MMS 173 ASSIGNMENT 4: BUCKETLIST
GLAD YOU'RE HERE
This assignment presents a curated series of five photographs, each one a creative response to an assigned theme. More than just images, they are visual narratives that blend artistic vision with the technical principles explored throughout the course. This collection demonstrates my grasp of foundational photography concepts while also highlighting my exploration of storytelling through composition, light, and perspective. Each photo invites the viewer to pause, engage, and discover the connection between the theme and its visual expression.
HEIGHT
The Sky Between Us
Focal Length: 23mm
I used a 23mm wide-angle lens so I could capture both buildings in one frame while emphasizing symmetry and vertical lines. This helped guide the viewer’s eyes upward and showcase the scale of the architecture without distorting the perspective.
Aperture: f/1.88
I chose a wide aperture (f/1.88) to let in more light, especially since I was shooting in low-light conditions. It also helped create a soft background while keeping the buildings in focus, giving the image a sense of depth and drawing attention to the structures.
Shutter Speed: 1/50s
A shutter speed of 1/50s was enough to capture the scene without any motion blur. Since there was no movement, this speed let me keep the image sharp while still allowing sufficient light to enter the lens.
ISO: 78
I kept the ISO low at 78 to reduce noise and preserve the clarity and fine details in the buildings and the sky. This helped me maintain a clean, high-quality image without grain.
Exposure Value (EV): -2.00
I intentionally underexposed the image by setting the EV to -2.00. This deepened the shadows on the buildings and made the colors of the sky more pronounced. I wanted to create a moody, cinematic atmosphere, one that feels calm and introspective.
As the sun retreated and the air-cooled, I stepped outside, not with a destination, but with a longing to feel something real. The kind of quiet only twilight can offer whispered through the streets. I looked up, and there it was. Two buildings, towering like silent sentinels, carved a narrow path for the sky to breathe between them.
The world seemed to slow as the city exhaled. The golden light dimmed, but it left something behind: a space between two cold, concrete giants where the sky could still speak. That slice of sky, quiet, delicate, defiant, felt like a metaphor. For hope. For breath. For balance. For the spaces we create in the middle of chaos to remember who we are.
I took this photo because it made me feel small in the best possible way. Not insignificant, but human. It reminded me that even in a city built on ambition and steel, there is always room to look up. That beauty can exist in the in-between, in the silence between words, in the space between buildings, and in the calm before night falls.
It’s a reminder that when we look up, we don’t just see the sky, we see ourselves.
PATTERN
The Green Thread of Life
Focal Length: 0.00mm
Although the EXIF data did not reflect the focal length, I used a Canon EF-S 18–55mm lens for this shot. Based on the framing and composition, it was likely captured at the wider end of the focal range—around 18 to 24mm. This allowed me to focus closely on the leaf while capturing the depth and subtle separation from the background.
Aperture: f/5.6
I chose a moderate aperture to create a shallow depth of field, subtly blurring the background while keeping the leaf in focus. This allowed me to isolate the subject effectively, directing the viewer’s attention to the rich green tones and delicate details of the leaflets.
Shutter Speed: 1/500s
Given the potential for movement (either from a breeze or handheld shake), I used a fast shutter speed to eliminate motion blur. This ensured the image remained crisp and sharp, particularly the fine veins and edges of each leaflet.
ISO: 800
While shooting in a relatively low-light environment with dense foliage, I elevated the ISO to 800 to compensate for the lack of natural light. This helped brighten the image without introducing excessive noise, preserving clarity and contrast in the leaf structure.
Exposure Value (EV): 0
I opted not to adjust exposure compensation, as the lighting conditions and metering provided a balanced exposure that accurately captured the mood of the scene, a contrast between natural shadows and a soft, moody illumination falling on the leaf.
As I wandered through the grounds of the UPOU Headquarters, a quiet calm surrounded me. The air was still, save for the whispers of the trees, and in that moment, I wasn't searching for grandeur, I was simply being present. Amid the towering trees and sprawling greenery, I came upon a single leaf hanging delicately from a branch. Its form was symmetrical, its posture proud, yet so easily missed. Most would walk past it without a second glance, but I stopped.
I saw it.
It is a portrait of presence, of choosing to notice what others overlook. In a world obsessed with the monumental, I chose to honor the minute, the quiet, the humble. This lone leaf, suspended in stillness, speaks volumes. Each leaflet mirrors the next, like verses in a poem written by nature’s hand. Its vibrant greens are not just colors. They are lifelines, whispering stories of resilience, quiet strength, and quiet beauty.
For what is a leaf, if not a giver of life?
