Last class! Congratulations! 12/12/13

Congrats on your last photo class:

To do:

Upload your work:  Please upload your photos from this week (you were supposed to be working on an assignment(s) for the past three weeks, so there should be new photos uploaded from the past three weeks - a separate blog for each, of course)  Add any text or explanation that you would like.

Comments:  Make a comment on each classmate's blog.

Individual Blog Presentations:  Now, we will have each student come up to present their blog to the class.  You will go through your photos from the beginning to end and tell us your thoughts on the assignment and your subject matter.  Don't just be silent, say as much as possible about your work.  We will take about 10 minutes per person, if not more time.

In-class work essay on a photographer

First:  Upload your photos from the week to your blog.
Second:  Make a comment to each classmate's blog.

Last:
Let's see how your independent thinking skills are....

Your challenge today, for your second to last photo class, is to find/research a photographer that you like online (google or other search engine that you prefer) and write a two-page essay on him/her.

You may NOT choose Gregory Crewdson, who you have already written about.

The essay must be double-spaced, 12pt font.  You must have an introduction and a conclusion and also tell me where you found your sources of information.  Have a separate page (3rd page) for links to where you found your information online about this person.  (like a bibliography of sorts, but not as formal)

Copy and paste this essay to your photo blog and also hand me a print out.
You may leave after this is finished and handed to me.

Class 12/5

Please upload anything you are missing from past assignments (as per usual).  I want to get you caught up because we are near the end of the semester.  We have two classes left after Thanksgiving.  Congratulations!  I'm proud of all of your work so far.  Keep it up.

Make sure you have TEN photos with "6 word sentences" as captions.  Please ask if you have *any* questions.

Make sure your essay from the Crewdson film is on your blog and that you print and hand me a copy.

Make sure all your past assignments are on your blog.  Just a little reminder that you are graded from your blog (plus participation in class), etc.  If your blog is not working for some reason (like Katelynn's blog), please create a new blog on another hosting site - for example wordpress.com which may work better for you)

Go through each classmate's blog and make a comment.

Watching in class:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvdAb0_AmmE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3kA_QEXpBs

HOMEWORK (in ADDITION to your photo assignment which was to choose a project - last blog entry)

In the Photoshop CS5 book:

CREATE SIX WORD STORIES in PHOTOS:

Please try the exercises on type, pp. 335 - 348

When you are comfortable with the exercises, please add a 6 word sentence to 5 photos.

In the TOM ANG book, Digital Photographer's Handbook:

Please READ pp. 286-287

11/21 class and HOMEWORK

11/14 class AND HOMEWORK

TWO ASSIGNMENTS FOR HOMEWORK THIS WEEK:

ONE:
Class, please make sure you are caught up on ALL past assignments and that everything that all assignments so far are posted to your photo blog.  We are close to the end of the semester.

Copy/paste the writing assignment that is due for this week to your blog, also PRINT me a copy.
This writing assignment should be one page, double-spaced, 12 point font.

Take this time to also upload and work on any photos that you have not had the chance to add to your blog.  I know some of you were behind.

Now, make a new post.  Go through all of the photographs you have taken for class thus far and choose 10 of them.  For each of the 10, write a six word sentence (explained below in the links) and post each photo and six word sentence under it.  Take your time and BE CREATIVE.  Look at these web sites for inspiration and examples about a six word sentence/memoir:

http://writing.upenn.edu/wh/archival/documents/sixwords/

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18768430

http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/Six-Word-Memoirs-O-Magazine-Mini-Memoirs



For HOMEWORK TWO:  Please follow directions below:

Please pick a photo project from the list below to work on for the next three weeks:  you can choose different projects for each week or do the same project for all 3 weeks.  20 photos are due each week, even on Thanksgiving week.  You can incorporate family things/Thanksgiving during Thanksgiving week as well.  I expect 20 photos due each week and uploaded to your blog.  All due by 12/5 class.  (The first 20 will be due on our 12/21 class next week, second set of 20 are to be uploaded to your blog during the week of Thanksgiving and the third set (of 20) due on 12/5).


CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS:

Do a 365 Project (or for our purposes, a 21 day project):

A popular idea that can produce some interesting results is known as a 365 project. In case you’re wondering, yes – the 365 does refer to the number of days in a year. To do this project, select a subject for your picture and take a picture of that same subject every day for one year.

