I have continued to make improvements on my article by adding more words to reach the target word count, ensuring that the extra content remains relevant and meaningful.

I then went home to take the photographs for the marathon runner, Olivia. I captured a portrait of her so readers can put a face to the name when I introduce her and include her quotes. I also took a photo of her running, showing her preparing for her race, linking to her marathon training discussion. Finally, I took an over-the-shoulder shot of her using a running app, as she mentioned during her interview how apps like Strava and Runna have helped with her pacing and route planning.

Next, I photographed Kieran, the runner returning from injury. Similarly, I took a headshot to introduce him, a photo of him warming up (since he spoke about the importance of his warm-up routine post-injury), and an action shot of him running with a gritted facial expression to show that he still experiences some discomfort, highlighting the realities of his return to running.

When I returned to Leeds, I took photos of Sadie, the beginner runner. Again, I captured a headshot for her introduction, a photo of her lacing up her shoes (symbolising the start of her running journey), and a fatigued post-run photo to reflect her comments about how tough she sometimes finds running.

I used a Canon EOS 2000D SLR camera to take all the photos, adjusting the settings based on what Karl taught us in class to ensure the best possible quality. I then edited the photos using the Snapseed app to enhance and refine them.

My final step was assembling the article. I copied and pasted my work from Word into WordPress, adding a title, an excerpt, inserting all the photographs, and including captions to bring the story together visually and textually.

I feel confident with this piece of work. I’m proud of myself for overcoming the challenges of having to change my article midway through. Dividing the article into different sections focusing on different runners worked really well, and I believe it will help attract a range of readers who can relate to different types of running journeys.

Since my last reflection, all the work I’ve done has been independent. I decided to change the structure of my article and split it into three distinct sections: the first focusing on a beginner runner and what inspired them to start running; the second on a first-time marathon runner, exploring their motivation and training methods; and the third on an advanced runner who has recently been sidelined due to injury.

Originally, my plan was to focus the article entirely on the advanced runner, who was due to compete in the Brighton Marathon. However, he had to pull out as his ankle hadn’t fully recovered. I still wanted to include his story, but I needed to shift the article’s angle. That’s when I came up with the idea of featuring three different types of runners. This way, the piece would appeal to a broader audience and offer varied perspectives—allowing readers to connect with or be inspired by the journeys of each runner.

I interviewed the beginner runner, Sadie, in person, while I spoke with Olivia, the first-time marathon runner, and Kieran, the advanced runner, over the phone. From these interviews, I wrote the article, which begins with an introduction, then flows into three sections: Beginner Runner – First Steps, First-Time Marathon Runner – Pushing Limits, and Advanced Runner – Bouncing Back, before concluding the piece. I also conducted additional research to include relevant statistics and facts that support their experiences and highlight the popularity of running in the fitness world.

I later had a meeting with Karl to review my changes. He pointed out that my introduction felt more suited to TV scriptwriting than feature writing, so I went back and edited it accordingly to better match the tone of a written feature.

At this stage, I’m happy with the written content of the article. The next step is to take the photos. I’ve already planned the types of images I want to capture for each individual, ensuring they visually complement the stories they’ve shared in their interviews.

Unfortunately, I had to miss this week’s lecture due to my grandma’s funeral. However, I caught up the next day by going through both PowerPoint slides, including the comment sections at the bottom. These explanations helped me understand what Karl covered during the lecture, giving me a clearer idea of how to approach my final project.

That said, my original idea for the project has fallen through. The person I planned to focus on for the marathon has pulled out due to an ankle injury, so I need to adjust my approach. I still want to focus on running but will take a different direction. Instead, I plan to explore three perspectives: someone recovering from an injury and returning to running, a beginner runner, and an experienced runner who regularly competes in marathons and other events.

That being said, I know a lot of people who are physically active with running and I can contact them for an interview and go along and get some photos.

This week’s lecture focused on post-production techniques, specifically advanced cropping methods.

We explored the various cropping tools in Adobe Photoshop, learning how to convert images from portrait to landscape and straighten them using the perspective tool.

The lecture then delved into RAW files, uncompressed image files that capture all data directly from the camera sensor and store it on the memory card. We discussed the advantages and disadvantages of shooting in RAW, including the need to convert these files into JPEG format before they can be published.

Following this, we covered camera settings, focusing on how to switch between shooting in RAW and JPEG formats.

We also discussed the image preparation process from capturing photos to saving them correctly ensuring proper workflow and file management.

