Summer Shooting Assignments

photo by Evan La Londe

Even though you've worked very hard this school year, there are many opportunities to keep shooting pictures throughout the summer. Often times when students take pictures of things without over-thinking them, they have fantastic results.

Below is a list of places, events, and other inspiring summer activities that can inspire summer shooting assignments. If you are wanting to take the AP Exam next year in Photo 2, I highly recommend completing 4-5 of the assignments, making sure you shoot at least 3-4 rolls of black and white film. You might also consider using digital cameras, polaroids, pinholes, etc.

Also, use Flickr as an inspirational tool. There are hundreds of groups of both professional and novice photographers, focusing on everything from nature to skateboard photography. Join a group, post new work, and keep in touch with me to get feedback!

Have fun this summer, but make sure to take your camera everywhere you go!

Summer Shooting Assignments

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Also, there are several competitions and scholarship opportunities that happen right away when you will return in the fall. If you plan for them now, you will be ahead of the game when you return!

1) Scholastics Arts and Writing Awards-national arts competition sponsored by the Scholastics Art Council. Consider submitting both a portfolio of eight works, as well as individual works, (Reservoir students have done well with this!) Click here to get more info about the competition.
There are also several photo contests you can apply for. Visit the RHS art department webpage and click "links,", and then "scholarships and compeitions," or click here for more info.

2) Photo 2 students who have developed their portfolio can take the AP Exam for Studio Art. The exam requires a minimum of 24 exceptional, portfolio quality works, each of which must showcase your mastery of design and composition in photography. Click here to get more information about the exam, look at example portfolios, etc. Also look at the Photo 3 students from this past year on Flickr to get a good idea of strong AP portfolios. Passion, Carolyn, Kyria, and Krisy all took the Studio Art AP Exam this year with photo portfolios.

Optional Assignment: Opposite Composite

Work by Bianca McDonnell

Throughout the year this year, you have worked to understand the tools and techniques of Adobe Photoshop. You've learned how to restore old photos, you've scanned and restored your own work, and you've learned how to create digital collages. Now it's time to put all of these skills to the test to create a composite that appears to be completely real, but is fabricated using Photoshop.

Check out the assignment sheet below to see the grading criteria. Also, there's a slideshow of both student works and master photographer examples to generate ideas below.

This assignment is not required, however if you complete it according to the criteria below, you may substitute it for a homework grade of your choice, or a classwork grade worth no more than 80 points. You may not substitute this assignment for any Portrait Book grades!



Opposite Composite Assess

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Portrait Book

For our last photo work in class this year, we will focus on creating an artist book that presents a thematic series of photos that illustrate a specific and unique aspect about that person.

First, you need to decide who your book will focus on. Second, you will need to choose a unique personal topic or aspect you hope to illustrate about this person. Third, you need to decide how you will photograph this interest, while considering the requirements for the assignment. Lastly, you will create a practice "prototype" to figure out what your book will look like, and finally you will create your book with your own prints.

Below is a slideshow illustrating examples of books students have created in the past, as well as inspiring ideas for your own. Below the slideshow is the handout that lists the requirements for this assignment.



Portrait Book Final Assessment

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Artist book designs!

Check Mr. Hanson's link for class updates!

As Mr. Hanson begins new assignments with you, please check his class link on the right by clicking on Mr. Hanson for due dates and class objectives!

Photoshop #3: Selective Color

Photographer Unknown

For our third Photoshop assignment, we will learn how to use the selection tools, (marquee, lasso, and magic wand) to select certain areas of a black and white photograph and add color. This assignment will allow you to practice the tricky, but important skill of selecting certain areas of a photo in Photoshop.

Here are a few requirements for this assignment:

1) Don't randomly choose areas to color. Think about how color can add to the overall design or concept in the image.

2) Watch your edges! Be careful not to select areas you don't intend to.

3) You must selectively color a print you made this year in class, no selectively colored photos made in your digital camera! Remember to choose an appropriate dpi, (150 dpi for 5x7 and larger) and clean, restore, and correct levels before coloring!

Narrative Panoramas

Photos by David Hilliard

For our next shooting assignment, you will play the role of a film director. A director is responsible for illustrating the story in a film, and controls the camera point-of-view, the lighting, and the interaction between the people and the props on the set. Just like a director, you will be illustrating your own story, and will also be responsible for making all the decisions that help tell it.

We've learned that when two images are placed directly next to one another, they can create an interesting relationship. To present your story for this assignment, you will be creating a "panorama," or a series of connected images that extend a view either horizontally or vertically. Check out the slideshow below for ideas!



Here is the shooting assignment criteria and contact sheet evaluation. Print yourself a copy to guide your ideas!

