#t4 storytelling

[swiftviolets]

When I got trouble, when I got trouble wall to wall I repeat in the night, must be an ending to it all ♫

prev / next

[queeniecook]

June 18

Since we are still stuck waiting for the baby’s arrival, we decided to spend some time in nature today – on town really is a beautiful place – we did our last pregnancy photoshoot, using our usual photographer due to Caleb’s special photographic needs. As always, she does an amazing job on our pictures.

Hopefully we won’t have to wait much longer to meet our little starfish.

[kazamajun]

Tekken's storytelling may have its flaws and T7 absolutely had its issues, but this is a perfect moment to me. You could NOT have a clearer depiction of PTSD than what happens here; we see the 5 year old child inside the man, while his mother's theme leitmotifs in the background signifying her metaphorically haunting the scene, and then on top of it we get flashbacks from the prior games including Kazuya's T2 death!!

The composition of the flashbacks is so nice too since it's dominated by visions of Heihachi, before we see Kazuya as a child again then a flickering moment of Kazumi (solidifying that he is her legacy and needs to carry out what she failed to do) culminating in the T4 "I'm going to get everything back!" line.

And then the scream. If that's not an amazingly performed vocalization to express 45 years of carried trauma and anger then I don't know what is. That last hit has every piece of rage and pain in him behind it. Then silence as Heihachi falls. The quietude that comes immediately after catharsis. All that violence and then the moments it takes to process before he can act again. I just love it a lot. Kazuya was really done justice here.

[canadiankazz]

WoD Month of Darkness 2024

6, 7, 8. Inspired by a video game, a book and a song.

As a Storyteller as well as a player, I've made vampire characters based on Dead by Daylight and other horror franchises. For example, I've made Trapper into a Nosferatu and Michael Myers into a murderous Malkavian. I also based characters off of Maladict, the vampire from Pratchett's Monsterous Regiment, and Silas from Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. I've made several vampire play lists, including one for Talon. Part of Talon's inspiration was the song Mack the Knife. Also This Is The New Shit by Marilyn Manson.

Talon's other inspirations were Laura/X-23 from the X-Men, Furiosa from Mad Max, Prince Vegeta from Dragon Ball, and Alucard from Hellsing. I would sometimes wear a T4S Hellsing Abridged shirt to games where I played Talon that said "Bitch, I eat people!" on it. It captured their personality perfectly.

[edmturnmeon]

7 Best Creative Composition Techniques in Street Photography - Part 3

Feeling uninspired with your street photography? It happens to the best of us. But fret not, because I'm here to reignite your creativity with six of the best street photography composition techniques. Street photography is about more than just capturing scenes; it's about storytelling, conveying emotions, and capturing the essence of urban life. Mastering these techniques can transform your photos from mundane to magnificent. So, grab your camera, hit the streets, and let's explore these techniques together to enhance your next outing.Creative composition is essential for capturing captivating street photographs that tell compelling stories of urban life. In this article, we'll delve into five key creative composition techniques for street photography: using shadows, capturing gestures and expressions, incorporating foreground elements, creating silhouettes, and exploring juxtaposition. Getting inspiration by reading some of the best street photography photobooks might also helps. These techniques will help you add depth, emotion, and visual interest to your images, allowing you to create standout photos that truly capture the essence of the streets.

Creative Composition Techniques and Ideas for Street Photography

Here are the 6 best creative composition techniques & street photography ideas that you can try for your next street outing.- Motion Blur - Negative Space - Foreground Elements - Silhouettes - Juxtaposition - Layering - Point Of View - Conclusion

1. Motion Blur

Fujifilm X-T4 // SIRUI SNIPER 23mm f1.2 - February 2024 Motion blur is a captivating technique in street photography that adds a dynamic and energetic element to your images. It involves capturing moving subjects in such a way that they appear blurred, while the rest of the scene remains sharp. This contrast between the sharpness and blur creates a sense of motion and speed, bringing a sense of life and movement to your photos.To achieve motion blur, you need to use a slower shutter speed. This allows the camera's sensor to capture the movement of your subject over time. Shutter speeds of 1/30th of a second or slower are a good starting point, but you may need to experiment to find the perfect speed for your scene.Since you're using a slow shutter speed, it's essential to keep your camera as stable as possible to avoid unwanted blur in the static parts of your scene. Use a tripod or brace your camera against a solid surface to keep it steady. Motion blur can be included as one of your street photography project ideas whenever you're running out of ideas of what to shoot.By mastering the technique of motion blur, you can add a unique and dynamic element to your street photography. This is one of the best creative composition techniques that allows you to capture the movement and energy of urban life in a visually striking way. The skillful use of motion blur can elevate your street photography, making it more engaging and impactful by conveying a sense of motion and activity that is often characteristic of bustling city environments.

2. Negative Space

Fujifilm X-T4 // Fujinon XF35mm f2 R WR - March 2024 Negative space is a crucial element in the best creative composition techniques for street photography. It refers to the area around and between the subjects in your image. By effectively utilizing negative space, you can create a minimalist and impactful composition that draws attention to your subject, creates a sense of isolation or solitude, and adds an artistic touch to your photos.When your negative space has a distinct color or a strong contrast with your subject, it can add visual interest and depth to your image. Positioning your subject so that it's surrounded by negative space is a powerful way to make your subject stand out and become the focal point of the image.It's important to remember that while negative space is often thought of as empty space, it should still be balanced with the positive space (your subject) to create a harmonious composition. This balance is a key aspect of the best creative composition techniques in street photography, helping to create visually striking and emotionally resonant images.

