Assignment #2B Shutter Speed & Motion

The camera has the unique ability to freeze motion or to show an entire motion to the point where it is only a blur.  Both of these qualities can be used in a photograph in interpret movement as you would like it to be shown.

A few things to remember are:

1.  A higher shutter speed will be required to freeze motion when the motion is parallel to the film than when motion is toward the camera.

2.  If you are using a slow shutter speed, those less than 1/30 of a second, you should use a camera support.  A tripod is best, however you can brace the camera on a bench, a wall, or place it on the ground.

3.  Panning means to move the camera with the subject in motion.  This will allow you to freeze motion which is faster than your fastest shutter speed.  Panning requires practice, so try this a number of times.

 1. Make a series of exposures that show the effects of freezing motion with a high shutter speed.

 2. A series of exposures to imply motion using slow shutter speeds.

 3. Finally  a series of exposures that  demonstrate the use of panning technique.

 Remember that you must adjust the f stop to match the shutter speed you have selected to get a correct exposure.  You may find that you can not use a low or slow shutter speed in the bright sun, as there is too much light present.  In that case, you must go someplace where there is less light or wait till dusk.  The same is true of high shutter speeds, which often require you to open the lens to get enough light to make a correct exposure, this may not be possible indoors, for example.

Assignment #2A Depth of Field & Focus

Depth of Field and Focus 

As you have learned in your lecture, depth of field is the area, from the near point to the far point, which will be in focus in your photograph.  This can be used in many ways to make your photograph have more impact, to isolate the subject from a distracting background or to give a photograph more apparent depth.  Just to review:

1.  Depth of field is directly related to the f stop which you use.  A small f stop like f 16 will give greater depth of field (more in focus), and a smaller f stop (like f 2.8) will make the depth of field shallower.

2.  When you want fairly accurate indications of depth of field, you should use the depth of field scale on you lens.

3.  Focusing on a subject close to the camera will give less depth of field than focusing on a subject farther away.

 Assignment:

1.  Make at least 2 photographs which show shallow depth of field.  Remember to use a wide f stop (like f 2.8).

2.  Make at least 2 photographs to show great depth of field.  Use a smaller

f stop (like f 16)

3.  Use the remaining images to show subjects in background out of focus,

objects in foreground out of focus, and other variations of use of limited and expanded focus.

DUE FEB 2

 Don’t forget, as you change the f stop, you must compensate the exposure by also changing the shutter speed.  In some cases, it will be too bright to use a open apeture like f 2.8, or too dark to use f 16.

by J.H. Lartigue

Assignment #1 Exposure Variation

In this assignment you will shoot a series of exposures and iso settings on your digital camera as follows:

1.  Set Colorspace to Adobe RGB
2.  Set Quality to RAW & jpg-large
3.  Set Mode to manual
4.  Now set ISO to the base exposure (100 or 200)


-Shoot same subject at each iso at normal exposure, the one over and one under exposure
then:
-Shoot one subject at iso setting 100; 400; 800; 1600 and if you have it 3200

This then is what you'll end up with, shoot a total of 4 scenes. In shooting the assignment, think about how color is important to the design and subject. Consider color AS subject.

This assignment is pass/fail, bring in one set of jpg images on a jump drive for in class review. Select best image for shoot and post on class blog.

Your fearless leader hard at work at Mardi Gras.

Stick a fork in us, we're done!

All portfolios have been graded and returned, students may pick them up anytime.  I will have grades posted on line by the end of the week. Have a great holiday break!

End Game Schedule

Here's the final few classes we have left in the Fall Semester:

December 1........Crit for Night Photography assignment #8

December 3........Crit for Self Portrait assignment #9

December 8........Final Portfolios due today no later than 3 pm

December 10......Final Exams Begin for academic classes, all studio cries finished

December 16......Final Portfolios returned

Assignment #5 Still Life

Assignment #4 the Environmental Portrait

“The subject must be thought of in terms of the 20th century, of houses he lives in and places he works, in terms of the kind of light the windows in these places let through and by which we see him every day.”

Arnold Newman

                                       "Willie The Lion Smith"  by Arnold Newman 1960

 Simply put, an environmental portrait is a portrait of a person that includes enough of the environment around that person to provide context that helps the viewer understand more about the defining characteristics of the subject.  One of the keys to a successful environmental portrait is that the portion of the scene included in the frame should be "representative" of the environment or context you want the viewer to associate with the subject.  The relative importance of the subject to the environment is also important in defining an "environmental portrait."  The subject should be the most prominent element in the scene, with the surrounding elements providing strong supporting context.  If you are too close to your subject to include enough of the environment, then the image simply becomes a normal portrait.  On the other hand, if the subject is so small in the frame that other elements become more prominent, or viewers cannot discern the defining characteristics of the subject, then the image would be better classified as something other than an environmental portrait.

"Baker" August Sander

Shoot a minimum of 50 images/frames. You can shoot this assignment at a number of locations and even on different days. The subject must be part of the process and may include others, no candid photos of random people you have not met however! No animals or no humans under the age of 14 year as primary subject matter.

Submit one print, any size for in class critique on Oct 8