CLASSWORK
CLASSWORK REFLECTION
I think I came to a better understanding of the importance of classwork this semester. I was able to understand that it wasn’t just arbitrary busywork, but essential to building skills and bettering the actual newspaper. Current events got us into the habit of being knowledgeable on the news and generating article ideas from it. Stock articles cushioned the newspaper in case we ever found ourselves with a hole and no time to fill it (which happened quite often). Grammar blogs helped me learn more about the workings of our language—but more than that, it helped me figure out how to take a boring subject and make it a little more interesting.
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Grammar blogs were definitely my least favorite classwork assignments. I didn’t understand why I needed to write about a topic I already knew about, and in the beginning, writing the blogs was mind-numbingly boring. As time went on, however, I realized that learning to write about simple topics like that was a good exercise. I even ended up learning facts about grammar that I hadn’t known before.
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My favorite classwork assignment was absolutely the photography studies and the stock photos. I enjoyed taking creative pictures, and focusing on specific techniques really allowed me to branch and improve my photography.
CURRENT EVENTS
ASTRONOMERS HAVE TRACKED A REPEATING RADIO SIGNAL ACROSS SPACE TO AN UNEXPECTED ORIGIN
January 7th, 2019
Scientists have long been aware of mysterious repeating radio signals emitted from space, picked up by radio telescopes. Five of these signals, which each last only a few milliseconds long, have been traced back to their origins by scientists, and the newest one offers a perplexing look into the matter of how the signals are formed. The origin is a spiral galaxy located 500 million light years from Earth. The conditions suggested that extreme space conditions, such as the region surrounding a supermassive black hole, were the cause of the signal. Sadly, it appears clear that some form of alien life was not, in fact, the cause of this signal.
CLUB LACKS ATHLETIC TRAINER, FAMILY PAYS $40,000 AFTER CHILD'S FOOTBALL INJURY
December 18, 2019
West Union, Ohio: the site of a high school with an athletics program, surprisingly lacking in a football team. Instead, football players play on a community club team, that gets all its funding and equipment through donations. An athlete on the team was recently injured during a game, and the head coach found himself with no other option but to call in an EMT, who recommended a helicopter ride to the nearest hospital. The athlete recovered, thankfully, but the family's $40,000 bill raises an important question: should clubs have the responsibility of providing athletic trainers at no cost to their players?
'SCRATCHING THE SURFACE': EDUCATION DEPARTMENT UNCOVERS $1.3B IN FOREIGN UNIVERSITY FUNDING
December 11th, 2019
The education department uncovered universities' failures to report billions of dollars in foreign funding in a recent investigation. Betsy DeVos, the education secretary, reported to the Washington Insider that they department had already launched an investigation into six universities and found over $1.3 billion in foreign funding. This funding came from countries including China, Russia, an Qatar, and must be reported by law. Among the universities under review are Georgetown, the University of Maryland, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
DOZENS OF OFFICE, CONDO TOWERS PREDICTED IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH'S FUTURE
December 4th, 2019
As WRAL reports, Raleigh's skyline will change dramatically in the next decade. Countless high-rise buildings--a mix of offices and apartments--are either in the construction, planning, or approvement stages. James Maripoti, Raleigh's project advocacy manager, says, ""Within the next four months to four years, look at 30 to 50 more mixed-use towers coming up in Raleigh alone." He estimates new projects in New Hill, downtown, and even a proposed Downtown South project including a new stadium for a Major League Soccer team. Raleigh City Council has been conducive to these new developments: the council recently approved a zoning change around Dorothea Dix Park for development, including hotels and apartment buildings.
NC'S MASSIVE MEDICAID TRANSFORMATION DELAYED OVER BUDGET FIGHT
November 20, 2019
North Carolina legislature's planned medicare transformation has been stalled indefinitely, Gov. Roy Cooper's administration announced on Tuesday. The expected change, which was set forth by House Republicans, will not occur due to Cooper's veto of a $502 million bill that would have funded the project. The governor cited wanting "a transformation to be part of a larger conversation on health care" as his reason fo vetoing the bill. Current Medicaid recipients will continue to receive healthcare.
SUPREME COURT GRAPPLES WITH TRUMP CANCELLATION OF DACA, IMPACT ON IMMIGRANT FAMILIES
November 13th, 2019
Following the controversial Trump administration decision to end DACA, the program that allows young children of illegal immigrants to the United States to stay within the country, courts grappled with the legality of the act. Lower courts criticized the act, saying it was illegal. However recently, the conservative-leaning Supreme Court has considered overturning this ruling. However, some justices said the administration needed only to provide extra justification for the ending of DACA to go through.
A GROUP OF FORMER UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN AFRICA ARE CREATING AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOME INSPIRED BY TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE
November 6th, 2019
A group of former university students from Tanzania, Nigeria, and Swaziland have created an energy-efficient home for a competition on renewable housing. While they did not win the competition, the nearly 40-students group made a completely energy-efficient home that is 100 percent powered by solar energy. What sets this group apart is the traditional African design of both the interior and exterior of the home, and the group's future plans. They plan to put the house and more houses like it on the market, as an affordable, completely energy efficient home for middle income families.
