1. What skills were you learning during that project?

2. What was your original idea(s) of how you wanted to do the project?  Did it evolve?

3. Were there any struggles during the process of creating your photo/video? What did you do to try and overcome those problems?  What can you do to avoid those problems in future projects?

4. After watching other student projects, how can you improve your final version?

(Below is an example of a student reflection write up.)

This was our first project of the year so we were getting familiar with how to use a camera. We were mainly learning how light travels and how to shoot photos in the dark with a camera. We had to adjust to a slow shutter speed, 30", to compensate for the dark so more light could hit the sensor. I originally wanted to do a sky full of stars idea so it looked like stars were lighting up a night sky, but I quickly learned that I did not have enough time so instead I just painted two big stars. Outside of what was learned we tried to incorporate color, but it wasn't bright enough. After reviewing the project it is evident that it was a struggle to make the models face lit, which I could improve on next time by shining more light on his face. 

1. What skills were you learning during that project?

2. What was your original idea(s) of how you wanted to do the project?  Did it evolve?

3. Were there any struggles during the process of creating your photo/video? What did you do to try and overcome those problems?  What can you do to avoid those problems in future projects?

4. After watching other student projects, how can you improve your final version?

(Below is an example of a student reflection write up.)

For this project our goal was to catch the motion and splash of a water balloon. We had to adjust our shutter speed to a much faster speed compared to the last project in order to make sure the photos didn't turn out overexposed. My original idea was to focus on the balloon splash but unfortunately I did not get a great shot of it because my camera settings made the picture turn out too bright. It was a struggle to adjust the lighting accordingly because I was constantly changing sids and angles in order to get the shot. Outside of what was taught I learned how to capture different angles efficiently by doing things like squatting down or pointing the camera at different angles. I could improve for next time by learning to adjust my camera to fit the lighting quicker so I can capture more. 

1. What skills were you learning during that project?

2. What was your original idea(s) of how you wanted to do the project?  Did it evolve?

3. Were there any struggles during the process of creating your photo/video? What did you do to try and overcome those problems?  What can you do to avoid those problems in future projects?

4. After watching other student projects, how can you improve your final version?

(Below is an example of a student reflection write up.)

In this experience we learned how to adjust aperture and distance to create blurry backgrounds. We made sure we were close to our subject and adjusted our settings to 3.5 aperture to create a bigger hole in order to create a blurry background. My original idea was to be slightly closer to the subject to create even more blur so that is something I will take into consideration for next time. The biggest struggle was making sure the subject was in focus while maintaining the blurry background as I noticed in some of my pictures the subject was out of focus. I could have definitely improved the assignment by creating even more blur to get the full effect.

1. What skills were you learning during that project?

2. What was your original idea(s) of how you wanted to do the project?  Did it evolve?

3. Were there any struggles during the process of creating your photo/video? What did you do to try and overcome those problems?  What can you do to avoid those problems in future projects?

4. After watching other student projects, how can you improve your final version?

(Below is an example of a student reflection write up.)

For our composition experience we were taught the elements that make up an artistic photo such as balance, simplicity, POV, and lines.  My original idea was to get pictures of landscape and flowers, but I already have plenty of those so I was trying to think more creatively. Instead I captured a picture with balance, lines, POV and simplicity all in one. It was a struggle to get the lines and horizon because even the slightest tilt in the camera created unbalance. I could improve my final version by getting the horizon even slightly straighter for more balance. In general I could overall improve on capturing better simplistic, more "plain" photos while still keeping it interesting and artistic. 

1. What skills were you learning during that project?

2. What was your original idea(s) of how you wanted to do the project?  Did it evolve?

3. Were there any struggles during the process of creating your photo/video? What did you do to try and overcome those problems?  What can you do to avoid those problems in future projects?

4. After watching other student projects, how can you improve your final version?

(Below is an example of a student reflection write up.)

For the Lightroom experience we learned how to do basic corrections on photos by incorporating color changes, exposure, and contrast. It was really fun to have the creative freedom to edit my pictures in a way that I find aesthetically pleasing. My original idea was to make colors more vibrant and vivid, which I think I captured well. The hardest part about making adjustments with Lightroom was learning how to not overdo adjustments with contrast and exposure. There is a balance you have to find with not over-editing. I learned that I like photos that tend to lean less exposed and slightly darker with vivid colors. I could improve my final versions by experimenting with more tools and exposures in general. 

1. What skills were you learning during that project?

2. What was your original idea(s) of how you wanted to do the project?  Did it evolve?

3. Were there any struggles during the process of creating your photo/video? What did you do to try and overcome those problems?  What can you do to avoid those problems in future projects?

4. After watching other student projects, how can you improve your final version?

(Below is an example of a student reflection write up.)

The photoshop experience was a very creative fun process. We learned to cut out objects, remove objects with the selection tool as well as create shapes and backgrounds. It was a project that was unique to other projects because we got to work with photoshop. I wanted to incorporate photos I've taken in photography and other students taking photos to create an advertisement for photography. The hardest part was cutting out the objects perfectly, especially the hair area. I think I could improve my final version by arranging the photos differently and if I had more time I would have changed the font and played with the writing a bit more. Overall Photoshop was really fun to work with allowing a lot of creative freedom. 

1. What skills were you learning during that project?

2. What was your original idea(s) of how you wanted to do the project?  Did it evolve?

3. Were there any struggles during the process of creating your photo/video? What did you do to try and overcome those problems?  What can you do to avoid those problems in future projects?

4. After watching other student projects, how can you improve your final version?

Student answers in paragraph form.

1. What skills were you learning during that project?

2. What was your original idea(s) of how you wanted to do the project?  Did it evolve?

3. Were there any struggles during the process of creating your photo/video? What did you do to try and overcome those problems?  What can you do to avoid those problems in future projects?

4. After watching other student projects, how can you improve your final version?

Student answers in paragraph form.

1. What skills were you learning during that project?

2. What was your original idea(s) of how you wanted to do the project?  Did it evolve?

3. Were there any struggles during the process of creating your photo/video? What did you do to try and overcome those problems?  What can you do to avoid those problems in future projects?

4. After watching other student projects, how can you improve your final version?

Student answers in paragraph form.

1. What skills were you learning during that project?

2. What was your original idea(s) of how you wanted to do the project?  Did it evolve?

3. Were there any struggles during the process of creating your photo/video? What did you do to try and overcome those problems?  What can you do to avoid those problems in future projects?

4. After watching other student projects, how can you improve your final version?

Student answers in paragraph form.