Ladies and Gentlemen....we found a winnner.

The photo to the right has brought me some luck this year. Taken during the summer in Reidville, SC. I have won first place in the SCISA photo competition. Honorable Mention in the Piedmont Interstate Fair. 2nd place HubBub Spartanburg High School Art Show and hopefully more awards to come! I also won second place in the fair for another photo! I am enjoying getting my photography where people can see some of my work. Some of the money I win from competitions will help my project as well as my photography portfolio. I also had my 4th photo published in the Hearld Journal this past week which is always really exciting!

A busy girl......glad to be on break!

I have been an extremely busy girl and I am very thrilled to finally be on Christmas Break. I have been running around school....afterschool....before school taking pictures. It seems that every five minutes someone needs something. The good news is all by time will pay off in the future. I have been working on many school things such as picking out pictures for the banners than will be hung downtown Spartanbug for the entire month of January. The banners have two of my pictures. Glad to be displaed in downtown Spartanburg and will also be something good to put in not only my senior project portfolio but also but photography portfolio. I also am working on picking out and shooting pictures for the school tour brochures. One of my favorite photos that I was secretly hiding for the yearbook my favorite picture from this entire year I let go this week. Mrs. Ledbetter my mentor and I both agreed that this photo is great for not only the yearbook but also that it would benefit my future to be seen by more and more people on the tour brochure if it is used. I also have been extremely busy working on the Villager....which is FINALLY done!! The Villager is the yearly news publication at Oakbrook. I took almost all of the pictures in the Villager except for maybe three or four. In the past few weeks I have had to take a pictures for the Villager that included school administration pictures as well as a picture of the schools board which was quite awkward because I am used to taking photographs of children not adults. I am having to step out of my comfort zone a lot. So I have completed the Villager photos as well as the down town banners. Working on yearbook, catching up on Knightly News because I have not had photos in there for several weeks because I have been so busy but plan to start again after the first of the year. I also am working with people on making the school brochure better and next maybe even the schools website. All of these things that I am doing will look great in my photography portfolio!! The picture to the left is one of my favorites from last week. I took pictures at the Winter Concert and enjoyed taking dance photos for the first time! I cannot wait for their next performance dancing photography is very challenging. Glad to be on break to well....take a break! After I return to school I will be busy working on my calendar and hopefully more family photos I need at least 4 more families to buy camera but also more families after that to help pay publishing costs for my calendar! Cannot wait for 2011 but it will for sure be a very very busy year filled with lots and lots of pictures!

Research Paper and tough choices

Research paper working on it now and all week. Today I took more family pictures. This past week I had to turn down a family for pictures because I have to do my paper. I was running out of time and had to say no. I felt really bad and still do. I had to put my school work in front of pictures otherwise I would still be doing this senior project next year! Turn in research paper tomorrow so I can finally start work fully on my project and I cannot wait!

"The Pictures Aren't On The CD"

"The Pictures aren't on the CD...." I made my first big mistake this past week. I was editing photos and saving them to a disk and I formatted the CD wrong and the pictures did not save onto the CD so when the family went to look at their pictures they were not on the disk. It worked out though I made the family a new CD and all is well. My biggest challenge as you can see in the picture is the size of families. The last two bookings I have had were big families. One family had seven people and the other had eight. Telling people where and how to stand can be major challenge. I hope the families are understanding that I am by no means a professional. On saturday I took a families pictures at their house in front of a lake and they went great I think they really liked them! The family I did Sunday afternoon was definetly a learning experience. The sun was very bright I would place the family one way and the sun would be behind them and it would not work, and then I would face them another way and the sun would be in their face. I took those pictures at Glendale my favorite picture place but not the place to take photos in the middle of the day! The photo to the right was one of the only ones I liked. I am very worried about the family not liking these as much. I am very new at this so from this experience I learned two things. First I learned that taking pictures at 1:30 is not a good idea. Second I am still researching the best way to take photos with bright light. The good news is that I have $350 for camera fund and have three families coming up in the next two weeks. This project is a learning experience and that is all that matters! I am learning!