Narrative Print Assessment

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Flickr Online Portfolio

Now that you've begun to develop a portfolio of photographs in Photo 1, it's time to scan, upload, organize, and show them to the world! Flickr is an online photo-networking site that allows people from all over the world to look at and comment on fine art photographs. We use Flickr portfolios in the photo department at Reservoir for critiques, applying for shows/contests, and to share ideas and work!

If you are registered to take Photo 2 next year, it is required that you have an online portfolio on Flickr. If you are not registered to take Photo 2 next year, it is optional for you start one.

Here's how you can start a Flickr account:

1) Click on the "Flickr" link on the right. Flickr is owned and operated by Yahoo. If you already have a yahoo email address, you can easily enter your password and begin setting up your Flickr registration.

2) If you do not use Yahoo for your email, you need to set up an account. Follow the directions for setting up a Yahoo account. It's free. The username you use for your Yahoo account does not have to be the same as your username for your Flickr account.

3) Once you have set-up your Yahoo account, click on the Flickr icon and follow the directions for starting an account. You will need to use your Yahoo password to initially set up your Flickr account.

4) Create a username for your Flickr account. Your name should be first initial and last name, like elalonde. No nicknames or other pseudonyms! You must also use your Yahoo password to sign into Flickr, but you can change your password later if you'd like.

5) Once you've logged in, you can change your profile info, make a buddy icon, set personal preferences. Here are my suggestions:

-for profile info, don't write anything. You don't need to include any additional information about yourself.
-create a buddy icon that can be a good identity for you, try using one of your photos!
-in privacy & permissions, you must allow me and other classmates to be able to download your photos. The rest is up to you.

6) Click here to join the RHS Photo 1 group. This is our class group, which you are required to join. Click join group, agree to the rules, and post a quick message on the group discussion board when you've set everything up.

7) Once you're in the group, start scanning and uploading your photos. Remember, your Flickr account is only for photos that you will include in your class portfolio. It is not for random snapshots of friends, families, parties, or other non-portfolio quality images.

Scan and Restore

Photographer Unknown
Now that we have all practiced restoring a similar image, it's time for you to restore one of your own. Find a black and white, or color photograph that has been damaged or defaced in some way. It should still be clear and in focus, but have surface defects or unwanted marks.

Your image must...

1) Be no larger than 8x10"
2) Be an actual photograph, (no magazine or inkjet print-outs)
3) Not be framed!

Carefully scan your image at an appropriate resolution, (150 or 300 dpi) using a scanner at home or in class. Save this file with your name and "original" in the filename, (Like: LaLonde_original) to your thumbdrive. Your image type must be a jpeg.

Restore the photo in Photoshop using all the skills and techniques you practiced in the previous assignment. Remember to use the "Photoshop tools" link on the right to remember which Photoshop tools to use.

Save a separate copy of your finished, restored image with your name and "restored" in the filename, (Like LaLonde_restored) to your thumbdrive.

I will show you how to merge the original and restored next to one another, (see image at top) in Photoshop when you submit your files in about a week.

Self-Portrait Diptych: How You See Me, How I See the World

See Self-Portrait Diptych Print evaluation below:
You See Me, i See the World Assess 07-08

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See the slideshow examples below:

Photoshop! Restoring a Damaged Photograph

Adobe Photoshop is software that has revolutionized digital photography. It allows photographers to restore, alter, design, and illustrate new ideas and concepts with digital photographs in ways never thought possible. For our first assignment, we will focus on how to restore an old, damaged photograph in order to learn several Photoshop tools. We'll discuss how to use each of them in class, and then you will use class time to practice.

In the "Links" page of this blog, check out the Photoshop Toolbox, a site that explains each and every Photoshop tool available in the most recent version, (or click here) The version we'll be using in class is a little older, but has nearly all of the same tools. This page is really helpful in explaining how each tool works.

Below is the image you will be restoring in class. Next to it is an example of what the final, restored version should look like. You can click on the bottom image above and copy/paste it to your computer to restore.

Inspired by a Master: a Sketchbook Proposal

Now that you have studied the life, work, and beliefs of a master photographer, it's time to put his/her inspiration to use! For your next shooting assignment, you will borrow the shooting approach, subject matter, compositional style, or concept from your master to use in your own work. Look at the slideshow below to see how students have been inspired by master photographers in a variety of ways.

First, dedicate a page or two in your sketchbook to brainstorming ideas and making a proposal. Your sketchbook proposal should include the following:

1) Examples of the masters work, cut-out, collaged or drawn into with your own ideas.
2) Notes to help explain how you will borrow the approach, subject matter, compositional style, or concept from your master.
3) Use the whole page, touch at least two sides.
4) Design your entry like a visual journal page, (see examples in slideshow)

Sketchbook brainstorming is worth a 30 point homework grade!