This is an introductory course in photography. We will be using digital cameras and Photoshop for capture, processing and printing.You will learn to use the basic functions and components of a digital camera. You will be introduced to the compositional skills and aesthetics of both shooting and printing photographs. We will be covering digital cameras and processing your digital files in Photoshop.You will participate in class critiques where your assignments will be displayed and discussed both technically and aesthetically.
At the end of this course you should be able to:
1.
Identify and implement sound design elements and principles
in your photography.
2. Recognize current trends in photography.
3. Successfully operate a digital camera.
4. Manipulate images in Photoshop (color correct, resize, retouch,
sharpen, etc.).
5. Make color and black and white digital prints.
6.
Be able to intelligently discuss photography using the correct vocabulary.
7.
Create a paper and digital portfolio of your work.
8. Identify and research a variety of photographic careers.
Evaluation
is based on the following requirements:
1. Attendance - This isn't an online class.- a lot happens in the classroom.
2. Project evaluation
3. Quizzes (normal weight grade)
4. Written and performance test(s) over book(s), readings, and lectures, etc.
(normal weight grade)
5. Written reflections (.10 or .20 weight)
6.Portfolio (2x normal
weight grade)
ALL ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE REDUCED BY 10% FOR EACH DAY THEY ARE LATE.
You can redo your projects to improve their grades (not tests and quizzes).
This is how your projects are graded:
1.You
will be given a proof/research grade on the
first day of the week after the assignment is given (you get the assignment
on
the first day of week
1, the proofs are due the first day of week 2). If you don't have proofs,
no proof points.
These
can't be made up. To get those points you need
to have me initial the proof section on your evaluation sheet the day
the proofs are due.
2. You
fill out the top portion of the evaluation sheet and turn it in
on the day of the critique (week 2 last day ).
3.
You show your image to the class using the projector (last day
week 2 ).
4. I
will give
it an "as is" grade based on my
evaluation .
5. If you make corrections I will re-grade it and you will receive
the new grade. The goal is to help you create great looking work.
6. You will make a print of your best image for your portfolio (also part of the grade).
What letter grades mean to me:
A
- Your assignment is great. Much better than average-above and beyond
the call of duty.
B
- Your assignment is above average. More than the minimum. Really
looks good.
C
- An average grade. Your assignment possesses the minimum requirements.
No errors or omissions.It is in focus, not blurry, and has good exposure.
D
- Below average grade. Your assignment does not possess the minimum
requirements (bad focus, bad exposure, inappropriate subject).There
are errors or omissions.
F
- You didn't do the assignment or it was really, really, bad.
I follow the school attendance and tardy policy.
Information for parents and students
About cameras: Any digital camera will be fine.Be sure to set it so it shoots at the highest resolution, and highest quality.I have designed the assignments so the most basic point and shoot digital camera will work.
Camera problems: I see 5 or 6 cameras get broken or lost every semester.
Some common causes:
No camera case: Dirt seems to get in around the lens. The lens won't come out or go in anymore.
Solution: Use some kind of a case. When I take my point and shoot with me I put it in an old sock. Don't just the throw the camera in your book bag or purse unprotected. Don't use your camera on a windy beach. Keep it out of the rain.
Dropped camera: The camera gets dropped and broken.
Solution: Use the neck, wrist strap, or case. Also be careful not to leave your camera near the edge of a table or counter.
Lost or stolen camera: The camera disappears.
Solution: Don't let your camera out of your sight - ever, even for a minute. Have your name on your camera. Even on a piece of tape under the camera. There are some people who turn them in if they know where they go. Students leave cameras in class every week.
Helping your student be successful: The biggest challenge in class is having the students shoot the pictures and bring them to school on the due date. Anything you can do to help with that would be great.
Information for students:
You will be doing most of your photography at home with your digital camera. You will have a new assignment the first day of each week.The pictures need to be taken by the first day of the next week. That way you will have a week to shoot that includes a weekend.
You need to have your own digital camera.
