Constructed Identity Photographer Research

In Class Photographer Research Assignment

Choose from one of the following photographers to research.  No student will research the same photographer, so when you have chosen who to research from the provided list,  add a comment to this blog entry with the name of the photographer's image you have selected to research & present.

Due: End of class Friday the 14th 

     

Peter Fischli and David Weiss

Jan Groover

Boyd Webb

Wang Qingsong

Henk Tas

Cindy Sherman

Rommert Boonstra

Cindy Sherman

Gregory Crewdson

Andy Warhol

Arthur Tress

Gertrude Kasebier

Thomas Eakins

Philippe Halsman  Man Ray  Henry Peach Robinson Imogen Cunningham  Julia Margaret Cameron Claude Cahun  Paul Outerbridge Eddie Adams Eikoh Hosoe Laurie Simmons  Man Ray (Marcel Duchamp) Nic Nicosia Sandy Skoglund Tom Drahos  Hector Sos  Kerry Skarbakka

Please answer the following questions about one or a set of the photographer’s images.  If you cannot find direct answers to the questions, analyze the work based on your own interpretations of the work.  Provide three images and the website(s) you used to obtain the information.  Post this to your blog.

1.      Biography, birth date, country and state of residence

2.      Significance: Describe what makes their work significant and unique.  Why is the work well known or recognized?

3.      Composition: Describe the use of framing, perspective, contrast, balance, emphasis, lighting, etc

4.      Concept/Aboutness/Idea: Describe what the images are about.  What is the photographer trying to say through his/her images? How does the composition support the concept?  What are the intentions in creating the images?

5.      Your Opinion: What do you like or dislike about the work

Constructed Identity Prompts: Due by the end of class tomorrow (2/4)

In complete sentences, respond to the following on your blog (post titled, "Constructed Identity prompts")

1. Write a few sentences in response to this video we watched in class.

(link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDYDxWSjVJw)

2.

1. In what ways do you “construct” your identity? In what ways do you “perform” in your daily life?

2. Describe some ways in which your personal culture and social environments are “constructed”.

3. Describe some ways in which your physical environment/space is “constructed”.

4. In your daily life, what would you consider to be “real” and what would you consider to be “constructed/fabricated”?

5. Describe a narrative tableaux that you might create to be captured by a photograph. A narrative tableaux can be defined as “Several human actors play out scenes from everyday life, history, myth or the fantasy of the direction artist” 

6. Describe an idea for a photograph that includes a miniature stage or still life. A description of such an image is “The tableaux reconstructs events as in the narrative tableaux, but in miniaturized format, using dolls and other toy objects” 

3.  Describe your plans for your constructed identity project.  What 4 concepts are you exploring? How will you do so? Do you need props, costumes, models?

links to websites visited in class:
http://www.canstockphoto.com/images-photos/cgi.html
http://www.digitalimagemagazine.com/blog/featured/if-it-seems-too-good-to-be-trueits-cgi/
http://www.pro-imaging.org/content/view/176/32/

Digital Assignment: Constructed Reality

Tentative Due Date: February 18th

You will explore the process of digital image capture of photographs of "constructed realities".  You will learn and implement appropriate camera settings.

Objectives:

• Capture images of constructed realities
• Experiment with camera controls-focus, aperture, shutter speed, exposure, bracketing, zoom
• Work with concept driven photographic imagery
• Digitally process and print digital photographs 

Final Images:  You will post 4 images to your blog that are the most effective and interesting.  Digitally process these images to make the final images.  You need to print your best image.

Definitions: Constructed reality photograph (The art of staged photography, Michael Kohler)

1. Subject to be photographed is staged, invented, constructed, arranged, or fabricated by the camera.
2. Photographer/artist creates reality, instead of finding it.

Themes for Inspiration 

(Choose 4 concepts to explore, you may expand upon an idea, check by me)

• Constructed Identity: Take on a variety of roles, testing different identities
• Constructed Performance for the camera
• Constructive Narrative Series
• Constructed miniature stage or still life
• Construct an object/installation/or wearable sculpture
• Painting, film still, poster, found image recreation
• In Camera Collage
• Constructed Vision/Perspective/Illusion
• 3D Modeling
• Light/Shadow Construction

Digital Assignment: Portrait

Description: In this assignment, you will explore the process of digital image capture of portraits.  You will learn and implement appropriate camera settings.  Treat the assignment prompts as inspiration to experiment with concept, while learning the technical aspects of image capture of portraits.

Learning Objectives:

Capture human subjects

·         Experiment and learn camera controls

·         Apply camera control settings to achieve specific results, including appropriate exposure, dof, motion blur

·         Experiment with different lighting conditions

·         Make prints from digital images

Final Prints:   Pick any four images from your contact sheet that you feel are the most effective and most interesting.  Digitally process these images and make final images.  You need to print these images and we will mount one image.  Make sure you are renaming the files and saving them under your student ID drive. 

Your photographs must include experimentation with the following:

Camera Control Settings: Shutter speed (1/8 or slower or 1/125 or faster) , zoom, large depth of field (small aperture f/11 or smaller), small depth of field (large aperture f/5.6or bigger)

Lighting: Daylight, indoor light, backlit subject, high contrast, diffuse lighting, flash lighting, light angle using one light source

Choose 4 of the following concepts for your photographs:

Background/Place/location: Capture a human subject in a place, against a backdrop, or in a location that relates to their identity.  The environment in which someone lives, exists momentarily, does not belong.  Is the person out of place? Does the space represent something about the person?

