Photostory: Places in Portland

The Laurelhurst Theater, an iconic theater located in Portland, OR. 

Powell's Bookstore, the largest independently-owned bookstore in Oregon.

A simple 7/11 can be a welcome relief for refreshments after driving for a few hours on the I5.

Overstock at locally owned bookstores can get a little cluttered. 

Blossoming Lotus is a popular vegetarian joint for students to stop and get lunch at in downtown Portland.

Week 10 Blog Forum

TOPIC 1: YOUR BEST PHOTOJOURNALISM

My favorite photo would probably have been this one. I really liked it because of the colors and clarity. I like photos that are taken of lights at night because the colors seem to pop way more than they would have if the photo was taken during the day. I feel as though this photo also reflects a lot of what I learned in photojournalism because of the angle of the shot. It's not taken straight on, instead its shot at an angle. 

I feel as though my ability to take photos has stayed fairly stagnant throughout the term. I still extremely dislike taking pictures of people and prefer to shoot places and things. This made all the assignments shooting people difficult because everything I found interesting enough to shoot was inanimate. I'm thankful that this class taught me that I am not a portrait photographer. As far as editing goes, I've learned its usually best to crop things close. 

TOPIC 2: YOUR GOALS 

1. Publish at least five articles/photos in the Commuter
I don't think I got a single photo published in the Commuter! That's okay, though. I wasn't expecting almost every assignment to be about taking close pictures of people.

2.  Learn how to use Photoshop
I got the hang of some of Photoshop's features but almost never used them. I prefer editing pictures on my phone, actually.

3. Get the hang of using a professional camera
I learned the basics of a professional camera but really didn't like using one. I liked using my phone's camera, although it felt a little silly sticking an iPhone in people's faces and keeping any amount of authority as a photojournalist. A real camera definitely made people take me more seriously and I appreciated that, but I disliked lugging such a large and heavy thing around my neck, taking the time to fiddle with the settings before every shot, and making sure it didn't scrape against things when I turned. 

My Hometown

So-called "vandalism activism" been popping up all over Corvallis all through 2016. "Not Your Mom, Not Your Milk" is a popular vegan slogan which urges others to eliminate their dairy intake through ethical concerns. Other slogans seen have been "My Body, My Choice" accompanied with a pink Venus symbol to protest infringements on women's reproductive rights, and "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" accompanied with a recycling symbol to encourage others to look out for their planet more. It's not clear who's been tagging the town, but they appear to cover a lot of ground. 

Heather is a former LBCC and current OSU student working at the Farmers' Market, in Dennison's Farms' booth. The Corvallis Farmers' Market is set to wrap up later in November but until then, Heather is out every week helping the community buy and eat local and organic produce. Heather helps grow the crops, as well as harvest and sell them. She encourages everyone to go and seek out local produce to help the economy and the environment. 

The Benton County Public Library is an iconic landmark in Corvallis, OR. It's doors are open to the community seven days a week, giving the people access to the information, events, and quiet sanctuary available inside. 

Photographer's Choice

The Whiteside Theater in Corvallis around 7 PM on Friday, November 11th.

The Whiteside Theater opened on November 9th, 1922. 

The Whiteside Theater's iconic "W" turns on at night with a dazzling display of flashing lights.

News/Feature Photos

Peaceful protesters gather at the Benton County Courthouse to remind the community of their shared values of peace, compassion, and empathy

Protesters hold an offering of peace to cars passing by

Protesters hold signs for hours on November 11th in front of the Corvallis Courthouse

Environmental Portrait

Alex Hays is a former LBCC student and current martial arts instructor at Rise Martial Arts in South Town in Corvallis

Hays has been training in martial arts ever since he could walk and has dedicated his life to perfecting his craft. He performs American boxing, tak-tek, jiujitsu, panantukan, judo, aikido, jeet kune do, systema, and more.

Week 4 - Blog Forum

Code of Ethics
Number four really stood out to me. "Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or tragedy. Intrude on private moments of grief only when the public has an overriding and justifiable need to see."
That last part seemed odd to me. When would the public ever be entitled to someone's personal grief? I suppose it would make sense to photograph someone's grief over, say, their loved one being killed or injured in a drunk driving accident to raise awareness against driving under the influence.

Ideally, photojournalists should...

"Strive for total and unrestricted access to subjects, recommend alternatives to shallow or rushed opportunities, seek a diversity of viewpoints, and work to show unpopular or unnoticed points of view."
I think this is very important. Sometimes, a newsworthy event may not be one that everyone agrees with. For example, covering a Black Lives Matter protest would be important to show those not affected by police violence what can sometimes happen when there is an abuse of power. Maybe not everyone will agree with it but for the betterment of our society, we must see things like this to raise awareness and to begin social change.

Favorite photos

I really liked this picture because of the angles and distance. It would have been easier to shoot their photo while next to them in the aisle, but instead the photographer, James, chose to get something different. The angle through the book shelf gives this photo drama and personality. 

I feel as though this picture has a great design. The photographer, Leta, did a great job capturing a shot without disturbing the subject, because looks as though the woman doesn't even notice the camera. There are many details to notice in this photo.

News/Feature Photos

A close-up view of a telescope at Astronomy Open House on OSU campus, October 13th.

OSU students Atul and Mitchell show off the Astronomy lab's equipment at the Astronomy Open House, October 13th.

