2016 May » You Can Sleep When You're Dead: Blog by Colleen Miniuk

Behind the Image: NAU Guest Blogger – Amelia Krieg

May 162016

Photo copyright Amelia Krieg

Recently I fell into a slump and struggled with figuring out exactly what I enjoyed taking pictures of and what styles kept me excited for the next frame. It frustrated me a great deal that I started to dread taking pictures and receiving assignments when I used to love photography. I even dreaded doing the assignment that this photo relates to and, in all honesty, the picture that I first took was done in fifteen minutes and was all kinds of awful. The only good thing about it was how creepy and unsettling it was which, reflecting back, actually made me excited about it even though the technique I used was awful and the photo was poorly exposed. It inspired me to carry on with this style of photography.

And so that leads me to this photo. I was immensely grateful over the fact that I had a second shot at perfecting this and took the appropriate time and effort to ensure that I got a photo I was pleased with. This photo is the first photo to light a fire in me that I had not felt in a great deal of time. It comforted me to know that I still had it in me and the fact that I could pinpoint exactly what excited me about shooting this picture helped. It was creepy and experimental and hopefully off-putting for those that view it, which is why I love it. The overall affect that I intended for it was to make people stop and think about what the subject was and try and figure out what was happening. I enjoyed the element of mystery and hope that it translates well onto an audience.

I used the dragging shutter technique for this photograph with a flash in order to freeze two actions. Shutter drag can be used a multitude of ways but the specific idea that I wanted involved having the entire photo sharp rather than blurring certain aspects of the photo, which I believe makes it more creepy and unsettling. I used myself as the model and set the camera and flash on tripods around me. The only light source is the flash which was placed slightly below me to my left. I played around with timing of the shutter but this one ended up being six seconds long. The ISO was 100, the focal length was 34mm, and the aperture was f/10. The biggest thing I did in post-processing was remove the light from my flash trigger and made it black and white to add to the dramatic effect of the photo.

About the Photographer:

I am Amelia Krieg and I am a sophomore at Northern Arizona University. I am majoring in Visual Communication with an emphasis in Graphic Design and a minor in Photography. I started taking pictures with a point-and-shoot camera in junior high and then received a Nikon D40 in my first year of high school. In my second year of high school I took my first photography class which actually involved using a film SLR (I had a Minolta Maxxum 5000) and learning black and white photography and developing techniques. I adore film photography and hope to one day return to it, but for now I will continue to use my Nikon D5100 and take creepy pictures.

To read more about the Northern Arizona University “Behind the Image: Guest Blogger” project on our blog, please read the introduction at youcansleepwhenyouredead.com/wordpress/4th-annual-northern-arizona-university-behind-the-image-guest-blogger-project. Please take a minute to leave your thoughts and constructive comments in the Comment section below – Amelia would love to hear from you!

Behind the Image: NAU Guest Blogger – Emily Gaudet

Guest Blogger, Making the Image No Responses »

May 162016

Photo copyright Emily Gaudet

As I scrolled through ideas of high-speed liquid photography, an article caught my eye: “Forget pop art, this is DROP ART! Amateur photographer captures amazing images of artworks – and some cartoon favorites – captured in split-second splashes of water… Israeli policeman Arik Kfir makes incredible images in his kitchen using an IV bag and a glass of water”. Mr. Kfir captures everything from the Mona Lisa to Mickey Mouse in water droplets, and his backgrounds are beautifully out of focus. I was so impressed, and I thought yes! This is what I want to try!

