HERO: Cultural 2

After deliberating on whether to stay with an ethnic cultural theme or a popular culture using rock and heavy metal related items. I found a musician that loves to collect band items, posters, clothing, patches, and instruments. Not all items are music related as one could see few items of Star Wars memorabilia and figurines.  

Here I have all the items laid out on the bed composed of all of his favorite items that shows his personality and identity as a musician. 

This is the secondary hero shot that I had thought would be strong to show him with the bass. 

HERO: Change

This was a unique project attempting to show change. Using the Polaroid camera with a series of CSUN hats with balls from each year dating from 2014 to 2016. Thought it would be visually interesting to see the progression of the CSUN baseball hat design and ball over the course of the years showing change along with the Polaroid camera that instantly produces photos that changes in matter of minutes after exposing the phonograph.

The plan was to use the Polaroid camera to capture the photo however after taking a few shots the individual film got jammed in the cartridge foiling the whole plan to capture the film coming out of the camera as it developed in front of the camera. Several attempts ware made to recover the film but no success. 

HERO: Up / Down

"Up" was the chosen shot of of the series of "UP/DOWN" holding the camera angle directly up looking overhead or looking directly below the photographer showing what is in the extreme directions.

Having several attempts during the days of direct sunlight made it difficult to shoot as the sun was setting while the jet was landing in the same direction. The cloudy/ over cast day made it easier to capture the aircraft through diffused lighting making the speed light easier to use.

The hero shot taken of the jet flight directly overhead using a speed light at maximum power 1/1 ratio to highlight some of the undercarriage of the aircraft. 

Pre-Production: Change

For this production I was thinking of a series of Polaroid or a photo of a camera dispensing a photograph that phases through a change while developing instantly. The Inception of this idea was through the Colloidan demonstration in class that provided some ideas of instant change while the photograph was seen developed on a metal plate.  The Polaroid camera it self produces film that changes over a short period of time developing "instant prints" fitting for this assignment.

Pre-Production: Up-Down

For this production I was thinking of going to an airport that had an interesting ground image that has my feet in the view while another view looking directly overhead as a plane landing over head or taking off.

Some possible locations would be Long Beach,  Los Angeles, Burbank and Santa Monica Airports however the larger airports will have the more desirable option of larger jets that cast unique shadows. 

HERO: Cultural

I have created a Diptych of two images into one symbolizing Filipinx culture using a Filipino male and cultural items found in different regions of the Philippines.

Here are some of the additional images taken that were leading up to the hero shot. 

The Philippines is comprised of several islands in a cluster with different cultural backgrounds making each style unique. 

Pre-Production: "Cultural"

                                                                               

For this production I will try to find a Chicano native in their Native American regalia shot with a dark background and either one or two modern day Chicano youth with a Diptych design. This will hopefully show the cultural differences over a period of cultural integration to modern day society and hopefully show how some of the cultural traditions have been held while others fade away. I will use dramatic lighting effects using harsh fill light creating stark shadows without the use of Soft Boxes and will consider using a roll of film for the Native American regalia. 

To find models that fits right in the balance between gangsters and people with cultural pride may be proven a challenging task however it can be done without creating an overly used stereotypical image of "Cholos" or "Mexican Mafia".