Category: Uncategorized

I have recently moved to Dallas, TX, and have noticed the striking differences between how the pandemic is being regarded by residents of Dallas compared to those of New York. Restaurants, stores, etc. all have restrictions set in place to slow the spread of COVID-19 but, there is a lack of importance in practicing these guidelines by some patrons.

So, for my photo essay I was thinking of doing a series of photos of the nightlife/weekend life of the young people of Dallas. Whether it is standing on line to get into a bar not wearing masks, roaming a restaurant or bar without masks, and the lack of social distancing practiced here in these popular spots.

I think this is an interesting topic because of how different COVID is handled here. I think the photos would be eye opening, especially to those who have been in a place like New York for the last year or so. I plan to follow my group of friends that live here in Dallas around, photograph them on a normal weekend out, get photos of the people not wearing masks with signs that say “masks required” in the background.

Being that I have just recently moved to Dallas, and can spot these major differences in COVID-19 restrictions, I think these photos would really illuminate the polarized mentality regarding the virus state to state.

Pitch Workshop:

We’ll finish discussing the last few projects we didn’t get to last class.

“For my photo essay, I am considering following a fisherman on his journey during the pandemic. Currently, in Mauritania, there is a curfew in place from 8 PM until 6 AM. So, I will start the day with the fisherman from the begging until the end of the day. This story is timely because it’s taking a day-to-day process, and it’s accessible. I was able to speak with a few fishermen and was able to find one’s confirmation to picture him. I will capture the fishing process, the type of fish he got, each fish’s price, and if it will be sold locally or imported to other countries. The Mauritanian government and people are putting most of their hope in its Atlantic coastal water, one of the world’s richest fishing grounds.”

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Practice Assignment: Photo Scavenger Hunt and Editing in Lightroom

Go out and take 8-10 thoughtfully-composed images that capture some of the following elements of composition. Some of these will inevitably contain multiple elements, and that’s fine. Remember that you want to end up with a final edit of 8-10 images, which means you will likely need to take a lot more photos than that and then decide which are your strongest.

Contrasting colors
Monochromatic colors
Symmetry
Pattern
Rule of thirds
Close-up detail shot
Shallow depth of field
Portrait
Dramatic/beautiful/interesting use of light
Slow shutter speed (if you have a camera with that capacity)
Internal framing
Movement
Decisive moment
Layers telling a story
Dramatic perspective (shooting from high up or from low to the ground)

Watch the following video tutorial and edit the photos in Lightroom. Remember that when editing photos in photojournalism, less is more!

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/how-to/basic-photography-editing-techniques.html

Post what you think are your strongest 8-10 photos here on the blog before next class.

 

I would like to visit two restaurants as they prepare for indoor dining in New York City.  Look into how they’ve survived under restrictions through this winter. Visually capture the preparation process and meet customers, hopefully employees, when they open on Friday.

1. I was planning to look at New York City, the city that never sleeps, at night. I would go to the most popular places in New York City which usually draw huge crowds and see them currently
2. Nature vs City juxtaposition. New York City is one of the largest cities in the world. However, there are beautiful settings of nature in the city. I think with the issue of climate change continuing to arise, it is important that we find a way for both of these settings, nature and city, to co-exist and flourish together.
3. Wealth districts vs Low-income districts. The income disparity in the United States is continuing to grow. In New York City specifically, housing costs have been continually rising, and the gentrification of boroughs has been expanding. I believe its important to look at this issue and bringing it to light.

I am thinking to spend some time at a stationery shop close to where I live. I have the owner’s contact. The reason why I want to do a piece on her shop is that every time I pass by, she is changing the theme of her shop. What used to be cute toys are replaced by functional things like cups, tea, makeup, etc. I hope that spending time with her would let me see how shops like these are affected by the pandemic. They originally already have low customers. Now that Corona has hit, fewer customers mean more pressure. It would be nice if I can write about how she is coping.

For my photo essay, I plan on discussing how COVID has affected celebrations during the Lunar New Year. As many holidays, it is filled with fun festivities and spending time with family members celebrating the new year. Due to the virus, big gathering have been permitted in fear of someone getting sick and increasing the possibility of getting sick. Now people are forced to celebrate in small groups and since it only happens once a year, the older generation want to spend time with relatives as much as they can. In previous years, people get together to feast and distribute red envelopes in hope for a prosperous year ahead.

Another difference that’s happening this year is the change in outdoor celebrations as people can’t gather to watch in person. Some of these events included lion dances that bring good luck and fortune. Now events will be held online and don’t bring as much happiness to those since there’s a loss of connection. I want to document the comparison of lunar year celebrations based on previous years and 2021 where coronavirus is still very present.

I am considering a photo essay that shows the difference  of how people in other states are handling Covid, present day. Having lost my job last March, I was able to spend most of 2020 in Miami, FL with my family. I have been living in NYC for about 10 years now and have recently experienced the difference in Coivd protocol between NYC and Miami. It is shocking how life has pretty much returned to normal in Miami. Restaurants and bars are open and allowing guests to dine and drink indoors, while NYC has yet to allow indoor dining at any capacity.

Covid seems like a thing from the past in Miami and people are lax and living life as if Covid barley made an impact. I was on a full flight yesterday (02-07-20) and people were basically stacked on top of each other and not the slightest bit concerned about the risks or dangers Covid brings.

I would like to capture people on the weekends mainly, given that Miami is known as a party scene I think it would be great to see how nightlife differs between Miami and New York during Covid.

I would like to do a piece about a friend of mine who is an artist and graphic designer. He is a very visually interesting person so I believe I could craft a good narrative and progression of photos even though it would just focus on one person. He is a primarily digital artist, and I would like to explore how adapting to COVID restrictions was different for him vs. people who are more used to working in person (did he feel comfortable transitioning to work at home? was he already ready for this? etc).  I also know he could speak on a lot of timely issues as he is both a racial minority and a queer man. He is also a more recent transplant to New York who never left the city when COVID hit, which I think expands his story as well.

Pitch Workshop

We’ll discuss your pitches today. As we go over your ideas, try to think like an editor. Is the story doable, both in terms of access and timeframe? Is there an angle and a news peg? Does the story lend itself to photography? What sort of visuals can we expect to see?

I was thinking of making my photo essay a character driven story of my mom. She has recently retired and picked up a new hobby of making face masks. I feel this is timely because the pandemic has changed everyone’s life; wearing a mask has become our new normal and she enjoys making them. She has a few ideas on selling them and donating some to healthcare workers. I anticipate photographing several steps in the process of her making masks, all of her completed mask, her trying on a few etc