TRUMP ANNOUNCED HIS TECH AND SCIENCE COUNCIL 3 YEARS INTO HIS TERM
October 22nd, 2019
In modern U.S. history, presidents typically have council of advisers for different areas. The White House council of Science and Technology has long existed to "provide policy recommendations on strengthening American leadership in science and technology, building the workforce of the future, and supporting foundational research and development across the country," according to Business Insider. However, this council has remained inactive for the three years since Trump took office, for reasons unspecified by the White House and Trump administration.
The administration recently unveiled that Trump had finally appointed seven members to restart the council on Tuesday.
The president's administration has a history of disbanding presidential councils--Trump disbanded two councils (after several CEOs resigned) in 2017 following the white nationalist marches in Charlottesville.
EXPERTS SAY PARENTS SHOULD LIMIT THEIR CHILDREN'S PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS
October 16th, 2019
Amidst a rise in concerns over attaining coveted sports scholarships and stardom, sports injuries for children have steadily risen over the past several years. This comes from kids participating in too many sports at one time or playing too many hours of organized sports per week, and can lead to lifelong health problems. The National Athletic Trainers' Association has set guidelines, considerably more strict than other sports and psychology associations, for kids in organized sports. They propose a simple rule of thumb: "Children should not take part in organized sports for more hours per week than their age." They list seven other rules, including taking two days off per week to rest, and not focusing on a single sport for the entire year. The association writes that focusing on several sports rather than one can actually be beneficial to a young athlete's health, especially when their muscles and joints are still relatively young and developing.
POLICE HAVE STARTED DRONES AND FACIAL RECOGNITION TO TRACK INDIVIDUALS
October 9th, 2019
As technology advances, so has the ease with which police can administer surveillance tech to find individuals all across the United States. Drones, facial recognition technology, and policies led by algorithms have become the new forefront of police operations, even as human rights advocates raise concerns over the potential loss of privacy, free speech, and due process. In fact, according to Business Insider, databases of people's faces compiled across police bases now include half of American adults. Some cities, including San Francisco, have banned this facial recognition software, which can sometimes be fallible. Many police departments also utilize social media to track subjects. In addition, more than 165 police departments purchased drones in 2016 in order to map cities, hunt down suspects and victims, and investigate crime scenes.
MORE STUDENTS ARE TAKING THE SAT THAN EVER BEFORE
September 24th, 2019
High school student participation in the SAT is rising--amidst concerns that the test puts students of lower socioeconomic backgrounds at a disadvantage. More than 22 million students took the SAT this year, representing a 4% increase from last year. College Board attributes the rise to its SAT School Day, which they launched in an effort to increase access to the testing for students who may be working on weekends are can't find transportation. Seven additional states joined the program this year. The rise in testing comes as a surprise (albeit, a welcome one) to College Board, because many colleges have started to forego the mandation of SATs for entrance. Over 20 colleges dropped the SAT requirement this summer, citing concerns over the requirement putting lower socioeconomic classes at a disadvantage. However, College Board is doing much to address these problems: SAT School Day, free test preparation, and need-based fee waivers.
HURRICANE DORIAN LASHES FLORIDA’S CENTRAL COAST AS IT MOVES AWAY FROM SOUTH FLORIDA
September 3rd, 2019
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After causing devastation to the Caribbean for nearly a day, Hurricane Dorian finally began to move north. Florida's inhabitants were warned by officials to evacuate, but those warnings have been lifted and many other evacuation notices have been lifted as well. South Floridians are facing, at worst, heavy rain with tropical storm bursts. South Florida has begun to resume normalcy, as students will be returning to school on Wednesday. On Wednesday, the storm will begin to approach Georgia and the North.
Article ideas: storm preparedness, false alarms, protocols for cancelling school, school procedure for weather events like hurricanes or tornadoes, top 10 biggest hurricanes.
AMAZON FIRES: BRAZIL TO REJECT G7 OFFER OF $22M AID
August 27th, 2019
Following a record number of fires burning in Brazil's Amazon region, President Emmanuel Macron of France announced 22 million dollars aid at a recent G7 summit in France. However, Brazil ministers refuse to accept the aid, claiming that France only desires to gain control of the Amazon. Brazil's President Bolsonaro says he will not accept the aid unless President Macron apologizes for "lying". The Brazilian president claims Macron lied to him at a G20 summit last year by failing to respect climate commitments. Macron has, in retaliation, announced he will not ratify a South American trade deal unless Brazil commits to fighting the forest fires.
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Tie-backs: What can AFHS students do to help, write about clubs that raise awareness for environmental things like this, what legislation does Apex have in place, if any, that helps the environment, is there any legislation currently being voted on that affects the environment, suggestions for how AFHS could be a greener school.
