Portfolio

The final portfolio for this class will be in digital form.

All images should be flattened jpegs (high quality), measuring 1200 pixels in the longest direction.

I will show you how to use image processor to automate this.

Files are due in the drop box (in designated folder(s)) by 1pm, Friday 4/30.

The portfolio shall consist of images from the following categories. These can be drawn from images already shot for the assignment, or reshoots. If you have revised your images, please indicate so in the filename (e.g.: asign1_jordan_resht1.jpg). Again, I will show you a useful techniques to speed up the file naming process.

The portfolio will be evaluated as an independent group of images, separate from the assignments from which they were drawn. Edit group of images wisely. Good idea to get multiple opinions about what to include (its okay to ask me in advance!)

• Creative shooting exercise (submit four strongest images)
• The photo extended - submit strongest image
• Digital photo montage - submit strongest image
• Photo-realistic montage - submit strongest image
• Identity made (in)visible - submit strongest image
• Two additional images may be submitted for extra credit

Blogging; Wrap-up

Blog Entries (total of 10)

• 8 original content entries
• 2 "comment sessions" on 2 other peoples' blog entries
• Extra blog entries will be counted for extra credit (up to 2)

10th blog (2nd "comment session") will be accepted as on-time by this Friday (4/16)

All make-up blogs due by last class (4/29)

Thanks!

Identity made in/visible

Due Dates:

Finalized Piece: Wednesday 4/28

8x10 (approx.), 300 dpi, print, layered photoshop file.

For the following project, create a photographic / digital piece that engages ideas of identity. Some questions to ponder:

1. Is identity something that can be observed or photographed?
2. When does identity seem calculated or constructed?
3. When does identity seem real or authentic?
4. Do social media sites (e.g. facebook) project authentic notions of identity?
5. How does physical appearance / alteration / idealism affect personal identity?
6. Whats the relationship between internal and external? Can this be photographed?
7. Can personal identity be distinguished from cultural identity?
8. What would happen to our personal identity if our outward appearance changed dramatically?
9. What would happen to our outward appearance if our personal identity changed drastically?
10. What exactly do we mean by "normal," "attractive," "weird looking," "different," "hot," "homely," "old,", etc? Who decides these categories, anyway? Who controls them?

In class we will explore some strategies the portrait/commercial/glamour industry uses to dramatically alter appearance. In your hands, these can be used in an almost infinite range of ways to alter physical appearance. Some ideas, not limited to:

1. Face lifts, face "drops"
2. Age regression
3. Age progression
4. Morphing and merging two people
5. Morphing or merging "inner" versus visible identity
6. People merged with places, things, other
7. Doppelganger or alternate /idealized identities
8. Drastic alteration of appearance
9. Revised personal history
10. Revised cultural history
11. Other? These are a few suggestions from me, but please feel free to come up with your own variations or something else altogether. Try to create a piece that works on a few levels... that aspires to something beyond the photoshop gimmick.

Useful artists to consider:

http://www.cindysherman.com/

http://www.tonkonow.com/lee.html

http://www.artnet.com/artist/9898/oleg-kulik.html#

http://www.regenprojects.com/artists/gillian-wearing/

http://www.wendymcmurdo.com/

http://www.kelliconnell.com/

http://www.photomediacenter.org/Sokolowska/ursulahome.html

http://corneliahediger.com/

http://www.galerieperrotin.com/artiste-Mariko_Mori-6.html#

http://www.orlan.net/opereussie.php

Photo Realistic Composite

Important Dates:

3/11; a few possible ideas

3/22 & 3/24; in-class shooting of main character.

4/14; final image and print due. File for printing due prior class

The objective of this assignment is to create a photorealistic impression of an event that never took place. This event can be fictional or have historical, art-historical or pop-cultural references. The finish piece should have a strong subject/conceptual component; it should go well beyond being a photoshop exercise. Be imaginative.

Since you are working in a production/directorial mode, it might help to think of this project theatrically. Who is your main character? What do they look like? How are they costumed? And... what is the "stage" they will occupy? The finished piece should include at least three photographic elements: main subject, secondary subject and background. All photography must be yours -- no appropriated imagery (appropriated themes are okay). It should be convincing as a "photograph."

