Finding a portrait in the elements of your environment

Instructor chef Gretchen Fayerweather

Lab assistant Amy Morford

   Environmental portraits can be taken in many ways from posing in front of a camera, which is probably the most common to waiting at a sporting event for the right moment to snap the shot.

   The culinary arts class at Owens Community College posed a little different scenario for me to be able to get this done.

   While the instructors and students are trying to keep deadlines with what they have going on, I had to work around them while they stayed busy.

   The task was not easy; while they worked I positioned my self in lots of different places. Taking pictures from any and every angle I could think of to get a somewhat of a decent shoot.

   Environmental portraits are best photographed in the environment that best relates to the subject.         Everything about the photo should say what the person does from the foreground to the background.

   

Portrait photography can be challenging when you don’t know your subject personally, moving around finding the right composition while giving instructions did not come easy for me. The more you work with people the more you will learn and the better you will become.

Feature photography and the unique ways of shooting it

Culinary student Jacob Harmon prepares Venison during class. (PHO245/Damion Roundtree)

    Finding feature photos is about keeping your eyes open for something new that may happen during any situation. 

      No matter what time it is, when you see something interesting, stop and take a picture.      

   You never want to be the one saying "Man, I should have stopped!" 

      When shooting features always try to show photos that are interesting, rather it be through the angle of the shot, height, location, or even a unique vantage point. Shoot photos in a way viewers rarely see.

      Shoot feature was very interesting; I spent time with the culinary arts class at Owens Community College.

      Chef instructor  Gretchen, was very welcoming and open to the idea of me taking pictures for my feature photography assignment. 

      The day the class welcomed me in; they were making sausage from scratch. Although I'm a sausage lover I found this experience a little challenging. Yuck!

   Students worked well together as their instructors guided them and tasted the prepared sausage.

      The only thing I have to say is, I am the kind of person who doesn't need to know every detail of preparation for my food.

      Overall, my experience was very pleasing and worth my time for my feature.

      I would like to thank the instructor Gretchen and Lab Assistant Amy Morford and students for allowing me to take up some of their time.