3. Foreground Elements

Fujifilm X-T4 // Fujinon XF35mm f2 R WR - March 2024 Foreground elements are considered one of the best creative composition techniques for street photography, as they can add depth, context, and visual interest to your images. By incorporating foreground elements, you can create more immersive and engaging photographs that draw the viewer into the scene and enhance the overall composition.When searching for foreground elements, look for objects or people that can serve as a visual anchor for your composition. These elements can help lead the viewer's eye into the scene or frame your main subject, adding a sense of depth and dimension to your photograph. For example, a row of street lamps or a line of parked bicycles can create a strong leading line that guides the viewer's gaze through the image, creating a more dynamic composition.Foreground elements can also help create a sense of scale and perspective in your images. By including objects or people in the foreground, you can give viewers a point of reference to understand the size and scope of the scene. This can add a sense of realism and immediacy to your photographs, making them more relatable and engaging.When incorporating foreground elements, pay attention to their placement and how they interact with the rest of the scene. Experiment with different angles and perspectives to find the most compelling composition. And don't be afraid to get creative - sometimes, the most interesting foreground elements are found in the most unexpected places, adding an element of surprise and intrigue to your images.

4. Silhouettes

Fujifilm X-T4 - Chinatown KL // January 2024 Silhouettes are a powerful and artistic technique in street photography, offering a unique way to capture the essence of a moment. By using backlighting, you can create striking silhouettes of your subjects against the urban backdrop. This technique works best when the light source is behind your subject, such as the sun setting behind a building or a streetlight casting a long shadow.Silhouettes can add a sense of mystery and intrigue to your images, as the lack of detail in the subject leaves much to the viewer's imagination. This allows the viewer to interpret the story behind the silhouette, creating a more engaging and thought-provoking image.In addition to creating a sense of mystery, silhouettes can also evoke a range of emotions depending on the context. A lone figure walking down a deserted street may evoke feelings of solitude or contemplation, while a group of friends laughing and chatting may convey a sense of camaraderie and joy.To capture compelling silhouettes, pay attention to the positioning of your subject and the light source. Experiment with different angles and perspectives to find the most striking composition. And don't be afraid to wait for the right moment to capture the perfect silhouette, as patience can often lead to the most impactful images.

5. Juxtaposition

Fujifilm X-T4 // SIRUI SNIPER 23mm f1.2 - February 2024 Juxtaposition is one of the best creative composition techniques for street photography, as it allows you to capture contrasting elements or subjects within the same frame, creating visually striking images that tell a story or evoke strong emotions. This technique relies on the juxtaposition of elements such as light and shadow, old and new, or different emotions or actions, making it a powerful tool for creating compelling street photographs. Make use of these creative composition techniques in your next street photography project ideas.For example, you might capture a scene where a modern skyscraper looms over a historic building, highlighting the contrast between old and new architecture. This juxtaposition can create a sense of nostalgia or progress, depending on the viewer's perspective. Similarly, you could photograph a person in a business suit walking past a street performer in colorful attire, illustrating the contrast between the formal and the informal, the mundane and the extraordinary.Juxtaposition can also be used to create irony or humor in your images. For instance, you might photograph a sign that says "no smoking" with a person smoking right next to it, highlighting the contradiction between the sign and the person's actions. This kind of juxtaposition can add depth and layers to your images, making them more engaging and thought-provoking.To use juxtaposition effectively in your street photography, pay attention to your surroundings and look for interesting contrasts or contradictions. Be patient and wait for the right moment to capture the juxtaposition in a way that is visually compelling and tells a story. By mastering the art of juxtaposition, you can create street photographs that stand out and resonate with viewers.

6. Layering

Fujifilm X-T4 // SIRUI Sniper 23mm f1.2 - Kuala Lumpur, December 2023 Layering is considered one of the best creative composition techniques for street photography, as it involves capturing multiple elements or subjects at different distances from the camera, creating depth and complexity in the image. This technique adds visual interest and can help tell a more compelling story.One effective way to achieve layering is by incorporating foreground, mid-ground, and background elements in your composition. For example, you could capture a person walking in the foreground, a group of people chatting in the mid-ground, and a striking architectural feature in the background. This creates depth in the image and gives the viewer more to look at and explore, enhancing the overall composition.Another approach to layering is to capture reflections or shadows that overlap with the main subject, adding an additional layer of visual interest. You could also use doorways, windows, or other frames within the frame to create layers and add depth to your composition.Layering adds complexity and depth to your street photography, creating more dynamic and engaging images. Experiment with different compositions and perspectives to find interesting ways to incorporate layering into your photos, and watch as your images come to life with depth and dimension.

7. Point of View

Fujifilm X-T4 // SIRUI SNIPER 23mm f1.2 - February 2024 Point of view is a powerful compositional tool in street photography that can significantly impact the perception of your images. By altering your shooting angle, you can create entirely different moods and narratives.Shooting from a low angle can make your subject appear larger and more dominant, adding a sense of grandeur or authority. It can also emphasize the height of buildings or structures, making them feel towering and impressive. This angle is great for capturing the hustle and bustle of city streets, giving a worm's-eye view of the world.On the other hand, shooting from a high angle or a bird's-eye view can provide an overview of the scene, showing the layout of the streets and the movement of people. It can also make your subject appear smaller and more vulnerable, providing a sense of scale and context within the urban environment.Experimenting with different points of view can lead to discovering unique and creative compositions in street photography. Each angle tells a different story and evokes different emotions, so it's worth exploring various perspectives to find the one that best suits your artistic vision.

Conclusion

Read the full article

[msamba]

Anonymous daily life stories in the alleys

Anonymous daily life stories in the alleys 📸 Fujifilm X-T4 📷 Fujinon XF 35mm F2 R WR ⚙️ ISO 400 – f/2.0 – Shutter 1/500#storytelling #StreetPhotography pic.twitter.com/uNI9L9oauv — Joan López i Casanoves (@joanlopezphoto) March 28, 2024

[1314520v]

Dreams of youth

1. Tham gia lễ hội hoá trang Hallowen 🎃 (31.10)

2. Mình từng đọc được một câu thế này: Nếu không phải lo cơm áo gạo tiền, thì ước mơ của cậu là gì?

- Tớ muốn trở thành một travel blogger, vừa chu du vừa viết sách - một storyteller. Lấy bốn bể làm nhà, trải qua muôn hình vạn trạng, mọi hỷ nộ ái ố trong cuộc đời của mình.

