PHOTO PROJECT

Project Description

This photography project was designed to be a creative exploration of both the process of taking portraits and post-production manipulation. Students were introduced to how to use a DSLR camera, the basics of using Adobe Bridge, lighting techniques, and some more advanced Photoshopping techniques.

Students worked collaboratively to take their photographs and had a chance to express their creativity with both the taking of the photographs and the manipulation. All students followed the Splatter Dispersion tutorial and the class was differentiated with an additional post-production technique of Double Exposure for more advanced and fast-moving students.

The class culminated in a Gallery Walk where each student put their work on their computer and students responded to the work by writing an emotion, question, or statement that the work evoked.

Project Steps

We began by having a discussion on light and shadow in photography and watching a video on using lighting reflectors and a one-step lighting set up. Students then went and watched individually the camera tutorial video with many playing with a camera while watching the video. Students then went out in groups to take portrait photographs (minimum of 20 shots) with a recommendation of taking them with blank background. They then watched the Adobe Bridge tutorial and imported their photos from the SD Card.

Students were tasked with sorting and rating their photographs. They then selected a photograph for the Splatter Dispersion method and watched the Splatter Dispersion Tutorial. They edited their photo with the creative freedom of extending beyond the initial tutorial. Fast-moving or more advanced students then move on to watching the Double Exposure Tutorial and manipulating their image with that technique.