Assignment due April 20th (yes, another one due the 20th)
On occasion, Gordan Parks used a technique called panning to give a sense of motion to his photos. Watch/read the links below. Then go out and give it a try. Post your best attempt on FB. That’s it. :)
https://www.adobe.com/il_en/creativecloud/photography/discover/panning-photography.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY-Dc3VnkT8
Assignment due April 20th
Read these two articles.
https://www.davemorrowphotography.com/color-theory-photography
2. http://dekettdigitalphoto.weebly.com/project-6-color-theory.html
Please do the listed assignment at the end of the second article.
“Go on a hunt for color theory. Shoot a variety of color schemes: warm, cool, analogous, complementary. You will be turning in your top 5 photographs that emphasize color and you will be posting which color theory category they fall under.”
You will receive points for:
3 points for turning in your assignment on or before April 20th
5 points for posting 5 pictures on FB using a variety of color schemes.
5 points for identifying what color theory you are using for each photo
5 points for posting the before edit pic of each photo under the edited photo, and letting me what color sliders you used to edit the image.
1 point for every picture you have that has a person in it.
Assignment due March 23rd
Watch these two videos:
This is a staged story--we don't want that for your final project--but it’s a wonderful, detailed video about how to storytell in photography.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp1EtKGUsRc
Same photographer. Here he talks about giving the main character visual weight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsdd_PmnviY
Your assignment is to take a photo where the main character has visual weight in the scene. Also, capture an emotion on your subject’s face. Think about the different ways that he suggests giving the main character importance. Try to use as many of these as possible. You may stage your photo.
Here is how I will grade your assignment:
3 points for having a main character that is a human
2 points for having a secondary character that is a human
5 points for compositional tools designed to give character visual weight. (You’ll need to watch the videos to understand what I am referring to here. I want you to use the stuff he talks about in the video.)
3 points for capturing an emotion on the main character’s face.
2 points for posting on FB anytime before or on the due date
5 points for writing a caption that follows criteria found here:
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-Good-Captions-in-Photojournalism.
Assignments due March 19
Assignment One
Read the book "Picture This: How Pictures Work” by Molly Bang
Ways to read it:
Kindle (price $2.99) https://www.amazon.com/Picture-This-How-Pictures-Work-ebook/dp/B01FGWLJ8S/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Read for free:
Go to the UJ library and borrow my copy, or do a free trial through SCRIBD:
https://www.scribd.com/book/312539774/Picture-This-How-Pictures-Work
Do Assignment #1 on page 93 (in my edition of the book). It's the assignment where you make an image of a bird or birds attacking a victim. The book suggests working in groups. If you can find someone who wants to do this project with you, that's wonderful. However, each student needs to turn in their own project. Follow the rules laid out below to receive credit:
Use three colors plus white.
Use scissors and colored paper only. Alternatively, you can use photoshop or some graphic design software.
Keep the shapes as simple as possible.
Avoid a realistic representation of body parts.
Do not glue down until it's perfect.
Answer these questions as you work:
What is the essence of the person/creature/thing I want to represent? What specific elements in this situation evoke strong feelings in me? How can I accentuate these?
What feeling do I want to evoke with this picture? What principles might I use to do this?
Keep returning to these questions when your picture doesn’t seem to be working.
After your photo is complete, make a video essay. You can use your phone to do this. Just display your image to the camera and talk through your project.
Answer these questions in your video:
What is the essence of the person/creature/thing you represented?
What principles did you use from the reading to do this?
What feeling did you wish to evoke with this picture?
What principles did you use from the reading to do this?
Each question should address color, shape, form, line, and any other compositional tool you used.
Assignment 2
Pick an object or an idea: Maybe it is people wearing hats, or people in line at stores, or fire hydrants, or pizza, or phones, or just any random subject. Go around Jamestown, the college, your hometown, wherever you are on spring break. Find that object or idea and take pictures. The point of the exercise is to practice using the compositional tools we learned in class. The more tools you use, the better. Submit ten images. You must use a different example for each photo. For example, if you are doing people with hats, you need to have ten different people or groups of people wearing hats. Be thoughtful about your images. Submit only the best. Half of your images should include people. Below each photo, write what compositional tools you used to make the photo. Submit to FB.
Assignments due February 16th
Assignment One
Read this article about the the ten criteria of the decisive moment (DM): http://truecenterpublishing.com/photopsy/decisive_moment.htm
Your assignment is to capture a DM. Instead of publishing online, send me a one page paper about how your photo meets the qualifications of a DM laid out in the above article. Email me your paper along with the photo by Friday, February 19th.
You only get one photo, so wait for it. :)
Assignment Two: Watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-sbOzrg2vo&t=625s
Make a list of compositional techniques he points out and/or uses in the video. Print off your list and bring it to class next Tuesday. The lists will be graded.
Assignment Three /Slow-Looking
Humans have short attention spans. We usually look at a photo for less than 8 seconds. The purpose of slow-looking exercises is to increase the time and intensity at which we look at the world around us. With slow-looking, look at details, ask questions, and immerse yourself in the world you observe.
