Black History Month Assignment - Year 2 Tech

Create an original visual representation (painting, drawing, photograph, or video, PSA, social media campaign...etc.) to communicate what Black History month means to YOU.

You may work in pairs if you're taking on a larger project, such as a video.

Please let me know on Thursday what your plan is. And get busy! You don't have much time.

Due: ready to present in class on Monday Feb. 27 - and submit for the contest on Feb. 28th.

Photography review - Tuesday Feb 14th Year 2 Tech

Shutter Speed, Aperture and ISO Review

The powerpoint I showed yesterday is available in the CyberARTS year 2 folder. Review it if neede, or read through the articles below. 

Understanding Shutter Speed, Aperture and ISO

ASSIGNMENT FOR TODAY:

Search for and post the following images. 
Post on your blog with a title and brief description explaining how you know that photography is a good example of the requirement.

1. Aperture: Find 2 images each of Shallow Depth of Field (selective focus using wide aperture like f2 or f4) and Long or wide depth of field (everything in focus) (f16 or f22)

2. Shutter Speed: Find 2 images each of Slow shutter speeds that show BLUR or movement AND Fast shutter speeds that FREEZE action

3. ISO: Find 2 images each that show good examples of very HIGH ISOs (like 1600, 3200 or higher) AND LOW ISOs like 50 or 100.


CLICK HERE for a great link about shutter speed

CLICK HERE for a great link about shallow depth of field

Use the DSLR camera simulator from the artistic links menu on the CyberARTS blog to understand how all of the options modify your results.


See the chart below to see how each of these three components work.

Richard Avedon Documentary

After viewing this film, answer the following questions:

1. Richard Avedon talks about how compelling people's face are to photograph. He mentions his interest in the face being about reading people's faces and how fascinating they are to him. He uses the words contradiction, complexity and connected when he refers to taking portraits. What do you think he means? How do you think those words apply to portrait photography? Discuss each of the words

2. After he leaves the world of fashion photography, Avedon moves towards portraits that are simple, clean, without props and on a white background. What do you think he achieved in doing this? What does a white background do for the subject being photographed?

3. Photography literally stops something dead. Unlike painting, the creation of a photograph stops an actual moment in time. That moment is gone forever, yet it remains frozen forever in the photograph. Reflect on the contradiction of this statement.

4. Any other comments you might have about the film itself or about Richard Avedon.

Please answer these questions in a blog post on your blog. Due: Friday Feb. 10

Portrait Inquiry

We talked the other day about things to consider when creating a portrait photograph. Our list is below:

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

Lighting
Expression
Background (location)
Body Posture
Focal point (usually the eyes)
Also colour/vibrance (unless it's black and white, in which case it might be about contrast)


INSTRUCTIONS FOR TODAY

1. PINTEREST BOARD Search for 20-25 portraits that really speak to you and post them on your Pinterest account. Make a board called Portrait Photography. Images can be anything from close-ups with studio lighting, environmental portraits with available light on location.

2. ANALYSIS ON BLOG Choose your favourite portrait (the one that speaks to you the most) to post on your blog and analyze based on the following questions:

Lighting: 
Direction (where is the light coming from and how can you tell?)
Quality (is it direct light with harsh shadows, indirect light with soft shadows like open shade or window light)
Artificial (studio flash) or Available (outdoor or indoor daylight) or other
Lighting pattern used and broad vs short or facing the camera

Expression:
What is the expression on the subject's face and what does this say to the viewer?

Background:
Studio or on location
What is the relationship between the subject and background? 
What does this relationship say about the subject, if anything?

Pose and posture:
Formal vs natural - how can you tell?
Close-up of face, medium shot, full body
How is the subject positioned in relationship to their environment and the camera and what does this say about the subject? Or the photographer?

Eyes and direction of gaze:
Are their eyes looking directly into the lens or away. What does this say about the subject?

Colour and Contrast:
Is this significant? Is colour a big part of the image?
What is the relationship between the shadows and highlights? High contrast, or low contrast?

What do you like about this photo?
Finally, conclude your analysis by discussing why you were drawn to this particular photo. What is it about the photo that speaks to you? Perhaps it's something beyond the analysis above. Sometimes there's a feeling you get, or a memory is sparked from looking at a photograph. Discuss.

Due by the end of class.

Welcome Back Year 2!!

Portrait lighting in Photography

http://digital-photography-school.com/6-portrait-lighting-patterns-every-photographer-should-know/

Please review the 6 portrait lighting techniques from this article.

Keep in mind there are actually 4 main lighting patterns, but each can have broad or short light lighting depending on where the person's face is turned. 

First step will be to find examples of each of these techniques online. While looking, search for great portraits from master photographers, not just any old example.

Post each one on your blog and identify which lighting technique it is.

Due: Monday