Semester Exam: 5 Photo Portfolio

Digital Photography
Semester Exam

Tuesday, December 15th: 1st Black
Thursday, December 17th: 4/5 Orange
Friday, December 18th: 6/7 Black

At the end of the year you will have to turn in a portfolio of TEN strong images for your final exam. These images should demonstrate breadth and skill in your work. For your semester exam, you need to turn in FIVE strong prints that you feel would be part of your final portfolio.

You should consider the following when selecting your images:
• Technique
o Contrast control
o White balance
o Depth of field
o Freeze motion
o Blur motion
o Pan motion
o Color correction
• Subject Matter
o Still Life
o Portrait
o Candid
o Landscape
o Architectural
o Animal
o Object Study
o Graphic/ design
o Sports
o Photojournalism
o Advertising
• Composition
o Camera angle
o Lighting
o Creative Devices

THREE of these prints can be images that you have turned in before. The other TWO should be photographs that you have not yet printed/ turned in. These other two images can from the assignments you have shot so far or can be new images that you shoot specifically for this semester portfolio. I would like ONE to be an image manipulated in Photoshop. This could be as simple as a photograph with a filter run over it or as complex as you want it to be based on your knowledge thus far. (Example: Taking selections from several photos to combine into one image.) Remember: THIS SHOULD SHOW YOUR STRENGTH AS A PHOTOGRAHER: You are only as strong as your weakest image!!

If you have your five images printed and ready to turn in, you may turn them in before the exam period. Otherwise, you may use the exam period to edit and print.

The portfolio will be due NO LATER THAN THE END OF YOUR EXAM PERIOD.

ALL PRINTS MUST BE TURNED-IN IN A FOLDER OR ENVELOPE WITH YOUR NAME ON IT.

Assignment #5: Action

Students will choose the appropriate camera settings for photographing movement. Students demonstrate an ability to photograph movement by freezing, blurring, and panning.

Viewpoint, emphasis, and timing are important when photographing movement.
Viewpoint:
* Clear, unobstructed view
* Be conscious of the background

Emphasis:
* Plain or visually neutral
background adds emphasis

Timing:
* Fast reflexes
* Take lots of photos

*Recorded Movement: Either the subject moves or the camera moves during the exposure.

Implied Movement: How the composition of objects in a photo can lead the viewer’s eye.

Shutter Speed: The main concern of action photography! Set this first and use your meter to set the aperture for correct exposure.

Freezing Action = Fast Shutter Speed
* 1/250th of a second or faster
* more open apertures (2, 2.8, 4)
* snowboarding
* diving
* drops of water frozen in space

Blurring Action = Slow Shutter Speed
* 1/125th of a second or slower
* closed-down apertures (8, 11, 16)
* panning = 1/30th of slower
* may need tripod or some support

Lighting! Lighting! Lighting! Remember, to photograph at FAST shutter speeds, you will need bright light. You can achieve this by photographing outdoors and/or changing your ISO. Be conscious of the camera settings! You ALWAYS want a correct exposure.

Due Dates for Black Days 1st & 6/7:
Film Due: January 4th, 2010
Digital Images: January 6th, 2010
Critique and Assignment Due: Monday, January 18th 2010

Due Dates for Orange Days 4/5:
Film Due: January 5th, 2010
Digital Images: January 7th, 2010
Critique and Assignment Due: Monday, January 19th 2010

Be creative! Think outside of the box! Think people, objects, sports, animals, machines, etc. Anything that moves (or can move) has potential!

Assignment #4

Digital Photography
Assignment #4: Conceptual Photography

Conceptual: Of or relating to concepts or mental conception, ABSTRACT! Examples of concepts: love, anger, betrayal, shadows and sensuality, the perishable environment, a glass ceiling, holiday cheer, walking on pins and needles, or having the world in your hands. The possibilities are endless.

In conceptual photography you visually illustrate abstract ideas. You can create your own world of altered reality. Creating a conceptual photograph employs the special talent of intuitive vision: STARTING with the IDEA and then figuring out the photograph. There are no wrong answers- it’s YOUR take on an idea. Creating an idea FIRST and transforming it into reality is THE essential process in conceptual photography.

You should come up with several concepts that interest you and start thinking how you could visually illustrate these ideas. There are no right or wrong ways to illustrate any concept…it is how YOU interpret it!! Be creative! Consider ways to illustrate a concept using straight photography, with no Photoshop tricks…and ways in which you could use Photoshop to create surreal or warped, multi-layered images.

LIGHTING! Lighting is very important in any photograph…but especially in a conceptual image! Play around with lighting. If you want, you can borrow a flash from me or find some lights at home. Look for desk lamps, some shop lights, or good window light. Try to use all the same type of light (tungsten, florescent, white light, etc.) so that you won’t have a problem with mixed lighting.

Recent Work

Here are some recent portraits I took of my friend's son Mason.

Starting a Blog!

Welcome CHS digital photography students! Blogs are a quick, easy, and convenient way to share your work with others, record ideas, and log inspirational work from others. Getting feedback from others on your work while also looking at and commenting on others work will help make you a better photographer.

Students will create blogs to post their digital photography projects, inspirational photos, thoughts and ideas. Here are the general guidelines:

1) All blogs are considered school assignments and should be treated as such and normal school standards will apply to this site since it is an assignment.

2) You should upload at least one image from each assignment as well as inspirational work from other photographers that will give you ideas for each assignment.

3) When creating your school blog, name it :

* chsphotofirstnamelastname

* Ex. chsphotojohnsmith.blogspot.com

4) Set up a profile but do not include too much information. Keep it simple and professional.

5) Please begin with an introductory statement telling everyone a little bit about yourself and the type of photography you enjoy (with a few examples of your work or the work of photographers you admire)

6) You will be required to update this blog weekly. Here are some things you can consider posting:

· New photos

· Journal style entry with thoughts about a particular style, good location for photos, problems/obstacles

· Photos you find on the Internet that will serve as inspiration for your own ideas

We will use www.blogger.com to create our blogs.