Invitation to everyone!

Hello fellow classmates, instructors, and peers. You are all invited to come and check out my blog at: http://philosophicallydementedmedia.blogspot.com/ I encourage all visitors to please comment on my postings. Thanks! Rennie M.

Spurs game with Kin Man Hui

A former Ranger staff now shooting for the SA Express-News, Kin Man Hui offered to bring me along to the Spurs game last Thursday when I-10 rivals the Houston Rockets visited the AT&T Center for the final preseason game.

When I decided to become a photojournalist four years ago while mentoring with the Express-News for a senior project, I dreamed about joining the pros along the baseline of an NBA game. Getting there again with the greater responsibility of an assignment, along with improved abilities and well-earned equipment, remains my goal.

Being a huge Spurs fan, my interest in what I called "newspaper photography" was fueled by watching how close photographers were to the action, providing viewers with images of what I consider the closest level that watching a game can get, without actually being there.

So I parked my car at the Express newsroom, and Kin Man drove over to the AT&T Center. I had no idea about how close to the action, and realizing that my dream job is reality, I was about to get.

I owe enormous thanks to William Luther, who taught me a great deal during my first year, Kin Man and others at the Express-News who helped me get out there.

Kin Man put together a great slideshow on mysa.com with a few of my pics! Click the photo to view a slideshow of my pics from the night:

Tyler Cleveland/Special to the Express-News

Dr. Lo Supermodel

Dr. Lo looking like a supermodel during the multiple lighting demonstration today in class. Two flashes, with umbrellas, and used the infrared devise outside.

Donna Deming, associate director of records at left, looks on Tuesday as district police and city emergency medical technicians render aid to an unidentified staff member during an emergency in the office of admission and records in Room 216 of Fletcher. © Rennie Murrell/The Ranger

About posting

Folks,

Please post photos taken in recent days that shows what you recently learn or discovered. Not digging into your archive and find a beautiful photos.

I see that you guys are overwhelmed by the video and multimedia projects, that is why I did not push you on the blog. I think we will not do the "one theme a week" thing but I still want to see some new postings from each of you every Tuesday. However, I really hate to see archive photos. Show me something that related with what you learned from this class. This is what it means to have a blog.

How about some higher level flash technique for this week? What kind of lighting is this?

Dr. Lo

Sunset-HenrietteMutegwaraba-7-9-10

Flash

Perhaps the most important tool a photojournalist can master besides basic camera operations is flash. While covering a job fair in the dimly lit Koehler house, I found the need to balance highlight and shadow – to create the most accurate depiction of what was seen – by way no camera and lens alone could:

Tyler K. Cleveland/The Ranger

It was a shoot first, ask questions later situation. A girl walked through the backroom and into shadow, silhouetted by a brighter doorway while creating a reflection of her clothes on the hardwood floor, accentuating her business attire. But it was the man sitting in the front room that begged for additional light to properly illuminate him – and his situation. As he completed an application to help pay for a new house and raise a son, I had the task of creating a compelling visual of “the need for work,” I was also creating a visual of “the need for flash.”

I had to think fast to catch the girl where she stood in the background. Shooting in manual mode and exposing for the silhouetted girl, my settings read 1/125 at f5, iso 800 –optimal settings for the zoom lens I was using. I tilted my flash upward to bounce off the corner of the room so the light could catch the man yet remain contained to the front room, preserving the girls in shadow. The flash unit was set on TTL, which without compensation (set at -3 stops), normally would give out all the light it could in order to remove shadows. I tried the flash on each compensation level, and tilted in different directions, but finally found the best setting. While the final product came out well balanced – I always feel like a better picture goes unmade; we need to leave our comfort zone, try new things and go new places if we want to make it.

If I knew the best place to throw my flash (this was before last Friday's flash tutorial), I would have had a third element that could have turned this picture from good to great. For a moment, a man in a business suit was framed and exposed perfectly through the front window (where the greenery is seen) as he walked up to the house. And the man also lifted his eyes during this time, but my flash was slightly off and burned the front of his face! The girl seeking a job (with reflected attire) could have looked cleaner without the wall’s edge running through her profile!

Experimenting with flash helped me create an image that showed "the need for work,” and for “flash in photography,” but mastering this tool will ultimately help me - get “hired.”

Harry Benson's talk

Harry Benson was talking about his famous Beetle's pillow fight photo

I admire many great photographers. But I don't necessarily agree with everything they do. I was a bit upset when he said he had recreated a scene which he was not able to capture.

 Tricia was on cloud nine when she had Harry Benson's autograph.

 We have Harry Benson in captivity. He had to have a group photo with us before we let him go.

Motorcycle Accident

Tommy Mabry lays dazed on the street after being hit with an SUV at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, October 1, 2010. The driver of the SUV could have been blinded by the sun due to the position of the vehicles. Mabry's dog sits patiently protecting his master as concerned citizens assist him and his motorcycle. Fire Fighters and Police arrived very soon after the accident. The driver of the vehicle refused to comment but was very concerned about Mabry's condition.