BW Film Single Subject & Texture

Even though the majority of photography is done automatically on digital cameras, black and white still lives on today. The beauty of black and white photography is that it focuses on visual elements such as tone, texture and shape.
By starting this BW project, you’ll begin to see things in a different light and, rather than just colour, your eyes will become better at recognizing different shapes and forms.

Shooting with a single theme is a great way to start to limit and focus on the objects that you shoot.
You simply take a certain theme, such as an object, or even an idea such as contrast or textures. Spend an entire day only shooting objects that suit that day’s theme.
When you do this a lot, you start to really understand what certain objects or colours do for various photos and how you can use them to your advantage. It also helps you to find something interesting in something boring, as you have to try and make everyday objects worth looking at.

In this assignment, you will
Learn the various parts of the camera and how to load BW film. You will also learn how to operate a manual camera to take a well exposed image. The we will develop the film into negatives and learn how to print film.

9- Shutter Speeds

Photo by: Sterling Lorence

What is Shutter Speed?
The shutter of the camera is like a door that opens and closes to let light in to expose the film or sensor. Shutter speed is ‘the amount of time that the shutter is open’.

Shutter speed is measured in seconds – or in most cases fractions of seconds. The bigger the denominator the faster the speed (ie. 1/1000 is much faster than 1/30).

• In most cases you’ll probably be using shutter speeds of 1/60th of a second or faster. This is because anything slower than this is very difficult to use without getting camera shake. Camera shake is when your camera is moving while the shutter is open and results in blur in your photos.
• Use a tripod if you’re using a slow shutter speed (anything slower than 1/60) or some some type of image stabilization (more and more cameras are coming with this built in).
• Standard shutter speeds usually double or half (approximately) with each setting. As a result you’ll usually have the options for the following shutter speeds – 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1/1 etc. This ‘doubling’ is handy to keep in mind as aperture settings also double the amount of light that is let in – as a result increasing shutter speed by one stop and decreasing aperture by one stop should give you similar exposure levels.
• BULB Setting- Some cameras give you the option to shoot in ‘B’ (or ‘Bulb’) mode. Bulb mode lets you keep the shutter open for as long as you hold it down. Some cameras also give you the option for very slow shutter speeds that are measured in seconds (for example 1 second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds etc). These are used in very low light situations, when you’re going after special effects and/or when you’re trying to capture a lot of movement in a shot
• Consider what shutter speed to use in an image- always ask yourself whether anything in your scene is moving and how you’d like to capture that movement. If there is movement in your scene you have the choice of either freezing the movement so it looks still (shutter speed 1/125 and higher) or letting the moving object intentionally blur to give it a sense of movement 1/30 and lower).
• To freeze movement in an image (see the surfer below) you’ll want to choose a faster/higher # shutter speed and to let the movement blur you’ll want to choose a slower shutter/lower # speed. The actual speeds you should choose will vary depending upon the speed of the subject in your shot and how much you want it to be blurred.
• Motion is not always bad. There are times when motion is good. For example when you’re taking a photo of a waterfall or seascape and want to show how fast the water is flowing, or when you’re taking a shot of a racing car and want to give it a feeling of speed, or when you’re taking a shot of a star scape and want to show how the stars move over a longer period of time. In all of these instances try a longer shutter speed (lower shutter #) will be the way to go. However in all of these cases you should use a tripod or you’ll run the risk of ruining the shots by adding camera movement (a different type of blur than motion blur).
• Focal Length and Shutter Speed –Longer lens lengths will accentuate the amount of camera shake you have and so you’ll need to choose a faster shutter speed (unless you have image stabilization in your lens or camera). Choose a shutter speed with a denominator that is larger than the focal length of the lens. For example if you have a lens that is 50mm 1/60th is probably ok but if you have a 200mm lens you’ll probably want to shoot at around 1/250.

For more information about shutter speeds, visit the Digital Photography School site.

Based on the information above, let's try to guess what shutter speed the photographer used to take this photo. Sterling Lorence

Blur Movement

Freeze Frame Movement

Subject Clear/Blur movement around

Panning Fast- Blur background, clear movement.

