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DSLR: Photography

Intro

Originally, the DSLR documentation consisted of four different pages.
This concept has been crossed and re-developed in one page.
The page is structured as follows:

Reflection & Process-description

My first encounter with the DSLR camera was an interesting and fun experience.
The beginning was mainly about exploring the camera and the different settings.
The first task was a good exercise to experiment with aperture and focus.
The project started with photos of architectural details in this case in Strijp-S.
Specifically the stairs behind the Albert Heijn as an inspiring location.

After the first exploration I felt more secure with the camera.
The portrait assignment was an opportunity to express my creativity.
I chose to shift the focus from the eyes to the character of the people portrayed.
In this case Isa and Ethan, and their personality & character to capture.
The Halloween atmosphere gave the pictures an extra dimension.

In the post-processing I experimented with grain and black and white to create the desired atmosphere.
By playing with the lighting and shadows I tried to amplify the emotion.
At Ethan I wanted to evoke a sense of power and mystery.
While at Isa the focus was on her focused and neutral character.
I have consciously chosen a composition where the eyes are not central.
To draw attention to the composition and the emotion that speaks from it.

The last assignment, architecture series, was a challenge.
Due to lack of time, I had to switch quickly.
The series with shapes and lines was well-considered, with a dystopian atmosphere as its goal.
The color contrast series was more spontaneous and intuitive.

During this process, I not only learned technical skills, but also developed my artistic vision.
The positive feedback from my teacher Walther on my portrait photos was a boost to keep growing.

In the future, I want to develop even further in photography.
I want to pay more attention to the planning and preparation of my projects.
This includes communication with teachers and classmates.

This module has opened up a new world for me.
I have learned to look at the world around me with different eyes and capture it.
The small, spontaneous moments that show the essence of life have caught my attention.

Depth of Field

For this assignment I was introduced to a DSLR camera for the first time.
The goal was to experiment with depth of field, with a focus on architectural details.
I tried to capture specific elements sharply, while the background remained blurry.

The photos were taken in Eindhoven, near Strijp-S.
A number of statues are captured above the stairs behind the Albert Heijn in Strijp-S.
Here the light and interesting corners were responsible for a special atmosphere.

In post-processing I chose a warmer shade and added grain (“grain”).
I did this to give the pictures a cinematic look.
By making the images slightly darker, the details come into their own and the atmosphere is strengthened.

Portrait

For this assignment I made portrait photos of two classmates, Isa and Ethan.
With a bit of a coincidence, it was Halloween, so they both wore a special outfit.
This immediately gave the images an intriguing atmosphere.

I have consciously chosen to blur the background and manipulate the depth of field to focus on Isa and Ethan.
In post-processing I experimented with grain (“grain”) to give the photos a rawer texture.
In addition, I turned the photos into black and white, which gives the portraits a timeless look and extra character.

One of the goals in this task was to focus on the eyes.
In my interpretation I chose to shift the focus to the character.
I chose to emphasize their inner radiance, rather than their appearance.

In the left photo I wanted to express a mysterious and powerful and even a scary personality;
While the right photo shows the spontaneity and natural personality of the model.
The second picture is therefore spontaneously taken and captures the concentrated look of my classmate while she controls her camera.
This exudes a strong personality for me.

Architecture

This assignment consisted of creating two series of architectural photos.
Each with a specific theme: shapes & lines and color contrasts.

Shapes & Lines

For the first series, and my second session with the theme shapes and lines, I have made a clear plan.
I wanted to create a dystopian atmosphere with metal constructions, captured in a dark, cold and grainy style.

Color contrasts

In the second series, with color contrasts as the theme, I was guided by contrasting colors in architecture.
These were my first attempts, without a clear plan. I notice that my photography has evolved since then.
I searched for buildings and objects with strong color differences to create a dynamic and striking series.

Extra’s

Since I took more pictures than listed in this documentation, here is a small gallery with my favorites.