Advanced Portrait Study

Hello Students,

This assignment is an advanced study in portrait photography. You will have to find a volunteer to model for you. Your task is to take a series of portraits as outlined below. The challenge with this project is to coach your model to position themselves in a way that shows their best look. A standard roll of film has 36 exposures. Take at least 2 rolls worth of film, or roughly 70 photos over the course of this challenge, create a Contact Sheet and choose your final 7 images from them.

Advanced Portrait Study Assignment Part A:

Your client (who is a famous model, celebrity, or actor, or millionaire executive, okay maybe they are just your best friend, but let's pretend for now they are a VIP) has just hired you to shoot a series of portraits for an upcoming magazine ad/article/brochure/book/event/etc. Your job is to get them to open up and show their best side to your camera. You must coach them, break them out of their comfort zone and follow your directions to show their best look.

Required Reading:

6 Tips for Better Portraits from Peter Hurley, professional photographer for celebrities, actors and executives

• Find a volunteer to act as your model. You will be shooting many shots so they must be committed
• Shoot a series of images for each of the techniques listed below. Upon completion you should have over 70 images to choose your final 7 from
• Final deliverables: Contact Sheet and 7 final images posted to your blog with post-image enhancement

1) Alter Your Perspective:

A photographers instinct is to shoot at eye level, try an extreme angle from different sides. Try to position yourself around the subject, not vice versa. Try multiple angles and take a shot or two from each one.

Photo by striatic

2) Looking Off Camera/Off Frame:

Have your subject framed at different distances and looking off camera. Have your model focus on something unseen or seen, off in the distance or closeup. This helps create an air of mystique. Shoot multiple shots from different distances.

Photo by monicutza80

3) Looking Within The Frame:

Have your subject looking at something within the frame. Consider what they are looking at. If it is a snack they might seem hungry. If it is a cell phone that is ringing perhaps they look annoyed.

Photo by paulbence

4) Experiment With Lighting:

Try shooting indoors with no lights except our studio lights. Try looking for a single light source, or anywhere with deep shadow or shadows that can cast a pattern on the models face. Try light sources from the front, back, sides. Shoot multiple images.

5) Get Your Subject Out Of Their Comfort Zone:

Ask your model to get out of their comfort zone by doing something active such as jumping, spinning, dancing, riding a bike, sprinting, stretching, doing yoga, etc. Shoot as many action shots as you can, make sure to adjust your exposure settings to reduce motion blur. Make sure they are doing something they may not normally do.

6) The Candid:

Ask your model to go about their business and pretend you aren't there. Follow them around, once they are comfortable begin to shoot images and try to capture those natural moments.

Photo created by Christopher Rye

7) Get A Smile:

While you are taking pictures, at any time, tell a joke and try to make your model laugh a genuine laugh. If you time it just right and anticipate their laughter you can snap a shot at the right time.

Quick Preview of what you are expected to turn in for PART A 

Advanced Portrait Study Assignment Part B: Left, Right, Front...

Your next assignment is another exercise in portrait photography and this time we are testing a theory that a persons left side of their face shows more emotion that the right side of the face, and that viewers find the left side more aesthetically pleasing. Read through the 2 links below. Take your portraits and write a 2-3 paragraph summary about your findings. Do you agree with the theory proposed? If not why? What are your personal findings and thoughts?

Does the left side of the face show more emotion? 

Links for reading:

 - Science Daily: Your left side is your best side

 - Petapixel: Photograph the left side of peoples faces to capture more emotion

Assignment Details:

• Pick 1 person (doesn't have to be the same model from part A) and create 3 portraits of them each showing their face from the right, the left and straight on.
• Take multiple shots (like a professional) and choose your best example to show the left, side and front portraits
• Post your 3 images to our flickr page when complete, post processing is encouraged to enhance your portraits, try B&W, cross-processing or basic color enhancement.
• Write a 1 paragraph summary of your findings. Do you agree with the theory proposed? If not why? What are your personal findings and thoughts on this theory?