Self-Portrait: Make a photograph that tells something about you.  Body language, facial expression, multiple identities, masks, etc.

Stranger: Candid or staged photograph of a stranger

Light/shadow: Create a “portrait” considering light/shadow.  Silhouettes, shadows-how does it effect picture?

Film Still: Recreate a movie still that has a person in it.  Consider reenacting a black and white movie still.

Painting: Find a painting with a human subject or painted portrait and recreate it.

Group: Make a photograph of a group of people.  Does it capture the ways in which people live, work, or play in groups? Extended family, little league team, friends, opposites, etc

Intimate Person: Make a picture of someone you know very well.  Try to capture their “likeness”.  How will you reveal who they are?

Gender: Make a photo that reveals something about a subject’s gender.  Think about advertising, modeling, stereotypes.  Reinforce or challenge these roles?

Adornment: Costume, clothing, everyday apparel.  Set up a scene with a backdrop, make up, prop.  How is it constructed? What is your lighting? Movement? Costuming can remove the subject from their “real identity”  and be use to elevate them from their existence or mask their identity.  Capture a portrait in which you play close attention to how their apparel conveys something about them. 

Final item checklist

4 concepts and camera control/lighting experimentation for a total of about 120 photos

Photo shoots are due in two parts (2 concepts per deadline)

1^st set : end of Friday 17^th

2^nd set: end of Wednesday 22^nd

Digitally edited and on blog:  end of class Friday 24^th

Print/mount:  Monday 1/27

Four final digitally processed images printed

1 mounted photograph

Recreate a memory Due: Wednesday Jan 8 by the end of class!

Description
Reenact or recreate a memory using photography.  A specific place/location/space should be depicted in your image.  You can include people and objects, but your image should reveal your recollection of the place/space/location.  You might consider reenacting/recreating one of your old photographs.  You might consider recreating a memory of a dream.

Change in time: Your image should represent a change in time.  You can do this 1) with slow shutter speed 2) by including more than one image in the sequence 3) including an object thing or person with signs of wear/age/change 5) by including the original image from your past that you have enacted 6)another method you invent

Final Image
Place your "recreation" on your blog, titled: Memory Recreate. Write a brief statement about your memory and your recreation/reenactment.

Welcome Back to Photo 2 !!

Reminders

Pay your art fees!!!! 50 per semester to book keeper-give me receipt

If you want to transfer out of Photo 2, go to counseling office and pick up a salmon colored "Student Change Elective Form" 

Respect the space and the people 

•5 tardy rule is officially in effect, 5 hall passes

•If you do not turn an assignment in to me or post to your blog, you will not get credit for it

•No food unless you ask and are responsible

•No ear buds or phones until you hear me say, “get to work!”

When turning in assignments, you will have one grace day without penalty.  Every day after your grade for the assignment will drop a letter. 

Example  Due Date: No penalty

                  Next Day: No penalty

                  Day 3: B    Day 4: C    Day 5: D     

                  One week after due date: No credit

Assignments will fall under the same category as last semester and are as follows

Recreations

Digital Assignments: Final Prints/Images 

In Class Digital Assignments

Written Statements and Blog Entries

Contemporary and Historical Photographer Presentations

Fill your entire class time with Photography related activities!!

Digital 2 Rubric

Digital Assignment 2 Final Assessment Criteria

Advanced: All criteria are included and done exceptionally well. Student goes above the requirements and there is clear mastery of the subject.

Proficient: One-two criteria are missing or incorrectly completed. Overall executed well and student understands the concept.

Partially Proficient: Main areas are done satisfactorily.  Student needs to continue improvement to understand concept.

Unsatisfactory/Incomplete: Criteria incomplete/not done at all.  Student shows no understanding of concept.

Criteria 1: Concept

         The project includes 5-10 final images that work together in a series

____The series of photographs reveals a unique view of your world.  You are able to explain how this project is yours and only yours.

_____You have pushed your boundaries and constructed or captured unique scenes.  Photographs are well thought out-not pictures randomly shot in class.

_____The project is cohesive so that the images relate to one another in an important, meaningful way

Criteria 2: Composition

_____100-150 photos were captured to ensure the best composition and a clear concept to the viewer

_____ Light exposure is at its best in the photograph, conveying mood, focal point, contrast, etc

_____There is evidence of the principles of design: rule of thirds, focal point, balance, rhythm

_____The photographs show a variation in camera angle and proximity to the subject/scene

_____Photo edits were made in Bridge and Photoshop to show the student’s technical capacity and to ensure the best quality photographs

Criteria 3: Craftsmanship

_____ 5 to 10 final photographs are uploaded to your blog in the same post, under the heading, “Digital 2 Final.”  They are the same size and have a space between them

_____There is clear evidence that you took your time with photo edits and you executed your project neatly

Criteria 4: Difficulty

____Your series of photographs shows your best quality work and evidence of learned knowledge from the semester

____Best effort was given and the photographs show progress and willingness to improve

Criteria 5: Writing Component

____Student has submitted a 1-2 paragraph written statement about the series of photographs on their blog or hand written and turned in to me.  The written statement addresses the following questions:

___Why would no one else in the world be able to make this project?

___What is your series about/what are you conveying to the viewer?

___ How did you use your learned knowledge from the semester to complete this final composition? 

___What compositional principles did you use? How did you make your final interesting for the viewer to look at? 

___What do you think is most successful in your series? What could you have improved on?

Final Grade____