The set up took me at least half an hour. I used the seat of a wooden chair to fasten a baggie full of a dripping water overtop my black plastic bowl, which was on the floor. I pulled out my large Frida Kahlo book that contains all of her works of art, chose an iconic self-portrait, turned the book upside down, and placed it behind the bowl resting on the legs of the chair. I was convinced I would capture her face in a water droplet. After shooting some pictures, I found my first problem: the book was too close to the bowl. To move the bowl farther away, I also had to move the water baggie. Consequently, I made my set up even more precarious. I got a long white board and set it up like a diving board off the chair. I used something heavy to anchor it and then I fastened the baggie of dripping water to the end of the plank, which gave me about 6 inches more of space between background and bowl. I set up my external flash on the lowest possible setting and aimed it at the book. I taped two gels to the flash, one-half teal and one-half red just for fun. I felt my regular tripod was too tall, and after attempting to use my bendy pocket tripod, I resorted to hand held. Because this assignment required manual focus, I had to place a pen across the center of the bowl to approximate where the drop would fall and adjust my lens focus there.

I could not capture what Arik Kfir captured. There were so many factors. My mind felt tired, and my body felt tired. It was not a good idea to set this up on the floor! After laying on my stomach trying to get the shot, my neck and back muscles were sore. The water droplets were nowhere near regular. The levels of the bowl versus the background image were off, so I would stack notebooks under the bowl to try to remedy the problem. There was more than one occasion where I would touch something wrong and my entire set up would collapse, splashing water on everything. The manual focus was slowing me and making it very hard to shoot more than a few pictures at a time. Finally, I gave up on Frida and I gave up on the baggie full of water. In addition, sadly, I gave up on capturing a face in a drop. My 18-55mm kit lens was not going to do it, so I focused my energies on just capturing high-speed liquid. I grabbed a dosing syringe and I chose my Gustav Klimt book, which like the Frida book has many large reproductions of his work. I chose The Kiss, because it has always been one of my favorite paintings. I remember seeing it in my parents’ bedroom growing up. The syringe gave me much more powerful drops, and I actually captured some water crowns. After about two and half hours, 600 images, having to clear my card multiple times, I took some images I love. I have amazing Frida Kahlo mess-ups.

The picture I am sharing has The Kiss in the background with a few droplets captured. My camera’s settings were 1/200, f /5.0, 42mm and ISO 3200. The Kiss shows a man and woman in an embrace, and despite both of them encapsulated in a gold shawl, circles cover the woman’s figure and rectangles cover the man’s figure, distinguishing the two. I think the two gels on my external flash echo the duality of the painting, half the light is warm tones and half is cool tones. The droplets split in visual halves: half painting, half water. Even though I did not achieve what I originally wanted, I learned so much and got some awesome pictures.

About the Photographer:

My name is Emily Gaudet, I am an Advertising student at NAU. I spent my entire life in Phoenix, AZ. My high school did not have photo courses, so I did not discover my love for photography until college. As an extremely right-brained person with looming student loan debt, I think photography is an excellent, marketable skill to have (and not to mention fun!). I use a Canon T5 and mainly edit on Lightroom. My goal is to create pieces that a wide variety of people will enjoy. Nature and cities interacting, humanity, and small coincidences inspire me.

Behind the Image: NAU Guest Blogger – Kiely Sutton

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May 152016

“Something Wicked Comes This Way” || Photo copyright Kiely Sutton

“Something Wicked This Way Comes “

The way the photo turned out was exactly how I pictured it in my head. When I heard of the assignment to produce a photo using off camera flash with a modifier, I was ecstatic. Knowing that I would need an off camera flash in order to be in the class, I previously decided to go all out and buy not one- but two off camera flashes as well as four umbrellas, two flash stands, and an awesome new camera bag to carry all of my equipment. Because I had all the equipment I needed handy, I gave my neighbor Noe a call to utilize her beautiful face (and first floor apartment). I wanted my photo to give the viewer a sense of mystery, something more than just the average portrait. In order to achieve this, I set up an off camera flash with an umbrella about four feet away from the window. I wanted the lighting on the subject to be completely different from the lighting outside the window. While I was trying to get the light on the subject how I wanted it, I started to notice that as I corrected the light in the foreground, the red hues in the background deepened. The eerie feel that the deep orange lights gave was the icing on the cake.

