Portrait Assignment

ISO - 200

F/ 5.6

SS 1/640

Student Parking Lot

This is Anna, she is such a model!

ISO - 100

F/ 5.6

SS 1/640

Student Parking Lot

I was trying to get more of a domineering dark feel to this photo and I think I was able to capture it.

ISO - 100

F/ 5.6

SS 1/125

Student Parking Lot

This is Zachary, he looks so coot in this picture!

ISO - 100

F/ 5.6

SS 1/125

Student Parking Lot

I'm glad I was able to get the foreground blurry and have the rest be in focus, it's slightly distracting but I love the way it ended up.

ISO - 100

f/ 5.6

SS 1/125

Lawn by the office.

We found a wooden peg and I decided we would take tribal warrior pictures.

ISO - 100

F/ 5.6

SS 1/125

Lawn by the office.

Isn't she lovely?

ISO - 100

f/ 5.6

SS 1/125

Lawn by the office

Here I believe I captured a beautiful natural smile from her.

ISO - 800

F/ 5.6

SS 1/100

Back Lot

I was very careful with this framing and I like how it ended up.

ISO - 400

F/ 9.0

1/100

Back Lot

Once again I love the framing.

ISO - 100

F/ 5.6

SS 1/80

Tree in lawn.

We decided to find a unique place to take pictures/pose in and this really worked.

ISO - 100

F/ 5.6

SS 1/80

This is a more serious photo.

ISO - 100

F/ 5.6

SS 1/20

Isn't she pretty? I love how natural she looks in this picture!

ISO 100

F/ 5.6

SS 1/40

This is more of a posed photo but I'm still happy with the outcome.

ISO 800

F/ 9

SS 1/200

I felt like this was a very natural picture and I like it.

ISO 100 

F/ 5.6

ISO 100

This could be a cover of VOGUE

ISO 400

F/ 5.0

SS 1/30

Since a certain student enjoyed spending her time in the art room I took a picture of her there.

ISO 400

F/ 5

1/30

Here I was working on my dream of being a hand photographer.

ISO 400

F/ 5.6

SS 1/200

While I was taking this i was feeling like this could be either a badge or profile picture that showed her best qualities.

ISO 100

F/ 5.6

SS 1/160

This is another shot where I was trying to catch the subject looking as if they had no idea I was shooting them.

ISO 100

F/ 5.6

SS 1/125

Once again this ties in with my wooden peg and my fascination with pretend weapons. Incidentally I ended up with a fairly painful sliver while maneuvering this particular stake. 

Self-Critique

What did I do well?

I feel like I was able to do a good job  of capturing the cities from an outsider perspective and show how people who don't view it every day see it. 

What could I improve on?

Every catagory needs room for improvement but especially my alignment and such. Along with that comes how I frame the pictures when I'm actually shooting them.

What did I enjoy?

As strange as it may seem I actually enjoyed getting out of my comfort zone. I'm more of a country/nature girl at heart so having to find appealing aspects of the city to capture, although daunting, gave me the opportunity to explore a part of the workd I had

Only glanced over before.

Architecture & Urban Photography Assignment

Here it is. The complete collection!

Duran-01-Cityscape

03-27-13

Staten Island Ferry, NY

ISO 100

SS 1/1000

F 5.6

A beautiful afternoon in which we explored Manhattan and got a feel for the typical New York that you see in the movies!

Duran-02-Cityscape

03-27-13

20 Vesey St. New York, NY 10007

ISO 100

SS 1/125

F 4.0

This was one of the photos I took when I first walked into the memorial site. Trying to avoid the real feelings I had, pretending not to remember the tragedy that occurred here.

Duran-03-Cityscape

 03-27-13

20 Vesey St. New York, NY 10007

ISO 100

SS 1/125

F 4.0

This photo was taken a few minutes later, after letting the whole situation sink in.

 Duran-04-Urban

3-08-13
1037 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205
 ISO 100

 SS 1/125

  F 5.6
Before this project I had never seen this sign in person, seeing it was a truly great Portlandia experience

Duran-05-UrbanCloseup

 3-08-13
934 SW Salmon St, Portland, OR 97205

  ISO 100
   SS 1/400
   F 5.6
We had just met a couple adorable bull dogs before I saw this sign, the dogs were very cute!

