Coeur d’Alene High School Photography Blog

Today-

PHOTO 2- Finish working on your scavenger hunt photos and get them turned in. TOMORROW- BRING YOUR CAMERA WITH CHARGED BATTERIES and MEMORY CARD! Bring your coat too. We are going to have the first ever Photo 2 Shootout. Be sure to listen in class for details.

Also, remember Melissa Jill, the photographer who took the photos for the major wedding magazine? I follow her blog because she is an amazing wedding and portrait photographer, and I wanted you all to see the first photo on her most recent post HERE. Isn’t that an awesome shot? Such great use of selective focus, short depth of field, great angle to shoot at, nice use of framing…. that shot has it all.

PHOTO 1- Finish your essay paper. If you do not get it done in class, you MUST have it turned in as you walk through the door tomorrow, or you can email it to me at btwitchell@cdaschools.org  . Even if you are not finished (and hopefully all of you will finish), turn in something- ANYTHING is better than a zero. Remember to use footnotes to cite your sources, and also PLEASE ask questions if you have any!!

For today’s post- We have been away from the Lessons I didn’t Learn in Photo School by the great Syl Arena. Let’s us return now and read THESE great words of wisdom. Really read them, don’t just glance at them. How can you take this information and use it in this class? How can you use it in other classes? How can you use it in your life? Which of these was your favorite? Least favorite? Why? Tell me (and Syl if he happens to read this) what you got from it and what you do and don’t like about them!

Photo by Syl Arena

Today-

Photo 2- Get your Scavenger Hunt photos downloaded and start fixing them up to look nice and beautiful. Work quickly and efficiently on them.  Let’s try to have them done by tomorrow at the end of the period, so we can move onto the next assignment. You shouldn’t need to do too much to the images, by this point you should be doing a nice job getting the images looking good when you take the photo.

Photo 1- WORK ON ESSAY PAPER. It is due at the very start of class on Wednesday. This means as you walk through the door you need to be 100% finished with it. No time at all on Wednesday to work on it. Be sure to follow the requirements for the paper especially by using footnotes for cite your sources.

For today’s post- Photos are really an amazing thing. Thier ability to freeze time and allow the viewer to examine that one moment in time is something that nothing else can do. Take for example THIS PHOTO of someone pointing a gun at the Queen of England. This is a photo that the photographer did not even realize he had until he developed the film and looked at the photos. If you could travel back in time (and I know Photo 2 that you have had basically this same question before) and photograph an event- what would it be and why? (Photo 2 people pick a different event then last time). What would you hope to capture with your camera? What would you do with the photo?

Today-

Photo 2- Finish up the Avedon Photo. It is due by the end of the period. If everyone can finish early, we can take a look at what everybody shot, how you edited it, what frame you selected, and discuss them briefly.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT- Photo scavenger hunt- Photograph the following items

1. The inside of your fridge

2. Something that is important to you

3. Shoot from the hip (literally- hold the camera at your hip, shoot and see what you can get)

4. Sorrow

5. Life

Do not just take one photo of each, shoot plenty. Try different angles, exposures, setups, have fun with this.

PHOTO 1- We should be finishing up the History of Photo Powerpoints today so we will then start on your History Essay. To see the requirements for the essay, go to the top of the page, click on ASSIGNMENTS, go to assignment 2- Essay paper adn you can download the essay requirements. We will be discussing them as well. Next week we will have a test over the material covered in the powerpoints.

For today’s post- What would you do, if you found one of your photos being used on a major website without your permission? That is what happened to photographer Michael Calanan! He was notified by someone that his photo of bears walking down a path was being used by Toyota on their 4Runner website without his permission. What would you do? How would you handle it? Would you be flattered and let it go? Why or why not?

Note- to see the photo, click HERE and then login using your regular username and password.

Today-

PHOTO 2- If you did not take your Avedon photo yesterday, you need to do it today. After the blog, I will give a quick demonstration on the best way to get black and white out of photoshop as well as some editing that you should/could do to it including using a border around it. This will be due Friday.

PHOTO 1- We will continue learning about the wonderful world of the history of photography. I know that each of you are finding this beyond exciting, so be sure to have your notes out and be ready to be thrilled and amazed (or double your money back!)

For today’s post- I am sure all of you are aware of the horrible earthquake that took place in Haiti. I am guess too that you are aware that there are a large number of journalists covering this earthquake and the results that it has had on the people and land there. One photographer, Zoriah, who is an experienced warzone photographer, has offered to people that if you pay $4,000 and pay for all of your expenses, you can go to a photography workshop in Haiti and he will teach you how to photograph events such as this.(Note that he is saying that he will give half of the $4000 to a hospice that was destroyed in the quake)

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think it is okay for him to be having a photography seminar in Haiti? Why or why not? Would you do it? Why or why not? If you are curious how some professional photojournalists are reacting to this, READ HERE.

Today-

Photo 2- AVEDON PHOTOS! This should be fun for each of you. I will give a demonstration on doing this, then you will follow. We can have 2 pairs going at the same time (we’ll see if it works). Remember, we are not going for a posed shot here, we are not going for a new myspace photo, we are trying to a get a photo that shows TRUE emotion. To get this, you (the photographer) will need to talk to the subject and have them think about different things to get different emotions.

Once we have shot the photos, I will show you the best way to change them to black and white and to process them. Don’t think that Avedon edited his photos? THINK AGAIN

PHOTO 1- We will continue with the history of photography so be ready to keep taking notes on this.

For today’s post- Let’s look at some fearsome photos and you get to vote. Over on Zack Arias’ blog, he has posted some photos that are to represent fear that photographers shot. LOOK AT THEM HERE, then vote at after the photos for which one is your favorite. After you have done that- come back to the blog and tell me which one did you vote for and why? Was there any that you did not like? Why? If you were to photograph fear (hint, hint photo 2) what would you photograph? What makes you fearful?