Long Shutter (it isn't just for NIGHTTIME!)

Why?
  • To learn a few new settings in your camera
  • To explore new ways of composing a photo.
  • To check out a new location with lots of POSSIBILITIES for unique photos.
WhAT?
  • 5 free choice photos of the library
  • 5 long shutter photos 
    • It should be 5 that all work, AKA something is in focus and something is in motion. 
 HOW?
  • Using Shutter Priority on your camera and a tripod (S on the mode wheel)
    • The key is that something in the photo should clearly be in focus and something clearly in motion.
  • Shutter speed will be anywhere from 1/80 to 5 secs
  • Try adding the circular polarizing filter to your lens to get longer exposures (in the side pouch)
  • Set up your shot by focusing on something that is not moving (the building, shelves...). When the tripod is steady, snap your shot.
    • You can use your timer to ensure an even clearer focus.

I am From...

Why?
  • An opportunity to get to know each other 
  • A fun way to look back
WhAT?
  • 2 Photographs 
    • ChildhooD & the Recreation
  • 1 "I am from" Poem to accompany the photo
HOW?
  • Using the Template Below, each student will fill out and print an "i am from" poem
  • Work at home to set a scene and choose clothing to match the original photo.
  • Post to your website with the poem
Adapted from George Ella Lyons Poem "where I am From" And Hope and Healing in Urban Education By SHawn GinWright

Art History Photos
​

WHY?
  • an opportunity to explore new and different ideas. Artist around the world are getting creative with this time of social isolation and with the materials they have in their homes. so we are going to do the same!
  • A unique opportunity to learn about a famous artist.
  • A chance to be creative and up our photography game.
WHAT?
HOW?
  • We will study the below as a class over teams 
    • Art History
    • Artist around the world in social isolation
    • How to "stage" of photograph
  • You will choose the a famous work of art and have it ready for Friday's class
    • We will do small group critiques to give each other suggestions 
  • You will use two class periods to complete your Photo project
  • See Below for the actions shots of getting this image of my daughter
Step 1: We started by choosing our Historic/Famous photo.  CLAUDINE À L'ESTAMPE by Marcel Dyf (1960). Then we explored our house to see if there was a location and props.
STEP 2: We started by choosing our location. My daughter's make up mirror seemed to fit the photo fairly well. Remember you are trying to get close, not exact.
STEP 3: We then got creative with the outfit, trying out different combinations to see what was closest to looking like the original.
STEP 4: we gathered all the details: flowers, cloth to drape, a photo... and Our neighbor helped my daughter get the makeup just right. DETAILS are what make these work! Take your time to notice the little things.
STEP 5: we set up the shot and started taking pictures. this one  is straight out of the camera. It helps to have extra hands, or a tripod.
STEP 6: Editing the photo. You can use free programs like Gimp (see projects below for links and tutorials on gimp) Or you can use photoshop. If shot on your phone you could also download an editing app. We knew the photo would need to be flipped so we did that first. then some edits to exposure and color helped to get it closer to the original.
STEP 7: (Optional) further editing is not NECESSARY but can be fun. We played around with the clone stamp in the background and making the picture in the mirror bigger to look more like the original. you can see in the final version, we also tried out some filters to get closer to the paint texture of the original piece.
Below is the final version of the image we created. Not Exact, but pretty close to the original.

 Social Good, honest photography
​

WHY?
  • As we move into this time of continued online school, we are faced with some new realities. As before, some good and some incredibly difficult. This assignment wil give us the chance to present and discuss both sides of this.
  • it helps us connect with youth across the world who are in similar situations 
WHAT?
  • 1 photo showing the good/joy/blessing in this time of social isolation
  • 1 photo showing the difficult/frustrating/sad in this time of social isolation
  • Your final "project" will be these two side by side.
    • try to think of them as a pair
    • think about representing them in similar ways through content, tone, or editing
    • they should feel clearly different but clearly connected
HOW?
  • We will look at photos that others have put out on social media. 
  • We will talk about the impact of photography on the historical narrative
  • we will discuss how others have used photography for social good
Picture
Humans of New York
Picture
Lensational
Picture
Drone photos from isolation
Picture
Words at the window
Picture
Platon