No phones or ipods. The first offence is a reminder, the second time I'll have an administrator take it.
From the Student Manual:
CELL PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES - Cell phones and other electronic devises are allowed on campus but cell phone and other electronic devise usage during school hours is NOT ALLOWED and the expectation is that all cell phones and other electronic devises will be OFF during school hours (7:30-2:00pm). This includes cell phones with text messaging, music and video capabilities. Students ignoring this policy will lose their cell phone or other electronic devise privileges. Student phones are available in the counseling and main office for any student needing to use a phone before and afterschool, during their lunch, or with a teacher note.
No phones or ipods or listening to music on the computer. As you might imagine it is kind of hard to communicate with someone who has ear buds in their ears. The first offence is a reminder, the second time I'll place it in an envelope with your contact info on it and your parent or guardian will need to pick it up at the office.
No movies or games on the computer (except for the photography videos you will be watching).
File management/backing up - Make a folder in your student account named - Photo. In that folder make a folder for each assignment. Name the assignment folders the first 3 or 4 letters of the assignment name and your last name example: compwilson (for the composition assignment). In the assignment folder should be the finished high rez jpegs-nothing else. Name the finished files what the online assignment sheet indicates. You will need all of your assignment files at the end of the semester for your portfolio.
Back-up your Photo folder every week or two. Servers go down. You would lose all of your work for the semester. You can back up to:
1. Flash drive if you have one, then move the files to your home computer.
2. Burn them to a CD in class (don't lose the CD, I'll store it for you if you like).
3. Save them to your iPod or music player.
Unless your files are in 2 different places, they are not secure. It's not if you will lose them, it's when. As a teacher I have seen it happen dozens of times. If your files vanish you will need to redo them - not fun : ( It is not the computers fault, it is your fault for not backing them up). When you tell me you don't have your assignment done because the computer messed-up I will refer you to this paragraph.
Leaving the classroom
1.
If you need to go to the bathroom sign out and in on the sign out sheet
and bring the pass with you.
2. If
you want to go anywhere else, check with me first, then sign
in and out (bring the pass with you).
The photo classroom is never a study hall. All activities must be photo related.
It is not OK to go to vending machines during class time.
The computers are only to be used for photo class projects or research for photo class projects.
If you can't use the computer responsibly you will not be allowed to use the computer.That means no games, no online video or anything else that isn't related to the photo class. When in doubt, check with me first.
First offence: you will be locked out of the computer for the day (and given book assignments).
Second offence: locked out for the week (and given book assignments).
Third offence: locked out for the semester. You will work on assignments in the photo book and receive a "D" for the semester.
Please respect school and student materials.
All assignments need to be shot and processed by you after the assignment is given. Don't use your old photos for your assignments. Don't use pictures from old assignments for new assignments. You must shoot and process your own work.
Turning in another student or persons work as you own is plagiarism . It will be dealt with as outlined in the student manual.
As the semester progresses I will be changing things in the weekly schedule.
Learning
This
is how things work in the Photography Lab.
1.
Instructional Input-Class lecture, info to read etc. The theory for
what you are about to learn.
2. Modeling-Showing you how to do something, things I show you in the classroom.
3. Guided Practice-Helping you with projects,
assignments, etc.
4. Independent Practice-This is where the actual learning occurs. It is you
doing it by yourself. If someone is helping you it isn't independent practice.
No independent practice, no learning. YOU need to do the independent practice.
If you feel like you aren't learning it may be because you aren't doing enough
independent practice.
I want you to create exceptional photographs, not average photographs. Digital imaging has created a wonderful opportunity for fast and easy revision. Redoing things is part of the process. Don't expect to get it right the first time. Leave time for revising.
Read the links. They provide information to help you do your assignments.
Read the web site daily. I will be making updates weekly. The web site is an integral (important) part of the class. I use it instead of a text or handouts. Don't print out the web site at the beginning of the semester, it will be out of date by week 2.
This is a working place. You need to be working on photo assignments or techniques all period every period.
