reflection: describe a scene that doesn't exist

I was constantly plagued by struggles in this class. It's as if my eyes, hands, and mind were afraid to create and explore. The class started out difficult - although I'd seen the color wheel before and done projects related to it, I wasn't used to being quizzed on it repeatedly. I came face-to-face with my fear of the camera tripod. It was a only half-admitted fear, but one that I seemed to stray from. I wasn't used to being confined to one specific setting, unless I wanted to spend more time resetting it. I'm impatient, despite all that I've struggled through in different situations, I like the feeling of instant satisfaction. With a tripod, it's the long run that's the real prize, coincidentally it's the only one that matters.

With this course I also learned how difficult it can be to photograph some materials. In this specific instance I am referencing mirrors, but not only a couple mirrors, but pieces, all aiming different directions. I was faced with the struggle in this project of not only preventing myself and my surroundings from being in the reflections but the ability to create a successful message within one confined photo shoot. I was not used to using various objects within a scene to create a statement that may or may not be understood by the user.

In my most favorite, but most difficult to start project I learned more than I thought I would. This may sound like a negative statement, but I mean it in the most sincere way. I used digital manipulation skills that some may call "my style," but I did each with reason. Within each composition I was trying to portray a certain idea through manipulation of images and later the incorporation of text. I was challenged by taking and combining images in the best way to portray the message. I was then challenged again in the adding of text to the book cover compositions. I was more in my element of designing with layout, but also struggled with incorporating text that went along with the image. My main struggle was trying to make the typography speak at a matching level to the image on the covers.

I definitely became more comfortable with recognizing colors in a scene and how they can add to a meaning. The ability to describe and illustrate a story through photographs is the main lesson that I take from this class. I know that I am still struggling with the successful conquer of this concept, but I am getting closer to an acceptable level for this point in my career.