Photography Assignment Sheet

Fall Semester

 

 

Assignment #3 & #4- Texture and Converging Parallels

 

This assignment will be split in to two parts, sharing one roll of film and requiring two prints.

 

The first part: Texture

In this part of the assignment, you will be looking for extremely good light.  If the sun is directly above our subject, the shadow the sun creates is severely short.  This causes our subject to look boring and lack dimension.  But if the sun is at about a 45-degree angle to our subject, then we get a strong and long shadow.  So even the most boring thing, like shag carpet, could look interesting when shot with the sun hitting it at a 45-degree angle.  Also consider how the flat, diffused light created by the morning fog makes objects.  Your subject looks smooth and soft.  Look for objects that have an actual texture or feel to them.  They may be smooth, metallic, rough, pointy, wet, dry….etc.

For half of your roll of film, go out in the morning and early evening, looking for that angular light or fog and capture objects/your subject looking its best.  We want to be able to feel your subject with our eyes in the print. Don’t be afraid to get close to your subject…move in and get those details…but don’t forget to have a point (subject) in your picture.

 

The second part: Converging Parallels

With your second half of this roll, you will be looking at your subject from a little further back…we want to see some distance.  As you look down a path, you can see the path coming to a point far off in the distance.  The lines of the path are technically parallel lines, but as they travel farther away from you, they seem to come together.  This is what a converging parallel is.

Go out…look for lines that start out parallel then gradually come together as they fall off in to the distance.  These lines don’t necessarily have to be a road, a path, or a set of stairs…think about what other things around you may have parallel lines that come together.  Think about the camera’s relationship to the subject: is the camera far from the start of the parallel lines, or is it close up to the start.  For example: you decide to shoot some pencils that you’ve carefully laid out on a table.  If you shoot the pencils from farther away, the lines don’t seem to converge, but if you get as close to the one end of the pencils and look down them, the lines appear to converge.

 

When you have finished shooting, rewind your film, remove it, and develop it.

  1. Place all of your negatives in the scanner bed
  2. Preview your negatives by clicking on preview-make sure you view them as a large thumbnail
  3. Select only the once you’d like to keep, by deselecting the ones you don’t want
  4. Set the resolution at 2400 dpi. 
  5. Scan your negatives
  6. Edit your favorite texture and favorite converging parallel by:

a.    Resizing your image

b.    Setting your image to grayscale mode

c.    Spot/remove dust using spotting methods

d.    Adjust contrast/levels adjustments, and selection tools using dodging and burning.

e.    Remove an object or area you find distracting in the images (this will be demonstrated Monday October 27th

  1. Print both images (remembering to accommodate/adjust brightness

 

Materials List:

ISO 400 speed film - Tri-X or Ilford HP5 black and white negative film (36 exp is recommended)

 

Write in the back of your journal about the lighting.  Keep specific data for each frame that you shoot.  Ex. Frame 5: f/22 @ 1/60th , etc…(this will not be turned in, but will help you immensely if you are still having problems with very thin or very thick negatives). Explain how the light looked or felt like when you were taking pictures, discuss your camera angles, the way you framed your images, etc… Then, don’t forget to write down your digital darkroom experience including editing and printing your images.

 

Altered Book: For you altered book you will be creating two chapters: Chapter 2-Texture, and Chapter 3-Converging Parallels (in that order).  Select a minimum of 5 images of texture for chapter 2 and 5 images of converging parallels for chapter 3.  Respond to each image by commenting on 1. Why did you select this image (i.e. inspiration, etc…); 2.  How does this image pertain to the assignment.  The altered book will be do at different intervals during the next two weeks (Chapter 2 due: Block day October 29th-30th ; Chapter 3 due: Block day November 5th-6th).

 

Photo analysis #2, Photo analysis #3, and Chapter 8 outline due as soon as you complete them (prior to the November 19th-20th critique).

 

For Critique: You will display two excellent prints.

