Final Exam

4. I chose this photo to be my transformative photo because it revolutionized the way I view photography. Initially, I viewed photography as a distant art form that attempts to capture the present. However in attempts to obtain this particular photo I learned a deeper implication behind photography. Superficially, photography is appeasing to the eye; photos provide viewers with a diorama of feelings such as happiness or even sadness. Although I'm just beginning to photograph I can already feel the life changing elements that photography possesses. The maxim, "A picture is worth a thousand words" relays the complex journey behind each photo. In retrospect, this photo is the sole reason why I've begun pondering the so called world of 'photography'.

5. In photography shape is defined as a combination of different elements of design. In my year of photography I was able to photography some of the following including: line and space. It's characterized by a two-dimensional space. Form on the other hand is a three-dimensional space. While shapes include circles and squares, form would include spheres and cubes. Form depends on perspective and the depth of the photo. This is the difference behind form and shape.

 Elements of Art - Shape - (http://hongover.blogspot.com/2015/03/elements-of-art-shape.html)

Elements of Art - Form - (http://hongover.blogspot.com/2015/03/elements-of-art-form.html)

*I took these photos at Mission Peak*

6. When a certain aspect is repeated it means that it is positively enhanced. This means that a certain stimulus such as color or shape is added to embolden the photo and deliver a stronger message to the viewer. It addition to strength photos that exhibit repetition are proven to pique the interest of viewers more. Photos with patterns exhibit repetition but with a deeper subtle meaning. In a world that is ravaged by hunger, death, and ultimately chaos, photos with pattern establish a sense of order. For example the two photos that I have provided below provide contrasting effects with a similar technique. My repetition photo is a picture of pedals of flower that radiate out towards from a base, this relays and interesting and inquisitive feeling into the viewer. The photo of pattern provides a sense of control and peace, as there is a vastly different foreground and background. The hills and the patch of flowers are both repeating patterns that are found anywhere, but the way that they are position in this photo provide relief and a refuge from the chaotic forces that govern this world.

     Principles of Design - Pattern - (http://hongover.blogspot.com/2015/03/principles-of-design-pattern.html)

Principles of Design - Repetition - (http://hongover.blogspot.com/2015/03/principle-of-design-repetition.html)

*I took these photos at Mission Peak*

7. http://isaachong.weebly.com/

8. Among the three projects I was assigned to do, I felt that I resonated with my inner photographer most when I did the "About a bunch of things - About Me, Shadow, and Light". I had a fantastic time photographing other people and having to work with them to get particular shots. Again, there is much more to photography than what meets the eye. It's hard to believe that I had so much fun while working so hard. I define work as a successful endeavor that maximizes the amount of fun for the smallest amount of work. All my projects were fun, but I remember my Spring Expo as the time where I put a bike in a tree - sadly, however, I couldn't get any good shots. I also had the opportunity to collaborate with my brother, which I don't get to too often. It was a time of brotherly bonding, something that I will cherish till the day I leave this world. I definitely changed as an individual, because for the first time in my life I wasn't working for a grade; I was working for my own enjoyment and satisfaction. As a junior, I've come to grown skeptical and cynical of the things that events unraveling around me. My pessimism reached a point where there would be abrasive encounters both at home and at school. Usual 'stress-venting activities' such as running and cycling weren't working, because of school work and AP testing. Photography helped me to overcome the hardships at school, it helped me clearly envision what I wanted and how I could come about obtaining that goal. Photographers have a keen ability to predict and orchestrate events so that a particular memory can be captured. I applied this ability to my life and things gradually took a turn for the better. Honestly, if it wasn't for photography I would have remained steadfast in my stubborn and impatient ways but the world of photography has opened doors that I myself couldn't have opened. I've become a person of greater patience and acceptance. After I graduate college, I want to continue to carry out the lessons I learned in photography; I want to make collaborative efforts with the people around me for a greater cause and just have a good time. 

http://hongover.blogspot.com/2015/06/about-bunch-of-things-about-me-shadow.html

http://hongover.blogspot.com/2015/05/presentation-projects-spring-expo.html

http://hongover.blogspot.com/2015/05/first-commercial-shoot.html

About A Bunch of Things - About Me, Shadow and Light

Student Weebly Reviews

First Period - Sze Photos
The simple photo of a divide within a school cafeteria struck me as an intriguing way to take a photo. There is a sense of balance and symmetry which draws in the viewer. Furthermore I've never seen this particular divide on school campus and it's fancy seeing it so fully erect in place that is soon to be bustling with energy.

