Forced Perspective
Essential Questions:
How can composition and the Elements and Principles of Art make a photo interesting?
How does Forced Perspective use the Elements and Principles of Art?
Our eyes can play tricks on us. Even if we know something is an illusion, it's difficult not to be fooled. Optical illusion photos use a technique called forced perspective, a strategy that photographers use that employs optical illusions to make an object appear farther away, closer, larger or smaller than it actually is. A whole world can be created by just changing the angle and focus of the subject... and we are going to give it a try!!
Perspective, by definition, is a particular view of something. If a picture is taken from a “bird’s-eye-view” it means the picture is taken from the bird’s perspective.
In a forced-perspective photograph, you are intentionally changing the perspective of the photo by placing a small item close to the camera, and a large item further away behind it. In the 1950’s this was how they produced dinosaur movies, by placing a small plastic dinosaur near the camera lens, and the actors further behind it. (Remember, there were no computer-generated graphics at that time).
In order for your picture to work, your foreground AND background will need to be in focus (deep depth-of-field).
The mechanical aspects of this assignment aren’t really that hard. What you’ll need is patience and a lot of creativity to come up with creative pictures. You can also find many excellent examples online, so feel free to go online and do a search for "forced perspective photographs."
Assignment:
You and a partner (make sure you have at least one camera between the two of you) are making your own optical illusion photos! Go into the halls- lower level only- and take the most creative images you can think of. Keep notes about what you are doing and why in your sketchbooks! If you need ideas, you are welcome to go on the computers for reference online or your website.
Step 1: Look up "Forced Perspective in Photography" to gather 5-7 references for yourself
Step 2: Create a new page called "Forced Perspective" on your website
Step 3: Upload your references to the new page
Step 4: Find a partner and begin coming up with ideas for your photo shoot
** You need 3 AMAZING, PERFECT photos per person **
Step 5: Go take your photos!
** Remember that your foreground AND background need to BOTH be in focus **
Consider your: composition, layout, frame, fore/middle/background, & foreshortening.
Success Criteria:
- Each student will understand photographic optical illusions
- Each student must have 3 different photos (2 people = 6 photos)
- Each student will PRINT (submit to Google Classroom), I will print for you
- Write their NAME, TITLE, and HAND IN their 1 most successful
photograph to the teacher.
- Each student will put the 3 photos onto their website on a new webpage called "Optical Illusions"
RUBRIC:
The single printed photos are due
AT THE END OF CLASS on Wednesday/Thursday.
Make sure you give yourself enough time!
Great Examples/ Ideas (video)
