Final Project/Final Exam

FINAL PROJECT

• We will meet Monday, December 15th from 10:00 - 12:00.
• We will complete the final project at that time.
• The last day of classes is Friday, December 12th.

ALL assignments are due Wednesday, Dec 17th @ 4:00

Assignment #20 - Make Mindy's Morning

Assignment #20 -

This assignment is pretty simple.  Take one photo using anything you learned to 'make my day better'.

Email it to me at the end of class.

Wednesday, December 3 - Chin Out, Assignment #19

Assignment #19

Stick Your Neck Out

As photographers, we work in a 2D space, so making something look as 3D as possible is both important and a challenge. Help your image by having your client elongate their neck and tilt their head in such a way that they have a jaw line. This helps your light shape the face and create some separation between the head and neck.

I rolled out of bed and snapped these two shots on my webcam. Notice the dramatic difference of moving/tilting my head just a few inches.

http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/20-fast-tips-for-portrait-photography--photo-9511

Monday, December 1 - Assignment #18

We will now be exploring tips specifically for portrait photography.  The first tip is posing from the ground up:

Assignment #18 - Posing from the ground up

A good portrait pose, be it a headshot, partial or full-body, starts with the feet. If your subject's feet and legs are not set in the right manner, then the rest of the structure goes out-of-whack.

A good rule-of-thumb is to have your subject place their weight on the rear leg and turn 3/4 from the camera's position. Also, have your subject flare their elbows away from the body a little to thin-out their silhouette.  Good posing helps shape the figure and maximize your lighting. Bad posing adds those 10lbs everyone talks about. (Photo by Daniel Sone)

http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/20-fast-tips-for-portrait-photography--photo-9511

Assignment:  Find a person who will work with you on this.  Practice posing as mentioned above.  You will need at least 3 photos emailed to me with your story for the photos by Wednesday, December 3rd.

November 21st - Assignment #17

Assignment #17 - Contrast

Contrast -- in lighting -- is another way to add dimension to an image. Lighting contrast is the difference between the lightest light and the darkest dark in a photograph. Manipulating this element, works wonders to extend the depth, the three-dimensional quality of a photograph - one of the great feats and benchmarks for your photographs. You can also use contrast in shape & size to affect the intricacy of your photos; contrasting geometry inherently creates that dramatic tension that we were talking about earlier. You feel like there is more to “the story”. The photo of the Eiffel Tower above employs contrast in lighting and size to increase the effectiveness of this photo. The man in silhouette appears to be nearly as tall as the Eiffel Tower, and the complex pattern of the Eiffel Tower (more pronounced in silhouette) seems to be etched into the pulsating red sunset sky. Imagine how lackluster this image would be if it was taken at noon.

http://www.exposureguide.com/top-10-composition-tips.htm



Examples from Google Images


Assignment:  For this assignment, get at least 3 photos utilizing lighting contrast and email them to me.  These will be due after the break on December 1st.

November 17th - Assignment #16

Assignment #16 - 

Read the following article and then take at least 3 photos which adheres to what you read.  This assignment is due Friday.  There will be no new assignment on Wednesday.

Photography 101:  A Pop of Color

Assignment #15 - Contrast

Assignment #15 - Contrast

Contrast

Without differences in colour to separate elements in your scene, you must instead introduce contrasting shades into your black and white photos.

Use contrast to help separate and define the objects in your scene. Image by gualtiero.

You can use contrast to help your main subject stand out - for example by photographing a light subject against a dark background - and also to add depth by including a variety of tones and shades in your photo.

http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/5-essential-tips-for-black-and-white-photography

Google Images -

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=960&bih=489&q=photography+contrast+black+and+white&oq=photography+contrast+b&gs_l=img.1.0.0.457.8638.0.11069.22.17.0.5.5.0.118.1460.15j2.17.0....0...1ac.1.58.img..0.22.1478.2Ol3VI-MglE

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Go take one photo utilizing black and white photography and contrast.   Send this pic to me before 11:00 today.

Wednesday, November 12th - Assignment #14

Assignment #14

So today I am tired.  I look out over my class and they are tired.  It's winter.  It's 16 degrees, and I am supposed to inspire you in a photography class.  Well now, this took some thought.  
I am looking for color.  I don't see much.  (It's winter in SW Kansas...)  

Wait, maybe if I change my settings to black and white, it will help me look for something interesting without looking for color.

Tell me what you think?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/be9qr744kk2qp05/20141112_095240-1.jpg?dl=0



Now go find one photo and send to me TODAY before 11:00.  Be sure to tell me why you took 'that' photo and is it better in black and white?

Wednesday, November 11th - Assignment Update

Assignments 1-13 were due last Friday.  

Those assignments are now worth half credit.

Wednesday, Nov 5th and Friday, Nov 7th

This is your last chance to get caught up on ALL assignments up to this point.

Everything will be due Friday, Nov 7th during class.  

Assignment #13 - Lines

Assignment #13 - Lines

Lines

Most photos have lines of some sort running through them.

Straight lines (like the horizon) stretch across from one side of the image to the other. Horizontal lines can create a peaceful feeling, whereas diagonal lines are exciting and dynamic. Vertical lines fall somewhere in-between.

