UNIT+1+-+The+Camera

Before we get started you need to create an online Portfolio to post all of your final work. ** Read the directions below before you fill out the form. **


 * 1) You will use the form below to create your ePortfolio.
 * 2) //IF you already have one, try to log into it and modify it for this new class by adding the name of the course and the units. If you lost it, then you will have to create a new one, but will have to use a different email address.//
 * 3) Name your portfolio - use your school user name if possible.
 * 4) Save.
 * 5) Write down your user name and password, or save it on your phone.
 * 6) Modify the new ePortfolio to personalize it. Remove all of the directions and picture and add your own look and feel.
 * 7) Add “Course Name” on the front page.
 * 8) Use the unit links to store your work, make sure they are still showing.
 * 9) Customize the front page to reflect your own personality.
 * 10) **Use the class  time to learn the tool. **


 * PORTFOLIO LINK **

What makes a good eNotebook?
· Organized information · Specific concise notes · Embedded Video examples · Detailed information on each concept · Personal reflective notes on your process of learning · Embedded Audio files

Skills that we will look for:
Does the student demonstrate: · Ability to modify the template maintaining the unit structure · Ability to change and add text · Ability to change header · Ability to add video · Ability to label assignments correctly · Ability to embed audio from Soundcloud

Short video of iconic images:
 * THE POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY **

Although photography is subjective there are several points that photographers can agree help to make a photograph stand out as a "good" photograph.
 * What makes a good Photograph? **
 * 1) Emotion
 * 2) Tell a story
 * 3) Have an element of intrigue
 * 4) Point of focus
 * 5) Composition
 * 6) Subject matter
 * 7) Lighting
 * 8) Engaging

If you can keep these in mind while you are out taking your pictures your images will become stronger photographically. If you notice, there is no mention of the camera or equipment in this list. The camera is the tool we use to help us construct our photographs. Like any tool, we need to know how to use it correctly in order to make it capture our vision and ideas.


 * "Life is something that only happens once forever." HCB **

The camera is a magic tool, a mystery in a box,

__**CAMERA CONTROL**__ The first things we will be looking at are the controls of the camera. We will be concentrating on DSLR (digital single lens reflex) cameras. The advantage of these cameras is that when you look through the viewfinder of your camera you see exactly what you will be taking a photo of. This is not the same with a "point and shoot" where you look at the screen on the back. (However, you can use the screen on the SLR camera but you lose a connection with the machine.)

__** What you are seeing in your viewfinder, camera control window and menu. **__
 * How a camera shutter works (Slow Motion) **
 * A good site for some more in-depth details about your camera: **
 * [|Canon T3 Review] **

You can't take a proper photograph with out the proper exposure. Your camera's meter is what helps to make sure your settings are correct for the scene you are photographing. Your camera has 3-4 different kinds of meter settings to aid in this process. Understanding these settings will help you to take better photographs.
 * How your camera takes pictures: **
 * The Meter. **

Light, that is what a photograph is capturing. How light works and reflects off the objects in front of the camera will determine the exposure that enters you camera. The photographer Ansel Adams (look him up) helped to create a system with Fred Archer to aid photographers in understanding and controling this light in a more consistent way. This system is called the "Zone System" Below is a graph to help explain it a little more. The following link is a brief description of the zone system. Zone System explained


 * White Balance : ** Understanding White Balance

__** Aperture and Shutter Speed **__ These are shown in "full stops" your cameras are designed to be able to control your aperture in quarter or half stops. ** A couple of fun interactive sites to play with camera controls and understanding proper exposure. ** ** Canon explains exposure **
 * Check out this link to help you understand your camera controls **
 * [|Camera Sim] **

__** Assignment #1 **__
 * Exposure Compensation **

Photograph one subject with five separate exposures. One at proper exposure, one at 1 stop over, one at 2 stops over, 1 at 1 stop under and one at 2 stops under. Remember to use your camera light meter to help you.

Keep your camera in Manual mode and compensate the exposure by changing the aperture or shutter (or both) to change the exposure.