This may sound boring at first, but your boredom is what will inspire you to create cool images. How many people could actually bear to take the same exact picture of the same exact thing for one year straight? By the second or third week, you will be dressing up your subject, putting unique background objects in the picture, and who knows what else. The point is that a 365 project is a great way to regain some creativity if you temporarily misplace it.

Photowalks

You might be amazed to discover how many interesting photo subjects are outside. Unfortunately, many people get nice cameras and only use them indoors or at special occasions. Take your camera outside and walk around. Take pictures of anything and everything that interests you. Try different perspectives and lenses to create cool effects.

Local parks, abandoned buildings, even traffic jams can become interesting photo opportunities if you are looking for them. Capturing Your Digital Life teaches you how to find beautiful pictures in everyday objects.

A – Z

A – Z projects are pretty cool. Basically, you pick a location and try to find an object that represents each letter of the alphabet. For instance, you might take a picture of a dog for the D and a picture of a fire truck for the F.

When this project gets really fun is when you get into letters that aren’t quite as commonly used. The Q is a good example. There are very few things you are likely to encounter in a casual walk that begin with the Q (unless you happen to walk upon a quail) so you might consider taking a picture of something that can be described with an adjective that begins with a Q. Quiet and quick are good examples.

100 Strangers

This is a project that has gained popularity in recent years although not everyone has the personality to do it. 100 Strangers requires that you look for random people and ask to take their picture. You can even talk to them to get some sort of backstory.

There are actually websites that allow you to upload these pictures and share the backstory with others. It’s an interesting and fun way to meet new people and take potentially interesting photographs. Who knows, maybe you’ll even make a couple friends in the process!

Pick a Color Project

This relatively simple project requires that you pick a single color and only photograph objects that are that color for the entire day. It may seem easy at first, but you will quickly run out of obvious subject choices and be forced to start looking for more abstract or interesting objects.

The advantage to a project like this is that it forces you to look at the world in a certain way. In the case of the color project, you are only looking at the color of objects without regard for what they are, what they mean, etc.

A variation of this project would be to pick a specific object. This could be anything from a computer to a baseball to a bird. Again, taking straight on pictures of these items gets boring quickly so the hope is that you will begin to look for abstract picture opportunities that you would normally miss as you look at the world from a more subjective perspective.

Black & White

This may seem boring on the surface, but many average photos can be made really interesting by shooting in black and white. You might be surprised by some of the images you capture when you only take black-and-white photos.

The Art of Black and White Photography teaches you how to create dramatic images without relying on color.

More importantly, this technique forces you to become a better black-and-white photographer; something that every photographer should be experienced with. After a while, you will immediately know if an image will look good in black and white versus color and you can apply this knowledge to all your future photographic adventures as well.

Scavenger Hunt

A photo scavenger hunt is a really fun activity that has you searching for interesting subjects that meet the list requirements. Although you could make up your own list, this project is way more fun when someone else makes the list. The scavenger hunt can be literal things or more abstract ideas like “loud.”

If you can’t find anyone willing to make you a good scavenger hunt list, there are plenty of them available online that you can download and use for free. This is a great technique to use whenever you get into a creative rut or when you’re just looking to try something different.

Film response paper homework

For homework:  After the film, Gregory Crewdson:  Brief Encounters, please write a one page, double-spaced response on the film.  Your writing can include your opinion on his work and your response on the film, what you liked and/or did not like and how this perhaps influenced or inspired you.  Don't forget, no plagiarism.  Please write in your own words.  Please post your response to your blog.  You can copy and paste from Word (which will help you count the page length).

11/7 class

**Please upload all of your portrait photos from the last two weeks.  You may edit them as you wish in Photoshop.

**Upload the next assignment that was due today, 11/7 (for those of you who were absent last week, please shoot this assignment this week).  This assignment was to upload at least 10 really great photos of your choice.  (take new photos of a new subject of your choice)  You may combine themes from the past assignments and/or take photos again of your favorite theme/topic.  (example:  if you really liked texture or environment, take new photos of this subject again and choose 10 really great ones to upload to your blog - again, edited in Photoshop how you wish)  Please list what you did to edit your photos on your blog.

**Please comment once on each classmates blog.

Also, please make sure you have done all the assignments listed on this blog.

Thanks all!