Composition Rules and Guidelines

Composition Rules and Guidelines

How are the objects arranged on this picture? What do you notice about the elements of art and principles of design?
How would you change the objects to improve this picture? 

These questions (and your answers) will help you understand composition. 

As a group, use the internet to search "photography" and "composition." Your group will find many articles with rules, lists, and guidelines about composition. While I have THREE rules for composition, you will probably find lists with 5 to 25 rules. 

Choose five of the articles.
Include the links.
For each article, select ONE rule that you like and explain why you find it useful.
You could write, "I like rule/tip 3, because it explains how I can make my pictures look...."

If you have questions, use the comment section.

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Photo for Period 5 is below

Period 5 uses this photo to crop (and straighten)

Period 6 uses this photo

Portraits

Portraits of a couple near a gallery

(Hey, I added this photo while in Washington, D.C. On Thursday night I went to the National Portrait Gallery. I even saw something about Pop Art.)

All three Photo 1 classes have taken photographs of people in other groups. You have attempted to do what Henri Cartier-Bresson said was the objective of the portrait photographer. Do you remember his basic advice?

I think he said something in French.

When he said "basically, you want the subject to forget that the camera is not there..." or something close, he meant that wanted the photographer to capture something real about the person being photographed. (video at 26:33)

He also wanted the photographer to forget about the camera. He wanted the photographer to see something real. He wanted the photographer to see more than the back of the camera.

We photographed people on two separate days. Upload those images on the Tuesday or Wednesday. Edit photos in Aperture, but only crop or change the exposure and contrast.  (Save at least two of your favorite photos with email just in case the pictures are deleted from the computer.)

Upload your favorite images to your blog and send the link to the people who you photographed, so that they can comment. You comment on the images people took of you.

You should post at least five images on your blog. Write how well you did at having your subject forget about the camera.

Send the link of your blog to the people you photographed! Have them tell you their experience of being photographed.

Title your blog, First Portrait Assignment.

Oh, since I have returned from my trip, the New York Times photography site Lens posted a story about the Portrait Gallery, especially the American Cool exhibit. Check it out. Really.





VPA Proficient 4.5 (conventions of art criticism) Students will be able to comment about their experience being photographed and photographing students during our first portrait session.

2.4 Advanced (Demonstrate ... an advanced proficiency in communicating an idea, theme, or emotion.) Students will be able to communicate their feelings about taking portraits and having their portrait taken.

First Photo Outing - Principles of Design

You may call this post, "My First Photo Outing - Principles of Design"

Download all photos. Edit in Aperture.

Upload your favorite photo from your first outing.

Explain how it meets the principle of design.

Include the link to the site of principles of design.

Elements of Art and Straight Photography

Last week we learned about Straight Photography popularized by Paul Strand.

We also found a list of the Elements of Art on the Getty Museum education website. Then we took photographs as a class and the teacher sent the pictures to the students to create images inspired by Strand.

Today you will finish this assignment; tomorrow you will present to the class.

Crop, Choose and Color five photos. You may take one photograph and create five different images or choose five photographs and create five different images. You may choose how you create five different images.

How will you research Paul Strand's images? One student suggested using Google and the search terms, "Paul Strand," and "photography." She further suggested using the images menu.

The blog post will be titled Elements of Art Images.