You Stand Here.....You stand there....

This was my photo of the week! One of many from this past week.
This weekend I have two more families booked. One bright and early at ten AM and another one
on Sunday at one in the afternoon. After this weekend I will have a minimum of $300 from taking family
photos! So excited I hope I can keep this up and continue to book more and more! My challenges from last week were I need to take pictures of events but sometimes I am involved in the event and cannot take pictures or I cannot make it! Everything is going absolutely great though! Enjoying my project. Although taking photos is very challenging. Thinking of new ideas and lining people up. I am having to be very bossy. Telling adults what to do is sometimes hard. After this research paper is turned in CALENDAR time! Having a absolute blast very busy but still going great!

I need a calendar.....good thing I am making one!

Project is going great! Took pictures last weekend. I took pictures of one family and five exchange students with a start of $100 to my buy a yearbook camera fund. Good news is tomorrow I have a family to take as well as three to five booked between now and Thanksgiving break! I am glad my goal seems to get closer and closer. The picture I posted was one of my favorites that I took of the family I did last Sunday. That family was the first time I have ever taken pictures of boys. Unlike girls, boys do NOT like to get their pictures made. It was quite the challenge. I am giving the family their CD on Monday. I really hope all of the families like their pictures! Taking pictures makes me very nervous at times. I have had to talk with a lot of people on the phone working with scheduling and such I do not like it but I think I am starting to improve! I have one family tomorrow followed by two this weekend. I have more to schedule and many more pictures to take! Including school pictures for yearbook! I was put in the paper for photography contests. 2nd place and honarable mention in Peidmont Fair and 1st place in the SCISA contest in the entire state! I am very excited about seeing my own picture in the paper. I am trying to come up with days where I can schedule people. The photo sessions are taking about 1-2 hours! That is a long time but I take a lot of pictures so the families not only have a lot to choose from but I also make sure I have enough good ones! I am having fun but I am one busy girl!

Marking my Calendar....get it Calendar?

Marking my Calendar.....

Marking my calendar to write down appointments for photo sessions! This Saturday as well as Sunday! I also have next Saturday scheduled!
I am very nervous but excited. I am on my way to buying a camera!  Today I took pictures at Veterans Day and I took all of the Club photos for the yearbook. Organizing people was not easy.....I do not have much patience but got through it all in one period with lots of help! I also took pictures of Brad's signing for college today so in one day I took over 1500 pictures imagine that? I also sent some pictures to the news from the Veterans day program. Looking forward to taking these pictures all weekend! I am also working on re-doing the Oakbrook brochures with my pictures!




Photo of the week:

Learning...

Learning that I cannot be in all the places I want to be at once. This week I have been pricing calendars and I learned that I can actually print them through Costco I am thinking about all of my options and have started selecting photos for my calendar. I am very excited! I missed some lower school events this week and it really frustrated me because I could not be there. We are getting our research papers returned to us in the next week or two and I know mine needs a lot of WORK!! I cannot wait to get to work on the Calendars but also stating taking peoples pictures and hopefully picking out a camera for yearbook in the near future!

Finally!

Finally turned in rough draft of research paper it still needs a lot of work but I finally feel like I accomplished something. Tonight I went to take pictures of Erica Rohlmans Senior Project as apart of my project I am taking pictures for other seniors Senior Projects. So far I have taken some for both Erica and Carrie and have many up coming. I now have five different families to schedule for pictures and I am pretty excited! Glad I have  finished rough draft of my paper. Cannot wait to get started on taking family pictures! Knightly News is still going great each week and shooting Oakbrook events is keeping be busy but going great. Also my mentor Mrs. Ledbetter is keeping me busy but I enjoy being busy.

