My Self-Portrait~ went a little long than intended, but c'est la vie.

Assignment: Find a non-fiction multimedia/interactive project (from the web or CD/DVD) and write one-page report addressing functionality, narrative elements and design principles. Post the links/project information and the report on your blog.

                                Non-Fiction Multimedia/interactive Project Analysis

I chose to go with http://www.thanatorama.com/ because I found the topic to be incredibly engaging, and I studied a smidgen of French in high school/college. Anyways, I found the educational documentary approach towards death to be boldly honest and objective of what really goes on after we die, and it’s entertaining by way of a wry sense of humor. For example, in the Funeral parlor chapter (http://www.thanatorama.com/us/#/funeral_parlor/ ) towards the end, they say that the embalmer, David, never says, “See you later”.  The interactive elements add more to the curiosity as the viewer is able to personalize their own burial as they are prompted questions with a surreal orb to keep with the spiritual motif.

Functionality:

                Considering the amount of complex media with the interactivity, the website performs really well. Not sure if it was my personal computer, but I did notice some glitches along the way. For some reason, the Pallbearer chapter (http://www.thanatorama.com/us/#/pallbearers/ ) gave me a lot of trouble. First, it seems like there were two audio tracks going at once, as though the website was insisting I go to the coffin factory while I heard the audio and saw the subtitles for the Pallbearers, proving to be very distracting (I tried it multiple times at separate occasions). In the same chapter, I also noticed that the subtitles just went away halfway through or the bottom subtitle line was cut off, while there was still a voice over. It wouldn’t have bothered me so much, but I don’t understand French in this particular documentary context. Finally, the other chapter I ran into some glitches with was the Coffin Factory Chapter (http://www.thanatorama.com/us/#/coffin_factory/ ) which offers the viewer the chance select the different areas of the assembly line, and they explain in further detail the role that particular area fulfills in the process. It’s a fantastic idea, but the pacing between the audio and video would get misconstrued, then it would zip through 5 photos really fast. Thus, despite the minor technical complaints I listed above are trumped by the complexity, creativity, design, and information that make http://www.thanatorama.com a unique experience.

Narrative elements:

                The narrative was incredibly helpful with the subtitles (when they worked), as it took such an impersonal approach to a very personal experience. The information presented was done in such a demanding, yet nonchalant tone of the speaker, it seemed to provoke the audience to explore further through the chapters. It was however entertaining to hear how each little story goes into an indirect history surrounding each of the tours….like the location of the Coffin Factory in Jussey, France (what are the chances that a person would have a connection with Jussey if not for their coffin?), as well as the busy schedule of an embalmer considering the statistics that were presented (700 embalmers across France, and how demanding of a profession it is). It really played into the tone that all of the actors in your funeral are just that- actors who play a role, and will play another significant role for another deceased person within hours.

Design Principles:

I enjoyed the design of the chapter orbs….it seemed to be like a constellation in the Universe which lends more to the sense of mystery of what happens when we die.  The Coffin Factory’s map was a little confusing at first, but once I realized that the assembly-line areas with a border were individual stories, it made it much easier. My only criticism of the design was that sometimes, the questions being prompted were the same font color as the background image, so it was difficult to tell what was being asked.

In Conclusion, the website was educational, thematic throughout, and engaging despite the uncomfortable taboo of a topic. The functionality really stayed true to form and performed really well despite the glitches I came upon when considering the larger, complex picture. Next, the narrative was incredibly straight-forward with its facts, and kept it entertaining and light with the nonchalant tone.  Then, the Design of the website was very helpful, and it kept with the surreal after-life mystery for which is incredibly open-ended. Therefore, the website was incredibly entertaining while fulfilling its web-documentary genre responsibilities in a creatively interactive way.

I got a new toy~ a Canon HD digital camera

Sooooooo........the consistent frustration of trying to rent equipment from the equipment center at school has finally reached its limit. I was beginning to find that having to work around the cumbersome trial/error process of reserving the basics was a waste of time, and a bit stressful. Neither of which I care for. So, I bit the bullet and went to Best Buy last Thursday during lunch, and picked up an HD digital camera. It's a sound investment, as I can shoot up to 10 mins. of video at a time. Not to mention, the photo quality is exceptional! Now, I'm trying to figure out how to post these videos to my blog, but unfortunately they're formatted in Quicktime~ Oy!. At least I think I can load pics easier. Above, is a pic outside my apartment window... it's a 4th floor walk-up, so behold....Astoria Rooftops! =0)

Dog Days Are Over at Union Square Park

Lumiere Project

The belated photoshop collage

Soundscape Assignment

Mike The exterminator

Sound Study Assignment Part B

Assignment Part B: Collect recordings for a sound portrait of a location. This can be the same location from Part A. Pay close attention to interior/exterior ambiance sounds and distinct individual sources (such as human voice, running water/faucet, door knob turning, etc. ). Upload the sound clips to your blog and also bring it on a USB stick or CD to class.

Again, Larissa, Katy and I used the elevator for our location.

Sound Study Assignment Part A

Assignment: Pick a location, then carefully listen to it for 3 uninterrupted minutes. Take notes of every sound event you hear (for example: sound of a trucking passing by, loud footsteps, coughing, , fast typing on keyboard, etc. ) Descriptions can be factual, onomatopoeic, poetic, etc. post notes to Blog. 

Larissa, Katy, and I decided to ride the elevator at the New School Arnhold Hall (where we have class) for the 3 minutes (going up and down). Below are the notes I took.