Panning with Slow Shutter Speed

Experimental

The Assignment- You are to take a series of photographs where you capture movement with your camera by controlling the shutter. Try at least 3 different shutter speed techniques (see below) but try taking at least 4 photos for each situation.

• Arrange your images in a contact sheet of 12-24 shutter photos (try several shots for each experiment).
• Post your 6 best shutter images (one from each experiment) to your blog. Label each image you post with the shutter speed setting that you tried and the experiment title.

You are to take a series of photographs where you capture movement with your camera by controlling the shutter. You are to try 3+ different shutter speed techniques (see above) but try at least 4+ for each to make sure you practice and get a good example capturing movement.  

The Contact Sheet -Arrange your images in a contact sheet of 12-24 shutter photos (try several shots for each experiment). Contact label each experiment with the shutter speed that you used.

Post- your contact sheet and 3+ best shutter images (one from each experiment) to your blog label with the experiment title and shutter speed that you used.

1. Blur Movement
2. Freeze Frame Movement
3. Panning- fast or slow
4. Experimental/Painting with light.

10 Double Exposure



Double Exposure

Then try your own double exposures. Load your film into the camera, expose each frame . The topic is portraits and textures or shapes. With the same topic, start with textures.  Use an SLR and take a whole roll of portraits and then a whole roll of textures and shapes. Or try the Holga and take two at the same time.

But there is another catch, bracket each shot 3 times.That means you will measure your exposure with the light meter on your camera and then move the aperture up two notches so it is 1x over exposed and then take the same photo again just moving the aperture down 1 each time to take a total of 3 bracketed frames. Then move on to the next scene.

Once you have finished your roll, develop your negatives. Print a contact sheet and three 5 x 7 prints with good exposure, contrast, and focus. One from each double exposure seen. Scan your best print and post your best double exposure photo to your blog.

Photoshop Comic Portrait

Coloured Pencil 

  

Red Stamp 

Red and Black Stamp

Stamp, Colored Pencil. Halftone

Find Edges

We are going to turn it your portrait into a vector image to give it a cartoon like appearance. Start with you digital portrait, open it in Photoshop and follow along. When you are done, you can pull it into Comic Life and add a quote, song lyric, or poem... and maybe a background. Post it to your blog.

Here are a few tutorials:

• Vector Tutorial In-Class Simple Vector Drawing
• Easy Comic Tutorial
• Vector Drawing Tutorial 2
• Vector Tutorial 3
• 35 Creative Portrait Effects Tutorials 

10 Studio Portraits [Digital + BW Film]

Studio Portraits verses Natural Light
When portrait photographs are composed and captured in a studio, the photographer has control over the lighting of the composition of the subject and can adjust direction and intensity of light. There are many ways to light a subject's face, but there are several common lighting plans which are easy enough to describe.
Yousuf Karsh was an eminent portrait photographer

Light Source
One of the most important things of a good light source is its size. This determines what type of shadows you are going to have and also affects the type of reflection. Small light sources will produce a hard edged shadow, large light sources will produce a soft edged shadow.The most important light source in our life, the SUN. In a nice bright day with no clouds the sun will act as a small light source. On the other hand when it is a cloudy day the clouds will act as diffuser and the light source will not arrive from a direct single point but will be diffused through the clouds thus becoming a large light source and therefore producing soft edged shadows.

Winston Churchill by Yousuf Karsh

Lighting Angles

A person looking at an object sees each point of that object at a slightly different angle. If we sum up all these angles we would have a family of angles. The family of angles is very important thing to master as a photographer because it determines where we can place or where we cannot place our lights.

For this Studio Portrait Assignment, you are going to work with three basic lighting angles: Hatchet/Side Lighting, Rembrandt, and Glamour/Butterfly lighting.

Studio Lighting Preparation Assignment

1. Find an example of each lighting set-up/formation as we went over in class from the internet and post in your journal (like figure 1).
2. Explain how the lighting set up is arranged to create this effect.
3. Find some examples of each lighting effect and save them to your blog.
4. Find a studio lighting tutorial and link it to your blog.
5. Plan out your shoot in your blog include the following considerations for each lighting scenario: model, costume, background, framing (see "Overview of Shot Sizes" sheet), props? makup?