The main subject (a person) should be captured in the studio, using "white screen" approaches presented in class. Use costumes, make-up, etc. as required.

Photography/photoshop work should demonstrate skills as taught in class. Special care should be given to masking techniques and lighting.

Image specs: 11x14 (approximate) @ 300 dpi. Turn in layered photoshop file and quality print.

Scheduling

3/2

Presentation: Language

In-class production

3/8

Introductory Lecture: Creative Digital Production Project

Finish mash-up projects. Files due for printing.

3/10

Critique mash-up projects

3/15, 3/17

Spring break

3/22

Group A Studio Production Shoot

3/24

Group B Studio Production Shoot

Group Critique Mash-up project

Within your groups of three or four, view and discuss the work of each group member.

Which design seems the most compelling? Why? Evaluate along:

• Overall concept
• Strong design elements (color, texture, composition, etc.)
• Interesting visual interactions between layers / components
• How do the photoshop / layer techniques support the idea?

Which design seems the least compelling? Why?

How could the strongest design be improved? What is the weakest element?

Are there aspects of the lesser designs that could be incorporated into the stronger?

Are there completely new directions / tangents suggested by the work?

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Take the feedback into consideration and revise one piece to "completion"

Blog posting #6, for week ending 2/26

For this week's blog entry, take a break from generating your own content (!) and:

1. Thoughtfully comment on at two classmate blog entries (1-2 short paragraphs)
2. Comment on a another student's comment. Do you have something to add? Agree? Disagree?

Digital Photographic Montage

Due Dates:

3/1 -- three strong comps due for initial critique and discussion. The best idea gets developed into final piece.

3/8 File due, if Chris will run print for you.

3/10 Final image (print and layered photoshop file) due

Using photoshop as your platform, create an effective work of digital art that combines scanned and photographic elements in a compelling fashion. It should work as a coherent design. Whether abstract, figurative or conceptual (or all of the above !), it should be meaningful and convincing. Try to gain visual appeal through the effect of blending your layers together. The results will look much more original. Refer to work by various artists for inspiration.

Criteria:

At least 11 x 14, 300-360 dpi.

File must make use of:

1. At least one scanned element (scanned objects, textures, or artworks).
2. At least two photographic elements.
3. Some sort of visual idea or concept to hold the piece together
4. Required skills (as covered in class):

• Good input (appropriate scanning techniques, strong imagery, etc.)
• Multiple layers with varied levels of opacity
• Masking with layer masks
• Use of blending modes
• Advanced blending
• Fill layers (solid color, gradient, pattern, etc.)

Suggestions for "Place"

Check out the multitudes of landscape photographers, also:

Hiroshi Sugimoto (especially his diorama photographs)

Craig Kalpakjian

Julia Scher

Joel Meyerowitz

Joel Sternfeld

Richard Misrach

Jitka Hanzlova

Doug Aitken

Uta Barth

Andreas Gursky

Justine Kurland

Suggestions for Time presentation artists

The artists for time may deal directly with time, or things like duration, deja vu, altered time, cultural ideas of time, or related themes such as "the past" or "history" or "memory".

Photographers / artists that deal with sequence over time, such as Eadweard Muybridge (old), Harold Edgerton (stop motion, also old), Duane Michals (events over time), Sam Taylor Wood (time lapse still life series), Bill Viola (Video), David Hockney (specifically his multiple Polaroid images of human interactions, such as his "The Scrabble Game"), Douglas Gordon (Video), Shimon Attie, (photo, video projections on Berlin's former Jewish Quarter commemorating the past). This should get you started. Also, browse through the photo blogs from this page.

The Photo Extended

Due Dates

2/8 Initial shooting due (discussion in class)
2/17 Final piece(s) due, printed with associated PSD files

Create a group of diptychs, triptychs, or extended grid(s) that covey meaning beyond the individual photograph.

The images should function within a theme or concept.

The images should creatively explore how multiple photographic images working together in a group can expand/contradict/confound/provoke what we might normally expect from our experience or of a singular image.

While the concept is wide open, it will be helpful to work from your own personal experience, interests or expertise. Also, review the links to artists presented in class.

