Welcome to PhotoArt

miss. you. all.

fun times. may 17, 2013.  eleanor park field trip.

mrs. crouch's wonderful 2013 photoart class: (from left to right) nina, braiden, lashawna, megan, morgan, liz, brandi, sequoya, caitlyn, lyn (top), michaela (bottom) & lincoln. 

Choice Concentration Series UPDATE!

~~Choice Concentration Series~~

These photos are now due by May 20th.

WV Conservation Photography Contest

UPDATE: For Seniors, these photos are due by or before Monday May 20th.  They are now extra credit.
For Juniors, they are due on May 28th. 

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WV Conservation Photography Contest

As a somewhat belated tribute to Earth Month, our next photo-taking assignment will be to take photos for the West Virginia Conservation Photography Contest.

Click the link above.  Read the information and especially the examples that relate to the themes of the contest.  We will discuss them in class.

If you get a good image, we will print them out and mail them in for the contest!

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Your Final: Create a Portfolio

You will create a portfolio of your best work from this class.

This will take a good deal of time, so you want to start early.

Go to www.shutterfly.com   Click "sign in."   To sign in, you will use the email MrsCrouchlovesart.gmail.com and the password is whsgenerals.

Click on My Pictures.  You will be uploading your 20-30 best photos from this class.  Click Upload and then click Choose Files.   Then you will navigate to select your 20-30 best images from your flash drive or memory card.  IMPORTANT: At the bottom of the window, you want to select the option to CREATE A NEW ALBUM.  Change the date to YOUR NAME.  This will be your album only.  Make sure any additional photos that you upload go into your proper folder.

After you upload your photos, click on VIEW PHOTOS.  Then click on the Photo Book tab.

Then, click the button that says, "Go to the all new custom path"   Click on SOFT COVER BOOKS.  Then click on 7"x9".  

Next you will choose a style for your book.

In the left sidebar, click the checkbox for PORTFOLIO.   You may select from the options you see.  I like the modern black, the modern portfolio, the artist portfolio and the landscapes and florals.  They work the best for photographic portfolios.

Click your option and then the orange button that says Select this style (or something like that)

A window will open that says Choose Photos for your Photobook.

Click on the shutterfly tab.  Navigate to YOUR named photo album.  Click Select All and then Add to PhotoBook.

Now, you will add and arrange your photos.  I will show you a demo in class about how to do this, but it is pretty simple.

Be sure to save it as you work.  IMPORTANT: The first time you save, be sure to click SAVE AS... and rename the photobook to something with your name in it.

More instructions will come later.

Choice Concentration Series

~~Choice Concentration Series~~

For the choice concentration series, there are only 3 requirements:

• You MUST use your own photographs. (NOTHING FROM THE INTERNET!)
• You will post 3-5 images as a SERIES to your blog. (MUST BE A STRONG,COHESIVE SERIES)
• TURN THEM IN ON TIME.  They are due on Tuesday May 14th.  (If images need to be edited, you will have additional time to post them to your blog)

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YOU:      "So,  ::::scratching your head::::: ....what am I supposed to do???"

Mrs. Crouch:  "IT'S UP TO YOU!!!"

YOU:   HUH?????????

Mrs. Crouch:  "You heard me.  For this assignment you'll be exploring something (your choice) in detail and taking many photos.  You will then select your best photos to create a series to post to your blog.  You can edit them anyway you choose."

Having freedom to choose sounds like it will be great.... but honestly, it is much harder than it sounds. 

Think back to some photo taking assignment that you really enjoyed from this semester...and maybe revisit that assignment and explore it even further.  (DO NOT TRY TO PASS OFF YOUR OLD PHOTOS FOR NEW ONES.  I'll know, I promise!!  I WANT NEW PHOTOS!!)

A NOTE ABOUT YOUR SERIES:

•         ALL photos in your series should be VERY closely related visually.  
•          They MUST look like they BELONG together 
•          The best way to accomplish this is to take A LOT of photos of similar things, one object, similar ideas or concepts.... 

*Remember to take photos from different angles and viewpoints.

*Remember the rules of good composition (Rule of 3rds, diagonal lines, framing, unique angles, etc.).

*Get Inspired!! Click these links to some artists' series'.

• The Great Yoga Project  (These are different visually, but a unifying concept)
• Some different examples of series  (Notice how visually connected the images are!)
• Meditations Series by Ryan Bush. (VERY visually similar in texture, value, etc.)
• Vita Series by Ryan Bush (Unified in color, texture, etc)
• Awesome Color Paper Constructions Series by Burton Pritzker
• Lynn Karlin Flowers/Fruit on a Black Background (scroll down and click through the slideshow!)
• Barry Toranto- Photos of Playful Dioramas
• Barry Toranto- Window Reflections

The Yum Factor: Food Photography

For your next photo-taking assignment, you will be photographing a wonderful subject matter: FOOD!



Links:
Introduction to Food Photography
The Elements of Art in Food Photography
The Principles of Design in Food Photography
10 Tips for Food Photography
One Blogger's Tips on Food Photography
Food Styling from America's Test Kitchen



YouTube Videos:
Food and Prop Stylist, Kim Krejka
Bryan Peterson Creative Macro Set Up
Food Photography Tips
A Day at the Studio: Food Photography
Food Photography with Natural Light

TO DO Tuesday 3-12

Here is your TO DO list for 3/12/13 with Mr. Lohan

Complete these things in numerical order
1. Choose 3 (yes, you have to do THREE of them!) Post to Blog
2. Complete any past assignment (like Blur photos) that you haven't completed.  Post to Blog.
3. Study for Chapter 3: Black and White Photography Test
4. Begin Part 1 of Identity Assignment.  Brainstorm things that represent your identity and then collect and gather images that relate to your identity.  Use www.sxc.hu.  If you use Google, be sure to find images that are available for reuse with modification.

