Photo Contest: Purpose: Winner

To Sit on a Bench

Winner: Devon M

What was your thought process in coming up with your photo?
I was just walking through the courtyard at school and the bench caught my eye. The sun was really bright that day and when I took it I wanted to capture the cool shadow that it was making. But after I realized that I wasn’t 10 feet tall I accepted that I would not be able to capture it, so I just tried to find an angle that made the bench interesting.

What settings did you use (shutter/aperture, ISO, etc)?
shutter: 1/250
aperture: F/8.0
ISO:100

Did you do any Post Production? If so, what did you do?
I used Photoshop during post production. I made basic color corrections and then added a black and white layer. After that I eased the black and white layer over the bench with different degrees of opacity giving it the fade effect. The black and white layer was initially used to make the sidewalk and statues less of a distraction but it didnt really draw any attention to the bench, that is why the bench has some color.

What tools did you use (flash, lens, meter, etc)?
I used a telephoto lens and because it was sunny I also used a lens hood.

What have you learned from this assignment?
I learned that sometimes things we see everyday can suddenly appear differently and take on a whole new meaning. I know that the bench is still the same but when I walk by I no longer think about how cool of a bench it is. Now I think about how much fun it was to shoot that photo crouched down, with a camera that made me look like a stalker, in the middle of a crowded courtyard, and how the bench I see everyday had another side to it. That other side is what made the bench such a great photo.

What would you have done differently now that it’s over?
If I could do it over again I probably would have tried to take some shots later in the day. The sun was really bright and it reflected horribly off the sidewalk and the statues in the background.