Basic Photography Seminar by Jo Avila

Finally, im crossing out one line from my wishlist for this year - take a photography lesson. In my blog previously, i shared that I enrolled in one of Jo Avila's classes last February but have to be absent on Days 2 to 5. Last Tuesday, I again attended his April weeknights class and this time, I have my Canon 400D in tow.

I found myself in a room of people with different age brackets and social backgrounds. But everyone shares the love for photography.

Our first assignment was to take a shot of a bottle of coke but it should be creatively shot in such a way that it won't look just like any ordinary bottle of coke. Again, it should be creatively shot.

There are rules: no flash, no strobes, no photoshop intervention, shoot in raw and we only have to submit our best shot.

Thanks to min's suggestion (and props) and I came up with this shot:


Back to class last Thursday, each has to submit his/her assignment for evaluation. Jo said I could have improved the image had i put some books or anything suggestive of it being used for studying. And to always make the subject off-centered to avoid symmetry. The image is also a bit underexposed.

Not bad for a first "serious" shot. =)

Now on to our second assignment: we are to submit an environmental portrait. It should be a photo of a person with a sidekick (or a second element). Same rules apply.

Wish me luck!