Final Blog Essay

I thought the final project was a great way to combine everything we learned in this class and use it to display an aspect of our identity. Over the last couple of years golfing has taken up more of my time and I really enjoy it. I have worked on a golf course the last three years and even though I am still not very good, I try to get out any play all the time. For my final project, I used many pictures I have taken recently while golfing and during my job. Although this would likely never happen, I always thought it would be cool to own and design a golf course. I wanted to portray a part of my own identity as spending time on a golf course has been a large part of my life, at least over the past few years.

Before this class, I had almost no prior experience using Photoshop or iMovie. I had never even opened photoshop and had only used iMovie once or twice in high school. If I had ever needed to manipulate photos for any purpose, I found myself struggling and trying to use PowerPoint or my phone to edit pictures. I had no idea that both Photoshop and iMovie offered so many features. I came to learn that Photoshop can not only be used to simply edit photos, but does a great job of also allowing the user to create artful graphic elements that can be used for all kinds of needs such as business cards, posters, etc. I found the different features of Photoshop very useful and can certainly see myself using it in the future. I like how Photoshop allows the user to make almost any photo feel warmer/colder/ brighter/darker, change the color scheme, add objects from other photos, and eliminate objects from the original photo.

I have made a few short movies in the past, but mostly through using Windows Movie Maker. I found that iMovie provided a lot more options from adding elements into a movie such as better transitions, sound effects, titles/credits, etc. In the future, if I need to make movie for any reason, I will absolutely prefer using iMovie as opposed to other simple movie editing software.

After taking this class, I can see that all kinds of art, as simple as a photo can really say a lot about a person, whether that person is the subject or the photo or the photographer. Both Photoshop and iMovie allow an artist to further individualize their work, allowing them to demonstrate a clear identity or message about something personal to them. I liked how this class allowed each student to focus on subjects relevant to them and did not force everyone focus their art on the same subject. I think that this made me more interested in my assignments and I also thought it was interesting to see how everyone else personalized their assignments.

Through the different elements of the two software programs we used, everyone was able to create a piece of art that created a specific identity and was meaningful to them. So much can be said about a person’s identity through a photo or movie, and I feel that this class has taught me that art can really be analyzed in many ways and can mean a lot more than I might think at first glance.

One difference I would recommend is that towards the beginning of the class, many of our assignments involved taking pictures of different subjects in several different settings. Most of the time we were assigned to take the pictures on a Tuesday and asked to have the pictures for Thursday. I think that the quality and subjects of my pictures could have been improved if we were given more time to take these pictures, even as simply as assigning the pictures to take on Thursday and having them for Tuesday class.

I also think that I would I have liked to spend a little more time learning iMovie and a little less time with Photoshop. I know this a personal preference and I am sure there is plenty of people who would prefer the opposite. I just thought it would be interesting to be able to create a few different movies and learn a few more of the features iMovie offers.

Overall, I really enjoyed taking this class. I can absolutely say that for most of my general education classes, I am happy to forget everything I learned the day after the class is over. However, I can see myself using what I learned about Photoshop and iMovie in the future and maybe even in some of my engineering classes for various projects.

URL:

https://u.osu.edu/buckeyecreekgolf/

Space Cowboys Save Mars

Creating a movie allows to not only portray a certain aspect of a person or character, like a picture, but rather tell a story about that person and really expand upon who they are. We were able to create a story about three cowboys who go on to stop a villain from stealing Mars. A picture would likely not allow us to depict who were the protagonists/antagonists nor could we show what they were trying to accomplish. A movie, although short, still allows us to develop each on of these people so that the viewer understands the character behind the picture. iMovie allowed us to take many pictures and edit them all together along with outside music and smooth transitions, to demonstrate the identity of our characters.

Self Portrait – Max Hanich

Self Portrait Essay – Max Hanich

The Ohio State Hockey School

I have played hockey for most of my life and thought that I would advertise for an Ohio State Hockey School. Throughout the entire poster I used colors either synonymous with Ohio State or playing hockey. I used a background of and ice rink with a puck to draw the viewer’s attention and demonstrate almost immediately about the subject of the ad. I thought the 3D text I used gave the poster depth and made it more interesting. The taper I used on the “Sign Up Now” jumps out at the reader in an effort to persuade them to participate. I also used a gradient on the text at the bottom of the page to give the poster another interesting element that entices the viewer.

