Precision Exam--2nd Semester

Today you will be taking a test that is required by CTE so we get funding to support our lab and our program.

Please go to the following link:

http://www.precisionexams.com/texas/


Click on the STUDENT drop down and create a new account under registration.

Once you complete the student registration you should be able to log-in and input the following information to take the exams:

Commercial Photo I (3rd and 7th)

3rd Period: W8KH5AXY
7th Period: LWMPWBHD

Commercial Photo II (8th)

8th Period: A8CBHBWF

Please do your best on these exams. The scores will not count on your record.

Thanks!!

Commercial Photography II 6th 6 weeks

We will be doing things a little differently this 6 weeks, you will be creating your assignments! I really want you to take advantage of this opportunity to complete assignments that you have always wanted to try. Check out the websites below (or any other inspirations you have found elsewhere) and figure out your game plan.

Assignment Plans Due April 13th

List out all of your assignment plans (there should be 3) for the 6 weeks in a blog post. I want to know what inspired you, where you will be taking the photos, who your models will be, what equipment you will need, etc.

Assignment # 1 Due April 20th

Be sure to title this assignment on your Assignment Plans blog post.

Picking your Images Due April 27th

Post the 3 images you intend to print for the print show. I want to know what category they will be entered in, what type of paper you will use and why you chose that image.

Assignment #2 Due May 4th

Be sure to title this assignment on your Assignment Plans blog post.

Photographer Essay Due May 11th

Pick a photographer that you felt inspired by this 6 weeks and write a 1.5-2 page essay about that photographer and why they inspired you. Include 3-5 images from the photographer as well.

Assignment # 3 Due May 18th

Be sure to title this assignment on your Assignment Plans blog post.

http://www.diyphotography.net/25-ways-to-jump-start-photography-inspiration/

http://blogs.photopreneur.com/60-sources-of-inspiration-for-photography

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/40-fresh-creative-and-inspiring-photographs/

Commercial Photography I 6th 6 weeks

I suggest you work ahead of schedule, remember you will be working on your print show images at the same time and that will take more time than you think!!

Open Studio Shoot and Free Shoot Plans Due April 13th

Post 3 inspirational photos for your next open studio shoot and your free shoot! What day will you be shooting? Who is your model? What do you need to bring to pull this off? Etc? Answer these questions for BOTH SHOOTS

Minimalist Photography Due April 20th

Post 5 photos using a minimalist style

https://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/a-10-step-guide-to-superb-minimalist-photography--photo-4487

https://digital-photography-school.com/minimalist-photography-4-tips-to-keep-it-simple-with-a-maximum-impact/

Picking your Images Due April 27th

Post the 3 images you intend to print for the print show. I want to know what category they will be entered in, what type of paper you will use, the size and why you chose that image. You will print 2 8x10s and 1 11x14.

Categories:
People
Place
Thing
Open-This should be your best image if you want to enter this category

Paper:
Lustre
Metallic
Enhanced Velvet
Semigloss

Open Studio Shoot Due May 4th

You may do this shoot alone or you may work in groups, it is totally up to you! Please post a minimum of 5 images from your shoot, be sure to book with me in advance!

Silhouettes  Due May 18th

Post 3 images using creative silhouettes

https://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-photograph-silhouettes/

 http://improvephotography.com/33518/14-tips-shooting-stunning-silhouettes/

Free Shoot DUE MAY 23rd

Post 5 images from your free shoot

FINAL (your 3 printed/mounted images) DUE MAY 23rd: THIS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED LATE

PRINT SHOW MONEY

$20 for print show supplies needs to be turned in NO LATER THAN MARCH 9th.

(Advanced) Commercial Photography II

Funny Portraits and Self Portraits DUE: February 23rd

Take one portrait and one self portrait using the following post as inspiration, may be shot in or outside of the studio

https://petapixel.com/2018/01/03/8-ideas-funny-portrait-photos/

Photoshoot in an Obscure Place: Due March 2nd

Using this post as inspiration, I want you to shoot an assignment in an obscure place. You must turn in at least 8 photos and tell me where you shot them, include an out take that shows your location!

https://petapixel.com/2018/02/07/hobby-lobby-photo-shoot-goes-viral/

https://petapixel.com/2017/11/21/ugly-places-pretty-portraits-photo-shoot-lowes/

Funky Fashion Shoot DUE: March 9th

You will be placed in groups and each group will draw 3 random items. You then must do a fashion shoot using at least 2 of the 3 items you are given. Think like you are shooting for a magazine, you will need cover shots (2 of them) in addition to shots inside the magazine. You must turn in at least 7 images.

