the
MARK Menlo-Atherton High School 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton, CA Volume V, Issue IV march 2015
The Photo Issue
“
Digital Art Kasey Love
“In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.” - Alfred Stieglitz
the MarK | Photo Edition
“
2
staff Editors-in-Chief sara solomon Katie Webb Francesca Gilles art editor news editor ian robinson-lambert Nina fox op-ed editor features editor sofia bergmann molly kearnan sports editor sami andrew
a&e editor sabina vitale
staff Caraline albro Gabe Cohen ryan cole kristin cwirla sarah dairiki tara fahimi eliza fitz kate flanagan katie moffitt theresa siri joanna vollrath Katrina Wijaya
adviser: Betsy Snow
letter from the editors Dear Readers, Not to generalize or anything, but almost everyone can agree that we live in an image-driven society. Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat -- many moments in the day are accompanied by a picture, whether it’s a professional portrait or an impromptu snapshot. In this kind of a world, where we prefer to absorb beauty through images rather than words, it seemed fitting to make one of our six (six!) issues entirely dedicated to photography. The editors-in-chief are proud to present the inaugural photography issue of The Mark. This year has been one of many changes. The Mark is a fluid publication; we strive to evolve with the times and the trends. In this issue, we decided to completely deviate from the norm and indulge the thirst for visuals that we all seem to possess. The content? It’s come largely from you, M-A’s resident photographers. We’ve put together a few categories that you have filled with the best and brightest pieces of your work. You’ll find the usual suspects, like landscapes and portraits, but you’ll also find a selfie section, opinionated photographers butting heads over the merits of digital versus film, and tutorials for beginners. You’ll see whether or not a picture is actually worth a thousand words and how your peers wake up in the morning. We want to celebrate you, the M-A student body, by honoring your work and creativity. This is your magazine. This is your Mark. We hope you take a peek, and appreciate the work your friends and classmates have done. After all, nothing we could ever write would encompass the depth of a single photo. Love, the Editors
about the cover This self-portrait is by Julia Moreton. She explains that this, “portrays how someone seems fade into the background but in reality their true character is vibrant and beautiful. Jaya Blanchard painted my face and I photographed myself against a dark background to blend in.”
the MarK | Photo Edition
3
The Mark the photo issue
April FEATURES
48
KNOTTY & NICE
Bore porae quiant est rem. Nonsendus, senihicaere eius, ipsa doluptiae volupis doluptures atquid maios nim facea pero bereped est, verio id et ent veleculpa plitas eos est quo officiliani
60 HEART OF GLASS Bore porae quiant est rem. Nonsendus, senihicaere eius, ipsa doluptiae volupis doluptures atquid maios nim facea pero bereped est, verio id et ent veleculpa plitas eos est quo officiliani
66 SIDES TO SAVOR Bore porae quiant est rem. Nonsendus, senihicaere eius, ipsa doluptiae volupis doluptures atquid maios nim facea pero bereped Bore porae quiant est rem. Nonsendus, senihicaere
“Num desterox noximus ciestiu conis rem tabus poratum dit, prorbem, nocae terioni hilicibus, nostiam.� SIDES TO SAVOR, P. 66
Photograph by SOMEONE COOL
4
the MarK | Photo Edition
high mark//low mark From low to high (L-R), The Mark staff ranks recent events.
spirit week?
m-a winter sports are killin’ it
-3 . . -2 . . -1 . . 0 . . 1 . . 2 . . 3 measles outbreak at disneyland
cream at winter formal
stedman graham visits M-a
the MarK | Photo Edition
5
Photography Kasey Love
6
the MarK | Photo Edition
Photography Alex Jin
the MarK | Photo Edition
7
a. Digital Photography Ian Robinson-Lambert, b. Film Photography Nina Fox, c. Film Photography Nina Fox, d. Film Photography, e. Digital Photography Ian Robinson-Lambert, f. Digital Photography Ian Robinson-Lambert,
8
b.
the MarK | Photo Edition
f. d.
e. c.
a. by Nina Fox and Ian Robinson-Lambert
A SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON OF PHOTOGRAPHY'S TWO MOST POPULAR MEDIUMS
FILM
DIGITAL
VS.
g.