Buckeye Nation Magazine

This photo, taken from inside Ohio Stadium, was from the start of the first ever football game I attended. They may have lost, but it turned out to be a great year anyways for Ohio State football. For almost all of the text I included, I colored it some variation of scarlet and gray, strong symbols of the Ohio State community. I feel that the title “Buckeye Nation” accurately reflects the size and spirit of the crowd inside the stadium. I also included a picture of Brutus and a few headlines relating the the game to give the reader a preview of the contents of the magazine, along with the date of the game in the upper right corner.

Long Exposure Photos

In this photo of Colleen she is rapidly waving her hand. The long exposure of the camera however, causes part of her hand to blur and almost disappear. I edited this photo by adding a lens flare and also changed the color balance to make the picture look slightly warmer.

I believe this photo does a good job of demonstrating how a long exposure can be used to track a light source. Even though to the photographer an image like this is never physically seen, the camera does a great job of tracking the light to show the heart being ‘drawn’. I added a filter to the photo because I believe in a way that it makes the photo more exciting and interesting as it blurs the lines between light and darkness.

This photo, taken outside of my house, shows how long exposure can be used to capture car headlights traveling down a street. I like how the picture draws the most attention to vehicles and leaves the background to be a minor detail of the photo.

This is another example (unedited) of light being tracked to show the effects of long exposure on moving lights.  I like how these types of photos bring warmth to an otherwise dark setting.

Professional Photo

I took this photo of one of my uncle Mike’s dogs, a beagle. I have professionally edited this photo by removing a few distracting objects around the dog and background. Additionally, the dog had some dirt all over herself and I removed many of these spots using the touch up tool.

Angled Photo – Jax

This picture is of another one of my uncle’s dogs, Jax, a Great Pyrenees. In this photo, I really wanted to demonstrate how massive this dog is. I thought the best way to do this was to show Jax at an angle so his entire body was in view.

Outdoor Recreation Center – Colleen Climbing

This photo shows Colleen on her way climbing to the top of the wall at the Outdoor Recreation Center at Ohio State. I slightly cropped this picture to purposely off-center the climber and leave her with more room to ‘climb’ into. I believe this more effectively portrays the action that is being performed.

Gingerbread House – Jake

I took this photo of my brother, Jake, after we made ginger bread houses. The photo does a great job of showing my brother along with his ‘work of art’ as he would describe. I felt that picture was very dark to being with, likely because of poor lighting, his dark shirt, and the dark background, so I brightened the picture a little bit. I believe that this drew the attention of the viewer more effectively to the gingerbread house my brother is trying to show off.

Open Composition

Showing an open composition, this photo demonstrates and interesting perspective of inside the Ohio Union. Parts of the photo seem to be heading away from the viewer, such as the walkways on the edge of each floor, while other parts come towards you, like the stairs in the lower right of the picture, but there is still no clear subject.

Closed Composition

This photo, taken outside of the Ohio Union, depicts a closed composition, where the subject is clearly the sign defining the building it is posted on. Although this sign is a relatively simple object, one can clearly tell that the scarlet and gray that make up the colors of the sign are a symbol of Ohio State. The sign also appears to be dedicated to the “Class of 1955” as stated at the bottom.

Symmetrical Composition – Ohio Union

This photo of the Ohio Union, demonstrating a symmetrical composition, shows one of the most important places on the Ohio State campus. In addition, by the ‘FOR THE KIDS’ signs, mirrored on both sides of the image, one can make the assumption that Ohio State is a university that is making a significant effort to help children in need.

Thirds Composition

Taken from ‘The Oval’, this photo demonstrates a Thirds composition. The sky, the trees, and the grass/paths on the ground seem to take equal thirds of this photo. In the distance of the photo, slightly off center, is Thompson Library. Whenever the weather is a bit warmer, hundreds of Ohio State students can always be seen doing all kinds of activities on the Oval.

Ohio State Vs. Virginia Tech – September 2014

Cool                                Normal                                Warm

I took this photo at the first Ohio State football game I ever attended and although we lost, it was one of my best memories from my time at college so far. The cooler picture depicts a somewhat more serious tone, while I believe the warmer photo demonstrates a more enjoyable environment for the fans and it really brings out all the Scarlet worn by the crowd. All of which could be used as great photos, depending on what tone the photographer is trying to depict.

Brutus – Ohio Union

Underexposed                         Original                         Overexposed

Brutus has been the one symbol almost anyone can immediately relate to Ohio State. This photo of Brutus shows him sitting on a bench in the Ohio Union. The over exposed picture brings in far too much light and seems to take away from the main subject of the photo, Brutus himself. In the underexposed picture, however, there is not nearly enough light and it equally takes away from the subject. The original photo seems to provide a good balance of light and does a good job of truly depicting Brutus.