Schoenkopf

Name: Austin Schoenkopf

Guiding Question: Do I want to pursue a career in photography? If so, would I like to focus on sports photography?

(optional) Use this space to list possible activities, tasks, experiences. Remember everything you do should help you answer your Guiding Question.

(Required) This plan is a “best guess” as to what you and your mentor think you will be doing. It is not meant to be a hard and fast schedule for your Exploration. The plan should illustrate how you intend to complete a minimum of 80 hours.

for particular situations. ||= 2.5 || can accurately judge and review my points of strength and weakness. I will focus on things like positioning, use of light, timing, etc. Also, I will try to best use Elisa's information on camera set-up. Mostly WFS sports as subjects ||= 20 || part of my journal) on her tips on my flaws. ||= 2-4 (depending on results) || nature photography techniques. Nature walk with Elisa through Alapocas woods. ||= 5 || considerable time on portrait and landscape. ||= 32 || make sure that I try many different styles. ||= 10 ||
 * = Date ||= Location/Activity ||= Number of Hours ||
 * = 5/1 ||= Elisa and I meet to "learn the basics" in terms of how to best set-up a digital SLR
 * = 5/2-7 ||= 1st run of photography. I will shoot as I know how, without her advice, that way we
 * = 5/8-9 ||= Pre-instruction work on editing using Adobe Photoshop. ||= 8 ||
 * = 5/10 ||= Meet with Elisa. Go over what I have done. Critique! Take notes (to be turned in as
 * = 5/11 ||= Meet with Elisa for a second day of learning. This time focusing on portraits and
 * = 5/12-20 ||= Another run of photography. Sports will be the majority, but I will also spend
 * = 5/21-23 ||= Super editing! Reviewing and editing the last eight days of photographing. Will
 * = 5/24 ||= Meet with Elisa to show my work and further critique ||= 2-4 ||
 * = 5/25-28 ||= Final capturing time. Will try to utilize all of my gained knowledge ||= 12 ||
 * = 5/29-30 ||= Final editing phase. ||= 8 ||
 * = 5/31 ||= Final meeting with Elisa for debriefing and review. ||= 2 ||
 * =  ||> Total Number of Hours ||= ~105 ||
 * =  ||> Total Number of Hours ||= ~105 ||
 * =  ||> Total Number of Hours ||= ~105 ||
 * =  ||> Total Number of Hours ||= ~105 ||
 * =  ||> Total Number of Hours ||= ~105 ||
 * =  ||> Total Number of Hours ||= ~105 ||

Journal: 5/10/11:Hey Gang! So I ran into a few troubles my first week. Firstly, I had planned to use my mentor's extra camera. However, due to an unfortunate fall while on vacation, her lens broke, leaving me camera-less. Secondly, I couldn't meet with her until yesterday. We met for a few hours, with her lesson focusing on fstop, which dictates how much is in focus. A low fstop cause pictures to have a soft, more blurred background, and a high fstop carries more in focus. She talked to me about using fstop to carry my artistic vision. She also talked to me about the relationship between shutter speed and fstop. I got in about 54 hours between meeting with Elisa, the lacrosse game, a baseball game, multiple day trips with Eric, editing, and layout choices. Here is a picture from the lacrosse game against Archmere that demonstrates fstop: Notice how Brett McCone is in focus but the referee in the far foreground and the trees in the background are soft. This draws the viewer's eye to the athletes, as I wanted. It gives the individual players significance, creating drama in the scene. For this I used an fstop of 4.5 and a shutter speed of 1/2500 of a second.

Different lighting scenarios dictate different shutter speeds, as in certain lighting conditions, difference amounts of light need to be captured. Generally, humans can hold their hand still for 1/32 of a second, so any speed below that requires a tripod. I am having trouble uploading some pictures but hope to be successful in doing so shortly.

Until next time, Austin

Here are some more pictures: Here's Eric Comeger. For those of you that do not know, Eric is a big on nature. For this picture, I had him in the shade and used the sun coming from the side to give this picture dramatic lighting. To convey my message of Eric and nature being one in the same, I used a medium fstop of 9. With this the closest plants in the background are in focus, as is Eric. This choice makes both the background and foreground significant.

Here is another one of Eric. the camera settings to capture the bright light outside of the car, and used a very low ISO setting. The ISO (320, I believe) allowed the camera to capture the details, like the sweat on the forehead and stubble on the chin. By setting the light for outside, the foreground, taken inside the car, is much darker. Also, with a low fstop //and// shutter speed, the background is both soft and pulled. This picture was taken while driving past the light for Augustine Cut-Off. The lane in the background is stretched, giving the subject a more surreal appearance. I developed this in Grayscale and raised the black levels, making the outlines of his face more dramatic, and hinting at a serious scene.

I took this of the road outside my house using a shutter speed of 15 seconds. Go tripod!

This is another picture from the lacrosse game against Archmere. Brett Tracy was sent flying but not before passing off the ball. I loved this shot because, by using an fstop of 7, I got the ball, Brett, and his shadow in clear enough focus. Also, I like how the shadow of the ball's other half came out.

This one paints a picture of perseverance. Sam Davis worked his way though the defense and got the shot off. The dirt flying up and the crispness of the clumps near his feet do a lot for this picture.

Journal: With my plan of action in disarray, I found myself in an icky pickle this week. With a camera in short supply, I had only 10 hours or so for the week as of Tuesday. Then, like photographic manna from Nikon heaven I ran into my mentor at school, coincidentally just after I had picked up the camera. This impromptu meeting was our most effective meeting, as I stumbled upon Chazz, Julian, and Chris Whitney sitting at a poker table in the middle of the parking lot. PERFECT photo shoot opportunity. Elisa had me focus on close, personal shots, as well as combating the varying light levels that the somewhat cloudy day provided. I am sure I will meet the required hours, but I don't think I will hit my goal of 105. I am feeling disappointed that I haven't been able to do everything I had hoped. With the meeting, the poker table shoot, and another run of pictures of Jermaine, my mom, and few rides through the valley, I have hit my 80 hour mark. GO!

Journal: Well, Elisa and I will meet one last time for a final critique and my exploration will be complete! On the most recent adventure, I focused on placement and angle. Different angle of capture can give a moment totally different stories. Also, I've been thinking a lot about my guiding question. I very much want to pursue a career in photography. At least carry it as a serious hobby, I really enjoy doing it. Once I find an inexpensive camera, I will see where I can take what I've learned. Though I did not meet my personal hours limit, this experience has really been a good one.