The Case for
FILM
L
DIGITAL
by Nina Fox
et’s get a couple things straight: I am not saying that film is always better, nor am I saying that I am against digital photography. I believe that film photography helps develop vital skills for any photographer. Because of an unfortunate incident regarding my DSLR and a swimming pool, I have been left to work with film for the past two years. I luckily was already familiar with the medium because of the Hillview Middle School elctive, darkroom photography. Film allows for trial and error in a way that digital photography cannot fully offer. Of course there are ways to experiment with digital, but the automatic setting is always a convenient backup. With a fully manual film camera, the mechanics are clearer. The photographer is forced to think about every picture. If you are being mindless with your photos, you will end up $20 poorer with a roll of uninteresting or otherwise useless garbage. It’s the mindfulness of film photography that I am advocating for. Everyone can take a quick iPhone snapshot, except maybe my mother, but it’s the ability to create the image in someone’s head that makes an artist. Along with having the hip aesthetic we all crave, film pictures can be more fun! It’s always a surprise how the pictures turn out, and sometimes the whole roll is the surprise. When you get the film back, then you can determine what techniques worked and what didn’t. However, the surprises are not always pleasant. The picture you were most excited about, too dark. The long exposure you planned, too bright. The double exposure, lined up awfully. Oh, the tragedies of film! Light leaks, blank rolls, and wrong settings. They are downright depressing, but it’s failures like these that we never forget. My experience with film has transformed my art for the better, and I know that I could never have gotten where I am with digital alone.
The Case for
B h.
i.
j.
by Ian Robinson-Lambert
ecause of their convenience, large array of features, and widespread availability, digital cameras have skyrocketed in popularity since their introduction at the end of the 20th century. I haven’t used much film photography lately, but I distinctly remember using a film camera when I was much younger. The memories that really stand out are having to take the film roll out of the camera, give it to my parents, and have them drive it over to the camera store on Santa Cruz Avenue to have it developed. Then, a few days later, I would get the pictures back in a nice clean envelope. It seemed convenient at the time because I didn’t know anything else. Looking back, the film way seems archaic. Now, you can snap a photo with a DSLR camera (digital single-lens reflex camera) and it appears instantly wherever you want it: in the cloud, on your computer, or in physical form if you pay a little extra. I’m not including smartphones when I talk about digital photography because, even though they are technically digital, there are enough differences between smartphones and DSLRs that it would constitute an entire second comparison. Using a DSLR instead of a film camera, you can adjust exposure, tint, brightness, and color, or you can ignore all of it and use the sainted “Auto” mode that does nearly everything for you. The images are sharp and clear, and digital cameras tend to handle better in situations where there isn’t a lot of light. There is also a grainy quality that shows up in film photographs that is noticeably absent when you use digital. Of course, there are some downsides--digital cameras tend to be more expensive than their film counterparts and there is certain amount of intimacy in being able to develop your own photos that you can’t get with digital--but ultimately I believe that digital photography is best for those who want a high-quality, convenient photo experience.
the MarK | Photo Edition
9
g. Film Photography Nina Fox, h. Digital Photography Ian Robinson-Lambert, i. Film Photography Nina Fox, j. Digital Photography Ian Robinson-Lambert
Photo Frame of Mind
Ask a photographer how he peels potatoes, and he’ll tell you he peels them inversely to see the potatoes in a way few people have seen them before. Ask a Buddhist how he peels potatoes, and he’ll tell you by simply peeling potatoes. A few weeks ago, the Mark staff was assigned to take three photos over the weekend to share with the class as an exercise before creating this issue. I left with a vision of myself presenting the most glorious blade of grass, the most exquisite set of eyes, my dog with his all-consuming cuteness, perfectly captured, to the class the next Monday. I began to notice how this person’s eyes flicked upwards at the sides of his face, how this trees limbs sprawled out in a jagged labyrinth in the air, and the stateliness of cattle. But soon, I found I was spending all of my time daydreaming about the thing in front of me in a frame or on Mrs. Snow’s projector, instead of looking at the thing in front of me and admiring it as it is, not in a frame but in real life. INTERVIEW WITH SALLY AND ELANA HERE If photography is the art of observation, I need to be in the photographer’s frame of mind without the photo part, just peeling the potatoes.
