Art of Photography J-Term: 01/12/24 Day 4

By: Emma Lai

Ambika and Kamilla taking pictures from different angles at the top of Centennial Gardens

This morning was full of planning for our J-Term projects that we start next week. As we began thinking about our individual project, a collage of photos that tell a story, we watched another Petra Collins Master Class to inspire us. Her class encouraged us to think about exploring our inner thoughts and what narrative we want to display through pictures. We then moved onto discussing ideas for our group project, a banner with pictures that contain images that correspond with the letters in “Post Oak.” (For example, the letter “P” could be portrayed with an image of a primrose.) We shared and brainstormed ideas on how to make the banner look good and be able to hold up when hung. We wrote lists of supplies, planned who would be responsible for which letters, and thought of places to hang the banner. 

Students watching Petra Collins’ Master Class

Kamilla shares an idea for the banner with the class

In the afternoon, we walked to the Japanese Gardens and Centennial Gardens. The windy yet sunny weather provided the perfect conditions for taking nature photography pictures. The waters of the Japanese Gardens were full of koi fish, ducks, and herons, which we enjoyed photographing. 

Eli photographing a stone outside of the Japanese Gardens

Eli and Ethan photographing the animals and plants of the Japanese Gardens

The Centennial Gardens had many plants and water features. The wind made the flowers and grass sway and the water ripple, which created natural motion that was both interesting and challenging to take photos of. We split up in groups and wandered around the paths finding views of the surrounding buildings and collection of nature. Many of us liked walking up the hill and photographing the water that falls from one side of the garden mound. 

Ethan taking photos of a reflecting pool (not shown) at the entrance of Centennial Gardens

Emma and Ambika photographing the waterfall on Centennial Gardens’ hill

Mackenzie and Even comparing photos

Emma’s Reflection

Today was productive and eventful. The morning was focused on preparation for concluding projects, while the afternoon was freer, with more time outside to practice the skills we gathered from the previous days. Photographing nature was calming and evoked curiosity in me. Looking at scenery with a camera helps me to notice details I wouldn’t have been looking for without one, and makes me more aware and explorative of my surroundings. I especially loved finding waterfalls or flowing water and photographing it with different shutter speeds. Fast shutter speeds let me catch clear and still shots of water, while slower speeds blurred the water and captured the sense of fluidity and movement. The natural lighting made it easy to experiment with different shutter speeds so I could photograph several styles of water photography. My favorite part was looking through my camera at the end of the day and noticing how, even though I often photographed the same scene twice, the way I changed the camera settings completely altered the outcome of the picture.