Favorite Director

So I have thought for years that my favorite director was Christopher Nolan. He has been very successful in the last decade or so and has become a huge name in Hollywood. His films are epic with great storylines and visuals. 

However, as I did more research as to quantity of films I generally like, the answer came to be Steven Spielberg as the winner. Probably the most successful and famous director/producer, Spielberg has created a multitude of "classic" films that are generally loved by the public. Not only that, but as I researched more, he has produced over 150 pieces, written over 21 stories and screenplays and has been credited as a director for over 53 films/shorts/series. For example, I had no idea he wrote the story for The Goonies, or that he directed The Color Purple and Hook. He was a producer for the Band of Brothers series that I love, and was an executive producer for the Back to the Future series among other commonly known pieces of work. He has had his hits and misses, but as a whole has created a lot of classics that I grew up with. I also appreciate that he has been diverse in his career, dabbling in different aspects of film production even including editing. Fun fact, after being rejected twice from USC's film school, in 1996 after achieving fame, they awarded him an honorary degree and made him a trustee. He didn't finish his actual degree until 2002, 35 years after starting college.

Compose Your Frame

This is an unedited photo I took in Trieste, Italy. I feel the rule of thirds falls on the bottom right corner with the wavy sidewalk and the 2 individuals walking, as well as the trees on the right side, I imagine the image diced into 9 pieces as was shown to us on the board the other day. The main vector is a the diagonal dock/sidewalk leading to the middle of the sea. This was taken at Miramare, a castle at the edge of Italy and Slovenia. I think the principles of a successful photo exist for a reason, the entice and draw the eyes in specific directions, even if unintentional.

Again another raw image from the top of the Duomo di Milano. The vectors here are self explanatory as the plethora of spires are layered in the image, and the diagonal structure across the frame, ending in a point in the lower right corner, following the rule of thirds as well. The art of the ancient building speaks for itself and provides a multitude of images to influence the viewer. Mostly all architecture in Italy, and I imagine across the globe, have similar design principles intact for the same purpose of drawing the viewer in, establishing beauty and sending out a desired style or message. In a lot of places I was able to visit in Italy I think the message would be greatness by the vastly huge building and design principles, even in such historic times.

Make Up Assignment-Student Campaigns

Analyzing some of the more eye-pleasing campaign ads for this year's student election, I felt this poster was classically mimicking the Shepard Fairey Obama campaign that is so iconic in our generations. Not only is this a smart idea connecting to our psychological preset of the icon. The 2-3 colors used follow a design principle that I learned about last semester in my Communication Design class. We had to make a poster using only 2-3 colors. We also learned about using color that is opposite of reality like having a purple sky for example. The simplicity and blend of the colors pop and are enticing. 

An even more simple design, I actually loved the typography, the spacing between the letters and sizing, how they are balanced and gradually decrease in size and value of content. The white lettering in contrast to her bright shirt work well together. Not much design principle in regards to photoshop like the other, however the design of the type is sufficient for the desired response. I love the background colors, I feel they all blend well together.