Top Photographer

The two episodes of Top Photographer that we were assigned gave many useful insights. Nigel mentioned that a good photographer should explore multiple angles and work during the entire time given. The best shots can often be unexpected. Additionally I learned that exposure can make or break the photograph; a great exposure can give the photograph more depth, while a bad exposure can distract the viewers from the photograph's subject. Lastly I learned that cropping is extremely important. In the first episode, Roxy did an amazing cropping job, by expanding the frame beyond the studio lighting background. Meanwhile, Andrew did a bad cropping job in the first episode, by cutting out the subject's foot and his foil. In the second episode, Scott cropped out the top of the model's head, and the end of the model's dress. He also cropped out part of her hand. All of this led to the judges criticism, saying that the crop job took away from the photograph and the dress that it was meant to advertise. After watching these two episodes I will pay closer attention to my cropping, as I already pay attention to the exposure. Because I have mostly used manual on film cameras, exposure is key, so giving thought into cropping is a second step for me. It could give an extra element to my photographs. Personally, I was super into the episodes, and I loved comparing the photographs at the end of the episode. However I also found how the photographers positioned themselves interesting. Some people positioned themselves below or above subjects, while others chose to focus head on. Each presented a different image and unique angle, as compared to the other photographs. Below is the winner of episode one, taken by Roxy Rodriguez.