( T4 30.10.23)

3. Thực ra tớ cũng không phải là thích đi du học, nhưng nếu có cơ hội tớ muốn được trao đổi sinh 👩🏻‍🎓🛫

(31.10.23)

[theroyalsims]

BREAKING: “CLEANORE” SAID TO BE OVER AS CLIVE MOVES TO WINDENBURG

Sigh. It’s over before it even got a chance to officially begin.

This is a sad day for Cleanore Shippers as rumour has it that Brindleton’s “It Couple,” Princess E and Clive Harlowe, has reportedly called it quits.

The news comes just a couple of months after the pair was first confirmed to be dating. The break-up was reportedly a “mutual decision” between the former lovebirds. A source close to Princess E shares: 

“They talked it out. She didn’t want to break-up, really, but I think it was Clive who finally convinced her. He’d gotten a great job abroad but she wanted to go on with their relationship long distance. He, however, said no. He wanted her to be free, but with a promise that if they’re meant to be together, they will be together - someday. He managed to convince her that going their separate ways will be good for both of them.”

(Above: The last time the pair was spotted together was earlier this week, when the duo had a casual date at a nearby park.)

It can be recalled that Clive quit his job at the Royal Household a few weeks back. However, sources now confirm that the young man has landed a cushy job overseas, working for the Brindleton Embassy in Windenburg. The new post also apparently allows him to further his education and take on his graduate studies. The source further shares:

“It’s a great job. A lot of people would kill for it. He can’t say no to such a huge opportunity, so he pounced at the offer. I can’t blame him. Although his parents run a pretty successful small business, he still is very much the breadwinner of the family. Just last year, he bought his parents a van and the year before, he saved up enough to have his parents’ home renovated.”

(Above: [L] An amused Clive looks on as Princess E tries her luck at a vending machine; [R] Clive shares a chat with his date, who seems to be pleased with her choice of snack.)

It seem like it was just yesterday when we last saw the two together. Earlier this week, the pair was spotted having the most low-key of dates at a park near the Crown Princess’ home, Agneau House, near the Waterfront District (Princess E has reportedly been crashing with big sister Anya in the City during the weekends). Clive and Princess E were seen enjoying a couple of snacks from a nearby vending machine. Onlookers noted that the two were having “a blast” laughing and giggling, especially when it was the Princess’ turn at the vending machine:

“He was kidding around, letting her figure out on her own how the vending machine worked. She had a good couple of tries before finally getting a snack out of it. They looked very sweet, very in love. If not for the bodyguards, we never would’ve known it was Princess E.”

(Above: Princess E eating a vending machine taco?! Yes! Although a far cry from all the gourmet meals she is accustomed to, Princess E looked rather thrilled to enjoy the cheap snack for the first time!)

Meanwhile, Princess E is reportedly gutted by the separation. The source spills: 

“Clive was brokenhearted. He had been pining for E for a really long time, but circumstances made it difficult for them to be together. He knows that setting her free is the right thing to do. However, it’s E who’s just absolutely gutted. She finally took a chance and genuinely fell in love with someone. He’s not even her “type” - no title, no fortune, no fame - but she really loved the stability, the friendship, and the honesty that he had shown her. She’s grieving, that’s for sure.”

(Above: We’re 1,000% sure Princess E will miss Clive’s longing glances.)

Perhaps a bit of a silver lining for Princess E is a much-busier schedule and a heavier workload. The Princess’ schedule shows a packed calendar full of high-profile solo and joint engagements this month:

“She’s finally getting what she wanted all this time - to be taken seriously as a  member of the Royal Family, as a working royal. The Queen is impressed by her second child, and how she has matured these past few months, especially. I wouldn’t be surprised if she lands a couple new Patronages soon.”

Well, nothing like work and royal duties to distract, and hopefully mend, a broken heart. Hang in there, Princess E. Like Clive said, if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. After all, hope springs eternal.

[bionibots]

Portia: [hisses] Ron, didn't I ask you nicely to be a good boy?

Ron: You did! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to...

Portia: [fist crunches on his face] Shut the hell up! You little piece of a fuckin' shit. One more word? And you're gonna need to call for an ambulance.

Ron: Fuck Portia, I was short on scratch. I realized it too late. I will fuckin' pay her, okay?

Portia: No scratch*, no fun with our joygirls*! It's that simple. ‘Course you will pay. After that? No moving on our turf* ever again! Come back, and you will be outlawed!

Ron: Portia, please! I wasn't trying to skip out or anything. [whimpers] I’m sorry.

Portia: [spits on the floor] Alone the attempt is well worth beating your face twice. Your first act is to claim the service. Then you have the audacity to seriously consider getting away with it. Now you ask for a reprieve?

Ron: I will never do that again, I swear.

Portia: [intimidating] Sure you won't! Pay up in 24 hours, or my guys will work on you, understood?

Nicolas: [smirks] Promise.

Ron: Yeah, I do understand. [whispers] Fuckin’ bitch, broke my jaw with one hit over a rando fuckin’ joytoy*. Shit!

Rodrigo: [snickers] Think you’re funny, not quite smart, eh? Puta Madre*.

________ * wording / **Spanish: Son of a bish. 😆

[momoception]

X

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 ♥︎ 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 Ｂｅｇｉｎｎｉｎｇ

[stonetree-world]

[duhragonball]

The dumbest part of Terminator Genisys is also the most memorable, because it’s a title drop repeated several times in the movie.  Personally, I like this movie.   Watching T4, I couldn’t help but look forward to watching this one, because I knew it would be more fun.   But T5 was a commercial and critical failure, so I guess I’m in the minority.  I read an article yesterday that talked about how no one even understands why the movie wasn’t more successful, but I think the whole “Genisys is Skynet” thing sums it up pretty well.  I’ll unpack that under the cut.

