Shot these with my boyfriend's little point and shoot (with an in-camera projector).
Mount Baldy
A couple pictures that I haven't gotten around to... finally!
Shot these with my boyfriend's little point and shoot (with an in-camera projector).
Shot these with my boyfriend's little point and shoot (with an in-camera projector).
Week 4/52
Two years ago, I knew next to nothing about photography or cinematography.
Now, I am recognized by many as a photographer and cinematographer.
But there are still days when I realize just how little I know about anything.
I still have so much to learn.
In this never-ending learning stage, I want to experiment more.
I want to break the rules more.
I want to get out of my comfort zone.
Week 3/52
With a 52 Weeks, I can really put effort in making sure that the work I produce is my best. For this image, it took me three tries with three different concepts. Twice I took about 20 images, edited them, and said, "This isn't working" or "This sucks." I'm happy though, that I'm able to recognize this. Hopefully I'll be able to maintain this mentality and make the 52 Weeks Project worth it ;)
Photo shoots with Nicole
Lately I've been having an ongoing photo shoot with Nicole for her calendar project. It's definitely been a bit of a challenge accommodating both of our busy schedules and figuring out different concepts at the same time. But I think all the film production I did, the lighting class I took, and just growing more as a photographer has been really helpful, though. This past weekend we knocked off 7 different looks in just a few hours of the early morning! On Saturday we started shooting at 6:45am because I wanted to catch that special light that only comes right when the sun rises. Poor girl, but she was such a trooper. I made her gather and throw leaves in the air and get into the freezing January ocean waters! It was kind of hard faking a summer look (for the summer months) when it was freezing outside, but thankfully it got warmer and we pulled off even more shots. Just one more and the project will be done. :)
Here's a sneak peak of two of the shots we did in the morning.
(edit: these are the months September and November!)
Here's a sneak peak of two of the shots we did in the morning.
(edit: these are the months September and November!)
Week 2/52
Today, I went exploring a bit with my friend Nish and his friend Luke around Summerland and San Ysidro in Santa Barbara! There are so many abandoned places that are so amazing to be at. Too bad most of the places were fenced off so I couldn't take any pictures in there, but we stopped by the beach of an old Miramar property so I took my Week 2/52 there!
Next time, when I'm brave enough to go ninja-ing around there again (and wearing appropriate shoes!), maybe I'll take more photos. :)
Next time, when I'm brave enough to go ninja-ing around there again (and wearing appropriate shoes!), maybe I'll take more photos. :)
Considering dropping my Art major
When I first entered the university, I came in as a film major. I took some art classes because they were interesting and fulfilled some general education requirements. I had petitioned to be a double major in art towards the end of my sophomore and successfully got in. I enjoy art and the classes, I thought, and if I was going to be taking those classes out of interest on my own anyways, I might as well major in it also. However, as I'm approaching the 3/4 mark of my college career, I'm thinking of dropping the art major.
Something to note:
Film classes and art classes tend to take up more hours than normal classes. For example, Film 101B alone meets a total of about 13 hours a week. Film 121 meets for 3-hour long twice a week. One art class can take up to 6 hours a week, not including the time spent on working on projects alone.
So I guess that leaves me to list some reasons why I plan on dropping the art major:
1. I have never, and probably will never, agree to being graded on art. Art is so subjective that no set of criteria could ever truly take into consideration the mentality behind the work produced. I believe that most of the time, it boils down to the grader's personal bias (because there is ALWAYS a bias, no matter how objective the grader tries to remain) and preference.
1a. I guess as a subset of the grading aspect comes the critique days. I have never liked critique days. As my own personal preference, I have never liked to talk about my own work, in terms of explaining why I did something. I like to just let it stand for itself. I heard once somewhere that "if you have to explain your work, it isn't very good to begin with." It's an interesting statement that, of course, can't apply to everything, but it has been thought provoking to me. During critique days, I usually just heard "This reminds me of..."
Am I making the art for myself or for the one who will grade it? I've once been called narcissistic for voicing that I chose elements of the painting that were important to me. (the painting is posted at the bottom)
2. I feel that I lack the necessary passion for art that justifies me taking the major and sacrificing time away from my film major. I look around and see the art students around me with their 2B drawing pencils and ink pens dotting away in their black sketchbooks. When our art classes require us to have sketchbooks, I cringe, because I know they'll require it to be a journal of thoughts, notes, and ideas. I already have my own daily journal and my own system of remembering inspiration and ideas. I knew something was wrong when sketchbooks were due the next day and I was furiously drawing, writing and doodling page after page of meaningless junk while most of the other students just had to hand in their own sketchbook. I love and appreciate art, I just don't live it as much as an art major should.
