Component 1

Supporting
study
Candidate name: Minh
Pham Gia
Candidate number: 5205
Centre number: VN556
Syllabus and
component: 9481/01
Exam series: June 2023
Theme: Travel
I chose travel as my theme because I see travel brings many benefits such
as it helps us receive knowledge from different cultures. It also helps us
communicate better because communicating with people from different
places and different languages could makes us more comfortable and
confident when communicating with people. I see many people who are
too focused on work and don't take the time to travel with family and
friends to relieve stress, which is the reason why so many people feel
imprisoned in their own workplace and home.
I want to send a message to everyone that they should take the time to
travel to feel the beauty in different places as well as to relieve stress in life
so I decide to make a photobook about Vietnamese culture, I will take
photos of the streets, people and things that appear in the daily life of
Vietnamese people to support my message.
Why I choose photobook?
The photobook is a book of photographs by a photographer that has an
overarching theme or follows a storyline. I choose photobook in this
Component 1 because I have never made a photobook in the digital media
class before, so this time I wanted to experience something new, so I chose
to make a photobook. Also I think photobook is very convenient because
of its size which allow people bring it to everywhere and able to read
without internet.
Initial research
I do initial research to understand more about the
photobook and also to learn the way the professional doing
their photobook so I can apply to my own work. I also look
at the way they arrange their photo to attract viewers.

After researching here are 5 main requirement to

make a high quality photo book:

1. Organize your photos.

2. Choose the right photos with suitable color
3. Highlight your favorites.
4. Create variety in spreads.
5. Pick a theme.
6. Include helpful text.

I also learning tips to make travel photobook

so I able to find out which camera angles are most
suitable for travel photobook and attractive to viewers.
 Artist research: Steve Mccurry
Steve McCurry was born on April 23, 1950. Steve McCurry
is a contemporary American photographer and
photojournalist. His photographic work mostly focuses on
war and its consequences. McCurry is known for his vivid
color imagery and use of Kodachrome film. Often, his
pictures focus on the faces of his subjects, showing
unguarded emotions but he also very good at taking
landscape picture

The Iconic Photographs is a photography book from Steve McCurry

established in June 13, 2011. This photo book compiles the most
beautiful and memorable images of Steve McCurry's great career taken
around the world over the last 30 years. McCurry's photographs in this
book are especially impressive because they are reproduced at a size
that is slightly bigger than life-size. His portraits have a remarkable
impact and it look perfect from the smallest details of his wonderful
landscapes are clearly visible on the page.
Artist research: Photography style
McCurry is most famous for the vivid use of colour that have help him become one
of the greatest photographers. Photographers are familiar with Steve McCurry
because of his vivid contrasts and unique use of color that can really speak through
his photo. Henri Cartier-Bresson, the founder of modern photojournalism and a
master photographer, described "the decisive moment" as the central theme of
Steve McCurry's work. This idea is the key for him able to taking amazing pictures.
Every photographer know that photography captures every split second in life,
mean if you missed a moment, it will always be gone and never come again. That is
also the secret that helps Steve McCurry take such ecstatic and profound photos.

The. picture beside is an example of Steve McCurry vivid use of color. The photo
describe an old man with a striking red turban. His clothing suggests a rural
lifestyle and the blurred background of the photo seems to suggest an arid
environment, possibly a desert. The man's gaze is slightly directed away from the
camera, which gives a sense of realism to the photo. By zooming in on the
character's face and blurring the surroundings, I think Steve McCurry used the Fill
the Frame technique to take the photo. This technique makes viewers focus on the
man which is the main object and not be distracted by the background. Natural
lighting was used, with side lighting serving as the main light source. With shadows
highlighting the texture of the subject's face and turban, side lighting builds the
subject's features and creates a strong impression to the viewer.
 Artist Research: Photography style
Steve McCurry is not only famous for his portraits, but his
landscape photos are also very impressive. The photo next
to is one of his beautiful landscape photos. The photo was
taken in Afghanistan during the war. To capture this
moment in the best way, he used a wide angle shot
technique so that viewers could see the entire frame
around the main object. He was very successful with his
decision to use the wide angle shot technique because the
entire majestic landscape of the Afghanistan desert was
completely depicted in the photo and it made a huge
impression on me when I first saw the photo. The
brightness and contrast of this photo are very harmonious
and very easy to attract viewers. The main colours pallet I
see in this picture is yellow and brown. I can apply the
wide shot angle technique he used in the photo to take my
landscape photos of my photobook
Artist research: Photobook
Steve McCurry have taken this photo during the Afghanistan
war. In this photo Steve McCurry captured a moment that
perfectly speaks to the brutality of war. In the child's eyes
there was not innocence but sadness and fear and the man's
eyes also showed worry because he didn't know if he would see
the light again tomorrow. He use the technique rule of thirds
and the main color tone is a combination of light and dark
colors but it brings a pleasant feeling without being confused
between dark and light when viewing the photo.

