Time Lapse

In the spirit of exam time, I decided to make my time lapse of a high schooler studying, and the process of this journey for him. My time lapse tells a little story and goes through the time of his studying, which starts with him finding the perfect spot to get buried in his work to his complete lack of concentration as he sleeps on a rock. My subject slowly goes from being very involved with his study's to finding a rock as a not so comfortable bed. I enjoyed doing this project, it was difficult working with my light meter so I had to do still photos but I think it worked out nicely. The photoshop process was tedious but definitely paid off, and overall this was something that wasn't very complicated but looks good and interesting.

Mentor Project

History Created By Robert Capa

Dillon Breen

           Not all history is written in thick books or carved in ancient caves. Some history isn't told verbally or by hand. There is a unique way of keeping the past in mind, a way that we can capture a split second of it and actually see what was going on. This method is called photography. Many of the worlds past times are kept relevant through pictures, these taken by some people that devote their lives to one passion that they have. Robert Capa, a Hungarian photographer born in October 1913, spent much of his life taking pictures of the Spanish Civil War, the Second Sino-Japanese War, World War II across Europe, the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and the First Indochina War. During this time he captured real life moments of things that few have caught and represents what these wars were like even today after they're long gone. Through his tendency to display the raw brutality of war, the obeying of the rules of photography and classic black and white photography, Capa demonstrates his talent and professionalism as he does in the three photos above.

         The picture to the upper right is one of Capa's many unique and famous photos. It was taken in the town of Chartres at the time of the liberation of France. The woman with the shaved head is being punished for having loved, or having at least given comfort to, a German; an enemy of her fellow Frenchmen. Like all of Capa's photos, it is black and white. It's nice how the black and white actually ties into the picture in this case however, as one might notice that the soldiers and their guns are rather dark while the woman and her flower is white and light grey. It demonstrates the violence and peace going on and clashing. This certainly makes this picture special. Capa also obeys the basic rules of photography by creating balance by making the gap between the woman and the soldiers in the centre of the photo. Finally, Capa successfully captures the brutality of war by showing the unfair treatment to innocent people and the robbing of being able to even comfort someone who is not from your country. These men are pointing their guns to not only an innocent women but one of their own people. Because of these reasons this picture is one of the three chosen ones, it is one of his finest.

          Up top and to the left is another one of Capa's many famous war photos. This particular photo was taken near Troina, Sicily, August 4, 1943. It was a reconnaissance mission. This picture is special because without even seeing the soldiers face one can tell that he has been through hell. The black and white only enhances this photo; the background just appears as an empty abyss and the soldier is a lost, injured animal trying to find it's way home. It's not difficult to determine that the soldier is not having a good time, Capa captures the destruction war causes on not only an environment but the soldiers them selves. It's likely this man once had many troops by his side and is now all alone to go home and tell the stories of how he watched his friends die. He appears weak, exhausted and hungry as he walks through the ruins of war. Although this photo, like many, is one of Capa's famous documentary-like pictures, he manages to do a perfect job in getting the soldier in rule of thirds as well as having a simple background. Once again, one of the greatest things about this photo is just how well Capa was able to grab the brutality of war without even showing the soldiers face, he manages to do this by working well with is only option of black and white, displaying the terrors of war in this empty abyss, and using basic rules of photography despite the subject being unaware of being photographed.

         The final photograph is much different than the others. This photo is war in action, soldiers approaching a beach to fight. When the soldiers of the 16^th Regiment of the 1^st Infantry Division landed on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, Robert Capa, the employee of Life magazine was among them. The black and white makes these soldiers look like frantic fish in a blank sea of white water and in front of them is the smokey unknown future of what is to come. And past this wall of what smoke lies hectic and disturbing war. Capa's point of view is great, he's able to show what really life war is like, reaching the shore and preparing for battle. It really is awful and Capa shows that and tells the story of twenty or so men stuffed together in a tiny metal boat (which is more like a raft) who will then jump out and into waste high freezing cold water. From there they must fight for their lives, Capa does a great job at showing this through his photography and once again takes the shot from a great angle. The sides and bottom of the boat act as borders, creating a focus on the scrambling, terrified soldiers. The wall of smoke in the back also creates simplicity in the photo. Another one of Capa's finest photos, as stated, he does a great job at working with black and white by creating unique imagery as well as a story that tells the course of a soldier and the horror's they will see, and finally, despite being in the fray is able to make beautiful art that obeys the rules of photography.

          Robert Capa is a unique photographer that somehow was able to focus on creating great photography even though he was literally put through not one war, but five as he went along with the chaotic mess that man made. His passion for art carried him through his journeys and he risked his life every day just as the soldiers did while he worked with his environment's to take these photos for the rest of the world. By using the only option he had, black and white, and still being able to tell his stories of his work through it, grasping and emphasizing the reality of just what these soldiers that fought for their countries went though, and somehow being able to go through war, not being able to freeze time and have people pose, Capa took the rules of photography and used them in his amazing art. Robert Capa created history and helped remember the these significant past times and mankind and for that he in himself will be a historical photographer and remembered.

This is my photograph impressing Capa's style. Like Robert Capa, I ensured my photo was in black and white making it look more rigid, I also put my focus in rule of thirds to follow photography rules just as Capa did, and I tried to display the brutality of war by having my subject take cover in ruins while he fights in war. I really enjoyed copying Capa's style and am satisfyed with the final outcome. If I were to change anything I would make it so that my subject is a little more clear and that the photo looks a little more naturally taken as if I was Capa following real action.