After setting up the flash outside the window, I set the flash to 1/125 so the flash did not overpower the photograph. I then set my Nikon d3100 on a tripod and adjusted my settings so the camera was at a shutter speed of 1/100 with an aperture of 7.1. I kept my ISO rather low at around 200 due to the crisp flash that would give light to the subject. I was at a focal length of 24 while using my 18-55mm lens; I did this so I could get enough of the background while still having a strong focus on the subject. After I finally captured this stunning image, it was time for the post processing. I used only Photoshop to edit the photo and because I shot in RAW, I was able to complete more advanced adjustments. I retouched the skin and decreased the saturation slightly while increasing the vibrancy slightly. There was not much to edit after that as I successfully captured the image with the right tones and clarity that I envisioned.

About the Photographer:

My love for photography sprouted when my father and I went on a road trip to Las Vegas when I was fourteen. He showed me around the strip; the lights at night, the beautiful people, everything excited me… And I took photos of it all. The photos that I took while in Vegas sparked my interest and from that moment on, I was a photographer. I took photos of anything and everything— whether that was people, landscapes, objects, whatever I could take a photo of, I did. I slowly started to develop a love of on location portraiture. This love has guided me to so many amazing experiences including interning with fashion photographers, shooting high school graduations, and most importantly working towards a Bachelor’s degree in Photography. Taking these photography classes has advanced my skills concerning post processing, camera operations, and much, much more. I am so grateful to be at NAU amongst these incredibly talented photographers.

Behind the Image: NAU Guest Blogger – Megan Vey

Guest Blogger, Making the Image 1 Response »

May 152016

Photo copyright Megan Vey

“The Descending Sun”

Now, I know what you’re thinking “oh gosh, another photo of a sunset.” I do agree that photographs of sunsets are over done, but I also understand why they are so commonly viewed and photographed. There is just something so majestic about sunsets; maybe it’s the beautiful colors, or maybe it’s the feeling one gets from watching the sun sink below the horizon. Sunsets can provoke thoughts and memories within one’s self. Sunsets are often connected with relaxation because it is a time of day when everything starts winding down. I like to think of the sunset as more of a symbol. The sunset can be a couple different symbols; the ending of a day, the closing of a chapter, or the battle between good and evil (light and darkness). I enjoy finding symbolism in things; whether it is a book, a movie, or a piece of art. I love finding hidden meanings, even if the hidden meaning was not intended. It is kind of like unearthing another part of the story. Understanding a story without recognizing the symbols is possible; but knowing the symbols and their meaning makes the story that much more interesting. It is the same for a photograph. A photograph could be beautiful without a story or a meaning behind it. But, when a photograph tells a story or has a meaning it is just that much better. Of course not everyone feels that way and that is fine, that is just my opinion on things.

This photograph represents light and darkness. Observe the battle between light and darkness in the sunset and shadows, but also the clouds. Some of the clouds are white and some of them are dark grey. I have always enjoyed photographs that kind of play with the lighting. A photographer can create any mood by changing the lighting and playing with the shadows. This photograph could have turned out very different if I adjusted my exposure or added an additional light source in the foreground.

I took this photograph in Sedona, Arizona while I was off-roading with some of my friends. I am so glad we decided to go right before sunset, so I could capture this image. I shot this photograph with a Canon Rebel T3 using the normal kit lens. My aperture is a little higher so I could get a bit of a sunburst. In post processing, I enhanced the shadows to get a dark feeling from the photograph.

About the Photographer

My name is Megan Vey and I am a junior at Northern Arizona University. I am majoring in anthropology and minoring in museum studies and photography. One day, I would like to be a museum curator. I am minoring in photography because I do not remember a time when I did not love capturing a moment. I have always loved looking at photographs. My parents have framed posters size photographs of Yosemite National Park taken by Ansel Adams and I think those photographs play a role in why I love shooting landscapes. I also enjoy shooting wildlife and I occasionally dabble in studio portraiture. I think my love of adventure and traveling also play a role in why I shoot landscape photography. I like capturing what I see on my travels so when I print the images I remember what it feels like to be there. The photograph triggers a memory and I instantly relax with a smile on my face. That’s why I love photography; the freezing of a memory.