Action Assignment DUE: March 9th

I want you to turn in 6 photos total for this assignment, you must have at least 1 each of the following, the other 2 are up to you.

1. Requirement 1: Freeze the action. Take at least one photo with a very short shutter speed to capture your subject during a split second in time. You'll need lots of light for this, so try this outdoors during the day. If you happen to have a very strong flash, you can also use it to freeze the action when there is less available light.
2. Requirement 2: Show the action by blurring the foreground. Take at least one photo that uses motion blur to give a sense of how your subject moves. The main subject of the photograph should be motion blurred, but the background should be sharp.
3. Requirement 3: Show the action by blurring the background. Take at least one photo with a sharp subject and a motion blurred background. (One way to do this is is to keep a moving object centered in your viewfinder as it passes you by panning the camera to match its speed. This takes some patience and practice, but it's worth the effort once you get it right!)
4. Requirement 4: Show the action with a burst. Take a burst of photos (at least 3) one after another quickly, so that it shows a progression and tells a short story. Many cameras have a burst mode to make this easier. Once you've taken your action sequence, you should combine the burst of photographs into a single image using Photoshop or similar. Your combination could be as simple as placing all of the photos side-by-side into one larger photo, or it could be a blend of the photos, or it could be something fancier. The choice is yours!

Prompt Shoot DUE: March 23rd

Please take 8 photos using the following prompts, you may choose to do all 8 from 1 prompt (MUST  BE DIFFERENT PHOTOS) or 1 photo for 8 prompts, etc.

1. Night and Day
2. Good vs Evil
3. Elements (water, air, fire, earth)
4. Reflecions
5. Painting Nature
6. Literature
7. Rustic
8. Machine/Metal
9. Eras/Retro
10. Memories/Remembrance 
11. Distortion
12. Surrealism/Fantasy/Illusions
13. Perspective
14. Collage
15. Editorial
16. Shadows
17. Pop Culture

6 Pictures Same Location: DUE March 28th 

Use the following post as inspiration, obviously this will not be over a 12 year span, but I challenge you to pick a location and shoot it multiple different days/times/weather conditions and produce 6 images total to post on your blog.

https://petapixel.com/2018/02/08/photographer-spent-12-years-shooting-window/

Commercial Photography I 5th 6 Weeks

Architecture DUE February 23rd

Select an interesting architectural environment and create a portfolio of 6 images that describe the space using 2 long, 2 medium and 2 close up camera-to-subject distance. 

You are crating a portfolio of images that the architect could show to his or her prospective clients. Therefore, these 6 images should work together to articulate, in a cohesive voice, the salient aspects of the space. You’ll need an establishment photography (an overall view), a medium-detail photograph (showing some details in context with the overall view), as well as a close up detail shot. You may include photographs of interiors for the latter two.

Frame the space in compositionally strong manner, paying close attention t o the way the edges of your image relate to nearby architectural elements. Except for intentionally induced forced perspective, vertical lines in most architectural photography are held vertical. Make LOTS of exposures in order to get 6 exceptional images. 

Hint: Look to architectural magazines such as Dwell, Arts & Architecture, or Metropolis Magazine for ideas.

Manmade vs Nature DUE March 2nd

2 pairs of photographs comparing forms found in nature (tree, cloud, water, grass, rock, etc.) to man-made architectural forms. Image pairs should be matched in composition, angle of view, and overall “feel.” Images of each pair should easily translate as mimicking each other – they should look very similar to each other in the way they are seen and photographed. [total of 4 images]

Open Lightbox DUE March 2nd
Here is the inspiration for your assignment:

There are lots of options for things to be placed on the box for this, initially I am thinking:

Cut up fruit arranged to look like stained glass

Dried flowers

Colored gel or tissue paper

Film negatives

Other suggestions welcome, have fun with this!!

Everyone will produce 3 images, edit them in Lightroom and post them on your blog. 

Creative Landscapes DUE March 9th

Create two pairs of landscape images from two different locations. Each image of the pair must be shot from EXACTLY the same location, but under dramatically different lighting conditions. You may shoot at different times of the day, or even on different days, but you must use a tripod and mark your spot exactly. Cropping should be identical on each image of the pair. The goal is that each image will convey a very different mood depending upon the lighting conditions. Some of the most interesting lighting for landscapes will be experienced at dawn, dusk, or in the vicinity of changing atmospheric conditions, like fog, rain, or even thunderstorms. But be sure to take a friend with you. Be safe [total of at last 4 images]

Landscapes DUE March 23rd

Produce 6 landscape images that emphasize lighting to convey a sense of place and mood. Although you may include people and man-made structures in your photos, do not allow these elements to become the main subjects of your photographs.

