Michael-P2

Photo Assignment Name : Transforming an Object Student Name: Michael

Group Name:The Snapshots Title: Pieces of Pele'

Tags: Lava, volcanic,rock forms

Self Evaluation (45-50 pts.) || 80 – 89% (40 - 44 pts.) || <80% (<40 pts.) || Critique Comments:
 * Category || Strong || Adequate || Weak ||
 * Concept || Does an outstanding job of communicating the concept. || Does an adequate job communicating the concept. || Does a poor job communicating the concept. ||
 * Composition || Photograph uses composition principles very effectively. || Photograph does a good job using composition principles. || Photograph does a poor job using composition principles. ||
 * Focus || Focus is a perfect match with the concept of the shot. || Focus is an adequate match with the concept of the shot. || Focus is a poor match with the concept of the shot. ||
 * Technical Aspects || Shutter speed and aperture were perfectly chosen to match concept. || Shutter speed and aperture were adequately chosen to match concept. || Shutter speed and aperture were poorly chosen and do not match the concept. ||
 * Depth of Field || Excellent use of depth-of-field. || Adequate use of depth-of-field. || Poor use of depth-of-field. ||
 * Title/tags || Title and tags were perfectly chosen and written to express the content and concept. Spelling and word choice are excellent with no mistakes. || Title and tags were adequately chosen and written to express the content and concept. Spelling and word choice are good with only minor errors. || Title and tags were poorly chosen and written to express the content and concept. Contains multiple spelling errors or wrong word choices. ||
 * ** Instructor evaluates this section ** ||
 * Self Critique || Excellent self-assessment. Written comments meet or exceed requirements. || Adequate self-assessment. Written comments meet requirements. || Poor self-assessment. Written comments do not meet requirements. ||
 * Peer Critique || Excellent peer assessment. Written comments meet or exceed requirements. || Adequate peer assessment. Written comments meet requirements. || Poor peer assessment. Written comments do not meet requirements. ||
 * Peer Comments || Peer comments exceed expectations. || Peer comments meet expectations. One or two comments might be missing. || Three or more peer comments were missing, incomplete or poorly written. ||
 * Total Points || >89%
 * Total Points || >89%

Pieces of Pele’ is a photograph that I made of the two types of volcanic rock that has been ejected from Kilauea volcano on the big island of Hawaii as they lay on my kitchen counter. Pele' is the goddess of the volcano in Hawaii, hence the name. I picked up some pieces of lava to show science classes at my school and thought that they would make a good close-up picture. All of the pictures of lava flows that you see on the Internet are of large flows or molten rock, and not of individual pieces. The Hawaiians call the two types of lava Pahoehoe or A’a. Pahoehoe is the smooth, low viscosity lava that you see when lava is flowing like a river and is not explosively ejected from the volcano. A’a has high viscosity, is rougher, and is ejected violently from the volcano. This photograph meets the requirements of the assignment because it is an image created with extreme close-up, changing our perspective of a small object. I am not happy with the image that I took of the lava pieces. The variations of the lava surface and the various colors made photographing it difficult. If I had either a close-up lens or a close-up filter, then my picture might have been more uniform. My camera focused on the pieces in the back and not on the front, and I wanted all of the pieces of lava in focus. This assignment was valuable to me because it allowed me to see the beauty of objects that I normally cannot see because I view them from my own perspective.

Peer Critique Name:Kevin Mobbs (45-50 pts.) || 80 – 89% (40 - 44 pts.) || <80% (<40 pts.) || Critique Comments: Michael: Of course, any difficulties you may have had with this shot could be Pele's revenge on your having removed the lava from the Island. The picture does have very nice highlights and sparkles which I think you could accentuate. The reverse focus is not necessarily a bad thing but might the overall effect could be changed by cropping the out of focus section. In this way, you can also zoom in on a section (using Photoshop) and create more of a close-up effect.
 * Category || Strong || Adequate || Weak ||
 * Concept || Does an outstanding job of communicating the concept. || Does an adequate job communicating the concept. || Does a poor job communicating the concept. ||
 * Composition || Photograph uses composition principles very effectively. || Photograph does a good job using composition principles. || Photograph does a poor job using composition principles. ||
 * Focus || Focus is a perfect match with the concept of the shot. || Focus is an adequate match with the concept of the shot. || Focus is a poor match with the concept of the shot. ||
 * Technical Aspects || Shutter speed and aperture were perfectly chosen to match concept. || Shutter speed and aperture were adequately chosen to match concept. || Shutter speed and aperture were poorly chosen and do not match the concept. ||
 * Depth of Field || Excellent use of depth-of-field. || Adequate use of depth-of-field. || Poor use of depth-of-field. ||
 * Title/tags || Title and tags were perfectly chosen and written to express the content and concept. Spelling and word choice are excellent with no mistakes. || Title and tags were adequately chosen and written to express the content and concept. Spelling and word choice are good with only minor errors. || Title and tags were poorly chosen and written to express the content and concept. Contains multiple spelling errors or wrong word choices. ||
 * ** Instructor evaluates this section ** ||
 * Self Critique || Excellent self-assessment. Written comments meet or exceed requirements. || Adequate self-assessment. Written comments meet requirements. || Poor self-assessment. Written comments do not meet requirements. ||
 * Peer Critique || Excellent peer assessment. Written comments meet or exceed requirements. || Adequate peer assessment. Written comments meet requirements. || Poor peer assessment. Written comments do not meet requirements. ||
 * Peer Comments || Peer comments exceed expectations. || Peer comments meet expectations. One or two comments might be missing. || Three or more peer comments were missing, incomplete or poorly written. ||
 * Total Points || >89%
 * Total Points || >89%

Other Comments: Emily -Michael, I like the lava rocks you chose for your photo. Cameras are so unpredictable at times; you never know where it will focus next. I like how the rocks have specks of blues in them. Did you try to do a macro shot of these? It is definitely worth a try. I have been experimenting with the macro settings for various photos I have taken. Good luck with the next photos!

Jacki - Michael, I really like your idea and I understand where you are disappointed with the focus; I felt the same way trying to snap my picture as well. I think you have a very good idea...I wonder if a background change might help. Good job and I look forward to the rest of your photos!

Donna - Michael, I like the way you captured the golds and blues in the rocks. I'm glad that you have been using your photos in class; students love photography so I know that they enjoy you're sharing with them. I had the same problem with focus in my photo for this assignment. The focus is the only problem I see. I think you captured the assignment concept well.