Left

Front

Right

Have fun!

 - Mr.W

 This project is due Friday. - Mr.W

Rule Of Thirds Field Mission

Hello Students,

Your new assignment is a field mission utilizing the rule of thirds. Details are below. This assignment is due at end of class tuesday.

Rule Of Thirds Field Mission:

Create 10 Photographs using the rule of thirds. You must properly compose, expose and capture pictures of the following:

Subject Specifications:

1. A person facing the camera, closeup on head
2. A person facing the camera, closeup on head, looking to the upper right or upper left
3. A person facing the camera, closeup on head but turned 45 degrees from camera and not looking at camera
4. Two people facing the camera, closeup on heads looking into camera
5. Two people facing the camera, closeup on heads but subjects are looking to the upper right or left
6. Two people, one in the foreground, one in the background out of focus (depth of field)
7. Two people, one in the foreground out of focus, one in the background in focus (depth of field)
8. An object or objects
9. A landscape view
10. A tree

Assignment Specifications:

• Shoot at least 10 images of each subject to obtain the best composition, exposure and quality
• You must shoot with manual focus in manual mode
• Using Photoshop, crop your photos appropriately if you need to
• Post a contact sheet of all your images
• Post a screenshot of your EXIF data of each final image to confirm manual mode/manual focus
• Choose 3 of your best images and overlay a rule of thirds grid on top. Use the line tool or pencil tool to draw the simple grid

Quick visual preview of what you are expected to turn in for this assignment...

To See A Rule Of Thirds Grid in Photoshop:

1. View > Show > Grid
2. Go to Photoshop > Preferences > Guides, Grids and Slices
3. Set: Gridline to 33.3333 Percent
4. Set: Subdivisions to 1

Grading Rubric:

2 Points: Images properly exposed and in focus

2 Points: Images show proper mode and focus use (manual

2 Points: Contact sheet is included with at least 100 images or more

2 Points: Images utilize rule of thirds and capture each subject

2 Points: Grid overlay shown on 3 best images alongside 3 best images without grid

Student Work Examples:

Photography and Composition: The Rule Of Thirds

Your next assignment is to compose 3 different images that demonstrate the rule of thirds. Your images must be properly lit, have the right levels of exposure and must be in focus. You must apply the Rule Of Thirds to each image composition. Try to compose your image in camera, and only crop your image if needed. These must be new images, not previous work examples. You should shoot many images and choose the best... on average you should shoot about 15-20 shots and choose the single best example from each set.

Assignment Deliverables:

1- Three images that demonstrate the use of the Rule of Thirds in their composition. Each image must be a different subject matter, the subjects could be landscape imagery, portrait, still life etc.

2- Written Synopsis of the Rule of Thirds as you interpret it. Write a short description of this principle and how you used it in your images. Tell me what/where the focus point in each image is... where is the eye drawn to?

Grading:

• Your work will be evaluated on its ability to demonstrate this principal in a creative and informative fashion and to meet all deliverables on time.
• Image enhancement (color, B&W, color tweaking) is allowed as long as it enhances and does not detract from clearly demonstrating this principal of composition. 
• These images must not be over or underexposed and must be in focus. Use a tripod to ensure a jitter/blur free image.
• Your images must demonstrate proper exposure techniques

Deadline:

This assignment is due at end of class tuesday.

Links:

Tutorial: How to Crop an Image in Photoshop with the Rule of Thirds

Reading: Cambridge in Colour - Rule of Thirds

Student Examples:

Have fun with your new assignment!

  - Mr. W

How to Write a Good Great Resume and List of References

Hello Students,

Having a solid resume is the cornerstone to your job future. A well written and well designed resume is what sets you apart from other job applicants. A perfectly written job application, a quality resume and a list of positive references is the job seekers trifecta. In this class we will teach you these skills and more. Below is a list of writing tips, read over it before finalizing your resume.

