Final Portfolio

We will create our Final Potfolio Blog post.

There are 2 parts to the portfolio.

In the first section you will post 10-15 of your best images from the semester and provide a brief critique of each including 1 very strong element and 1 element you could improve upon. NOTE- Pick something from the Critique Guide.

In the second part you will provide an assessment of your portfolio and your work ethic.

1. Individual Image Critique

Post your 10-15 best images of the semester. All images must be in black and white although you may include a color version.

For each image discuss one strong point from the critique guide and one area you could improve upon.Please assess your work and level of success on this project in each of the 3 main critique areas. Use the critique guidelines to help you with terminology and comments, 

I feel I have ____ exceeded/ ____ met/ ____fallen short of the objective for this image because.....

2. Overall Portfolio-Semester work

Please answer the following questions about your overall work this semester  using the 1-4 scale: 

1=Not at all, 2=Somewhat, 3=Mostly, 4=Absolutely

I completed my assignments on time 1 2 3 4

I fulfilled all assignments 1 2 3 4

Made good use of class time 1 2 3 4

Used a creative approach 1 2 3 4

My pictures unique and original 1 2 3 4

My craftsmanship is excellent 1 2 3 4

My images are sharp and focused 1 2 3 4

My images are well composed 1 2 3 4

My images have good contrast and exposure 1 2 3 4

My photography sets a mood 1 2 3 4

Catch-up Week

Check your grades and find a project that you have not completed. In your gradebook it will be a ZERO. This is a chance to improve that grade.

In a new blog post, do the project.

Title it "project name"-Make Up.

Repeat the process until you have made up as much work as possible.

Surreal Photography Composition

What is Surrealism? Magical Realism?

For our purposes Surreal or magical realism describes an image where the elements are a natural part in an otherwise mundane, realistic environment. Although it is most commonly used as a literary genre, magic realism also applies to film and the visual arts.

Here is a link to a TED talk by Erik Johansson. Erik creates realistic photos of impossible situations.

Today we will begin creating a surreal image using photoshop.

Using the provided images plus at least one of your own, (either from the web or a photos you have taken), create a magical realist composition using exaggerated scale. You may select, crop, and place the elements in the composition in any way that presents them in an incongruous, unusual or “super normal” manner.

Activities/Skills/Followed Directions:

Set up document at stated size and resolution. 10 x 10 150 dp1
5/________

Photoshop Skills 

Made precise selections                                                                                                5/________

Used Transform-scale tool to change at least one selection/layer.                           
5/________

Used move tool to move selections from one document to another.                

5/________

Used Multiple Layers                                                                                                                     5/________

Named Layers                                                                                                                        5/________

Include at least 1 additional image to the composition                                               
5/________  

                                                                                     

Creativity

Met requirements for concept: Magical Realism using scale                                      
 5/________

                                                                                                                               

Extracurricular activity - 3 pictures

Today you will take pictures of an extracurricular activity here at school. 
Go to various rooms, such as Art, ROTC, Band, Sports, FAC, and take pictures that document an activty in school.

Consider taking portraits, objects, or activities that are going on. 

Be creative. Get close. Try different angles and pespectives.

Please be polite and ask permission.

Edit and upload your 3 best photos.

Due today by the end of class.

AP Photo Critique 2

Today you will choose a photo from AP Images to critique. Follow the example below to do your critique.

This is the second AP Critique of the semester.

Use the instructions below for the aasignment:

Go to http://www.apimages.com/

1. Use the Snipping tool to upload the photo to your blog.

2. Add the link from the AP site to your blog.

3. Paste the description of the photo from the AP site to your blog.
Description: Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men pray ahead of the Jewish New Year at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray in Jerusalem's old city, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013. Israelis happily welcomed the Jewish New Year late Wednesday despite uncertainty and turmoil brewing on both its northern and southern borders. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)

4. Answer the following:

• Who was the photographer?
• What country and city was the photo taken in?
• What event was photographed?
• Describe the event that was photographed.
• Why is the event newsworthy? Why is it important to us?

5. Write a Critique. Use the Critique Guide in the link above.

Photo Retouching

Today we will work with a couple of tools to help improve minor imperfections in our photos.
Download the 2 photos below, retouch them, and upload the before and after pictures to your blog.

Use the Clone tool to remove the blemishes from the guy's face.

Here is a video to help you...

Use the Red Eye tool to correct the red eyes....

Use this video to assist you.

BIG POP QUIZ!!!!

Today you will show me your skills. 200 Points!!!

You will take 4 pictures.

Demonstrate the following. Write down ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture for each pic

1. Freeze Action in a photo with Bugs Eye Perspective

2. Show Motion Blur in a photo from Birds eye perspective

3. Show Shallow depth of Field in a picture uisng Rule of Thirds

4. Show Deep Depth of Field with a diagonal Perspective

Post your 4 pictures to your blog with ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture for each pic.

