Final Videography

Charlie and I decided to construct a Christmas themed video for the final. We changed our minds about three or four times before we settled on “What does Christmas mean to you?” It was awesome doing the b-roll film, I actually really enjoyed driving around shooting the snow as it fell and being able to see all of the Christmas lights in town during the evening. I knew I was going to enjoy utilizing my camera again; however, I was a bit nervous about the actual filming only because it was something I had never done before, especially on a DSLR camera. I made sure to read up on tips before we went out and shot but the whole time I was so afraid of messing it up and having to redo some of the b-roll film. When I loaded it on to my computer I was surprised on how well I had done shooting manually with the camera! So obtaining the b-roll film was a piece of cake, but the interviewing was a little difficult. I’m not going to lie, I was a bit nervous about going up and sticking a camera in people’s faces because I know how awkward that is. Being photographed is one thing, but being videotaped is a whole new level of uncomfortableness for some people. In the end it all turned out okay, Charlie and I went downtown for about an hour and took turns asking people if they wanted to be interviewed. In all we ended up getting a dozen interviews off of the street so I was pretty proud of us. I really enjoyed using iMovie as well, I had used it some in the past, but that was clear back in high school. It was remarkably easy and I finished the whole thing in a little over an hour. The only thing that I found tedious was re watching ALL of the b-roll film in order to choose clips for the movie, that took the most time out of anything, along with selecting which interviews to use. Since I really enjoyed using the video I could completely see myself maybe using it in a future career!

Soundslide Project

Charlie and I decided to focus on Small Business Saturday for our Soundslide project! The purpose of the assignment was to be able to combine the skills of audio journalism and photo journalism into one project with a partner. All three of them are fairly difficult on their own; however, all of them together was a completely different challenge altogether. I was in charge of the photography and assembling the Soundslide project. The photography was easy, just because I enjoy it immensely and I feel like I am somewhat talented at it. Working with Charlie was great as always! We get along really well and divided the work easily so it was a huge weight off of my shoulders, because most group projects in college don’t work that way, someone always ends up doing a majority of the work. We were both already acquainted with all of the people we interviewed, so that made the process run smoothly without any awkward silences or pauses. The lighting was perfect that day for taking pictures, some overcast without any precipitation! Everything went really well up until the point I had to use the Soundslide program. That program definitely gave me a run for my money. I had issues uploading my photos, issues with the captions and issues with the program saving my completed work. After two days of trying to finish the project I finally ended up having a stroke of luck and figuring it out; unfortunately, the project ended up being late due to the technical difficulties I faced. I even went as far as attempting to create the project on iMovie in order to turn it in before the due date, however, that ended up failing as well in regards to the captions. I feel as if the demo version of Soundslide is nowhere near as easy as the purchased version.

Charlie’s Final Emu Story

 

I enjoyed the experience of editing audio, it was not my favorite thing in the world, but it’s nice to have another skill in my tool belt! The only thing I am unhappy with was the lack of time for the assignment, I feel as if it should have been due on Thursday to give perfectionists like myself a bit of a break. I would have liked to be able to unfold the tedious details of the audio and be able to edit down to the last imperfection, but I just didn’t have enough time. Overall, I felt like it was a great learning experience.

Raw File

I really enjoyed this exercise. Although I am a journalism major and have experienced recording interviews of people before I always learn something new from the experience. I have interviewed everyone from Priests, to senators, to the Dean of Students, so this way kind of just another run of the mill exercise for me. I don’t think there was anything that I would have liked to go differently throughout the interview, I did realize; however, that whilst you are getting interviewed it is difficult to limit your story to five minutes! I just wish I had a little more time to tell my story.

 

Photojournalism

To be quite honest, asking people to take their photograph for my online journalism class was not necessarily difficult for me. I greatly enjoyed walking around Undine Park all afternoon and stumbling across different situations at play. Before venturing out I made sure that I knew how to use my DSLR properly and how to adjust the settings rather quickly so I didn’t stand there awkwardly trying to figure out how to switch the white balance for 10 minutes. I did run across a few people that denied the chance of being photographed for a college class, especially those with children. Most people gave me questioning looks, but ultimately agreed–just like the speaker stated. I brought my dog along with me to the park, which was helpful when approaching people, he was like my little assistant and it was a very useful icebreaker. Even though I enjoyed meeting new people, I wish they wouldn’t have treated me so awkwardly, those that didn’t including the couple on the bench made for a pleasant photographing experience.