GIMP Photo Manipulation 

CLICK HERE FOR GIMP TUTORIALS

Why?
  • To learn a few new settings in your camera
  • To explore new ways of composing a photo.
  • To check out a new way to edit and manipulate photos. 
WhAT?
  • 1 Gimp Composite Project
    • must include at least 3 SEPARATE photos
    • Selections must be DONE accurately 
    • Overall Editing and lighting work together seamlessly. 
WhEN?
  • Due at the end of class Friday April 3rd 

Photo Manipulation, USING GIMP

WhY?
  • A Short project to introduce gimp
  • A chance to study lighting and angles
  • An opportunity to be a little silly
HOW?
  • Find a Magazine or Book Image or news photo 
  • Figure out where you could "add" yourself in
  • Determine the lighting, proper angle and outfit
WHEN?
  • Have your Chosen image and your taken image uploaded to your computer by the BEGINNING of class Friday 
  • You should also have GIMP Downloaded on your device.
WHAT?
  • SEE Examples BElow

New Realities, how we make it "work"

What?
  • Photos of your "new" school/workplace at home.
    • take 10 photos that give a small glimpse into what/where you are having school
  • For your final photos page, choose one that best represents this for you.
    • As a caption please answer two questions. 1. I am making the best of this by...... 2. This is going to be really hard because.... 
  • Read the why and how then see examples below.
Why?
  • Because we are in an unprecedented time in our country as we adjust to the "social DISTANCING" protocol RECOMMENDED by the CDC and the mandatory school shut down from our GOVERNOR 
  • This is an opportunity for us to create community in a different way. I am lamenting the loss of our field trips around the city to capture photos, but I don't want to give up on the goal behind them. They are of course about photos, but more than that, they are an OPPORTUNITY for  me to expose you to new communities and ideas. 
    • Never could I have imagined that the new spaces we would be exploring and learning about would be your own homes and work spaces, but that is our new reality. There are things that we can CELEBRATE together, and there are things we can hold in shared frustration.
  • Finally, I think this is a chance for you to think about and "see" your new work space. It is a way for you to document this time and place, which I promise you will be a time you never forget. Much like my grandparents recalled pearl harbor to me and parents remembered the day KENNEDY was ASSASSINATED, and I recall to my own children 9/11. You will talk about this time in our history in one way or another.
HOW?
  • You can use your school camera or your phone
    • Think of interesting angles, wide shots or close up
    • It is up to you what you want to share from your new "work space"
      • We will be sharing and looking through these photos as a class on Friday
My Honest Reality...
  • When I first thought of this assignment I ENVISIONED pictures like the ones to the right. You know the kind that look like no one is actually getting any work done because they are constantly just rearranging their space and taking pictures for instagram. I thought of how we could all portray our "Realities" in a posed and manicured way, Because honestly that would be a lot easier, much less real and vulnerable. And if that is better for you, than I say go for it. i love these shots, I love the idea behind these shots. I was excited to do the posed ideas we came up with in class last Wednesday! Posed and manicured pictures are important and we are going to explore that soon. But.....
  • My reality is very different from the photos to right. My husband and I are in the middle of a complete house shuffle, repainting, getting new furniture, building a new laundry room, sanding and spray painting, upholstering and DECLUTTERING..... Far from the ideal work space to say the least. And I was VERY tempted to just pose my space and put up a sheet or sit in front of the one wall in our house not scraped and patched and waiting for paint, but I think you all know me well enough at this point in the semester to know I couldn't do that.
  • So below are pictures of my real house, "my work space" in its current state. These are quite literally my "process" photos, as my space is still in process.
  • below them you can see my "final" photo. Read the captions to get a glimpse into my new reality.
  • Thank you all for entering into this with me and your classmates, it sucks to be honest, but we will find a way to make it work.
  • This is me sitting outside Mcdonald's (SHAMROCK SHAKES ARE BACK! BUT YOU HAVE TO USE THE DRIVE THRU, ALL INSIDE DINNING IS CLOSED) near my house using the free wifi,This is my work space, this morning...
    • I am making the best of this by finding a quite space to work that is not COMPLETELY cluttered with stuff in transition. I am also remembering how blessed i am to still have a paycheck each month and to have healthy family members.
    • This is going to be really hard because I feel OVERWHELMED with the pressures of doing school online, finding things for my own children to work on while they are out for 5 weeks, and trying to prepare my house for May when my oldest son is coming home from boarding school.

It's more than ZOOM, It's COMPRESSION!

