Updated Portfolio - Improved Works

I chose to improve "Soft Bull" and " "Re Touch"/Auntie Re Touch".

Soft Bull

I enhanced this photo in a few ways. I adjusted the color and saturation in the flowers to make them stand out a bit, to give them more vibrance. I also enhanced, sharpened the dogs eye to make it more intense. I added text to exaggerate the contrast between the pretty flowers and the could be scary pit bull who looks like he could either kill you, play with you, or just completely take a nap next to the flowers. I added a red overlay layer  and they removed most of it leaving behind small eaccented areas to balance out the red in the new text and in the flowers.

Auntie Re Touch

I love this photo because it is of a dear aunt who passed away. I didnt want to make it too drastic from reality because of this. However, I did feel that it may be boring to others being that it is basic and others are not emotionally attached. I enhanced her eyes by sharpening them. I also enhanced sections of her hair so it would have a little luster or sheen. I adjusted the vibrance in the feathers of her top and gave them a richer feel and more vibrant green color. Lastly, I added a soft pink overlay layer to the background which was pretty drab. Overall enhancing both projects was interesting and I feel it made each one a better presentation.

Soft Bull   www.behance.net/portfolio/editor

Auntie Re Touch   www.behance.net/portfolio/editor

Ways to Improve my Work

After reading chapter 4 and various sections of A Guide to Preparing Your Portfolio, I learned that there are several ways for me to improve my portfolio as a whole and also specifically individual pieces.

To market your distinctive qualities and abilities, it is important to highlight the range of technical, creative and conceptual skills you possess (Bowstead 25). I feel that one of my strong areas is in Photo Manipulation or Photo Retouch. I am also learning more about photography as I create my projects. I realize that I need to highlight what I feel is my specialty as my portfolio deos not have a focus. I plan to focus more on Photo Retouch and Photography projects.

In photography, it is advisable to demonstrate a degree of consistency in terms of style and subject matter, both in order to maintain coherence in your portfolio and to allow editors and clients to develop a clear sense of your work and your capabilities (Bowstead 117). As I mentioned above, I feel that I need to demontrate a clear focus within my portfolio. With my photography and photo retouch projects, I also need to show more consistency in terms of style. I am not sure about subject matter as my subject matter changes based on how I feel about what I see. Perhaps I will focus on style and the subject matter will be manipulation, if this is correct.

I plan to improve "Soft Bull" and "Re-Touch" (which I will rename "Auntie Re-Touch"). Both are photographs. I took "Soft Bull" and "Auntie Re Touch" is an old photo I was given and asked to re touch. I plan to enhance both of my photos in terms of color, balance, clarity and vibrance as well as add in type enhancement for one. I will also add background color to balance out the new type and or vibrant colors within the photo. I will also work toward creating a focus within my portfolio and presenting a clear sense of my capabilities within that focus.

Bowstead Jay M. A Guide To Preparing Your Portfolio: Contemporary Solutions. A & C Black Publishers Limited, London: 2011. Print.

Script - Cindy and Samantha's BIG day

CINDY AND JAKE ARE STANDING IN THE KITCHEN.

Camera zooms across the anger lines on Cindy's forehead to Jake standing against the wall rolling his eyes. Bridezillas is on TV in the background.

CINDY

It's MY day! This wedding is what I have been living for my entire life Jake! Why are you making everything so difficult for me?

JAKE

Look Cindy, I'm just saying, ... we should try to stick to the budget. Why does everything have to be so big with you? It's like ... like a big show, starring you. 

CINDY

Are you kidding me Jake? Everyone will be there.... I want my day to be perfect. I want to feel like a princess. I want, I want to be the most beautiful bride ever. I need to feel special and be the envy of every woman there. Don't you care about my feelings Jake?

(Cindy starts to cry).

Jake walks out in disbelief. His hands on his head and his heart is racing. He jumps in his car and speeds away... The camera follows his motorcycle boots as he storms out from the yard to the gas pedal and quickly escapes Cindy's rant.

CINDY

(on her cell phone, calls her best friend Samantha). Camera zooms in on Cindy's cell phone.

Samantha, you wont believe this (sobbing). Jake just left me! One week before my wedding! He ran out... He's never done this before.

SAMANTHA
Your wedding? uh, where is Jake? Did he leave YOU or just the house?    

CINDY

He drove away, you know what that means, he's headed to Stanley's Bar. What a loser, I can't believe he is so selfish (still sobbing).

SAMANTHA

Hey, uh, listen, I gotta go. Uh, My son just came home, I'll call you back (she throws her phone in her purse as she smirks).

Samantha jumps on her motorcycle so fast she forgets to put her helmet on. She heads to Stanley's. The camera zooms in on her biker boots. Cars honk their horns at her as she darts in and out of traffic on a dark busy street.

