Final 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

Environmental Portrait

An Environmental Portrait is a personal portrait the you take of someone "on location", or in a setting where they live, work, rest, or play.

According to the website digital-photography-school, environmental portraits:

• give context to the subject you’re photographing
• give points of interest to shots (something you need to watch as you don’t want to distract from your subject too much)
• help your subject relax
• often give the viewer of your shots real insight into the personality and lifestyle of your subject

Your assignment is to take a portrait of someone in thier environment. You can use any camera, and do not need to keep track of exposure settings. The main point is to be creative as you take the portrait.

Here are some examples of this style of photography:

Dorothea Lange
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/lange/

Valery Mosley

http://www.valeriemosleyphoto.com/

Ami Vitale

http://www.amivitale.com/blog/

Lauren Greenfield

http://www.laurengreenfield.com/

W. Eugene Smith

http://life.time.com/w-eugene-smith/

Laena Wilder
http://www.wildervision.com/

Randy Bacon
http://www.randybacon.com/home#0

Catch - Up Period

Check your grades and find a project, (or projects) 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.

Using Photoshop Filters - Image Effects

Starting with a picture or two that you have taken, manipulate it, distort it, or change it using the Photoshop Filters or Image>Ajustments.

Create at least 10 different manipulations.

Sabe the files as jpegs and upload and label each picture.

For Example:

Oil Paint Filter

Garrison Springs Pictures

Download, Edit, and Post the Garrison Springs Pictures from the field trip.

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

Your pictures should include 3 examples each of:

3 Nature Scenes including 1 landscape
3  Natural Details - either Close ups or Textures
3 additional pictures of your choice from the field trip

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

Post Your Still Life and Critique

1. Today you will post 2-4 the Still Life pictures from earlier this week.

2. After you have done this you will critique a classmates picture. Post the picture and critique in a new blog post. Title it - Still Life Critique. Make sure you add the classmates name in the post.

Take pictures of an extracurricular activity

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 assignment:

Go to http://www.apimages.com/

1. Use the Snipping tool to upload the photo to your blog, or just copy and paste 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.

Clone-Stamp Tool Project

Select a photo that you have taken and use the Clone Tool to manipulate the photo in some way. You may want to add items, or make them disappear. Post a before and after pic.

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.

Group Critique

Today we will divide into groups.
Each group will collectively critique 4 of your classmates pictures.

As a group, pick your favorite photo of your classmates, and write a critique of the photo. Post it in the comment section of the classmates blog.

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.

Edit and Post the 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

Cropping Assignment

Original Uncropped

Cropped . Original Ratio, Rule of Thirds

Cropping Your Photos

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.

jpeg compression and file size differences

jpeg basic

jpeg fine

jpeg large

jpeg small

Post Your Pictures From the Square

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

Original Color



Desaturated



Adjusted Levels



Histogram

Intro to Photoshop - Using 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 Images Critique

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.

Perspectives

Read this! 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

Here is a good example of what your post should look like. Repeat this for 5 photos, plus one that BREAKS the Rule of Thirds.






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.

Composition 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