STUDENT EXAMPLES
2024
2025
2025
ASSIGNMENT:
Submit 5 strong (new) photographs that exemplify these Compositional Methods learned in Unit 2.
LEADING LINES / CONTRAST / FRAMING / SYMMETRY
Show variety of photos, must include: PORTRAIT, LANDSCAPE, MACRO, STREET
Proper EXPOSURE (not under or over exposed)
Use MANUAL, APERTURE or SHUTTER PRIORITY mode
ISO: Indoors (>800) and Outdoors (<400)
Quality: FINE Size: Large
Usage of Elements and Principles (E'S & P'S) of Art & Design in your photos
Caption photo with a short explanation, include your E's & P's.
Get creative; GO BEYOND the lockers, fences, hallways, backfield, and front of school photos.
Edit your photographs and submit to Google Classroom
Then upload and display your works on your photo Google Site.
TIPS & ADVICE:
Find good lighting, don't take photos in low and dim-lit areas
Good contrast- distinct separation between highlight areas and shadows
Spend time finding a subject that would make for an engaging and interesting TEXTURE
Make an intentional and purposeful choice for your subject matter
Use a Tripod or stabilize the camera if your shutter speed is slower than 1/60
This challenge might require you to shoot close-ups (MACRO) to capture the details.
Submit 5 strong (new) photographs that exemplify the use of TEXTURE as the main subject. YOU'RE ALMOST ABLE TO FEEL THE SUBJECT IN THE PHOTO.
TEXTURE IS HYPER-REALISTIC
Proper EXPOSURE (not under or over exposed)
Caption photo with a short explanation of your photo choice, in connection with the photo challenge
Sharp focus
Edit to achieve a good range of shadows to highlights.
Photos contrast should not look flat and bland.
All 5 photos will be of 3 different subjects (and should exhibit a range of various texture. i.e.- soft, hard, sharp, rough)
Usage of 3 Elements and Principles of Art & Design
Caption photo with a short explanation, include your E's & P's
TIPS & ADVICE:
Find good lighting, don't take photos in low and dim-lit areas
Good contrast- distinct separation between highlight areas and shadows
Spend time finding a subject that would make for an engaging and interesting TEXTURE
Make an intentional and purposeful choice for your subject matter
Use a Tripod or stabilize the camera if your shutter speed is slower than 1/60
This challenge might require you to shoot close-ups (MACRO) to capture the details.
ASSIGNMENT:
Submit 5 strong (new) photographs that exemplify these
Color Addition Methods learned in Unit 4.
You choose from PORTRAIT, LANDSCAPE, MACRO (Close Up) or OTHER
CONTRAST / COLOR / EMPHASIS
Want a way to make your photo pop? Color isolation is one of the most effective techniques to bring out the subject of your photo and make it stand out. So, you took a picture, but that one part of it that you really wanted to stand out... doesn't? Maybe the rest of the scene is too cluttered, maybe it's simply too big. Maybe you just want something that makes a striking impact, or maybe you want to further differentiate and alienate your subject from the surrounding scene. In any of these situations, color isolation can be a powerful tool, and certainly one worth experimenting with.
Also, be aware that color isolation makes an image feel very conspicuously processed, which some people find displeasing when compared with more natural-seeming photography. This by no means invalidates color isolation as a technique. Experiment and see what suits you.
ASSIGNMENT:
Usage of 3 Elements and Principles of Art & Design
Proper EXPOSURE (not under or over-exposed)
Compositional rules (rule of thirds)
REFLECTION of the photo with a short explanation, including your E's & P's.
An intentional photo, with rationale behind your chosen subject.
Ask yourself..."WHY AM CHOOSING TO ISOLATE THAT SPECIFIC SUBJECT?"
TIPS:
Plan ahead. Don't hope for the best.
Make an intentional and purposeful choice for your subject matter.
Think about COLOR as the subject
ASSIGNMENT:
Submit 5 strong (new) photographs that exemplify Simplicity and Minimalism.
CONTRAST / SIMPLICITY / EMPHASIS
Minimalist Photography refers to the process of creating an image with a very simplistic composition. The photo is carefully framed to remove all distracting elements. When extra parts are abstracted away, resulting in a photo capturing shape or form rather than a specific subject.