NGA Photo Snapper

http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/photoop.htm

Macro Photos

Macro (Large Aperture) Shallow Depth of Field Photos are due on Friday!  You should take at the VERY least 50 photos.  Just posting your 50 photos on your contact sheet will be worth 50 points.

Please read the whole assignment page.

5 Minute Walk-Composition Photos

Your 5 Minute Walk-Composition photos (at least 50!) are due on Tuesday the 19th.

Searching sxc.hu Tips

Searching for photos for the elements and principles PowerPoint using sxc.hu can be tricky.

****You can search for terms, but you can also click on BROWSE in the left sidebar and try browsing images in categories.***

Don't steal my examples. Think creatively and come up with your own.



For Line: Think of objects, places or things that might include LINES: Examples: Roads, Bridges, etc.

For Form: Think of 3D objects that someone may have photographed with a full range of value that makes the forms look 3D.  Examples: Architectural Columns, coffee mugs, etc.

For Shape:  Search for shapes, like rectangles, etc.

For Texture:  You can try using the word texture, but you will get the same photos as everyone else.  Try walls, wood, etc.

For Value:  Try finding an image where the photographer draws attention to an area/object by making it the lightest or darkest area of the image.  

For Space: Try finding a photo that shows deep space, or flat space....or uses the NEGATIVE space in a creative way.

For Color:  Don't just search COLOR, or COLORFUL.  Just because a photo is colorful, doesn't make it a great use of color.  Look for a photo that uses a particular color scheme. 

For Balance: Think of the different types of balance: Symmetry, Asymmetrical, or Radial Balance.

For Rhythym:  Don't search the word Rhythm... Look for objects/people/etc that are REPEATED in a photo. 

For Emphasis: Search for a photo that uses Art Elements to draw attention to the focal point of the image.  Remember the ways to emphasize something: Putting it in the center, making it large, giving it a lot of contrast, making it isolated, etc.)

For Proportion:  Proportion doesn't mean that something is large or small.  It means that it is large or small COMPARED to something else.  Look for things that are OUT OF PROPORTION.  This one is harder.

For Unity:  Do NOT search the term UNITY.  You will just find photos of people holding hands!! Look for a photo that uses an art element to make it all look like it "goes together."  For example:  

The repetition of the same shapes and colors in this images creates visual unity.


 

For Variety: This one is harder too. Don't just look for a variety of objects.  Look for something that ARTISTICALLY has variety.  A Variety of colors, shapes, forms, values, textures.  (Not JUST a variety of fruit, or seashells, or whatever)

For Movement: Look for one of the two different types of movement in photography.  One is actual or REAL movement that becomes blurred in the photo.  The other is IMPLIED movement and it occurs when something in the photo causes the viewer's eye to move around the image. 

Chapter 2: The Art of Photography

We are beginning Chapter 2 now.  It is all about the Elements of Art and Principles of Design.

You will first complete the Chapter 2 Worksheet  You may complete the worksheet on the computer using Microsoft Word.  Make your answers a different (legible!) color.  Press the INSERT key to make typing in the blanks easier.

When finished, create a Chapter2 folder in your PhotoArt folder on your flashdrive.  Save the file as LastnameCh2.doc in the Chapter2 folder.   Go to www.crouchphotoart.weebly.com to turn it in.  The assignment name is Chapter 2 Worksheet.

When finished, you will then complete the Elements and Principles PowerPoint Assignment

You will have a vocab quiz on the terms from this chapter on Friday.

       

Blog Posts

When we do "Blog Time,"  you need to comment on at least 3 other student blogs.  Use the links on the right sidebar.

Make sure you use your REAL first name.  Any fake names will be deleted (ie: BECKY, Brenda or Yo Mamma). Any rude or inappropriate comments will be deleted.  Also, I can see the IP address of the person who left the comment, so anything you say (although you may think it is anonymous) can actually be tracked to you.

Also, when I grade your blogs, I will be checking to see how often you have posted blog posts on your blog, but I will also be checking to see how many times you have commented on others.  It is not optional.

Here is the updated check list form:

CATCH UP DAY!

Check the list above to see what assignments you are missing.  Turn them in at www.crouchphotoart.weebly.com


Also, post all images that we have worked on so far to your blog.  So on your blog, you should have:
1. Saving Files Drawing
2. Resizing Images Photo Edited
3. Selection Assignment
4. Layers Assignment

Free time:  Work on fixing up your blog & website.  Comment on 3 other student's blogs. Make another LAYERS assignment using your own choice of photos from www.sxc.hu   Feel free to play around with photos from the Internet, however, you may NOT post them to your blog or website due to copyright restrictions!

Ch. 4 Quiz on Friday

There will be a quiz on Chapter 4 on Friday.

There will be 10 questions that are fill-in-the-blank with a word bank.  These are your vocabulary terms.

Focus on the following terms: Posterized, Imaging Sensor, Interpolation, Pixel, Megapixel, Resolution, Image Noise, and Bit Depth

Then, there are 15 matching questions about File Formats.  You need to know the stuff from the Ch. 4 PowerPoint!


Know the three ways you are required to save assignments to your flash drive.

Know the two main types of digital cameras.

Be able to explain why JPEG files are not the best for long term storage of photos in a short paragraph.

Lastly, be able to explain why GIF and PNG files are not best suited for photographic images in a short paragraph.