ATPI Contest - or not

Some of you may choose to submit a photo to the ATPI contest. Even if you do not, you will send a photo to me with the specifications listed on the ATPI website.

This means that you must also choose a category for your photograph even if you do not apply for the Fall Contest.

If you wanted to submit to the contest, you must notify me by October 30th and submit by October 31st. Your grade will not be affected by your decision to submit.

Happy Halloween.

Homework - Photo Gallery Festival Review

Periods 2, 3, and 4

Review the Lens Photo Gallery, A Festival of Photos and Ideas in Africa.

Choose the best photo from the gallery and use academic language to support your position. You may write a five paragraph essay or create a list with arguments.

Clearly explain the photo you have chosen and submit homework at the beginning of class before you turn on a computer. I am more concerned that you provide a complete answer than a complete essay. I would rather read complete ideas than complete sentences.

Thank you,

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Portraits - More Than Candid

In the box above the section where you write the blog post, PLEASE TITLE THIS POST "Second Portrait." Some of you title your blog posts correctly. Please help those who are not doing this yet.

In the last week, two important photographers died. Both took portraits.

The first photographer was Magnum Photographer Rene Burri. Burri photographed Che Guevara, Pablo Picasso, Maria Callas, Ronald Reagan and many others. Burri even photographed Winston Churchill when Burri was thirteen.

Alfred Wertheimer, the photographer for Elvis Presley, died this week too. Alfred began photographing Elvis when Alfred was 26 and Elvis was 21. Elvis would become one of the most popular people in the history of the world. Wertheimer's "The Kiss" image is one of the most popular images of the 20th Century.

Both photographers were lucky; both worked hard to gain the trust of their subjects. Both photographers also knew how to use a camera. While both men were lucky, they were dilligent. Supposedly, Burri spent four years organizing the portrait shoot of Picasso.

Perhaps because I know that some photographers work for years to take a portrait, I hesitate to call this assignment "candid portraiture;" however, some students understand this term better than informal portraiture.

Here is one helpful example of an article about candid portraiture.

I also hesitate to use the word candid, because I remember Candid Camera. I loved the show, but "candid" meant staged or fake. Portraits should be real.

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Composition Review - 3 Rules

Using my photograph from Sunday, crop this photo so that it illustrates all three of your rules of composition.

Show the Before image and the After image.

Include web links to all three rules of composition that you researched previously.

For our warm-up activity, view Lens today regarding Unhealed Wounds. What photo demonstrates the use of your three rules the best?

Assignment is due on 10/30/14

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Movie Monday Project

Movie Monday

1. Each group member picks a different picture from the Lens Bonding Soccer gallery and provides a reason why the student likes the photo. Include the reason on your groups' movie notes

2. Each group member interviews another person in their group about First Portrait Assignment and shares how they worked to complete the assignment.

3. Each person lists one lesson from today's Movie Monday. What did you learn? Each person must provide a different answer.

Please sign at the end of the assignment after reviewing every answer. Please include every group member name too.

First Portrait

Portrait of person in your group
Due October 17

You must take the photo of someone in your group. Everyone must take a photo. (This is different than "everyone must have their photo taken.")

Include the photo and the following information

• Place
• Person (at least first name or intitials)
• Camera Raw editing inforation

Just Another Movie Monday

October 13 - Monday

(Sign of the) Times Font

Submit Notes that answer the following questions.


1. What did you learn last time during the Dorothea Lange: Grab a Hunk of Lightening Movie Monday? (provide three responses)  

2. What more do you want to know about Dorothea Lange?

3. What did you learn today about Dorothea Lange?

You will be graded on content and appearance. Turn in tomorrow morning before turning on your computer.

Self Portrait Project

Self-Portraits

Due October 10

The self-portrait has been part of the artist tradition for hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of years. Before cameras were invented, painters created self-portraits. Rembrant, Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo provide a few examples of artists who painted self-portraits. Musicians, writers and other artists created self-portraits.

Photo from Fathers Day 2014

I have my own version of self-portraits that I call Awkward Self-portraits. Sometimes I take casual pictures; other times I spend more time taking these images than it appears. I have many reasons for taking these pictures. I do it for fun, as a way of expression. I also figure that if my students are expected to reveal something about themselves, I might as well do the same.

Your teacher is not cool, but other people can show you an alternative. Here are some cool examples from the Photoshelter blog. I also encourage you to study Wendy Alas and her project. She shot many different self-portraits on different days. Every person feels different on different days and in different situations, so this is normal. Doing this type of project also help you learn about the project. Two days ago, we looked at the NY Times Lens gallery called "Selfies Against the Death Penalty." These images can provide further inspiration.

By Friday, submit a blog post with a photo that could be used for the ATPI self-portrait Contest. See the photo gallery. Save the photo in a SAFE PLACE so that you can submit if you wish.

Movie Monday October 6th

Submit Notes that answer the following questions.


1. What have you learned from the first three Movie Monday's (three responses) about Dorothea Lange: Grab a Hunk of Lightening?

2. What more do you want to know about Dorothea Lange?

3. What did you learn today about Dorothea Lange?

You will be graded on content and appearance.

depth of field - shallow

Shallow Depth of Field

On September 29th, 2014, all four photography classes took pictures of me using a shallow depth of field. (I set the f/stop at 2.8) Due October 10, 2014.

Here are some examples from the day.

photo by Aileen Hsu

Photo by 2nd period, Shagun Srivastava

Photo by 4th period

In your (new) groups, take pictures with a shallow depth of field. If you can adjust the f/stop, change it to the lowest setting. If you have a point and shoot, use the macro or portrait. Some camera phones allow you to select the focus.

Upload the photo to Camera Raw for any edits. Post the photo on your blog and list/ explain any of your edits. DUE October 10.

Another note: if "you have nothing else to do,"


Watch online lessons about depth of field, such as this one from Adorama Video or read this article from Digital Camera World.
You may study composition (search "photography" and "composition")
You may almost always research "the masters of photography." The Hall of Fame is a good place to start.
Please review the ATPI competition. Whether we submit to contest or not, you should know how to submit a photo to the competition. What are the categories? What file size would you submit? What dpi? What is dpi?