Duran-06-Urban

03-27-13

20 Vesey St. New York, NY 10007

ISO 800

SS 1/250

F 4.5

I was able to stop for a quick moment to capture this picture, New York moves a little too fast sometimes.

Duran-07-Urban-StreetSign

   3-08-13

  1001 SW 10th Ave, Portland, OR

    ISO 100

      SS 1/125

     F 5.6

I enjoy riding my bike which is why I took this photo

Duran-08-Reflective 

03-27-13

20 Vesey St. New York, NY 10007

ISO 100

SS 1/250

F 4.0

I'm not 100% sure but I believe this is one of the new twin towers, either way it was a magnificent piece of architecture.

Duran-09-Juxtaposition 

03-27-13

Staten Island Ferry, NY

On every shoreline in NY there was some sort of debris and these ones just happened to capture my eye.

 Duran-10-Street-CandidCop

  3-08-13

         801 SW 10th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97205

   ISO 200

    SS 1/125

   F 5.6

I followed this man down the street for a while, I waited for him to finish talking to the cop. I then asked the cop if I could take a picture of him and he said that he's not supposed to let people take pictures of him. Little did he know I already had one!

Duran-11-Street

3-08-13

                                         801 SW 10th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97205

  ISO 200

   SS 1/125

 F 5.6

My friend Sophie pointed this out and said "You have to get a picture of his jacket, it has Bible verses!"

Duran-12-Street

03-25-2013

1535 Victory Blvd Staten Island, NY 10314

ISO 100

SS 1/125

F 5.6

If at any point Hally Hansen wants to contact me and use this in an add campaign feel free! This is my friend Eric and I (behind the camera) doing some early morning, cold morning, hurricane clean up!

Duran-13-Street-Candid

 3-08-13
        934 SW Salmon St, Portland, OR 97205
Walking down the street as a teenage girl you are genenrally hypervigelent. When a middle aged man walks up to you, you are generally very cautious and apprehensive. He started asking about my camera, where I went to school, what I was doing, and then he informed me that he was a photographer for the Oregonian! Upon hearing this news we talked a little longer and then parted ways, but then something inside of me said "CHASE HIM". So I ran down the street yelling sir until he turned around, then asked for his picture, said thank you and he gave me his card. This is my new friend Tom.

Duran-14-My Choice

03-27-13

20 Vesey St. New York, NY 10007

ISO 100

SS 1/250

F 4.0

I don't know Kathleen, but obviously she is loved and missed. So many people died on that tragic day, this was my way of paying homage to all the souls lost that day. "In the darkness we shine brightest" 9/11/2001 I dedicate this project to all of those lost on that day. RIP Kathleen Shearer and all the other lives that perished. Gone but NEVER forgotten.

Duran-15-Architecture 

 3-08-13

            801 SW 10th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97205

         ISO 400

        SS 1/125

    F 5.6

A particularly beautiful library located in Downtown Portland.

Duran-16-Architecture-Interior
  3-08-13
        801 SW 10th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97205
   ISO 3200
   SS 1/125
   F 5.6
This man seemed to be celebrating something, I'm not sure what but seeing the pure joy on his face made my day.

Duran-17-Architecture-Bridge

Marsh Rd. Sandy, OR 97055

ISO 100

SS 1/125

F 5.0

I grew up a few hundred yards away from this exact spot. I spent many days, nights, summers, years, and memories there; none of which I regret.

Duran-18-Architecture 

03-27-13

20 Vesey St. New York, NY 10007

ISO 100

SS 1/125

F 4.0

I know for a fact this is one of the new towers, such a beautiful spot and humbling grounds.

Duran-19-Architecture

03-27-13

New York Harbor, NY

ISO 100

SS 1/500

F 5.6

As I looked out across the water and saw this statue I was like "WHOA! That's a cool statue!" So I decided to take a picture of it. I think it's a fairly new statue, but it looked kind of old and rustic. Reminded me a little of some French sculptures I've seen before but this one was different. People kept calling it the 'Statue of Liberty' but I think that might just be a thing all the hipsters are calling it.

Duran-20-Architecture-Interior

03-25-2013

1535 Victory Blvd Staten Island, NY 10314

ISO 100

SS 1/125

F 5.6

This was just inside one of the houses that was destroyed by the hurricane. In this house were also childrens toys and other family artifacts. The whole thing was a humbling experience. I really wish I new the history behind this photo. Thank you to whoever this soldier was, thank you for your sacrifice and service.

