enriqueortizmontellano-blog

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

14

I’m very excited for this last assigment after the good feedback I received in my in progress photo essay assigment. However, I am sad because the course will soon come to an end and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I think photography is a hidden talent of mine but more than anything a passional hobby that I found useful. However, this week I decided to go out to shoot people outside in the parkings of supermarket, exposing the pandemic’s reality. I felt like a spy shooting other people without them knowing. It was thrilling and interesting because I managed to capture exactly what I wanted and expected. Then I thought a picture of myself was missing and I decided to be my model for one that also portrayed the constan wash of hands. I took this picture from an interesting perspective which is from the point of view from the soap to me. Afterwards during processing I managed to improve even more the photos changing them to Black and White. Expressing how our lifes have changed with the curent covid-19 outbreak and our need to reside in quarantine, locked inside out homes. For this reason, I chosed to also portray feelings of indiference, a new routine with no concept of time, and how the outside produces terror. Currently I have been looking into more covid 19 essays like this one from Netwrk18 Graphics:

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

12

This week a tutorial for panoramas and HDR photos was introduced. By watching a video I learned how to take this type of pictures but this in progress shooting was canceled because of the coronavirus and we just followed through with two in progress shootings for before the final one of the self portrait assigment. So I never was able to attempt to shoot a panorama. Nevertheless, I tried joining two pictures for my self portrait report using the panorama feature in lightroom but it did not work. It was supposed to work accornind to what I learned but it didn’t so it was kind of frustrating. I hope to be able to soon take a panorama of the beach before the course ends, now that im in puerto rico.

This week ive been looking into panoramas by: Vivek

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

13

For this week I began taking pictures for the photo essay about the lifestyle of being locked in quarantine since I havent been able to go out. To be honest I’m not liking this topic for now, I feel that most of people will choose to do the same and I would like to be different but Im not sure yet. More than anything its because I am tired of everything related to the coronavirus pandemic. For this reason, I would like to explore another creative photoseries so that I can clear my mind, and also enjoy the process, what I appreciate most of photography is when I get that perfect idea and i struggle with the camera until Im able to capture what I wanted, I like genuinity because forcing it makes me take boring pictures. Nevertheless, for this week I was able to take some interesting captures about life inside my house, my youngest brother helped me and served as model for the photos. I have been looking at covid 19 stories from NY times by tamir kalifa.

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

11

After finishing the self portrait assigment we are moving on into the next one which is the photo essay. Which is a series of photographs that tell a story alltogether complementing with a narrative. To be honest this assigment seems very interesting, a mix of two of my hobbies writing and pictures. For this reason and because its the final assigment I want to be original amd creative. Considering the current situation, I was thinking of doing my photoessay about the life with the pandemic, where I would go to take pictures in the parkings of supermarkets showing people wearing gloves and masks, showing how empty the streets are, etc. My second idea was about showing the lifestyle of being locked in quarantine. And my third Idea was of taking pictures of a collection of something. For the moment I have been focusing on the coronavirus outbreak but I am open to anything else maybe something more interesting will come to mind in the next few days. In the meantime I have been looking into related photoessays such as this one by elinor Carucci.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thecut.com/amp/2020/03/elinor-carucci-photo-diary.html

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

10

For the next week I gave all my effort even though I had many things from other classes. Honestly I was inspired and more than anything motivated. For this reason I explored my creativity by first dissecting my major interests to show in my pictures the aspects that describe me the most. I came up with my talent and interest in writing, my favorite sport which is swimming, my passion in medicine, my hyperactive personality, my love for my pet dog, and my love for my favorite tequila which represents my culture and country of mexico. Once I had these written I thoughy of the most unique angles to capture this things that represent me. First, I went to the pool of my gated community with my brother so that he could press the button and take my picture while I swam. We had to do it in a rush because due to quarantine the pool is supposed to be closed. The other ones were easier to take since they were at home. Honestly, I enjoyed this process because It was something about me and I wanted to show myself as I am and I consider that I was able to capture it in my series of selfportrait photographs. The first three in this post were my final ones, which received an amazing feedback from the teacher, which made feel very good about my work considering the time and effort I put in it. They told me that I captured good angles, motion, lighting and processing. In the same way, I consider that other sis a good job with their self portrait, to be honest even though we had the same assigment the pictures were completely different which proves how everyone has his own mind.

