Blog due for 9/30/2009

Assignment: Defend or Attack the Benetton Ad Campaign

The United Colors of Benetton has many controversial advertisements. The goal of the clothing company was to show the equality of people. Their ads soon began making people aware of current issues. This is a good idea for an organization which specializes in helping out the causes Benetton brings notice to through their advertisements, however, United Colors of Benetton is a clothing company. They should be selling their clothes in their advertisements. In fact, their ads are an example of false advertisement. They show images of AIDs cases and equality for all, however are not a philanthropic organization. It is human nature to assume, and based on these advertisements, people assume Benetton is helping these causes, when they are only pocketing the customers' money for their own profit. Benetton is a clothing and should be selling their clothes in their ads. Benetton is not an organization putting money towards world peace and other issues in the world. They are doing what it takes to make money to put into their own pockets. Companies should advertise where their money is going. Tosconi feels that "an advertisement which misleads the consumer with deception and lies is considered more correct." This is not necessarily true. Benetton is attacked because they bring up issues

National Portrait Gallery Field Trip

This photo is interesting because it is so obvious of where the photographer wants the audience to look. The girl is smack in the center of the photo. Her bright clothing pops out of the photo against the darkness of the leaves. Professor Levin talked about splitting up a photo into thirds and how to place the subject. Here, the subject is smack in the center of the photo, making it obvious that she is the focus. Although this bluntness isn’t usually recommended for photos, here it works. The girl in the middle breaks up the constant green behind her. Had she been moved to the right or left, the photo would not be as effective in capturing the eye of the audience.

*Our group and individual photos are posted on Pang's Blog*

Blog due for 9-7-2009

Assignment: Post 3 favorite images and explain how the image was made and why it is effective.









This image plays on the concept with backdrops. With the volleyball sitting on the red cloth, the light reflects the red onto the ball. Shooting from the top of the ball gives this appearance. If the shot was taken from the bottom of the ball, the light would have reflected differently. It was difficult to get the shot because of the lighting that was originally in the room. The room had harsh lighting which needed to be dealt with because it looked bright to the eye, but the camera could not catch the light.













This image was taken using a motion blur concept. The photographer circled the ball to blur the wood. The ball, however, remained in focus, thus allowing it to pop. The motion allows the grain in the wood to blur together allowing the image to look as if it was digitally altered with. This doesn't work because the blurriness of the grain and edge of the ball can make the audience dizzy. It took a large number of shots to be able to achieve the blurred effect.






This image plays on angles and light. It was taken without the flash. This allows the light to bounce off the ball, but not the background, making it dark. The audience's eye is drawn to the ball and not distracted by anything in the background. It is also taken at a low angle. This allows the light to reflect in different ways. Had the photo been taken from above, the light would have been behind the photographer, where in this photo the light is behind the subject.

Blog due for 8-31-09

This photo is from the New York Times Technology Webpage: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/technology/index.html The photographer clearly wants the reader to recognize the flip flops, as they are the largest and most clear thing in the photo. The photographer used a lens that focused on the foreground and blurred the background to convey his message. The asymmetry of the flip flops make the image more appealing to the eye.


This image is from the New York Times Sports Webpage: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/sports/football/30jets.html?_r=1&ref=sports Action photos are taken differently than still photos. A high shutter speed is needed to capture the image without it looking blurry. Here, the photographer set the lens so the players would be focused, but still look like they are moving. They are the main focus of the picture. Also, the photographer had to notice the surroundings, such as natural light. The photographer used natural light in this photo. When dealing with nature, there is more to consider than where the crew should place the lights. In a natural area, the photographer has to take into consideration the light from the sun and its positioning at certain points of the day.


This Photo is from the Weddings Webpage of The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/fashion/weddings/30VOWS.html The photographer here paid a lot of attention on colors and getting the right mix. The balloons catch the audiences' eye, with their vibrant colors. The balloons and trees frame the couple in the photo. Also, there has been an extra light source added to the balloons to make them brighter while the trees are dark. It adds contrast to the picture. The background is out of focus, so the audience knows exactly where the artist wants them to look.