On the Bridge

This is the picture that I toke this week in Bont Zen Lake from my friend . I tried to consider a balanced composition in the picture. I decided to use the camera in vertical position . I toughs it may be better to have a good composition from the bridge. In my opinion the lady in the fare background gives a symmetry to the main character and gives a kind of missing or separation of a relationship between characters. Also I decided to use the bridge's rim as frame for the picture. 

 

A Favorite Silent Film: Keaton’s "The General”

          

The F. W. Murnau’s masterpiece silent film “Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans”, is amusing for the effects of its songs and the mood of humanity. But I think the plot of the film is too obvious and preaching. I prefer “The General”, for the style of Keaton's comedy. The plot is very simple but full of surprise and is funny. It’s a story of a railway engineer, Gray, using his locomotive to chase the enemy to rescue his girlfriend. Gray is too concentrated on his work and often overlooks the circumstances. For example, he makes many mistakes during the train chase and under the table in the enemy’s house. But fortunately, the mistakes he has made, like the poorly aimed cannon, the broken sword, and wearing the wrong uniform often cause a lot of unexpected and funny results. Keaton's comedy is not just for fun. Many actions have his serious thoughts behind the humorous activities, such as, Gray doing his job on the train in spite of the Northern army teams passing by. He also set the marvelous scene of the bridge collapsing with the train. That was incredible at that time. Therefore, I realized that Keaton, the Great Stone Face, might want to show us many deep meanings through his unique silent language in "The General”. 

The Song of Two Human!

         It's hard to compere between two different genre of the movies and even any other artifacts but if I have to choose among “The General” and “Sunrise the Song of Two Human” I will select the Sunrise. My selection isn't because of their technique and creativity of directors, it's because of my personal interest in drama and tragedy movies and stories, specially the family drama. I liked the Sunrise the song of two human because of its story, acting and the way and method of directing. There is a role for the classic stories that a good story and movie is that who can introduce the main characters and the subject in five- seven first minutes. In the sunrise, when the city girl are going behind the window and whistling we know the story and in the one of the best scene of the movie we know the man, the main character, is struggling between infidelity and fidelity inside the house.  The theme of the movie is; this is the life and story of all human in all the time but the differences is how different people and characters are ending a tragedy. In this movie the main character has been chosen the kindness and loyalty of his wife and family and trying to pay his infidelity price and repair his relationship. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GnLVMREVA6M

A Favourite Silent Film

Buster Keaton's “The General” is an attractive movie with its simple story and humorous actions and expressions. However, I prefer the dramatic and dreamlike movie, F.W. Murnau's “Sunrise : Song of Two Humans” fulls of humanity. The story is very simple, but it has power. After I saw this movie, I couldn't stop thinking about some scenes: A woman who loves to work in the city and falls in love with a village man persuades the man to drown his wife, so they can live in the city together. His wife is extremely hilarious to take a vacation with her husband, but she scares and weeps when she find her husband’s abnormal behavior on the boat. When the man looks at his wife's timid and sad face, he could not do it. The man and villagers search the waters for the wife and find her floating in the bulrushes. This breaks his heart. Even though I know the man regrets by his infidelity, I still remember those scenes because they touched me deeply. It is specifically worth mentioning that this silent film seems like a sound film, for its wonderful music makes an emotional atmosphere. When the scene is joyful, you can hear the graceful and light music in the movement. When the scene is frightening, suddenly you can hear terrible and odd sounds. The music is the soul of the film, and it makes this film come alive. This is an awesome film.

A Favourite Silent Film: Buster Keaton's "The General" or "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans"

Write a paragraph or two to explain which of the two silent films ( "The General"; "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans") you prefer and why you prefer it. After you finish your writing, please post your work to our class blog. Bring a copy to class for my evaluation and our discussion next week.

Be specific in your comments by referring to, for example, how the story is told to us, the importance of characters, the way the film communicates to us emotionally and so on. Remember that you can see these films again by visiting Archive.org

Creating an Image: The Cranberry Festival

I captured the scenery at a Cranberry Festival. The Cranberry Festival is held each year on the Saturday of the Thanksgiving weekend in the heart of historic Fort Langley to celebrate the harvest and history of the cranberry in Fort Langley .It was the first time I visited the amusing events even I have lived in Langley for more than 8 years. Through the zoom lens of my Canon XTI camera, I set the squatted boy beside the field on the below third of the photo to make the main subject on an interest point. The red colourful field approximately occupied 90% space of the picture express the result of simplicity. The shadows on the field may point out the people behind the camera. Almost the shapes of the shadow seem toward to the direction of upper left side that leads us to another interest point of the photo that shows the effect of wide space and asymmetrical balance. The photo reminds me the great day in the Cranberry Festival again and again. 