OUR ARTIST INSPIRATION: MICHAEL KENNA
TIPS & ADVICE
You can make use of depth of field to help create a clean image. By using a shallow depth of field (large aperture e.g. f/2.8), you can blur out the background, getting rid of any distracting elements.
ASSIGNMENT:
Usage of 3 Elements and Principles of Art & Design
Proper EXPOSURE (not under or over-exposed)
Compositional rules (rule of thirds)
REFLECTION of the photo with a short explanation, including your E's & P's.
An intentional photo, with rationale behind your chosen subject.
Ask yourself..."WHY AM CHOOSING TO ISOLATE THAT SPECIFIC SUBJECT?"
TIPS:
Plan ahead. Don't hope for the best.
Make an intentional and purposeful choice for your subject matter.
Think about COLOR as the subject
The use of lines.. . Lines can be provided by anything, but architecture commonly provides strong lines that can be used as the basis for a minimalist shot. Similarly, strong shadows on a sunny day can create nice shapes and lines as a suitable subject.
The use of patterns. The frame is reduced to just pattern. In a similar way, a scene composed of a pattern with a single element breaking the pattern can also work well for a minimalist photo, for example the windows of a block of flats where one single window has a window box with flowers in it.
Make use of negative space. Dedicate a large portion of the image to negative space. By making the subject small in the scene, it actually helps them stand out more against the rest of the image. Use of negative space forces you to avoid a cluttered scene. This typically makes for a photo that is easier to view - the viewer's eyes are focused and drawn straight to the subject.
The stronger the contrast between the subject and the negative space, the more impact it will have. Both tonal contrast and color contrast can be used to good effect in this way.
Long exposures and Minimalism. Get in really close to a subject for a close-up or macro photograph. For larger subjects, like landscapes and buildings, you may notice that a long exposure time is often used.
Using a slow shutter speed allows moving elements in the scene, that may be distracting, blur away into an abstraction. Moving water takes on a smooth milky look, tidal water may even look almost like fog. Long exposure will remove well defined outlines of clouds by rendering them as blurred streaks of white. In busy areas full of people, the moving people can be blurred into non-existence (or an abstract blur of color) by use of a long exposure.
But remember to use a tripod.
Black & White vs. Color. Black and white is a popular medium for minimalist photographs. When you think about it, this makes sense, as black and white is a form of minimalism itself - it is removing the color from the photo, so you will only focus on the differences in tone in the image.
CONTRAST / SIMPLICITY / EMPHASIS / SHAPE / FRAMING
ASSIGNMENT:
Submit 5 strong (new) close-up portrait photographs
Proper EXPOSURE (not under or over-exposed)
Caption photo with a short explanation of your photo choice, in connection with the photo challenge. Explaining usage of Elements and Principles of Art & Design
Crisp subject and blurred background
Edit to achieve a good range of shadows to highlights.
Photos contrast should not look flat and bland.
Show versatility and variety in your 4 photos.
ASSIGNMENT:
Submit 5 strong (new) Black and White Street Photographs
"street photography, a genre of photography that records everyday life in a public place. The very publicness of the setting enables the photographer to take candid pictures of strangers, often without their knowledge."
Street Photography -
The crucial aspect of street photography is timing. You have to be ready. Check your camera settings and take some test shots to get a sense of how you want to frame shots, and to make sure the lighting works. While your are trying to capture a moment in time, you still have to pay attention to the technical aspects of the shot.
As photographers, our job is to record an authentic moment in time. A skillful street photographer makes quick decisions and is able to remove distracting elements from the frame by moving in closer and positioning themselves correctly, before pressing the shutter. Most of us would not resort to using post-processing tools to remove objects. There are times when bright colorful elements such as stop signs, trash cans, or cars are inevitable, and will draw the attention away from the subject. By removing the color, you are able to bring the attention back to the human element.
Be spontaneous and random. Many times the subject may not know they are being photographed, other times they may be looking right at you. Regardless, be respectful. Getting a good shot isn’t worth making a new enemy. Shooting in public is perfectly legal in the CANADA, but laws vary around the world.
Subject Matter: Photographs capturing the everyday (street level)
Proper EXPOSURE (not under or over exposed)
Caption photo with a short explanation. Story behind the photographs you captured.
