Nikki Key - Week 1

I took this photo last time I was in Venice, with a point-and-shoot Nikon digital camera.  I think it captures the essence of everything Venice, from the bustling tourists to the quaint boat in the waterway.  I love how colorful the scene was.

Shutter speed refers to the amount of time the film is exposed to light coming into the camera, i.e. the exposure time.  Shutter speed represents the amount of time that the shutter remains open while taking a photograph.  The duration of this exposure can greatly alter the photograph, as seen above, where a pinwheel was photographed at various shutter speeds.  With motion, lower shutter speeds can produce a blurred image of the motion, while extremely fast shutter speeds can make a moving object appear awkwardly frozen on the spot.  Extended exposure times can even capture lightning and light blurs.

Louis Daguerre, whose self-portrait is above, was a French painter in the early 1800's.  He had worked with Joseph Niepce, who successfully took the first photographic image, only to have them quickly fade away.  By accident, Daguerre exposed a plate to mercury vapor, and to his surprise came back to an successfully sustained image.  He eventually sold his rights to the process to the French government, and it soon became practiced throughout Europe and in the United States.

Daguerre's invention was named the "Daguerretype," was the first photographic process that actually worked.  Using a copper plate, it produces an image that is a direct positive from the camera.  At first, the exposure time was very lengthy, so only still objects were photographed, but as it became more popular, others perfected the process down to a matter of seconds.  Consequently, it became popular for portraits and landscape photos, as exemplified above with the daguerretypes of San Francisco.

NYC- Soho

I have taken this picture, because this mix of colors and "stops" have captured my eyes while I was walking around the Big Apple.

Corinna Rombi

GrayWeek1

1) This is a picture I took while walking back to campus from Piazza Navona. I really like how the shadows make the buildings look so cool, and the colors of the buildings and the sky contrasting with the dark of the shadows gives it a really powerful feel. I have been so interested in going to different places at different times because seeing things with different shadows and coloring gives them an entirely different feel.

2) The ISO number refers to the films sensitivity to light. The lower the number, the less sensitive the film is so the higher the numbers get the more sensitive the film gets. This means the low number and low sensitivity film requires more light exposure for the film to produce the image. It is recommended to use a low ISO to avoid getting the blurry effect that sometimes accompanies the higher number ISO.

3) Louis Jacque Mande Daguerre was a French artist and physicist credited with creating the daguerreotype process of photography. The daguerreotype was mainly used for portraits and resulted in one unique image. He used silver salts to produce images by using a silver plated sheet and exposing it to vapor given off by iodine which resulted in silver iodide coating the sheet. Then the plate was exposed to the camera to produce the image; he made this process faster by producing the image on the plate using chemicals to speed up the reaction (mercury) and by removing the excess silver iodide. 

Diaphgram

The Diaphgram is what determines the apertures in a camera, and their size. It is a round device, and it is important to make sure that light only enters on the camera lenses through its aperture. It limits the passage of light, so it is fundamental to take a good picture that is not too bright or too dark. The more open the diaphragm is, the larger the diameter and the larger the amount of light that will enter the camera.

The smaller the diaphragm aperture is, the smaller the amount of light that will get to the image sensor. The diaphragm aperture is measured in a “Focus” (F) scale. So the larger the F number, the smaller the aperture, reducing the amount of light coming into the picture. The smaller the F number, the larger the diaphragm aperture and the bigger the amount of light we will be working with.

Corinna Rombi

Rittenhouse_Zoom Lens

A zoom lens is an element that adjusts the focal length and are normally described the the ratio of the shortest to longest focal length. Focal length is the distance between the center of the lens and the image sensor. Only optical zoom is consistently useful and has higher optical resolution because it measures the focal length. A negative aspect of a zoom is that when on it's highest magnification the shutter response time is much shorter. It can also cause for the sides of the picture to be distorted.

week # 1 Federica Nuzzolese- Louis Daguerre

This is a picture taken by Louise Daguerre, I chose this picture becuase it sets a mood, which to me seems to be hoplessness at the same time showing power and masculinity. The black and white format implies to me that their is history or a story behind the photograph. The man is showing his true culture identity. This picture also has another meaning that he is showing pride of his nation.

