Class assignments are listed below, numbered by the week in which they are given. This is a provisional list, subject to change based on the needs of your particular class. They are offered with this caveat: Each assignment is based on the information discussed in class, and so the description below will only be fully understood if you have followed that discussion. Come to class. Pay attention.
A Self-Portrait.
This is a week for getting things together and making sure everything works. If you have your hard drive, make sure to bring it to class. Get the camera that you are going to use and bring it to class if you have it.
Your shooting assignment for this week is to make a portrait of yourself. Using the non-destructive workflow that we'll talk about in class, you'll import your images into your Lightroom catalog, give them a permanent filename, and apply the metadata that will let me know who the subject is, who the photographer is, and how I might get in touch with her.
Goal: This week's assignment is to simply make the first "round trip" and establish the working habits I'll expect for the rest of the semester.
This is a week for getting things together and making sure everything works. If you have your hard drive, make sure to bring it to class. Get the camera that you are going to use and bring it to class if you have it.
Your shooting assignment for this week is to make a portrait of yourself. Using the non-destructive workflow that we'll talk about in class, you'll import your images into your Lightroom catalog, give them a permanent filename, and apply the metadata that will let me know who the subject is, who the photographer is, and how I might get in touch with her.
Goal: This week's assignment is to simply make the first "round trip" and establish the working habits I'll expect for the rest of the semester.
#1 8/30
Due 9/6
Due 9/6
Short, High Tonal Range
Working with only the top half of the tonal range, create six images that make sense with the subject of the image. Snow is what came to my mind when I first created this assignment for a class that began in January, but as we discovered on our walkabout, there are lots of other possibilities. (Please don't use the images we made in class.)
Bring your raw files to class Monday, ready to import to the catalog that should now be on your hard drive.
Subject: I'm sure you can find suitable material outside this week, in landscape or detail. You can also find it, as we did this morning, as architectural interiors or details. Although you can satisfy the technical requirements of this assignment easily, making sense of what I am asking you to do aesthetically is much harder, since I am asking you to seek out subject matter that comes from this short, high value range.
Mechanics: Manual control of camera, use of camera's histogram.
Goal: The purpose of this assignment is to get you familiar with the manual settings on your digital camera, and to see them as creative tools for controlling image quality and value. It is also intended to force you beyond a standard way of looking and exposing your images, and to be selective about your subject and lighting.
Resources: This comes to mind.
Working with only the top half of the tonal range, create six images that make sense with the subject of the image. Snow is what came to my mind when I first created this assignment for a class that began in January, but as we discovered on our walkabout, there are lots of other possibilities. (Please don't use the images we made in class.)
Bring your raw files to class Monday, ready to import to the catalog that should now be on your hard drive.
Subject: I'm sure you can find suitable material outside this week, in landscape or detail. You can also find it, as we did this morning, as architectural interiors or details. Although you can satisfy the technical requirements of this assignment easily, making sense of what I am asking you to do aesthetically is much harder, since I am asking you to seek out subject matter that comes from this short, high value range.
Mechanics: Manual control of camera, use of camera's histogram.
Goal: The purpose of this assignment is to get you familiar with the manual settings on your digital camera, and to see them as creative tools for controlling image quality and value. It is also intended to force you beyond a standard way of looking and exposing your images, and to be selective about your subject and lighting.
Resources: This comes to mind.
#2 9/6
Due 9/13
Due 9/13
Environmental Portraiture
Choose an interesting person to spend some time with for the next couple of weeks, and photograph them with the goal of telling a story about who they are, what they do, and what makes them interesting. Consider the way you tell your story and how you cover the important parts. This is a story about your subject so you have some responsibility to portray them in an appropriate and honest way. Part of this story is about you... how you see the world, how you relate to other people, and yes, how you explain yourself visually.
Subject: At least one person, and their activities over a period of two weeks. They must be willing to have you watch them for this period of time.