Due: November November 19th-20th (at the start of block day)

 

 

Assignment #2- Action/Movement

 

For this assignment you will be photographing and capturing motion/movement.  Remember your shutter speed has two main functions.  It sets the amount of time for which film is struck by light and it affects the amount of movement rendered in the image.  Your s

hutter speed is set according to the prevailing lighting conditions. Low light means a long or "slow" shutter speed. Bright light means a short or "fast" shutter speed. 

 

If you want to freeze action, you must use a very fast shutter speed.  Remember 1/125 of a second is a starting point for freezing subjects in motion.

 

You can play with a slow shutter speed when you are taking action shots by creating

different kinds of blur; highly impressionistic motion, or just a touch of fuzziness.  Blur is caused by movement of the image during exposure.  Effects vary according shutter speed, speed and direction and movement of the subject.

 

Panning is when the camera moves along with the action. Panning produces a relatively sharp image of a moving subject, but it blurs the background.  Panning generally creates a strong feeling of speed, and it helps to separate the two elements.  To create the effect of panning you must slow your shutter speed and swing the camera smoothly in line with the movement of the subject and in the same direction.  You must also 'follow through' the movement during and after exposure for accurate results. 

 

 

 

 

 

Film to be used:

Any 400 ISO Black and white negative film – PlusX or Ilford is fine (24 or 36 exposures)

 

Write in your reflective journal: If you did not do this for the first assignment, please: keep notes/records of your shooting on a data sheet in the back of your journal.  Keep specific data for each frame that you shoot.  Ex. Frame 5: f/22 @ 1/30th , and then a short description of the subject. matter.   Then (everyone here), explain what effect you tried (freezing, blurring, or panning motion).  After you have printed your image, write a one page (minimum) reflection on how things went (ie: what you like about it, what you don’t, what you might do differently next time, what was difficult both in taking the shot, in the digital darkroom, and/or in printing, etc…)

 

For Critique:

You will display one excellent print with dodging and burning where appropriate, and removing dust and scratches.

 

Due: October 22nd-23rd  (Block Day) at the start of the period

 

Assignment #1- What Might Go Unseen…

Think of things in your environment that typically go unnoticed – a plant, fence, old building, or drainpipe. How can you use photography to encourage others to see things that usually go unnoticed? How can your photographs invite viewers to think differently about people, places, and objects?

Experiment with angle of view and framing. Look below your knees and above your head. Consider how other visual elements might help you achieve your goals. Throughout the next few days a camera will be your constant companion.  Play around with using different f/stop-shutter speed combinations while looking for different lighting situations.  For example, try shooting something like a row of cans.  First focus on the can closest to the lens.  Choose an f/stop-shutter speed combination with a small f/stop and then shoot the same shot with a large f/stop.  Please be more creative than my example J.

Shoot in the following scenarios.  Get used to your camera.  Get used to searching out light. Look for various lighting situations and constantly meter your subject.  Try bracketing as well.  In this process please include the following:

 

1.    A picture with the sun behind the subject matter.

2.    A picture with the sun in front of the subject matter.

3.    A picture of something in the morning.

4.    A picture of something in the afternoon.

5.    A picture of something in the evening.

6.    A picture in the gym (or fluorescent lighting).

7.    A picture in your house.

8.    A picture of an animal other than a human.

9.    A picture of something you find ugly.

10.  A picture of something you find beautiful.

 

When you have finished shooting, rewind your film and remove it.

 

Film to be used:

Any 125 ISO Black and white negative film – PlusX or Ilford is fine (24 or 36 exposures)

 

Write in your journal (in the back) about your first photographic experience.  Then, write about what you discovered after developing your roll while examining your contact sheet.

 

Keep notes/records of your shooting on a data sheet.  Keep specific data for each frame that you shoot.  Ex. Frame 5: f/22 @ 1/30th.  What the lighting might feel or look like?  Camera angles? Framing?  Etc. 

 

For Critique:

You will display one excellent print.

 

Due Block: September 24th-25th