Why?
  • Because we are transitioning from camera settings into COMPOSITION studies.
    • Compression is one way to alter the composition of a photo
HOW?
Watch the short video below for a simple EXPLANATION of compression and see the example photos that show the movement of the photographer and the results of each focal length on the overall composition. 
What?
  • 3 series of 5 photos each with the same COMPOSITION, shot at stepping Focal Lengths.
    • 18 mm, 35 mm, switch to long lens, 70 mm, 135 mm, 300 mm
      • See the example Above
      • Try to find a space where you can move BACK AT LEAST 20 feet
  • Shoot in APERTURE Priority, between 4 and 13 f stop
  • ISO should be 100-400 
    • unless you are inside because you missed the field trip, then go as high as you need

PART 2 & 3: Shutter Speed & ISO

Why?
  • Because Light is the key to all photos, knowing how to control the light that enters the camera is the start of photography. And this is done by adjusting the three components of the exposure triangle.​
Before moving on, review the things below to better understand exposure triangle, Shutter Speed & ISO.
What?
  • A series of photos with the same COMPOSITION, shot at stepping Shutter SpeedS. (1/4000, 1/1000, 1/500....1 sec) 
    • See the example below
    • Try to find a space where you can move the same object. 
      • !You HAVE TO USE A TRIPOD!
  • A SERIES OF PHOTOS WITH THE SAME COMPOSITION, SHOT AT STEPPING ISO (100, 200, 400....3600) 
    • SEE THE EXAMPLE BELOW
    • TRY TO FIND A SPACE WHERE there is "medium" amounts of light (not outside, not in a dark room). 
      • !YOU HAVE TO USE A TRIPOD!
How? SS
  • Set up your Camera
    • ISO set to 100
    • Camera mode set to Shutter Priority (s or TV)
  • Set up your shot
    • Find a good place to show movement
      • Spin a coin, have a friend jump....
    • Set up your tripod
  • Start taking pictures
    • 1/4000 stepping down to slower each time. 
    • Stop at 1 sec
    • You must use the tripod! The shutter speed Will be very sloW
How? ISO
  • Set up your Camera
    • APERTURE Priority (A)
    • Set to f 5.6 or lower
  • Set up your shot
    • Find a good place with medium light
    • Set up your tripod
  • Start taking pictures
    • ISO 100 stepping up to Higher each time. 
    • Stop at 3200
    • You must use the tripod! The shutter speed Will be very sloW
.A helpful tip is to shoot in live view, but be sure you have full battery as it sucks a lot of power. This is a helpful way to set up the shot. You can also look through the view finder. LV Button on the back of the camera.

About town: Aperture

Why?
  • To continue exploring aperture
How?
  • Set up your Camera
    • ISO set to 100
    • Camera mode set to Aperture priority (A or AV)
  • Set up your shot
    • Find a good COMPOSITION, remember to find some depth to your shot!
  • Start taking pictures
    • F 3.5 or F 5 depending on your zoom
    • Adjust the aperture up a few stops each picture
What?
  • 3 sets of 5 photos
    • Each set is the same scene shot at stepping apertures (ex: 3.5, 5.6, 8, 11, 22) Similar to the assignment below
Notice the difference, Both good compositions but the color one with a low f stop has very little in focus, The black and white one a Big F stop has lots in focus.

PART 1 in the exposure Triangle: Aperture

Why?
  • Because Light is the key to all photos, knowing how to control the light that enters the camera is the start of photography. And this is done by adjusting the three components of the exposure triangle.​
    • We will spend time in a few weeks talking about COMPOSITION, but you have to understand the camera settings first. A great composition doesn't matter if the photo is not properly exposed.
Before moving on, review the things below to better understand exposure triangle & Aperture.
What?
  • A series of photos with the same COMPOSITION, shot at stepping APERTURES. (f 3.5, f 4.0..........f 22) 
    • See the example below
    • Try to find a space that has "distance" aka a hallway or down a book shelf....
    • Be sure to follow the step by step instructions, or watch the video.
How?
  • Set up your Camera
    • ISO set to 100
    • Camera mode set to Aperture priority (A or AV)
  • Set up your shot
    • Find a good COMPOSITION, something similar to above
    • Set up your tripod
  • Start taking pictures
    • F 3.5 or F 5 depending on your zoom
    • Adjust the aperture up one stop each picture
    • You must use the tripod! The shutter speed might be very sloW
The tripod clips in. the black lever will click when your camera is secure. Make sure your camera is clipped in before shooting! Tighten all the part of the tripod as well.
A helpful tip is to shoot in live view, but be sure you have full battery as it sucks a lot of power. This is a helpful way to set up the shot. You can also look through the view finder. 