3. I don't believe in staying past 4 years of university. I don't look down on those who do to finish up classes, but it's just not for me. To finish the film and art double major at this point, I would either have to take classes during summer school AND stuff myself to a tedious limit during the rest of the quarters. If I did this, I would sacrifice possible summer internship time and film project opportunities.
4. Paying money for art materials I'm only going to use one time for one class. The painting supplies I have no problem - I can paint on my own, but other things such as compressed charcoal, linoleum carving tools, and seventy different kinds of paper and erasers I can't see myself using more than once for the class assignment. I am just not that invested into it.
I feel myself investing more time, energy, and emotional attachments to my film classes and projects than to my art classes and projects. In just writing this, it's pretty clear that the art major doesn't deserve my partial commitment and that my film major deserves my full commitment. So, I will be dropping the art class I am currently enrolled in, and, sometime later, I will be dropping out of the major.
final project, 2010
Mark Twain - "Don't let schooling interfere with your education."
Something to note:
Film classes and art classes tend to take up more hours than normal classes. For example, Film 101B alone meets a total of about 13 hours a week. Film 121 meets for 3-hour long twice a week. One art class can take up to 6 hours a week, not including the time spent on working on projects alone.
So I guess that leaves me to list some reasons why I plan on dropping the art major:
1. I have never, and probably will never, agree to being graded on art. Art is so subjective that no set of criteria could ever truly take into consideration the mentality behind the work produced. I believe that most of the time, it boils down to the grader's personal bias (because there is ALWAYS a bias, no matter how objective the grader tries to remain) and preference.
1a. I guess as a subset of the grading aspect comes the critique days. I have never liked critique days. As my own personal preference, I have never liked to talk about my own work, in terms of explaining why I did something. I like to just let it stand for itself. I heard once somewhere that "if you have to explain your work, it isn't very good to begin with." It's an interesting statement that, of course, can't apply to everything, but it has been thought provoking to me. During critique days, I usually just heard "This reminds me of..."
Am I making the art for myself or for the one who will grade it? I've once been called narcissistic for voicing that I chose elements of the painting that were important to me. (the painting is posted at the bottom)
2. I feel that I lack the necessary passion for art that justifies me taking the major and sacrificing time away from my film major. I look around and see the art students around me with their 2B drawing pencils and ink pens dotting away in their black sketchbooks. When our art classes require us to have sketchbooks, I cringe, because I know they'll require it to be a journal of thoughts, notes, and ideas. I already have my own daily journal and my own system of remembering inspiration and ideas. I knew something was wrong when sketchbooks were due the next day and I was furiously drawing, writing and doodling page after page of meaningless junk while most of the other students just had to hand in their own sketchbook. I love and appreciate art, I just don't live it as much as an art major should.
3. I don't believe in staying past 4 years of university. I don't look down on those who do to finish up classes, but it's just not for me. To finish the film and art double major at this point, I would either have to take classes during summer school AND stuff myself to a tedious limit during the rest of the quarters. If I did this, I would sacrifice possible summer internship time and film project opportunities.
4. Paying money for art materials I'm only going to use one time for one class. The painting supplies I have no problem - I can paint on my own, but other things such as compressed charcoal, linoleum carving tools, and seventy different kinds of paper and erasers I can't see myself using more than once for the class assignment. I am just not that invested into it.
I feel myself investing more time, energy, and emotional attachments to my film classes and projects than to my art classes and projects. In just writing this, it's pretty clear that the art major doesn't deserve my partial commitment and that my film major deserves my full commitment. So, I will be dropping the art class I am currently enrolled in, and, sometime later, I will be dropping out of the major.
final project, 2010
Mark Twain - "Don't let schooling interfere with your education."
Week 1/52
Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2010 has been memorable and fun, but onwards to 2011 we go!
I've decided to start a 52 Weeks Self Portrait project! Every week I will take one self portrait of myself. Instead of a 365 of self portraits, 52 Weeks will definitely allow me time to concentrate on school and filming and, at the same time, give me enough breathing room to think of better concepts and ideas for pictures. Afterall, the entire point of the project is to improve, right? *Holds breath* Here we go! :)
I've decided to start a 52 Weeks Self Portrait project! Every week I will take one self portrait of myself. Instead of a 365 of self portraits, 52 Weeks will definitely allow me time to concentrate on school and filming and, at the same time, give me enough breathing room to think of better concepts and ideas for pictures. Afterall, the entire point of the project is to improve, right? *Holds breath* Here we go! :)
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