Link, right click to download: ROP PORTFOLIO HANDBOOK

Resume Writing Tips:

Put your typography skills to work:

Never use comic sans! Also, refer back to our rules on typography in our introduction to typography and utilize those guidelines in your resume. Choose fonts that are complimentary to each other and assist in creating information hierarchy, this helps the reviewer find the information they need quickly. Choose a good sans serif font for your section titles and a complimentary serif font for the rest.

Have an objective:

Know the purpose of your resume and edit it for different job scenarios. Having a focused job objective listed on your resume will help you with attaining an interview and getting hired.

Back up your special skills with job experience:

List your skills but make sure your listed job experience, training or education reflects those skills. Are you really good at making websites? Let them know how and where you learned that skill.

Research and use the right keywords:

Every industry has its own language, research job offerings and pay attention to the keywords that are used. If you put your resume online with a job placement service they will often use certain keywords to search their database for potential hires.

Be descriptive with job experience:

A job title will communicate your role, but not the details of your work experience. List the duties, tasks, activities, skills and achievements that were part of your job.

Format your text:

Use bold text to start each section. Use bullets for lists. Make the document easy to quickly scan and read. Clarity of format is crucial, you have ten seconds before the employer will move on to another applicant.

List most recent job experience first:

This also goes for education, list the most recent first. If your still in High School you can say "future class of 2012", or "Currently attending HS".

List most important skills first:

When writing out your skill list make the most important skills the first ones on the list. If you are applying for a web design job, list your web skills first. Change and edit this for different industries/jobs.

Leave out the obvious:

It is not necessary to add "available for interview" or "references available upon request". References are standard and expected, and of course you are available for an interview. Thats the whole point!

Avoid negativity:

Don't trash talk past employers or state that you didn't like a past job. Simply state that you were looking for future opportunities.

Go with what you got:

If you haven't had work experience yet, just list any summer jobs, volunteer experience etc. If you have hobbies that are relevant to the job you can list those. If you don't have a diploma or degree then just list your estimated date for completion.

Proofread your resume:

Have your neighbor or classmate read your resume. Sometimes the spellchecker doesn't catch typos. The more eyeballs that see your resume before it gets in the hands of the employer the better.

Although these resumes contain similar information, styles do vary.

Resume Writing Assignment:

• Download the ROP Career Portfolio Handbook and follow the template to write your own resume from scratch
• Create a 1 page resume that meets the handbook requirements for all included information
• Use the program or online tools of your choice to write your resume
• Demonstrate good typography, spelling and accuracy, make sure your resume shows good information hierarchy so it is simple to read and each section is listed clearly
• Email or print and turn in your resume for credit - DO NOT POST YOUR RESUME ON YOUR BLOG

How To Write A Good Great List Of References:

Students,

It is incredibly important to develop a great list of references. These references will help you obtain jobs, college admission or acceptance into special programs.

Who makes a good reference?

• Teacher
• Coach
• Counseler
• Present or past employer
• Family friend
• Anyone that can speak highly of your abilities, skills and worth

References to avoid:

• Anyone under 18
• Personal friends
• family members
• Anyone who cannot speak highly of your abilities or skills

Important Tips:

• The format of your references should match your resume exactly, same header, same fonts.
• Do not include references on your resume
• Include at least three references
• All references should be responsible adults who know you well and can speak to your character and skills
• Always ask whether or not someone is willing to be a reference before including them in your list
• Verify the contact information before handing over to an employer

Format:

Use the following format for your references

Persons Name:   Bob Smith

Address:            123 Fake Street

                          Santa Cruz Ca, 95060

Phone #:             (831) 555-4321

Title and              Business Owner

work place:         Moland Spring Bottled Water

Grading:

Your resume's and reference lists are graded assignments. For a total of 10 points, grading is as follows:

• 2Pts - Resume and List of References is complete per Handbook Guidelines
• 2Pts - Resume and List of References is well formatted and easy to read
• 2Pts - Resume and List of References contains no typos or errors
• 2Pts - Resume and List of References are two separate documents with consistent style, font and header
• 2Pts - Resume and List of References are printed, stapled together and placed in my in-box

Due Thursday!

