Big Finish | Wu

World is different after GRA217. sometimes it is better, since I learned how to appreciate things. Sometimes it is worse, since I learned how to criticize things.

I enjoyed the class a lot. I love Sherri Taylor. I filled the orphans and widows in zine project full of this statement. I enjoyed Paul's emails so much. They are the funniest emails ever. I never had so much fun reading assignment emails. Even though sometimes I do not get the humor of Paul...Anyways, I got to know some people on class. We survived this visual storm the semester together. I had been fun.

Annie Leibovitz: Reiter

Often when I go to concerts and see a performer it is hard for me to digest that they are actually right in front of me and a real, live person. Oddly enough I felt this when Annie Leibovitz came on stage, partly because of the crowd's obvious awe for her, but also because she has met so many incredibly famous and intelligent people. I expected most of her presentation to go over the fascinating parts of her job, the crazy encounters she has had, and all the people she has met. However, much of what she shared while speaking was personal and casual. It became clear very fast that she is a photographer because she has an intense passion for it, not because of the celebrities or the money. She focused a little bit on all the landscape work that she has done which I thought was very interesting because mainly when people think of Annie Leibovitz they immediately think of portraits. It was curios to see this other side of her work.
I also learned that she has a sense of humor that must be one of the things that really draws her subjects towards her that she photographs. When telling the story about Niagara Falls she really gave the public some insight into her personal life but also displayed her humor when she showed the view (or lack there of) from her window. I think the most important thing that I took away from her speech was that she said it is important to really stick with something and work on a project for a while. I thought this was interesting because another photographer I saw this semester had the same message. I think that part of photography is really learning everything about something so that you can really display a subject in a still photo. I think knowing everything about something is also extremely interesting and worthwhile. Overall, I really enjoyed Annie Leibovitz's speech for thinking outside of the box and not focusing on the stereotypical topics of an achieved photographer, and also displaying her humbleness.

Take 2 on Project Post | Picini

I was reading my comments on this post (Thank you! I really appreciate the critique) and I realized that for some reason only my first two pages posted, so I decided to repost with the other jpegs. Sorry for the confusion and for posting so much today!

Final Post: Jasuta

During my time in this class, my flash drive crashed, I was forced into downloading the Adobe Suite free trial during Spring Break while I should've been surfing, and I was required to invest in a GPS to navigate me through the maze that this school calls Newhouse. I loved every minute of it.

After taking this class, I went to my adviser and told her I was switching into Graphics. Being a PR professor, however, she talked me into staying in PR. HOWEVER if Newhouse allowed double majors, this would easily be my next choice. I'm a visual person (as an art history major on top of the PR major) and so any class that focused on the arts is right up my alley.

I'd heard about how tough graphics is and how much work it takes. Yes, I spent many early mornings in the Newhouse labs before class touching up last minute details, but I always enjoyed the projects. I was always able to turn in work that I was proud to hand in, and I learn a significant level of technical finesse in working with the Adobe Suites. Even though I struggled at posting on the blog (a lot) (ahem), the workload was more than manageable with the time allotted for the projects. One of the biggest things I learned in the class was time management; I started every project the day it was assigned, and so I never felt pressured nor spent all-nighters in the lab. I feel very comfortable with design now, and I'm hoping to incorporate everything I learned in this class in my major and future professional career.

Professor Taylor was an absolute joy to have as a professor. I was never bored in class, I looked forward to this 9:30am course (call me a morning person), and I learned so much valuable information because of her enthusiasm and honest passion for the subject matter. Paul, you're a gem for putting up with my "I'm-lost-in-Newhouse-again" text messages when I'd attempt to meet with you for office hours. I thought the TA-professor pairing was priceless, both hold so much creative exuberance for both the subject and the students, I never felt that I was up a creek without a paddle with Prof. Taylor and Paul ready to throw me a live vest before I drowned in pikas.

Thanks for a great semester!

Jasuta: Annie Leibovitz

Special Topics #1: Annie Leibovitz

The arrival of Annie Leibovitz marked a significant amount of excitement and work for Syracuse University. In order to showcase her work to the students and Syracuse community for the lecture on April 29^th, Leibovitz requested that the university acquired a specific projector and screen that she usually uses. Supposedly, the university had to put down $3,000 for the equipment and had to have it driven in from New York City.

But all the work and preparation was worth it, for the photography legend as she showed her work that went along with the stories she told the overcapacity crowd in Hendricks. From landscapes with meaning to portraits that depicted intense feeling and emotion, Leibovitz herself injected the lecture with personality and emotion of her own, leaving the audience hanging on her every word.