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Alternative Studyground: An art student sketches for her class at Undine Park Tuesday afternoon.

This art student was the last one that I photographed in Undine Park. She had sat there the entire time I walked around for two hours photographing other people. I told myself that if she was still there after I was finished then I would photograph her as well. She was extremely approachable and agreed almost instantly to be a ‘model’ for my photo. I attempted to use the rule of thirds in this photograph with her and her bike against the tree as a creative device. I also made sure to crouch down whilst she was drawing so the photograph came out more at eye level, rather than me staring down on her.

Tennis in the Sun: A couple play a game of “wiffeball tennis” at Undine Park on Tuesday afternoon.

This photography I am counting as my “sports feature.” I watched a couple draw all of the lines on the tennis court at Undine Park, which took them approximately 25 minutes. Afterwards they began to play, what seemed like, a wiffleball version of tennis. I was really lucky to stumble upon something like this, as I was expecting to just find a high schooler shooting hoops. I had to use a higher shutter speed in order to capture the ball and man in motion, I also chose to use a greyscale version of this photo to give it a more “classical look.”

The Kilted Couple: A couple having a quiet conversation on a park bench in Undine Park on Tuesday afternoon.

This couple was my favorite to photograph throughout the entire day. They were my first subjects and I will admit that I creeped up behind them for a while and attempted just to get pictures from behind. Well, the photo I was trying to achieve was not working very well because of the lighting filtering through the trees. After watching them for a while, getting a feel for their behavior I finally approached them (again with my faithful canine) and feebly asked them to take a picture. They agreed almost instantly and their photograph turned out to be my favorite of the day. Both of them were wearing kilts and they were engaged in quiet conversation that I could never really pick up on. With the trees in the background I attempted to create a high depth of field in the photo as a creative device.

Canine Capture: Sam, my faithful photography companion soaking up the autumn air in Undine park Tuesday afternoon.

The last photo I took at Undine Park was a photograph of my dog Sam. I understand that we were only supposed to take photographs of people; however, being a cheesy dog mom I couldn’t resist displaying him in my photojournalism assignment. I realize that I will get docked for this, but the shot was just so perfect and (practically) unposed that I couldn’t help but use it. Sam assisted me the entire day by breaking down barriers with people and allowing me to photograph them. He created a friendly environment and although he didn’t realize it, he gave me the confidence to approach people on a whim. I felt as if he earned his spot in this assignment and I know for a fact that in the future I will take him along on any photojournalism assignments in the future, not only for school assignments, but also for future career assignments.

Smiles: A toddler laughs in enjoyment on the playground at the Greenbelt.

The photograph taken at the greenbelt and I am SO pleased about how it turned out. After asking the mother of the little girl if I could photograph her I followed the tipsy toddler around for nearly 25 minutes. I remember the speaker specifically stating that younger children have more pure emotions and display them on a whim. For this photograph I had to adjust my shutter speed and my white balance for direct sunlight. I attempted to get a “stopping in action” photo–and. . . I succeeded! Her smile is so genuine and you can basically hear her laugh just from the photo. I was so overjoyed about receiving the permission of the mother to photograph her, it was such a refreshing experience being able to enter the world of a toddler and watch her explore her surroundings.

Photography

 

I enjoyed this assignment thoroughly. I felt as if it was a new way to demonstrate art in a journalistic style. I wish I would have started photographing earlier and had a little more knowledge on how to use the manual settings on my DSLR.

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The photograph below demonstrates the creative device of creating depth; however, it also has the device of leading lines as well, which enhance the illusion of the creation of depth. The foam against the shore brings direct attention to the leading lines in the photography, which in turn, morphs the focal point into a great depth of field picture. The contrast of the blue/black water along the red rocky shore is the most aesthetically pleasing attribute of the photograph.