Below is an example of a Rembrandt Lighting set-up:


Glamour/Butterfly Lighting

 

Rembrandt Lighting                         Side/Hatchet Lighting

7-tips-for-black-and-white-portrait-photography

Element of Design: COLOUR

Cool Colours with a Splash of Warm

Color is the part of light that is reflected by the object we see. Primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. They are called primary because they are not mixtures of other colors. Mixing any two primary colors results in a secondary color.

The color wheel is created when the primary and secondary colors are placed in a circle. Colors directly across from each other on the color wheel are called complementary colors. Complementary colors used together provide extreme contrast.

Another way to organize color is by color "temperature." Colors are either "warm" or "cool." Reds, oranges, and yellows are considered warm colors. Blues, violets, and greens are considered cool colors.

Look for colours that work well together and don't clash like hot pink and bright red next to each other for example. Try not to overcrowd with too many bold colours. In digital photography it works best if you have the main subject has the bold colour, rather than multiple points of bold colour in the background for example.

More Information about colour: http://605.wikispaces.com/color

Colour Assignment:
Take 10-15 digital photographs of the Element of Design- COLOUR
This time, really consider what your main colour is an how it looks with other colours in your photo. Three things to try:

1. Look for a scene with all warm colours.
2. Take a photo with all cool hues.
3. Mix some colours: take a few photos with one dominant colour (background) and a small splash of a complimentary colour as your main subject. i.e a portrait in a green landscape with some one wearing red...

Download, edit and evaluate, save top three to sharing folder.
Upload your best to your personal blog with a definition of colour (in your own words) and an explanation as why your image is a good example of colour.

9 Composition: Leading Lines

Leading lines are compositional tools within an image that leads the eye to another point in the image, or occasionally, out of the image. Anything with a definite line can be a leading line. Fences, bridges, even a shoreline can lead the eye. If can pair leading lines with a subject that is placed according to the rule of thirds your image should be very strong.

1. Take 10-15 images using the lines to emphasize or to point to the main subject, 
2. Then download the images, 
3. Select your top 2 photos and save them to the share folder.
4. Post your best image to your blog, 
5. Title your post using the emphasis technique- Leading Lines.
6. Write out a reflection: identify the subject and explain how the technique emphasizes it.
7. Collect all of your images (up to 40 max) in a contact sheet,
8. Save your contact sheet as a jpg and post to your blog.

10s Aperture- Depth of Field Assignment

Aperture is ‘the opening in the lens.’
The aperture number that you set your camera to impacts the size of the lens opening. The larger the lens opening, the more light that gets in – the smaller the hole the less light.

Aperture is measured in f-stops- f1, f 2, f 2.8, f 4, f 5.6, f 8, f11, f16, f 22, f 32, f 64. 

Moving from one f-stop to the next doubles or halves the size of the amount of opening in your lens (and the amount of light getting through). Keep in mind that a change in shutter speed from one stop to the next doubles or halves the amount of light that gets in also – if you increase one and decrease the other you let the same amount of light in.

Large apertures (where lots of light gets through) are given f/stop smaller numbers and smaller apertures (where less light gets through) have larger f-stop numbers. So f/2.8 is in fact a much larger aperture than f/22

Depth of Field (DOF) or range if focus is that amount of your shot that will be in focus.  

Large depth of field (f11 and above) means that most of your image will be in focus whether it’s close to your camera or far away. A landscape shot above has an aperture of f/16 produces a sharp image from the background to the foreground.

Small (or shallow) depth of field means that only part of the image will be in focus and the rest will be fuzzy. You’ll see in it that the subjects eyes are in focus but the background is blurred. Even her hair which is only a little behind her eyes is blurred. This is a very shallow depth of field and was taken with an aperture of f1.8).


Depth of Field Assignment- Take a series of photographs where you manipulate Depth of Field (range of focus) by adjusting the aperture on your camera. Set your camera to Av or Aperture priority and change the aperture settings for each photo with the dial.

Set up visually interesting scenarios that have visual depth/distance and a strong subject and background relationships.

For each scenario, you are to take a series of photos for each scene you choose starting from the lowest aperture setting to the highest- only using the standard F-stops. Take the same photo each time only with a different f-stop. (Watch when your shutter drops below 1/60).
Then take some photos and experiment with your aperture so that you have an example of short, medium and long depth of field, (low # on your aperture dial, medium and high). Then create compositions using appropriate depth of field settings that would work best for the subject.