Second Period - Ryen Teo
Ryen is a good acquaintance that I met last year during P.E. Yet I never knew that he owned such a great looking dog. Not only that but the dog seems to be happy and it seems that even the photographer had trouble capturing all that energy in one photo. It's a great series of photos but I feel that he could have taken photos when Juno was a little bit more active.

Third Period - Barry Liu
Barry never struck me as a a good photographer, let alone someone who took photos in his free time. The photograph of the two flags with the stars and stripes alone wouldn't have been an outstanding photo. However, the edits that were undertaken in order to produce the final result is pretty extraordinary. This photo came both as a surprise and as a treat to the eye.

Presentation Projects (Spring Expo)

I decided to take a series of pictures regarding bikes. My passion for riding the bicycle developed at the beginning of junior year when I tried to find difference outlets for my stress. Riding the bicycle makes me free and I have decided to commemorate this project to the happiness and the relief that stems from such a simple piece of workmanship. I've decided to take simple shots and capture the elegant nature of the bicycle. When people think of the work bicycle they would not think

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First Commercial Shoot

Trip Tych

Photoshop Edit

Camera Raw Edit

Original 

And the Winner for Best Picture....

Omkaar Kotedia
Tom Hull
Cocoon Studio
Mareen Fischinger
Hardy Klahold

Photo Story MCW

The part that I most enjoyed about MCW was the assembly. I'm able to look forward to this part ever year. I especially enjoyed the boll wood dancers. I can only imagine the time and the effort that was poured into all these performances. I also liked the idea of how each culture at Mission was represented, or at least a great effort was made. Even for the faculty,I can't imagine the sacrifice and the management that went to make MCW what it was. The following are a couple photos that capture the fervor excitement and the endless enjoyment. It is in the order that I thought was the most entertaining.

There was a lot of skill and finesse that the ballerinas displayed during MCW assembly. They didn't perform just one act, instead they incorporated different styles throughout history. Although these ballerinas only employed 'four forms' they put on a marvelous performance that was greatly appreciated by the entire school. 

Growing up I thought that wushu was for the elderly as a method to help the muscles and the bones grow. Upon seeing the multicultural performance I was appalled by the fast lightening reflexes of the martial artists. It is definitely something that I look forward to the coming year.

Mr. Huei has been performing in Multicultural Assembly for as long as I have attended this school, three measly years, and each year he is able to deliver an outstanding performance. He's still involved in the school in other ways than teaching and that's something that I really admire about him. It just goes to prove that age is just a number!

Bollywood is a part of the Mission identity. During the time of multicultural week all the animosity and the lines between the classes disappear. In order to produce such a marvelous performance as the Bollywood crew did there is a need for cooperation and perseverance. It was very fun and enjoyable experience. 

Although the majority of Mission students are passive and prefer to stick to Bach or Beethoven these group of students set themselves apart by performing a beat-box coalition. I was taken aback by the display of skill and the unique sounds that originated from each member. It was a little difficult to hear because of the inferior sound system and the endless chattering of the students. 

Story with a Photo - One Trip, Two Friends, Three Messages

During Spring break, Sean, a good friend of mine, and I decided to go up Mission Peak on bikes. We went up purely for recreational purposes, but with the stunning views and the beautiful scenery I couldn't help but take a couple of photographs. The bike trail was extremely technical but entertaining. My favorite experience was going down; the adrenaline rush from the speed and the maneuvering was addictive. We stupidly decided to go during the dead of the day which resulted in unnecessary pain. Nevertheless, it was a fun day and I'm glad that I did something fun over break besides studying, of course. I hope that Sean will stumble upon this blog sometime in the near future and reminisce on the memories of his eventful high school life.    