So in the article I read, it talked about how there was a lot of “chaos” behind the scenes, but no one seems to know exactly what that “chaos” was.   I like to imagine a 67-year-old Schwarzenegger exchanging catty comments with Emilia Clarke, or maybe Matt Smith’s weird face frightened the child actors on set.  The article suggested that maybe T5′s convoluted plot might have been a source of contention, but that’s ridiculous.   Arnold was in Total Recall and Last Action Hero, and Emelia Clarke was in HBO’s Game of Thrones TV series.  They’re used to dealing with nonsense storylines.   Besides, they film these things out of order, and with a big budget sci-fi like this, half the shots would be in front of a green curtain, so they probably had no idea what the plot even was, good or bad.

I think the bigger issue is that they made a fifth movie 31 years after the first one.  How many movie franchises even make it to a fourth sequel?   James Bond, Star Trek, Star Wars, Batman, Superman, Spider-Man.   Some horror movie characrers.    There’s a decent list, sure, but they’re still pretty exceptional franchises.   Also, the thing I notice about a lot of these examples is that the rights to the characters were kept under firm control.   One of Terminator’s problems was that the rights kept shifting from one company to another, and all these legal hassles had to get ironed out before a new movie could be made.  I don’t think that hurt the quality of the films too much, but it spaced the movies out further apart.   T3 was supposed to cash in on the red-hot success of T2, except the movies came out 12 years apart.   That’s a long drought.   Long enough that a lot of potential fans would have moved on to other things. 

T4 was probably supposed to rebuild the franchise, alongside the Sarah Connor Chronicles TV series, but they were trying to do this without Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, or James Cameron.   But why?   T3 and T4 weren’t that big a draw, so why keep at this?   Someone thought that the rights to this series was still worth something, and if they just kept making Terminator content it would bring back the glory days of 1991.   And then the rightsholders would go bankrupt and someone else would purchase the hot potato and try all over again.

Somewhere around the late 2000′s, all these big shot movie people decided that everything needed to be a trilogy.   Maybe the success of Star Wars had something to do with that.  My biggest gripe with the 2011 Green Lantern movie was that they could have made Sinestro the main villain, but they waited until the very end of the movie to show him turning evil, all to set up a tease for the sequel.   Except there would be no sequel because the movie they made wasn’t successful enough.    So instead of putting everything they had into the one movie, they deliberately held back for the sake of two or three movies, only to sabotage the one movie they actually got to make.   T4 was supposed to be the first part of a trilogy, but it flopped, and then someone new started over with T5, which was also supposed to be the first part of a new trilogy.   Except it flopped too, which led us to T6.   I don’t know if Dark Fate is supposed to be the first part of a new trilogy, but it doesn’t matter, because now it can be part of the “Failed Trilogy” Trilogy with T4 and T5.

I think about this sort of thing a lot.   Entertainment marketing is always in your face, always trying to convince you that this new product matters, and you need to get invested in it, because it’ll be worth your time.   That’s why people were so pissed off about the final season of Game of Thrones.   They went into the series expecting everything to follow some sort of big plan with a huge payoff, and then the showrunners just improvised a bunch of stuff at the end.  So all the time they put into the early seasons just feels like a big waste.   The entertainment industry is aware of that phenomenon, but they don’t understand how to deal with it.   The solution is to make solid storytelling plans, well in advance.   The industry thinks the solution is to pretend they did that, and hope the customer believes it long enough to pay for admission.

I don’t know if the general public thinks about this stuff as much as I do.   Maybe they think about it even more, but either way, I think it’s possible to catch on to the game without being fully aware of it.   They made T5 hoping to remind people of how much they enjoyed T2, and people watched the trailer and saw Old Man Arnold and thought “This looks like that T3 movie my dad made me watch as a kid.    Pass.”    Or they were like me and thought “They made a fifth one?”   Or they thought “Where’s Christian Bale?” because they enjoyed T4 and wondered why the sequel had nothing to do with T4. 

A big problem with T5 was how they refused to call it “T5″.  They wanted to do a “reboot”, kind of like how T4 was a “reboot”, except that one didn’t do the trick, so now they were going to reboot it again.  That should have been their first clue that this wasn’t going to work, but instead they went in the opposite direction from T4.   “Okay, the new cast and new direction wasn’t what people wanted, so we’re bringing back the old characters from T1 and all the big special effects from T2, and we’re going to make nonstop callbacks to all the classic movies.   But it’s not a sequel!  No, this is a whole new story!  We’re starting fresh, which is why we cast the guy who starred in the original movie!”

Let’s be clear: Using Arnold Shwarzenegger in your Terminator reboot is like casting Adam West to star in Batman Begins.   I don’t care if he still looks good for his age, and I don’t care if he’s the only actor who can do the character justice, and I don’t care if they came up with a plot device to explain why the cyborg looks like an old man.    His age isn’t the issue.  The issue is that you keep putting the same guy in every movie and expecting people to think this is a clean break from the previous movies.   Well it isn’t.   Terminator Genisys is Terminator 5.   The screenwriters supposedly made a big whiteboard with all the timelines, and they didn’t count T3 and T4 in their “canon”, and the fans can make all the multiverse diagrams they want, but it doesn’t matter.   The only timeline in this franchise is a straight line that counts 1, 2, 3..., and this is 5. 

You can say, “Well it has to be hard reboot, because of all the things that contradict the previous movies!”   But to that I say “This whole series is about altering the past to change the future.   Literally any discontinuity can be handwaved as a change in history.   Kyle’s backstory in T5 is very different from his backstory in T4, but it doesn’t matter, because I can just say that these were alternate timelines, or it’s the same timeline that’s been mutated by all the time traveling.  Terminator Genisys embraces that concept, because Kyle’s childhood gets altered within this movie, so it’s impossible to suggest that T4 and T5 are incompatible with each other. 

