ADV. ART PHOTO
In addition to a more specific exploration of many of the concepts covered in Art Photo, advanced art photo students will be encouraged to prepare a portfolio linked technically and conceptually. Advanced concepts will include: developing advanced conceptual frameworks, studio lighting techniques, composites, sequences, and abstractions. The final exam will be the production and presentation of a portfolio.
You will be assessed using these four criteria...
Knowledge & Understanding
Developing Skills
Thinking Creatively
Responding
This is meant to be a fun task to get you back into photography and thinking creatively!
We will play with proportions, props, and narrative! We will be using the light boxes.
Objectives: Try to have the majority of your image in sharp FOCUS: use a flat picture plain if possible instead of an arrangement with a depth of field (foreground/mid-ground/background).
NARRATIVE: tell a story with your little people & props. Have fun with it!
Composition: what is the best arrangement of your objects to highlight the narrative? Or, what is the most pleasing to the eye? e.g. one-point perspective or the rule of thirds.
02. The Movie Still
What's your favorite movie? Here's the trailer from mine...
The Brief: Choose one of your favorite movies and imagine you have been asked to shoot a photograph for a poster to promote the film. You need to produce a striking image that is not only attention-grabbing but can also communicate what the film is about.
Your photograph can be black and white or color, but it's generally best to take your lead from the movie.
Technique: Shoot in both portrait and landscape format (most posters are reproduced in both formats), leaving clear negative space for the designer to add the film title and other text.
You must set up your shot. Consider all elements; environment, model(s), props, and lighting.
You must edit your photographs, submitting two final images (1 x landscape and 1 x portrait) of one scene.
Ready to put your movie poster together? Click here
3. Sequences
Artist Rolemodel: Duane Michals (b. 1932)
Duane Michals (b. 1932, McKeesport, PA) is one of the great photographic innovators of the last century, widely known for his work with series, multiple exposures, and text.
Michals first made significant, creative strides in the field of photography during the 1960s. In an era heavily influenced by photojournalism, Michals manipulated the medium to communicate narratives. The sequences, for which he is widely known, appropriate cinema’s frame-by-frame format. Michals has also incorporated text as a key component in his works. Rather than serving a didactic or explanatory function, his handwritten text adds another dimension to the images’ meaning and gives voice to Michals’ singular musings, which are poetic, tragic, and humorous, often all at once.
Michals received a BA from the University of Denver in 1953 and worked as a graphic designer until his involvement with photography deepened in the late 1950s. He currently lives and works in New York City.
- DC MOORE GALLERY -
Things Are Queer, 1973. Nine gelatin silver prints with hand-applied text 3 3/8 x 5 inches
Task 1.
Search 'Duane Michals Sequences' in google images. Look through them, and find one that you like, one that resonates with you in some way. Create a google doc. in your Art Photo folder. Take a snapshot of your chosen sequence, and save the image file name as the photo sequence's title. Place the image at the top of your doc. write the title, the year created, and any other relevant information on the sequence (print type, etc.). Then, answer the following questions...
Why do you think Michals might work this way?
What other types of art does it remind you of?
How do you think the handwritten text either adds to his art or subtracts from it?
What type of art style (movement) would you use to describe these photographic sequences?
Looking at the assignment list below by photographer Amy Arbus, brainstorm a list of ideas that you might like to explore. The words can be conceptual; subjects, objects, emotions ~ for example my list might be: Naturalness / Strength / Beauty / Breathe / Progress / Lightweight / Cards / Paper / Feathers / Flowers / Dreams / Surrealism / Golden
Amy Arbus
Not Necessarily to Be Taken Literally
Photograph:
Some in wate
Someone intimidating
Someone irritating
Your biggest fear
Your favorite possession
Your biggest loss
Your best friend
Your favorite place
Your dark side
Your dreams
Something you covet
Something you dread
Someone you don’t understand
Something timeless
Somewhere you’ve never been
A celebration
A nightmare
A mundane moment
A fleeting moment
A secret
And what you can’t see
Task 2. Moodboard
Our “Script” for the shoot
What is your project about?
What subject did you choose?
What is the intention?
Conceptualization
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What do we want to convey?
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What are your inspirations?
Conceptualizing in words…
Choose three to five keywords to describe the emotions and subject in/of your work.
E.g. Naturalness / Strength / Beauty / breathe / Progress
How can we represent these ideas? Via Make-up/clothes/ the way the model acts / props/colors/setting
If you're using a Model - consider the market niche of the product (or artistic story), and who you want to represent that.
