Focal Length Portraits

TO DO: Get in groups of two or three and do your own focal-length experiment using the DSLR cameras in class. Take your photos at 18mm, 24mm, 35mm, 55mm, 75mm, 135mm, 200mm, and 300mm. Subject should be evenly lit with their back to the sun or in the shade when you take the photos.

DOWNLOAD THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET HERE

EN ESPAÑOL

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Getting comfortable using our DSLR cameras by practicing zooming in-and-out, carefully changing lenses, and taking multiple images of the same subject using different camera settings.

Taking multiple "head shots" of one another using different zoom lenses with different focal lengths and comparing the results.

NEW & REVISITED TERMINOLOGY:

DSLR, FOCAL LENGTH, FIXED LENS, ZOOM LENS, TELEPHOTO LENS, WIDE-ANGLE LENS, FISHEYE LENS AUTO FOCUS, MANUAL FOCUS

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PORTRAIT AND A HEADSHOT?

Remember to SAVE ALL OF YOUR IMAGES. Do not throw away any of the images you take today.

TO DO: The 2nd half of the assignment has a series of questions to answer. Check your assignment sheet. You can download the assignment sheet HERE.

DAY ONE...

Taking pictures and saving them to your computer and written responses to questions.

Form groups of three. Each group will need one camera and TWO lenses.
Watch a youtube video on focal lengths and how you will be composing your images.
Sit quietly at your desk while I demo a "lens swap" with each group or pair and provide you with a 75-300mm lens.
Sign out a camera with your group.
Go outside and find a location with a long span of space. (In other words, do not shoot in front of a wall or fence) Work quickly and stay on task or you will run out of time.
Take turns getting "head shots" of one-another standing in front of that long space.
Make sure the subject's back is to the sun or that they are standing somewhere that isn't in glare (so there is no squinting)
Set your camera to "portrait" mode.
Shoot the images vertically (portrait) not horizontally (landscape)
Take a photo of each subject at the following focal lengths: 18mm, 24mm, 35mm, 55mm, 75mm, 135mm, 200mm & 300mm.
No silly faces, just smile. Pretend this is for the yearbook or a family portrait.
Remember to hold the button down part way to focus. Once your subject is in focus you then snap the picture. Make sure your lens is in AF mode.
Allow for some space above and below the subjects face as demonstrated in the video.
Each person should be taking their own photos. In other words, there should be a separate set of focal-length shots per person. You don't have to be the subject but you do have to take someone else's picture.
Hurry back to the classroom and save your images to your computers. Again, each of you should have your own, unique, portraits. One subject, eight focal-lengths.
Individually complete the "Focal Length Portraits" worksheet and turn it in. You can use the internet to find the answers. Answer in complete sentences.

^^ FRAMING YOUR SUBJECT: HEADSHOTS LIKE THE ONES PICTURED HERE ^^

ALSO REMEMBER TO COMPLETE THE QUESTIONS ON THE 2ND HALF OF THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET. ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ON A GOOGLE DOCUMENT AND TURN THEM IN TO GOOGLE CLASSROOM.

Work individually on the answers. Answer thoughtfully and thoroughly and use complete sentences.

You may use the internet or any other resources to find the answers. (Google it!)

DAY TWO...

Creating the Google Doc to turn in your images & answer questions on the back of the assignment sheet.

TO DO: Sizing your images, researching their EXIF information, placing the images in a Google Doc and turning in to Google Classroom.

Open Each Image in Photoshop

2. Look up the file information (File > File Info...) and click on "Camera Data."

3. Make note of the Focal Length and Exposure information including shutters speed, f-stop, and iso.

4. Find the best-quality portraits that were taken at the required ISO settings of 18mm, 24mm, 35mm, 55mm, 75mm, 135mm, 200mm, and 300mm.

5. Size the eight selected images to 4.5" tall by 3" wide with a resolution of 200. (Image > Size)

6. Save each image a .jpg (File > Save As) with a unique name identifying it's focal length. (Something like "FocalLength_18mm.jpg")

Also known as a JPEG file. Make sure you save your file as a JPEG file.

7. Create a Google Doc (Letter Size, vertical)

8. Insert a 2x4 table. (FOUR TALL AND TWO WIDE)

9. You will be placing your images in the table, one to a box.

First, place your 18mm focal length image into the first box.
Then, place your 24mm focal length image into the next box.
Complete all boxes until they are filled.
You will have four pages total.

10. Once all eight boxes are filled (two images per sheet and four pages total) add the following information to each box using the information gathered for each image.

FOCAL LENGTH
SHUTTER SPEED (Listed under "exposure" typically as a fraction like 1/60 or 1/125)
F-STOP
ISO

11. When completed, name your file with the project name, class period, and your first and last name.

12. Turn in to Google Classroom

TO DO: Individually research and answer the following questions. (Available on the back of the assignment sheet) Answer all questions on a Google Doc and turn it in to Google Classroom.

WHAT IS “FOCAL LENGTH” AS IT RELATES TO PHOTOGRAPHY AND CAMERAS
WHAT IS A “FIXED” OR “PRIME LENS?”
WHAT IS A “ZOOM LENS”
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A “ZOOM LENS” AND A “TELEPHOTO LENS”
WHAT IS A WIDE-ANGLE LENS?
WHAT IS A FISHEYE LENS AND WHAT IS IT’S TYPICAL FOCAL LENGTH?
WHERE CAN YOU FIND THE CONTROLS FOR SWITCHING FROM AF TO MF MODE?
WHAT DO AF AND MF STAND FOR?
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PORTRAIT AND A HEADSHOT?
WHAT DOES “DSLR” STAND FOR AND WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT THAN A POINT-AND-SHOOT CAMERA?
WHAT DOES MIKE BROWNE MEAN WHEN HE SAYS “DON’T ZOOM… MOVE!"
WHAT DOES "EXIF" STAND FOR?
WHAT IS EXIF?
WHAT IS “SHUTTER SPEED” AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
WHAT IS F-STOP AND WHAT DOES IT CONTROL?
WHICH HAS A SHALLOWER DEPTH OF FIELD? F8 OR F2.8?
WHAT DOES "ISO" STAND FOR AND WHAT DOES IT DO? https://photographylife.com/what-is-iso-in-photography
WHAT IS A "JPEG" FILE? (ALSO KNOWN AS A .JPG FILE)

PLEASE HELP BY TAKING DOWN THE CHAIRS AND STOOLS THEN HAVE A SEAT AT YOUR COMPUTER SO I CAN TAKE ROLL.

CONTINUE WORKING ON "PHOTO LETTERING" AND "FOCAL LENGTH PROJECT."

I CAN STATEMENT:

I CAN FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE FOCAL LENGTH PORTRAITS PAGE OF THE CLASS WEBSITE TO CREATE A GOOGLE DOC CONTAINING MY EIGHT IMAGES WITH EXIF INFO.

TODAY:

TURN IN PHOTO LETTERING

COMPLETE AND TURN IN "FOCAL LENGTH PORTRAITS"

CHECK HOME ACCESS FOR PAST INCOMPLETE WORK

CONTINUE WORKING ON SPOON GRAPHICS (THREE DUE BY THE END OF THE YEAR)

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