Behind the Image: NAU Guest Blogger – Darian Gibbs

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May 142016

Photo copyright Darian Gibbs

When I decided to take this photo, it was really just a spontaneous urge. I was waiting for my sister and her roommates to finish getting ready, since they wanted me to take their college senior photos for them. I was standing out in her dining room with my camera just taking pictures of items in her apartment to pass the time. I looked around and realized that the light coming in from the window next to the table was phenomenal and knew I had to use it for something, when my eyes fell on the cup I’d been using during my stay. This is actually the first shot I took of it, and I spent the next fifteen minutes trying different angles and exposures to see if I could capture something I liked better, but I couldn’t. This picture is a little bit different in composition than what I’ve taken in the past, in that it’s completely centered. I generally make an effort to remember the rule of thirds when I set up a shot, and usually end up finding that objects look better off to the side, but this one was different. I tried repeatedly to get a shot I liked better that involved the cup not centered, but not a single one looked quite right. I’m a big fan of simple yet elegant photos, which is often what I try to convey through my work, and it’s what I like to think I achieved through this shot.

The camera I used is a Canon Rebel XTi with an 18 – 55mm zoom lens. The room I was in at the time didn’t have any lights on, so the only light source was the natural light coming in from the windows in the apartment, which made getting the exposure for the picture a little difficult. I really wanted a shallow depth of field for the shot, so I got about a foot away from the top of the cup and had my camera at f/4.5. However, this left me with putting my ISO all the way up to 1600 and lowering my shutter speed to 1/15 sec in order to get the right exposure. As far as post-processing goes, I mostly brought up the contrast to get the wood of the table to pop more, and then brought up the highlights a bit. My favorite part of the picture was the nice, soft window light illuminating the cup, so I tried my best to focus on trying to accurately portray what I was seeing in person when I was applying anything to the photo.

About the Photographer:

I like to spend a lot of time outdoors, as I’m a decently active person, and I fell in love with landscapes initially as a result. Eventually what I realized that I liked about shooting landscapes was the feeling of serenity and simplicity I found in them. This led me to focusing a bit more on macro photography as well as landscape, since I find the same kind of mood created in simple, elegant shapes as it is in landscapes. I’m also a huge fan of using a shallow depth of field in my photography when shooting close up objects, because I like the sense of distance that it creates in a photo, and it’s how I imagine actually seeing something.

When I was younger, I never really envisioned myself getting very involved in photography, since it seemed to me that any good picture taken, had already been shot. How was I supposed to create something better? My outlook slowly started to change around my junior year of high school, after I’d taken a couple art classes. I began to start seeing all the beautiful sights around me, and had a ridiculously strong urge to capture them, but on paper. I wanted to draw everything I found beautiful so I could remember it. Obviously, that’s not really possible to do at any given moment, so I turned to photography as a means of preserving those beautiful moments for later when I would have a chance to recreate them, which is how I slowly got addicted to looking through a lens.

Behind the Image: NAU Guest Blogger – Matthew Carlin

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May 142016

Photo copyright Matthew Carlin

My friends and I go to the skateparks around Flagstaff quite often. I don’t skate as much as they do but will bring a board just to fool around with. Regardless, I always bring my camera everywhere I go. Essentially my job within my friend group is to take pictures of them and make them look as cool as possible. It also helps build my portfolio and gain experience in many different circumstances. In this case, the setting sun cast shadows from the trees over most of the park. My main goal was to capture photos of them skating while overcoming the shadows and direct sunlight. I also wanted to experiment with the 8mm Rokinon fisheye lens while getting a good overall composition including stopped, but implied movement.