by Eliza Fitz
10
the MarK | Photo Edition
a whole newperspective photography student reaches new heights. by Sarah Dairiki
the MarK | Photo Edition
11
F
rom recently earning his Commercial Pilot License to becoming a professional aviation photographer and being published in multiple aviation publications, Menlo-Atherton senior Michael Mainiero has only just started living his dream. Although Mainiero always had a passion for mechanical objects and handson work, he became interested in planes at a fairly young age. “When I was 13 years old my mom and I visited [the Hiller Aviation Museum]. She found a brochure advertising a youth flying program run by the Experimental Aircraft Association. The program has volunteers who provide free flights for students ages 8 to 17, and I was able (with some “gentle” prodding and annoyance) to convince my mom to let me go up for a flight. I was hooked from that point on.” Mainiero has been spending all of his time with planes since that moment, flying whenever he has free time. Now, as an 18-year-old, his most recent accomplishment has been earning his Commercial Pilot License, which gives him the ability to fly passengers and be paid to do it. Mainiero says the process of earning a pilot’s license is doable, but “one must be fully committed both mentally and financially to be ultimately successful.” The procedure to earn a pilot’s license is not as easy as it may seem. “The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires a minimum of 40 hours, which includes 20 hours with an instructor, at least 10
12
the MarK | Photo Edition
solo, and many other prerequisites. A 60-question multiple choice test must be taken and your final examination, what we call a checkride, is a 3 to 5 hour test which includes a 1 to 3 hour ground oraladministered test followed by a 1 to 2 hour flight practical test,” says Mainiero. Flying a plane is also relatively expensive, which is why one must be, like Mainiero says, committed financially. Aviation fuel can cost between five and seven dollars a gallon, and with insurance, maintenance, and other expenses, people pay 100 to 170 dollars just for the plane. For a flight instructor, prices are 60 to 90 dollars per hour, and there is also a cost for pre- and post-flight briefing and debriefing. Despite the high cost flying entails, Mainiero flies whenever possible, flying multiple days a week. However, unlike normal weekdays where people go about the same routine every day, Mainiero claims that there is never a “typical” day of flying. Most of his recent flying has been training oriented due to his work towards earning his Commercial Pilot License; however, Mainiero claims that depending on the intent of the flight, he may be up in the air flying for “as short as 45 minutes” or “as long as four or five hours.” When thinking about his future, Mainiero is certain he wants to pursue a career related to aviation. “There are not many careers that pay you to look out of a window all day while having fun! There are pros and cons to career
in aviation, but for me it is a heavy duty passion that provides a drive that counters most cons,” says Mainiero. He also loves the adrenaline flying provides him with. “Flying is being in control, while doing what seems to be something out of control. Adrenaline for the typical high schooler might include going to Six Flags or Great America and riding roller coasters all day. Yes, there is some fun in that [...] you go upside down and what not, but one is not in direct control of the ride.” Mainiero has the skills to have his plane do maneuvers in the air that are perceived by the human eye as unnatural, as he can “pull between two and three times the number of G-forces than a roller coaster, and roll around at three times the rate.” This leads to “the plane tumbl[ing] tail over nose” and having the potential to “slide backwards at upwards of 40 miles per hour.” This aerobatic type of flying is something Mainiero loves to perform. “Nowhere else can you do such a wild gyration of maneuvers. It lasts [a while] too. A roller coaster might be a minute and a half. This ride lasts 30 minutes straight.” Mainiero states that at times he feels overwhelmed by his multiple activities, as he wants to spend as much time flying as possible while trying to maintain good grades in school. However, Mainiero is capable of fitting everything in due to him only having “four classes, three of which are academic” at school. Because of this short schedule, Mainiero
