Welcome to the Nottingham's Digital Photo blog. Photography assignments and student work is highlighted here. Students will also find
photography tips, helpful links, and other important information related to the class.
Showing posts with label assignment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label assignment. Show all posts

May 24, 2011 - Artist Statement

Essential Questions:   
How can a critique help an artist complete a project?
How can you explain your work in an artist statement? 

1.      DIN:  Evaluate your photos, considering the critique from last class.  Be sure about what you need to re-photograph or add to the collection.
2.      Because Mrs. Thomas is absent today you will not be photographing during class.  You will have about 30 next class to finish up your photographing if needed.   
 
3.      Read: The artist’s statement is a brief essay, usually one or two pages, that discusses the work being presented. A well-executed artist statement guides the viewer into the work, providing insight into the artist’s conceptual thoughts and working process. It is essential the discussion is presented in a clear and thoughtful manner, and also allows for the viewer to develop their own meanings and interpretations. By Paul Turounet at http://aphototeacher.com/2007/11/28/writing-about-your-photographs/

4.     Complete Artist Statement Brainstorm. You will use these notes to complete your ARTIST STATEMENT today in class.  Save this document as lastnamebstormblock# into your PHOTO ESSAY folder in your Z:drive.

5.     Visit http://aphototeacher.com/2007/11/28/writing-about-your-photographs/  once you complete the brainstorm.  You will notice that your brainstorm questions come directly from this post.  Carefully read the information after those questions to help you to write a successful Artist Statement.  Open a WORD document and save it as lastnamestatementblock# into your PHOTO ESSAY folder in your Z:drive.  Write thoughtfully, in complete sentences.  This statement will be part of your Powerpoint presentation. 

6.  TOD:  email both documents to Mrs. Thomas (artsyfartsyboutique@gmail.com)

May 20, 2011 - Critique

Essential Question(s):   
How do artists actively participate in a critique?
How can you use the critique to prepare for another day to photograph and or organize.

1.      DIN:  Review your photos and reduce to 25.  (You may want to save others in another location.)  Examine Art Elements and Principles of Design lists and brainstorm packet.  Be ready to use these terms to help classmates select their best photos and/or fix them.
2.     Participate in the critique.   Offer suggestions and support your statements. 
      -what to rephotograph?, what to crop, correct balance or brightness?, any more to photograph next class.  
Wind down to 10.  Rename 1.jpg,2.jpg, 3.jpg...  Use your brainstorm packet to write down your plans after input from the critique
Teacher check off for participation.
3.     
TOD:  Question at Photo Essay classwork.

May 18, 2011 - Imitate a professional

Essential Question:  
What can you imitate from the artists you investigated last week? 

1.      DIN:  Review Class Policy post.  Recently legally absent students need to catch up.  Hint:  show Mrs. Thomas your completed brainstorm.  
Evaluate your photos from last class and determine what you need to photograph today.  Will you need to re-photograph anything?  What will you photograph to imitate one of the artists you studied last week?
2.      Photograph.  You will get one more day to photograph IF you need it.  If you need to take more photographs you will need to work at home, come during study hall and/or Study and Support.   Take at least 30 photos today.
3.      Come back in time to upload to your Z: drive.  Make sure your folder is titled PHOTO ESSAY.  Please delete blurry or bad photos. 
4.     
TOD:  Teacher folder check.  Answer question on classwork post.  (the essential question from today stated as: What did you imitate from one of the 5 artists you investigated last week?)

May 16, 2011

Essential Question(s):   
How will you build your base of photographs for your photo essay? 
How can changing your camera settings effect your photographs?

1.      DIN:  review your brainstorm packet and your artist notes from last week.
2.      Photograph.  You will have at least one more day in class to photograph.  10 photos will be graded in the end.   A max of 4 photos can be taken from home.  If you choose to do more than 10, you still must have 6 photos taken at school.
      TODAY USE- high resolution, use flash, change settings...
3. Come back and upload your photos.
4.      TOD:  Teacher photo check off.  (you must have taken a minimum of 30)  Fill out question in Photo Essay Classwork.       

HW:  Reevaluate in preparation for photographing next class.  

May 12, 2011

Essential Question(s):   
What is a photo-essay?
How can I plan my own “thematic” or “story” photo essay?