Print off this PDF (you only need the second page).
https://pz.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/Slow%20Looking%20-%207.11.2018.pdf
2. Slow-look through this article and photo-essay: "In the Studio- Mattise by Henri Cartier-Bresson." What can we learn about artist Mattise by slow-looking at the photos Bresson took? Be sure to zoom in the details and also to take in the entire image. Look at the corners of each photo, not just at the focal point. What things do we wonder about Mattise after looking at these photos?
No proof that you did this assignment is needed. We will be doing a slow-looking exercise each week from now on out.
Assignment due February 9th
Your assignment this week is to be Fan Ho.
Fan Ho was Intentional about his work. Remember, he didn't want to waste the audience's time. He only pressed down on the shutter when he was emotionally engaged in the work. I know this is a hard one because you all are busy, and your assignment is due in a week, but please try to invest yourself in the picture-taking process as much as possible. You will see a difference in the quality of your work when you are focused and involved. One thing I do when shooting is I don't take my phone with me. It's too distracting.
Fan Ho allowed other artistic influences to bleed into his photography. He drew depth for Chinese poetry and classical music. What about you? Many of you are training to be graphic designers. What influences can you add to your life that help you in your pursuit?
Fan Ho went fishing. He found a place where the light was AMAZING, and he hung out there waiting for something extraordinary to happen. This is called fishing. Othertimes he directed people to stand where he wanted them to stand. The point is, he had lots of people in his images. Include people in your images.
Fan Ho was the master of capturing light. Find a place(s) where you can practice with harsh light. Make sure your camera is on spot metering, meter for the person's face so that you protect the highlights where it matters, and then shoot!
Fan Ho edited his images using the darkroom. This week we will start editing using LR (or Camera Raw in Photoshop). Play with the sliders and see what you can do with them. The best way to learn LR is by messing around. There are also some Youtube videos you can watch that I will link for you.
Your assignment is to publish 3-5 edited images where you shoot as much in Fan Ho's style as possible. When you post in FB, include your original, unedited image for each photo below in the comments.
Extra credit--find one way to go on an "Artist's Date." This means that you crave out 30 minutes or so of your week to do something that makes you more human--
such as reading poetry,
looking through an art book at the library and slowly looking through the images,
going to the Jamestown Art Center downtown and slowly and carefully looking through the current exhibit,
playing the piano or another instrument,
drawing,
painting,
reading for the sake of hearing beautiful words spoken out loud
meditating
practice mindfulness while you eat
Cook something for the beauty of food
ok, I just ran out of ideas so I googled "Artist Date" and here are a lot of really great ideas!
https://www.becomingwhoyouare.net/52-easy-inspiring-ideas-artist-dates/
Please send me an email and let me know what you did!
Assignment due February 2nd
Document college culture. Try to shoot images that include as much of Klein in them as possible: shoot from the hip, try using reflections, ask people question and allow them to pose for you, get in close, capture more than one person in an image. If you want to incorporate graphic art into the project, do so. Be an ethnographer. Publish your assignment on FB with a paragraph that explains your project. You do not need to write individual captions for each picture.
Assignment due January 26th
Create a five image photo essay in the style of Platon.
Choose a theme.
Photograph your subjects against a clean background. Stay in the style of Platon as much as possible.
Make sure to ask for model consent. Record your subject’s name and phone number.
Make a connection with your subjects. Capture/display the soul.
Write a paragraph about what unifies the photos in your essay. For example, my photos were about how a family cares and supports its members. Write captions for each of your photos using guidelines discussed in class.
Post photo essay including paragraph and captions on FB group by Monday, January 25th.
Read ”Photojournalism Now: The Significance of Captions.”
Assignments due January 19th
1. Read ”The issue of consent in photojournalism” by Julia Ziemer
2. Watch “Abstract: The Art of Design | Platon: Photography | FULL EPISODE | Netflix”
If you need help staying focused, look for the answers to these questions while watching the video. Answering the questions will also help you on your quiz Tuesday.
Before Platon takes a portrait of a person, what question is he asking himself?
99.9% of Platon’s time with his subject is spent doing what?
Why is Platon considered a Cultural Provocateur? How does the label affect his work?
Simplification is a crucial aspect of Platon’s work. What condition does Platon have that lead him to this sort of photography?
When Platon looks at a picture, what does he want to feel?
When visiting Greece, Platon does something that he says sends his powers of observation through the roof. What does he doHow did Platon’s picture of the Muslim mom affect Collin Powell? How is Platon a bridge builder?
3. Put your camera in manual mode and properly expose 20 different images. Find places with lots of light and places with little light. Work indoors and outdoors. The more variance you have in your settings, the better. Bring your camera card next week to class with the images on it. I will look through your work.
4. Join FB group for photo sharing. Link below.
Not required, but you may find these interesting or helpful:
“How to Shoot Manual” -Youtube Video (You will have a quiz at the beginning of class next week were you must define ISO, aperture, and shutter speed and how they work together.)