Creating an Image : An Artist Creating

 My husband, Jackson, sat on the bench beside the Ganges harbour. Jackson's face and the tree opposite him are located on the top of centre of interesting. This shapes a symmetrical balance. You can see some of the boats behind of the tree. The boat are located on the top of centre of interesting, too. The interesting matter is that Jackson and the boats form an asymmetrical balance. Then you look at his eyes. What does he look at?  

In addition, Jackson's arm is on the bottom of centre of interesting. When you look at his arm, you can pay attention to his hand, pen brush and sketch book. At a moment, you may guess what he look for.

In the distance, the shapes of the sky and two mountains make a triangle. Three triangles shape into a rectangle. Moreover, the water, the table, the bench and the land are rectangle. This composition seems more interesting. Taken in September.

A Memorable Image: Oh! Good Job!

A Memorable Image: Oh! Good Job!

Chih Kai Lee of Taiwan competes on the parallel bars during the artistic gymnastics at the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, on Sept. 21. ( Valdrin Xhemaj/EPA)

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2014/09/asian_games_2014.html 

  A Memorable Image: “Oh! Good Job!”

The effect of this picture by a tele photo lens shot is very simple but strong. A Taiwanese athlete competes on the parallel bars during the artistic gymnastics at the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, on Sept. 21. The low viewpoint of the picture leads us to look up at the subject, so we can see the face, arms, and hands of the man very clearly. It also makes the effect of simplicity on the background. The two hands extend to two sides of the picture. The different shape of the arms and palms form an asymmetrical balance. The most interesting point is the facial expression, especially the big mouth and two open eyes. “Good job!”  We seem to hear the voice from the image and the echo of our hearts.

Qin's photoes

Creating an Image: A Walk on a Prairie Road

Taken in July, my brother and my cousin's son (second cousin) walk on a typical prairie road. The horizon line is approximately on the upper third of the photo, with my brother and the boy on an interest point as well. The two look into the distance, which shows a strong dynamic symmetry with the road and the two fields forming a series of three triangular shapes. I also like the parallel body language of the two as they walk together. The field to the right was homesteaded by my Grandfather in 1905. The field to the left shows how wet the spring had been that year. This is the landscape I was born in (about 100 kilometers from this site) and one that always brings me pleasure, especially the immensity of the sky. What you cannot see are the mosquitoes, which kept us moving quickly and hoping for more wind!

NOTE: click on the picture to see a larger version.

An Extra Heavenly Meaning!

Ultra-Orthodox Jews reflect on a car window

I selected this picture as the best among all others. I know this picture looks messy and difficult to understand at the first glance, but it has a lot of meaning and drawing our attention to take it seriously. For me normally meaning is more important than just formula; so, the reflection of the religion people in the car and the low level of the camera got them extra heavenly meaning. Plus this, the composition is also good for example the tallest man with the hat located in the third left gold point and the forearm of the car in the right side. This two role gives a balance to the picture. The color is also interesting. The gray and brown color is adding a mysterious feeling to the picture, which gives it more meaning. Finally and regarding to the religious’ believe that human has two life; one in this world and second in another, in  this picture wich divided in two part; the men in the tup and their reflection in the bottom are imagining this believe, isn’t it?

Picture source :http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2014/10/observing_rituals_of_faith.html     

qin's photo of asia game

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2014/09/asian_games_2014.html

A Memorable Image

Qin's Photo

A Memorable Image
                                                       

This picture is taken from a low viewpoint that lends strength and dramatic effect to the subject. Especially, the athlete’s face shows the most strength and a dramatic expression. In addition, it is a symmetrical balance. The picture has an air of dignity. The photographer rapidly caught a scene when the weight lifter was lifting up a 98 kg weight and failing. How amazing!

新增說明文字

Thailand's Gulnoi Rattikan fails a 98kg lift as she competes in the women's 58kg snatch weightlifting competition at the Moonlight Festival Garden during the 17th Asian Games in Incheon on Sept. 22. (Jason Reed/Reuters) #

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2014/09/asian_games_2014.html

A Memorable Image

A man practices capoeira, a Brazilian form of martial arts, on the Futuro beach in Fortaleza, Brazil, Wednesday, July 2. Fortaleza is one of many cities hosting World Cup soccer matches this month. (Felipe Dana/Associated Press)