Suffolk Art Gallery; Purple Heart

Being bored out of our schools between classes, Jess, Corina and I decided to actually do something productive with our time and go see the Art Gallery. The photos being featured were "Purple Hearts" all taken by the photographer, Nina Berman. The photos were taken of soldiers wounded in the war. Reading all the touching captions and being able to put a name with a face, it was all very touching. I loved all the photos, but the one I found myself staring at over and over again was of Pfc. Alan Jermaine Lewis. His story was incredibly moving. He was 23 years old when he was wounded on July 16th, 2003 in Baghdad. His quotation on the caption was so depressing but truly showed how strong he and all the rest of our soldiers are. He grew up in Chicago and was always around death. His best friend was shot and killed when he was 6 years old. His older sister was shot and killed, and his father was killed when he was 7. Personally, I would not have been able to have got through what he had did and then go to war. Pfc. Alan Jermaine Lewis is an incredibly honorable man.

Janelle Brooke, Guest Speaker

In class, last Monday, Janelle Brooke came in to speak to us about her career as a wedding photographer. I've never wanted to become a wedding photographer, mostly because of the fact that I'd be too under pressure and my work would suffer. I would hate to have missed "the kiss" because of a camera malfunction...you can't recreate those moments. Listening to her speak and seeing her photos, I did get a glimpse into what it would be like to be a wedding photographer. She does have assistants (which is one thing I would have to have, just to make sure there weren't any missed shots) and she has 2 cameras that she carries. She's able to take the time to get the shots she wants and does them correctly. After seeing the wedding she had recently shot that weekend, it was amazing to see that she shoots just like the most of us. She takes many shots, at different angles to create the best looking shot. Any time I'm shooting a set-up scene, I take it at different angles, exposures, etc. It's nice to see a professional do the same. Also, hearing what she does with her editing is amazing. All the work that goes into just one photograph is outstanding. I love taking the photos, and editing...but to a degree. I would hate to have to edit those photos, especially if the couple doesn't choose to purchase it. I give her a lot of credit for what she does. I know how difficult it is to be under pressure and produce amazing work. The photos that she takes and edits for the couple are amazing, they're very fashion related which is different from the standard of most wedding photographers. It's something special that she does that makes her stand out of the crowd. We all need a "trademark" that will make us different than other photographers in our field, and Janelle definitely has that.

I really need to keep better track of these posts...

Wow, I haven't posted in a while, so...
I haven't yet decided which exact career path I want to take. Currently I work as a portrait photographer under Lifetouch, I like it, but it's very restricted. We don't have as much creative freedom as we would if it were our own company...but I guess that's the deal with everything. I love my job, but it's exhausting. Having to deal with all the children who are screaming and the parents who will do anything to their poor children just to get them to smile. It's tiring. However, I recently just got the chance to shoot one of my best friends (that sounds so terrible; "shoot"...anyway) I shot her photos all around Lake Ronkonkoma and they came so awesome. I tried to achieve depth of field for an assignment, I say they do, but people disagree...My point is, I really do love working with people, but I like having them pose the way I want them to, and having them look the way I want them to look. It's a lot harder when you're working under someone, and they're telling you how to make something or someone look. You lose your creative license. Even though I do love portrait photography, it's really the only type I've had professional experience in. I would love to try commercial one day. It's intriguing, but I have no idea what it entails. Also, I'm not big into wedding photography, only because I don't think I could handle that big of a responsibility...at least not yet. I'd die if I missed a shot or something of sorts. If I were working with an assistant, then I would probably be more willing to try it out. Okay, well I'm sick and exhausted so I'm going to go lie back down and hopefully get some rest. <3