Welcome Back

This year it looks like there will only be one senior photo class in semester 2. The focus of the advanced photo class is on taking photos in the area you are most interested in, doing more with these photos artistically, and pushing the boundaries by creating more artistic photos. Video has become a big part of the advanced photo course as well.
Students should spend some time organizing their Flickr account, changing the buddy icon, updating the date for this year, and organizing old photos into a set in order to prepare a space for the new work.

Hopefully, some of your summer was spent taking photos, capturing memories and exploring your summer environment. I look forward to seeing some of your adventures in photo form. If you get a chance to shoot portraits in the fall, while we still have good weather, you should go for it. A reminder, you will need to have your own sd card for this course. Having your own camera or access to one on weekends will be very beneficial.

Ms Chase is away today, but please read the following post

Time is getting away from us quickly, there are only about 20 classes left. Please refer below this post for work that needs to be completed. NOTE: THE FIELD TRIP DATE HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM THIS WED TO Fri June 10 I WILL HAVE PERMISSION FORMS OUT TO YOU ON THURS.

Since the week of June 6-10 we will have teaching presentations, todays assignment is connected to this. You need to spend some time in today's class researching and planning out what and how you will be teaching your topic to the class. I would like you to hand in a typed description of what and how you are planning for your teaching session. I will be collecting tomorrow, and it will be given a mark of 10. Remember this could be how to do something in Photoshop or talking and demonstrating a photo hack or even showing new photo technology.

Since I am not here today, those working on videos have one more day and then I will be administering zeros to whomever does not have their work in on the m drive under chase 1. I would like each of you to also complete the following for a grade of 10 marks.

Group Evaluation on the video poem project: Focus on what part of the project you were involved in, what you learned, what went well, what could have been done better, how you would change the project, etc.I would like each of you to do this on your own and hand it in today or tommorrow. If there are some of you who did not get in your video storyboards, these have already been given a mark.

If you need microphones to do a voiceover, Ms Richards has them  to sign out in the library...also Alexandra you need to return the one you borrowed.

Term 4 Assignments

Here is the list of term 4 assignments...there may be additions to this list depending on class work habits. Please check frequently if you are not coming to class on a regular basis.

1. poem/storyboard: 10 marks: already overdue
2. video poem: 50 marks : Tues May 17 to be presented in class on this day for 10 marks. Please see below for criteria
3. product shoot: ( 5 shots, 1 good ad on Flickr) Mon May 9 on Flickr.
4. portraits: 20 marks : set to slideshow and on Flickr, combined with downtown shoot with music: June 14 presentation in class on June 15/16 10 marks
5. downtown shoot: 20 shots: Fri June 10 G/H Blocks(date change)  leaving the school at 12 noon. assign. due along with portrait slideshow and put on Flickr June 17 in class
6. 2 creative photoshop pieces : 20 marks, 2 shots, June 25 on Flickr
7. Short teaching on a topic: 10 marks in class week of JUNE 6-10

If you seem to be done everything:
Reflection shots on the m drive under Chase1 in the folder Refection shots
WOW shots on the m drive under  Chase 1 in the folder WOW shots
Year end slideshow photos ( grad portraits  plus other around the school and friends shots) on the m drive under Chase 1 in the folder year end photos
Portrait/downtown shoot on m drive under Chase 1 in folder Portraits/downtown slideshow

Video poem criteria for marking

• quality of poem, effort put into editing and having it fit the theme of the environment
• quality of video footage, effective shots working with the poem's words and a variety of different shots
• quality of background music and voice over
• editing: the editing works with the poem to enhance it
• Overall general impression

Product shoot Criteria

• 5 decent shots attempting to showcase the product in different ways
• product ad has a logo or slogan
• looks authentic...something I could put into a magazine

20 marks

Downtown shoot

• portrait in front of graffiti
• photo of item from Hot Chocolates
• photo of a product from a store
• photo of a store window
• photo of a teapot
• photo of a record album cover ( bop City Records)
• something round
• photo of a close up of vehicle
• a reflection photo
• photo of a food item
• 10 other shots your choice

20 shots = 20 marks

Working ahead... Term 4

Upcoming assignments:

Product Ad: You will take 5 practice product shots, then create a magazine ad with one of your best photos. ( 5practice + one ad)
Portraits:   Working with a model of your choice, you should get a variety of  shots: close ups, head shots, and full body shots. You should look up articles on how to pose, how to direct your model. I will put up some links to help you out. (20 shots)

portrait tips
stunning portraits
mistakes

The following is a few links that will help you out when shooting your environmental poem video.
Camera shots
more on camera shots and their purpose
storyboarding for dummies

New Poem Project

Over the next few weeks we will be working with videographer Jabin Postal and poet Brendan Mcleod on a a poetry video project. The focus of the assignment is to work in groups of three to create a poem about one of the three themes connected to environment.

•  your internal environment (meaning what is going on in your head, thoughts, feelings about certain things/connecting it in visual form to the environment) 
• the beauty and or your connection to the natural environment around you
• or your concerns for the preservation or survival of our environment (enviro issues facing our world today)

The intent is for you to create your own poem as a group and then work to storyboard the vision to communicate these ideas in visual form via video. You will shoot, edit, and then voiceover and/or type your poem into the video. Each group should have and experienced video editor in it. We will begin next week working on this project with Jabin to learn more about video techniques and how to conceptualize a storyboard.

 The following is a few examples to help you understand the project:

I am Sorry

(minus all the special effects... students could speak the poem in various locations)

shane kozan: walking through the woods in bc (we have so many special places right here in the Comox Valley...capture these!)