And that’s what went wrong with this movie.  They were so determined to present it as multiple, contradictory solutions to the same problem.   They wanted this movie to be a reboot, but they also wanted it to be a back-to-basics approach, while at the same time they wanted to go in a bold new direction, while simultaneously making the whole thing nostalgic.   And in trying to check off all of those boxes, they wound up satisfying none of those objectives.  Audiences got confused.   If the plot didn’t confuse them, then the branding of the movie certainly did. 

The plot reads like a fan theory: The whole series has involved this cycle spanning 1984 to 2029.   Kyle leaves 2029 to travel back to 1984, and every movie happens in between those years.   Okay.   So what if someone from after 2029 sent a Terminator back in time to before 1984?  All bets are off, now, right?   John Connor won’t expect this because he only knows about things up to 2029.   And everyone has assumed that world history up to 1984 has been static.  

T5 introduces “Pops” a T-800 sent back to 1973 to protect Sarah Connor as a child.   He becomes her surrogate father, and they plot to prevent Judgment Day.    So when Kyle Reese goes back to 1984 to save her, he finds a completely different situation, because history’s already been changed. 

Back in 2029, just as Kyle leaves for his trip to the past, John Connor gets assimilated by The Borg  Doctor Who   a T-5000 Skynet.  I guess it was just waiting for him to think he won the war before making its move.   Skynet converts John into a T-3000, an experimental model that replaces and duplicates human tissue at a cellular level.    The result is a black sand monster that looks and acts like John, with all of John’s memories and personality, but now it’s loyal to Skynet.  Skynet sends T-John back in time to ensure that Judgment Day proceeds without a hitch.  

So after that, it’s basically just the standard formula from T2, 3, and 4.   The good guys have to infiltrate and destroy a building to kill Skynet, while a Terminator hunts them down.   Except this time the Terminator is John Connor, and he’s actively fighting to protect the infant Skynet.   They defeat him, blow up the building, and everything seems pretty cool, except Skynet’s still backed up in the basement, so if anyone digs it up we’ll be right back where we started.  

I don’t think this is too awfully complicated.  I mean, it’s a time travel story, like every other movie in this series.  The goofy part is that this movie tries to account for alternate timelines, and characters being aware of changes in history, and that’s a tricky thing to do.   For example, T5!Sarah is very different from the original version played by Linda Hamilton, but she knows what was supposed to happen to T1!Sarah, even though that version of Sarah no longer exists.  

And this is where that screenshot comes in.    See, Kyle has no idea what’s going on when he arrives in 1984, but he had a vision of his younger self during his time trip.   He somehow remembers things that didn’t happen to him, but his alternate timeline self.  This never gets adequately explained; Pops just says “Yeah, that’s a thing that could happen, I guess,” and everyone moves on.    The point is, Kyle sees his younger self reciting “Genisys is Skynet,” and “Judgement Day is in 2017″, and that’s how he knows when and where to go to defeat Skynet.  Sarah wants to time travel to 1997, because that’s when Judgment Day was originally supposed to happen, but Kyle convinces her that they need to go to 2017 instead, and it works.   Then at the end of the movie, they have to track down Kid Kyle and ask him to recite the same message over and over again.   That way, Kyle can hear it when he makes the trip from 2029 to 1984.  

And... that’s pretty dumb.   The whole movie insists that everything has changed and nothing in history is static.   We never find out who sent Pops to 1973, or who sent the T-1000 to kill Sarah and Kyle, but the point is that history got completely overhauled because of these things.   And yet, Kyle seems to think that he can arrange a predestination paradox to ensure his victory over Skynet.   Why would that work?  John was trying to arrange a predestination paradox to ensure his victory over Skynet, and then T-John was trying to arrange another predestination paradox to ensure Skynet’s victory over him.  But none of it worked because history is apparently too fluid for that to matter.   It worked in the earlier movies (or at least it seemed to work) because those films didn’t push too hard on the idea of changing history.    John and Skynet could nudge fate, but they could never push things too far.  T5 declares all bets are off, but it keeps laying odds anyway. 

I think that self-contradiction is what bothered movie-goers in 2015.   It’s a reboot starring the old guy who was in the first movie, and it tells a story of altered timelines while also insisting that certain events can be made permanent.   So people leave the theater wondering what the hell the point was supposed to be, and word-of-mouth convinces audiences to steer clear.   There’s also a lot of plot danglers in the movie, like the question of who sent Pops back to 1973, or how he knows so damn much, but the answers were left for a future movie, one that never got made.   I think audiences in 2015 knew that they’d never get their answers in T6.   They knew T5 had nothing to do with T4, and they didn’t trust the studio to follow through on any of this. 

Oh, and “Genisys” is just the name of a fictional operating system, one that promised to do a lot of the same things Skynet was designed to do in T3.   It just had a different name, probably to keep nosy time travelers from finding it until it was too late.  T-John didn’t count on Kyle having that weird vision during his trip.  Like so many other elements of T5, the title was just slapping a new coat of paint on an old idea.   It looked mysterious and intriguing on a movie poster, but you go to the theater and find out it’s just Skynet again, and we know how Skynet operates by this point.   

With all that said, I do like this movie in spite of the marketing arrogance that fueled it.   They wanted to fix up the franchise and failed, but the movie itself is fun to watch.   T4 takes a friggin’ hour to get started, but T5 opens with a big future battle with lots of robots, and then you see two T-800′s wrassle, and then you see a T-1000 kick ass until it gets corroded to death with hydrochloric acid.  John turning into a T-3000 is kind of bizarre to me, but he works as a villain, and his black sand body makes for some cool effects.   Magnets seem to be his main weakness, and the movie does a lot of cool stuff with that.   There’s also a part in the hospital fight where he whacks off the valve on a pressurized gas cylinder, and it flies all over the place like a rocket.   And there’s a helicopter chase.   I’m not hard to please.  

