Assignment 4, Reading and Response: Chapter 2

For Monday: 2/5

Please read Chapter 2 and prepare the following:

• 1-page (double space) written reflection on 3-5 photographic design principles or visual elements, discussed but the author, and how you might find them useful in your own work
• Please specify the specific strategy by name, such as: "Scale and proportion" or "Symbolism," and please reference the page number from the book.
• Please create and plan to turn in 1-2 photographs of your own that compellingly exemplify each of your chosen design principles or visual elements. Shoot many images, but select your strongest to turn in.

Project 1: Strong images, strong content

©Duke

©Harris

© Craft

© Craft

©Pan

©Pan

©Pan

© Prestage

©Thornton

What is important to you in this world?

Develop a group of images around a concise subject, theme or idea. It will be helpful to be as specific as possible about your subject or idea.

• For instance, if photographing "people," perhaps choose a single person and create an extended group of images, or perhaps create images in a subcategory, such as "activists," "cheerleaders," "smokers," etc.
• If your interest is landscape, or places, consider choosing one place and exploring it thoroughly. Or alternatively, photograph as many variations of a certain category of place as you can find. For example, "back alleys of downtown Tuscaloosa," or "best hidden places on campus to take a nap."
• If you like things, consider setting up an arrangement or still-life of meaningful objects. It can be helpful to do this on a table next to a window or on a porch, where you will have plenty of natural light.
• If working conceptually, perhaps work with something rather open ended, such as "my daily routine," or "image is everything (or not)," or "my life in 5 years," etc.

A collection of haphazard images does not make for a strong project. Intention is important, as well as follow-through and a tight edit/image selection.

Work will be evaluated on:

• Clarity of idea/main subject/theme/concept
• Strength of images (framing, composition, etc.)
• Technical camera skills (sharp focus, solid exposures)
• Photoshop /image editing skills
• Whether project is adequately realized (follow-through)
• Print quality

Due Dates:

Prelim critique: 2/7 (Wednesday)

Final critique: 2/14 (Wednesday)

Please submit:

• 10 strongest images (jpeg, 1200 pixels per side, edits incorporated)
• 1 of the above also as a photoshop file, including all layers, smart object for RAW, global and local adjustments, sharpening, etc.
• 2 prints

Discussion groups

1/29

A

Noon-1pm

Aleiah	Briggs
Caitlin	Colditz
Alana	Guarino
Rhianna	Israni
Anna	Lipson
Lane	Pernell
Madison	Smith
Hanna	Terry
Grant	Tolson
Candace	Von Hoffman

B

1pm-2pm

Lauren	Bellamy
Brooke	Carroll
Anna	Crain
Sam	Hughes
Emma	Junck
Azad	Patel
Georgia	Sheridan
Kali	Sturgis
Dana	Tokarzewski
Paige	Torre
Jordan	Williams

Assignment 3: Exploring Compositional Strategies

For Monday 1/29

Shoot 50-100 images, exploring the following compositional strategies. Fine interesting subject matter as well. Strive to have 3-5 strong examples of each strategy to submit.

• All-overs, patterns and repeating forms
• Points and lines
• Leading / Diagonal Lines
• Rule of 3rds
• Symmetry

All-overs, patterns and repeating forms...

Points and lines...

Rule of 3rds...

Leading /diagonal lines

Symmetry

Reading Assignment 1

Due: 1/29

Light and Lens, Chapter 1:

Goals

1. Read about and become familiar with different styles, approaches and groups from the history of art photography (pages 1-16)
2. Be able to discuss or defend, in a way that reflects your understanding of the reading, answers to at least three questions about photo-based image-making, posed by the author. Do you agree with the author? Why or why not. (pages 17-30)

Camera RAW

Check quality settings menu.

Usually choices are JPEG (L,M,S, fine, normal, etc.), RAW, or RAW+JPEG. Choose the single RAW option.


Canon RAW (CR2)


Nikon RAW (NEF)

FYI:

Adobe RAW = (DNG)

Assignment 2: Isolating and Amplifying Color

Color. For the second looking and shooting exercise, create a set of images, where you are exclusively looking for color. Find or create your subjects, where color is the main thing. At first, keep it simple, perhaps limiting yourself to one color. Relax and respond to the perceptions that call your attention.

Work with composition. Get close and use your frame to isolate the color. Do all "cropping" in camera at the time of shooting. Eliminate all distracting elements that detract from the main subject of color. How many strategies can you discover, to isolate the color? Push beyond placing the color in the middle of the frame (although that can sometimes be okay...challenge this).

Please avoid flowers, for now...too easy! Other subjects, whether people, places or things are fine. Before you decide to make the picture, ask yourself... how am I supporting the color in this image?

Suggestion: limiting to 1-2 colors at a time will help. Use in camera cropping to isolate the essence of these colors.

Due: Monday 1/22, bring files to class. We will download images directly from card or camera. 

Rules of the Game: 

• Natural light (window or outside), during daylight hours
• No flash (so please use plenty of light)
• Shoot JPEG (Large File, Highest Quality) or RAW
• Auto Exposure and Auto Focus is okay for now
• Shoot 50-100 images
• No camera phones (for now)

© Mark Cohen (for educational purposes) COLOR version

© Mark Cohen (for educational purposes) B&W version, to demonstrate the importance of color with this image.

© Mark Cohen (for educational purposes)

© John Rawlings (for educational purposes)

© Guy Bourdon (for educational purposes)

©Thornton (for educational purposes)

© Matthew Tischler (for educational purposes)

© Jordan (for educational purposes)

© Jordan (for educational purposes)

© Jordan (for educational purposes)

© Jordan (for educational purposes)

Anything Is Possible

Assignment 1: Distilling the Essence

Due: Wednesday 1/17, bring files to class

The idea for his exercise is to practice seeing, in both a general and concentrated way. Photography is largely an art of selection. What happens when you get very specific about what you share with your camera? A photograph tends to be democratic...if its in the frame, it counts! Include too much and the viewer might not know what is important. A good practice is to isolate exactly what you wish to share...no more, no less. Build emphasis into the photograph through framing, or in-camera cropping.

Rules of the Game: 

• Natural light (window or outside)

• No flash (so please use plenty of light)

• Shoot JPEG (Large File, Highest Quality) or RAW

• Auto Exposure and Auto Focus is okay for now

• Shoot 50-100 images

• No camera phones (for now)—use a proper camera

Directions:

1. Look. Look for unusual or surprising subjects that strike your eye as interesting. It really doesn't matter what the subject is, but how it looks. The subject could be a scene or landscape, an object or a person. Caveat: No pets, flowers, beer cans or cigarette stubs...be adventurous, seeking something exciting, original and/or unusual. Weird is good!
2. Make an initial, general, picture of your subject. 
3. In Camera Cropping. Get more specific or come closer in. What exactly grabbed your attention in the first place? Be very specific. Was it a detail? A shadow? A color? A facial expression? Isolate this specific thing by moving in closer to your subject, so that one specific thing  primarily appears in your frame, and little else. Make a picture of that.
4. Move on to your next subject and repeat the sequence.

Examples:

general

isolated

general

isolated

general

isolated