Final Week

The digital imaging classroom instruction ended on Monday, April 8, but the teaching and learning never end. I've tried to use this class to push me and my technological inhibitions. While I won't say that using technology in the classroom is something that comes naturally on a daily basis, I can say that I'm getting there.
With each weeks prompt, I have tried to choose the more challenging choice. I have done this because I want to force myself out of my comfort zone and into a new paradigm.  Photography was something that I was very familiar with and could technically create a good image. Lightroom pushed me because I was already familiar with Photoshop. Digital video on the other hand totally challenged me from day one. I progressed from simply capturing something that was already going on to creating skits and planning them out. I then worked on editing and moved from long sloppy cuts to more precise cuts and editing. While video is a medium that I can see will take years to master, I know that it is an excellent tool to use in the classroom.

Below is the Prezi I presented to the class.

Film Noir

Well, another week and another challenge! While I think my creative side and editing are coming around, technology is still pushing me. I am having issues using the Lightroom and Corel programs with what appears to be limited RAM. So, lots of crashes and some colorful thoughts have been in my life this week. What follows in my video is either genious or insanity. I will let you be the judge!


Black and White Cookie Jar (1 of 1) from Joe Thacker on Vimeo.

Spring Break Fun

Its been a couple of weeks since I posted due to our Spring Break in Cabell County. My children attend school in Kentucky, so their spring break doesn't align with Cabell County's. This prohibited any travel to any exotic locations, but did give me time to work around the house!

This weeks video chronicles many of the exciting things I did on my break like laundry, dishes, cleaning the refrigerator and delivering mulch for the football team. I did make it to the Greenbo State Park for the Collis P. Huntington Railroad Society's railroad show on Saturday. I might add that my wife works from home, so we did eat several lunches together and enjoyed some kid-less time.
Spring Break Fun from Joe Thacker on Vimeo.

Home Video With Editing

This weeks assignment asks us to create a video project with the theme of home. While this is a very broad topic, I interpreted as pertaining to my home and my hometown. My muse was my daughter Jordan and my inspiration was her running and coming home.



Home Video Project from Joe Thacker on Vimeo.

Video 1-Nostalgia

Well another week and another assignment are upon us! This weeks assignment is to take a 30 second video with the prompt of Nostalgia. I waited until late to shoot some video of my daughter in a low light setting so I could get lots of grain in the video. I was thinking of the old Super 8 video strips that had lots of grain and I might add lots of character.


 

MVI 1091 from Joe Thacker on Vimeo.

Reflections

This weeks assignment was to record reflections. So, let me reflect on my reflections! I waited for a bright and sunny day (albeit cold) to capture my reflections throughout Ashland. What you find is that anything shiny can be used to capture a reflection. A car window, calm water or even a chromed bumper or gear shifter will do the trick. You just have to get the angle you want (laying on the concrete to get the bridge shots) and capture the image.

Car window with sun flare

Pond in Central Park reflecting a beautiful sky

The gazebo reflected in the pond

Car window with a self-portrait of the photographer!

Bridge picture with bridge in focus

Bridge picture with reflection in focus

 

Gear shifter with self-portrait again

Red

For this weeks assignment I chose the color red as my prompt. This could be for Valentine's Day or for love (red is the color of love). I chose something I see everyday, the Winter decorations on my front door. I edited these images and used my creative juices to make them pop!  I used a Canon 50 mm prime f/1.4 lens on all of these images. Enjoy!

I love the red berries and how they shine.  I am a sucker for bokeh!

I love the vintage feel on this one. I think Dorthy Hamill hung these up when she went inside.

Sun flare