MSJMCW Story

As I entered the one peaceful horseshoe I am immediately swamped in a brazen and unruly crowd of food craving students. I could see the desire of food seeping out of their mouths in the form of saliva and smell the enticing aromas of mono-sodium glutamate-ridden food. My ears ring from the bass to the point where my eyes watered. As soon as I stepped into the parking lot I hear the indistinct and loud chatter that reached a level of noise that even the fervor of homecoming couldn't compare. The loud and obnoxious students, mostly underclassmen, with the warm enveloping rays of the sun seemed to be actively sapping my energy as I felt tired almost instantaneously. As I made my way to my designated station I could hear feeble attempts to sell overpriced products. The buzzing chatter, my growling stomach, and the music put an enormous overload on my senses. It seemed like a scene straight out of a simulate firefight, it was hard to believe that a renowned institution of excellence could produce such excitement and activity. After all the pushing and shoving to safely get to booth 15, I was overtaken with the embarrassment that accompanied the loud screaming of our vice president. I trudged over and put on the mandated gloves with so much reluctance and ignorance that I put the gloves on the wrong hand. Like all the idiotic mistakes I make in my life, there is always another person to remember the embarrassing moments in my life. I laughed along and my spirits were quickly uplifted. Looking back I'm thankful for the longer time (twenty minutes) that I get to spend with friends and for the food, that would have been a reachable distance, that is so generously provided by each club. It's a high school experience that I am thankful for and something that I look forward to in the coming years.

Shutter Speed and Everything After

Tuesday with Farley's Kids!
Partners:
Valerie Choung
Nicole Li 
Isaac Hong (Me)

1. In order to capture a scene with so much movement with such accuracy, this photograph was taken with a faster shutter speed. Upon closer inspection of the subjects within the photo there are no blurred lines which also indicates the usage of a relatively fast shutter speed.

2. The rule of depth presents itself in this photo. The highway winds endlessly for as far as the eye can see. 

Nicole - "This photo shows the rule of composition of balancing elements. The bright colors of the trucks really contrast with the clear gray sky. These balanced elements keeps the photo from not being too overpowering to look at."
Val Choung - "The rules of using lines is demonstrated in the photo through the use of the lane lines on the road and the guard rails. These lines all converge (to a single point) and lead to the main focus of the picture, the fallen truck and the passing trucks. This is closely related to the element of art, line, but is different because it the element of art states that there is a usage of line, which the rule of composition of line how it can be use to make the photograph more effective."

3. The element of shape is a repetitive in this photo. The subjects in the photo have a certain depth and width, all based upon the polygonal shape, the rectangular prism.

4. This photo utilized the element of repetition. My eyes were drawn to the repeating patterns of the guardrails. Parallel with the highway the simple pattern of the guardrail extends as far as the eye can see.

Tuesday with Farley's Kids!

Used a shutter speed of 1/250

Principles of Design - Rhythm

Principles of Design - Unity

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Principles of Design-Variety

We decided on photo 6 from "Documenting the Blues in the Mississippi Delta" because for me it exhibits a lack of balance. Photos derive their "quality" from the presence and absence of several factors. For me this photo emphasizes great amount of movement. The food, the person, the wilderness, the junkyard relays this photo as one that is full of variety.

Principle of Design - Repetition

I turned up the brightness and a higher contrast so that there would be a definite difference between the patch of flowers and the hills in the background. 

Principles of Design - Pattern

Focused at the head of the flower so that the background would be blurred and provide the viewer with a sense of pattern

Principles of Design - Emphasis

Principles of Design - Balance

This fits balance not in the conventional sense but because the rocks are aligned in a particular way. 

Elements of Art - Color

Vibrance: +4
Clarity: +0.2

Elements of Art - Space

Highlights +2
Clarity:-0.2