OCA The Art of Photography Course Discussion Including Assignments and Submissions

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What a moron, did the exercise that was meant to have a tungsten bulb in with the other one in, so guess what I will be doung tonight.
 
Reidy36 said:
What a moron, did the exercise that was meant to have a tungsten bulb in with the other one in, so guess what I will be doung tonight.
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:D

I'm desperately trying to play catchup. I'm going to cut short one of the exercises so I can concentrate on the assignment as I want to use the images I'm now shooting for the assignment (similar requirements). Running out of time and have to work all next weekend so no photography. I guess so long as i put that in my blog...
 
Urgh, I'm running so far behind..

Alet and Byker it was good to meet you both in Liverpool.

I've finally written up the Liverpool and Sheffield study visits, and am currently writing up the additional degree shows I've seen. The Liverpool study visit ended up being two posts:

http://lucyslearninglog.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/study-visit-look13-liverpool-morning/
http://lucyslearninglog.wordpress.com/2013/06/18/study-visit-look13-liverpool-afternoon/

Alet, you asked about getting photographs to show on your blog, well I emailed steph@margaretlondon.com (found on the media section of the Look/13 site) and asked for a press pack. Most other large festivals and galleries will also be able to provide one.
 
Oh, and regarding the 'light through the day' exercise... I did consider doing a time-lapse, but I have a very small and boring backyard, and nowhere to really leave the camera. I don't think that exercise is worth the time or effort it will take, for me anyway. Part 4 is already long enough!
 
I've decided I'm going to go for a degree with OCA. I need to sort myself out with some student financing first though!
 
Congratulations Lucy for being featured as Student Blog of the Week over on weareoca.com!

lucyb said:
Alet, you asked about getting photographs to show on your blog, well I emailed steph@margaretlondon.com (found on the media section of the Look/13 site) and asked for a press pack. Most other large festivals and galleries will also be able to provide one.
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Thanks for this. I have written the blog post up now, but will try to get a press pack anyway to help me remember what was on show.
 
alet said:
Congratulations Lucy for being featured as Student Blog of the Week over on weareoca.com!
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Thank you! I'm really surprised and flattered that I was chosen.

alet said:
Thanks for this. I have written the blog post up now, but will try to get a press pack anyway to help me remember what was on show.
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It's useful knowledge for future if nothing else, and if you do get the Look/13 press pack you'll know what to expect for future.

I really like your write ups from both study visits btw. There was quite a lot about the Bank Street Arts visit in particular that I'd forgotten!
 
Right - that's it. Been at work most of the weekend but I've found time to write up assignment 1 mostly by getting up very early and working late. But it's done. Prints have been uploaded to the printer and the Assignment published. I just need to wait for the prints to be returned. Quite pleased with how a couple of the portraits turned out.
 
im just starting the Light module in TAOP and i dont understand the requirement for exercise 1.

"Produce 4-6 photos which are deliberately lighter or darker than average and say why."

Are we supposed to set the camera to over and underexpose an image here? The why would simply be that then? I dont really get what they mean.
 
I did mine in two parts

http://www.nineelmsphotography.com/blog/?p=238
http://www.nineelmsphotography.com/blog/?p=245

Have a read of mine if you like. You can get creative with why you need to over and under expose and why

I shot in a tunnel with the subject backlit, so you had to over expose, or high key, then think about situations when you need to over or under expose, so strong sunlight reflections on water, shooting a landscape into the direction of the sun, plus one shot could be a normally exposed shot, then over and under expose to see the effect.

Shoot raw and see what detail is lost or what you can recover.

Lots of things you can do with this exercise. Hope that helped.
 
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If you get stuck its always worth a look at multiple blogs to see how others have interpreted an exercise. Sometimes looking at one persons interpretation can stir up thoughts and give you inspiration to do something different and original - just gets the ball rolling.