During the workshop for Week 7, I practiced using Photoshop’s cropping tools. I converted a portrait photo to landscape by selecting the crop tool and setting the ratio to 16:9, making sure to apply the rule of thirds by positioning the runner in the center grid square. I then used the perspective tool on another image to both change its orientation and straighten it. These edited images were uploaded to WordPress, accompanied by explanations of the edits.

Afterward, I reviewed all my previous workshop tasks and reflections, ensuring each photo included captions and ALT text. To wrap up, I completed the mid-module review.

This week’s lecture focused on the post-production process of editing images. We learned how to edit photos using both Photoshop and Snapseed. The lecture covered the various tools available on each app and discussed which ones are essential for achieving the desired results in photo editing. We also explored how to properly export images, the best formats to use, and how to name the files to easily distinguish between the edited version and the original.

After the lecture, we were assigned a workshop task to edit a photo we had already taken. For this, I chose a photo I had captured during my holiday in Antarctica. The original image was quite dark, so my goal was to brighten it and enhance the iceberg in the shot. I edited the photo using Snapseed and detailed the entire process of my edits, including the changes I made, in my workshop reflection.

I really enjoyed this lecture and came to appreciate the importance of post-production in photography. It gave me the confidence and skills I need to apply for my final project, knowing how to properly edit and present my images.

I decided to edit this photo because it was already of a very high standard. I captured it during my holiday to Antarctica in January using a Canon camera. After importing the photo into Snapseed for editing, I began with the Tune tool. I adjusted the brightness to -8, the contrast to +39, and the warmth to +6. I also used the Curves tool to fine-tune the lighting. Afterward, I cropped the image to its original ratio, exported it as a JPG file, and renamed it ‘Edited Iceberg.’ I kept the original file as ‘Original Iceberg’ so I could easily distinguish between the two images.

This week, we focused on shutter speed and ISO. A topic I found really engaging, as it’s crucial for my final project. Since I’m capturing sports photography, which involves a lot of movement, I need to use a fast shutter speed to freeze the action and minimize blur.

We started by exploring ISO, beginning with digital cameras. ISO controls the camera’s light sensitivity — the higher the ISO, the more sensitive the camera is to light. I also learned something new about iPhones: while I previously thought you could only adjust exposure by tapping the screen and sliding the brightness bar, I discovered you can also fine-tune it using the plus and minus buttons in the extra tools menu.

For my final project, I’ll be using a camera rather than a phone, so understanding ISO settings is key. I now know that for outdoor shooting, like capturing the marathon and training sessions, I’ll aim to keep my ISO between 100 and 200 to maintain image clarity.

We then moved on to shutter speed, which not only affects how much light reaches the camera’s sensor but also works alongside ISO and aperture (f-stop) to create the right exposure. I learned the difference between slow and fast shutter speeds: a slow shutter speed introduces motion blur, while a fast one freezes movement, something I’ll need for sports photography. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera this week, so I couldn’t practice adjusting the shutter speed during the session, but I plan to make up for it this weekend by photographing a football match. This will be a great opportunity to test out a fast shutter speed and capture the team in action.

We also explored shutter speed on iPhones, including the burst mode feature another new discovery for me. Burst mode rapidly takes multiple images, mimicking the effect of a fast shutter speed. To simulate a slow shutter speed, we learned to use the “Live Photo” option, which allows for long exposure effects. We wrapped up the session with a practical task, which I reflected on in the workshop.

I took photo of Lucy mid-jump with minimal blur. For this I knew I needed a fast shutter speed. I took this photo on my iPhone 12, and when taking the photo I held down on the camera button and slide down which activates burst mode. This meant I was able to capture the movement of Lucy jumping with minimal blur.

This photo is the opposite, the shutter speed is slow, so the way I captured this photo was, I shot Lucy whilst she was moving her head to create an interesting effect. I selected live mode on normal camera and took the photo whilst Lucy shook her head, from this I then selected the live button in the top corner and changed it to long exposure, which this created the blur in the picture.

In this first image, the f-stop is set to the lowest setting available on an iPhone 12, which is f/1.4. This allows more light into the photo but results in a shallower depth of field, keeping less of the image in focus.

The f-stop is set to f/2.8, which is the default setting on an iPhone. This aperture creates a balance between the subject and the background, keeping the individual in focus while still providing some background detail.

In this final image, the f-stop is set to the highest setting available on an iPhone 12, which is f/16. As a result, the image receives less light, but a greater depth of field keeps more of the scene in focus. The background appears much clearer, making details such as the tunnel and people passing through more visible. This type of photo encourages viewers to explore the entire scene, whereas the previous images draw more attention to the individual subject.