Where to get help with your chemisty!

Laura Norden solves a chemistry problem during her session on Oct. 17.

In class this week we talked about environmental portraits.

When shooting an environmental portrait, you may have to pose your subject. The best way to get an effective environmental portrait is to get to know the person you are photographing. By talking to your subject, they will be more likely to open up to you. Once you make them comfortable, it will be easier to capture their personality through your images.                                   

Laura Norden, Supplemental instructor

This week’s assignment was not as hard as last week’s. The hardest part was finding an interesting subject to photograph. I decided to photograph a supplemental instruction session in College Hall 154 at Owens Community College. Laura Norden was tutoring a student for his chemistry class. I was not able to shoot a lot of photos during the session because the supplemental instructor did not want to jeopardize the student’s learning time. I quickly shot my assignment so I would not bother the instructor or student from getting the help he wanted. I had 15 minutes to finish my assignment, but I think I got a few good shots. 

We also had to shoot a head and shoulder portrait of our subject. Posing your subject in a professional head and shoulder portrait simply allows the reader to see what a person looks like. Head shots are good for later usage in the newspaper.

Supplemental instructor Laura Norden, of Oregon, Ohio, assists Toledoan Adam Jeffery with his chemistry class at Owen Community College on Oct. 17. Norden holds these sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2 p.m.- 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.- 5 p.m.

What caused me to have a panic attack?

We just finished talking about feature photographs in class. This week’s assignment was to go out and find a rover to photograph. A rover is when you drive around to find something interesting to  photograph. I chose the Levis Commons Fall Fun Fest on Oct. 8. Levis Commons put a fun spin on Halloween. There were hayrides and an art station for the little kids.

When we started talking about feature photography, I thought this was going to be an easy assignment. I was mistaken. 

Feature photography is a lot harder than it looks. I was so nervous to walk up to people and ask them for their caption information, I actually had a panic attack.  I am getting used to taking pictures of people, but the hardest part of this assignment for me was gaining the courage to walk up to a complete stranger to ask if I can take their photograph and get the caption information.

I realized that I am not cut out to be a photojournalist at this time. Maybe with a lot of practice I can abandon my shyness and become a great photojournalist some day. 

Perrysburg resident Inge Johnson, left, and South Toledo resident Ruth Summers take a break from there long walk at Side Cut Metro Park on Oct. 11. They said they usually have a picnic after their 4-mile walk.

Riley Wolfe, 10, of Curtice, Ohio, pets Bonnie while waiting for the hayride at Levis Commons' Fall Fun Fest on Oct. 8.

Camera controls

We just finished talking about camera controls in class this week. I thought I knew my camera pretty well, but after reviewing camera controls, I realized I had forgotten a few key points.  One of the controls we reviewed was ISO. I have always had a bit of trouble figuring out how to set my ISO in different lighting situations. Now I know the brighter the light, the lower the ISO. 

After reading chapter 8 in Photojournalism; TheProfessionals’ Approach, I learned why it is important to capture images in RAW. When I shoot in RAW I have a better chance of fixing any of the mistakes I could make with lighting and white balance.  I also now know that when I shoot in RAW, my camera retains all the information that my sensor sees. RAW doesn’t compress information like a JPEG does.

But when it comes to photojournalism, JPEG is the shooting standard. According to my instructor, Lori King, “Photojournalists shoot a lot of sports and action and don't have time to wait for the camera to store the information. If you shoot the photo right, you won't need Photoshop or RAW.” When I am out in the field shooting my assignment, I will use all of my camera controls to shoot my photos correctly so I don’t need to fix anything in Photoshop. 

The First Amendment

Amendment 1

‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.’

 

The First Amendment is a huge deal to me as photographer/photojournalist. Without the First Amendment, I could not photograph whatever I wanted at any time. The First Amendment allows me to walk through a park and photograph kids playing. The First Amendment even allows me and other photojournalists to pull over to the side of the road to photograph an accident that has just happened. 
 This amendment allows me to actually get in close and photograph an injury due to the accident, as long as I am not in the way of the rescue process.


Basically, I have the right to photograph anything and anyone who is in a public place. Without the first amendment we would all live in a world that could censor our every move. I plan on exercise my First Amendment rights every chance I get.

All About Me!

Hi. My name is Jessica Verhoff.


I am currently a full-time student at Owens Community College majoring in Commercial Photography. I graduated from Owens in May 2010 with an associate degree in business management. I decided that I was not 100 percent happy with that degree, so I decided to pursue photography.


I love taking pictures of everything! If it's photo worthy; I captured it. I always wanted to know how to perfect my photographs.  I really enjoy learning new techniques and special effects I can use to make my photographs stand out.

Having this blog is a requirement for my photojournalism class. I will post my essays and other homework assignments on my blog throughout the semester. I plan on using this blog to get my photographs out to the public.


I believe social media is a way for people to interact with one another - by posting photographs, writing blogs and messaging individual people. 

My first blog post

Hello World!