Good News and Research Paper

After entering photo contest I ended up only being able to enter two photos, but I won second place and honorable mention in the same category! Along with that all those pictures I have been taking paid off. I got published in the Hearld Journal with my picture from the boys soccer team winning state. It was like a dream come true seeing my name in the paper.  I put my senior project in the Knightly News telling about how I am taking pictures any one interested please call me and the money goes to my a yearbook camera. It goes out to the whole school tomorrow but a few hours after it got sent to teachers and staff I already got someone already wanting pictures. I cannot wait for the results for my project. I hope to get a lot of customers. For my research paper I am thinking my topic will be about photo journalist and how they should not edit their photos.

Thesis:  Photojournalist should not use photo editing programs to alter photographs in anyway by contrasting, cropping, and other editing tools photos are changed entirely from their original format making photo viewers/readers no longer believe the things they see in pictures and making things that are not real appear to be  thus giving photojournalist a bad name all of which changing photojournalism forever. (STILLWORKING!)

Pictures....More Pictures

Today I entered a photo contest for the Piedmont State Fair. I really would love to win the photo contest but my main point is to get my pictures out in public view.  Tomorrow I will be going on a field trip with k-4 to the Apple Farm and to the Fire Station to take pictures. After the Field Trip I am going to Grandparents Day then I am going to get my Senior Pictures taken. I am really looking forward to talking to the professional photographer about my project and about his career because I really want to do something with Photography when I am older. Along with Knightly News this week I have been busy organizing photos and helping put new pictures on Oakbrook Brochures. After I get my Senior Pictures taken I am going to the Boys Soccer Game to.....well you guessed it TAKE MORE PICTURES.....no worries I am enjoying it!

Stress.....to un-stress

Got back from  Senior Retreat and had a really great time with everyone. It was excatly what I needed a break from everything including pictures!  Mrs. Perry took lots of pictures.....I only took a few. I did not like being in the pictures but glad to get a break!  I needed Senior Retreat to relieve some stress. I must say I have not done much this week because we have been gone. I have been working on research for my research paper. I am making flash cards and working on my thesis and outline. My picture days and senior project will run next week in the Knightly News next week. I am hoping to get a big turn out for my project. I have been talking all about my Calendar as well. Last week my photos ran again in Knightly News from See you at the Pole and the week before Fall Festival. Really enjoying pictures. Starting to line up dates and get people for my photo days!

Click....Click.....Click Click Click

Click......Click......Click...that is the sound of my camera and it seems to  be the sound I hear the most latley. I have been busy. I have been taking hundreds of pictures everyday. From Fall Festival, Doughnuts for Dads, Cowboy Day, See You at the Poll, and Sports my last week has been very busy. I have been busy with Knightly News as well. One of my photos was published in the Spartan Weekly that was exciting. I am going to be advertising for my first photo day which is October 22. I am going to start getting the word out here in the next week. I am struggling on figuring out the details on location price ect. I think I am going to take the pictures at Converse College or somewhere local. I have also entered one photo contest and entering more next week. If I win a photo contest the money will also go to help with my senior project. To purchase a yearbook camera. I have been getting emails and notes put on my locker to take pictures. As for now I am busy taking pictures every single day. I have gotten frustrated and overwhelmed looking for ways to better manage my time.

Accepted

My project has been accepted which is quite exciting. I was forced to face my fear of talking to people and it seemed to go well. I got lots of advice from the board. I am now looking for companies closer to home to print my Calendar. Along with looking for companies I am looking for a way to narrow down photo days. I have been busy taking pictures at school as well as looking for a good location for these days.  I will soon start advertising my photo days. I have now decided on a final paper topic. My topic is about  photo editing and how models and other people in magazines are made to look perfect  how young girls are made to  think they should look a certain way. I have now had 5 Knightly News each with my section of pictures from the previous week.  I am trying not to get overwhelmed but I have not gone a day without taking pictures in over two weeks. The one thing I know I will make sure that I have big squares on my calendar so everyone has room to write!