Critique Your Best Photo and One of Your Classmate's

Today you will write two thorough critiques using the Critique Guide.

1. the first will be a critique of one of your pictures from the Antique store. Include a copy of the picture with your critique.

2. The secon will be a critique of one of your classmates pictures from the antique store. Include the picture.

Edit and Post Your Antique Store Photos

Edit and Post the Antique Store Photos from the field trip.

Crop, De-saturate and adjust Levels to get the best possible  image. 

All photos must be in Black and White. You may upload color pictures, but there must also be a Black and White version.

Your uploaded pictures should include :

• 3 Still Life including at least 1 with a definite Focal Point and at least 1 that includes Repetition of the Elements
• 3  Details - either Close ups or Textures
• 3-5 additional pictures of your choice from the field trip

Pick one of the pictures above and write a thorough critique in a new blog post

Dodging and Burning in Photoshop

Today we will discuss the Burning and Dodging tools in photoshop.

i will give a demonstration in class but there is a great tutorial here if you need to see it written out step by step. The tutorial covers everything i will show in class.

After I show you how to use the tools you will post an example of your use of the tools. The instructions and examples are below:

Post a before and after picture demonstrating your use of the Burn and dodge tools in Photoshop.

The burn tool will darken areas of your image, and the Dodge tool will lighten areas of your image.

In a brief paragraph explain the areas that you burned and dodged.

Follow the example below:

Original Photograph

I dodged the highlights on the bananas and in the blurry chair in the backgound. I felt like the picture would be stronger if you could better see the details in the distance.
I burned the details in the glass bowl as well as in the bananas because I felt that the bowl was too grayish and i wanted more contrast. Finally I burned the wall on the right of the bowl because it was hard to see where the bowl ended and the wall began.

Current Projects NOW DUE

AP Photo Critique - 9-22

Adjustment layers - 9-30

Cropping Photos - 10-08

Ozark Squares Photos - 10-08

Cropping Assignment

There are many times, in fact most times, when you will want to Crop a picture you take. to crop means to cut out the areas of a picture you do not want. it is used to help create a definite focal point, or point of interest, and can also be used to adjust your picture so that it complies with the Rule of Thirds.

Tools used:

Crop Tool
Ratio
View menu

I will give a demonstration of these tools in class, and you can find a detailed tutorial at the site below:

Photoshop Essentails  - Cropping Images in Photoshop CS6

Your task today is to select 1 photo you have taken and crop them according to the Rule of Thirds. 

You may choose the Ratio, but state which Ratio you have chosen in the blog post.

Include the original version of the Photograph.

Here is an example below.

Cropping Assignment

Original Uncropped

Cropped . Original Ratio, Rule of Thirds

Post Your pictures from the Square - Due Friday October 2

Download, Edit, and Post the Ozark Square Pictures from the field trip.

De-saturate and Adjust Levels to get the best possible  image. 

Your pictures should include:

3 City Scenes
3 Architectural Details - either Close ups or Textures

Pick one of the pictures above and write a thorough critique in a new blog post

If you have good shots of any of the following then you should post them also
Shadows
reflections
People - Environmental portraits
Animals
Plants or Nature

Post Your Adjustment layers - Due Today

Original Color



Desaturated



Adjusted Levels



Histogram

Intro to Photoshop - Using Photoshop Adjustment Layers

Today I will demonstrate how to use Photoshop Adjustment Layers.

We will practice the following in class:

• Convert a picture from Color to Black and White using the Hue/Contrast Adjustment layer
• Adjust Levels using the Levels Adjustment layer

Creating adjustment layers

Do one of the following:
For Hue-Saturation (Converts to Black and White)

1. Click the New Adjustment Layer button  at the bottom of the Layers panel, and choose Hue/Saturation

2. Move the Saturation slider all the way to the left

3. Click ok

Here is a video showing how to do it.

For Levels (Adjusts Contrast in your picture)

1. Click the New Adjustment Layer button  at the bottom of the Layers panel, and choose Levels

2. Move the Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights Sliders to adjust the range of contrast in your image

3. Click ok

Here is a video showing how to do it.

This link will take you to a description of using Levels in Photoshop. The photo in the example is in color but it works the same in black and white.

We will try this for ourselves in class and post the results on our blog Friday.

AP Photo Critique - Due Today

Today you will choose a photo from AP Images to critique. Follow the example below to do your critique.