Upload all five of the images into your ePortfolio. It is very important as Photographers to understand the relationship between aperture and Shutter. Each image has been taken with a specific combination of settings. This can be found in the "metadata" or "technical metadata" which is recorded by your camera when you take each image. Find the metadata for each of the images you have taken and record it for each image on your portfolio.

You can find this info by Right clicking on the image and choosing Get Info. You will see a window like this:

I am most interested in the F-number (aperture) and the exposure time (shutter speed) By regularly seeing these relationships it will help you to understand what is happening with your camera, exposure and the look and feel of your images. It will help you to make compensations down the line when an image is too light or too dark (over exposed or under exposed).

__** Assignment #2 **__
 * Depth of Field: Aperture Priority (4 images) **

Selective focus is important in an image. It helps the photographer to control where the audience looks in the image. Shoot images to accentuate the visual importance of the main subjects. Depth of field is accomplished by using the aperture settings on your camera.

A focal point can be virtually anything ranging from a person, to a building, to a mountain, to a flower etc. ( Think of it as the main subject in you photograph). Obviously the more interesting the focal point the better - but there are other things you can do to enhance it’s power including:


 * 1) Position - Place it in a prominent position - you might want to start with the rule of thirds for some ideas.
 * 2) Focus - Learn to use Depth of Field to blur out other aspects in front or behind your focal point.
 * 3) Size - making your focal point large is not the only way to make it prominent - but it definitely can help.
 * 4) Color - using contrasting colors can also be a way of setting your point of interest apart from it’s surroundings.
 * 5) Shape - similarly contrasting shapes and textures can make a subject stand out - especially patterns that are repeated around a subject.


 * Use your camera settings to show these four variations of Depth of Field: **
 * One with the subject in the foreground in focus but the background out of focus.
 * One with the background subject in focus but the foreground out of focus.
 * One with the main subject in the middle and the foreground and background out of focus.
 * One with everything in focus.

In your e-portfolio write down anything you learned and a reflection about the assignment ( what you learned, what was the assignments purpose were you successful, what were your difficulties, any specific camera settings you can remember, etc.) Label or list the specific photographs and their "technical metadata". Use the best images that represent each step of the assignment.

__** Assignment #3 **__
 * Time: Shutter Priority (16 images, 4 each so you have a choice for your final images) **

Learning the relationship between your shutter and aperture are essential to taking the best images. The last assignments were concentrating on the Aperture settings and shutter was the secondary importance. With this assignment you will be concentrating on the importance of shutter speed.

Knowing how time effects the final outcome of your image will help you to produce the best work in relation to the subject you are shooting.


 * Shutter Speeds (Full Stops) **
 * 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, > **

The subjects you photograph are up to you but you will need to create these images in s certain way. Using different shutter speeds, capture images with these parameters.
 * Both subject and background are showing movement.
 * Subject is moving but background is not.
 * Background is moving but subject is not.
 * Subject is frozen in motion

Post the best 1 from each in your portfolio. Total of 4 images.

In your e-portfolio write down anything you learned and a reflection about the assignment ( what you learned, what was the assignments purpose were you successful, what were your difficulties, any specific camera settings you can remember, etc.) Label or list the specific photographs and their "technical metadata". Use the best images that represent each step of the assignment.



__** Assignment #4 (Midterm Project) **__ When did it all begin? What is Photography?
 * History of Photography: **

Your first research assignment for the semester is to create a document or presentation of some kind illustrating the history of photography. This must show the history between 1400 and 2016 (600 years). There must be no less than 12 and no more than 24 slides (not including cover slide) highlighting some of the top discoveries between these dates. Make sure to list your resources.