Rittenhouse_Daguerreotype

Daguerre began his artistic career as a set designer before going on to find his style of photography now known Daguerreotype. This type of photography is a direct positive image made of amalgam particles. These photographs are developed on a sheet of silver after exposure to light. The particles are what give it such a range in the tone because the particles reflect differently in your eyes; the places with less particle reflect less causing that area of the image to be shadowy. This is Daguerre's first photo in this style.

Week #1 Federica Nuzzolese -Film Structure

FILM Structure is an aspects of motion picture films. It has 6 elements: filme base, emulsion layer, subbing layer, ultraviolet absorbing layer, supercoat, and anti-halation layer.
The film base is transparent and strong . The most importatn layer in the film is the emulsion layer it has a light-sensitive
material  with a gelatin, carried as a thin layer.The subbing layer is applied to the film base.
The ultraviolet absorbing layer is included to protect the imaging layers from exposure of radiation.
The supercoat is a clear layer of  gelatin to protect the base, and fnally, film the anti-halation layer can cause a secondary exposure surounding imgage of bright objects.

Rittenhouse Week 1_Pic of Roma

This was taken at the Colosseum around the beginning of sunset. At first I didn't like the shadow at the bottom of this picture because it cuts the massive size of the Colosseum in half but after looking at where the sun hits the tip I like how it seems to show off the height and makes it look daunting. I also like the sky in the background being so bright as a contrast to the shadow the Colosseum casts beneath.

Link to Development Times

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Week One-Federica Nuzzolese-Bella Firenze

I took this picture last week when I was in Florence. This is the Cathedral also known as the Il Duomo di Firenze. This is a historical spot and building, I took this picture using a sony  cyber-shot digital camera, which is all I had at the time. I like this picture because it reminds me how many people have seen this in their lifetime.

Smith Week #1: Robert Capa & Combat Photography

Robert Capa was a Hungarian-born photographer and wartime photojournalist. He is best known for redefining wartime photography by placing himself in the trenches during live battles. His work spanned a little more than two decades as he covered the Spanish Civil War, the Sino-Japanese War as well as World War II in North Africa, London, Italy as well as D-Day at Normandy. His action shots from the storming of Normandy beach exposed the intensity of the advance from an arm's length.

Capa in battle gear with camera in hand

Capa's Photographs at Normandy

Capa's celebrated career was short-lived. On assignment in Vietnam during the First Indochina War, Capa broke with the ground forces he was covering to get a better perspective on their approach to the battlefield. He once said, "If your picture isn't good enough, you weren't close enough." While framing a shot, Capa stepped on a mine and died with his camera in his hands.

Smith Week #1: Late Night

This photo was taken on Viale Trastevere one of my first late night walks home.

This was taken on my phone, which is all I had at the time. I plan on getting a higher quality shot.

Smith Week #1: Rangefinder & Single-lens Reflex Cameras

Rangefinder cameras preceded the single-lens reflex cameras (SLR) and were first used in the 19th century. At the time they were known as telemeters. In its simplest form, a rangefinder is an accessory device attached to a 35mm camera that enables the photographer to measure distance between the camera and the subject while also taking clearly focused photos. Rangefinders became standard on most mass-produced cameras in the 1930s and were eventually incorporated into the viewfinder.

Rangefinder as accessory

Rangefinder standard

Rangefinder cameras dipped in popularity as the single-lens reflex camera gained market share through the 1970s. The name 'reflex' comes from the motion the internal mirror behind the lens makes when a photograph is taken as it shifts up then down to expose the film. Single-lens reflex cameras have the added benefit of showing the photographer exactly what the photo will be before it is taken, as opposed to the different framing experienced on a viewfinder camera.

Single-lens reflex camera diagram

Felice Beato

Felice Beato was a famous photographer who captured images of war and landscapes.  He set a precedent for the beginning of photojournalism.  It is said that he traveled to areas like Asia and parts of the Mediterranean and documented places and events that were unknown to the people of Europe and North America.  He believed that these photographs were helpful for increasing knowledge in these societies.  He wanted to create images that were powerful and lasting for these countries.  He usually produced his photographs in albumen silver prints.  Beato passed away in 1907.  