Storm clouds rolling in.

The next photograph illustrates the concept of framing. The seat and leg of the picnic table creates a frame around the dog in the picture, drawing the attention of the viewer. The aesthetic component of the picture is the contrast of the black dog against the red soil. The fur of the dog and the framing within the photo immediately draws the eye of the audience.

My dog Sam basking in the last light of the setting sun.

The photo beneath displays the component of color. The teal of the shoes against the vague background immediately stands out. The picture also demonstrates the idea of background where it sets up the scene for the focal point in the foreground. There is also a component of focus within the photograph in regards to the shoes.

My absolute favorite pair of shoes.

The brightly illuminated motel sign is an obvious example of contrast. The radiance from the sign brightly contrasts against the black sky. This also has a slight component of background because the black sky sets up a nice subtle backdrop for the glowing sign. The most aesthetic part of the photograph is the brightness of the red lights against the black sky.

A run down motel in my home town.

The last photograph displayed demonstrates the concept of focus. The focus is clearly on the center clump of the flowered shrub. The entire photo seems to be aesthetically pleasing considering the lighting, color, and creative device involved.

Shrubbery out in the desert.

“Real Women, Real Bodies” Exhibts Seminar Last Week

Up and Coming                                                                                               

Photo Credit: Real Women Real Bodies

The new RSO “Real Women, Real Bodies” (RWRB) exhibited a presentation in the Union last Wednesday on the topic of self-esteem.

“Real Women, Real Bodies” is a campus organization centered around individuals having issues with self esteem and body image. The three women that established “Real Women, Real Bodies” are Sydney Stein, founder and President of the organization, Hannah King and Morgan Looney.

“I find body image interesting. Even as a thinner girl, I have always had qualms about my body, and I feel it is important to address these issues,” Stein said when asked about her interest in the topic.

Guest Speaker: Jasmine Austin 

Photo Credit: Dyann Diercks Jasmine Austin conducting the seminar

The RSO brought in Jasmine Austin, a communication graduate student and public speaking instructor at the University of Wyoming. She initially became interested in self esteem when she was in middle school when her mother and herself listened every day to “Video,” by India. This continued for the next five years to make sure she “understood the importance of comparing yourself to . . .yourself.” She is working on her graduate thesis on how self esteem affects women. Austin is also working on helping people asses the truth about how they feel about themselves and building their personal perception.

“This topic is important because it affects everyone and it is such a dynamic construct. Helping people realize that they are responsible for their level of self esteem can really transform their idea of who and what the are. By no means are we completely perfect and awesome, but through these seminars, at least we realize that there are things we are great at and things we can work on,” Austin said

The Seminar

Austin began by handing out interactive questionnaires to the PowerPoint “ What Is Self Esteem?” and addressed how self esteem affects: performance, mental health, interaction with others, and willingness to experience new things. She also included: videos of individuals participating in poetry slams who challenge society’s issues with natural beauty and the skewed perception of beauty in the media; and theory concepts of influential psychologist Carl Rogers, who theorized that the view of self concept has three parts: self image, self worth, and the ideal self.

Stein said, “I feel as though everyone participated and got something out of the conversation. I am so glad Jasmine was able to bring us together and inspire us to talk about these pertinent issues.”

Student Speak Out 

University of Wyoming student Conroy Stout, the only male that attended, said that he came to the session because Austin is a not only his co-worker, but is also his friend.

Stout said,” Body image certainly is a problem in today’s society. not only for women but men as well. The presentation affected me by giving me a broader perspective on how women feel objectified in our society and by the media but mostly allowing me to understand how it is that can affect someone’s self confidence and that you as a person and that anyone as a person can take control of that, can take responsibility for that action themselves and increase their own self esteem.”

Stout continued by saying that, body images affects not only women, but also men in society.

“It’s not just women who feel objectified all the time despite the fact that they are more pervasively objectified,” Stout said.