In order to prep for my shot, I set my sensitivity to 400 due to the shadows and fading light and adjusted the aperture on my lens to f/16 in order to get the background generally in focus and so it didn’t darken or lighten the composition too much. As a result of my higher sensitivity in daylight and my want to stop motion, I set my shutter at 1/1600 of a second. I was using one of the newer bodies I had just received, a Canon Rebel SL1 or 100D which uses a cropped sensor. Both of my friends were coming up and over a box at the same time so I positioned myself right on top of it inches to the right. this way I would get the line from the coping in the shot as well. There is a group of skaters at the end of the drawn out line of the coping that I had to manipulate slightly. I obviously couldn’t just yell at anyone in the park to do as I told them, if so I would have asked them to leave the shot. I asked them if they could move slightly to their left to align with the coping. This also provided a source of leading to the photograph. It was also important that I incorporated the sun into the image as well as the surrounding tree line. This was easy given I was using the fisheye which has an extremely wide field of view. I shot as soon as they were going to come up and over the ledge until they were out of frame. This gave me many options and choices to look at as far as body style, positioning, and distance closer and farther from the subjects. In the end this is the Image that I came up with, my lens being approximately 8 inches from where the first subject closed the box.

About the Photographer:

My name is Matthew Carlin. I am currently a Sophomore at Northern Arizona University as a double major in Graphic Design and Photography. I am originally from San Diego, California and have been interested in photography and filming since junior high school. My first camera was a GoPro and using it while surfing opened the door to what I want to do for the rest of my life. Today I enjoy shooting HDR, landscapes, people, and wildlife. I find that the best way to discover what you really love is to become experienced in as many fields as possible. Overall, I truly enjoy long exposure and Oceanscape photography.

Behind the Image: NAU Guest Blogger – Ramon Ramirez

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May 132016

Photo copyright Ramon Ramirez

As a photographer, I am constantly thinking about what I should do and where I should go to capture my next favorite image. I usually like to plan out my adventures of exploration ahead of time, but I broke that habit in the creation of this photograph by driving up Mt. Humphreys for no reason other than to see what kind of pictures I could get. Once I got as high up as I could drive, I got out of my car and scanned the area I was in. It was around five o’clock, so golden hour was about to start setting in.

The view I had was especially breath taking, which naturally led me to taking quite a few landscape shots. As much as I enjoy landscapes, I still prefer to take pictures with human subjects in them. Since I was alone, I had to use myself as a model for any picture I took where I wanted one. I spent about an hour and a half just walking around and taking different pictures as the sun gradually lowered.

After I felt satisfied with what I captured, I got in my car to start driving back home. Just before I was about to leave, a vision for another picture popped into my head. I put this idea into action by backing my car towards the scenic view I had and laying down in the back of my car. I then took my camera out once more to take a point of view shot. Once I captured that image, I knew for sure that I got what I came there for. The camera I used was a Canon 5d Mark II with a 50mm lens. I used an aperture of f/5, a shutter speed of 1/80 of a second, and an ISO of 100. I’ll admit that I am a sucker for the vintage film style, so in post processing I made it look like a worn picture by adding grain, lifting the shadows, and altering the colors with the help of some presets that I purchased. I was more than pleased with the end result. The picture says a little bit about the life I lead. I lay in my car carefree with the back hatch open as I enjoy the beautiful weather and take in the nature in front of me.

About the Photographer:

My name is Ramon Ramirez, and I am an 18 year old freshman attending Northern Arizona University majoring in visual communication and minoring in photography. I bring my camera with me whenever I do something other than every day activities. I have taken photo classes, done portraits for friends, and taken pictures at a wedding which all has helped me grow as a photographer. I prefer to photograph people in natural environments because it creates a sense of lifestyle. As far as process goes, I usually try and capture pictures with a foreground, middle ground, and background so that my images have depth to them. I also try to follow the guidelines of good composition for photography, such as simplicity and rule of thirds. My work is different than others because I create photojournalistic styled pictures that have a moody feeling attached to them. As an artist, I aspire to become a professional freelance photographer without compromising my style. My biggest inspiration is an old acquaintance of mine named Trey who has grown to become an exceptional photographer with the style that I have adopted myself.