All the Way

( a good example of how the poem can be placed in the video and spoken as well)

Earth Song: Micheal Jackson ( Hopefully you will find some inspiration here)

Environment wrap (needs some video work, but the rap is a cool idea...and there is meaning in his words)

An example of internal environment

An example of internal/external environment

Quality of Work

This is an example from one student videographer which showcases the quality of work I expect on this project.

Emily Crookall: Music video

Update of all work due prior to March Break

1. Tilt Shift or head swap 10 marks on Flickr
2. Photo App presentation in class 10 marks
3. 2 Before photos/2 After photos explain what was done to fix up in the description 10 marks
4. Assignment #1 ( big photo assignment) presentation 10 marks
5. Assignment #1 on Flickr listing what each photo is 25 marks
6. Macros 20: 10 Black and white and 10 Colour 20 marks
7. Magazine/cd cover 10 marks
8. Test 15 marks tomorrow ( Friday March 10)

TERM 3 VIDEO IS DUE THURS. APRIL 21 in class on my drive

I will be marking the second week of the March Break....if work is not done by then, you will receive a zero for the assignment.

Grade 12 students: I need 3-5 of your best photos turned black and white on the drive today!

Week of March 1

Macro #1

Macro#2

Your assignment: 10 colour, 10 black and white...moving as close as you can to a subject. Using manual focus to get aa clear of a shot as possible.

Magazine/Album cover due this Fri March 4 on Flickr.

Week of Mon Feb 22

The wave of technology and how it will transform.
Cool new invention: Graphene

Fri Feb 19

Today you can work on your app assignment since we will be presenting them on Mon. The presentation will be short, see criteria below. When presenting, it would be a good idea to use visuals. The laptop will be available for you to use.

NEW ASSIGNMENT: magazine/album cover. To begin this assignment you must start with a concept first. You should look over magazine or album covers to get ideas. Next you should take a high quality photo (vertical for magazine), staged for the album cover. Then this photo gets imported into Photoshop and the fun begins. You should create a realistic magazine cover or album cover with appropriate text, banner, bar code, story prompts ect. This assignment is worth 15 marks.

VIDEO ASSIGNMENT: Day in the Life....or proposed alternate to Ms. Chase TBA

MACROS: You are to take 20 macro/close up shots, 10 should be in colour and 10  in black and white

Photo App Assignment: Due Friday

Sign up for a photo app and present what it is to the class on Mon. Feb. 22

Assignment Details and  Criteria: You are to present a photo app to the class. You will explain what the app is about, and how it works. You can show a short video, go live with an apple phone to show the app, or simply explain using whatever method you would like. Make sure you discuss the pros and cons, cost, and whether or not you would recommend it for users. Approximately 4-5 min is good for your presentation. (10 marks)

Photo app site 1

iphone apps

more photo apps

Before and After photo

You are to take 2 before and after photos. The first is a bad photo, and the second is of the same subject but has been improved. Please include in the description what you did to improve the photo.
Upload to Flickr (10 marks)

Link to more on composition

How to Crop

Intro to Photoshop

We will be going over the basics a review, using crop tool, text tool, adjustments, and magic wand/transform tool.

For those who are familiar with Photoshop, I would like you to check out the following link on tilt shift photography and read through how to create this type of photo in Photoshop.

Tilt shift Photography

New to class Photoshop assignment #1: Head swap (10 marks)
Experienced users Photoshop assignment #1: Tilt shift photo (10 marks)
Post to Flickr.

Teaching Assignment Everyone: We will be having a teach the class assignment during term #3. The criteria for this assignment is as follows:

• 5 min or less
• visuals necessary
• informative
• well thought through, steps blocked out
• active participation if possible (10 marks)

Link to the Basics

Review of composition and CAMERA BASICS

Week of Feb. 1

Introduction: In this class you will learn much about how to see from a different perspective, how to improve your ability to take photos and how to edit photos in Photoshop. As your teacher, I am not an expert in all technical aspects of Photography. There is much to know in this field and I am a learner as much as a teacher. In fact, I think we can all learn from one another.

Requirements for success in this course:

• a positive attitude and a willingness to learn and push beyond the level you are at
• your own 4-8gb sd card which you bring to class everyday
• a willingness to take a camera home of use your family's camera on the weekend
• to use your class time effectively
• be a good model for your peers

link to Basics of Photography

Experienced Photo Students Assignment #1: We are coming in strong with a 14 day photo challenge. If you have difficulty, feel free to swap out one theme for another, but please do not do this more than twice. The intent for this assignment is to do a new shoot, not to recycle old photos. I want you to challenge yourself. This assignment should be posted to Flickr, it should also be compiled into a slideshow set to music for presentation. The assignment is worth 25 marks and the slideshow is worth 10 marks.

DUE: THURS. FEB 19 in class slideshow

1. reflection portrait-1
2. blk and white -3
3. texture-2
4. high angle-1
5. low angle-1
6. silhouette-1
7. shadow-1
8. water -3
9. pattern -3
10. food/drink-2
11. graffiti -2
12. fill the frame -1
13. extreme close-up face -2
14. night -2

Criteria: I would like you to attempt manual focus, crisp shots, varying angles, thought put into backgrounds and framing.

Composition link

New to Photography Students Assignment #1:

1. Create a Flickr account, buddy icon, make Ms Chase a contact, join the Isfeld Photo group
2. Review the Basics of Photography lesson
3. Take 3 head shots of 3 different people
4. Elements of composition, choose 5 elements and shoot an example of each 
5. Shoot 2 high shots and 2 low shots, 3 choice shots
6. Complete a photo story set to music ( need to use you tube to mp3 conversion for music)

Criteria: Focus on in focus shots, maintaining an interesting focal point