Assignment 1: Bad Photos

Published on September 2nd , 2024 by Don Grote

The goal of this assignment is to take at least five technically bad photos, fulfilling each of the five assigned requirements. My interpretation of the assignment is to demonstrate mastery of manipulation the controls of a camera to achieve desired effects, circumventing the built-in technology that helps photographers take technically good photos (e.g., autofocus, exposure).

Bad Exposure / Wrong White Balance

This photo is exceptionally under-exposed. I also messed with the white-balance in post because I actually liked how it emboldened the light coming from the windows.

RAW Photo Properties

Property	Value
Camera Body	Sony a6400
Lens	50mm f/1.8 Optical SteadyShot
Focal Length	50mm
Aperture	f/1.8
Shutter Speed	1/60s
ISO	100

Post Production Edits

Property	Value
Exposure Compensation	-2.65
Exposure - Contrast	94
Exposure - Saturation	56
Inpaint opposed - gain threshold	1
Clip out-of-gamut colors	Enabled
Vignette Filter	Enabled
VF - Feather	87
VF - Roundness	23
VF - Strength	1.35
White Balance - Temperature	3823, 0.724

Nothing in Focus

This photo is deliberately out of focus. Not just the main subject of the photo, but the background is also out of focus.

RAW Photo Properties

Property	Value
Camera Body	Sony a6400
Lens	50mm f/1.8 Optical SteadyShot
Focal Length	50mm
Aperture	f/1.8
Shutter Speed	1/500s
ISO	100

Post Production Edits

Property	Value
Vignette Filter	Enabled
VF - Strength	0.45
Exposure - Contrast	26
Exposure - Saturation	8
Exposure - Black	26

Motion-Blur

I need a photo where the main subject is motion-blurred, either due to their own movement or movement of the camera.

Wrong White Balance

I already have one photo with adjusted white balance in post, but I need a photo where the primary goal is using the wrong white balance on the camera.

Poor Composition

I need to take a photo that explicitly has poor composition.