Photography Michael Mainiero is able to leave at the start of lunch every day, which provides him with the opportunity to spend more time flying. “I do miss a fair amount of school due to time conflicts,” states Mainiero, “but I always make sure to be excused prior to each event.” After leaving school, Mainiero drives straight to the airport, where he has lunch at the Sky Kitchen Cafe. He eats with a group of pilots who “alone may have 30,000 to 60,000 plus hours” of flying. As an 18-year-old pilot himself who is open to any information and experiences that will help improve his flying skills, Mainiero sees the group of pilots as a “mentor group,” looking up to them and loving each moment he spends with them at the airport. Mainiero says aviation provides him with a freedom that is hard to explain; as the pilot, he gets to make decisions for an aircraft thousands of feet in the air. He also has great respect for the other pilots at the airport he flies at. “The community is extremely close-knit, much closer than any high school friend group. There is a mutual respect around the group.” Mainiero also pursues a side job of aviation photography, where like his Commercial Pilot License, he gets paid to ride in airplanes and take pictures. He is committed to photography just as much as being a pilot, believing that “just like painting, photographing aircraft is an art.” As a professional photographer, Mainiero invests in quality equipment, which improves the quality of his
pictures and allows him to partner with and be published in aviation publications including InFlightUSA. However, what Mainiero loves about aviation photography is “the fact that I have combined two hobbies and passions into one, and am paid to do it!” Mainiero is planning to graduate high school with 600 flight hours and a Multi-Engine Commercial License, an impressive feat for his young age. This fall, he will be “living at home doing a Bachelor’s in Aviation Science degree online.” By doing online school, Mainiero will be able to do school anywhere and anytime, maintain a flexible schedule, work full-time, and still do photography. Mainiero’s passion is unlike any other; he is fully dedicated, willing to work incessantly to pursue his passion. “For many, flying is associated with being packaged up in an aluminum tube cattle car and being shot across the world with bad food and drafty air currents. I have a different exposure. It’s a passion. It’s a love of sorts.” *Interested in learning to fly a plane? Check out this link: http://www.eaa20. org/ *Check out Michael’s photography: http:// www.michaelmainierophoto.smugmug. com/
the MarK | Photo Edition
13
Notebook Culture For CluedIn Women
32
“Photography is the only language that
”
can be understood anywhere in the world 18% Snapshot
Where do you post your photos? Portraits
M-A students were surveyed and asked a variety of questions regarding the impact of photography in their lives.
18% Selfie
6% Pets
40% Nature
15 pho
6% Snapchat
ts ilm en h f d u it st t w A M- sho f o ve ha
percent
tog
3
Is the average number of photos M-A students take per day
ra
phy
What is your favorite thing to take pics of?
6% Facebook
88% Instagram
(Noun):
the art or practice of taking and processing photographs
“
The goal of photography is to Catch every perfect moment and keep it forever
”
- M-A Student
14
the MarK | Photo Edition
“
Photography allows me to express my thoughts and feelings
”
- M-A Student
Notebook When met with a cool photo oppurtunity, would you...
a)
Grab your camera immediately
56% agrees with you!
b)
Admire it for a few seconds, and then walk away
16% would do the same...
c)
See if your phone can capture the lighting
28% says the same thing
d)
Ignore it
Oops, 0% answered “d”
Do you consider yourself a photographer?
53%
of M-A Students do!
Hopefully you know the answer to this because 100% of M-A students answered it correctly!
What Is the rule of thirds?
The Rule of Thirds is a photography skill which is used by imagining breaking down a photo into three parts both and horizontally and placing key parts of the photo inside these the boxes created.
“Now I value Film pictures much more because of the time and effort that went into creating them.” -M-A Students sharing their experience with developing film pictures in a dark room at their middle school.
the MarK | Photo Edition
15
are YOU?
WHICH
PHOTOGRAPHER
what camera do you normally take photos on and why?
phone more conveniant
gopro I enjoy taking action shots/ videos.
I enjoy the value and proess of developing film.
film digital GoPro camera camera
What do you most enjoy taking pictures of? portraits
you are... ANNIE LEIBOVITZ
Famous for her beautiful portraits, Leibovitz worked for the Rollingstone and Vanity Fair throughout the 70’s and 80’s and is now showcasing her art. She is a world renound photographer who’s stunning portraits leave you breathless.
16
the MarK | Photo Edition
I find the quick, easy method practical and efficient.
