Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Portraits for Photography Class

Last week, I started a photography class here in Aqaba where I am learning both how to take better pictures and how to edit them using Photoshop. We are still in the picture portion of the class, and my latest assignment was to work on candid and posed portraits. I used today's site visit to the Women's Cooperative in Disi to practice.

Ceradisi is a workshop set up for women to product ceramics for tourists. A professional has been working with them for the past four weeks, and they are making things like camel pen holders, vases, ornaments, and souvenir plates. There's some really nice stuff and some products that I don't think will work for the tourist market. It's hard to remember that in workshops and trainings like these, you truly need to start with step one - the clay and the tools, then simple products, and importantly, only a few designs. Creativity, colors, design and expression will come along later.

I find this particularly interesting for my own work in Aqaba with our center's workshop and the individual entrepreneurs working in handicrafts. The period of training for both technical skills and soft skills has to be long and thoughtful, particularly if you are hoping for creative input from the men and women producing the products. I've also been thinking about the value of arts programs in schools - from small children all of the way up.

Any thoughts?

So, here's a little bit of my own attempt at creativity.





























5 comments:

  1. well done, Katrina. I like the 1st and 6th
    Erik votes 6, 7 & 8

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi katrina, I used to do lots of photography and portraiture was my favorite. These are really well done. Color, exposure,composition and great subject matter. I've been enjoying all of the photos and the writing. Keep it coming. We can't wait for you to come back home but what an adventure you are having!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think the final one is the most successful, because that woman's face tells a story. The others are wonderful as well.
    Good work, Miss K.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think they are all well done. I learned in photography class there will always be a "line" that will (in your brain) lead you to the most important part of the subject. For instance in the two where the woman are working on their ceramics, my eye instantly goes to their work because of the tools they are holding. And the 2nd one- the man with the headdress- it leads to his face which is interesting.
    My favorite is the 1st, least fav the 3rd but they are all amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Katrina!

    My friend just told me about a crafting store here in Amman that sells great stuff for scrapbooking!! here is a link if you are interested; I might go and check it out today :)
    http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/She-Can-Scrapbooking-Hobby-Center/193776560654027

    Let me know what you think :))

    ReplyDelete