Photo Colorizations for Thesis Project

I’ve always been interested in American history, specifically WWII. With the greatest generations seeing the last of its years, soon all we will be left with is black and white film and the stories they passed on. It will be impossible for anyone today to experience what those events truly felt like. For my thesis project, I colorized black and white photographs and footage of WWII. Perhaps it can give insight into what those people saw, because they didn’t see it in black and white.

Last year I started colorizing photos as a personal hobby. I was very bad at it at the beginning, which was expected. It looked poorly made and the photos did not look realistic at all. When taking this course, I decided to try colorizations again, teaching myself and learning more. I slowly got better at it, continuing to work on photos to the point where I am now.

Over 75 years ago our world was at total war. All we have to visualize those times is black and white film and photos. Perhaps I can bring another level of realness and humanness by colorizing the photos.

Adding Color

Colorizing World War II black and white photos have become a real passion of mine. This photo, by an unknown author, demonstrates the breaking of the Geneva Convention on both sides and the animosity between Canadian and German troops after the Ardenne Abbey Massacre. I was drawn to this image and colorized it using Photoshop. After researching the colors of the uniforms, badges, and guns, I came to this final product after about 5 hours. The picture is of two Canadian soldiers with a captive German soldier in Caen, France.

The Last Frontier – Alaska

Costa Rica for May Term!

On 5/20/2019, I head to Costa Rica as part of a unique, hands-on field experience with Ecology Project International. I am so excited to travel and have an opportunity to photograph some of the amazing places, people and animals of the area. With college on the horizon, I am hoping to find some sponsorship that will make it possible for me to participate in this life-changing course, where I’ll conduct my own research, engage in conservation work, meet with locals, and return home ready to share and apply everything I’ve learned.

Stay tuned for some of my photography after I return from this trip!  I’m looking forward to hearing from anyone who has travelled to Costa Rica with travel advice.

https://www.ecologyproject.org/support/a0E1W00001vi4PIUAY

Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden at the Strong- AC May Term 2018

Today for the Ornithology Science and Art May term, we headed over to the Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden at The Strong.  This was great for many of the first time middle school photographers, as there were plenty of opportunities to get some great shots of the birds and butterflies which, for the most part, were completely still. Having been here before and not as new to photography, I settled in to try to take some select shots and help other students if they asked.  I used my Nikon D3300. A favorite of mine was the owl butterfly, especially since we shot actual owls from Wild Wings, Inc the other day. Owl butterflies use Batesian mimicry, which is when harmless animals use markings to resemble threatening animals to ward off predators.

Peeking out

We often see photography of birds in flight or with their wings expanded.  I enjoy taking a different look at these birds, tucked into their nests. Here are a few more shots from May Term Ornithology Science and Art class at AC.  These shots were taken either on Allendale Columbia’s nature trail, which is right on campus, Mendon Ponds Park, or the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge.

Wild Wings, Inc and May Term

This past week, during AC’s May term, we had guests from Wild Wings, Inc. visit our campus. Wild Wings is a not-for-profit educational organization that cares for permanently injured birds of prey.  This was part of an Ornithology Science and Art May term course. It was great seeing the birds out of a cage and close up, which allowed us to get a true sense of their personalities. 

High Speed Photography – How It’s Done

Today, a few classmates and I experimented with high speed photography during May Term in our “In the Blink of an Eye” photography course. We used two DLSR cameras so we could capture images at different angles. The DSLRS used were a Nikon D3300 and a Canon 80d which were both mounted on tripods. In high speed photography, having a still camera is crucial for a good picture.

The settings used on the cameras were a shutter speed set at BULB and an aperture of 5.6. We then mounted an Altura Flash to a Vanguard Monopod. We had the flash and the cameras pointed at a table with a black cloth covering it. Also, we had a black velvet backdrop that was clamped to the wall behind the table. Attached to the table was a sensor which then had a wire that ran to the flash. The role of the sensor was that when a loud noise was heard it would trigger the flash to go off. We placed various fruits on the table and one of us stood behind with a hammer. We created a system to have efficient shooting of the fruit. First, someone would turn off the light switch when both the people operating the cameras were ready. Once the light had been turned off, the shutters of the two cameras would be released by the people operating them. Once this was done, the cameramen would then tell the person behind the table to strike the fruit. The loud noise of the hammer would trigger the sensor making one single flash. After the flash was made, the cameramen then closed the shutter. The lights could then have been turned off after that. The reason why it was crucial to have a dark room was because when the cameras were set to bulb, no light was getting in when the shutter was opened. When the sensor was triggered it allowed light to enter the camera at the exact same moment as when the hammer made contact with the fruit. This made it so the only image registered by the camera was that event. This process led to some very interesting pictures and I am excited to do this tomorrow again.

Melinda

Melinda is a beautiful barn owl at Wing Wilds, Inc in Honeoye Falls, New York. Wild Wings is a place where permanently injured, non-releasable birds are housed and cared for. As part of our May Term at Allendale Columbia, we were lucky to visit Wild Wings and photograph some of these amazing birds.  Melinda by far was the most photogenic, allowing me to take some great close up shots. This is a special place for me since when my Grandfather passed away a few years ago, our family requested any donations to go to Wild Wings. These birds are beautiful and the work they do here is important to help people learn about these animals and how to protect and respect them.

Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden – May Term Day 4

Today we had to switich things up due to the weather. BayCreek Paddling was not an option, so we headed over to the Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden  at The Strong.  This was great for many of the first time photographers, as there were plenty of opportunities to get some great shots of the birds and butterflies.