Make lots of exposures at each location. Experiment with depth of field, angle of view, focal length, etc. so as to get several variations from which to choose. Your photos should be designed to convey the spatial qualities of the location, so there will be no need to shoot details or close-ups.

It is recommended that you scout each location first, taking notes on the desired lighting and time of the day best for that location. Then, head out early the next day to set up and wait for that light to paint your scene.

Use a tripod. Use a tripod. Use a tripod. [total of 6 images]

Night Photography DUE March 23rd

You will be submitting 8 photos for this assignment, I want 2 each of the following:

1) Light Trails
2) Painting with Light
3) Moonlight as the only light source Full moon March 2nd 
4) Creative/open use of long exposure (steel wool, etc)

http://expertphotography.com/4-steps-to-mastering-creative-night-photography/
https://digital-photography-school.com/tips-for-getting-proper-exposure-for-night-photography/
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/tips-and-solutions/10-essential-tips-night-photography
https://expertphotography.com/steel-wool-photography/
http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2016/01/22/night-photography-tips-9-essential-steps-for-beginners-2/
https://petapixel.com/2018/02/03/take-great-city-photos-night/

Guest Speaker--ALL CLASSES

My friend Steve Moakley will be coming to speak with you all this 6 weeks so please take a look at his blog and come up with at least 5 questions you could ask and post to your blog.

https://www.stevemoakley.com/index

Lit Mag Photos

Today your Literary Magazine photos are due....

Your submission must be school appropriate, but other than that, it is up to your interpretation.

You are free to make all the changes you want in Photoshop. You can crop however you want.

The main thing is that you MUST crop it somehow and you need to make sure you put 300 in the resolution space. If you do not understand this, please let me know so I can help

When you have all three photos ready - make sure to save as a .jpeg and post it on your blog.

When you have the photos posted, you need to decide if you want to submit them for publication. I am not requiring this step, but I strongly encourage you to submit. It is a great chance to get published and your name and art will be in the running to be showcased in a school publication.

If you want to submit them, put them on the flash drive on my desk.

You will need to rename the image as follows:

First name_last name_(prompt name).jpg

Here is an example:

Chanel_Dobrzenski_SWIM.jpg

If you are unsure of the prompt name, please refer to this blog post to help you out:

http://bowiephotojblog.blogspot.com/2018/01/lit-mag-outside-prompt-shoot-due.html

I hope that some of you will take advantage and try to get published!!!

ALL CLASSES: Lit Magazine

Lit Mag

I would like all of you to complete a Prompt Shoot outside of school. This is unusual because we are working with the staff of the Bowie Literary Magazine to get some images for their publication. The Literary Society has been working hard to revive this publication and I am a complete supporter of their efforts.

You will have until Monday, Feb 5th for this outside shoot assignment. It will also be a MAJOR grade for me. You are NOT required to submit your effort to the Lit Mag, but if you want, I will work with you on getting it over to them. You will be required to turn in THREE (3) images, each representing a different prompt listed below.

The best way to shoot this type of images is to not overthink, but you do have to plan. Below you will find a list of "prompts" in the form of the name of the poem/written piece. Your job will be to interpret it however you think, very similarly to what we do with prompt shoots. This is a fairly long list because it would be great to have images representing a number of these to help the literary magazine staff have options when piecing together the product. You will get credit in the Lit Mag and your name will appear in the magazine. This is a great publication opportunity.

Here is the list, in no specific order:

As gentle as the ocean
If childhood had a flavor
Reading Stephen King
A Sunday Night in my Bed
drifting
Daily Routine
Urgency to Escape
The Ugly Boy and The Green Bean
Reality Eludes Me
Honey
Past Secret
Chickens and an old deer in a Broken Aluminum Train Car
Those Cobblestone Streets
Twilight Hour
One last word
The Temptress
Room 223
I am a nail
A nail (3rd person)
Sheldon
A Box That My Childhood Could Fit Inside
Life is Full of Disappointment
Silver Linings Interrupted
A Pessimist's Autumn
A Summer
Unclear solutions
The Floppy Dog
Her Again
Placebo Effect
The Inconspicuous Night
Fairy Lights
Coffee Mug