Creating a photo essay is a combination of art and journalism. As with a written essay, the elements of a photo essay should be structured in a way that easily conveys a story to the viewer. Each individual photo contributes to the overall story, theme, and emotions of the essay. The photos you choose must not only be compositionally and artistically strong, but also informative and educational. Finding photos that have both qualities can be very challenging, but the result can be very powerful.  There are two types of photo essays: the narrative and the thematic. The narrative essay tells a story through a sequence of events or actions. They may follow an individual or activity over a period of time and present this story in chronological order. A thematic photo essay focuses on a central theme (e.g. homelessness, the environment, etc.) and presents photos relevant to that theme. 
From http://www.collectivelens.com/blog/creating-photo-essay

1.      DIN:  Read the brainstorm packet. Copies available here and here but I will be passing out hard copies for you.
2.      Fill out your brainstorm packet using notes and sketches.  See example and refer to your list from last class.  Write lots.  Some ideas will be thrown out, of course.  Each photo in your final essay should be of high quality and be able to stand alone as a great image.
Think about how you will use the following compositional principles.  Try to use as many of these as you can.  Include your ideas for these on your brainstorms. http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/10-top-photography-composition-rules
·                                      Rule of thirds
·                                      Variety of sizes and shapes of photos
·                                      Balancing Elements
·                                      Leading lines
·                                      Symmetry and Patterns
·                                      Viewpoint
·                                      Background
·                                      Depth
·                                      Framing
·                                      Cropping

3.      TOD:  Turn in your packet. 

4.      HW:  Be prepared to photograph tomorrow. 

May 10, 2011

Essential Question(s):   
What is a photo-essay?
What are the different types?


In this unit we will investigate the realm of photographic essays.   Students will examine work by master photographers who create in the photo essay form.  Creating a photo essay is a combination of art and journalism.

Watch video on projection screen.

1.     Examine the work of  Lauren Greenfield and James Nachtwey, and Joachim Ladefoged. Visit this website: http://wearemjr.com/  Click on PHOTOGRAPHERS, Click on their COLLECTIONS (allow to load), and then the arrows at the right bottom of the image. 
2.      Create a WORD document list of concepts  you notice and compositional rules (compositional techniques, topics, effects, art elements, design principles, style, subject matter....) that are followed by these artists.  Save this as lastnamelistblock#  to your Z drive.

3.      TOD:  Submit your list by email to artsyfartsyboutique@gmail.com

15 minutes before end of class:  Examine the photo essay packet to begin to think about your theme/story for your own photo essay.  Keep them here in class and you will complete them next class.  Examine my list.  You can use one of these or invent your own:

fashion
teachers
an event
fast food
sports
musical instruments
homelessness
problems in your city
history
around in my area- new businesses, the park, traffic
family or about your family's particular culture
compare different cultures
homeless organizations and shelters
a local environmental issue
homes for the elderly
community gardens
youth program

different hobbies/ interests: like: food, card games, board games, MUSIC!!

Roaming Gnome (without a gnome, choose another icon like a statue or stuffed animal
.)

Critique and Self Assessment: April 11th, 2011


Essential Questions:
How does an artist critique works of photography?  What topics are shared?
How did you use Photoshop and ImageReady to create art?
How do you self assess and write about your own work?


1. DIN:  Give Mrs. Thomas your animation by passing her your flash drive.
2. Participate in our Critique using the projector.
            What elements of art and principles of design can be identified?, Talk about the steps to complete the assignment.  Talk about the areas of improvement and positive aspects of the images.  How was Hockney and Cubism referenced?.....
3.  TOD:  Participation check off and complete Self Assessment.

Hey, guys, consider sending out to Walmart.com or Kodak to order prints of your images.  Sometimes they are on sale for 9 or 10 cents a photo.  Make sure they are JPEG's not Photoshop format.  They would make great gifts even in a small format.  

Contrast: Found Alphabet Project

from Strong Photography 























Description

Contrast is a basic tool in photography. You can make a photograph in which the sole subject is contrast. You can use contrast to add to the idea or emotion that you're communicating in your photograph. An equally valuable tool in photography is the repetition of colors, tones, shapes, and so forth. See notes here.

As photographers, we often look for interesting situations, places, and things that have the potential for making good photographs.
Sometimes we see something that looks like something else, such as a cloud that looks like an animal, car, or face. Turn your skills of perception toward finding and photographing things that look like letters of the alphabet. Locate and photograph shapes that could be letters with the right kind of cropping. Keep these as natural as possible, using very little FotoFlexer, except for basic corrections. Keep taking pictures until you get all twenty six letters of the alphabet. This will be more than just the alphabet, it will be your alphabet. When you are done, combine them into one image, similar to the one at the top of this post.

Requirements: You will need to meet each deadline listed below.

Due Feb. 28th:
DIN (reading and writing):
Open Contrast worksheet. Due 15 min. into the class period
Label as such: lastnamecontrastDINblock#
Save to your flash drive
Email me this document: artsyfartsyboutique@gmail.com
Visit these 2 pages:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tresjoliestudios/2862898120/
http://strongphotography.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/weekly-assignment-photo-two-alphabet/

Please delete your photos from the computer you are using. Make sure you always SAVE to your flash drive.

Begin photographing your alphabet. Get a minimum of 9 letters.

