Photographing Hands 

It has been said that a person's eyes are the window to their soul. Their character however, can often be revealed in their hands.

WHY HANDS?

Take a brief moment and stop and look at your hands. Not only are they unique, but they share more about you then you are aware of. Photographing hands can capture a person’s hidden details and stories, from calluses created with hard labor, leftover paint stains of an artist, to tan lines of a never-removed wedding ring.

As humans we use our hands to talk, weave stories with our hands through pencil and paper, we cry into our hands, use them to show love, and affection, to climb mountains, and to stifle laughter. What more could you ask for when capturing a subject for a photo then one full of chapters ready to share?

HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH HANDS

When taking a typical portrait of a person you focus on capturing their face. When taking photos of hands, a small part of someone becomes the only subject, so it’s important to be creative. Instead of just a straight on shot, try to incorporate the story into the image.

While photographing children, who enjoy using their hands to play make believe or with toys, I recommend getting down on their level and capturing them in natural play. When photographing a musician’s hands, incorporate the instrument in the action. For personal or family photos, try a lifestyle photo and capture a simple everyday task, such as washing your hands. Though hand washing may seem like an off topic for a photo, sometimes the most mundane images you capture of your family can become the most treasured.

THE BEST EQUIPMENT FOR HAND PHOTOGRAPHY

Now that you have an idea of how you plan on shooting your photo, you will need to decide on equipment. Using a lens that allows a shallow depth of field will help bring your focused subject, hands, to the forefront. My personal preference is the 50mm 1.4, but if you don’t own a prime lens, or even a DSLR camera, don’t let that stop you! Becoming creative with what you have “on hand” can often times lead to an even more personal image. 

Submit 10 Black and White images

You will be graded on the following:

• Correct Naming Convention: LastName_FirstName_ProjectName-##.jpeg

• There will be 2 Grades per Assignment

  1. Turning in 10 Black and White images on the assigned due date (2 of each adjective)

  2. Turning in a contact sheet on the assigned due date, minimum of 100 images on the contact sheet

• Correctly capturing the assignment specifications

• Creating unique compositions with interesting subject matter

• Quality of retouching

• Use of the Elements of Art: Color, Form, Line, Shape, Space, Texture, Value

• Use of the Principles of Design: Balance, Contrast, Emphasis, Movement (Rhythm), Perspective, Repetition (Pattern), Unity

***If you take photos of your pet it must be a well thought out, planned composition

• http://www.wegmanworld.com/

• http://www.petography.com/

• http://www.brookejacobs.com/

*** Photos taken in or around school are prohibited

*** Plan out your photo shoots do now wait until the night before the photos are due to take your photos, pay attention to the weather

***DO NOT TURN IN MULTIPLE ANGLES OF THE SAME SHOT. EACH SHOT MUST BE UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT.

RUBRIC

Standards

• VAHSPH.CR.1 - Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art.

• VAHSPH.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art

• VAHSPH.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence.

• VAHSPH.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create works of art.

• VAHSPH.CR.5 Reflect on, revise, and refine works of art considering relevant traditional and contemporary practices as well as personal artistic ideation.

• VAHSPH.PR.1 Plan, prepare, and present works of art for exhibition in school, virtual environment, and/or portfolio presentation.

• VAHSPH.RE.1 Reflect on the context of personal works of art in relation to community, culture, and the world.

• VAHSPH.RE.2 Critique personal works of art and the artwork of others, individually and collaboratively, using a variety of approaches.

• VAHSPH.RE.3 Engage in the process of art criticism to make meaning of works of art and increase visual literacy.