True/False Film Fest

True False Film Fest brought together approximately 30,000 film fanatics for a weekend somewhere in between reality and the imagination. Several very talented directors brought their best work, documentary or fiction, to the screen.  From Thursday to Sunday Columbia was transformed into a haven for smart wool, creative beings, and supporters of the arts.    

Festival attendees and volunteers socialize at the @ction party Friday night in Tonic night club.

Despite the rain True/False attendees celebrate the beginning of the festival in the March March Friday through downtown Columbia.

 House manager and Juggernaut volunteer Caitlin Cunningham works outside The Blue Note.

Festival musicians play at Buskers Last stand, the closing event of the weekend, Sunday night in the Missouri Theatre.

The audience waits for Academy Award-winning director James Marsh's most recent film Project Nim to begin in the Missouri Theatre.

The Def-fish-it

I hear a lot of numbers being thrown around about where U.S. money goes and where it is coming from. I decided to investigate and provide a visual representation of some number crunching. I wanted to show how far the U.S. has fallen into debt and who will be affected by any spending cuts.

The following is a photo illustration of U.S. spending in 2010.

From the bottom up:

Soil: 57% of the U.S. budget is mandatory spending (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid etc.).

Sand: 38% of the U.S. budget is discretionary spending (Homeland Security, Health, Education etc.).

Water: 5% of the U.S. budget was money earned on top of the 1.3 trillion dollar deficit.

Fish: Americans.

The United States is drowning in a debt of over 14.1 trillion dollars. Fifty-seven percent of the budget is mandatory spending (soil) which is untouchable money. Thirty-eight percent of the budget is discretionary spending (sand) which could be reduced if it was not borrowed money. As a result federal spending cuts are limited to the positive portions of the U.S. budget (water).

All information from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

Lighting Diagram:

I positioned the fishbowl on a light table directly in front of the camera. I lit from underneath and had Alex Wood gobo. I placed a strip box at an angle to light the front so you could see the detail in the sand and soil. I shot at ISO 200 f/11 1/15.

C.O.L.O.R.S. Step Show

Several talented individuals from greek organizations at their respective schools showcased their step skills for the entire Big XII Conference on Black Student Government at the The C.O.L.O.R.S. Step Show Saturday night in Jesse Auditorium. Check The Maneater for a slideshow of the entire performance.

Alexandria Sayles, a member of MU chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, holds up a Delta backstage at the  Coalition Of  Leaders Organizing Radical Segues Step Show.

Members of Lincoln University's Omega Psi Phi stand together before going on stage at the C.O.L.O.R.S. Step Show.

Jalisa Ray of the MU chapter of Delta Sigma Theta performs at the C.O.L.O.R.S. Step Show.

This Week In The Kitchen

Rosemary chicken soup with roasted veggies and cous cous.

Saffron chicken and vegetable fried rice.

Tomato basil chicken with mushrooms and scallions.

Advanced Techniques: Classmate Portrait

Here is my first attempt at a studio portrait. Look below for lighting diagram.

Junior Jeremy Jardine throws his hands over his head to relax. Jardine describes his "happy place" as laying in the grass on a beautiful day.

I placed 2 soft boxes at even power 200Ws, one on either side of the subject, to create soft even light. To imitate real sunlight I placed a modeling light high in the back at 800Ws. I also used a white reflector angled over the subject to create more evenness. I shot f/22 and 1/30 at ISO 100. 

No Coast Valentines Day Massacre

Battle rappers and performers came together from all over the nation (and Canada) to compete in the No Coast Valentines Day Massacre Feb. 11th and 12th at Cafe Berlin.

Mr. Biscuit yells to Maniphest DestNE during the No Coast Valentines Day Massacre at Cafe Berlin.

Dallas and Hindu Rock face off before their battle on Saturday at Cafe Berlin

Men's Basketball (Mizzou vs Oklahoma)

The Mizzou vs. Oklahoma game was in the afternoon which made for some nice light. The Mizzou Tigers won the game with a score of 84-61.

Junior Laurence Bowers shoots over three Oklahoma players.

Junior Steve Moore drives to the hoop.

Oklahoma head coach Jeff Capel argues with the referee.

Junior Ricardo Ratliffe goes for a shot against Oklahoma.

Echolilia

Timothy Archibald created a portrait series to examine and try to understand his son's autism. The light in the series was versatile. I found that mostly soft light was used to emphasize innocence and youth but it also integrated hard light to make some of the images more emotive. I think the subject and the photographer are revealed simultaneously in these portraits. Dimension and depth were created through this series by spending extensive time with the subject. The photographs are very intimate and feel natural. Some of the photos were staged and some were documentary style but each picture presented a representation of consciousness by the photographer. 

Photo by: Timothy Archibald

Photo by: Timothy Archibald

Photo by: Timothy Archibald

Men's Basketball (Mizzou vs. Colorado)

Junior guard Marcus Denmon races past Colorado guard Levi Knutson

Junior Kim English trips on the court.

Assistant Coach Matt Zimmerman yells from the sidelines.

Night Light

Spencer Pearson works on his computer Wednesday night.