Thursday
Hello, tour, syllabus
6 questions
How many of you: have taken a photo class, have taken an art class, have worked
in a traditional darkroom, have used Photoshop, are maybe interested in
photography as a career, are just taking this class for an easy CTE or
art class : )
Expectations (see above and...).
Be sure everybody is reqistered for beginning photo.
Mac 101 (desktop, hard drive, Mac and PC similarities and differences, managing your student account.
Friday
Digital Photography overview (our process: imaging, editing, processing, storage, printing).
It is pretty hard to produce good photography if you don't know what good photography is. We will spend the next couple of weeks learning how to talk about and identify good photography.
Assignment strategy: read the assignment sheet, research, shoot (experiment with different ideas), evaluate the images, reshoot if necessary, process images. Leave yourself enough time to complete each step. You have approximately 2 weeks to perform all steps (from the first class day of week 1 to the last class day of week 2).
In Class Research Practice - Find examples of leading lines and rule of thirds on the internet. Find some samples of good cat pictures.
These are the Elements and principles of design we will use in this class - review them.
Elements and Principles of Design Examples - Due last day next week - Download and ill out the sheet provided in class that asks for examples of elements and principles of design (art stuff). Some things I found online here. Write the numbers of the files on the sheet (you will see the file number under the picture after you click on the thumbnail). You can work in groups of two, BUT both people need their own shet and both people need to know the answers. Keep this on your desktop until I tell you where to turn it in (still trying to figure that out).
If your finished pictures aren't good enough to hang in Mr. Strong's office you shouldn't be showing them to me. Look at the pictures hanging in the room and/or in the up and down stairs hallways. Most were done by beginning students with simple point and shoot cameras.
Photoshop basics: layers, color correcting, cropping, resizing, retouching, (patch tool, cloan stamp tool) etc. (we will go over this in class).
Monday: Continue working on elements and principles of design sheet.
ALL ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE REDUCED BY 10% FOR EACH DAY THEY ARE LATE.
Photo of the week 1 Write a 50 word or more reflection paper that includes what do and don't like about the image. Use some of the terms from the elements and principles of design link. Include a 3 inch wide copy of the discussion photo in the Word document. Turn it in by the end of next week. We will do the first one together.
Reflection Cheat Sheet - Include at least one term from three different columns, a description of how it is used, and if you can figure it out - why it was used (give it a try).
Another way to think about it:
In your reflection include what (photo/art term), how (how it was used) and why (why did the artist use it) from at least three columns. We will practice this in class.
| COMPOSITION | BALANCE | COLOR THEORY | DEPTH OF FIELD | SHUTTER SPEED |
Center of interest Rule of thirds Leading lines Framing Repetition Positive space Negative space |
Unbalanced Symmetrically balanced Asymmetrically balanced Radially balanced |
Warm colors Cool colors Complimentary colors Analogous colors Achromatic color Tints: duotones, sepia
|
Wide depth of field Narrow depth of field |
Fast shutter speed Slow shutter speed Panning |
Tuesday: Photoshop basics. Basic file prep. Perform these steps on all of the pictures in the sample folder - twice. Save the files to a folder named BFP.
Read over and discuss the Evaluation sheet.
Wednesday: More Photoshop.These are some of the things you will be learning in Photoshop. Notice I said learning and not trying or playing around with. If you can't do these things on your own they will be of no use to you. The goal is to learn things around here : ) Most things are covered in the Photoshop notes or the tutorial videos. If you don't have the videos ask for them.
Photoshop Competencies: tool pallet, cropping, layers, adjustment layers, color correcting, layer masks, sharpening, size, resolution, resizing, blurs, vignette, feathering selections, black and white conversions (B&W channel mixer), filters, file formats, retouching (patch tool, clone stamp tool, lighten layer blend technique,dust and scratches filter), hand coloring, history pallet, vignettes (dark and soft), selecting using quickmask, saving selections, duotones/tritones.
