Final Photo Assignment- Dara Levin comes to UMD

Dara Levin, and alumni of the University of Maryland, College Park, visits Hillel to speak on behalf of her twin brother who died in the Israeli Army.

Dara Levin, and alumni of the University of Maryland, College Park, visits Hillel to speak on behalf of her twin brother who died serving in the Israeli Army.

Dara Levin, and alumni of the University of Maryland, College Park, visits Hillel to speak on behalf of her twin brother who died serving in the Israeli Army.

Dara Levin taking questions from students about her experience of losing her brother and how it has affected her. 

Dara Levin, and alumni of the University of Maryland, College Park, visits Hillel to speak on behalf of her twin brother who died serving in the Israeli Army.

Dara Levin, and alumni of the University of Maryland, College Park, visits Hillel to speak on behalf of her twin brother who died serving in the Israeli Army.

On this final assignment I think something I did well was using the room to my advantage and trying to get different types of pictures that had to do with the story rather then strictly focusing on the speaker. However, one thing I wish I did differently was get a closer shot of Dara Levin, the one I took of her is the weakest picture in the photo series in my opinion. In the future I hope to be more assertive when taking pictures of an event and actually get closer to the subject.

Photo Assignment 3

Sophmore, Arielle Ben-Ezra drinking a coffe at Starbucks in College Park, Md, on  September 23, 2014.

Sophmore, Arielle Ben-Ezra drinking a coffe at Starbucks in College Park, Md, on September 23, 2014.

In this assignment I felt confident that I gave a sense of the environment without it being too obvious. Looking back at all the shots I took, I felt I could have taken more close ups that focused more on the subjects actual portrait then the accessories in the picture.

Photo Assignment 2

Commemorating 9/11 on McKeldin Mall at the University Of Maryland in College Park, Md, on September 11th, 2014.

Students demonstrating their American pride on the anniversary of 9/11 on McKeldin Mall at the University Of Maryland in College Park, Md, on September 11th, 2014.

Two students observing the 9/11 memorial n McKeldin Mall at the University Of Maryland in College Park, Md, on September 11th, 2014.

One thing I did well in this assignment is I took several different types of shots rather than focusing on one specific angle. Something I could improve on for future assignments is taking more shots so I increase my chances of getting a better picture.

Photo Assignment #1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/09/05/catastrophic-floods-wreak-havoc-in-kashmir/

The story I chose covers the floods that have been taking place in Kashmir, India on September 5. The story is accompanied by 29 photos that I feel do a tremendous job of personalizing the story and depicting how these catastrophic floods have been affecting people directly.

The great thing about these photos is unlike reading a headline that states factually what is going on, these photos take the reader into the lives of these people, appealing straight to their emotions rather than their minds. Another great aspect of these photos is they show different perspectives and angles of the story. For example, the 18th photo represents two men who are taking the leading role in the time of a crisis by carrying bags to block the water. The photo contains an entry point which is clearly the two men in action. The photographer incorporates the element of selective focus in this picture by managing to isolate the subject from the background, making the two men carrying the bag the primary focus.

The 19th picture in the series shows the perspective of the two civilians taking in the harsh reality of what has occurred, observing the destruction of their former homes and temples. I feel this picture is extremely striking because the angle that the picture is taken from puts you in the shoes of the people in the photo. The photographer is successful in creating this perspective by taking their silhouette from behind. Their dark figures in comparison to the rest of the light background contributes to the story behind the picture. 

The 20th photo shows two nomads fleeing for shelter. Though this a still shot, the photo illustrates the urgency and fear of these people and it is very easy to imagine the chaos that was happening in the midst of snapping the picture. It is evident that photographer made use of the element of decisive moment. The picture appears to be spontaneous and unthinking, telling the reader a lot about the event itself. 

Overall, the accompanying photos not only work with the photo, but contribute to the emotional appeal of the story and give the reader a deeper understanding of what is occurring in India rather than just feeding them news.