Photography at School

 I love photography just about as much as I love writing. This week I thought it would be cool to share some of my recent photos with you from my Humanity's Course I am in this semester.

I took this picture on the way to class early one morning this week. The sun was in just the right spot to give the sky bridge on campus a really interesting glow to it. I like how all lines lead the eyes towards my focal point of the sky bridge.

This second shot was taken of the fencing underneath the stadium. Because I was doing my photo shoot midday I had to find something that wasn't in too harsh of lighting. I'm not a total fan of the flat lighting in this image either, however the texture is what makes it a decent shot.

Ah... now this is one of the best shots I have taken in a while. I like the dark background leading to the light of the bleachers just up this staircase. The focal point in this case becomes the outside light. It almost beacons to the viewer as if to say "Come enjoy me, come see the light of life."

 

Both of these images where taken in campus gardens. I find the patterns to be interesting in my photography.

 This next shot is simply beautiful leading the eyes on a journey of exploration wondering where the curved line of sight will lead us.

 

We Love You Sally Carmichael: Movie Review & Trailer

I recently had the opportunity to see We Love You, Sally Carmichael, in theaters with my family. So, as usual, when I get my hands on some awesome media, I share my review with all of you!

Plot:
The movie is about an author named Simon who wrote a best selling famous Siren series about a girl who falls in love with a merman. He creates a woman's pen name for fear of being seen as socially awkward as an author. When a famous actor named Parry Quin is commissioned to play the lead merman roll in the movie production of the Siren novels he demands to meet Sally Carmichael. Only one problem, Sally doesn't make appearances.

When Simon's publisher tells him to make an appearance with the actor or else surrender his royalty he is forced to reveal his long-held secret identity. The rest of the movie focuses on life after he is revealed as Sally Carmichael.

My Review:
This is by far one of the best movies I have seen in the theater since Rogue One: A Star Wars Story came out last December in 2016. We Love You Sally Carmichael has themes of love, perseverance, and even overcoming anxiety. It's a hilarious hit among the LDS Mormon community but I do think that the audience for this movie has the potential to grow.

I defiantly recommend the move to all authors and aspiring authors. It highlights the mounding efforts that go into becoming a successful published author in today's modern world. I connected with it because being a Sally Carmichael level author is my dream someday.

Photography at College

 Look at how beautiful that is!

Wow! Why haven't I ever known that there was a whole new dimension in photography? To be honest, probably because I haven't known how to use shutter speed and aperture on a camera before but oh my how incredible it has made my photography!

 This is another shot of the grass taken at the same location here on campus. I never knew that the trick to a nice background was to shoot the pictures with the correct shutter speed and aperture.

Most importantly however is also the distance from which the photo was taken from the subject. In this case, I was standing around five feet away from the blades of grass and zoomed in for a nice shot.

The lighting here was not my favorite but overall it isn't bad for my first experience using a DSLR Camera.

This next shot is up even closer to the beautiful blades of grass. 

This shot was taken at the same distance away from the grass with an even bigger zoom and look what happens! A single blade of grass remains sharp and clear in the lower region of the photo while everything else appears with soft edges. Now that's nice right? Still bad lighting though. However, as I kept shooting photos they gradually improved to be more and more satisfying in the depictions I was hoping for.

Now take a look at this bike tire and reflector. Because of the low lighting of the afternoon, the most light is focused on the reflector. I placed the reflector in my field of focus and took the picture. The texture in this photo makes the reflector pop against its background.

 

 

 

Netflix Original TV Series Project MC^2 Released a 5th Season!

That's right! This nerdy show about a group of girls working as undercover spy operatives in the organization Innovate is back!  The new season five features only five episodes but each episode brings more excitement to the avid fans the show has gained. It's aim is to teach us that "Smart is the new Cool" and I have to agree.

The application of knowledge in the show is quite incredible. Each girl has expertise in technology, engineering, wearable technology, chemistry, problem-solving and so much more. The main character Mackala Micalister leads the operations in the fifth season to uncover who is about to set a vile of self-replicating nanobots loose at SpaceINC's destination mars summer camp.

Makala Micalister earned her bird award and is now know as the "Owl" as we learn in the last episode exclusive in season four. Makala's duty to perform well as the Owl puts her under new pressure to succeed. To through more twists and turns into the season, the guy she has been dating throughout previous seasons named Kyle has no idea she was kidnapped at the end of season four.

The Art of Human Connection: Fighting the Plague of Depression in Young Adults

In today's rapidly growing technological culture we are losing touch with face to face communication. However, communication is what makes us feel human. It keeps us motivated. Today there are more young adults facing depression than any other generation. Why? Well, I am going to bring to light that our lack of meaningful relationships has something to do with it.
Look around next time your in a public setting. How many people are on their phones rather than starting conversation with each other? The results are shocking. There is an undeniable dark side to social media out there that is also contributing to skyrocketing rates of depression among young adults and teens. Every night most of us spend time scrolling through our social media accounts comparing ourselves with others, however we tend to compare our worst attributes with someone's best attributes portrayed through social media. It's no wonder we are a depressed generation if that's how we are viewing the world around us!
Now, not all social media is evil, there are good things that come of it. For example sharing funny you tube videos, sharing your beliefs, and connecting with friends all over the world. However, I also dare to raise my word of caution.
Look up! Look around, go start a conversation. Go do something selfless and kind for another member of humanity. Do it face to face, eye to eye, sitting next to a real breathing human. The greatest joy in life comes not from looking inward but from looking outward in love, gratitude and service for the hundreds of people who are God's children around us every day. People are not placed in your life by accident but by the intervention of God. They are there because you have something to offer to them that no one else in this world of 7 billion people can offer them!