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
Traditional Digital
One of the real beauties of digital photography is its ability to give instant feedback, allowing you to see exactly what you are doing and in turn to allow you to correct and adjust the image you are working on. Of course there is the possibility, as always, that you push the button and hope for the best, deciding to be happy with what you get. This week we are going to eliminate that possibility.
Using an image or body of images of your choosing that you have researched, work as closely as possible in the style of the photographer who created your researched images. You will first need to identify the unique qualities of your chosen photographer, then make a plan for choosing your subject and treatment. You are also responsible for choosing something that is do-able in the upcoming week.
Goal: The purpose of this assignment is to encourage you take advantage of every means possible to evaluate what you are doing when working toward a known objective. It is also to encourage you to identify a style you'd like to explore more.
One of the real beauties of digital photography is its ability to give instant feedback, allowing you to see exactly what you are doing and in turn to allow you to correct and adjust the image you are working on. Of course there is the possibility, as always, that you push the button and hope for the best, deciding to be happy with what you get. This week we are going to eliminate that possibility.
Using an image or body of images of your choosing that you have researched, work as closely as possible in the style of the photographer who created your researched images. You will first need to identify the unique qualities of your chosen photographer, then make a plan for choosing your subject and treatment. You are also responsible for choosing something that is do-able in the upcoming week.
Goal: The purpose of this assignment is to encourage you take advantage of every means possible to evaluate what you are doing when working toward a known objective. It is also to encourage you to identify a style you'd like to explore more.
#5 9/27
Due 10/4
Due 10/4
Time and Motion
This week I'd like to see what you can do with the idea of motion--your motion, your camera's motion, your subject's motion--over a period of time that is long enough to make the likeness of your subject secondary to the creation of an image with the process of camera control and feedback. Have fun with this one, and shoot a lot. You are not working on representing anything. You are using feedback to fill the frame in an interesting way.
Mechanics: Manual control, feedback.
Goal: I am not convinced that you have learned to control your camera manually, or that you are checking your display for feedback so that you are looking at your images as you make them. The purpose of this assignment is to push you toward these skills.
This week I'd like to see what you can do with the idea of motion--your motion, your camera's motion, your subject's motion--over a period of time that is long enough to make the likeness of your subject secondary to the creation of an image with the process of camera control and feedback. Have fun with this one, and shoot a lot. You are not working on representing anything. You are using feedback to fill the frame in an interesting way.
Mechanics: Manual control, feedback.
Goal: I am not convinced that you have learned to control your camera manually, or that you are checking your display for feedback so that you are looking at your images as you make them. The purpose of this assignment is to push you toward these skills.
#6 10/4
Due 10/11
Due 10/11
Meetings / Time-Based Sequence
As noted in class and during your individual meetings, you will owe me one sentence describing your project when you get back. While enjoying your break, I hope you had a chance to work on a sequence of 20-100 images to be used in class the week of 10/24. Remember, a sequence that would show some event unfolding across a period of time.
Subject: Limited by your imagination, it should be something that changes over time... changes enough to be interesting.
Mechanics: It is possible to do this assignment with or without a tripod or other means for steadying or fixing your camera in space. The fixed approach will show something different than the free and loose approach.
Goal: We'll be using your results to experiment with Photoshop's animation features, as simple way to produce an animated video.
As noted in class and during your individual meetings, you will owe me one sentence describing your project when you get back. While enjoying your break, I hope you had a chance to work on a sequence of 20-100 images to be used in class the week of 10/24. Remember, a sequence that would show some event unfolding across a period of time.
Subject: Limited by your imagination, it should be something that changes over time... changes enough to be interesting.
Mechanics: It is possible to do this assignment with or without a tripod or other means for steadying or fixing your camera in space. The fixed approach will show something different than the free and loose approach.
Goal: We'll be using your results to experiment with Photoshop's animation features, as simple way to produce an animated video.
#7 10/11
Due 10/25
Due 10/25
Project Proposals / Collage Using Layers
Project proposals are due next week. One thoughtful paragraph that will commit you to the subject of the next five weeks' work.
The last assignment is a very loose one that will ask you to, well, play with an image, hone it, push it, modify it, and as you would with paint or clay or any other material and set of tools, push it around until it is yours. You will have time Thursday to work on this project, but you'll need to come to class with all the parts you need.
Subject: If you do not have another subject in mind, this is a good week to consider the change of the seasons that is upon us.
Mechanics: Organization in Lightroom; Understanding of layers, adjustment layers, and masking in Photoshop.
Goal: The goal, other than to come up with a wonderful image, is to give you more of a sense of fluency with the tools which allow you to break an image into parts and put them back together again.
Project proposals are due next week. One thoughtful paragraph that will commit you to the subject of the next five weeks' work.
The last assignment is a very loose one that will ask you to, well, play with an image, hone it, push it, modify it, and as you would with paint or clay or any other material and set of tools, push it around until it is yours. You will have time Thursday to work on this project, but you'll need to come to class with all the parts you need.
Subject: If you do not have another subject in mind, this is a good week to consider the change of the seasons that is upon us.
Mechanics: Organization in Lightroom; Understanding of layers, adjustment layers, and masking in Photoshop.
Goal: The goal, other than to come up with a wonderful image, is to give you more of a sense of fluency with the tools which allow you to break an image into parts and put them back together again.
#8 10/25
Due 11/1
Due 11/1
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