then moved to France to study art and photography.

From:potforlio "African! Africa!"

“I grew up in Africa,” Kim says. “And I’ve been all around the world, trekking through deserts and places I never dreamed of. Kim chose to explore his roots a little deeper. All those years outside his boundary had taken its toll and stirred in him a restless need to find inner peace and get to the heart of who he was. He continually pushes the boundaries of his art and it seems every personal project he takes on is pursued with overwhelming respect.

From: "Africa! Africa!"

     Finally, he started the project “Africa! Africa” with many Korean celebrities and a volunteer organization called KOICA (KOICA stands for the Korea International Cooperation Agency, a state-run relief organization that sends some 1,000 skilled volunteers around the world annually to help improve education and health conditions in third-world countries - KOICA website) The 56-year old photographer is currently traveling South Africa, Kenya, Tunisia, Botswana, and Zambia with KOICA volunteers to capture the everyday lives of the local residents.
     “From time to time, I will travel to two to three of those countries for about 20 days,” Kim said.
     He learned that there is much more in life to capture and tell other people after witnessing environmental destruction and poverty in Africa.

"Are you having fun taking picture?"

     Pictures, some might take them to treasure a moment. Some might take pictures to cherish memories that they want to tell others later on, one scene after another.

     As much as I do now as I have ever since I was young, I loved carrying a small camera with me. Looking here and there, browsing the world around me for pictures that I may later find to be pleasing and extravagant. The fact that anything I see and notice can be saved with a push of a small button thrilled and excited me.

     However, it is not exactly the same anymore. My love and curiosity for photography has been replaced with expectations and goals, always comparing the pictures that once brought me personal pleasure with that of others, seeing if mine were better or worse, regardless of personal preference. I slowly began to lose the pure enthusiasm that I had. I was stressed.

     Photography is highly subjective as well as objective, so there is no need to worry about other people's opinions. However, as having been a school photographer and school yearbook editor, I came to know that sending a message to a person by objectifying the photo is not as easy as it seems. To influence others without words nor letters but one rectangular picture is challenging indeed… For people who have been raised in different environments they have different values and ideas, making it much harder to share feelings with others through one photograph.

     While it is true that as long as you feel pleased and satisfied with your pictures, there is no need to consider others' thoughts, the fact that there is more meaning when you can share the same message with others does it make the subject of your picture and the photo itself more valuable.

     Looking back at my photos and my hobby of photography, I notice that I become the most honest and even at my most expressive when I took pictures. I don't overdo my actions nor do I fake my feelings. I just follow my instincts, looking at objects as I feel like seeing them. However, despite numerous tries, most of the pictures I take do not satisfy me.

     The thing is, when I look into my photos I see me. The way I see life and the world; a perspective that I have forgotten while being thrown into the busy life of a college student.

Maybe, it’s the reason that I could become myself again, and maybe that’s why I love photography.

    

    

              

    

 

 

"My new lens"

I bought a camera lens for my birthday last week. (Yes, I bought something for myself on my birthday don’t sympathies me!!!! haha)

Anyway, it is Cannon EF 100mm F2.8 L IS USM Macro lens. This lens is a hybrid lens that is designed to take two distinct of subject. So I don’t have to switch my lens whenever I take a really close up shot. So last weekend, I went to my friend’s house to test my new lens. Since he has a lot of pets in his house and office. (Seriously, a lot.) I had fun taking some action pictures and interesting stuff.

He has a big salt water aquarium tank in his office and they look gorgeous. With my new lens I could take a picture without changing my angles to avoid the reflection of the glass. This puffer fish looked at me and was not afraid of me at all. So I had a couple good shots of him. One of benefits of this lens is that it allows me to focus much closer and get a higher magnification ratio ( 1:1 ). This was especially beneficial when I was taking pictures of the

          Next in line were these, much smaller fish. Taking these two pictures were so easy but at the same time hard to focus on the subjects because they were afraid of me and swam away so quickly. Since, you are zoomed up close to the subject, it is hard to follow the subject when it is moving.

And the next pets that my friend showed me were reptiles.

This guy’s name is ‘fat tail’ as you can see he does have a fat tail. The macro lens makes your pictures perfectly clear and focused. You can even see his scales clearly!

Lastly, the waterdragon.

I thought this animal was facinating. Always wanted to have a reptile like this one but as soon as I saw his dinner, I wanted to consider it one more time.