1. Use the Snipping tool to upload the photo to your blog.

2. Add the link from the AP site to your blog.

3. Paste the description of the photo from the AP site to your blog.
Description: Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men pray ahead of the Jewish New Year at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray in Jerusalem's old city, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013. Israelis happily welcomed the Jewish New Year late Wednesday despite uncertainty and turmoil brewing on both its northern and southern borders. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)

4. Answer the following:

• Who was the photographer?
• What country and city was the photo taken in?
• What event was photographed?
• Describe the event that was photographed.
• Why is the event newsworthy? Why is it important to us?

5. Write a Critique. Use the Critique Guide in the link above.

Photographer Research

Click the Photographer research link above and follow the instructions.

Perspectives

Perspectives - Get Up and Move Around!

Bugs Eye Perspective

Eye Level Perspective

Birds Eye Perspective

Horizontal

Vertical

Diagonal

Birds Eye and Horizontal








Vertical and Horizontal

Breaking the Rule of Thirds

Rule of Thirds Example

This picture follows the Rule of Thirds because the student is sitthing in the lower right third, where the lines would intersect, and the end of the hallway is in the upper right third.

Composing Your Photograph Using the Rule of Thirds

Today you will take pictures using the Rule of Thirds. You will need to post 3-5 examples of the Rule of Thirds to your blog. For each example write an explanation of how the rule of thirds was used in each picture.

The rule of thirds is probably the most often referenced photography rule of composition.  It is all about subject placement within the frame.

Imagine that your picture space is divided into thirds both horizontally and vertically, like a tic tac toe grid.

The photography rule of thirds tells us to align our subject with one of the points where those lines cross. That means our subject is one third of the way “into” the picture space – from either the top or bottom, and from either the left or right. And that means it’s not in the middle.



Here is an example of the rule of thirds for a landscape photo. The focus is on the land area rather than the sky so the bottom two-thirds of the photograph are filled with land and the top third is sky.

Here are additional links explaining and demonstrating the Rule of thirds.
http://digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds
http://learnprophotography.com/rule-of-thirds
http://www.ultimate-photo-tips.com/photography-rule-of-thirds.html

http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/rule-of-thirds

Football Field Depth of Field

Go to the football field. 

Take a picture with Deep Depth of Field using the smallest F Stop (Aperture) available on your camera. You choose the ISO and Shutter Speed for achieving a properly exposed picture.

Next, 

Take the same picture with Shallow Depth of Field using the largest F Stop (Aperture) available on your camera. You choose the ISO and Shutter Speed for achieving a properly exposed picture.

Post your pictures on the blog. Include your exposure settings for each pic.

Aperture - Depth of Field Excercise

Today you will experiment with capturing both shallow and deep Depth of Field.

Post your examples to your blog demonstrating both shallow and extended Depth of Field.

You should have 2 examples of both deep and shallow depth of Field.

 follow the format below for each picture:

This pic was shot at ISO 400, Shutter Speed 1/125, aperture f5.6. 
The DoF is very shallow:

This pic was shot at ISO 1600, Shutter Speed 1/60, Aperture f32. 
it has an extended Depth of Field.

Aperture and Depth of Field

Aperture is the opening in the lens that controls the AMOUNT of light that you allow to enter the camera. It is measured in a thing we call the F number.



As you decrease the size of the Aperture you increase the amount of the picture that is in focus. This is called Depth of field.

Watch the following video for a good explanation of how Aperture works. We'll began shooting in Aperture Priority and doing Depth of Field exercises later in class.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUbjkMm_v-A


Aperture Priority is when you select the aperture and the camera chooses the corresponding shutter speed. Both modes have advantages, but aperture priority ultimately gives you more control over the overall quality and visual focus of your images. 

Depth of Field is the amount of the image that is in sharp focus

Here is the a link that describes how and when to use Aperture Priority

Here's link that descibes how to take better pictures using Aperture Priority.

Use the Nikons to experiment with Depth of Field around the building. Take pictures with both Shallow and Deep Depth of Field. We'll post them next class.

Shutter Speed - Capturing Motion - Blog Assignment

In 3 correctly exposed (not underexposed or overexposed) capture an example of the following:

• Freezing Action
• Motion Blur
• Tracking 

Label each picture with the shutter speed and ISO you used. 


See the examples below.....

Freezing Action
Shutter Speed 1/1250 seconds
ISO 3200

Motion Blur
Shutter speed 1.6 seconds
ISO 100

Tracking
Shutter Speed 1/3 seconds
ISO 400

Shutter Speed Assignment - Capturing Motion

In 3 well exposed (not underexposed or overexposed) capture an example of the following:

• Freezing Action
• Motion Blur
• Tracking 

Label each picture with the shutter speed and ISO you used. 


See the examples below.....

Freezing Action
Shutter Speed 1/1250 seconds
ISO 3200

Motion Blur
Shutter speed 1.6 seconds
ISO 100

Tracking
Shutter Speed 1/3 seconds
ISO 400

Shutter Speed

The next Fundamental of Exposure we will explore is Shutter Speed.