Makeup and style - collect images similar to what you want to convey, don’t copy them but be inspired by them.
Set and location - here we try to represent our ideas through the set and location. The background, objects, and elements that we will use in the composition. Usually, a simple background with a good texture will be perfect.
Emotion - this will be shown through the lighting of our project. Light is the element with which we draw in photography. Light can be expressive, strong, or soft, it can be dramatic, nostalgic, or happy.
Editing - warm or cool? Neutral or desaturated
Look and feel - Color palette - harmony
TASK 3. Responding to our artist role-model & our moodboard inspiration, carry out a photoshoot, and then submit approx. 5 edited photos (can be more, shouldn't be less) that tell a story through a sequence of stills.
Task 4. The Polaroid Sequence plus Color Selection
For this task, you are not going to create a series linked by narrative (like your sequence photos) but linked simply by style. You will take one of the polaroid frames, and head out to snap some photos that you find pleasing to your eye. Then back in editing, you will use the selection tool and desaturation filter to create a color selection like the example works. You should aim for a triptych; that's three panels that complement each other. In this case through the use of the frame, and color selection.
Abstract
Photography
Color | Line | Shape | Pattern | Texture | Light | Shadow | Symmetry | Angle | Mystery...
Abstract Photography Role-models
Maija Savolainen, Alexander Jacques, Matthieu Venot, Frances Seward, Jackie Ranken, Angie McMonigal, Harry Callahan, Andrew S. Gray, Ola Kolehmainen
Task 1.
You will be assigned an abstract photographer to study.
You'll have 30 minutes to search for them online, select a few of their works, and upload those onto a google doc. in a designated folder.
Find some biographical information on them, as well as, some information on their predominant themes and subject matter.
You will then briefly introduce your abstract photographer to the class.
Task 2.
Your task is to head out around the school and take 3-5 close-ups of interesting building intersections. Areas of wall and ceiling, or wall and roof, wall and floor, which have a clean, simple, and strong aesthetic. You're looking for good angles! Come back after 15 minutes and import your images into PS. Really switch-up color selections and create something bold.
Task 3.
Further abstract photography explorations - the objective here is to use a reflective surface to create a sense of symmetry. Tip: hold your phone (reflective surface) up by your camera lens.
Task 4.
The Abstract Object:
What makes an excellent abstract photo?
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Simplicity
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Composition (lines, shapes, colors, pattern, texture)
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Angle
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Lighting
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Mystery
Take a close-up photo of 3 different objects.
Ensure that the audience can not tell what it is.
* Edit 1 in Black and White * 2 in Color
Hello.
Portfolio!
Advanced Art Photo - Individual Portfolio Brief
The purpose of creating a Photography Portfolio is to showcase your photography skills. It is essential to have a professional portfolio so that you have a tool to apply to Art Schools and/or to show prospective clients what you can do.
Objectives:
Through the creation of this portfolio, you will…
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Demonstrate technical proficiency
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Creative vision
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A range of styles
Requirements:
15-20 final images (aim to take around 100 photos during this time)
A theme
All images should be edited and saved as jpegs at 300 dpi and 11”x17”
Guidelines:
Organize your images in two folders within your Art Photo folder; one for Portfolio RAW and one for Portfolio Final images.
All images should demonstrate editing techniques
Specific creative approaches include: Outside Natural light + Indoor Studio Lighting
Assessment criteria:
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technical proficiency
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creativity, originality,
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how well the images work together as a cohesive body of work.
Timeline for the project: Start of MP4 Monday, March 20th - April 28th (5 weeks)
Feedback sessions: Weekly
Deadline for submitting the portfolio: Friday, April 28th
Resources:
Having a professional portfolio is important for several reasons.
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Showcasing skills: A professional portfolio allows you to showcase your skills and expertise in your field. It is a great way to demonstrate to potential employers, clients, or collaborators what you are capable of and the quality of your work.
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Creating a brand: A portfolio can also help you create a personal brand and establish your professional identity. It allows you to showcase your unique style and approach, which can help you stand out.
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Networking: A professional portfolio can be a powerful tool for networking. It can be shared with potential employers, clients, or collaborators, and can help you make connections and expand your professional network.
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Tracking progress: A portfolio can also serve as a record of your progress and growth over time. It can be used to track your development and improvement, which can be useful for setting goals and identifying areas for improvement.
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Preparation for opportunities: Finally, having a professional portfolio means that you are always prepared for new opportunities that may arise. Whether it's a job opening, a new client, or a collaborative project, having a portfolio ready to share can help you capitalize on these opportunities and take your career to the next level.