Photo Credit: Sidney Edwards–Sydney Stein speaking at the RWRB seminar

Natawsha Mitchell, University of Wyoming student, said that she thought the topic was especially important because it affects her personally and because it can have a damaging effect on individuals health, happiness, and productivity.

“I loved the presentation! Jasmine did a wonderful job and was really successful in creating a welcoming and supportive atmosphere where everyone felt comfortable discussing such a delicate topic,” Mitchell said, “It was really helpful to get some solid definitions of terms that are thrown around so often and talking about issues with other people boosted my confidence.”

Stein said that she would like “Real Women, Real Bodies” to become one of the main RSO’s on campus that many people would be informed of.

“I would like the organization to grow into a positive force on campus that holds large events and unveils a highly anticipated campaign once per semester,” Stein said.

 

 

Evaluating “Over Water Under Fire”

The website I was directed to explore was “Over Water Under Fire.”Which was absolutely not what I was expecting from the site, I thought it may have to do with bodies of water/rivers/streams etc., but I had no idea in which the depth the website would go. The site was more directed towards veterans floating the river for training. The website continued much like a documentary would, there was a lot of film and periodically there would be breaks in the short film that explained concepts more in depth. The links were very simple and interactive, at the end of the break it would ask you if you wished to continue learning more information or if you would like to resume to the video. I chose to click each link to obtain more information, as I did the site continued to teach me more about the subject it was discussing. For example, while talking about different dams they exhibited different maps and facts about dams dotted along the colorado river.

The only issues I found with this class were those pertaining to the documentary-style set up. Even though it was an intriguing and unique way to set up a website I did not particularly like that I could not navigate the site easily without fast forwarding through the video. However, finding the contacts for the site was relatively easy and it only took me about 10 seconds to find it. Not only did it offer quotes from each creator, it also has the option to navigate away from the page to an alternative website which offered more information.

Along the lines of the usability test on another person I asked my roommate to survey the site for 10 minutes and get back to me on what she thought. Her reaction was similar to mine, Tawsha said that she enjoyed the documentary-style of the website;however, she also did not like the fact that she had to wait for the short film to finish to navigate different parts of the website. She also chose to explore the external links and additional information on the page pertaining to each section of the short film. Tawsha also found it very easy to locate the founders of the site and explored the alternative website.

Both of us had similar experiences pertaining to the navigation of “Over Water Under Fire”, we had the same feelings about the admiration for the surplus of film and information, and the same disappointment in regards to the other issues with the navigation of the site.  We both had an easy time locating the creators of the site and explored the alternative website.

I do not believe that they should change the amount of film, the excess of information, or the documentary style of the website.

I do believe, however, that they should have a different homepage that gives you an option to view entire documentary or read the information separately, other than that I cannot think of anything else to change on this website pertaining to the navigation.

News Diet

Tattoo of the Tetons, Jackson is my home! 🙂

With my hectic life changing every semester I find my news diet currently in limbo. Every decision I make as to where I am ending up after finishing my undergraduate degree leads me to a new source of news, the most recent being The Denver Post. Convinced that I was going to call the Mile High City my home I read the online Denver Post every morning over a cup of coffee and continuously checked it throughout the day. However, now considering graduate school in Boulder I find myself periodically checking the news updates there. Also, as I am planning to move to my birthplace of Jackson Hole after I finish grad school I make sure to stay in tune with the present on-goings there as well. Being a Journalism Major I try to read as much news as I can, but frankly I have been lacking somewhat since the beginning of the summer…hopefully as soon as I get a routine going again I can delve back into my news diet with fork and spoon in hand.

As for entertainment I usually like to relax and watch something along the lines of the History Channel or Nat Geo when I get home (totally nerdy I know), so yes, I do believe I am getting more out of it opposed to something like adult swim. However, I do have a guilty pleasure of watching the occasional shopping network or Law and Order SVU, which I find neither of them brain frying material.

My current news and political conversations usually end up being with my roommate/best friend/only person I could ever bring myself to live with, Tawsha. Being mostly like minded we still strive to challenge each others beliefs and both subconsciously volunteer to play the Devil’s Advocate. So, in a way my beliefs about the world and it’s politics are always evolving.