Lleyton Brouwer Freestyle Academy Website
Oftentimes, the idea of the future is scary. I usually think of technology when I think about the future, so I decided to use a technique that I don’t think I’ve used before in my photo blogs, which is to use long exposures to create pathways of light. I really like this technique, and I’m actually pretty surprised I haven’t done this before in my photo blogs, so I wanted a chance to use this before the photo blogs are over. Happy blogging!
I really liked this photograph because it makes the frame within the frame look like a portal to another world. In the foreground, we have some buildings, with a slightly industrial feel because of the concrete building on the left and the bland colors all around. However, through the middle, we can see a field, a mountain, and trees in the background. There are vibrant colors, no buildings, it’s just nice.
My self-portrait doesn’t have me in it. Who am I? A student? An artist? Freestyle Academy has been one of the most impactful experiences in both my academic and artistic life, which is why I decided I had to include it within my portrait. I also think the future is important, but not as important as the Freestyle stole in my retrospective self-portrait, which is why it is in the background, slightly out of focus.
This prompt was pretty simple, so I took it simply. I photographed some fruits and a bottle of wine that was on the counter in my house. I didn’t move any of the objects, not to set them up, remove them, etc. I just took it how it was because I think the natural form is much more artistically powerful than a choreographed artwork.
For this prompt, I wanted to be a bit different and use digital props, rather than physical ones. I wanted to create a more abstract, surrealist piece of art, so I used a four-second shutter speed to create a blur of colors from around the room. Then, I used inverted “curves” in Adobe Photoshop, as well as an array of other adjustments to hue, saturation, brightness, and contrast, to create a very abstract image with bright colors and vague shapes. I like this photo because when you look at it, you can just make it look like anything you want. If you stare at it long enough, it could be a face, a car, a lake, anything.
One of the great inventions of modern convenience is vending machines. So, when I heard this prompt, I thought of these two old machines at a local elementary school. I think it is interesting how this kind of commercial technology has made its way into every facet of our lives, even schools for little kids. I think it’s pretty insane how vending machines are allowed and promoted in not only an educational institution but in one that doesn’t have a student over the age of 14. I decreased the saturation of the photo to give it a more sinister tone as well, as to draw a seriousness to the issue of commercialization of education.
In current events, I think there is a lot too much negativity and misinformation going around, especially on open sources like social media. So, I decided to turn off the TV for this photo to show the importance of disconnecting from the media. Even though it is important to stay educated and informed, especially when there is as much going on as there is now, I feel like it is just as important to make sure you’re not drowning in negativity when dealing with these events.
Depth of field is one of my favorite basic compositional components of photography. Changing the aperture of the camera was one of the first things I learned about in my first photography course in my freshman year, and I thought it was great how professional and clean it made my photos look. Over my time using a camera, I’ve learned how shallow and deep depths of field contribute to different types of photos, but in this photo blog, I wanted to go back to my original favorite type of photo – shallow depth of field with a simple subject.
One of the deadly sins that I particularly relate to is gluttony. I’ll admit, my diet is probably not the most healthy, so I decided to take a picture of my dinner from this day. I personally would not call a simple meal a “deadly sin”, but it does fit the category description.
Ever since I was young, my parents have pushed piano toward me, signing me up for lessons and making me practice every day. I often hated it, wanting to quit, but looking back on it, I’m very glad and very grateful for the lessons they forced me into. I think a good sense of music is really essential to listening to and enjoying music, and being able to compose your own music is a great feeling as well, which I have dabbled in outside of class as well.