 * Camera Obscura 1400 & Daguerreotype 1839 **
 * Roger Fenton - 1st Crimean War 1850s Hubble Ultra Deep Field 2012**

__** Assignment #5 **__ Once you know how to use your camera controls properly the second most important thing to master is composition. There are several different styles of composition that photographers use to help accentuate their subjects. Read the definition for each of the 9 styles then take a photo of your own to show each style. In your e-portfolio write down anything you learned and a reflection about the assignment ( what you learned, what was the assignments purpose were you successful, what were your difficulties, any specific camera settings you can remember, etc.) Label or list the specific photographs and their "technical metadata". Use the best images that represent each step of the assignment.

Imagine that your image is divided into 9 equal segments by 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines. The <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #0033cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">[|rule of thirds] <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> says that you should position the most important elements in your scene along these lines, or at the points where they intersect.
 * Rule of Thirds: **

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Notice how the building and horizon are aligned along rule-of-thirds lines. Image by <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #0033cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">[|Trey Ratcliff] <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.


 * S-Curve / Leading Lines: **

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When we look at a photo our eye is naturally drawn along lines. By thinking about how you place lines in your composition, you can affect the way we view the image, pulling us into the picture, towards the subject, or on a journey "through" the scene. There are many different types of line - straight, diagonal, curvy, zigzag, radial etc - and each can be used to enhance our photo's composition.

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The road in this photo draws your eye through the scene. Image by <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #0033cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">[|Pierre Metivier] <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Placing your main subject off-centre, as with the rule of thirds, creates a more interesting photo, but it can leave a void in the scene which can make it feel empty. You should balance the "weight" of your subject by including another object of lesser importance to fill the space.
 * Balancing Elements: **

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Here, the visual "weight" of the road sign is balanced by the building on the other side of the shot. Image by <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #0033cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">[|Shannon Kokoska] <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">We are surrounded by symmetry and patterns, both natural and man-made., They can make for very eye-catching compositions, particularly in situations where they are not expected. Another great way to use them is to break the symmetry or pattern in some way, introducing tension and a focal point to the scene.
 * Symmetry and Patterns: **

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The symmetry of this chapel is broken by the bucket in the bottom right corner. Image by <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #0033cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">[|Fabio Montalto] <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Before photographing your subject, take time to think about where you will shoot it from. Our viewpoint has a massive impact on the composition of our photo, and as a result it can greatly affect the message that the shot conveys. Rather than just shooting from eye level, consider photographing from high above, down at ground level, from the side, from the back, from a long way away, from very close up, and so on. <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The unusual viewpoint chosen here creates an intriguing and slightly abstract photo. Image by Alex Vincent
 * Viewpoint: **

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">How many times have you taken what you thought would be a great shot, only to find that the final image lacks impact because the subject blends into a busy background? The human eye is excellent at distinguishing between different elements in a scene, whereas a camera has a tendency to flatten the foreground and background, and this can often ruin an otherwise great photo. Thankfully this problem is usually easy to overcome at the time of shooting - look around for a plain and unobtrusive background and compose your shot so that it doesn't distract or detract from the subject.
 * Background: **

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The plain background in this composition ensures nothing distracts from the subject. Image by <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #0033cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">[|Philipp Naderer] <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Because photography is a two-dimensional medium, we have to choose our composition carefully to conveys the sense of depth that was present in the actual scene. You can create depth in a photo by including objects in the foreground, middle ground and background. Another useful composition technique is overlapping, where you deliberately partially obscure one object with another. The human eye naturally recognizes these layers and mentally separates them out, creating an image with more depth.
 * Depth: **

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Emphasise your scene's depth by including interesting subjects at varying distances from the camera. Image by <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #0033cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">[|Jule Berlin] <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The world is full of objects which make perfect natural frames, such as trees, archways and holes. By placing these around the edge of the composition you help to isolate the main subject from the outside world. The result is a more focused image which draws your eye naturally to the main point of interest.
 * Framing: **



<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Here, the surrounding hills form a natural frame, and the piece of wood provides a focal point. Image by <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #0033cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">[|Sally Crossthwaite] <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.