No photos from Delview school grounds. Go out and find interesting subjects!
Caption- Explaining usage of Elements and Principles of Art & Design
Edit to achieve a good range of shadows to highlights.
Photos contrast should not look flat and bland.
ASSIGNMENT:
5 Low Angle Photographs
Subject Matter: Photographs captured should show a variety of subjects
Proper EXPOSURE (not under or over-exposed)
Photos from school grounds are okay but not great. Go out and find interesting subjects! You'll get a better assessment in the end.
Photos contrast should not look flat and bland.
When you look up, what do you see?
This is what you want to think about when you’re taking photos. All too often we just look at what’s around us, without ever looking up or down.
Sometimes just placing your camera on the ground and snapping away is good enough for a low-angle shot. The idea is that you’re either close to the ground and looking up, or you remove the ground (and the horizon) from the equation altogether and look at something much taller than yourself.
When you remove the horizon from the photo, it disrupts the balance of the photo and make the angle feel rather precarious. This can be a very powerful tool when it comes to composition as you can make the viewer feel uneasy, without them necessarily understanding why.
ASSIGNMENT:
5 Low Angle Photographs
Subject Matter: Photographs captured should show a variety of subjects
Some ideas: Architecture, street level, people, worm's eye view, nature, etc...
Proper EXPOSURE (not under or over-exposed)
Caption the photos with a short explanation. WHAT is the story behind the photographs you captured?
Photos from PHSN school grounds are okay but not great.
Go out and find interesting subjects! You'll get a better assessment in the end.
Caption- Explaining usage of Elements and Principles of Art & Design
Edit to achieve a good range of shadows to highlights.
Photos contrast should not look flat and bland.
ASSIGNMENT:
Submit 5 strong (new) photographs that exemplify the use of color and aperture.
2 LANDSCAPE 1 with PEOPLE
COMPOSITION / EMPHASIS / APERTURE
Panoramas are unbroken views of an entire area. A picture or series of pictures representing a continuous scene.
A Panorama photograph is a picture presenting a view of objects in every direction, as from a central point. Panoramic photography is a technique of photography, using specialized equipment or software, that captures images with elongated fields of view. It is sometimes known as wide format photography.
ASSIGNMENT:
2 PANORAMA Photographs
1st photo- Urban landscape
2nd photo- Nature landscape
3rd - people with buildings in the back
Proper EXPOSURE (not under or over-exposed)
Caption photo with a short explanation. Your decision behind choice of landscape.
No panoramas on Delview school grounds. Go out and find interesting subjects!
Caption photo with a short explanation of your photo choice, in connection with the photo challenge. Explaining usage of Elements and Principles of Art & Design
Edit to achieve a good range of shadows to highlights.
Photos contrast should not look flat and bland.
TIPS
Need for larger depth of field. Aperture between f/8 and f/12.0
Choose a reference point about 20-30% away from the right edge of the viewfinder.
You are overlapping 20%-30% of the previous photo.
Swivel camera to the right until the reference point is at left edge of viewfinder.
Take the picture.
Repeat until you have taken photos that cover the entire area you wish to capture in your panorama.
LINKS:
Triptych art is made up of 3 panels that are intended to be displayed together. A triptych is from the Greek Adjective meaning "Three-Fold." The first triptychs were from early Christian art, which were a popular format for altar paintings from the Middle Ages on wards.
Triptychs are a popular story telling method, showing different aspects of your subject, contrast or juxtaposition, conveying emotions, and displaying a common theme.
You can always make more than one, and you should.
When the triptych art form is applied to photography or fine art, there are no steadfast rules to a triptych display. One method consists of three mounted artworks in a frame, the 3 images are closely associated in subject matter and are displayed near each other.
ASSIGNMENT:
Usage of 3 Elements and Principles of Art & Design
Proper EXPOSURE (not under or over exposed)
Start a 7.5" x 10.5" canvas in Canva or Adobe Express
Create 3 frames for your photographs
Edit to achieve a good range of shadows to highlights.
Photos contrast should not look flat and bland.
Add a reflection to the photo with a short explanation, include your E's & P's
TIPS:
Plan ahead. Don't hope for the best.