I enjoy taking high quality photos.
don’t have another camera
If you could change your camera, what would you change to?
digital camera
film camera
you are... Mario Testino
One of the most respected fashion photographers of all time, Testino has photographed for a variety of High Fashion magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair. In addition Testino has photographed campaignes for global fashion brands like Gucci and Versace along with famous models like Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss.
editorials
nature
you are... Ansel Adams
An American photographer as well as an avid environmentalist, Ansel Adams is a widely admired nature photgrapher. Known to h ave photographed the American West, his most famous collections include those of black and white photos of Yosemite National Park which have been reproduced on calenders, posters and books.
pets and animals
you are... Suzi Eszterhas California-based photgrapher who has photographed captivating images of animals in places like Africa, her photos have been featured in major publications including Time, BBC Wildlife and Smithsonian. She has photographed a variety of animals from elephants to sloths to red-eyed tree frogs.
the MarK | Photo Edition
17
by Rebecca Schena
18
the MarK | Photo Edition
the MarK | Photo Edition
19
20
the MarK | Photo Edition
the MarK | Photo Edition
21
1000 Words 22
the MarK | Photo Edition
Photography Theresa Siri
S
Is a picture really worth a thousand words? by Molly Kearnan
tumbling through the crowd, the sound of foreign tongues swirls through the air, intermingling with the blare of a saxophone and the flying notes of a flute. You stop for a moment to catch your breath, finding solace in the shade of a looming statue. The placard claims it’s 70 feet, but to you it’s an insurmountable mountain, (literally) sparkling with the mysteries of a world you left behind in your childhood. A world of mythical beasts and undeniable heroes -heroes made of unfailing courage and selflessness (traits that have perhaps been failing to find you as of late). On any other day, the brisk wind would be nothing but a nuisance, but today it is a voice, infused with the stories of the sea, beckoning you to its origins. You follow the wind as it calls you, leading you deeper and deeper into the masses. Carried by the winds, a web of bubbles glinting with color dips and flies, catching on passers-by’s stray wisps of hair. The wind manipulates the bubbles, blowing them playfully into the faces of children until you find yourself entranced. A promise to meet your friend near the ice cream stand is long forgotten, and you find yourself drawing closer and closer to the intricate bubble formation. You are lost in the colors, the magic, the unknown. You thrust your hand into the air, feeling the delicate bubbles burst instantaneously with the touch of your fingers and you can’t help but marvel at your power over these objects of ethereal design. With this newfound strength, you jump and you twirl with the bubbles until you land with the realization that you are, despite all previous doubts, alive.
Santana Row, SJ | Jackie Lopez
DTLA| Jackie Lopez
24
the MarK | Photo Edition
DTLA | Bella Lopez
San Francisco | Bella Lopez
I woke up like this In the radiant early hours of the day we look most pure and natural. These photos collected through Instagram showcase our raw beauty at first light.
the MarK | Photo Edition
25
SoAring by Elana Schulman
A look into Surreal
Trapped by Elana Schulman 26
the MarK | Photo Edition
by Elana Schulman
Painter's dream by
Elana
Schulman
Laced by Elana Schulman
Selfie
The Climber
by Elana Schulman
by Elana Schulman the MarK | Photo Edition
27
atie by K
b Web
1
Open a photo in Photoshop, then open the layer menu.
5
28
Drag the text layer below the top layer.
the MarK | Photo Edition
C r e at e 2
6
Duplicate the background layer (the photo).
Select the top layer. In the menu bar at the top, go to layer > create clipping mask.
Photo Text 3
Create a new layer, then fill it with any color. Place this layer between the background and the duplicate background.
7
4
Go to the top layer, then select the type tool and type out your word. Use a large, thick font, so that the subject of the photo will be visible.
You now have a photo in your text! You can add other effects, or just leave it as is.
the MarK | Photo Edition
29
Photography Bobby Macdonald
Photography Talia Missan
30
the MarK | Photo Edition
Photography Trevor Thiele-Sardina
Photography Annalisa Crowe
roadtrip by Sabina Vitale
the MarK | Photo Edition
31
@themamark
themamark.tumblr.com
facebook.com/themamark
@themamark
visit mabearnews.com for daily news