In addition, there are sections to the Lit Mag this year and potentially there could be images created to go with those divider pages. The theme this year is based on the zodiac. Here are the working section titles:

Fire Signs:
Aires the Ram, Leo the Lion, Sagittarius the Centaur

Earth Signs:
Taurus the Bull, Virgo the Virgin, Capricorn the Goat

Water Signs:
Cancer the Crab, Pisces the Fish, Scorpio the Scorpion

Air Signs:
Aquarius the Waterbearer, Gemini the Twins, Libra the Scales

Linked below is a googledoc that has descriptions of these signs. Each sign will be its own section. If you are interested in shooting photos for the dividers, you should go take a look at this document:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14gITW5bE085K46WT9sRQ6TQQN4NUQ-Gt/view?usp=sharing

Your submission must be school appropriate, but other than that, it is up to your interpretation. If you want to talk about ideas with me, I would be happy to work with you. If you decide to send in your work, you may chose to include a title of your piece, or it will be listed as "untitled".

You may use all of my equipment, including specialty lenses if we talk about your ideas. I also have tripods if you need them.

Last year the theme was:

See how creative they are - find a way to do this!!

Here are some examples from last year:

Prompt: Child
Photo by Julia Provenzi

Prompt: Cosmic Planning
Photo by Caroline Ritter

Prompt: Fruitless trail
Photo by Addyson Hibdon

Prompt: I believe in make up
Photo by Katheryn McClanahan

Prompt: In the woods
Photo by Arunav Lamsal

Prompt: Safe Haven
Photo by Connor Reilly

Prompt: Things you don't notice, but I do
Photo by Carlos Canepa

Prompt: Breathe

Photo by Hannah Hartley

ALL CLASSES

Check out our guest speaker's website and write down 5 potential questions and post them to your blog by the end of the day FRIDAY.

http://www.ruizpic.com/

Advanced Commercial Photography 4th 6 Weeks

Mixed Media Portraits DUE January 19th

You will be producing an 8x10 portrait using old and new photographs. I can help you with printing for this project and if you bring your materials, this can be something you can easily complete in class. I also have a scanner in the classroom you may use.

David Hockney Photo DUE January 26th

David Hockney was a famous painter and photographer, specializing in a cubism style. I want you to take three of your photographs (new or old) and create a Hockney style photo with it. Below is a tutorial on how to create this effect, although there are several other ways you can go about this technique.

https://www.practicalphotography.com/learning-zone/landscapes/articles/2016/6/27/piece-together-a-david-hockney-collage

Mixed Media Open DUE January 30th

I want you each to produce 1 8x10 image using mixed media. I can help you with printing for this project and if you bring your materials, this can be something you can easily complete in class. I also have a scanner in the classroom you may use.

Video Project DUE January 30th

Photographers and videographers go hand in hand so this semester we will be adding several video assignments. You will be creating a short film of your choosing so be creative and have fun with it! The video needs to be 3-5 minutes long with audio and we will be showing these in class. You may work alone or in a group of 2-3. You all are already very familiar with composition rules, which apply to video as well, but take a look at these 2 sites to help guide you on video composition and how it can differ from still photography.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/video/tips-and-solutions/filmmaking-101-camera-shot-types

https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/12-most-popular-camera-shots-actors-should-know/

Group STUDIO Shoot DUE February 2nd Team up with two other students (making teams of 3 please), and start brainstorming ideas you have for this shoot. You need to prepare a theme, think about who your models will be, and start planning when you can get this done. BE CREATIVE!!

On your blogs please create a new post that includes the following information:

1. Who is on your 3 person team?
2. What is your theme? Include in this any props, costumes, etc you will need to acquire or create to get this shoot done.
3. Who will your models be?
4. How quickly can you be ready to shoot?
5. Finally, supply at least 3 example images you find on the internet that are at least close to your ideas.

Free Shoot (kind of!) Due February 5th

Check out the following website and develop a shoot/project from one of the ideas shown. I am open to suggestions if you have another idea in mind after looking at the website but you must discuss it with me first.

https://www.studentartguide.com/articles/creative-photography-ideas

Commercial Photography 4th 6 Weeks

File Formats DUE January 10th

Directions: Check the following link to read a discussion about the differences between a RAW file format and a JPEG file format.

http://digital-photography-school.com/raw-vs-jpeg/

Find the list of characteristics for each file type and answer the following questions:

What are three advantages of a RAW file:

What is one disadvantage of a RAW file: 

What are three advantages of a JPEG file:

What is one disadvantage of a JPEG file:

Read the following explanation about why photographers would shoot using RAW file format at the link below and answer the following questions:

http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/quick-tip-what-is-raw-and-why-might-you-need-it--photo-8436

1. Under the first heading "Capturing the Images," how much of the data does a RAW file retain after it is captured by the camera?