Make an intentional and purposeful choice for your subject matter
Canva or Adobe Express frames should have equal spacing
RHYTHM / PATTERN / FRAMING / EMPHASIS / COLOR /
ASSIGNMENT
10 - 15 Photos
Plan ahead. Do some research, look at examples of themed photography.
Pick your theme before starting. Go out with meaningful and deliberate intentions.
Your photos need to display THE THEME.
Usage of Elements and Principles of Art & Design
Proper EXPOSURE
Compositional Rules (Rule of Thirds)
Short artist write up describing what your theme is.
Write about your ideas and the images you captured.
Compile your photos. Try to have at least 10 -15 good photos for your series.
Create your work in CANVA (Poster SIZE PAPER)
Typology is the study of types, and a photographic typology is a collection of images or related forms, shot in a consistent, repetitive manner. Sometimes it helps to have a theme to keep our mind and interest engaged with our photos. It gives us purpose and a reason to look differently at things that we might have already photographed. Be specific in your theme so that it is obvious that the photo series was taken with particular intent.
A theme might include: color, the same type of object, things in your neighbourhood, shapes, architecture… The list can go on and on. The idea is that your theme is specific but still gives you enough latitude to take interesting photographs.
TIPS
Need for larger depth of field. Aperture between f/8 and f/12.0
Choose a reference point about 20-30% away from the right edge of the viewfinder.
You are overlapping 20%-30% of the previous photo.
Swivel camera to the right until the reference point is at left edge of viewfinder.
Take the picture.
Repeat until you have taken photos that cover the entire area you wish to capture in your panorama.
LINKS:
ASSIGNMENT
6 Photos for 6 Sides
BUILD THE CUBE
ASSIGNMENT
6 Photos for 6 Sides
Plan ahead and look at examples of themed photography.
Pick your theme before starting. Go out with meaningful and deliberate intentions.
Your photos need to obviously display the theme.
Usage of Elements and Principles of Art & Design
Proper EXPOSURE
Short artist write up describing what your theme is.
Write about your ideas and the images you captured.
Create your work in InDesign (LETTER SIZE) use template provided.
TIPS
Develop a theme for a collection of 6 photographs. The 6 photographs your choose will be cropped 1x1. There is an InDesign file available for you to download. Use the 6 frames to layout your 6 photographs.
The theme you decide on needs to be apparent when looking at the completed and constructed cube. We will be printing your design templates on LETTER SIZE PAPER
With the use of X-Acto knives, rulers, and glue, you should be able to create a cube.
HOW TO SAVE:
FILE>EXPORT FILE NAME: CUBE_YOURNAME.pdf
FORMAT> ADOBE PDF PRINT
PRESET>HIGH QUALITY PRINT
SIMPLICITY / SPACE / TEXTURE / EMPHASIS / COLOR
ASSIGNMENT
5-7 CYANOTYPE PRINTS /Photos
Prints can be from your negatives, photos or photogram style.
Plan ahead. Do some research, and look at examples of themed photography.
Choose photos and or plants to make cyanotypes with.
Focus on compositions, photograms, and themes.
Usage of Elements and Principles of Art & Design
Proper EXPOSURE matters
Short artist write-up describing what your theme is.
Write about your ideas and the images you captured.
Compile your photos into a display.
Basic How To:
To make cyanotypes, you can follow these steps:
Mix two chemicals separately in water: potassium ferricyanide and ferric ammonium citrate.
Blend the two solutions in equal parts.
Coat paper with the chemicals.
Let the paper dry in a dark place.
Place an object or negative on the paper.
Expose the paper to sunlight or a UV lamp.
Wash in very cold water for long enough to develop blues.
Let the print air dry.
The print will reach its true blue as it dries.
This IS a science lab of sorts. Follow directions!
You can use Google Doc or Photopea or other apps to convert any photo you take to B/W and then to a negative.
Photopea How to:
Choose one of your photos from this class to create a cyanotype.
Upload your photo to Photopea.
Select Image.
Select Adjustments.
Select Black and white.
Press enter/return.
Select Image again.
Select Adjustments.
Select Invert.
Press Enter/return.
Select File.
Select Export As.
Select JPEG.
Rename your photo with your name-cyanotype negative.
Email your images to the teacher to print negatives for your cyanotype.