Photoshop samples. If you are in Mac land they should be on your desktop, if not download or copy from this web page.
Thursady: Photoshop basics
Friday: Photoshop basics
Elements and Principles of design sheet due. If it's blue, it's due, or is that do, or dew : )
Leadership Activity: Goal Setting - Now that you have a little bit more information about how this class is structured, come up with a plan that will help you to be successful. We will go over some strategies in class.
ALL ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE REDUCED BY 10% FOR EACH DAY THEY ARE LATE.
Monday:
Composition Assignment - Proof/research check first day week 5 (this would usually be due week 4 but we will be on break. Use the extra time to do an extra good job). The Finished digital files/critique last day week 5.
This assignment needs to have photographic integrity.
Tuesday:
Photoshop basics: layers, color correcting, cropping, resizing, retouching, (patch tool, cloan stamp tool) etc. (we will go over this in class).
What's Art:
Listen
to the "Is Art Important?" Podcast. Write a short reflection
paper (at least 100 words). Save it as a Word file on your desktop.
Name it Is
Art Important?- Due last day week 4
Some things you might want to include: How would your world be different without art? What things would you miss most without artists? (clothes, music, movies, TV, games, etc.) What kinds of jobs do artists have?
Wednesday:
Artists create the interface to your world.
Barnett Newman - Day one. A color field painting. Newman referred to these as "Zips".
132 x 50.25 inches ( 11 x 4.2 feet).
I don't know how much this specific painting is worth, but a similar painting of his was sold as Christies in 1997 for over 5 million dollars.
"The problem of a painting is physical and metaphysical, the same as I think life is physical and metaphysical." - Barnett Newman
Dr. Templeton story
What's Art Exercise - Due last day this week.- Come up with a one or two sentence description of what you think art is. You will write it on the whiteboard the last time I see you this week. Write it on a piece of paper.
Thursday:
Exercise 3 - What's Art Poster Assignment - Due last day week 5. Create an 8 1/2 by 11 in. design that illustrates what art is to you. Do some research. You can use text and/or images. Media: pencil, pen, paint, crayon, photos from magazines, photographs, etc. You can not make any portion of the assignment on a computer except to print out scans from books or magazines. If there is text in your design, cut the words or letters from a magazine or draw them by hand. Check out Dan Eldon's web site for some collage ideas. This assignment needs to exhibit good craftsmanship. There is an example on the wall in class.
Snapshots vs.real photography (we will go over this in class).
These are the things you will be learning in Photoshop over the next couple of weeks. Remember you have Intro to Photoshop notes and tutorial videos to help you (the videos are or will be on your computer. See me for a CD.
Can't find the PS samples ?. Download or copy from this web page.
Friday:
More work in Photoshop.
Photoshop Competencies: tool pallet, cropping, layers, adjustment layers, color correcting, layer masks, sharpening, size, resolution, resizing, blurs, vignette, feathering selections, black and white conversions (B&W channel mixer), filters, file formats, retouching (patch tool, clone stamp tool, lighten layer blend technique,dust and scratches filter), hand coloring, history pallet, vignettes (dark and soft), selecting using quickmask, saving selections, duotones/tritones.
Bring your camera to class if you want some help with it.
Photo of the week 2 Write a 50 word or more reflection paper that includes what do and don't like about the image. You must include some art critique vocabulary from the elements and principles of design page.
Include a 3 inch wide copy of the discussion photo in the document. Save it to the desktop for now. Due before the next photo of the week.
Cool quote: It starts with an idea,... but never with just reality. My photography has always been fueled by what I see when I close my eyes. Each new morning I am thankful when I pause to realize that very few other earthly endeavors could be so continuously magical.
Mastrianni
What's Art sentence, Photo of the week 1 reflection due.
Elements and Principles of Design Examples due
ALL ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE REDUCED BY 10% FOR EACH DAY THEY ARE LATE.
Monday: text here
Tuesday: text here
Wednesday: text here
Thursday: text here
Friday: text here
GHHS room 205