Thursday Thoughts on a Wednesday night

I'm about to post my project so I figured I should do this first. This week (today in particular) I learned about the histogram and properly exposing/enhancing a picture.
I am now learning to enhance my photos rather than totally change and fix them. This has opened up a whole new realm of photography to me! I was also able to make some Hunger Games and Walking Dead references and promote Divergent in the process; it was a great week :)

Thursday Thoughts 4-11-13

First week back from break... there are various ways I can feel about this. The good thing is I survived! I've spent time both in and out of class going through all my photos from Spring Break and I miss it.
The first week I went to NY and helped with Hurricane Sandy relief; a life changing experience to say the least. It was a great week, the second week was spent getting my life back together, adjusting to west coast time was extremely difficult but I'm better now.
It is now the perilous journey of editing photos begins. More tales of adventure next week!

Thursday Thoughts

This week has been entirely editing for me. Home, school, all based on studying and editing. While all this has been on my mind I have also had the thought that this Sunday I'll be leaving for New York! I know this has nothing to do with photography (other than the fact I'll get tons of sweet architecture and street pictures) I am still very excited. I promise that upon my return I will have several dozen stories to tell you. Happy Thursday!

Architecture Assignment

I'll admit when I first heard of this project I wasn't very excited but looking back I'm glad Joseph made me do this. It made me go out of my comfort zone, I am titling this, THE AWKWARD CATALOG! Enjoy :)

                                                         Duran-04-Urban
                                                         3-08-13
                                                         1037 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205
                                                         ISO 100
                                                         SS 1/125
                                                         F 5.6
Before this project I had never seen this sign in person, seeing it was a truly great Portlandia experience

                                                Duran-06-Urban-StreetSign
                                                3-08-13
                                               1001 SW 10th Ave, Portland, OR
                                               ISO 100
                                               SS 1/125
                                               F 5.6
I enjoy riding my bike which is why I took this photo
                                                

                                         Duran-05-UrbanCloseup
                                         3-08-13
                                         934 SW Salmon St, Portland, OR 97205
                                         ISO 100
                                         SS 1/400
                                         F 5.6
We had just met a couple adorable bull dogs before I saw this sign, the dogs were very cute!

                                          Duran-08-Reflective
                                          3-08-13
                                         111 SW Broadway, Portland, OR
                                         ISO 400
                                         SS 1/125
                                         F 5.6
Originally I took this photo having no intention of using it as a reflection but looking at it now it's a house of mirrors

                                         Duran-10-Street-CandidCop
                                         3-08-13
                                          801 SW 10th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97205
                                         ISO 200
                                         SS 1/125
                                         F 5.6
I followed this man down the street for a while, I waited for him to finish talking to the cop. I then asked the cop if I could take a picture of him and he said that he's not supposed to let people take pictures of him. Little did he know I already had one!

                                         Duran-13-Street-Candid
                                         3-08-13
                                        934 SW Salmon St, Portland, OR 97205
Walking down the street as a teenage girl you are genenrally hypervigelent. When a middle aged man walks up to you, you are generally very cautious and apprehensive. He started asking about my camera, where I went to school, what I was doing, and then he informed me that he was a photographer for the Oregonian! Upon hearing this news we talked a little longer and then parted ways, but then something inside of me said "CHASE HIM". So I ran down the street yelling sir until he turned around, then asked for his picture, said thank you and he gave me his card. This is my new friend Tom.

                                         Duran-15-Architecture-Exterior
                                         3-08-13
                                        1037 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205
                                         ISO 100
                                         SS 1/200
                                         F 5.6
Another shot of the Portland sign!

                                          Duran-16-Architecture-Exterior
                                          3-08-13
                                          801 SW 10th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97205
                                          ISO 400
                                          SS 1/125
                                          F 5.6
A particularly beautiful library located in Downtown Portland.

                                         Duran-17-Architectre-Interior
                                          3-08-13
                                          801 SW 10th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97205
                                         ISO 3200
                                         SS 1/125
                                         F 5.6
This man seemed to be celebrating something, I'm not sure what but seeing the pure joy on his face made my day.

                                         Duran-12-Street-Candid
                                         3-08-13
                                         801 SW 10th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97205
                                         ISO 200
                                         SS 1/125
                                         F 5.6
My friend Sophie pointed this out and said "You have to get a picture of his jacket, it has Bible verses!"