-livlove

Post 3, Week 1 - Alanna

The invention of the fisheye lens is originally used to study metorology, they needed a lense that would allow them to view the entire sky at once in order to get a better view of the formations overhead. Due to the interesting distortion the lens gives to photos it became popular fo use in general photography. The lens used for this is a wide angle lens that gives the photo a rounded or hemispherical distortion. The two most common types of fisheye lens are the circular fisheye lens and the full frame fisheye lens. Each of these lenses gives images a different look, however both follow the principle that the image will have a convex appearance. The mapping function describes the differences between both lenses. The circular lens was developed before the full frame lens, however the full frame lens has risen in popularity during the modern era of photography. Interesteningly, we can find fisheye concepts I many other places; some of which include in planetariums which use the idea to showcase the sky, peepholes on doors, and flight simulators. It is understandable why this concept can be useful in many different walks of life. The idea is to capture more surface area in less space. Personally, my new digital camera has a fisheye option and when I noticed it I became intrigued by the different ways it can be used to change the perspective of any picture. 

Shutter speed

Shutter speed is the amount of time that a cameras shutter remains open when capturing a photograph.  It controls the amount of light that hits the cameras sensor and/or film. A short shutter speed is used to capture moving objects.  In contrast, a long shutter speed is usually used to blur part of the photograph.   The standard shutter speeds range from one second to 1/1000 of a second.  The difference in time is immense and the type of imagery it is used to capture is completely different.  


-livlove

Week One - AJS

1) MFA, Boston, MA

2)
ISO is a number scale that indicates the film's sensitivity to light. With ISO a higher number means that it is more sensitive to light, and a lower number indicates less sensitivity. So while an ISO of 100 can cover most photography, an ISO under 100 is much less sensitive to light, so you can shoot in brighter conditions, however this typically requires a tripod. An ISO of 400 and up is more sensitive to light, has a faster shutter speed, and is good for low light or action shots. The only downside to a higher ISO is more "noise" or grain on your photos, which can be used artistically if desired.

3)
A daguerreotype is a photo that was made on a silver coated surface, which was covered with mercury vapor to create the image. The process of making daguerrotypes was invented in France in 1839 by Louis J.M. Daguerre and Joseph Niepce. The photos were "developed" by the alloy of mercury and silver; by placing the silver plate, with the image on it, over a cup of heated mercury. Daguerreotypes became a flourishing enterprise in the 1840's for portraiture especially, and they were typically put in cases or framed.

Week One- "Semplice"

1.)

 Dragonfly pair; taken at Tilden Park, Berkeley California.

2.) Wide angle lens: fixed lens

Wide angle fixed lens is when the focal length of the lens is smaller than the focal length of normal lens throughout a film plane. It allows a camera to capture more of the scene, which is useful in architectural, interior, and landscape photography. This is generally when the photographer is unable to move farther from the scene to capture it all. The wide angle lens projects a larger image circle than a standard lens of the same focal length, which, with a view camera, or lenses with wide fields of view allows large tilt and shift movements. Wider lenses have the tendency to magnify distance between objects while providing greater depth of field. A wide-angle lens gives greater apparent perspective distortion when the camera is not aligned perpendicular to the wider total field.

3.) Daguerreotype 

  

The Daguerreotype was the first photographic process to be commercially successful. The image that appears is a direct positive made in the camera on a silvered copper plate.  The Sheffield plate was the raw material used for plates, a standard hardware item made by heating and rolling silver foil with the support of copper. The surface resembles a mirror, as the image is made directly on the silvered surface and is very fragile; able to be rubbed off with a finger. The finished plate must be angled to reflect a dark surface in order to be properly viewed. Depending on the angle of view as well as the color of the surface reflected upon it, the image can turn from a positive to a negative. 

Jamie: Week One

I.

Portrait of Madeleine

II. 

Zoom lenses have a specific assembly of the lens elements so that the focal length can be varied, as opposed to a fixed focal length lens. Early forms of zoom lenses were used in optical telescopes. They are often described by the ratio of their longest to shortest focal lengths (i.e. a zoom lens with focal lengths ranging from 100 mm to 400 mm may be described as a 4:1 or 4x zoom). These lenses are most commonly used with still, video, motion picture cameras, projectors, binoculars, microscopes, telescopes, telescopic sights, and other optical instruments. A "true" zoom lens is a parfocal lens, which means it maintains focus when its focal length changes. A lens that loses focus during zooming is called a varifocal lens. 

III.

The first photograph taken by a pinhole camera was in 1850 AD by the Scottish scientist Sir David Brewster. The camera can be very simple, consisting of a box with a small hold in one side that serves as the aperture. Light from a scene passes through this point and projects an inverted image on the opposite side of the box. The shutter is usually manually operated, so the photographer can decide how long the exposure should be. Typical exposures range from 5 seconds to several hours. These can be handmade by photographers, all one needs is a light-tight box with a pinhole in one end and a piece of film or photographic paper wedged or taped into the other end. 