Make a contact sheet of 25-35 photos shoot at least 3 different scenarios using the smallest aperture, medium, and largest, then experiment with your aperture for the rest.

Then post and label one (or more) of each (short, medium, long) in your journal/blog.

For more information on Aperture and Depth of Field visit Digital Photography School site.

Lines, Leading Lines, Horizon Lines

Lines
A line is: A mark that is longer than it is wide

Line is often referred to as “the most basic element of design”. Yet this simple element functions in complex ways. Used effectively, line expresses a variety of verbal and visual concepts. Line works either by itself or in conjunction with other lines to communicate messages and impact audience.

A line can have different qualities - it can be curved or straight, thin or thick, loose or precise, delicate or bold, expressive or controlled. The qualities of a line will evoke different feelings; a curved line feels natural and organic, while a straight line feels man made and mechanical. A delicate line feels soft and feminine, while a bold line feels strong and masculine.

A horizontal line reminds us of a calm horizon or a person lying down; it implies quiet and rest. A vertical line makes us think of a skyscraper or a person standing straight and tall; it feels strong and aspiring. A vertical line contains potential for activity, and so creates a more energetic feeling than a horizontal line. A diagonal line is like a bolt of lightening or a person leaning forward poised to run; it suggests energy and movement. Diagonal lines are the most dynamic.

Line #1 Assignment- Element of Design: Lines
Take 10-15 digital photographs around your home or school community using the Element of Design- LINE. Look for all sorts of different types of line, straight, wiggly, craggy, weaving, diagonal, organic, geometric...

• Download your line images
• Upload your best line photos to your blog.
• Make a contact sheet with all of your photos post to your blog.
• Write an explanation as why this image is a good example of line. 

 

Leading Lines

Leading Lines are compositional tools within an image that leads the eye to another point in the image, or occasionally, out of the image. Anything with a definite line can be a leading line. Fences, bridges, even a shoreline can lead the eye. If can pair leading lines with a subject that is placed according to the rule of thirds your image should be very strong.

Line #2 Assignment- Leading Lines
Take 10-15 digital photographs around your home or school community using the Leading LINE compositional technique. Look for all sorts of different types of lines to direct the view towards the subject. Then upload, edit and evaluate,

• Download your images.
• Upload your best line photos to your blog.
• Make a contact sheet with all of your photos post to your blog.
• Write an explanation as why this image is a good example of leading line- hint: how it directs attention to the subject.

Horizon Lines
One of the main ‘rules’ you often see written regarding horizons is that they should never be placed in the centre of the frame, but positioned closer to a ‘third’. to the top or bottom. As with most rules, there are plenty of times when this can be completely disregarded, so here are a few guidelines to help you to decide where to position the horizon when composing your shot.



Low Horizon
Placing the horizon towards the bottom of the frame is a great way of emphasising a dramatic sky. By placing the horizon low in the frame, you are giving dominance to the upper portion of the image and so, ideally, you want to have something there to keep the attention of the viewer, i.e. don’t do this if the sky is completely clear, as you will be dedicating over half of the frame to an empty blue sky, and that will not hold interest for long.

Centred Horizon
A centred horizon works very well when dealing with reflections as, by default, the composition is easily balanced.

High Horizon
Placing the horizon towards the top of the frame gives dominance to the lower portion of the image, allowing you to emphasise foreground detail to draw the viewer through to a sky.

Line #3 Assignment Horizon Lines
Take 10-15+ digital photographs around your home or school community exploring different horizon line techniques. Look for all sorts of different types of lines to direct the view towards the subject.

Upload, edit and evaluate,

• Download your images.
• Upload your best line photos to your blog.
• Make a contact sheet with all of your photos post to your blog.
• Write an explanation as why this image is a good example of the horizon line/ rule of thirds technique. 

Email me dusher@sd35.bc.ca if you have any questions, or when you are finished

9 Element of Design: SHAPE

Shape is the element of identification. The most important thing to keep in mind when shape is the essential element in an image is that it is best defined when the subject is front-lit or back-lit. For that shape to be successfully identifiable, it needs to be in strong contrast with its surroundings so that it is detached from the clutter around it.