One way of looking at it is that if you were in a classroom with others doing the module / exercise - seeing other peoples interpretations would be a common thing - in fact its probably the biggest down side of doing remote study

I do recall viewing some blogs once looking at what others had done after I had completed and written up one of my exercises. I then had to look at a few more and then realised I had completed misread / misundertood the exercise. I can laugh now :D
 
Alfa there's some really nice lighting techniques going on there. I'm not sure the guitars head shadow is strong enough as its
Lacking a little contrast but some of those other images are very strong. I love the guitars shape against the green background.
 
Byker28i said:
Alfa there's some really nice lighting techniques going on there. I'm not sure the guitars head shadow is strong enough as its
Lacking a little contrast but some of those other images are very strong. I love the guitars shape against the green background.
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Thanks Byker, appreciate hearing your opinion and feedback (y)
 
Good work Ian - I also think the green light / guitar silhouette image is very strong. The whole set gives the impression you have experimented and tried different techniques

I am currently 50% through this assignment and like you am running a bit behind but have also found Light really interesting. However I did fail miserably with the tracing paper exercise :D
 
FrattonFreak said:
Good work Ian - I also think the green light / guitar silhouette image is very strong. The whole set gives the impression you have experimented and tried different techniques

I am currently 50% through this assignment and like you am running a bit behind but have also found Light really interesting. However I did fail miserably with the tracing paper exercise :D
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Thanks Warran. It's interesting that both you and Byker have picked out the silhouetted image as I reshoot this yesterday. My first attempt had a horrible background that I tried to rescue with some very poor post processing (it's still on my flickr site) so I'm glad I took it again.
 
FrattonFreak said:
aha - now completed TAOP Assignment 4:

http://warrenjonesphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/taop-assignment-four-applying-lighting.html
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Nicely done (y) I enjoyed reading though your assignment because I felt you've taken quite a different approach with your images and the mood they create. I really like the background you've chosen with the wider shots, especially for Form1. It gives it a dreamy atmosphere that really suits the subject well.

I'll be interested to read your feedback when it arrives. I get really impatient waiting for mine, after putting in all the hard work.
 
Ian - Thanks for your kind feedback. I did struggle initially with what I would use and in the end the answer to my struggle and approach was quite simple - it was do something "simple". For some reason I didn't find many examples of students approach to Assignment 4. Looking at yours after I started mine highlights how we all approach things differently. The guitar image of yours I thought came across very professional and the approach unique, and all the other images had a unique approach. Its funny how we look at other peoples work and think that's a great approach and look at our own with less enthusiasm :D

Rob - Thanks also for your feedback. I agree on the shadows and this could be an assignment in itself. It was interesting discovering these whilst playing with the light positions. I was worried though about these distracting from the assignment focus. I key element I learnt was how simple approaches can be effective. I think in my mind looking at the exercises and assignments I may try to over complicate and get stuck

My tutor turned around his assessment of my assignment in about 4 hours - that mist be an OCA record so I'm delighted to get it back quickly and to see his comments:
http://warrenjonesphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/taop-assignment-four-tutor-feedback.html
 
Heads Up. In case you aren't aware, and this includes those like me who booked up the first course last year in time to qualify for a period of protected fees that they will rise.

To reduce this impact we need to pay for our next course before 1/9/2013 to make a saving. You can pay and then start later

Ian and anyone else I have confirmed to the OCA my desire to submit my TAOP assignments for the November formal assessment. Worth thinking about for anyone who is close. The final section in TAOP is quite small
 
FrattonFreak said:
Heads Up. In case you aren't aware, and this includes those like me who booked up the first course last year in time to qualify for a period of protected fees that they will rise.

To reduce this impact we need to pay for our next course before 1/9/2013 to make a saving. You can pay and then start later

Ian and anyone else I have confirmed to the OCA my desire to submit my TAOP assignments for the November formal assessment. Worth thinking about for anyone who is close. The final section in TAOP is quite small
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Thanks Warren, that's all really useful information. I'm really annoyed about the fees increase, all universities have protected status for their existing students, but that means nothing if the fees gradually increase anyway. The OCA should have predicted more people would sign up, or otherwise keep the number of students to an affordable level.