The photo "Afghan Girl" symbolizes the hardships faced by the Afghan
people during the Afghan-Soviet War. The intensity of her gaze and
the vibrant colors make the photo powerful and memorable. The fill
the frame technique that Steve McCurry used can capture subtle
expressions that wider shots may miss. This technique forces the
viewer to focus on a single object in the photo and this have
completely brought out her mysterious beauty and green eyes. I think
I can also use this technique to take photos of Vietnamese people in a
photobook to highlight the beauty of Vietnamese people.
How I apply what I learn from Steve McCurry photo to my work
Steve McCurry is one of the best at capturing genuine human emotions and also
wonderful landscape photographer. I can take what I learned from him and apply
it to my own photo book by focusing on the authentic expressions of individuals in
Vietnam. Highlight joy, resilience, and moments in everyday life. Whether it's the
smile of a street vendor or the thoughtfulness of a traditional festival, I will apply
what I learn to convey the emotional depth of the Vietnam cultural experience. I
will also learn the camera angles and techniques he uses in his landscape photos to
capture the streets of Hanoi.
 Testing
Before After

In the raw photo, I took it in the winter so there are

no sunshine so that the color tone is a bit too cold
and the lines of the frame look a bit faded. So I
edited the photo to give it a warmer which could
makes viewers more comfortable when looking at the
photo. I also increase the sharpness of the photo to
make the details of the main object more visible.
Before Light testing After
So as you can see, In the
photo on the left, the color
is a bit too bright, making
the details not clearly
visible and the color tone is
nothing special to impress
the viewer. So I edited the
photo in a vintage style to
make the photo look more
attractive. The light has
also been reduced quite a
bit and I increased the
contrast higher to achieve
harmony and impress the
viewer with a very pleasant
and eye-catching color
tone.
Comparison
The photo on the left was taken by Steve McCurry and the photo on the right was taken by
me. The two photos are both portraits that focus heavily on one object. After Steve McCurry's
portraits I learned a tip to make the viewer focus more on the main object by highlighting the
main object and also blurring the surrounding objects a bit to causing the main object to get
the most focus.The color tones of the two photos are quite similar, however Steve McCurry's
photo has higher contrast and Dark's photo has higher brightness.
 Mood board
Citation:
https://www.myhanoitours.com/top-10-photography-spots-hanoi

/https://lasmaplone.com/15-best-photo-spots-in-hanoi-most-beauti
ful-places-map/

https://www.tripsavvy.com/hanoi-must-see-sights-1630009

https://www.pinterest.com/trannguyennhachi/saigon-mood-board/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/850898923331118361/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/850898923331118349/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/850898923331118242/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/850898923331118129/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/47710077294980167/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/333125703685689491/
 Schedule

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Morning School time School time School time School time School time Sleep Sleep

Afternoon Taking Sport time Sport time Making Go home Go around Go around
landscape progress on from the Hanoi street Hanoi street
photo in the slide boarding to taking to taking
Hoan Kiem photo photo

Night Editing the Make Continue Sleep Doing Editing the Editing and
photo progress on doing the homework photo add to slide
slide slide
Feedback
Mr.Robert ( My Digital Media teacher) after
looking at all the photo that I take and he give me
some feedback. He said that instead of taking
street photos using the rule of third or wide shot
technique, use a low angle shot because taking
street photos using the rule of third is too normal
and will not make a big impression on the viewer,
so Mr. Robert advised me to use the low angle
shot technique for street photography because it
will make the photo more mysterious and
differentiate from regular street photography
which may impress viewers.
 Change from feedback
The photo on the left is the photo I After
Before took before receiving advice from
Mr. Robert and after receiving
feedback from Mr. Robert I didn't
take the photo in the usual way,
but I went out into the middle of
the road when there was no traffic
and lowered the camera to almost
touch the road to perform the low
angle shot technique and I also
applied the leading line which is
the yellow line to create balance
for the photo.
 Feedback
After I show this photo to one of my
classmate and ask for some feedback
after. He said that the photo has a too
cold and bright color tone, so the
details are not clearly visible and did
not make any impression on him. He
also said that instead of taking close
shots, put the camera further away to
capture the entire building and
scenery.
 Change from feedback
So learning from the feedback that
he gave, I used the wide angle shot
to take this so it able to make the
whole building visible. I also edited
a new color tone with a vintage
style by making the photo have a
warmer tone and higher the
contrast, lower the brightness to
highlight details such as the words
Hanoi and a very chill scene that
may make viewers impressed and
want to experience it.
Photo list
Bibliography
Steve McCurry The Iconic Photographs Art Book (Complete Book Flip Through) (2023) YouTube. YouTube.
Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMwhz0TIP8g&ab_channel=TheSecretWorldofSol (Accessed:
26 January 2024).

November 27, 2021). Available at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/11/27/afghan-girl-steve-mccurry-italy-evacuation/ (Accessed:
26 January 2024).

Roberta, A. (2012) Steve McCurry and the power of colour, Roberta Cucchiaro. Available at:
https://robertacucchiaro.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/steve-mccurry-and-the-power-of-colour/ (Accessed: 26
January 2024).

McCurry, S. (no date) Steve McCurry untold: the stories behind the photographs, Amazon. Phaidon Press
Limited. Available at: https://www.amazon.com/Steve-McCurry-Iconic-Photographs/dp/0714865133
(Accessed: 26 January 2024).