<span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Often a photo will lack impact because the main subject is so small it becomes lost among the clutter of its surroundings. By cropping tight around the subject you eliminate the background "noise", ensuring the subject gets the viewer's undivided attention. <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Cut out all unnecessary details to keep keep the viewer's attention focused on the subject. Image by <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #0033cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">[|Hien Nguyen] <span style="background-color: #f6f6f2; color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.
 * Cropping: **

Upload your favorite Image to this folder:
 * COMPOSITION **

Follow the RUBRIC Link Below. Print and fill out the rubric or copy and paste it into a new Google Doc complete it and submit through OnCampus.
 * UNIT RUBRIC **

__** Assignment #6 **__
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Helvetica Neue&#39;; font-size: 16px;">One Piece of Paper (20 images) **

Using a single light source you are to photograph one piece of white paper. You can not tare the paper into separate pieces, you can cut it, fold it or manipulate it in any other way you want. This is for you to start seeing how light plays off of objects. Composition is again key to making this work.


 * How does the subject react to the light?
 * What is the best angle to shoot from?
 * How can you make a simple pice of paper look interesting?




 * One Piece of Paper Inspiration **

Don't just take one picture and walk away. Try to photograph from different angles.

You can cut the paper but all the pieces must stay intact.

Try several variations to find the very best.

Try to fill the viewfinder with the piece of paper.

Make sure your white balance is correct so the paper looks white.

The paper should look white.

Shooting in color makes it difficult to achieve perfect black and white. Open one of your images in photoshop and use the color balance to try and adjust the tones to get as close to black and white as possible. Do this to 4 images and post them on your ePortfolio.


 * DO NOT TURN THEM TO BLACK AND WHITE IMAGES! **

In your e-portfolio write down anything you learned and a reflection about the assignment ( what you learned, what was the assignments purpose were you successful, what were your difficulties, any specific camera settings you can remember, etc.) Label or list the specific photographs. Add the series of images that best represents each step of the assignment.

__** Assignment #7 (Two Parts) **__ __** Part One; **__ __<span style="font-family: &#39;Helvetica Neue&#39;; font-size: 16px;">In your own words. __ <span style="font-family: &#39;Helvetica Neue&#39;; font-size: 16px;">Write a short description on your findings. One to two paragraphs <span style="font-family: &#39;Helvetica Neue&#39;; font-size: 16px;">Who was he, why is he significant to Photography?
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Helvetica Neue&#39;; font-size: 16px;">Research Nicephore Niepce, The first photograph **

__** Part Two; **__ <span style="font-family: &#39;Helvetica Neue&#39;; font-size: 16px;">Take photographs of light and shadow. <span style="font-family: &#39;Helvetica Neue&#39;; font-size: 16px;">Set your camera to black and white. This will help you to see the most important aspect of making a photograph, controlling the light that enters your camera. All photography is based off of the relationship between light and shadow, try to have your images accentuate the shadow in your images. This assignment will help you to learn how your camera meter reads and balances the light it sees.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Helvetica Neue&#39;; font-size: 16px;">Light and shadow: **
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Helvetica Neue&#39;; font-size: 16px;">(20 images) **

<span style="font-family: &#39;Helvetica Neue&#39;; font-size: 16px;">Experiment with vertical and horizontal composition.

Images of light and shadow

__** Assignment #8 **__

You are to make a series of photographs with exposures of no less than 8 seconds.
 * What happens in 8 Seconds? **

You will need a tripod and a room with controllable light (preferably dark). If you have any sort of small light source (light on your phone, laser pointer, very small flashlight etc.) this will help to create the light trails we are looking for. Make sure you set your camera controls correctly. Long shutter speed means more light, what do you set your aperture to? Maybe 11, 16 or 22. Keep your ISO between 100 and 400. This project takes some experimenting so, experiment and have fun with it. Try to draw a picture or right your name.

This is also done more easily with a friend or partner.

In your e-portfolio write down anything you learned and a reflection about the assignment ( what you learned, what was the assignments purpose were you successful, what were your difficulties, any specific camera settings you can remember, etc.) Label or list the specific photographs. Add 6 of the series of images that best represents each step of the assignment.