Working to become a professional photographer takes a lot of careful study and practice, with the ability to juggle multiple skills at the same time. If that is your current pursuit, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced photographer sharing five skills budding professionals need to learn. 

Coming to you from Laura BC, this awesome video tutorial discusses five important skills professional photographers need. One that I think is particularly important is social media. Social media has revolutionized how photographers showcase their work. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have become the new-age portfolio, allowing photographers to display their talent to a global audience. Creating a cohesive and engaging social media presence requires a strategic approach. It involves understanding the platform’s algorithm, curating content that resonates with the target audience, and regularly engaging with followers. Many of us don’t really care for social media or feel exhausted by it, but like it or not, it’s a crucial tool.

As a photographer, your social media account is more than just a collection of your best shots; it’s a reflection of your brand. Each post should tell a story, convey a mood, or showcase a unique perspective. This not only helps in building a loyal following but also attracts potential clients who are looking for a photographer that aligns with their vision. Check out the video above for the full rundown. 

If you would like to learn more about the business of photography, check out “Making Real Money: The Business of Commercial Photography With Monte Isom!”

Join me in dissecting the extraordinary cinematography of “Parasite.” We’ll unearth the secrets behind its compelling composition, vibrant color schemes, and evocative lighting. This film offers a wealth of insights for photographers to learn from.

Keep in mind that the movie tells a story of greed and class differences, portrayed through the contrasting lives of the wealthy Park family and the struggling Kim family. As we analyze these scenes, this central theme will illuminate the rationale behind each artistic decision in composition, color, and lighting.

If you prefer video format, be sure to watch the video version of this analysis covering all the scenes:

Parasite Scene Analysis

1. Introduction at the Park Residence

Scene Context:

The focus here is on Ki-woo observing from outside as the housekeeper Moon-gwang wakes the Park family matriarch to meet him.

Scene Composition:

The scene’s composition utilizes layering and framing techniques. It is structured with a foreground, middle ground, and background. Ki-woo occupies the foreground, Moon-gwang and the Park wife are in the middle ground, while lush greenery forms the background. This layering creates a sense of detachment, positioning us as viewers outside the affluent world, both physically behind a glass wall and metaphorically.

The scene also employs effective framing. Ki-woo and Moon-gwang are together in one frame, divided by a line on the glass wall, while the Park wife is in a separate frame.

For those familiar with the film, this arrangement symbolizes the socio-economic divide between Ki-woo and Moon-gwang, and the Park wife.

Color Palette:

An analogous color scheme is used here, predominantly featuring greens and yellows. These vibrant and rich colors symbolize the enticing and luxurious lifestyle that remains elusive to Ki-woo.

Lighting Details:

Natural, soft light characterizes the scene’s lighting, contributing to the tranquil and picturesque atmosphere of the Park residence. The contrast between the bright outdoors and the dimmer interior where Ki-woo stands further highlights the disparity between the two worlds of the characters.

2. Sister Involvement

Scene Overview:

In this pivotal scene, we observe Ki-woo’s sister preparing to interact with Mr. and Mrs. Park, set within the Park family’s home.

Scene Composition:

Echoing the structure of the earlier scene, this one also employs a combination of layering and framing. The composition includes a foreground featuring a plant, a middle ground with Ki-woo’s sister, and a background occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Park. This layered approach visually represents the disconnect and separation among the characters.

Color Scheme:

The scene utilizes an analogous color palette, comprising greens, yellows, and oranges. These colors blend to create a soft, warm glow, enhancing the scene’s homely yet affluent setting.

Lighting Dynamics:

Interior lighting is strategically used to focus on the main areas of action. Firstly, light streams down the stairwell, illuminating the character on the left. Secondly, the dinner table is well-lit, drawing attention to Mr. and Mrs. Park. This lighting technique, along with the contrast between well-lit and darker regions, reinforces the notion of Ki-woo’s sister as an outsider looking into a world she is not a part of.

3. Escape in the Rain

Scene Context:

This scene captures the Kim family hastily departing the Park residence during a nocturnal rainstorm, after a close call of nearly being discovered.

Composition Elements:

The scene is segmented into three frames, each employing leading lines to depict the Kims’ metaphorical descent down the socio-economic ladder as they return to their own home.

The first frame employs an S-curve to convey movement.

The second frame uses a diagonal line to illustrate their downward trajectory.

The third frame again utilizes diagonal lines to accentuate the descent.

Color Scheme:

The scene predominantly features an analogous color palette. The initial frames primarily use a cold mix of blues and greens, symbolizing the stark contrast in their circumstances. In the final frame, as they approach their home, red is introduced. This stark red hue signifies danger and the “hellish” reality they face, with their home flooded and the unresolved issues at the Park house.