I think the big problem with T4 was that most of its action sequences were too grounded in reality.   There are parts of T4 that look like a present-day war movie, or some other sci-fi film, like Independence Day, or Starship Troopers.  The Terminator movies were all about cyborgs hitting each other with present-day stuff, like trucks and toilets and school buses.   T4 can’t deliver on that, but T5 can, which is why I like 5 better than 4.  It also does a better job at holding my attention.   Both movies use the same twist and reveal it at the same time.   Marcus Wright finds out he’s a cyborg about halfway into T4, and John Connor reveals himself to be a T-3000 about halfway into T5.    But when T5 makes its play, I feel like I’ve seen a lot more stuff happen up to that point.   It helps that they didn’t give away the Evil John twist in the trailer. 

[eng355islit-blog]

T4- Native American Literature: Spirituality, Nature and Cycles of Repetition

Introduction

This week we navigated to the west and read three distinct pieces of literature that highlight different aspects of Native American heritage. There is a deep connection between this heritage and the natural world-- a spirituality that is communicated through spoken word, ritual, storytelling and music. We familiarize ourselves with the following three pieces: Silko’s “The Yellow Woman,” Navajo “The Night Chant” and “the Conquest of Mexico” from Book 12 of the Florentine Codex.  Themes of spirituality and the natural world are emphasized through the use of a literary device: repetition. We see this most prominently in “The Night Chant” and “THe Conquest of Mexico.” In “The Yellow Woman” the significance of a connection with the natural world through which the narrator can express herself and relate to, is seen throughout the short story. 

The Yellow Woman by Leslie Marmon Silko

Silko’s short story follows the narrator, an unnamed woman, as she is kidnapped by an ancestral spirit who introduces himself to her as Silva.  The fact that she is unnamed and goes on to identify with being the yellow Woman at the end of the tale goes to show that she, like the Yellow Woman, is symbolic of an Everywoman.

“I looked at him beside me, rolled in the red blanket on the white river sand”

These two quotes are examples of the distinct way Silko uses natural imagery. The red blanket is the earth that Silva and the Yellow Woman sleep on and moonflowers in the following are an extension of the Yellow Woman.

“Moonflowers blossom in the sand hills before dawn, just as I followed him” 

The Night Chant from Navajo Ceremony

The Night Chant is a healing ritual of the Navajo that focuses on a single person (Navajo Ceremony, 2014). This specific chant focuses on healing disorders of the brain and strokes. It takes place over nine days and only during the fall or winter seasons. The section of the night chant we looked at in our text is what happens on the ninth and final day of the ritual.

In Tségihi,

In the house made of the dawn.

In the house made of the evening twilight.

In the house made of the dark cloud.

In the house made of the he-rain.

In the house made of the dark mist.

In the house made of the she-rain.

In the house made of pollen.

In the house made of grasshoppers.

As we see in the quoted text, a literary device that is prevalent in this piece of Native American Literature is the use of repetition. In the above quote, “in the house made of” is repeated to signify the importance of what is found in the home of these powerful gods. Rain, thunder, twilight, and even insects are vital to the Navajo as they as the thunder god to come down from Tsegihi to heal the subject of the ritual.

Did You Know?: The Night Chant was included on the Voyager 1 record. Voyager 1 was launched in 1977 with the Golden Record on board. This record is “intended to communicate a story of our world to extraterrestrials,” according to NASA’s website. This goes to show how important Native American heritage is, not only to America but to the world and its history.  

In Class: Play "The Night Chant" at the start of class and have students free write what the music makes them feel as a class opener.

The Conquest of Mexico from Book 12, Florentine Codex

As our text states, “The Conquest of Mexico” is a record of Aztec culture, collected over three decades. It reads differently than the previous two texts but retains many literary devices and poetic devices within. Repetition and rephrasing are used often. The way the Spaniards are described in the beginning is of note- they are remarkable for their strength. In the following quote, iron, is mentioned many times as their armor and weapons were made of it. What a sight it must have been for the Aztecs to see silver men!

“All iron was their war array. In iron they clothed themselves. With iron they covered their heads. Iron were their swords. Iron were their crossbows. Iron were their shields. Iron were their lances.”

Then, there is a great example of a simile in the following quote, when Moctezuma sent emissaries to meet Cores with gifts of gold. The Spaniards are likened to pigs for their greed and lust for gold. This ultimately leads to the demise of the Aztec civilization.

“For in truth they thirsted mightily for gold; they stuffed themselves with it; they starved for it; they lusted for it like pigs.”

In Class: Have students view the following video: Cortes' Conquest of the Aztecs

 In the Classroom

Activity 1 - Pop Culture. American Indians in Media

As we get closer and closer to Halloween, we should take into consideration the topic of cultural appropriation. Reel Injun is a documentary that “looks at the history of Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans—from the exoticization to the downright violent and ridiculous; from the glory days of silent movies to the less-than-savory John Wayne Westerns—all the way to recent exciting developments in Indian American film culture” (Han, 2016).

Discuss the significance of traditional native american regalia and open up a discussion for the class about whether non-Native Americans wearing this regalia outside of rituals is appropriation or appreciation.

Ask students to relate this to their own cultures and if they can think of similarities of culturally significant traditions or rituals.

Activity 2- Sharing Articles

Share this article with the class. Provide a summary for it to discuss the appropriation of Native American heritage.

Have students log into Newsela.com and read from the articles on Native American Heritage. They can complete a short quiz at the end of each article.

Activity 3 - Fieldwork!

Trip to the National Museum of the American Indian

Peruse the National American Heritage Month website here: and offer extra credit points for students to attend events and turn in a written report tying in what they saw to Native American Spirituality and the significance of the Natural World.

Plan a field trip to a PowWow during National American Indian Heritage Month in November! This Video is a good representation of what to expect at a PowWow. Here students can experience American Indian heritage first hand.

References

Andrews, T. M. (2017, November 27). NASA launched this record into space in 1977. Now, you can own your own copy. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/11/27/nasa-launched-this-record-into-space-in-1977-now-you-can-own-your-own-copy/.

