Final Shooting Project: Exploring a Genre

PHD101: Introduction to Photography & Design

Final Project Assignment: Exploring a Genre

Your final project is the capstone of the class and should demonstrate an understanding of technique, quality of light, and composition, as well as an imaginative approach to subject matter.

Create a small portfolio of photographs, shot and printed digitally, unified by a common concept or theme.  Start with a photographic genre that interests you (portraits, still lifes, landscapes or cityscapes are some common genres) and then brainstorm about what, specifically, you’d like to communicate through a series of images created in that genre. 

For instance, a portrait genre project could become a series of portraits of a particular type of person, like teenagers, in an environment that reveals something about them, such as their bedrooms. Alternatively, choose an overarching theme to convey, such as “loss,” through your genre.  A still-life series on “loss” might include objects separated from their owners or objects that represent grief in particular cultures.

Requirements

·       Shoot at least 100 images during the course of the project (which will be submitted in the form of 4 contact sheets of 25 photos a piece)

·       Produce a sequenced .pdf slideshow of 8 – 10 images.  I will demonstrate how to use Lightroom to produce a slideshow.

·       Write an artist’s statement explaining your concept for the project, why you were interested in pursuing it, and how you executed the project (we’ll cover Artist’s Statements Week 9).  Your statement should be included in your final slideshow.

·       Final project images may be black-and-white or color, but the entire project should be one or the other.  You are free to use Photoshop and encouraged to use Lightroom’s Develop Module to process your images in a way that best expresses your intentions for the project.

Deadlines

Week 9: Project Proposals

Give a short presentation to the class of your concept, preferably using Powerpoint in order to seamlessly incorporate at least 5 images that show your progress on the project thus far.  You will also be invited to join our class blog as an author, and should post a summary of your proposal with an example image to the blog.

The presentation should summarize your idea, explain your interest in the subject matter, offer specifics about how you plan to execute the project (for example – “portraits” is not specific enough – “portraits of Goth teenagers shot at night with specular streetlight” is getting closer).

Do some research, and include a description of other photographers who have dealt with similar subject matter or worked in a similar style.  Either bring in a book from the library or show a website of the work of at least one photographer whose vision has inspired you on this project.

You will get intial feedback from the class on your concept, which you can take into consideration during the rest of your shooting.

Week 10:  Small Group Progress Critique on Final Project

You should have at least 30 images imported in Lightroom and set aside as a Collection in order to meet in small groups for critique.  Your group members will give feedback to further direct your shooting and will help you begin the editing process. 

Submit a preliminary artists’ statement (1 page, typewritten) to me by the beginning of class and I will return them with feedback by the end of the small group critiques.  You will have the second half of the class as work time on your images, so make sure you have enough shot to use this time effectively.

Week 11:  Final Critique

All work is due at the beginning of class.  No late work will be accepted.

In a folder named with your first and last name, submit the following:

·       Four contact sheets of 25 images a piece.  These should be 300 ppi, Adobe RGB color space, exported from the Print Module.  Rename them Lastname_finalproject_CS_01.jpg, etc.

·       A digital slideshow (.pdf format) of 8 – 10 sequenced final images exported from Lightroom’s Slideshow Module.  In addition to your images, your slideshow should include a title slide with your name and the title of the project, as well as a slide with your artist’s statement.

.

Grading:  The final project (inclusive of all deadlines) is worth 25% of your class grade.

You will be graded on the following criteria:

·       Assignment requirements and meeting deadlines for each of the components (quality and preparation of proposal/presentation, preparedness and participation in small group critique, completing all the final components on time)

·       Shooting and image management technique (exposure, focus, image toning, correct parameters for )

·       Concept & Aesthetics (originality of theme, use of composition and light, image selection and sequencing for the strongest final series)