STOCK ARTICLES
STOCK FOCUSES
PORTRAITS IN MODERN SETTINGS
Stock focus I: An exploration of the relationships between subjects and cityscapes, architecture, and modern art
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POLITICAL OP-EDS
Stock Focus II
BIDEN’S OBAMA-ERA NOSTALGIA WON’T CARRY HIM TO 2020
DEMOCRATS’ MOVE LEFT WILL BE THE PARTY’S RUIN—OR ITS SALVATION
DEMOCRAT LEADERSHIP LACKS DIVERSITY, BUT NOT JUST IN THE WAY YOU THINK.
PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIES
A STUDY OF PORTRAITURE
EARLY BEGINNINGS OF PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAITURE
Project Subtitle
According to study.com, the first photographic portrait, a self portrait of Robert Cornelius, cropped up in 1839. Following this, portrait studios started to open. They were initially unsuccessful, as the public didn't trust this new medium. Eventually, however, photographers won the trust of the public and the art form became more prevalent after they managed to capture portraits of famous people, such as Abraham Lincoln and Charles Dickens. Portraiture provided a cheaper and less time-consuming alternative to portrait paintings, and soon grew to be accessible to even lower classes.
MODERN PORTRAITS
June, 2023
As technology has advanced, photography has become more and more accessible as higher tech cameras become available on smartphones. Today, the average person can easily become a good portrait photographer, as long as they keep in mind some basic rules of portraiture.
LIGHTING
Photo by Andreas Jorns
Lighting can be one of the most important factors in creating a good portrait. Portraits should be taken in natural light in possible, such as near a window. However, photographers should avoid direct sunlight, as this can create harsh shadows. Avoid indoor lighting, which can have a yellow cast.
In this photograph, the lighting plays a key role in the atmosphere. The lighting solely on the subject's face restricts the viewer's eye to the subject, and creates an aura of mystery. The lighting also highlights the subject's good features.
BACKGROUNDS
Photo by Eric Kim
Backgrounds should be interesting, but not distracting. More professional portraits will typically have single-colored backgrounds. Photographers can play around with either matching the background to the subject, as in this image, or create an interesting contrast between background and subject. Typically, subjects should wear clothing that makes them pop against a background and draws attention to them. Another common technique used by photographers is placing a slightly out of focus object in the background that pertains to one of the subject's interests, or simply having the subject hold an object.
POSING
Photo by Jackie Lamas
Posing can make or break a portrait. Photographers should work closely with the subject to obtain a relaxed, non-stiff pose so the photo will look most natural. For full body pictures, have the subject shift their weight to one side and lean forward from the waist. This can make them look slimmer. Especially for close-ups, shoot the subject from multiple angles, as most people have a good side that may not be seen by the naked eye. The photographer can pick out the best side later when reviewing pictures.
Dynamic poses can also make for interesting portraits. Have the subject pose with a clear line of action in mind, or take a candid picture of a subject in motion.
LINE IN PHOTOGRAPHY
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LINE
Photo by unknown
Lines are interesting tools in a photographer's arsenal to create subconscious reactions in the viewer's mind. It's important for a photographer to know what reactions each type of line will cause, because these lines will almost always be present in any picture. Some of the most seen examples of line in photography are rails, paths, buildings, or streets. These can make the viewer feel like they are within the picture.
DIAGONAL LINES
Photo by Angie Harms
Diagonal lines, if used correctly, can create intrigue. They can also give images depth, and suggest perspective. Since they are not quite as normal as the typical horizontal and vertical lines in photography, they can give a photograph energy and force.
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In this picture, the diagonal lines lead the viewer's eye naturally from the lower left to the upper right, where the subjects of the photo are. Here, the lines also act as a mesmerizing pattern to create interest, but lines do not always form patterns.
VERTICAL LINES
Photo by Richard Drew
Vertical lines can stimulate feelings of grandeur, strength, and height. They can also convey growth (as in trees in a forest). When placed against a subject, the vertical lines can accentuate the subject's height. Photographers should make sure to keep the vertical lines as parallel to the sides of the photo as possible.
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This famous photograph, "Falling Man", depicts a man in the 9/11 tragedy left with no other option but to jump out of the collapsing building. The vertical lines create a feeling of slow movement and calm, even, freezing a horrible tragedy into one quiet frame for maximum emotional impact.
HORIZONTAL LINES
Photo by unknown
The horizontal line is the line found most often in photographs--and real life. The line gives a sense of calm, stability, and weight. However, that stability is lost as soon as the viewer detects a lopsided horizon line, so photographers must be careful to keep horizontal lines parallel to the edge of the frame.
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In this picture, the horizontal lines create a sense of stability and order. Since the horizontal line is the most natural type of line, our eye follows it easily though the picture. The neat parallel horizontal lines give the viewer a sense of ease and calm, and because of that, the viewer perceives this building as a calm and welcoming place.