         STANLEY'S BAR

The bar is empty. Rock music plays in the background, Sasha & Motoroadeo's "Two Wheels Move the Soul". Jake is sitting at the bar with a huge smile on his face. His cell phone is face down on a bar stool. Samantha walks in slowly... smiling ear to ear.

JAKE

You ready Sam?

SAMANTHA

Did it happen? Did you have the big fight? (Samantha puts her phone down next to Jake's and laughs loudly, uncontrollably). Jake laughs, he laughs so hard he begins to tear.

Samantha leans in and kisses Jake. Together they jump on Samantha's motorcycle and ride away.  

Camera zooms in on both cellphones on the bar stool. Both phones are ringing at the same time and of course ...... its Cindy calling. The rings get louder and louder and finally fade out. "Two Wheels Move the Soul" plays and fades out as the final scene ends with a shot of motorcycle boots and smoke in the air.

Sound Project

Tools & Teams for Making Media Art

I will be using the Canon Vixia HF G10 high-definition camcorder.  I will also use After Effects and Photoshop for additional effects.  I will seek help from friends if I run into any issues with filming or collaborate with a classmate.  I usually work alone on my projects and approach media production as an individual process of expression as stated by Breslin (260). It would be great to collaborate with others in class yet it seems that most students have plans to do the work alone.  This will be my first project where I am filming a story with a video camera. If I cannot figure out how to film my story effectively, I will revert to using still images, type and special effects to execute my story.

I am planning to use iMovie for the first time. I see that many students are using Final Cut Pro, which is more professional, but I am afraid that it may be difficult for my first time and I do not own the program.  As of now, I plan to be the executive producer, the director, editor, videographer, photographer, and director of photography, the assistant cameraperson and graphic designer!  I plan to sing on the soundtrack as well. This is starting to sound scary! I have a lot of work to do. I will be using my niece as the starring role of Lucy and my assistant manager at work, Mike, who will co-star as the fitness instructor. I will also be using fitness extras at my gym to participate in the class scenes and I will make an appearance as well!

My project delivers a couple of important messages. I would love to see it reach women’s organizations, fitness institutes, and self defense studios. As for now, realistically, I will use it on my personal website DanaDot.com under Straight Fitness as promotion for women’s fitness and self-defense.  I will also upload it on YouTube. If it turns out super fantastic, I may look further into distribution and exhibition.

Skillset

Dana Eaves Skillset
Discipline Genre	Skill Level	Computer software/hardware or other technical tools used, interest in collaboration. I am open to collaborate with others in all areas.
Graphic Design	15 years -8/10	I have been creating fliers for advertisements at work for several years as well as logos for various clients. I design facility daily operational forms as well. I have also created design layouts for health clubs and private fitness rental services.
Retouching	5 years -8/10	This has become my passion over the past three years. I use Photoshop CS5 on my laptop. I will Photoshop segments of my final project. I plan to work in the professional field of retouching. Most of my re-touching has been in graphic design, photo touch up, or for freelance clients.
Motion Graphics	6 months -5/10	Motion Graphics has become a strong interest of mine. This is a discipline I am still learning and plan to utilize in the future. Currently I use Adobe After Effects CS5 on my laptop.
Singing	10 years -8/10	I have sung on recordings in the past and plan to continue singing more in the future. I also plan to sing the theme song for my final project.
Songwriting	10 years -9/10	I love to write lyrics and melodies. I still use a four- track recorder (old school) for many projects. I plan to write the theme song for my final project.  I am open to writing songs with others.  I plan to continue writing songs with producer friends.  I have had some of my songs recorded by established recording artists.
Poetry	10 years -9/10	Poetry is a part of me. I find myself writing in my mind without realizing it. This is something I do to make me feel better. I plan to use my poems in an e-card greeting card business I am currently working on.

Artist's Statement

"There is no need to choose one artistic path when I can travel on all that I desire"

I am a "Jackie" of many artistic trades continuously striving to perfect at at least two!  I have always explored my creative spices from dance, to singing, writing music, and art. At times, I would overwhelm myself trying to choose a path. My mom would tell me that I do not have to choose, "you can do it all".  Dad said, "do what you love to do, what you would do even if you were not being compensated".

I find that I am retouching everything I see every day. I spend the most time manipulating photos and re creating the visions I have using Adobe Photoshop. Most of my projects begin with a clear flash through my mind, a vision of the finished work before I create it. This is truly a passion of mine that I cannot deny.

My free time is spent creating digital art, improving my motion graphic skills, writing songs and conditioning my voice.  I have performed with top NY agencies and have written songs for top R&B artists and have recorded vocals on songs for top R&B and Hip Hop artists as well including R&B artists' D'Train, Al B. Sure, and Hip Hop artists' Jay Z and MC Lyte.

My Digital Artistic goal is to continue growing in the motion graphics and photo-retouching field. I would like to create professional digital media art projects for key companies and organizations.