Lighting Design:

Dark lighting dominates these frames, accentuating the grim reality of the Kim family’s situation. This dim lighting serves to highlight the stark contrast between their current predicament and their earlier experiences at the Park house.

In conclusion, as photographers, we can learn a lot from analyzing scenes from movies like “Parasite.”

If you want to see all the scenes, be sure to watch my video above!

On the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh (UNRC) and the Drik Picture Library jointly organized a photography exhibition titled “Rage and Hope”.

An opening program of the photo exhibition was held on Thursday. The exhibition will be open to the public from 3pm-8pm daily till December 18, 2023.

Afroza Islam Akhi, the coordinator of Mayer Dak, photographer and coordinator of Bangladesh Garments Worker Solidarity Taslima Akhter, Senior Human Rights Adviser of UNRC, Photographer and the Managing Director of Drik Shahidul Alam attended the opening program. 

The program was hosted by the Curator ASM Rezaur Rahman.

Representatives of the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh (UNRC) and the Drik Picture Library look at photos at the opening of a photography exhibition titled “Rage and Hope” on Thursday, December 14, 2023. Photo: Dhaka Tribune “}”>

Shahidul Alam said: “The exhibition features pictures that are challenging to capture. I appreciate the photographers for their courage. The images depict not only human rights violations but also include some uplifting moments. We all aspire to overcome these challenges, despite the arduous and lengthy journey ahead.”

Huma Khan said: “Equality among all humans is a distant reality, but we are committed to the long journey towards that goal. Our dedication lies in working for the rights of the people of Bangladesh. We embrace diverse opinions and various ways of thinking.”

Taslima Akhtar said: “The images presented here offer a distinct perspective on the UN concept of human rights for individuals as human beings and citizens. In reality, we are living in fear of violence, disappearance, and the inability to express ourselves. Currently, the ordinary citizens and workers of the country are experiencing a suffocating situation, and we yearn to break free and breathe openly.”

Afroza Islam Akhi said: “We are all aware of the current stifling situation in Bangladesh. The families of every missing person, along with their loved ones, endure profound suffering daily. However, there is hope as many individuals, including myself, who once led secluded lives, are now protesting and voicing our concerns on the streets. Currently, in response to international pressure, the government resorts to suppressing dissent through public arrests and disappearance cases, rather than addressing the underlying issues of disappearances and murders. We demand justice for all these activities.”

Mahmud Hossain Apu, on behalf of the photographers who participated in the exhibition, said: “We have many photos that cannot be printed in the newspaper as a photojournalist. In such cases, there requires more such events where we can showcase our work.”

The exhibition features 29 photographs, an audio installation, and one video installation on human rights from the last four decades, covering border killings, tea plantation workers’ movements, protests on violence against women, movements for democracy, victims of the legal process, and judicial harassment, justice, extraneous killings, structural discrimination, movement to protect nature, workers’ working environment and other incidents.

On December 10, 1948, the draft resolution of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights was approved by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris which has since been considered as the general standard of human rights for all nations and cultures worldwide.

It was the result of the experience of the Second World War. With the creation of the United Nations, the international community promised to never repeat this type of brutality. 

With the breathing room given by its delay to 2025, the next Captain America film is going through a few changes before it arrives in cinemas.

Marvel Studios are looking to have an interesting 2024.

With just one film coming out of the studio for the first time since 2010 (when Iron Man 2 arrived as the MCU was still finding its feet), from the outside it looks like Feige and co. are pulling the breaks on the ‘content’ machine a little bit.

What’s more, that one 2024 film is Deadpool 3 – and it’s currently pretty unclear how tied the famously off-beat antihero will tie into the wider MCU.

Though Thunderbolts and Captain America: Brave New World were originally scheduled for next year (on 20th December and 26th July respectively), both have since been moved back into 2025. Given the grumblings about superhero fatigue and poor box office numbers that have plagued almost every comic book movie released this year, that bit of extra space might not be such a bad thing.

Seemingly on that note, Marvel Studios has brought a new writer, Moon Knight producer Matthew Orton, onto the next Captain America movie, with additional photography now planned for the middle of 2024 (according to Deadline).

While it’s not at all uncommon for Disney to chop, change and reshoot bits of their blockbusters right up until release, it does feel like the six-month delay to Marvel Studios’ upcoming slate might have given them the chance to course correct after a largely disappointing year for MCU fans.

The fourth Captain America movie is currently slated as the last film of Marvel’s ‘Phase Five’, and Anthony Mackie’s first standalone film as the star-spangled man after taking over the mantle in The Falcon And The Winter Soldier. If everything goes according to plan, it’ll be in cinemas on the 14th of February 2025 (oh Marvel, you old romantic).