Original image: “Inmigrantes europeos llegando a Argentina” (author unknown) is in the public domain.
Aren’t we all nomads?
Original image: “Inmigrantes europeos llegando a Argentina” (author unknown) is in the public domain.
Destiny Rogers
Original image: “Inmigrantes europeos llegando a Argentina” (author unknown) is in the public domain.
Zoomies in the Wild: Caught on Camera
I chose this image (left) from Flickr because I was initially intrigued by the view of the mountains and the nice view of the calm sky as the sun seemed to be setting. While nothing was wrong with the original image, I began to look more at the image because I wanted to see how cropping and reframing the image to focus on the small white dog would change how it made me view the photo. The original image by Alex Beattie illustrates a small white dog running across an open field with a view of the sun setting with distant mountains. The image overall focuses on the view and the calmness of the setting, with the small white dog being an afterthought.
After cropping and reframing the image (right), the focus is automatically put on the dog as the depth of the image changes. By removing the sky and the view of the mountaints, the image is now more focused on the dog’s range of motion, energy, and expression. The dog is now centered, giving the image a feel of the dog running right towards the viewer, as we get to see the joy on the dog’s face. The image now looks as if the dog is in a random yard, playing freely.
The change shows how cropping and reframing can really alter the way an image is perceived. The change of contextual elements changes the original narrative that the original artist wanted us to see. The cropped image encourages the viewer to connect more with the dog, rather than enjoying the calming view of the scenery surrounding it.
Original: “I was taking a photo of the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains ⛰ and wouldn’t you know it… Althea photobombs my landscape photo… oh well 😔 😍🐾💕🐾” by Alex Beattie is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Derivative: “Zoomies in the Wild: Caught on Camera” by Destiny Rogers, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped from the original.
A Sunset of Serenity
I have always been drawn to taking pictures of the sunsets and admiring the beauty that paints the sky every evening. I was drawn to the Sunset in New Caledonia because it reminded me of how quiet it feels after coming home from a long day at work and school. The colors remind me of a warm, gentle summer evening at Cascades as the sun paints a pretty canvas before telling our side of the world goodnight.
After adding the audio, it felt as though my perspective of the picture changed. I then began to feel as if I was floating in the water on a warm, summer evening, laughing and playing with my friends and family. I could hear the calm movements of the water and the wind blowing everso slightly. The ambient sounds enhance the feeling of the world around the sunset and make me feel as if I were actually there. It began to feel less like a picture and more like a present moment in time.
Both the photograph and the audio tell a simple yet nostalgic story. It feels like the ending of a stressful day, when you are finally able to sit quietly and calm your mind before winding down. The audio then made the image feel more nostalgic and calming, like a shot of dopamine. The sound made the moment feel safer and more powerful rather than letting the image stand alone.
Citations:
Image: Sunset in New Caledonia by Iezalel Williams is licensed under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sunset_in_New_Caledonia.jpg
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
Audio: A Positive And Inspiring Ambient by Muyo5438 is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
Source: https://freesound.org/people/Muyo5438/sounds/714924/
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Derivative Work License: A Sunset of Serenity by Destiny Rogers is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Come Say Hi to Des :)
Hello, my name is Destiny Rogers, and I live in Quincy, FL, which is just about thirty minutes outside of Tallahassee, FL. I work as an Executive Office Manager for the Gwen Andrews Home of Success Agency, which serves and supports individuals with behavioral issues and mental disabilities to help them eventually be rehabilitated back into society. I’m also working full-time towards my Master’s in Information Technology, with the hopes of either working in Cybersecurity or returning to Digital Media Production, where I would prefer to work heavily on various film sets as a Media Technician or in post-production work. I did professional photography for a couple of years, and I also did some videography work on the side. I want to get back into creative media because I really enjoy creative work and I enjoy the hard work that is put into it.
Outside of work and school, I enjoy doing a lot of different things. My main hobby is crocheting, which dives more into the creative side of arts and crafts. I like to make different projects, which can range from simple summer outfits (bikini sets) and small purses to roses and Amigurumi-styled plushies. Crocheting usually takes up most of my time if I am not traveling with friends, line-dancing, playing with my cats, or going to the movies. I have been able to sell a few items, but I realized that I enjoy making them for my own joy over profiting off of what I can make.
What I am interested the most about this class is the opportunity to build on my existing experience with digital media, while deepening my understanding of the concepts behind it. I’m excited to explore how theory and different concepts can connect to the production process and how to be more intentional with my design choices and storytelling. Through this course, I hope to strengthen my technical skills and develop a more thoughtful approach to produce digital media that is engaging and impactful to its intended audience.