Final Portfolio

This should be a collection of the absolute best and brightest images past, present, and future. Your portfolio should consist of 7 or more images. Below each picture you will also describe the composition elements used on each photo, what you did to adjust the picture, why it is in your portfolio and where you took the picture.

3 of these images may be pictures previously taken or printed for this class, though you are not required to reuse anything. The other 4+ must be new, fresh and fantastic. Each individual photo will be graded accordingly. They should all be examples of the VERY best that you can do and will be graded more stringently than any previous assignment. It is imperative you showcase your ability to shoot many angles of shots with many levels of camera composition (Review composition elements and types of shots if necessary).

A one-page reflection is also required. In this paper you need describe what you learned during your project. What did you learn about your printing, shooting, and photography in general. What was easy and difficult about your project? What would you do differently if you did it again? Which did you find more rewarding/challenging; shooting or darkroom? Finally, how far along do you think you have come as a photographer this semester?

Lastly you will need to come up with a professional way to display your portfolio; frames, mats, poster, tri fold, binder, booklets, rocket ships etc.

A link to suggestions on building a portfolio can be found here

An online portfolio of B&W prints can be found here
and here

Written Portion of My America

OK, now you have pondered what the term "America" means to you and how you can represent it on film. The next step is to explain that to me. Please answer the following questions about your photograph(s).

• What is your "America"?
• How does your image(s) depict this?
• Please explain the message you are trying to show in your image.
• Do you feel your message is clear? (i.e. would someone unfamiliar with the assignment get or understand your image/message?) why or why not.

Choices

Please pick from one of the following categories to shoot for your next assignment. You will need to shoot an entire roll of film for the chosen topic and turn in a contact sheet and a final print.

• Abstract -- Abstract Art is defined as: any art in which real objects in nature are represented in a way that wholly or partially neglects their true appearance and expresses it in a form of sometimes unrecognizable patterns of lines, colors and shapes. Your goal is to make the ordinary extraordinary.

• Darkroom Manipulation: Using darkroom techniques such as the Sabbatier effect, sandwiching negatives, making paper negatives, and creative dodging and burning make a unique and creative image.
• 
  
• Sports/Action: Take a series of action pictures of the sport of your choice. Experiment with stopping action, intentionally blurring the action and panning with the action to blur the background.
• 
  
  

My America

Ponder what the term America means to you, what emotions, thoughts, ideas, etc does it stir up? Take these and put them on film. For this assignment catch 'Your America' on your camera. Show what you like, hate, love, feel, and think about America. You need to shoot a minimum of 30 pictures by the end of the day Friday that exemplify your America. Try and think outside of the box and be creative!!!







For today please generate a list of 10 words or phrases that correlate to America for you. Then please search for these terms on Getty Images to gather ideas.

My America

Ponder what the term America means to you, what emotions, thoughts, ideas, etc does it stir up? Take these and put them on film. For this assignment catch 'Your America' on your camera. Show what you like, hate, love, feel, and think about America. You need to shoot a minimum of 30 pictures by the end of the day Friday that exemplify your America. Try and think outside of the box and be creative!!!







For today please generate a list of 10 words or phrases that correlate to America for you. Then please search for these terms on Getty Images to gather ideas.

Framing and Leading Lines

leading lines: Use leading lines to draw the viewer's eye through the photograph. This is an especially powerful technique to draw the viewer's attention to one or more intended subjects or a single focal point. A path, a row of telephone poles, or even a line of chairs at the beach can serve as elements in a good photo.

Framing:

Framing is more than what you do with your prints! It is a powerful composition technique. Careful framing of your subject can make a dramatic difference in your photos. Remember—every photo has a foreground and background, so use them together to add an interesting element to the shot.

Use foreground elements to frame your photo's subject. Architectural elements work well (windows, doorways, arches, and so on), but you can find any number of interesting elements to use for framing your photos. The important point here is the subject. It doesn't do much good to frame your subject with interesting elements if they overshadow the subject, making it difficult to determine what the subject is supposed to be.

Assignment: Shoot a roll of film documenting your Spring Break. Use either FRAMING or LEADING LINES or both in EVERY shot! Have this roll for class on Monday April 6th.

links:

http://smccd.net/accounts/takayama/lecture/comp-pics.htm

http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Photography/Lessons/579.php

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aunto/386071872/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/giletti/386073756/

http://photoinf.com/General/KODAK/guidelines_for_better_photographic_composition_framing.html

Filters

They increase contrast and can really make your pictures POP!

Experiment and try some out on your landscapes!!!