It is the earth’s breath, exhaling hope into the air. It gathers light from a distant sun and turns it into sustenance, not just for itself but for all of us. In silence, it labors. In stillness, it saves. It is often ignored, yet it is everywhere, an unsung architect of balance, a green thread woven into the very fabric of our survival.
This image became my reminder. Not everything of value shouts. Sometimes, the most powerful things are quiet. They are patient. They wait to be seen. And when we finally do, we realize that significance does not lie in scale, but in presence.
In capturing this leaf, I was also capturing a truth, that there is grace in the overlooked, and that by choosing to see the ordinary deeply, we begin to rediscover the extraordinary. Just like the leaf, our quiet acts of noticing, of pausing, of being, are sacred.
Because sometimes, seeing a single leaf is enough to remember how the world breathes.
NIGHT
Neon Brews & Midnight Moods
Focal Length: 46mm
I used a 46mm focal length to achieve a more focused and compressed composition. This allowed me to isolate the coffee stall from its surroundings, giving it a stronger visual presence while keeping the background less distracting. It helped me direct attention to the illuminated details and signage, which were the main subjects of the shot.
Aperture: f/1.88
I chose a wide aperture of f/1.88 to let in more light, especially since I was shooting at night. This also created a shallow depth of field, subtly separating the lit-up coffee stall from the darker background. It added depth and gave the image a clean, cinematic look.
Shutter Speed: 1/50s
I used a shutter speed of 1/50s to maintain sharpness while still allowing enough light to hit the sensor. Since the scene was mostly still, with minimal movement, this speed was ideal for handheld shooting in low-light conditions without introducing blur.
ISO: 141
I set the ISO to 141 to strike a balance between light sensitivity and image clarity. It was just high enough to keep the exposure bright enough without introducing too much noise. I wanted to preserve the vibrant colors and clean edges of the signage and display inside the stall.
Exposure Value (EV): -2.00
I intentionally underexposed the image by two stops to emphasize the contrast between the brightly lit coffee stall and the darkness of the environment. This choice helped me create a dramatic, almost cinematic atmosphere that makes the subject pop. The negative EV also prevented overexposure of the artificial lights, keeping the colors rich and the mood intact.
As night blanketed the streets of Fairview, I stumbled upon a quiet moment that seemed to glow with quiet resilience, a small coffee stall, lit like a beacon, standing steadfast against the dark. The warm light spilling from Pickup Coffee cut through the stillness of the evening, its signage radiant, its purpose clear. It isolates this pocket of warmth from the rest of the city, allowing its subtle poetry to speak.
There were no crowds, no noise, just light, shadow, and the silent story of caffeine and comfort. I shot at 1/50s with a low ISO of 141 and an exposure value of -2.00 to preserve the raw contrast: the luminous storefront against the thick, velvety night. It was important to me that the image felt honest and unforced, moody yet inviting, grounded yet cinematic.
I didn’t set out to find this scene, it found me. As I walked through Fairview, tired but curious, the shop glowed like a pause in the city’s pulse. It wasn’t just the light that drew me in, it was what it stood for. Coffee has long been a quiet companion to those who brave the night: students hunched over notes, workers finishing shifts, dreamers planning futures. In that brief moment, Pickup Coffee wasn’t just a stall, it was a symbol of comfort, of fuel, of hope.
It reminded me how a single cup can hold more than warmth, it can hold someone together.
That’s why I took the shot, not because it was technically perfect or visually striking, but because it captured something more: a universal truth in a very specific place. It’s a tribute to every person who leans on a cup of coffee to make it through the night. It’s an image of light, of small things that make a big difference.
FLOWER
Ablaze in Dew
Focal Length: 0.00mm
While the EXIF data registers a focal length of 0.00mm, this photo was taken using the Canon EF-S 18–55mm lens. I worked at a close focusing distance, likely around the 35–55mm range, to treat the flower almost as a portrait subject. My goal was to immerse the viewer in the intricate textures and vibrant tones of the petals, enhanced by the presence of water droplets. The framing was intentional, tight and intimate, to emphasize the soft gradients and natural elegance of the bloom while using depth of field to isolate it from the background.
Aperture: f/5.0
I used a mid-range aperture to achieve a shallow depth of field that softly separates the subject from the background. This makes the flower stand out while rendering the surroundings into a gentle blur. It emphasizes the intricate textures and raindrops on the petals without losing the natural context.
Shutter Speed: 1/40s
Given the stillness of the subject and the ambient lighting, a shutter speed of 1/40 second was appropriate to avoid motion blur while maintaining a well-exposed image. This setting allowed me to work handheld and still retain sharp details on the flower.
ISO: 100
I selected a low ISO to preserve image quality and avoid digital noise. Since the lighting conditions were favorable, this helped maintain the true colors and contrast of the scene, especially the rich pinks and soft greens.