Behind the Image: NAU Guest Blogger – Kendra Horsfield

Guest Blogger, Making the Image 3 Responses »

May 132016

Photo copyright Kendra Horsfield

People often forget what nature truly looks like. Few areas still exist where animals are free to roam as they please without human interruption. Zion National Park is a serene habitation where humans can wander freely among wild animals without disrupting their environment. As a huge advocate for animal rights, I chose this picture to spread awareness of how animals should be left unbothered in their natural habitats. The absolute tranquility and beauty that Zion National Park embodies, was an inspiration in itself to capture images that would further share its stunning ambiance.

The deer at Zion National Park are fairly comfortable with the presence of humans; therefore finding a deer feeding was not a difficult feat. However, getting close enough to the deer to have a very focused and sharp shot proved to be rather troublesome. It took me a while to get as close as I could to the deer without scaring her off and ruining the picture. Once I did get close enough, there were only a couple of moments to take a good picture with the perfect frame of the deer eating up close and deer wandering in the background.

I took my camera everywhere with me on this camping trip, and while it was a hassle to carry while hiking extremely difficult paths; the pictures were all worth it. I witnessed the stunning scenery in every single part of the park, yet it still did not draw my attention in as much as the animals did. My entire life I have obsessed over wild animals, so you can only imagine the child-like excitement I possessed when I was around a ton of wild animals. The entire trip I envisioned a picture of a deer eating in the foreground with several other deer in the background, and it took me about 350 pictures and 4 days of trying before I finally captured the right moment.

In order to capture this image I had my camera set at an ISO of 800, a shutter speed at 1/80 and an f-stop of 4.8. I chose to set my aperture at a wide setting of 4.8 because I wanted the background of the image to be blurry, in order to set more focus on the subject. This shallow depth of field definitely draws more attention to the main deer and creates a more appealing picture. It was a very dark and gloomy day when I took this picture, so to keep an even exposure I bumped up the ISO to 800.

About the Photographer:

I am a Business Marketing and Photography Major at Northern Arizona University. I was raised in Southern California in a multi-cultured home. My interest for photography began in high school where I was under the instruction of an amazing teacher and photographer.

I am passionate about the outdoors and adventure, and I am known for making my own trails to explore new areas. My curiosity for the unknown and interest in rare and unique occasions, drives my yearn to be a photographer.

My friends often times ask me why I spend so much time trying to capture an image instead of just enjoying it in the moment, and my answer is simply because I love the moment so much I want to make it immortal. I hope that one day I can be a freelance photographer capturing special moments all over the world.

Behind the Image: NAU Guest Blogger – Sydney Troxell

Guest Blogger, Making the Image 1 Response »

May 122016

Photo copyright Sydney Troxell

As I hiked along these heavenly creations, the crisp Utah air whisked atop my 1982 UCLA Rose Bowl windbreaker, feeling free as a bird with my best friends by my side and my camera barreling along with us, as if it were apart of me. I heard my name called from a distance and I looked up to find Jordan, my roommate, enveloped by this beautiful rock creation, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. In disbelief, I quickly grabbed my camera to hopefully capture what was before my eyes. Holding my Canon T5 18-55mm, sitting at 18mm with the ISO at 640, I brought my eye to see through the lens and bang there it was, my moment in time captured at 1/200 of a second. It’s the one photograph that I find the most satisfaction in amongst my gallery of photos. The effortless moments seem to reflect the most accurate depiction of what I see through my eyes.