TOD: Examine your photographs, create a list of each letter of the alphabet and check off which letters you are ready to use. Before you leave, Email me a Word Document with at least 9 thumbnails. (drag your letters into the doc.) SAVE AS A WEB PAGE.  (it will be a smaller file)  Label as such: lastnamefeb28block#

HOMEWORK: Take home your images, visit Fotoflexer online and begin to touch up your images.   You save each letter to your drive.
Don’t use any fancy effects. These images should look realistic. Use tools in the BASIC tab and try adjusting curves in the GEEK tab. You should be conscious of contrast of color, tone and texture. Each image should be square or will be in the final collage.  Since you can only have 25 images in this grid you will have to combine 2 letters into one of your images (maybe the letter I with J). Email me a WORD webpage with at least 5 images on it at the beginning of class, March 2nd or before. Label as such: lastnamefeb28HWblock#


Due March 2nd:
DIN: Go to DIN Entries on our blog. 5-6 minutes
Revisit the 2 pages you visited last class and read the following post at Digital Photography School
http://www.digital-photography-school.com/5-tips-to-create-graphic-photographs
Answer the following question:
What are your plans for the best use of class time for today? (Email me this using this label: lastnamemarch2DINblock#)

Email me your HOMEWORK from last class if you haven’t already.

Continue photographing your alphabet. 9 new letters today.

TOD: Check off the letters you are finished photographing. Before leaving, Email me one new letter photo with touchups. Label as such: lastnamemarch3block#

HOMEWORK: Email me a WORD webpage of 5 more thumbnails you have touched up at the beginning of class, March 4th or before. Label as such: lastnamemarch2HWblock#


Due March 4th
DIN: Go to DIN Entries on our blog. 5-6 minutes

Answer the following questions online:
How can I touch up or improve the images I have?
What do you need to do today to complete this assignment to the best of your ability?

Email me your HOMEWORK from last class if you haven’t already.

Partner up and get some feedback from your fellow classmates.
Finish photographing your last 8 letters.

Come back to the classroom and visit Fotoflexor  to touch up your images. Don’t use any fancy effects. These images should look realistic. Use tools in the BASIC tab and try adjusting curves in the GEEK tab. You should be conscious of contrast of color, tone and texture.

TOD: Email me a WORD webpage with 5 more thumbnails. Label as such: lastnamemarch4TODblock#


HOMEWORK:  Finish all editing on Fotoflexer.  Keep in mind that the collage will crop you photos into squares.  Test that out at home before you decide if your letter will work well.
Don’t forget that you will only have time to fill up your spots on the collage, email it to me and print it out during the first 45 min. of next class.


DUE March 8th
DIN: Go to DIN Entries on our blog.
How can you be an active participant in today's critique? How would you rate your own finished product? Explain
Please check your grades online.  If you see zeroes you need to turn this work in TODAY, or your grade will reflect those zeroes.  Tomorrow, interim grades are DUE.  I will be submitting your grades tomorrow.

You have 45 minutes at the beginning of class to ONLY fill your collage on Fotoflexer, email it to me (lastnamealphabetblock#) , print it out and hang it up.
At this point we will have a class critique.

HOMEWORK:
Fill out self evaluation and reflection. DUE March 8th by 12pm
20 points will be taken off without this self evaluation and reflection.


DUE  March 10th
Choices for today:
1- complete self evaluation
2-use time for alphabet collage (in WORD)
3-Print better version with laptop

All three complete?  Go out and photograph using this page as your inspiration: Doors of Ireland
      Save your images to your drive for future use.



Alphabet Trivia
Q. Is the letter A the first letter of every alphabet?
A. “A is the first letter of all alphabets except the Old German, or Runic, in which it comes fourth, and the Ethiopian, in which it is the thirteenth.”
—From Answers to Questions, by Frederic J. Haskin, 1926

Contrast Worksheet

Cut and Paste this whole post into a (landscape) Word Document.  Save it to your Z drive. 
Name                                                     Contrast Worksheet                                                           Block

Can you identify types of contrast? 
Review your notes about contrast.  Visit http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGall2.asp?catID=389   and http://www.nickspencerdesign.com/design_web/contrast_emphasis_web/contrast_emphasis.html
and other sites of your choosing.  Cut and Paste in a thumbnail picture for each type of contrast.  Save this document on your flash drive and email a copy to me:  artsyfartsyboutique@gmail.com
Don’t forget to answer the question at the bottom of this document.
Value Contrast
Color Contrast
Spatial Contrast
Conceptual Contrasts





Weather 1
Weather 2
Abstract, Formal, Ideas
(including other elements of art)
BONUS:
Passage of Time





Write a few sentences discussing a favorite photo from this selection.  Why you like it?  Why did you pick this?  What does it mean?  How did the photography do it?...