Mechanics: Camera control, awareness of light, and a sensitivity to composition; Editing and organizing a lot of digital material.
Goal: The goal of this assignment is for you to have the photographic pieces you need to edit and build your story—in class, on 2/17. We'll look at work-in-progress on 2/10.
Resources: The web sites I showed in class are only a starter. I've included some more examples, from NPPA's Best of Photojournalism 2009 awards.
Choose an interesting person to spend some time with for the next couple of weeks, and photograph them with the goal of telling a story about who they are, what they do, and what makes them interesting. Consider the way you tell your story and how you cover the important parts. This is a story about your subject so you have some responsibility to portray them in an appropriate and honest way. Part of this story is about you... how you see the world, how you relate to other people, and yes, how you explain yourself visually.
Subject: At least one person, and their activities over a period of two weeks. They must be willing to have you watch them for this period of time.
Mechanics: Camera control, awareness of light, and a sensitivity to composition; Editing and organizing a lot of digital material.
Goal: The goal of this assignment is for you to have the photographic pieces you need to edit and build your story—in class, on 2/17. We'll look at work-in-progress on 2/10.
Resources: The web sites I showed in class are only a starter. I've included some more examples, from NPPA's Best of Photojournalism 2009 awards.
#3 9/13
Due 9/20
Due 9/20
A Story and Environmental Portraiture
The act of turning a group of images into a story requires a different muscle than the one that created those images. This week you should start to evaluate the images you took for last week's assignment and see how they fit together to describe your subject.
You will be continuing to photograph this week, but you should do it while keeping in mind the parts you have, the parts you need, and the parts that will best tell the entire story.
This project is due on 9-27, as a printed layout of at least two pages.
Mechanics: Aside from camera control and subject selection, you will add the use of Adobe InDesign this week. Use our quick tutorial in class as a starting point.
Goal: I promised you that one of the best things about digital photography is its ease of use. Although it takes practice and judgement, it also gives you control over the creation of your final project. This assignment is your first example.
The act of turning a group of images into a story requires a different muscle than the one that created those images. This week you should start to evaluate the images you took for last week's assignment and see how they fit together to describe your subject.
You will be continuing to photograph this week, but you should do it while keeping in mind the parts you have, the parts you need, and the parts that will best tell the entire story.
This project is due on 9-27, as a printed layout of at least two pages.
Mechanics: Aside from camera control and subject selection, you will add the use of Adobe InDesign this week. Use our quick tutorial in class as a starting point.
Goal: I promised you that one of the best things about digital photography is its ease of use. Although it takes practice and judgement, it also gives you control over the creation of your final project. This assignment is your first example.
#4 9/20
Due 9/27
Due 9/27
Independent Projects
Your project proposals are due this week! One carefully worded paragraph explaining what I can expect from you for the next several weeks. Think carefully about what you intend to become an expert at with this time. Once we argee on the scope of your project you are on your own for the rest of the semester. I'm expecting to see progress every week, so bring work to class on Fridays. We'll look at work then as well as continue to cover topics of interest.
Your project proposals are due this week! One carefully worded paragraph explaining what I can expect from you for the next several weeks. Think carefully about what you intend to become an expert at with this time. Once we argee on the scope of your project you are on your own for the rest of the semester. I'm expecting to see progress every week, so bring work to class on Fridays. We'll look at work then as well as continue to cover topics of interest.
#9 11/1
Due 11/8
Due 11/8
Independent Projects 2 /Printing #2
#10 11/8
Due 11/15
Due 11/15
Independent Projects 3
#11 11/15
Due 11/22
Due 11/22
Independent Projects 4
#12 11/22
Due 11/29
Due 11/29
Independent Projects 5
Individual meetings Monday; Final crit Tuesday.
Individual meetings Monday; Final crit Tuesday.
#13 11/29
Due 12/6
Due 12/6
Final Project Due
Your final project is due this week.
Your final project is due this week.
#14 12/6
Due 12/6
Due 12/6