Shapes in images can be seen as silhouettes - these are best shot several minutes before sunset up to several minutes following it, as well as several minutes before sunrise up to several minutes following it. Also, you can try to place your subject in between you and the light source, or photograph shadows.

There organic (natural free flowing) and geometric (man-made, angular) shapes. 

Shape Assignment:

• Take 20-30 digital photographs of the Element of Design- SHAPE
• Download, edit and evaluate, save top three to sharing folder.
• Upload your best shape image to your personal blog 
• Include a definition of shape and an explanation as why this photo is a good example of shape.

Blog Banner

Creating a Banner

Step One: Create a new document in Photoshop. If your document is going to be used on the web, I recommend setting the resolution to “72.” Next, type out your Name. I chose “HELLO” to keep things simple, but you could also use this tutorial for blog headers, as text to lay on top of photos in posts, etc! For a banner, you create the document as a custom size 1000 x 300 pixels at 72 resolution. Long and skinny. 

Make your text BIG and BOLD. Use the option menu on the top of the page to set your font style, size, boldness...

Step Two: 
Select an image you have taken or find one on Pexel. Select an image that you like and save the image to your folder. Open the image in Photoshop. Select All (or CTR A). Then Copy (or CTR C) and Paste (or CTR V) the image onto your file into the new layer. Then, when you create a clipping mask, your words will take on the effect of the image you’re using, which makes my words look gold!

OR

Create a new layer ON TOP OF your text layer. You can create a new layer either by going to Layer >> New >> Layer (in the top menu) OR by clicking the thing that looks like a piece of paper next to the trash can in the bottom right of your layers panel. Your new layer will be blank (white). If you can't see the Layer panel, then click f7 on your keyboard.

Step Two A: You can draw whatever you want in that new layer. I chose to draw some colorful scribbles using the brush tool.

Step Three: Make sure your new layer is highlighted in the layers panel (like mine is). Then, go to Layer >> Create Clipping Mask. A shortcut is to hover between your two layers (in the layers panel) with your cursor while holding down the option key (on a Mac). You’ll see a little arrow pop up and when you click, it will create a clipping mask.

Step Four: Admire your work.

Example of a photo instead of scribble:

Step Five: Post your heading to your blog: find the LAYOUT tab- click on HEADER- and then EDIT- Then remove heading insert instead of Blog title and description. Browse for your image. SAVE.

Tutorial Credit: http://www.melyssagriffin.com/create-clipping-mask-photoshop-great-bloggers/

Favourite Photo

Create a new post on your blog and upload your favourite/best photo that you have ever taken.
Then write why it is your favourite on your blog.

Photo 1 (AKA Photo 9) Outline

“Photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”           
Elliott Erwitt

Photography is an excellent way to capture the moment and hold memories. It is the contents in the family album, and the essence of human history. Upon completing Photography 1, students learn how to use the camera as creative tool to document the world around them. Students will learn photographic concepts and processes from digital to film processes: they will understand basic properties of light, composition, and darkroom processes from developing B/W film to enlarging images, and have an introduction with computer imaging.

1. Blog/Journal- Design a blog/journal that includes inspiring photos from magazines/internet, and your personal work. There will be small deadlines and a final submission- This will be on going throughout the semester.  
2. Elements of Design- The basic elements of Photography: lines, shapes, form, colour/tone, textures. We are going to focus on each of these one at a time. 
3. Composition- Learn how to identify your subject and how to direct attention towards it. 
4. Lumen Print/Pin Hole- Create a simple photographic composition without a camera.
5. Learn about light. Take photos with a basic box.
6. Computer Manipulation- Learn basic image Photoshop. How to touch-up and manipulate your images digitally.
7. Shutter- Learn how to use the shutter to manipulate movement with a digital or manual camera.
8. BW Portraits- Photograph people using Black and White film; develop and print in the darkroom.

Evaluation will be based on the following:

Question Sheets and Vocabulary (knowledge): 10%

Journal (display knowledge of concepts, gather ideas): 20%

Contact Sheets (skill):10%

Projects /Prints (skill): 60%