Class #4 - Oct. 4th - Portraiture

-In class discussion of Discussion Topic #1

-Quiz #2 on pages 147-151

-Quick critique of selected images from Assignment #3 – projected

-Discussion on Lighting: Direct, diffused, bounced light.  Mood of lighting

-Demo on how to use and manipulate natural light.

-Read and discuss pages 129-133, 136-139 in book 

-Shooting assignment #4 explained and given – Portrait

 For next week: -BRING in camera + textbook

                        -UPLOAD images to your Tumblr from Assignment #4

                        -COMPLETE: questions on handout for Discussion Topic #2 – turn in to me

Discussion Topic #2 - Rineke Dijkstra

Shooting Assignment #4

Portraits
(5 of these are due posted to your Tumblr by 10/9)

1.  Take a portrait where you tightly crop the person’s face.  In other words, I want the person’s face to take up most of the picture.  Use a wide aperture to make the background blurry.

2.  Take a portrait of a family member or close friend and try to capture their personality.

3.  Take a portrait of somebody holding or wearing their prized possession.

4.  Take a portrait of a classmate in the style of Dawoud Bey  (google “Dawoud Bey Class Pictures” to get an idea)

5.  Use lighting as a main component to your portrait.  Take a portrait of somebody from the waist up.  Sit them by a window, under a lamp, or aim some kind of light upwards and meter on the brightest part of the face.

Extra credit:   We all know that as soon as you put the camera in front of somebody’s face they tend to freeze or become awkward.  I want you to attempt to take a candid portrait of somebody.  Meaning I don’t want any posing.  They could be in the middle of talking, laughing or just staring into space.  A good tip is to tell them you are taking their picture and when they think you’re done…they’ll relax and that’s when you snap the picture. 

Remember about the rule of thirds, think about the composition, and use your aperture creatively.  Don’t wait until the last minute to start work on these!

Look at the following photographers’ work for inspiration.

Rineke Dijkstra              Hellen van Meen            Richard Avedon

Dawoud Bey                 Yousuf Karsh                Pieter Hugo

August Sander