You will create a photo series that communicates a concept, idea, or documents a place, person or event that is important to you. Why do you photograph? to document events? sports? fashion? to preserve memories? to capture beauty, love, grief, pain, or mystery? to convey feelings? to show what is extraordinary in our everyday surroundings? to spread awareness of an issue or to promote an idea?
Stemming from what you have already learned this year as well as in Digital Photo 1, you will select a concept, subject, and/ or genre of photography to work with. In your photo series, you will consider what compositional techniques you will use, if you will use a specific lens for your work, or if you will manipulate shutter speed, or aperture to further convey meaning in your photos. You will consider what you will photograph, and what you are communicating about what you are photographing. Third year students may also experiment with alternative processes as well.
Your photo series will be graded on: + the concept of your work and development of an idea that shows a series of photos of personal meaning or interest to you. + the composition of each photo, + your skill in taking properly exposed photos and/or manipulating camera settings, + your editing/adjustments in photoshop + the presentation of a cohesive series posted on your portfolio website
Your grade will be an average of: + the photo series you create: showing evidence of the compositional and camera techniques we have learned this year + a written narrative about your work + a work process grade of your effort in and out of class to complete the assignment on time, and your investment in your selected topic.
Written Statement
You will create a written statement to accompany your work. You may use any of the questions below to help you construct your narrative. Feel free to mix and match the questions and statements!
Set 1
What is the title of your photo series? What compositional techniques did you use in your work? Why are these photos important to/ of interest to you? What is the subject of your photos? What are your photos about? What is the concept or idea of your photos? What special settings or lenses did you use in your photos? Did you use any alternative processes in your work? How did you edit or manipulate your photos in Photoshop? Who was your photographer inspiration for your work?
Set 2
What inspires you as a photographer?
What subject matter do you like to photograph?
What is your goal as a photographer?
What do you want your photographs to convey or express?
How do you want the viewer to feel when they look at their work?
Why is photography important to you?
Set 3
Why do you take photographs? (What is your connection with photography?)
What motivates you to take photographs?
How/Why did you take the photograph/photographs? What tools, materials, and techniques did you use? (Lenses, camera settings, filters, shutter speed, aperture, editing in photoshop...) (Write one sentence.) What does your photography mean to you?
What ideas are you communicating or what concepts are visible in your work?
Set 4 What is your favorite subject capture in photography? Why? What is your favorite lens/camera setting? Why? What do you like best about photography? How do you know when you have taken a good photograph? What patterns emerge in your work? Is there a pattern in the way you select materials? In the way you use color, texture or light? What do you do differently from the way you were taught? Why?
Set 5 When I photograph __________ I am reminded of___________. I begin a photo series by______________. What I enjoy most about photograph is _____________. When people see my work, I'd like them to ________________.