This was a good looking water dragon

This is him during dinner time. Yes, he is eating a mouse. It was very curel but at the same time the picture turned out really nice. Poor little mouse.

After I saw this smile after his bloody meal at the end,

I renamed him “The joker”

“Why so serious?”

 

 

 

 

 

Well, that was my day with my new lens and I really like it. It is easy to carry around and because it is a hybrid lens, I can take regular pictures without any extra moves. A great birthday present for me.

"Death and life"

March 21/22, 2012

A day of gloom, full of work but nothing done,

a fight with mounting stress, all alone.

Looking over old pictures and having to write my blog,

I come across two that will fit my monologue.

A bird that used to fly freely,

and a rose that used to radiate bright red

but the thing is, sadly,

that they are all dead.

Those who lived, now gone without a sign,

will that happen to me, nothing left behind?

I wonder death, so vague and so huge,

but not afraid, just curious what might be there, waiting for both me and you.

but set that aside, for I am still young,

also my friends and family, and my forever one.

"Rule of Thirds"

Many pictures have their subject placed right in the middle. You should focus on the subject when you take photo but placing the subject smack in the middle can make the image boring and uninteresting. However, just changing the composition can make the pictures much better.

Perhaps the most common and popular principle in photography is the Rule Of Third. It is from artistic rules that imaginary lines are drawing dividing the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically.

Like this the image is breaking down into 9 parts.

      When you take the pictures, you should imagine this grid and consider placing points of interest as you frame your image. You place the important element of your composition where these lines intersect.

It gives you four lines that useful to place the subject.

    By placing objects over these intersections, it balances the picture horizontally and vertically. Not only will this— enable a viewer to interact with it more naturally. Because according to online photography site, “Studies have shown that when viewing images that people’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection points most naturally rather than the center of the shot – using the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an image rather than working against it.”

     Rule of Thirds is a useful rule but it not a real rule at all. It is a guideline that helps you to take the advantage of better placement of elements in your photos.  Be creative! Try different angles/perspective and go out have fun take pictures :)

(House in the center)

(Different placement—more to the left)

(To the right)

This kind of simple change makes the picture different.

(Photos from google image)

"Photo Story"

Being Good Friends...

  

We may get too tired of each other.

Fight over the littlest things,

frustrated by the most trivial.

But we will shake hands once more

going back to our old, goofy ways.

relying on each other.

The long, distressing road ahead,

it will be nothing with your pair of trusting eyes and smile.

That is what you are, my friend.

(Photos: Yun Shik Park and self-timmer)

"Understanding the lenses"

Today, I’d like to talk about camera lenses.

When you take a picture, or purchase a camera or its lens, understanding camera lens can help add more creativity and diversity to one’s picture. Using the right lens provides advantage in getting better pictures too.

There are three basic types of camera lenses: standard, wide angle and telephoto. "The power of a camera lens is measured in millimeters and is known as the focal length of a lens."(from wiki) The standard/normal lens is generally 18 – 55mm focal length for a normal 35mm camera. Any camera lens with a shorter focal length than this is considered to be a wide angle lens and any lens with a longer focal length is considered a telephoto lens.



Standard lens(google image)



·       Normal/Standard Lens: A normal lens shows most accurately what a normal human eye will see. 50mm is a typical normal focal length. It is not that expensive (around $200-400). And easy to carry these kind of lenses, because they are small and light. You can use it any kind of situation.



Wide lens(google image)

·         Wide Lens: A wide lens captures a wider area so it can be use for talking landscape photos and large group pictures. It is shorter-than-normal/standard focal lengths. The most common focal length for a wide angled lens are 24mm and 28mm.

Telephto lens(google imgage)

·         Telephoto Lens: This lens is the opposite of the wide lens. It is great for taking far away objects pictures.(Like sports pictures or taking pictures of UFO) Any way, these lens are longer than standard focal lengths around 70mm-300mm.

Other lens type:

Most people will have heard of a Macro Lens. These lenses are used for close up photography. They are able to focus a lot closer to the subject. Common focal lengths are 50/55mm to 90/100/105mm. The optical quality of a macro lens is normally very high.

Fisheye lens are use to take 180 degree view angle pictures. It looks exactly like a fisheye. The angle distorts the photograph so the four sides appear to be farther away.

There are so many different types of camera lens, so when you buy a new camera lens, think about what you want to take and what you need. Variety of lens can provide more fun and more different types of pictures as well.