Hi everyone! This post is not only to show off these beautiful pictures of my sister, Anna, but it’s also my final assignment for my photography class! The entry below discusses my project idea, and how I took these photos in terms of lighting, location, and editing effects. I hope you all enjoy.
For my final photography class assignment, I wanted to kill two birds with one stone by completing my photography portfolio and taking graduation pictures of Anna in her cap and gown! As we all know, COVID-19 caused schools to shut down, meaning Anna couldn’t finish her senior year correctly. I know high school isn’t a great experience for everyone, but I loved senior year and the traditions that came with it and can’t help but feel sad for her and her friends who are graduating. That said, Anna made so many fond memories on her high school campus, and I wanted this photoshoot to capture that.
A few days before going to the school, I prepared for the shoot by going through Pinterest and saving ideas of graduation photos. I wanted to use these images as inspiration for Anna’s photoshoot, and eventually take photographs that were our style. Additionally, I knew we’d like to arrive on location around the “golden hour,” or about 6:30 p.m., to have the best lighting. This idea turned out to be successful because the golden sunlight shined beautifully against Anna’s hair and provided warmth to the photos. My last step to prepare was thinking of where exactly I wanted to take pictures on campus. Since Anna attended the freshman and main campuses, I thought it would be cute to have her pose in front of both buildings. I also love the photos with the football stadium in the background because Friday Night Lights were the best nights; I know she’ll cherish memories she created while dancing during halftime and sitting in the stands, and these pictures are such a great reminder of those times.
During the photoshoot, I aimed to get a variety of angles and depth. As you can see, some photos are close to Anna’s face, which I think show off her fun personality. The photos that are slightly further from her are cleaner looking, and the pictures taken from below display the campus well; Anyone who attended these schools should recognize the architecture of these buildings. I was laughing at myself for lying flat on the grass of my old high school to take these, but it was so worth it in the end to get these incredible photographs.
After taking almost 300 photos, the 11 images above were my favorites. In terms of editing, the lighting was, for the most part, already fine, so I only brightened and tweaked the highlights a bit. The photos with the stadium in the background were darker, so I made the temperature warmer and increased the shadows. Of course, all the images have increased contrast and some sharpening. In some cases, I turned up the whites to highlight the walls and other objects in the distance. I made the last two photos black and white because I feel this effect provides a more sentimental appearance.
Until next time,
Lindi
