Nature Photography /portraits Assignment

https://www.pinterest.com/explore/creative-portrait-photography/?lp=true

This assignment focuses on Nature Photography. We will be studying the work of several historical photographers: Ansel Adams, Eliott Porter, Peter Essick and Mark Adamus. We will be watching a couple of videos about these artist and looking at book's containing their images to study. Nature is a powerful image source and an important one to explore since it is such an impactful part of all of our lives. It is a beautiful and sometimes scary force, but we would not be here without it! Students will have two weekends to shoot 15 images. The first is called the essence of fall. Student will focus on taking proper compositions and light readings to capture the beauty around us. Students may focus on different plants, rock formations, water, trees and anything else nature based. Analyze the time of day, what is the light doing? How can you us it to make a well composed and interesting photograph?

The second option is to shoot portraits. Consider your subjects expressions, the position of their body and hands, what they are wearing and what is happening in the background. You are in full control of what the image looks like. You may use costume and props to create interesting and engaging portraits, simple backgrounds help draw the viewer to the focal point. No snap shots or candid images. Use the composition elements and techniques we discussed earlier in the term. See vocabulary below.

Vocabulary:

Landscape Rule of thirds Contrast Side lighting

Texture S-Curve Value Long Shadows

Composition techniques Dynamic composition Back lighting Natural lighting

Ansel Adams and Peter Essick's work

Here is the discussion Worksheet for this particular video.

We will be watching this video in class to learn how to take good portraits with natural light.

Learning Targets:

Students will learn how to use nature to communicate about shape, texture and contrast in an image.
Students will learn how to shoot images for strong contrast with proper meter readings
Students will learn how to use composition techniques to improve the aesthetics of their photography
Students will learn how to use natural light to enhance their photographs.
Students will learn how to take portraits using outdoor lighting.

State Standards:

G.12.1 Use visual images as tools for thinking and communicating
K.12.3 Apply what they know about the nature of life, nature, the physical world, and the
human condition to their understanding and creation of art
L.12.4 Use the knowledge of nature and works of art as sources for new ideas

Assignment:

Students learn how to use the functions of the camera to take interesting and beautiful images of nature and/or portraits. Students should use both deep (F16-32)and shallow (F3.5-5.6)depth of field. Students will learn how to use the composition techniques we studied in class. Student will turn several of the images into black and white photos with strong contrast.

Rule of thirds

Framing

Leading lines

S-curves

Dynamic composition

Asymmetrical/ symmetrical balance

Great site for portrait ideas from digital photography school

We will be using the following tutorials in class to alter your final images.

Photo editing tutorials