Exposure Value (EV): 0
Keeping the EV at zero allowed me to reflect the natural lighting accurately. I wanted the image to feel authentic, with no artificial brightening or darkening, staying true to what the eye would see.
As the rain's final whispers faded, leaving only the quiet murmur of the world exhaling, I wandered through our garden, lost in the search for everything and nothing at once. And there it was, a pink flower, ablaze with life, glowing faintly in the softened light, kissed by the last tender beads of the storm. Its petals, radiant and unapologetically vivid, cradled the water as though they had just survived the very storm that gave them breath.
I was drawn to this flower, not merely for its outward beauty, but for the quiet strength it held, an almost hidden resilience. In the fragile petals, untouched by the storm, I saw a reflection of something deeper. The flower cradled the water like a memory, soft, yet unshaken by the tempest it had just weathered. In that stillness, I found a delicate strength that lives within vulnerability.
Through this photograph, I sought to capture the theme of emotional rebirth, how, after the storm, life can bloom anew. The rain, often seen as a weight that burdens, had instead nourished this flower. It was a reminder that sometimes, the brightest expressions of life come in the wake of struggle and silence.
Creatively, I wanted to transform the flower into more than just a botanical subject. I envisioned it as a living metaphor, a symbol of vulnerability and quiet strength. With a shallow depth of field and natural light, I composed the shot to evoke the raw emotional tone of the moment. I wanted viewers to feel like they had stumbled upon this rare scene themselves, unexpected, intimate, and brimming with life.
In the end, I chose this photograph because it speaks a story of fragility, beauty, and an indomitable resilience that rises in the quietest of moments. In a world obsessed with noise, this is a whisper worth hearing.
MOTION
Pag-ibig, Kalayaan, Bayan
Focal Length: 0.00mm
I utilized a standard kit zoom lens (Canon EF-S 18–55mm) for its versatility in framing. While the metadata did not capture the exact focal length, this lens allowed me to compose the image from a strategic angle, using the building’s frame as a natural border to create depth and focus the viewer’s gaze on the flag.
Aperture: f/5.6
I selected an aperture of f/5.6 to ensure a reasonable depth of field, sharp enough to capture the flag and some background elements clearly, while maintaining subtle separation from the trees. This balanced approach provided a crisp rendering of the flag without distracting from its surroundings.
Shutter Speed: 1/500s
Since the flag was in motion due to the wind, I chose a high shutter speed to freeze that movement. This helped preserve the sharpness of the flag's design and color details, especially the sun and stars, even as it fluttered dynamically.
ISO: 100
Shooting in broad daylight allowed me to keep the ISO at its lowest setting. This choice minimized noise and maintained the image's clarity and tonal richness, capturing the vibrant colors of the flag against the bright sky.
Exposure Value (EV): 0
I trusted the camera’s metering system to handle the strong natural lighting, which was well-diffused through the scattered clouds. No compensation was necessary, as the exposure accurately represented the contrast between the shadows of the structure and the well-lit flag and sky.
I was standing on the second floor of the UPOU Headquarters, near the Audiovisual Room. I wasn’t searching for anything in particular, just looking around, absorbing the day. Then, through the stillness, I saw it: the Philippine flag, dancing in the wind, caught mid-motion like a heartbeat unfurling against the sky.
But there were grills in the way. Metal bars. Obstacles. A barrier between me and the symbol of a nation.
I could have turned away. I could have waited to find a clearer view. But something within me refused. I realized then, this wasn’t an obstruction. This was a frame. A frame for a moment that demanded to be seen not in spite of, but because of its setting.
So I raised my camera. I used the walls and the grills to create a window, a deliberate choice to capture the flag as it waved freely within a world that isn’t always free. The dark lines of the architecture did not confine the flag, they amplified it. The flag stood bold against the blue, red, white, and gold of the sky, framed by shadows, yet never silenced by them.
This photo tells a deeper story. It is not just about patriotism, but perseverance. Not just about identity, but introspection. The flag, for me, became a metaphor, of hope seen through struggle, of pride that persists through challenges, of freedom that must sometimes be viewed through barriers, but never bound by them.
It reminded me that perspective is everything. What may seem like a limitation can become the very element that makes a story more powerful. Just like our people, often viewed through hardship, yet shining with unwavering spirit.
In capturing this photo, I wasn’t just taking a picture of the flag. I was capturing a moment of defiance, of beauty framed by struggle, of the courage to see beyond the obvious. It is a reminder that even when boxed in, we can still rise, still wave, still claim our place in the sky.
Because sometimes, the most powerful frames are the ones we never meant to find, but chose to use, and transform, with intention and heart.