Staying Busy

I have been working a lot on my  project. The list of photo events I need to photograph seems to extend everyday. I have now worked on four issues of Knightly News. All issues contain my photos. The challenge so far is keeping track of events and making sure I find something interesting for each weeks issue. In the next few weeks I plan to advertise my Senior Project. I have also been doing odd photo jobs around the school. I am the basically the photographer at every event Oakbrook has. I receive emails and get asked by teachers and students to constantly to take pictures. I enjoy this a lot.   I plan to go ahead and make sure people know my plans for my project especially my two photo days. I am going to advertise not only inside the Oakbrook community but also open it up to anyone who may be interested. I have four clients already. I am excited, and I think this will be a great way to learn a lot. Along with Knightly News and photographing Oakbrook events, I may have the opportunity to shadow a Herald Journal Photographer.  I really hope I get to and if I do I think it will be a great learning experience. I am enjoying my project already and I have barley begun.

Knightly News and Good News

I have already begun working on Knightly News the weekly news publication at Oakbrook. I will be assisting Mrs. Ledbetter my mentor with Knightly News each week. I plan on having a section each week with either my pictures or my personal section called "people in the hall." I have already enjoyed working with Mrs. Ledbetter and looking forward to my Senior Project. As for now I have planned two photo days one on October 22, 2010 and March 18, 2011. Along with these two days if people are not available I will take their pictures at their convenience. Before even advertising I have been asked from two families and one senior to take their pictures, this is exciting because I have not even gotten the word out about my Senior Project and I already have clients. I am excited for my Senior Project and glad I decided to go with photography. I think it will be a huge success.  Along with Knightly News I have enjoyed photographing Oakbrook events. Also along with Knightly News I will be working with my mentor Mrs. Ledbetter on the Villager the yearly publication at Oakbrook. My pictures will be published in the publication along with helping Mrs. Ledbetter organize it. Overall I am grateful and excited about my photo days being asked to take pictures before I got the word out and then telling my clients that the money will go straight to helping Oakbrook and Yearbook and Journalism classes to purchase a camera, everyone seems excited with the idea.  I look forward to continuing my Senior Project.

Pictures

The Beginning

"What are you passionate about?" When asked this question the first thing that comes to my mind is I am passionate about photography. They say for Senior Project it is important to do something you are passionate about. As for me there is almost nothing that I love more than taking pictures. I love to shoot many things such as  butterflies. I love to see how I can make everyday things look different. I have always liked to take pictures but I began to love it just a few years ago. Now for my Senior Year I have been given the opportunity to have an independent study and the topic is up to me.  The easy part was deciding on photography because I love it. I want to go to photo school and plan on doing something with photography when I am older so what a better way to start out than now. My plans for right now are to explore photography. The one major thing I would like to accomplish is I would like to purchase yearbook cameras because we do not have any photo equipment besides my personal camera. In order to purchase cameras I plan to create a 12 month Oakbrook Calendar. I would like to create a calender because I like the idea of having a Oakbrook calendar because we have never had one before. In this calendar will be all photos I have taken at Oakbrook. Students, teachers, faculty members and events throughout the 2010-2011 school year will be included as well as some older pictures. I will organize these pictures and select the best one for the calender.  The Oakbrook calenders will be sold with yearbooks. Along with my senior project to raise money for yearbook and journalism equipment I will be doing photo shoots. I will be holding two photo days.  I plan on taking portraits and family photos along with other photos. I have already started taking people's pictures before Senior Project but I want to learn more about what I am planning on doing. The money received from photo shoots and calendars will go to yearbook and journalism camera equipment. Along with creating Oakbrook's first calendar I will also be creating a guide for teachers at Oakbrook. The guide will have instructions on putting pictures onto the computer, public at school, CD's, and other hardware. The final thing I would like to do for my Senior Project is I will be assisting Mrs. Ledbetter on the Knightly News the weekly news publication at Oakbrook. I will also have my own section of photos each issue. As for now my main plan is to do something with photography and to purchase yearbook cameras. Will post again soon.