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

9

For this week we had to upload 6 pictures of our self portrait assigment to show our progress. Honestly for this week I didnt have enough time to take my pictures with all my effort because i ran out of battery and it was until a few days before the class that I went to Isa’s house to borrow her charger and until then i began taking my pictures. They were nice but not great, the teachers feedback was what I expected, that I could do better. However, this progress assigment served me as a way to find what I truly wanted to show in my pictures while also filling me with inspiration. It was a challenge to take the pictures alone because I had to set everything up with the tripod, the automatic shooting etc. So it was the perfect example of trial and error. These are the pictures I took:

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

8

Finally in Puerto Rico and stuck with the quarantine due to the coronavirus. Thankfully I brought my camera along with my tripod but I left my charger. I still had battery from my last charge but it all ran out for this night photo assigment. I went to a construction site near my house and took pictures at night with different angles and perspectives. Honestly, I struggled at first because the pictures resulted very mediocre and defenetely it was not what I was aiming for. At first I just wasnt able to take clear shots because of the darkness but then I started using my flashlight and also applied the technique of light painting which truly enabled me of taking an awsome shot. After this my battery died but it was fine because I had everything in the sd card so I was able to import them into lightroom to further process them. My result were really cool pictures And it was then were I truly understood how to play with the exposure of pictures to get the best results. Critique went very well but it felt different having to do it virtually. The next assigment is self portrait and im very very excited for this one.

Currently I have been looking into portrait photography by laura zalenga for inspiration

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

7

Last class consisted of critique to our abstract/studio work. I received very good feedback from my peers and from the professor, which make me inmensely happy considering the fact that I worked hard to get those results. Surprisingly, my favorite picture wasn’t chosen as my strongest, which had many mirrors and different contrasting bright colora that distorted one’s sight. However, I noticed some factors in the one that my peers chose as my strongest that I didn’t notice before which made me appreciate it even more. In the same way, I gave my best in offering feedback to others, since I strongly beleive that there is always space for improving. After critique, we were introducted into night photography which seems very interesting and profound. I think that darkness provides a totally diferent space that can reflect very interesting pictures. I went with my friends (Isa and Pagé) to the belmont plateau, a high hill that is literally a plateau that offers a magnificent view to the skyline of the city, to begin our shooting. Nevertheless, the cold was harsh and I coudn’t feel my hands, for this reason, our mission was aborted. I plan on taking pictures during my spring break in Puerto Rico where I will get some obviously unique pictures such as the beach at night, and others.

Currently, I have been looking into night photography by bobbyvmedia

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

6

Last class I was able to acheive my goal of creating a logical setup, in other words, I premeditated what I wanted the picture to look like, and then constructed my setup, slightly changing the props from place to place until I located them were they looked best. After doing this I selected along with the teacher my top 4 pictures of all, taking into account every setup. Even thouth all of the pictures relate in their abstract expression, they all are different, having different scenarios in each, in fact each picture portrays a complete different mood due to the different colors and props that each picture has. For this reason, I’m satisfied with my results. Processing gets easier and faster as I keep editing, in fact I was able to understand the logic behind several settings of lightroom. Afterwards I printed my pictures, and in my opinion they look great. I looked at them with the LED neon lights I have in my room and they just look trippy, the colors change as the lights change in color which is very cool for me. The next step is critique on the next class, I’m excited to know what others will think of my pictures, I want feedback so that I can keep improving. In the same way, I can’t wait to see what is the next topic that the class will cover, but one thing I know is that is that it will be fun.

Currently I have been looking into macrophotography by Soberito (first two) and Sam Mitchell (last four)

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

5

In another way, I have loved constructed image so far. In my opinion is a complete separate world from what typically is though of photograpy. Obviously, its an aspect of photography that requires practice and the learning of several concepts, for this reason it can be hard at the beggining to be creative. However, once you figure it out, ideas just flow enabling the creation of an abstract piece of art. What I dislike about taking pictures in the studio is that it can be very time consuming, and sometimes one simply doesn’t have the time to create what one wants. since it requires to make a set up each time one shoots nevertheless its very fun and it makes time fly. I’m hoping to put my creativity into practice to see what else I can create! I’m currently planning on exploring what we learned on last class, about lightpainting on the studio. Its incredible the pictures one can take utilizing neon lights, definetely something worth of learning!