- Mr.W

Static and Dynamic Composition with Emphasis

Hello Students,
To further our understanding of composition we will strive to develop an understanding of composition through the use of static and dynamic compositions with attention paid to creating a center of interest.

To summarize, static composition means that the majority of he lines and elements in the frame are horizontal or vertical. Theory dictates that the horizontal and vertical lines have a calming and soothing effect on the observer. Static compositions can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.

Conversely dynamic compositions occur when the elements in the frame are arranged in diagonal lines, which can have the effect of being somewhat unsettling on the observer. Dynamic compositions can denote movement, energy, excitement, vibrance.

To paraphrase: when the primary line of movement is horizontal or vertical the composition is static. When the primary movement is diagonal the composition is dynamic.

When it comes to composition each photo should have only on principal idea, topic or center of interest to which the viewers eyes are attracted. Subordinate elements within the picture must support and focus attention on the principle feature so it alone is emphasized. A photo without a dominant center of interest or one with more than one dominant center of interest is puzzling to the observer. Strive to frame your composition with a dominant "point of interest".

Static and Dynamic Composition Assignment:

Part 1: Create a series of static compositions that emphasize a point of interest, with other elements maintaining a supporting or subordinate roll 

Create 2 static photo compositions: Still life and portrait

• Create a still life of objects found in your home and arrange them into a static composition. Focus on creating parallel planes through the use of space between your objects while maintaining emphasis on a dominant subject
• Create a portrait of 2 people and pose them into a static composition. Pay attention to light, background, foreground and strive to emphasize vertical and horizontal alignments while maintaining emphasis on a dominant subject

Create 2 static photo compositions: Landscape and architecture

• Create a landscape photo showing natural features in your local area framed as a static composition. Strive for horizontal and vertical lines and elements while maintaining emphasis on a dominant subject
• Create a static photo composition using local architecture. Strive for horizontal and vertical elements while maintaining emphasis on a dominant subject

Part 2: Create a series of dynamic compositions that emphasize a point of interest, with other elements maintaining a supporting or subordinate roll.

Create 2 dynamic photo compositions: Still life and portrait

• Create a still life of objects found in your home and arrange them into a dynamic composition. Focus on creating parallel planes through the use of space between your objects
• Create a portrait of 2 people and pose them into a dynamic composition. Pay attention to light, background, foreground and strive to emphasize vertical and horizontal alignments

Create 2 dynamic photo compositions: Landscape and architecture

• Create a landscape photo showing natural features in your local area framed as a dynamic composition. Strive for diagonal lines and elements, or elements to recede or advance to create a diagonal compositionwhile maintaining emphasis on a dominant subject
• Create a dynamic photo composition using local architecture. Strive for dynamic angles while maintaining emphasis on a dominant subject

Part 3: Written Essay

Write 3-4 Paragraphs about your images and attempt to cover these topics in your essay:

• Explain how your static images achieve composition
• Explain how your dynamic images achieve composition
• For each image describe the dominant element or point of interest
• Describe how the subordinate elements support the dominant elements in each image
• For each image describe at least 2 elements or principles of art that or being utilized, or any other compositional concept
• Post your essay with your images to your blog when complete

Due by next Thursday...

Long Term Project 1: Portfolio Development

Hello Students,

Having a polished and professional looking portfolio is key to your success in finding work after High School and moving on to developing a career. Download the ROP Portfolio Handbook to use as a guide for creating your own portfolio, a requirement in all ROP classes.

Portfolio's are due by early May and must be ready for presentation, evaluation and critique (make it perfect!) but that is no reason to slack on this project. You should put great time and care into creating the professional side of your portfolio and then you will be ready to add your creative projects as the semester progresses. You will complete a digital version as a PDF file for evaluation. Class winner will be able to print and prepare their portfolio for inclusion in the Portfolio Showcase competition. Everyone can print a copy to keep and report covers will be provided if possible.