Capturing the beauty of nature is a difficult feat. Becoming the eye of the beholder is something I strive for in my photography. Looking at a photograph should conjure up some sort of emotion or feeling within someone, which is why I chose this this image in particular. The dramatic beauty of this enormous structure was humbling. Witnessing something so much greater than myself made the essence of this picture worth its moment, now its memory. Pictures are so precious in life because that specific moment in time will essentially never happen that exact same way ever again. Wild to think about but so true in a sense. My trip to Moab, Utah would not have been the same without my handy dandy Canon by my side. Then there’s that sunspot. I will admit though I once had a negative outlook on it, now I do believe is what makes it unique, and in the moment. I decided not to alter the image from its original moment because I believe an organic shot is what gives a photo depth and tells a story in an instant. One look and you know the beginning, middle and end because of the emotion brought forth when we look at a photograph.

Writing about my picture has really made me come to realize that every picture taken should have a reason or purpose, because essentially anyone can take a photograph nowadays. Technology has broadened the horizons of channeling people’s inner artist and with this photo and that trip I really felt as though I did just this.

About the Photographer:

As for me I’m just a 19 year old girl with an optimistic soul. Photography has always been a passion of mine my whole life. I’ve always been capturing moments and sharing them with those around me. I enjoy bringing bliss into the lives of those around me and photos always seem to bring effortless happiness. From the gal who looks through the eye of the lens for most of my free time I truly encourage everyone to look up every once in a while and embrace the beautiful world around us because we miss a whole lot when we aren’t aware of our surroundings. Photography create moments, shares moments, and captures moments. It’s truly a beautiful thing and that is why I love what I do.

Behind the Image: NAU Guest Blogger – Alyssa Tavison

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May 122016

Photo copyright Alyssa Tavison

I created this image because I wanted to create a nature portrait that captured the beauty of a person against the amazing nature scenery of Flagstaff, Arizona. Flagstaff has several places for optimal photo-shoots, but I chose to shoot this photo up on the popular Mars Hill that overlooks the Flagstaff city. Instead of shooting the parked where cars, we ventured into the Coconino National Forest by Lowell Observatory until we stumbled upon a great lookout spot with some fading sunshine. It was on the cliffs edge with enough wide open space that the light peaked through the trees in the background.

I wanted to make Hannah, the woman in my photo feel beautiful in these photographs when she viewed them. I think that everyone is beautiful and I want him or her to feel beautiful and that is the message I try to communicate through my photography.

To create this image I used a Canon EOS Rebel T5 camera. I had my camera set to ISO 100 with my aperture at 4.5 and my shutter speed was at 1/125 of a second. My focal length was set to 20mm and I was four feet away from Hannah. I used my favorite lens the Polaroid Studio Series .43x Super Wide Angle Lens MACRO 5258mm. I also used my external flash the Altura Flash APC1001 and had an orange filter on it. I used an orange filter on my flash because I wanted to create a beautiful sunset feel coupled with the actual sunset that was taking place. The sky was slightly blue but I also wanted a strong sun ray presence. I love the way the orange filter adds a glow to peoples skin. It really transforms someone’s complexion in a photo, instead of looking somewhat pale; they look sun kissed and vibrant.

After I captured this image I used post processing through Lightroom to enhance my photo to add even more drama to make it more stunning. I brought down the temperature of the photo and brought up the tint so the sky would appear bluer. I also brought down the exposure, contrast and highlights slightly because the sun was pretty intense at that moment. I boosted the whites and the shadows. I also boosted the clarity, vibrancy, and saturation to demonstrate all of the amazing color that the scene had to offer that wasn’t captured with my camera.

About the Photographer:

My name is Alyssa Tavison and I am a Photojournalism major and Photography minor. I first took an interest in photography when I was in high school. I got and old school film photo and fell in love and I have been shooting ever since. I enjoy shooting people because I find them fascinating and simply beautiful. I like to shoot people in a studio, nature, or on the streets. I find great interest in candid shots because I think that is where true beauty and reality lie. When I am shooting photos of people I try to talk to them and get them to be as natural as possible, so I don’t try to give them too much direction. I just try to ask them questions about themselves to try to evoke some emotion. I am very much inspired by people in general.

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