Curved lines are a little more relaxed and meander through the image rather than moving directly across it. You’ll often see a mixture of curved lines and straight lines in landscape photos, where a gentle curve through the foreground and the horizon line work together to create a peaceful landscape photo.

http://digital-photography-school.com/five-ways-improve-eye-composition/

Leading Lines

A leading line paves an easy path for the eye to follow through different elements of a photo. Usually they start at the bottom of the frame and guide the eye upwards and inwards, from the foreground of the image to the background, typically leading toward the main subject.

The easiest place to find a leading line is on a road. Roadways are inherently leading because they go somewhere, give us a feeling of motion, and the lines often point so far inwards that they reach a vanishing point – the place where two or more lines converge into theoretical infinity.

When leading lines, such as roads, connect the foreground to the background of a scene, they help to create depth and dimensionality which draws the viewer into the image.

Leading lines are all around us in cities and in nature. Your job as the photographer is to find them and arrange them in your photograph so that they lead towards something, even if that something is infinity.

Pay special attention to man-made things such as:   roads, fences, bridges, bricks, anything in a row such as lamp posts, buildings, doorways, and window panes.

In nature, pay particular attention to:  trees, tall grass, rivers, rocks, sand dunes.
http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-leading-lines-for-better-compositions/

Learning to See Creatively

Watch the following movies to exercise your mind on seeing creatively:

Learning to See Creatively  Class Photo Shoot


Learning to See

Assignment #12 - Signs of Fall

Assignment #12 - Signs of Fall

For today's assignment, I want you to take at least 3 photos representing the 'Fall Season'.  (What Fall looks like to you)

This is due Wednesday. 

Have a good day!

Assignment #11 - Shadows/Silhouettes

Assignment #11 - Shadows/Silhouettes

Read the following information on Shadow Photography:

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/shadows-weekend-photography-challenge

http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGall2.asp?catID=269

http://www.digitalpicturezone.com/digital-pictures/30-shadow-photographs/

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/03/01/showcase-of-beautiful-shadow-photography/

http://photofocus.com/2013/08/09/how-to-photograph-a-silhouette/

These photos are due Monday, October 27th.  You need at least 3.

Assignment #10 - Direction of Light

Assignment #10 - Direction of Light

Read the following information on Direction of Light:

http://www.shortcourses.com/use/using4-8.html

http://www.labirdiephotography.com/the-direction-of-light/

http://digital-photography-school.com/contest-win-one-of-three-photography-courses-from-new-york-institute-of-photography/

Take at least 3 photos showing Direction of Light - 1 from side, 1 from top, one from behind.  

Email these to me by Monday, October 27th.

Assignment #9 - Patterns and Repititions

Assignment #9 - Patterns and Repititions

Using Repetition and Patterns in Photography

http://digital-photography-school.com/using-repetition-and-patterns-in-photography/

Patterns & Repetition: Pro Photographers Composition Secret No. 8 

http://thedigitalphotocoach.com/blog/2011/08/01/patterns-repetition-pro-photographers-composition-secret-no-8/

33 Inspirational Images that Feature Patterns andRepetition

http://digital-photography-school.com/33-inspirational-images-that-feature-patterns-and-repetition/

Assignment:  Three photos of patterns/repetitions emailed to me by Wednesday, Oct 15th

Mid-Terms

Mid Term Grades will be turned in Friday,October 10th.

Your grade will be based on completion of assignments 1-8.

Assignment #8 - Backgrounds

BACKGROUNDS

As we saw in the video of the metal artwork, trying to find an angle where the background is not cluttered can be challenging.  With this assignment you will try to find photos with backgrounds that belong.  We are not talking about portrait studio photos.  These should be natural photos - not staged.  Again, utilize various angles to see how you can 'declutter' the background.

Tip #5 - The Background 

When composing your shot you have to always take into consideration the background. It's not going anywhere, it will always be there. Depending how you frame it with your subject, it can either distract from your main subject or help apply the focus.

If you consider the example of photographing a person in a busy park. The background could be extremely distracting. Children are playing, cars are parked, sports are underway. You may not want any of this in the background. Try angling your camera so that the only background is the grass. Or angle upwards and get the sky in the background.

Examples:

http://photography.nuvvo.com/lesson/27-photography-composition

https://www.mac-on-campus.com/LearningCenter/Library/21117.aspx

http://prezi.com/fbflgszdrudc/uncluttered-photography/

Google Images - Uncluttered Background Photography

Assignment:
Take at least 3 photos using the 'decluttered background'.  Email them to me by Wednesday, October 8th.

September 24th - Assignment #7, Rainy Days

Assignment #7, Rainy Days

Today you get to be creative.  Any 3 photos that represent rainy, overcast days.  

Be sure to email them to me before class on Friday, Sept 26th.

HAVE FUN!

Monday, September 22nd

Email Assignment #5 to me (and #4 if you didn't on Friday)


Assignment #6 
Read the information for Assignment #4 - Colors again.  Look up more examples of the use of colors in photos to set a mood.  Tell me what you think the mood or tone is for the photos you looked up based on what you read.  Pic at least two photos from the internet for this assignment.  Email them to me along with your description about the mood/tone of the tone.