2. Under the second heading "Processing the Files," what are some of the things that a RAW file enables a photographer to edit after the image is taken?

3. Under the third heading "Practicalities," what are some of the factors that photographers must consider when deciding to shoot in RAW?

4. Under the fourth heading "Which one is for you?" why would an aspiring professional photographer need to know how to work with RAW files?

If you are interested in more about the two file formats - click these links below.

This one really shows you what the two files look like as the processing happens:

http://www.slrlounge.com/school/raw-vs-jpeg-jpg-the-ultimate-visual-guide/

This one is just another comparison with pros and cons:

http://photographylife.com/raw-vs-jpeg

This one is a little "mathy" and goes into some detail about the RAW files themselves, but it has some good visuals:

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/RAW-file-format.htm

Next up for our discussion is file formats. It is important that you understand the various types of file formats we will be using in class, which are appropriate for what, and what some of the problems you will run into if you use certain file formats.

Go take a peek at this website:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_file_formats

On your blog please answer the following questions:

1. Which file formats discussed have you used in the past?

2. What is the difference between a Raster and a Vector file?

The most common file formats we will use in class are .jpeg, .tiff, .psd, and either .dng (Canon) or .nef (Nikon)

Look up each and answer the following questions for each:

1. Is this format lossy or lossless?

2. What are common uses for each? By this I mean where would I publish each of them for the highest quality.

3. Can you create this type of file in your camera?

When everyone is finished we will continue our conversations of how Lightroom works with Raw files.

Free Shoot DUE January 17th

I want you to post 5-10 images for this assignment. There MUST be a theme of some sort, if you need inspiration or ideas please ask me or feel free to look at the advanced students blogs for ideas.

Painting Recreation DUE January 19th:

First go to these two websites and check them out:

http://justsomething.co/22-famous-paintings-revisited-as-photographs/

http://www.boredpanda.com/famous-painting-remakes/

I want you to pick out a famous painting and recreate it. I want you to go look at some paintings and post 3 of them that you might consider recreating so I have an idea of how I can help you complete this task. I am open to similar concepts if you have one in mind, so please approach me if you want to talk about an alternative assignment. Obviously there are nudes in the famous paintings list, so please plan accordingly and don't choose one of those....thanks!!

Here are some links to help you in your search:

http://www.brushwiz.com/most-famous-paintings/

http://www.topofart.com/top_100_art_reproductions.php

On your blog please complete the following:

Post the three paintings that you picked that you might want to recreate.
Under each please answer the following questions:

Where is the light coming from?
How can you duplicate that light?
What other non-clothing elements appear in the painting that you will need to duplicate?
What kind of angles did the painter use to compose the image?
What clothing will you need to acquire/create to duplicate the painting?
Who would be a good model?
List the details you see in the painting, specifically the things the model will be wearing, poses they will need to hold, etc?
What will be the three most difficult things to duplicate, in your opinion?

Portraits DUE January 26th

Using inspiration from the tips below, I want you to post 5 different portraits on your blog.

https://digital-photography-school.com/tips-portrait-photography/

https://petapixel.com/2017/12/04/7-easy-diy-light-modifiers-creative-shadows-portraits/

https://petapixel.com/2017/12/20/shooting-pro-portraits-window-light-tiny-home-studio/

Bokeh Effect DUE February 2nd **We will be doing this IN CLASS the week of Jan 22nd-26th

Check out the following tutorials and post 5 images using the Bokeh technique on your blog.

https://www.diyphotography.net/diy_create_your_own_bokeh/

https://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-achieve-better-bokeh-4-simple-tips/

https://petapixel.com/2016/01/20/create-beautiful-bokeh-aluminum-foil/

https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/a/tips-and-techniques/bokeh-for-beginners.html

https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/a/tips-and-techniques/photograph-the-classic-holiday-light-bokeh-effect.html

Funny Portraits/Self Portraits DUE February 5th

This assignment MUST be shot in the studio so plan accordingly and schedule time with me. Check out the link below for some inspiration. You must post at least 1 portrait and 1 self portrait, they can have similar ideas but must be different from each other.

https://petapixel.com/2018/01/03/8-ideas-funny-portrait-photos/