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Week of October 28th-Dominance and focal point

This week, while still in Black and White, we will begin to explore the concept of dominance in digital photography and art. It is one of the most important concepts in composition as the dominant object in a composition establishes the point that the eye sees first. Often a composition will have subordinate objects in the arrangement. These objects often are specifically placed within the framing to lead the eye back on its journey around the piece of art.

Look at the two works below of artist photographic master Imogen Cunningham. What is the dominant object in the photo? What are the subordinate elements in the photo? Describe how your eye travels around the photo? What keeps your eye from trailing off the photo in any direction?

Now study these photos. If visual hierarchy describes the order in which the eye perceives what it sees in a photograph, describe the visual hierarchy of both of the photos below. Please write your answers in the comment box.

Imogen Cunningham-Flower

Imogen Cunningham-Kahlo

Assignment: Saratoga Story, a study in Black and White that explores the concept of compositional dominance.

As a class you will create a "Saratoga Story", a reflective, theme based book about your personal experiences with Saratoga HS. To do this project, you will work in grade level groups. Each group will have a list of words that will prompt ideas for you to build conceptual photos around.

Your goal is to create a series of photographs that capture a set of emotions triggered by words. Your subject in the photograph is up to you. For example, if your word is 'acceptance', you might want to take a picture of a friend who is a very accepting person. These should not be snapshots, but rather, well designed shot-no one looking directly into your lens with a big goofy smile (that is a fail).

You may also shoot objects around campus, or buildings, plants, books, other artifacts of campus life and experience.

Each group will generate many photos but you will select 1 per person for the final 'book'.

Grade levels will look at provided words, add, subtract, develop concepts and generate a final list of 6-8 words (based on group size) you would like to explore with your grade level. Grade level small groups of two will each agree to cover 2 of the words and will come up with a shot sheet of possible ideas to show Mrs. L before your shoots. Then each student will venture out individually to start collecting shots. If a photographer needs another student to set up a shot, then other students can of course help out and play the role of models/actors. But I would want you for the most part to practice your photography individually after generating the group concepts.

Photos should all be black and white.
Photos should eliminate as much 'junk' around the dominate focal point as possible, focusing only on the subject at hand, and including only secondary objects in the shot that support the dominant object. These photos should demonstrate a growing understanding of dominance in composition.

Photos are all due Sunday Evening 8pm and will be uploaded to the classwork folder called Saratoga Story.

Your groups and words are:

Juniors: (Group, Individual, Peers, Loud, Quiet, Storm, Sun)
Group 1: Jessika, Taylor T
Group 2: Ryann, Jimmy
Group 3: Carolina, Andrew
Group 4: Alison, Patrick

Seniors: (Memory, Leaving, Change, Concern, Apprehension, Stress)
Group 1: Tomas, Brooke
Group 2: Daniella, Jason
Group 3: Caitlin, Neel

Sophomores: (Challenge, Understanding, Weak, Strong)
Group 1: Corinne, Rahul,
Group 2: Samantha, Jason Yang, Erin
Group 3: Yaseman, Nina

Weekend Assignment-Due Oct 27th, 8pm

Please create a series of 5 photographs that tell a story themed around the topic of Time and Place.

Requirements:

1. Black and white photos
2. Attempt at using the zone system by previsualizing the desired framing, image and tonality. Determine the darkest to lightest areas in your shot.
3. Use spot metering 
4. Create a photo story based on the theme time, or place.
5. A story has a hook, inciting incident, ups and down, conclusion. Your 5 photo sequence should include these story based concepts.
6. Turn in your series of 5 photos to the this folder on google drive.

October-Black and White

Pick your 3 favorite photos from the list featured in this article.
Describe how you think the photographer shot the photo in terms of camera position, lighting, exposure and working with subject matter. Also note what the photographer might be communicating the the audience for each photo.



Question of the week: 
What are the best exposure ideas for black and white photography (Aperture, Shutter)
What advantages might a rainy day have for  black and white photography?

Tips for shooting black and white:

• Rather than using color to lead the eye around the frame, look for shapes, lines, tones and textures to form composition. And of course, look for contrast, darks to lights. Allow tonal value to influence composition.
• Remember, a gloomy rainy day can be a great backdrop for shooting black and white.
• If possible shoot in RAW and monochrome or black and white setting. RAW offers interesting post-processing capabilities
• Use a low ISO. High ISO presents noise that is hard to process out. So consider a tripod for a steady shot and consider exposure that allows for the contrast of dark to light value in your shot.

Ansel Adams Documentary

Black and White Photography-Ansel Adams:

GROUP 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjoRrwO_PfI&feature=related

Question for the above:

1. How did his work impact the environmental/conservation movement?

 Group 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLC6VKt1Ceg&feature=related

Question for above:

1. Based on this movie, what do you think the value of the zone system as to photography?

Group 3:

http://www.sfmoma.org/explore/multimedia/videos/115

Ansel adams on photographing yosemite

1. What did Yosemite mean to Ansel Adams?

Douglas Nickel on Surf Sequence

1. What does Nickel mean by time and place?

Adams on environmentalism

1. What does he say about environmentalism?

------next----Group 4

Adams on his working methods

1. Why is understanding the technology important to Adams?

Ansel Adams on Photography

1. Visualise-what does it mean?

Climbing Diving Board Rock with friends at Yosemite

1. what does this short film tell you about Adams and his relatioship to Yosemite and the art of photography?

 Group 5

http://www.sfmoma.org/explore/multimedia/interactive_features/22

Ansel Adams Interactive:

Simmons Peak

Monolith/Half Dome-what is the zone system. What does "seeing the final image" mean to adams. What does it mean to you?

Frozen Lake and Cliffs-how do curators of museums see this work as abstract? Do you?

Group 6

Surf Sequence-what is meant by sequence in these pictures?

Moonrise New Mexico

Group 7

Mt. Williamson-is this work photographic art or journalism? Do you think he conveyed the way people really felt?

Group 8

Mt. Mckinley-discuss 3 main points about Adams' involvement with conservation