Create Your own Website

Why?
  • The WEEBLY site lets you to show off your design AESTHETIC  without coding or intense tutorials
  • your personal website will allow you to display your photos for both critique and grading
  • It is something you can edit, revise, and redesign throughout the semester as you learn more 
  • Students hoping to go into a creative profession can begin amassing PORTFOLIO materials 
  • finally, The world around us is digital, understanding websites and their POSSIBILITIES can help us be better and more informed users. 
WHAT?
The below items must be included in your personal website. ADDITIONAL items or deviation should be discussed with mrs. fiechtner. Anything is an option once you have a base site. 
  • 10 pts: SITE NAME, Unique (and appropriate) 
  • 20 Pts: About page
    • Your First name only. No personal emails, numbers or social media! (we will talk about why in class)
    • A write up or INFOGRAPHIC about you, your interests, favorite quote/book/food, a fun fact, place you want to visit, idea you have. 
      • Must include one or all of your deep hopes
    • your Self Portrait from the first photo assignment
  • 20 pts: Photo PORTFOLIO page
    • a "stand in" gallery in this area to show how you will display photos you will take and turn in each week
      • You can use your own pictures or
      • Properly credited images from the internet as temporary place holders
    • Every photo will include 
      • a DESCRIPTION section or
      • a personal reflection 
  • 10 PTS: PROCESS PAGE
    • ​A page to drop your 10-20 process photos
      • you will choose your final photo from this batch.
  • 30 Pts: Overall Design
    • ​Fonts are cohesive and APPROPRIATELY sized
    • Colors work together and enhance the design
    • Layouts are logical and user friendly
    • overall design shows intentional selection, revision, adjustment, and attention to detail
NOTE:
I believe in the power of choice, as well as, students advocating for their best learning experience. I also BELIEVE in a safe and CONDUCIVE LEARNING environment. I WILL GIVE YOU THE FREEDOM TO EXPLORE THESE DIFFERENT learning OPTIONS AS YOU SEE FIT. THIS FREEDOM REMAINS AS LONG AS YOU ARE USING YOUR CLASS TIME WISELY, I CAN SEE YOU MAKING PROGRESS TOWARD THE PROJECT REQUIREMENTS, and you are not disrupting the class environment. Choose the option that leads to your best work and be willing to adjust and relearn as you go. 
How? 
WHEN?
Learning, building, revising: IN Class Jan. 27- Feb 10
Shell Site Due Feb 10th
Ongoing revision and photo additions will continue throughout the semester. Students are expected to put all projects on their site and keep it up to date.
LOGISTICS: 
​​You can choose the site platform of your choice. Weebly is very user friendly, but if you are more comfortable with a different platform that is the best place to start.

Remember these sites are published for your classmates and parents to see. Create something you are proud to  have seen.
NOTE: self portrait is a loose term for this project. your photo could be of you or of things that represent you. it could be a reflection in a window or a metaphorical reflection of you. most importantly, the photo, when shared with the class, should allow us to learn something about you.
WHY?
  • you will begin and end the semester with this assignment, which is a fun way to see how you have grown both physically/emotionally and as a photographer
  • IT gives us a chance to learn something about you
  • It provides a baseline for me to see where you are in your photo skills
HOW?
  • this is not a selfie!!!!
  • Use your phone or personal camera
  • use a tripod
  • ask someone for help
  • take many angles and different kinds of shots so you have a variety to choose from. BE INTENTIONAL!!
WHAT?
  • 10 pts: At Least 10 photos that fulfill the assignment
    • You will always be expected to take multiple photos
  • 50 PTS: Final photo
    • ​Must be a photo you took for this assignment
      • ​the metadata on photos show time 
  • 20 pts: Critique
    • ​Shared about your photo 
    • actively listened when others shared
WHEN?
Due Feb. 5th
Logistics:
This assignment needs to be taken on your own time. most weeks we will be off campus for friday's class, because it is the first week we have a few things we have to cover during class instead. please plan according.

self PORTRAIT