Final Images

My chosen images that I would like to exhibit at the exhibition are two sets of images. The first set are guns. Whilst I was over there I visited different places that sold guns and amunition, because I had never seen anothing like it before, I was so fasinated. I even picked one up and held a gun myself and it didnt feel like a weapon that could kill someone it felt like a heavier version of a toy gun. My second set of images are portraits of people I've met. I found in America the people are so happy and friendly and yet they do hunting as a sport. Its quite a different contrast

Guns

Portraits of interesting People I've met (second set of images)

Experience's in USA

My whole experience in America was very different and I didnt know what to expect but I had the best three weeks. There were so many differences between the USA and UK.

The different differences I remebere were things such as:

• The traffic lights
• The traffic signs
• The streets are so much bigger then UK
• The way the waitors serve in restaurants.
• The guns
• The shops in the shopping mall e.g. they had a hat shop full of different hats with different football, baseball, soccers teams etc...
• The cinema, how waitors serve you if your sat in VIP seats
• The accsent, I realised that when watching American televsion I don't notice it but being in America I notice it more.
• How they advert Doctors/Hopitals on TV because they ay for there medical.

Through the time I was there it was hard for me not to put my camera down. Everything was so different and opened my eyes. Speaking to the people and finding out the difference and their thoughts on what they think of UK.

Number Plates

I was walking past the cars I kept noticing that's the registration plates looked different. In the UK we have the standard yellow panel with black bold numbers and letters. So on the last day I walked past 20 cars and captured the ones with different registration plates and I managed to find 9.

The different coloured square labels in the top right hand corner is the equivalent to our "tax disc"

Day 22

Today is my last day so I took the oppurtunity to capture as many different images as possible on the way to the airport.

People on the street of Detroit

A white school bus. I found it funny because the typical American school bus are yellow so to see a white one was so surreal

I was asked to photograph the "8 mile" sign for a friend who is obsessed with the fil "8 mile" starring Eminem in it.

As we were getting closer to the airport in Detroit, the building were starting to change and turn more towards deralik and unused.

Day 21

Today we went through my friends University and as we were driving through I saw some people playing basket because I don't really see people playing basket ball but it is a main sport in USA

Another main sport is baseball, we drove past the batting cages so we pulled over to get a picture. They looked just like on television and how I imagined. I was allowed to go inside but I wanted to capture the cage to show that it was the batting cages.

Machine you put your money in to start the balls going

Bats at the batting cages

Another shot of someone who was playing basket ball. It just reminded me of a typical after shot of someone playing basket ball, with a towel over his head to cool down. Unfortunately when I shot the image my exposure was to high and it came out white so I turned the exposure down and I liked the effect it created so decided to keep and use it.

After driving thought the University we went to the vets to pick up my friends dog. The vets is near a more rural area. I noticed that even though its houses on a street it looks very American and how they don't have any fences and the grass was lovely and green. While I was photographing the shot a women was looking at me through her door in a very mysterious look, because of the area I felt again a little weary of the fact someone was watching me.

Day 20

I really wanted to try and capture different shots of bullets. So, my Uncle Mike asked someone at work if we could borrow them for me capture and luckily he said yes. He have a large range of different size and types. My idea was to use my lens baby to give the effect of the bullet being fired and traveling but unfortunately it wasn't successful as I imagined it. So, instead I used my 24mm to 105mm to soon in on the bullet.

Bullet




Near my friends University there are fraternity houses. Again we done have fraternity houses in the UK so it was something new to me. I captured the image to show the signs for the house. I'm not too sure what they mean though, I asked someone and she was unsure as well.

Fraternity House



In America they have garage sales its the equivalent to car boots but instead in their own garage. The entrance to the colder sack would have a sign out and when driving around the houses they would tie balloons to there letterboxes so people would know that they have a garage sale.

Garage Sale sign



Local neighbour having a garage sale



Later that day we went to church again for the last time. As we were going into the lecture theater for church there was a sign outside saying "This service is PG13". The topic of the service was about sex. I thought that in the UK, the church's would never talk about sex. After church we headed to a shop called "Dicks" where they sell different types of sports clothing and accessories. Again, something I would never see at home is an area selling guns and ammunition in a sports shop but because hunting is a sport in America it is normal to sell products to be used for hunting.

Gun area in sports shop

Day 19

Today went headed out to the "Silver Dome" an outside theater. Unfortunately it was closed due to repairs to the speakers. It not only have a outdoor theater but the dome can be used for other events for example Lacrosse.

Silver Dome Theater



After finding the dome we head to "Jerry's gun shop" to capture some images of guns and to speak to the staff about what they think about guns. I was speaking to a man who worked there about guns and he was explaining that's 21 years and older can apply for a licence, all that needs to be done is for you to fill in a form, that form to be sent to Federal Bureau where they check if you have a criminal record, if not you then receive a licence that needs to be renewed every 5 years. I couldn't believe how simply it was to actual buy a gun. He was also talking about the different types of gun licenses. He mention there is a licence that you can have a concealed weapon, as he was talking about a concealed weapon and he lifted his top to show that he has a concealed gun. In my head I kept repeating in my head he has a gun and didn't know it. I couldn't believe I was speaking to someone who had a real gun with real bullets in it.

Jerry's Gun Shop



The gentleman got out different handguns for us to have a look and hold. He explained how to hold a gun for example when testing different guns point it either down or up and not straight at anyone. He was showing us the revolver.

Hand gun


Gun with a price tag for you to purchase



After I left the gun shop in amazement as to what I had saw we were driving and we saw a car full of bumper stickers. I haven't seen anything like that in UK before and Ive seen them in movies.

Car with bumper stickers



My friend took me into show sub divisions to show me more expensive area of Michigan

Day 18

My friend looks after and sometimes tutors three children occasionally and the mother has seen my children portraits and likes my work so has asked if I could photograph her children. Normally I would photography portraits in the studio so to do them on location especially at their home might become challenging but hopefully Ive planned some ideas that should work.

They have an outside area that you can go down some stairs to get to the play area so I'm hoping to photograph them on there and get them playing on the jungle gym and hopefully get some natural smiles off them. At the moment the weather is cloudy but dry If it starts to rain I will move inside I use the house to capture some portraits

Hailey



Alex



Owen



The three of them



They were a bit wild to capture but the weather stayed nice so I got them to play so I could photograph them

Later that evening we went to restaurant called "Ticonderoga" were they have animals head hung on the wall and the lamp shades were made of hooves. The atmosphere reminded me of a hunters lodge.

The lamp shade



The walls



On our way back home from the restaurant we noticed there was a school game happening. At first I thought it was American football so I got in closer to take images but then I realized that t was lacrosse. Still, in the UK we don't have lacrosse so I was interesting to watch and see how it is played. For example, how when one player had the play the apposing team would attach them to get the ball or to prevent them from throwing the ball

Lacrosse



Lacrosse



The seating area for the lacrosse game

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