-Jamie Solomon

Diaphragm - Alanna

In photography a diaphragm is the structure that houses the aperture in the center. The main purpose is to adjust or stop the flow of light allowing it to only pass through the camera’s aperture (located in the middle of the diaphragm). An easy way to understand this concept is to use the human eye as an example. The iris is the eyes natural diaphragm; helping our eyes adjusts to different levels of light. The diaphragm is necessary in both traditional photography as well as digital photography and has been used throughout the history of photography. 

Week One - Alanna

This picture was taken in Campo De' Fiori during one of my first days exploring Rome.

Botanical Gardens, Montreal, Quebec 

-Livlove

Week One Posts_ BK

1.a. I took this photograph on my third day in Rome while on the walking/bus tour hosted by the John Cabot University Orientation. I took it on my Nikon 5100 and used Lightroom for the post-production process using features such as full light, contrast, exposure and vibrance in order to enhance the image. The subject of the photograph are the ruins I saw as I was walking towards the coliseum coming from the JCU Tiber campus. Would inspired me the most about this composition that drew me in to taking to picture was the glow of the sun and the intertwining of nature with these historic, artificial, beautiful ruins. I wanted the sun to appear in an object in the composition as well, yet at the same time make sure my photo was not backlight so that the ruins would still be visible and not in silhouette. I also like the small patch of grass in the bottom left hand corner and the sky- and how it frames the ruins in the center. I am not sure specifically what these ruins are called exactly because they did not give us much time to stop and admire the ruins and the group leader did not really explain what we were walking past. But it is okay because I know how to get here and I would definitely like to come back and take more pictures around this area soon.-BK

1.b. I took this photograph last semester as part of a series where I experimented with light and a variety of light source. I worked with aperture mood and long exposures using a tri-pod to hold my camera still for shutter speeds ranging from 16-30 seconds. I used light sources of candles, glow sticks, firecrackers, and a variety of lamps, Christmas lights, and flashlights. The goal of my experimentation with this series was to use different sources of light to see the effect they had on the composition once captured through the lens. The effect of this photograph was completely natural; I did not edit it in post-production because I thought it was unusually great the way it turned out on its own. The subject of the photograph is my sister and her friend, holding teddy bears and tangled in Christmas lights. The shutter speed for this image was I think about 24 seconds. My sister was my muse for most of my photographs because I bribed her with a present for sitting still for me for so long. It was a fun experience though and good sibling bonding because my sister loves photography as well. -BK

2. ‘Depth of field’ is an extremely important component of the art of photograph. There are a variety of types of depths of field because this is what is used to define the subject of ones photograph and control the viewers’ focus. A short depth of field is used when you want to isolate your foreground subject from the background. Short depth of field is used for portraits and macro-photography or any situation where the photograph focuses on one main subject, leaving the remainder of the composition a little blurrier de-stressing its importance. Then a large depth of field leaves more of an equal focus on all subjects of the image. This is commonly used when taking photographs of landscapes or any scenarios where the photographer wants every detail of their composition to be in focus. The image I choose to illustrate depth of field is a photograph I took two summers ago in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania where I took a photography master class for the day. The photo is part of an exercise we did to help use understand how to control depth of field. My photo demonstrates ‘shallow depth of field’ shown by how the front subject is in focus and the rest of the image is blurred out of focus. -BK

3. Louis Daguerre was born in France in the year of 1789; his interest in lighting effects from the opera lead to him experimenting with the different ways that light effects on translucent paintings. He began these experiments beginning in the 1920s and during the latter part of the decade he teamed up with Joseph Niepce to help Niepce enhance the photography process that Niepce had began to invent. Daguerre improved upon Niepce’s process and developed a more convenient and effect way to produce photograph images- labeling his method of photography ‘the daguerreotype’. It was said the invention of ‘the daguerreotype’ was done by accident in 1835 when Dauguerre put an exposed plate in his chemical cupboard then came back a few days later to find his image had developed due to the presence of mercury vapor from a broken thermometer. This discovery reduced the exposure time in the developing process from eight hours to thirty minutes. The photograph I choose is an example of a Daguerreotype photograph. -BK