Florentine Codex. “The Conquest of Mexico.” Norton Anthology of World Literature Volume 1, edited by Puchner, Martin, 2014, pp 1937-1942.  

Han, A.-R. (2016, May 6). 6 Movies About Native Americans You Should Watch Instead of Ridiculous 6. Retrieved from https://groundswell.org/good-netflix-native-american-movies/.

Navajo Ceremony. “The Night Chant (Orature Section)” Norton Anthology of World Literature Volume 2, edited by Puchner, Martin, 2014, pp 998-1001.  

Silko, Leslie Marmon. “Yellow Woman.” Norton Anthology of World Literature Volume 2, edited by Puchner, Martin, 2014, pp 1684-1690.

[pavillonafriques-blog]

#Repost @iamishasesay • • • • • Thank you to @unwomen for asking me to be special co-host for their inaugural “Celebrating Gender Equality in Media” reception this evening. Met so many great #women who are doing important work to make this world better and fairer. The stories the media chooses to tell matter and how those stories are told is just as important. Looking forward to more disruptive storytelling... #internationalwomensday #iwd2019 https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu4JhxYA-t4/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1xeh0x4tyrjs9

[edmturnmeon]

Top 10 Best Cinematic Portraits To Kickstart 2024 Part 1

The dawn of a new year brings with it the hope of fresh and exciting art forms in the world of photography. The year 2024 is no different and the art world is buzzing with excitement over the countless new photoshoots and innovative methods that will undoubtedly shape the landscape of portrait photography. Even now, creatives are hard at work experimenting with portrait photography techniques and styles that will leave viewers speechless, inspired, and impressed. As a personal travel photographer myself, I recently had the pleasure of capturing some exquisite travel portraits, streets, landscapes, and unique neon-inspired photography while exploring the bustling city of Kuala Lumpur. After careful selection, I am proud to present the ten best cinematic portrait photographs from all that I captured- each promising to be a feast for the senses. So, as we enter the new year, let us celebrate the refreshing approach these photographs represent to the art of cinematic portrait photography, with resonant storytelling and a brand-new perspective on creativity.All I can say is, that using the SIRUI Sniper 23mm f1.2 lens has elevated my creative endeavors to new heights. It's been a game-changer for my portrait photography, ushering in a shift towards a more cinematic and evocative style. I was also learning to improve my videography skills which I have been doing so for my Fujifilm recipes on the YouTube channel.

Exploring More Into Cinematic Portraits

Cinematic portraits have always held a special place in my heart. As an avid fan of movies and music videos, I find myself constantly drawn to the idea of capturing that same film-look tone in my photography. There's something about the way that the light and shadows creep across the subjects' faces, the way that the colors and contrast combine to create a mood, that just speaks to me on a deep level.Whether I'm shooting indoors or out in the open air, I'm always looking for ways to infuse my portraits with that same sense of cinematic drama and beauty, which I've learned from the composition techniques used in films. And while I know that it can be a challenge to achieve that level of artistry, the reward of seeing my vision come to life is more than worth the effort. I'm glad I can share them with you, and I hope that they can bring some inspiration to your life.

10 SOOC Best Cinematic Portraits 2024

Previously having compiled a list of the best portrait photos in 2021, 2022, and 2023, I now have a brand new collection of photos to kickstart 2024 that I would like to share with you. Wow, time flies eh? These photos have been carefully selected based on their unique qualities, artistic merit, and ability to truly capture the essence and beauty of their subjects.These will be the first series of the best portrait photos for the first quarter of 2024. Fingers are crossed that there will be more for the rest of the year! Probably there won't be many talent shoots as I might have to slow down on shooting talents in 2024.Most photos featured here are shot with my favorite cine lens, the SIRUI Sniper 23mm f1.2 unless mentioned. I have been putting the Fujinon XF35mm f2 aside and might consider selling it off for some cash. :P The custom settings that I have been shooting with are the Downtown Bloom & Neon Obscura.

Fujifilm X-T4 // SIRUI Sniper 23mm f1.2 This is one of my favorite random portrait shoots with a traveler who was on holiday, or should I say a stranger? It was a chance encounter at a café with the hotel in Kuala Lumpur. The photo was taken with a SIRUI lens with the Fujicolor Superia recipe and I particularly appreciate the wide-angle that captures the surrounding environment. I didn't get near for half-body portraits as I was shooting from 2.5 to 5 meters away just to test out the wide-angle of the lens.

SIRUI Sniper 23mm f1.2 // Neon Obscura recipe Captured with the SIRUI autofocus lens and Neon Obscura, this stands out as one of my finest neon night portraits in Kuala Lumpur. It's likely that there won't be neon portrait projects in the future. While there were a few hit-and-miss out-of-focus shots, this lens truly excels in nighttime photography.

SIRUI Sniper 23mm f1.2 Engaged in a portrait session in Kuala Lumpur, I was focused on creating a modeling profile, commonly referred to as a com card in Malaysia. Throughout the shoot, I explored various styles, ranging from casual and fashion-oriented to cinematic aesthetics. Initially captured with Downtown Bloom, I later switched to Fujicolor Pro 400H — a Japanese film-look recipe that beautifully complements the lush greenery in the scene.

Fujinon XF35mm f2 R WR Captured indoors bathed in the gentle morning natural light, this photograph showcases the versatility of the Fujinon XF35mm f2 lens. Its exceptional performance makes it an ideal choice for portrait shots, especially in well-lit environments. The lens's ability to accentuate details and capture the nuances of the morning light adds depth and dimension to the image, especially the catchlight in the eyes, highlighting the subject in a compelling manner. I was unhappy with the cropped hand, it's a photography mistakes which is not nice for portraits.

SIRUI Sniper 23mm f1.2 One of my unique ways to shoot involves experimenting with different styles, creating double exposures, and utilizing reflections on a mirror. The Fujicolor Superia X-Tra 400 film recipe was employed for this particular photo. By skillfully manipulating the reflective properties of a mirror, I infuse an additional layer of complexity and depth into the photographs.