Shutter Speed is measured in seconds or fractions of a second.

For example:

1" = 1 second

1/2 = 1 half second

1/125 = 1 one hundred twenty-fifth of a second

A Shutter Speed of 1 second is considered SLOW, and as it moves into fractions of a second, such as 1/125, the Shutter Speed is described as FAST.

By changing shutter speeds you not only control how long light enters the camera but also how motion is captured in your image. You can Freeze the movement of your subject, Show Motion Blur, or Track your subject.

Use the Thumb dial to set the Shutter Speed. In the screen below, the Shutter Speed is set at 1/60, or one sixtieth of a second. 1/60 is basically a dividing line between slow and fast shutter speeds.

Follow this link for a description of how shutter speed works.

We will now have a hands-on practice session and I will demonstrate how to change the Shutter Speed on the Nikon DSLRs.

Next you will practice taking

Today we will use various shutter speeds to:
1. Freeze motion (fast shutter speed of 1/125 or higher)
2. Create a Motion Blur (Shutter speed around 1/15 or slower)
3. Tracking - Panning (Shutter Speed about 1/60)

ISO Exercise

Now we will learn how to change the ISO settings on your camera.

Today we will explore how changing the ISO settings affects the pictures we take.

Today you will go out for 10 minutes and take the following pictures:

• Set the ISO to 100 and take 1 picture somewhere inside the building
• Set the ISO to 800 and take 1 picture somewhere inside the building
• Set the ISO to HI 02 and take 1 picture somewhere inside the building
• Set the ISO to 100 and take 1 picture outside
• Set the ISO to 800 and take 1 picture outside
• Set the ISO to HI 02 and take 1 picture outside

Upload each picture to a blog post titled "ISO Exercise" and label each picture according to ISO and location (inside or outside).

Answer the following questions.

What happens to the pictures with low ISO inside?
What happens with high ISO inside?
What happens with low ISO outside?
What happens with high ISO outside?

How does the medium (800) affect the pictures?

ISO - Sensitivity to Light

ISO is  how sensitive the sensor in the camera is to light.

Low ISO = Low Sensitivity to Light
High ISO = High Sensitivity to Light

The ISO numbers double as they increase: 100 - 200 - 400 - 800, etc. Notice that this means each setting makes the camera twice as sensitive to light as the previous setting.

The ISO ranges from 100 to 3200 and above. There is also a "High 01" and High 02" setting.

Here are some links that go into greater detail about ISO.

https://photographylife.com/what-is-iso-in-photography

http://digital-photography-school.com/iso-settings

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2014/02/19/what-is-iso-camera-sensitivity-settings-and-the-best-ways-to-use-them/

You should always try to use the LOWEST ISO POSSIBLE to obtain the best quality image.

Exposure Basics

Exposure Guide dot com
http://www.exposureguide.com/exposure.htm

Exposure Basics form Nikon
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Learn-And-Explore/Article/fue0dnl6/a-basic-look-at-the-basics-of-exposure.html

3 Types of Digital Cameras

There are different types of digital cameras. Which one you choose will depend on how much control you want over your photography and price.
These links do a good job of describing the various types of cameras available.
http://www.circuitstoday.com/different-types-of-digital-cameras
http://easybasicphotography.com/Types-of-cameras.html
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/categorizing-types-of-digital-cameras.html

The articles above explain that there are three types of digital cameras, Point and Shoot, Bridge, and DSLRs. You need to know the differences and advantages and disadvantages of each type.

We will be using Nikon DSLRs in class. Here is a link to the online guide for the Nikon D 3100.

You'll need to know how to access the online guide and find information about the Nikon D 3100.

You need to know the following:

• Find the Mode Dial
• Locate and explain the various settings on the Mode Dial, including P, S, A, M and the Auto modes
• Find the Information Display, and locate and click on the ISO, Aperture, and Shutter settings within the display.

Welcome to Photo 1 !

Welcome to class! Prepare yourself to be challenged both creatively and technically!

First we'll go over the syllabus and projects for the semester, and then we'll each set up a blog. After you create your blog send the address to me at johncazort@ga.ozark.k12.mo.us.

Also, please review the syllabus with your parent or guardian and ask them to complete the form below:

Syllabus Review Confirmation Form

Is it a Snapshot or Photograph?

Review the following articles....

Snapshot or Photograph, what is the difference?

What constitutes landscape photography over that of a snapshot?

Here are a couple more that deal with the subject...

Philosophy of Photography: Photograph versus a snapshot

Finally, are you a photographer?

In new blog post, discuss the important aspects of these articles. Think of the following questions...

What are differences between a snapshot and a photograph?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type?
Do you agree or disagree with the author's definitions?? Explain your answer.
Can a snapshot ever qualify as art? Why or why not?