A professor teaches a group of high school students about astronomy 

Week 3 Blog Forum

Portraits

First portrait:

I know a girl named Kristi from high school who is a barista and partner at Starbucks. Coffee is her life. I could get shots of her working behind the counter at Starbucks, steaming milk, using the espresso machine, refilling coffee grounds, or even a shot of her holding a cup of coffee that she's prepared. I have her on my Facebook friends list and could contact her that way.

Second portrait:

I know a guy named Jasper from high school who plays in a band. I remember watching his shows in middle school and now he's traveling all around the pacific northwest with gigs every week. I could check out his next show and take photos of him in his element, on stage performing. His microphone and guitar are of course the first props that come to mind for me to use with him. After the show could also be a good time to take photos, as then he could be more focused on the camera. I still have his number and get invited to his shows on Facebook quite frequently so that would probably be the fastest way to reach him.

Self-Critique

The best photo I've taken for class so far has been my close up of Cat Reegs at the Farmers' Market. I'm most proud of this one because of my editing and the fact that I was able to get a somewhat clear shot even when she was moving very quickly.

The worst photo I've taken in this class would probably be the shot of the menu in the Commons Cafeteria at LBCC. I say worst because it's boring. Sure, we get to read what's on the board, but that's not what's important to anyone looking at it. To make this photo better, I could have used a more exciting angle and edited the colors slightly brighter.

A skill that I need to improve on is taking risks with my pictures. I tend to not move out of my comfort zone when shooting pictures. In order to get better, I need to not be afraid of people staring at me or feeling silly when I do strange things like lay on the ground for a shot. Once I can get past that, I definitely think my photos will improve drastically.

Farmers' Market

Cat Reegs helps some customers at the Mushroomery

Cat Reegs, a former LBCC student, works at the Farmers' Market every Saturday

Reegs bags some items for a customer

Week 2 Photo Assignment: Popular campus hangouts

Bombs Away, a popular cafe on OSU campus for students to hang out

  

Interzone Cafe, a hip vegetarian joint on OSU campus

Watching live shows is a popular way for students to unwind and appreciate their local music scene

In progress, will re-shoot soon!

Photographer of the Week

Diane Arbus

My Photographer is Diane Arbus.
Arbus grew up and worked in New York City, where she gained most her inspiration from. Her work was comprised of mainly portraits of people on the fringe of society: nudists, giants, dwarfs, cross-dressing men, and circus performers. Unfortunately, she tragically took her own life when she was only forty-eight years old ("Diane Arbus: In the Beginning"). A year after she died in 1972, she became the first photographer ever to represent the United States of America at the Venice Biennale ("Diane Arbus").

Identical Twins, Roselle, New Jersey, 1967

Arbus's photos stand out because of the subjects she chose. In the 60s and 70s it was unusual for a photographer, especially a woman, to be so bold as to take such provocative photos. She grew up very rich as her family owned a building on fifth avenue, but she didn't want her life of nannies, maids, and professional chefs. She wanted to go out and explore the world like a true artist. After the separation from her husband in 1959 she relished in her independence and got very serious about her work ("The Cost of Diane Arbus's Life on the Edge", 2016). Something that set her apart from other photographers was that she wasn't afraid to put herself into the experience. If her subject was a nudist, Arbus herself would strip down to integrate herself and get a feel for what she was shooting. This is what truly got her mainstream attention: nothing was too extreme for her to get the perfect shot. If she had to put herself in harms way to get a picture, so be it.


"Diane Arbus." Fine Art, Decorative Art, and Design. Artnet, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2016.

"Diane Arbus: In the Beginning." The Metropolitan Museum of Art, I.e. The Met Museum. The                       Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2016.

"The Cost of Diane Arbus's Life on the Edge." The Cut. New York Magazine, 2016. Web. 07 Oct.                     2016.

Week 1 Blog Forum

TOPIC 1: ABOUT ME

I'm Emily! My major is journalism. Writing has always been my strong suit, so I want to major in journalism to improve that and my photography skills. My experience in photography has been minimal. I keep a recipe and lifestyle blog on plant-based cooking and have published a small cookbook. I did all the food photography by myself for the book. I've picked up on some tips along the way, but everything I know is self-taught.


TOPIC 2: GOALS

1. Publish at least five articles/photos in the Commuter

2.  Learn how to use Photoshop

3. Get the hang of using a professional camera

TOPIC 3: LBCC PHOTOS 

1. Any poetry/spoken word events on campus - I could shoot pictures of the audience and their reactions, the speakers and their emotion, and a close-up of a prop onstage with the audience in the background

2. A sports event - A shot of the athletes playing, a shot of the excitement in the audience, the winning hit, and the celebration after winning

3. Music show on LBCC or OSU campus - Shot of musicians playing, shot of audience grooving, close-up on instruments or band name; story of students and their relation to music culture, info about future shows for students to check out

4. Saturday market - Close up of vegetables, general pictures of people browsing, shots of musicians playing on street; story of how students can get the most out of their farmers' market, how to buy local/organic while on a budget, any future events with local artisans/farmers, list of restaurants that serve local food

Week 1 Photo Assignment

LBCC's culinary students hard at work

Culinary students prepare for the lunch rush

The Commons Cafeteria Menu

Instagram: emilyfosterphotojournalism