Currently I have been looking to lightpainting photography by Jimmy Demchuk

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

4

The first month of Digital photography has passed by very quickly. In fact, I’m happy to say that I’ve improved considerably. Last class we learned the basic rules and concepts of shooting in the studio. I like the organization that prevails in the studio it helps mantain one’s mind cleared to let the creativity flow, especially when shooting alone, personally it can even be therapeutic in terms of stress. Its very relaxing. My first attempt in shooting consisted of improvising wanting to explore what I was able to create. My setups consisted of random things together: mirrors, and colored plexiglass sheets and figures. This combination manipulates the perception of the observer when looking at the final picture. The reflection of mirrors create a distortion that compliments with the colors creating a beautiful image. I’m hoping to be able to put a logical set up that acheives the same thing before continuing to the next topic of photography.

Currently I’ve been looking at 360 photography by Phil Ackland

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

3

After putting much effort to complete assigment one, I’m happy to say that critique went well, and I received better feedback than what I expected. Personally, critique is one of the most positively constructive things to learn from errors. I think of it as a way to maximize improvements, as a way to put into the spotlight not only the goods, but specially the things that aren’t good or can be better. By letting others opinionate on your work one is able to see things in a third perspective, out of the box, and objectively. Its not unusual to be biased to your own work and be blinded by your own mistakes. I definetely don’t mind being critiqued, for me there are no losses, its always a win, you either learn and improve or get appraised by your work, there is no personal judging. For this reason, I’m excited for next class, I want to learn about abstract photography and how to put into practice my creativity inside the studio. Even though I enjoy shooting I’m thankful that we did not have to shoot for next class, since I like to put the time and effort that my shootings deserves, not only for the class but because I enjoy doing so, and this week is tight for me in terms of academic work. The only assigment was to bring props for the creative abstract shooting in the studio for next class so I’m thinking of going to a decoration store and see what can be useful.

Currently I’ve been looking the creative photography of Jordi Koalitic

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

2

This week has been of great success! After studying a little bit the basic concepts of taking pictures by watching some tutorials on youtube, and several shootings around campus I decided to go to the city to put into practice my talent. Being on center city, I was able to take great pictures shooting through an unusual perspective for terms of creativity and originality in reality. Even though the majority of the pictures I took were okay I truly can see how practice has made me improve having to constantly change the setting of my camara as needed (shutter speed, F/Stop, apperture, etc). After this shooting at the city I did my first processing, and to be honest I was dissapointed since I expected to have many more great pictures. Not to mention, that I had no idea how to enhance a picture by editing it on adobe illustrator. For this reason, I decided to leave procesaing for another day. The next day I chose to take the same approach I did in learning how to shoot, and to youtube I went. Having found a tutorial for adobe illustrator I selected a picture and went step by step with the video until I came to understand each of the concepts of editing, the contrast, saturation, clarity, light, darkness, whiteness, etc. After doing this same thing with my next picture I was able to pull it off by my own with my other pictures. Truly getting all the juice from each picture I took. Afterwards, I proceeded to print them and my final results made me proud. Sincerely, I did not like my two pictures showing the rule of thirds as I liked the others, I guess I just didn’t feel them. Nevertheless, I’m excited to see how critique will go, I’m looking forward to receive feedback from others, specially from the professor.

This week I have been looking into geometrical photography by Marcus Rotterdam

[enriqueortizmontellano-blog]

1

I don’t have any experience regarding professional photography other than taking pictures with my phone and editing them. However, to be able to record memorable moments of my life the best possible way is something that has always peaked my curiosity. After the first class, however I figured that the art of taking pictures is not as easy as it seemed. Its definetely some of those things that require a lot of practice before reaching perfection. During this first class I actually struggled a lot during my first shooting, my pictures appeard dark, and I didn’t know what to do. Fortunately one of my peers, Isabel, helped me, enabling me to continue shooting. Even though I found myself struggling from the very start, this only gave me motivation to keep learning and perfectioning the techniques of shootings, my first goal is to memorize and understand the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO and more importantly to know when to change these settings according to the conditions of the environment.

I consider myself a nature lover, in fact I profoundly appreciate all the elements of nature, from animals to plants and their ecosystems. Personally, the most special places in terms of beauty and magic are found in the bowels of nature. For this reason, currently, I have been looking at nature photography.

Frans Lanting (National Geographic collection)