~ Moving upward as motor accelerates
~Bing! (we're at a floor)
~Door opening/some jostling
~Girl fidgeting with plastic bag, and can here the crunkling
~Door closing/some jostling
~Acceleration of elevator/can hear the mechanics
~Elevator slowing down
~Bing! (next floor)
~Rushed footsteps as someone runs to make the elevator
~Pushing the elevator button
~Elevator doors closing
~Stopping at the 3rd floor and hearing the atmospheric noises as someone is at the info desk asking for help
~Footsteps of person walking out
~Footsteps of person walking in
~New person's bag rubs up against the wall of the elevator
~ Someone Sniffling
~Doors closing
~ Elevator acceleration

When we finished our 3 minutes in the elevator, Larissa, Katy, and I compared notes. Below are some of the differences.

~Larissa heard a girl mumble, "Oh My God" under her breath
~I heard the person's bag rub up against the wall
~Katy and Larissa both heard the espresso machine on the 1st floor that Larissa initially attributed to a car outside.

A Subway Story

A Subway Story~ stills

Walking to the train~ Beautiful Day

Uh-oh! Trains running irregular!

walking to the turnstiles

Suspicions justified~ the pink ribbon innocently has no idea of the inconvenience it has caused for so many people

turnstiles that work in the opposite direction

waiting for transfer

waiting for train

Train arrives

Train comes to a halt!

Always an indecisive decision of where to sit

Construction outside

Ah-ha! The source of the disruption!

They keep it running though....

"An ounce of prevention is worth so much more than a pound of cure!

Usual visual of the commute to the city

Edging around the corner

That moment of confronting the day/city head-on!

Photo Exhibit Writing Assignment

I attended the Jasper, Texas photo exhibit featuring the work of Alonzo Jordan which showcased the African American culture during the 1940s-1950s in Jasper, Texas. Mr. Jordan was an African American who held multiple positions in a pre-dominantly segregated community of Texas (was a barber by trade, as well as the local photographer). Racial tensions were recently renewed with the brutal murder of African American, James Byrd Jr., by three white men in 1998 which unfortunately earned the community’s notoriety to date.  However, most of Jordan’s photos expressed African Americans maintaining the same jovial rituals as their white counterparts in the community such as weddings, reunions, parades, organizations, and dancing.

          There were a few photos that I was able to snap with my blackberry (security was very kind/understanding~ sorry for quality) that I would like to comment on. First, is the wedding preparation photo showing a bride getting her hair done by another woman, and you can see their reflections in the mirror, providing context / a converging vector. I think this is a great shot that is symmetrical and adds balance to the shot between the two live people and their reflections that are comparable in size. Furthermore, it was taken from the side, so more of the focus is on the bride’s full-faced smile in the mirror  . The next shot I want to comment on is the catching of the bouquet.  At first glance, it seems a little off-balance, as the women reach for the bouquet on the left. However, after further analysis it becomes apparent that the bouquet is actually the index vector as if it’s pointing, leaving plenty of empty space on the right side of the photograph. Not to mention, the women are looking in the opposite direction with their backs to the camera.

         Finally, my third picture I would like to comment on that illustrates the 2-dimensional field structure using a closure  into a triangle is the shot of the Jasper residents dancing. The woman in the lighter dress being front/center really closes the triangle, and it's like she's the center of all the action. Which is really interesting because her dancing partner is so disconnected from her that he's closer to the gentleman on the far left who is leaning against the wall. Speaking of the gentleman on the far left, his arm is a little bit cutoff  leaving lead room on the right hand side. With the woman in the center, and the same amount of people on either side of her, this adds symmetry, with her gaze acting as a pointing vector in the direction of the gentleman on the far left.
                In conclusion, Mr. Jordan exhibited a keen style that expressed the emotions of those being photographed. Whether it was a family reunion, a graduation picture, or somebody just standing out in front of their yard, the photos exhibited a pride that subjects weren't all that different to their white neighbors. As mentioned, it's unfortunate that the town of Jasper is plagued but its recent inhumanity/intolerance, though it's nice and refreshing to see that the African American community still had their good times. I am happy to have attended this exhibit, and it was a bonus that I was able to analyze the photographs with the knowledge of 2-dimensional dynamics and the importance of composing a shot that were taught in class.

Experimentation w/ Lighting & Aperture ~ Assignment #2

Hmmmmm.....Yum! Also use of aperture while playing with the focus.

Shadow Casting from over-head light source

Fast Falloff

This was my rendition of the faster shutter sequence while taking a drink

Next is a rendition of a slower shutter speed~ yeah, much slower

Light Source From Behind

More Aperture example with object in focus and blurry background

Silhouette lighting of the phone underneath the light source

Straight shot  with soft falloff

More Shadows, but showing the fast fall off of the textured wall

More Aperture of focus with overhead lighting

Soft overhead light eliminating fall-off

Photos I like ( I included one extra 'like' photo so it out-balanced the dislikes)

I liked this earlier photo of the Beatles because it's pretty candid, and it shows each of their personalities. Furthermore, I enjoy that the 2 more popular Beatles (Paul & John) are in the background as George and Ringo are in the front. Unfortunately, I don't know who the photographer was :-/



Always a fan of Ansel Adams, this particular photograph always resonated with me as it shows the contrast between nature's elements both with lighting and content (Earth/tree= dark and sky= light)