Fujinon XF35mm f2 R WR Embarking on a pre-wedding photoshoot amidst the lush greenery of a garden is a delightful and enchanting experience. The verdant surroundings provide a picturesque backdrop, offering a magical touch to the captured moments. This particular pre-wedding photoshoot in Kuala Lumpur holds a special place for me, as it marks one of my initial ventures into professional photography. Undoubtedly, the task presented its challenges, making it a memorable and transformative experience.

SIRUI Sniper 23mm f1.2 Engaging in yet another pre-wedding photoshoot in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, the use of natural light added an extra layer of complexity to the experience. Undoubtedly, this particular session proved to be quite challenging, demanding considerable physical effort and inducing a level of stress. Despite the initial hurdles, the end result turned out to be remarkably satisfying.Reflecting on this experience, I am inclined to emphasize the importance of preparation in pre-wedding photoshoots. While the spontaneity of this particular session led to successful results, having a moodboard and a loosely structured plan can help provide a roadmap, ensuring a more organized and stress-free process. Preparing in advance allows for a smoother execution of ideas, ensuring that the essence of the couple's story is beautifully captured while mitigating potential challenges that may arise in the absence of a structured plan.

SIRUI Sniper 23mm f1.2 Returning to the renowned Bird Park in Kuala Lumpur in the year 2024, I embarked on a captivating test of the SIRUI Sniper lens, and the results were nothing short of extraordinary! Contrary to my previous visits focused on avian subjects, this time, the lens was put to the test with a different focus—a living and breathing subject taking center stage in the photographs, shot with the Downtown Bloom recipe. . This photo was taken at around 10am and it was already start sweating. Make sure to stay hydrated!

Fujinon XF35mm f2 R WR One of my frequent go-to locations in Kuala Lumpur for fashion, travel, and casual photoshoots is a spot that has consistently proven to be a versatile canvas for creative expression. Capitalizing on the innate characteristics of this location, I leverage the compelling elements of leading lines and adhere to the rule of thirds to craft visually stunning compositions that offer a distinctive and captivating appeal for my clientele. A perfect cityscape background shot with the Downtown Bloom.

SIRUI Sniper 23mm f1.2 The portrait that I am referring to is one of the most notable pieces in my collection. This breathtaking portrait showcases the power of leading lines in photography. It was taken on a day with cloudy weather and luckily, there were no harsh shadows that could distract and ruin the beauty of the shot. Instead, it provided the perfect canvas to test out different exposure techniques. In this particular instance, the photographer chose to intentionally overexpose the image, adding a soft and dreamy quality to it. The ultimate goal in selecting this specific approach was to highlight the softness of the cloudy atmosphere and capture a gentle and flattering glow around the subject. The choice to take shots on a cloudy day not only resulted in a stunning and unique portrait but also emphasized the versatility of leading lines in photography. These lines were integral in guiding the viewer’s gaze towards the central focal point, thereby adding another layer of visual interest to the composition. Read the full article

[timeforelfnonsense]

O1 Z6 Y5 X4 G3 G4 G5 C5 C3 A1 M3 N2 N3 T4 Kind of random and there is a lot lol but im curious! 😁

Thank you for sending this Nony! I’m not sure who you wanted these for so I’ll do Ashalle and if you want the others let me know. I’d be happy to do any or all of them!

O1.  are they optimistic or pessimistic?

Ashalle is a very optimistic!

 Z5. do they have any pets at the moment?

She has her red hart, Faron

Y5. what’s your favorite thing about them?

Oh wow this is so hard! I love all my OC so much, but Ash is special to me. I think my favorite thing about her is despite her occasional temper, she hasn’t let the world turn her hard. She is and always will be a tender heart.  

X4. can they sing well?

Yes! She loves music and singing. If DAI had a bard class that would be her!

G3.what benefits come with being their friend?

She cares so much about everyone. She will bend over backwards to help those she cares about. She is the kind of friend who is always there no matter what!

G4. what parts of them do they like and dislike?

She feels like she’s a loyal and fundamentally good person with a good heart. Physically, she really loves her hair; her mother told her silver hair means her kin have Mythal’s favor! She has her father’s eyes, she feels lucky to carry that part of him with her. She dislikes how easy to trust she is as it gets her into hot water. She’s also working on her temper and impulsiveness. She feels very plain looking and she’s a bit self conscious about how small and thin she is.

G5. what parts of others do they envy?

I think she envies humans for their privilege. She knows her life would be much easier if her people were treated equally with humanity. She also views herself as quite plain and she envies other women she perceives as beautiful sometimes.

C5. who is the best at comforting them when down?

Solas, Blackwall or Cassandra.

Solas is so rational and calm just having him around helps her. He always seems to know the right thing to say when she’s hurting.

Blackwall is like a father to her, he has good advice and makes her laugh.

Cassandra is her best friend, she’d do anything to protect Ashalle.

C3. what is their ideal comfort day?

She’d spend the day with Solas and her clan eating sweets and exploring.

A1. what are your oc’s natural abilities, things they’ve been doing since young?   

Ashalle

She’s always had a knack for storytelling! Old dalish tales or personal stories she’ll have everyone listening wrapped around her finger.

M3. would they be a good parent?

Yes! She always loved children and she often helped her mother midwife and care for children with her clan. She would tell stories and sing to the children of inquisition staff when she was inquisitor. She has a child of her own after the events of the main game. She adores Telana and nothing is ever going to hurt her if she has her way.

N 2. what have they never done that they want to do?

This one is kind of a bummer but she’s never been married.

N3. is there anything they absolutely can’t believe people do?

Treat others with unkindness when they have done nothing to earn it.

T4. have they lied about anything they regret lying about?

She didn’t tell Solas about Telana during Trespasser. It’s more of a lie of omission, but she wonders if not telling him was a mistake. She knows it’s possible he knows already via the fade or spies in the inquisition. She worries about what all this will mean for her child.