Remember that the best portfolio in class will be sent to the portfolio design competition that ROP has at the end of each school year, your portfolio will compete against other graphic design classes across the county, and there are prizes!

A judge evaluates print portfolio's from past entrants...

Portfolio Cover Design Assignment:

• Design an eye catching cover design for you your portfolio
• Include your name, the title of this class, the school you are currently attending and the year
• Design your cover for standard letter size 8.5X11 inch paper
• When you are done post your portfolio cover design to your blog
• Cover design is due on Thursday

Portfolio Development Long Term Assignment:

• Your portfolio must be created in Indesign and the final file must be a multi-page PDF document
• Use the Pages palette to create multiple pages for your portfolio with Indesign
• Your portfolio cover, table of contents and all materials should look clean and consistent. Use consistent design style across all aspects of your portfolio, this includes color, typography, layout and style

Your Portfolio must contain in this order: See portfolio handbook for more details...

1. Cover page with your name, class title, year. Spend some time on this, it should show good design skill and be reflective of your personality
2. Table of contents
3. Letter of Introduction
4. Resume
5. Handwritten Job Application 
6. List of References
7. Letter of Recommendation -  cannot be from your ROP teacher or a family member
8. 3 or more work samples with written explanation about the work, why is it important to your career choice? What did the project entail, what were the challenges and difficulties? Give us details.

How Your Portfolio Is Evaluated:

• Contains required content and format
• Well organized
• Free of grammar mistakes
• contains ROP related work samples
• Shows creativity
• Nice appearance
• Shows skill development
• Appropriate for use in job search
• Professional appearance
• Nice presentation
• Shows good design and wise choice of color palettes
• Shows consistency across all pages
• Reflects your style, personality and interests

A print portfolio can take many forms, it can be professionally bound, stitched by hand or bound with a spiral ring... how will you create your portfolio, what will make it stand out above the rest?

Tips For Winning The Portfolio Competition:

In the last few years the portfolio competition has gotten fierce, especially for the graphic design category. Other schools have printing facilities that we don't, so you must use your creativity, ingenuity and eye for design to stand above the rest. Consider purchasing a large format portfolio binder and printing work samples at 11X17", or consider making a hand-bound book format to showcase your work. The limits are only contained by your creativity!

Use this as a rough guide to laying out your own portfolio...

Ok, have fun!

Previous Student Portfolio Cover Design Samples:

P.S. There are more samples on the back table for review...

Principles of Exposure: ISO and Noise

Assignment: Understanding ISO

Students, your new assignment is a challenge for you to demonstrate an understanding of ISO and how to adjust both Aperture and Shutter Speed to maintain proper Exposure across multiple ISO settings. In this assignment you will find a still life subject, and shoot 4 images that have similar exposures but increase in ISO. Little change should be seen in light/dark values, only additional grain/noise should be noticed as increasing. Overlay your images as shown below and document your exposure settings.

Assignment Deliverables:

Part A:

1. Produce a series of images (4) that demonstrate the impact that ISO has on the noise in an image while maintaining consistent exposure. Choose a creative still life subject and produce 4 images showing the range of ISO settings from low to high. Mimic the ISO Comparison images above. You will need to adjust either shutter speed or aperture to keep even exposure, don't let the different examples get darker or lighter.
2. Compile the images in slices to show the even exposure levels, as illustrated above. Use the selection tools to reveal each slice and add text details and focus on quality of presentation for your test image

Part B: 

1. Written Synopsis of the Exposure Principals. Write a short 3 paragraph description of the three principals of exposure, shutter speed, aperture and iso, what they mean and how you utilize them in photography. 
2. Post your essay to your blog with 1 image you have taken that demonstrates each exposure principal (use your ISO test image you created for ISO demonstration)

- Due on Tuesday

- Mr.W