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.
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| Imogen Cunningham-Flower |
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| 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