With her esteemed track record, it’s not wonder Leibovitz’s personality is candid and open. Her works have included photographs of superstar celebrities to real people. Her Miley Cyrus has sparked controversy in the past several years, her famous image of John Lennon and Yoko Ono remains a classic, and she recently shot a series of Disney-themed photographs with celebrities posing as Disney characters. During the lecture she did touch on her current financial issues, but only in an obscure reference. She was humble in showing her most recent work that focuses on images of places associated with deceased celebrities: people such as Virginia Woolf, Sigmund Freud, Emily Dickinson and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Baby bye bye bye | Picini

In accordance with the rest of the semester, I forgot to post my blog on time, but here it is:

I've really enjoyed Graphics. I'm a really visual person, so a class like Graphics is a lot more interesting to me than a strictly theoretical or written one. I liked having a Graphics class though, as opposed to just Photography, because it made me think about splitting interest between words and photos. Professor Taylor talked about people not respecting photographs, which isn't a problem for me, but I was reminded to pay attention to the text too, and had to balance their coexistence in most of the projects. As far as what I've learned, everything I know about Adobe Illustrator and InDesign I learned from this class. I knew nothing at all about those. I'd used Photoshop before, but it helped me learn shortcuts and such, which will be very useful in my career. I really liked the fact that we didn't have tests and the class was based on the projects we had, because I'm not a good test taker but I can put time and effort into projects.

I loved the class itself too. I loved my peer critique group, we had some excellent laughs and flipping fantastic widow-avoiding techniques. Professor Taylor is an excellent teacher, I loved how she showed her enthusiasm and humor and interacted with us during class while still teaching us so much. Paul, you were a fantastic TA. I would have been SO lost without all your help, thank you for putting up with my endless emails when I didn't understand something or forgot for the millionth time to post my blog. You have been so helpful, approachable and such a joy to receive instructions from. Honestly, I looked forward to your emails. There was never a dull word. Except for "S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications | Syracuse University" You may want to spice that up a little.

I also learned a lot about myself as well. For instance, that half my wardrobe is yellow, which became evident when every outfit I wore on due dates matched the yellow themed projects I was turning in. I swear it wasn't intentional. I was reminded that I'm a Harry Potter freak, although I never really forgot that.

A short story: Recently I was looking at a friend's paddle she had decorated for her big in a sorority and someone commented on how nice and clean it looked. I went, "Yeah!! I love your wooden letters, they're so.. Sans Serif!" Everyone laughed at me. Story of my life.

Annie Leibovitz | Picini

Being a Photojournalism major, I think it makes sense that I was thrilled about getting to hear from Annie Leibovitz. I have to say, it was the weirdest thing ever knowing so much about her and her pictures and then seeing her walk into Hendricks like it was no big deal at all. I have a lot favorite things she said, but for the sake of not failing my upcoming finals and needing to post this by tonight, I'll make it limited.

She read from her autobiography about how she traveled so much as a child with her family. She said something to the effect of: Before she had even thought about photography and the idea of it as a career, "I saw the world through a frame, the frame of my father's station wagon." This made me laugh because I've realized before that I see my whole life through a camera lens. Even when I don't have my camera with me, whenever I see anything beautiful, disparaged, unusual, shockingly usual or joyful, I wish I had my camera. I can see exactly how the picture would look and wish that I could capture it to keep it forever, because I view my life through my viewfinder, even when it's not in front of my face. I loved the perspective of that frame of her childhood, and it made me start thinking about what frames I have viewed mine through as a kid. I haven't decided yet, and I think it'll take finals week ending before I can think straight enough to decide, but I'm excited about the prospect of it.

Some memorable things she said were:

-"I booked a helicopter but I felt like that was cheating, so I told myself that Ansel Adams would have used a helicopter."

-"Pictures take on a new meaning when someone dies."

-(About the queen) "They said there was no way she was going outside in her formal attire. Have you ever seen the queen's informal attire??"

I also realized during this how many Historical things and locations she's had a chance to photograph. Being a History nerd as well, I was amazed. She's photographed the homes or possessions of Virginia Woolf, Freud, Georgia O'Keefe, Queen Elizabeth II and Johnson's glass house. Although I much prefer photographing people to objects and locations, I'm in awe of the history she's photographed.

I'll close with how she closed, and steal her wise words. "Reality is plenty, that's life. You make it what it is. The future has to be invented. And the future is almost always invented by the young."