Digital Photography 1 Assignments

Day 1: Overview of Digital Photography

We will explore our class website, class expectations, class policies, what photography is, some items we will cover in class, getting to know each other.  

Activities:  • Tell Me About Yourself

Unit 1: Creating a Digital Portfolio

We will explore the Who, What, When,  and Why of Digital Portfolios.  We will begin the creation of our personal Digital Portfolio. 

Activities:  • Create a Digital Portfolio 

                    • Photographer Quotes 

                    • I am A Photographer

Unit 2: Family Heritage

We will explore the work of Sally Mann, We will learn how to portray our family heritage through photography. 

Activities:  

• Artist Research - Sally Mann 

•  Family Heritage Moodboard 

• "Family Heritage" Photography Assignment 

Unit 3 :  History of Photography

We will explore the Who, What, Where, Why, and When photography began. These and other origin questions about photography will be explored. 

Activities:  

• Social Media Posters  

• Mugshot Game 

•  Artist Research - Mann Ray  

• Photogram Moodboard   

•  Photogram Photography Assignment  

• Artist Research - Julia Margaret Cameron  

• Vintage Portrait Moodboard 

• Vintage Portrait Photography Assignment

Unit 4: Composition 

Learning to see / Visual Organization

We will explore  the rules of composition and how to visually set up a successful photograph.

Activities:  

• Composition Moodboard

• Taking Photographs vs. Making Photographs

• Out of School Composition Photoshoot

• In School Composition Photoshoot

• Elements and Principles Moodboard

• OCTOBER FUN!!

Unit 5: October Fun

1. We will explore  how to create the illusion of People / objects levitating using a variety of PS techniques. 

2. We will explore how to Add and Remove items in PS to create an October inspired image

Activities:  

• Levitation Moodboard

• Levitation Photoshoot / PS Assignment

• Adding and Removing Photoshoot / PS Assignment

Unit 6: Top Photographer / Photo Challenges

Watch "Top Photographer" (a limited reality series) in order to gain inspiration, view diverse photographic styles, and gain insights into the judging criteria and industry expectations. Then they will compete in a series of photography challenges.

Activities:  

• View "Top Photographer" and complete the google forms that go along with each episode. 

• Phone Face Tryptic Challenge

• Miniature Worlds

• Ring Pop Photo Challenge

• Bubble Tryptic Challenge

• Dollar Tree Photo Challenge

Unit 7: Selective Color 

Elements of art - Color and Emphasis

Mastering the workflow: The students will Learn the basic process of creating a selective color effect from start to finish using PS.  

Convert a photo to black and white, and then selectively reintroduce specific colors.

Use the layers panel to non-destructively apply adjustments.

Developing artistic vision: Think critically about how color choices can evoke emotion and tell a story.

Analyze how color placement and vibrancy can be used for composition and emphasis.

Activities:  

• Selective Color Photography

Unit 8: Double Exposure

• This Photoshop double exposure lesson plan guides students through combining two images to create a new composition. The core steps involve importing and masking a main subject, adding a second image, and using blend modes like "Screen" to merge them, with optional steps for color adjustments, fine-tuning with layer masks, and adding final touches. 

Activities:  

• Double Exposure Moodboard

• Double Exposure Photo Project

Unit 9: Photoshop Typography

• This Photoshop typography lesson introduces students to using text as a visual design element. Students learn how to choose and combine fonts, adjust spacing (kerning, tracking, and leading), and use alignment and hierarchy to make text both readable and expressive. Core steps include creating text layers, exploring the Character and Paragraph panels, and experimenting with type tools. Students will also apply effects such as layer styles, clipping masks, warps, and blend modes to integrate text creatively into their compositions.

Activities:  

• Image within a text

• A is for Alligator 

Unit 10: Holiday Choice

• You will  need to complete 2 choice projects

Unit 11: Neural Filters