Anyway, I am stuck on the assignment for part four. I've got a few ideas but so far the universe has gotten in the way for all of them. And to add to the confusion, if all goes well we'll be putting in an offer on our first house next week... so no spare cash or time for a while.
 
Warren, you had some interesting and helpful feedback from your tutor. I'm still waiting for mine. Also, thanks for the warning about the pricing. I think I probably will do another module but I've not completely made my mind up yet. I'll probably give it another few weeks, see how things are going with the final part of this one and then look at sorting out submission and maybe entry for the next module then.

Lucy, I know what you mean about life getting in the way. Hope you make a break through with the assignment idea soon.
 
lucyb said:
Thanks Warren, that's all really useful information. I'm really annoyed about the fees increase, all universities have protected status for their existing students, but that means nothing if the fees gradually increase anyway. The OCA should have predicted more people would sign up, or otherwise keep the number of students to an affordable level.

Anyway, I am stuck on the assignment for part four. I've got a few ideas but so far the universe has gotten in the way for all of them. And to add to the confusion, if all goes well we'll be putting in an offer on our first house next week... so no spare cash or time for a while.
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If Assignment 4 has you stumped take a look at the next section. The first exercise is a narrative picture essay and perhaps the process to buy the house / moving house would suit this quite well. I sometimes look ahead when I get stuck.

In terms of assignment 4 then I think perhaps think simple instead of complicated. I'm not sure I've seen anyone do flora as a still life or glass to be honest. I think once you have a few objects try some shots with different light then see which object gives the most scope
 
there was a link on the OCA website to a calendar listing upcoming study visits. I cant seem to find it now, does anyone know it?
 
Ah thanks, I was looking at the oca website rather than the weareoca one.
 
I have now ordered DPP. It will cost £700 until 31/8/2013 for this on protected fees and after rise to £750. I can see I may be bankrupt before I get halfway toward a degree :(
Rob - Is it OK to still post here about DPP even tough this thread is for TAOP?

I only have Assignment 5 of TAOP to complete now. I have a "shoot" planned for end of August which I have reviewed my plans with my tutor. I have also confirmed to the OCA my intention to submit my TAOP assignments etc for the November formal assessment.
My tutor agreed that doing DPP before P&P, if that is your intention, is a logical path

I'm looking forward to starting this
 
I think we've moved on from taop, more into Oca courses now that people have moved on. I'll just take the course fees as I'm ready for the next course
 
FrattonFreak said:
Ian - Thanks for your kind feedback. I did struggle initially with what I would use and in the end the answer to my struggle and approach was quite simple - it was do something "simple". For some reason I didn't find many examples of students approach to Assignment 4. Looking at yours after I started mine highlights how we all approach things differently. The guitar image of yours I thought came across very professional and the approach unique, and all the other images had a unique approach. Its funny how we look at other peoples work and think that's a great approach and look at our own with less enthusiasm :D

Rob - Thanks also for your feedback. I agree on the shadows and this could be an assignment in itself. It was interesting discovering these whilst playing with the light positions. I was worried though about these distracting from the assignment focus. I key element I learnt was how simple approaches can be effective. I think in my mind looking at the exercises and assignments I may try to over complicate and get stuck

My tutor turned around his assessment of my assignment in about 4 hours - that mist be an OCA record so I'm delighted to get it back quickly and to see his comments:
http://warrenjonesphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/taop-assignment-four-tutor-feedback.html
Click to expand...

That is great feedback, constructive and positive. You did a great job with that assignment so it is well-deserved.
 
Nice one Carol, I really like your interpretation of the assignment and as Warren said think the b/ w treatment works well.
 
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