Some ideas:

• Consider conveying non-literal notions, such as memories, perceptions, symbols, or dreams
• Consider creating a typology or classification system of your own invention and explore its visual (or other) implications.
• Take an existing classification system and subvert it. For example, create images that undermine common stereotypes or attitudes
• Create a linear or non-linear narrative

For whatever approach you take, try to push beyond the “one-liner” or the trite, and create something you can really stand behind. Get started early and work through several possibilities before committing to your final direction.

Creative Shooting Exercise

Due: 1/27, Files in drop-box

For the images you shot for the creative shooting exercise:

• Edit photo shoot down to top 10 images within that particular exercise
• All 10 files should be saved out as PSD
• Name files with the following protocol: (LASTNAME)_(Exercise #)_(File#).psd. The use of batch rename in Bridge is very helpful

Example; If I did the 10x10x10 (exercise 1), my file names would be:

Jordan_1_1.psd

Jordan_1_2.psd, etc.

Make adjustments to at least 6 files
The following adjustments should be evident among the six files as appropriate:

• Tonal Range curve adjustment layer
• Brightness and/or Contrast adjustments using curve adjustment layer
• Brightness and/or Contrast adjustments using blending mode curve adjustment layer (Don't forget the opacity slider for fine tuning)
• Local adjustments (burn and dodge layer, as demonstrated in class)
• For one of these files, we will also be adding a sharpening layer. Turn this file into Chris at end of class 1/25 for printing.

Suggestions for Presentations

Suggestions for Presentations

Some of these pertain to identity, the body, or both (1/27)

• Carrie Mae Weems
• Lyle Ashton Harris
• Will Wilson
• Catherine Opie
• Nancy Burson
• Katy Grannan
• Shirin Neshat
• Collier Schorr
• Matthew Barney

Open Lab Hours Start this Tuesday 1/18

M,W,T,Th 7:15pm-11:30pm

F, Sun 12-5pm

Podcast 2

Podcast 1

Blogging

Expectations:

1. One substantive post per week. Due by Friday of given week. 1st entry due: 1/22
2. What is meant by substantive?

• 3-5 paragraphs
• Smart and intelligently written.
• Include links to images, scan images into blog and if so, include bibliographic references

Possible Topics

• Artist you may have discovered / seen.
• Gallery or museum visit and review
• Something you may have read that is pertinent to themes of the class.
• Discussion of articles assigned by instructor

Caveats:

• Look for established or emerging artists with at least a regional or national reputation
• Limit one posting can be of a wedding, portrait or exclusively commercial photographer
• Limit one posting about yourself or a peer ;-)

Reading: Real World Photoshop CS4

The following reading applies to the content covered in class. Please read the following as you work through your exercises/assignments. There will be a quiz and practicum based on the reading, date TBD.

Chapter 2: Image Essentials, 15-34

Chapter 5: pages 101-116; 188-236

Chapter 7: 326-344

Theme Presentations

Create a 3-5 minute presentation within your assigned Theme.

Expectations:

1. Must contribute 3-5 minute presentation and discussion about artists / photographers (at least 2) that work very closely within the theme and exemplify creative exploration of the associated ideas.
2. Must have visual resources (website or scanned images as digital slides)

• What are they doing, exactly?
• How does artists work function within the theme?
• Describe the work from a visual standpoint... how do the visuals support the idea, and vice versa?
• What questions does it raise? Or answer?
• What intrigues you about the work?
• What does the work remind you of? Other work?
• What specifically do you think makes the work effective? What isn't so successful?
• What do you learn/take away from the work?

3. Generate three questions to pose to the class, to generate discussion of your topic

Shooting Exercises

It can be helpful to periodically push yourself outside your comfort zone. I try to do one of these at least once every few weeks to stay limber. It can be surprising how images from these exercises can inform your "real work" and vice versa.

Choose 1 of the following to complete by Wednesday. Shoot at least 36 exposures preferably in RAW mode. If RAW not possible, high quality jpeg. Bring files to class to work with. Be able to upload to computer in class (bring tether, card reader, etc.)

1. Framing exercise: “10x10x10”. Situate yourself in an interesting place, with plenty of descriptive, natural light. Imagine that you are held within an invisible cage 10 feet x 10 feet x 10 feet. Mark the boundaries for a reference. You can’t escape! You might as well make pictures. All pictures must be made from within this “box”. Shoot up, down, sideways, and look, look, look. See what you discover when confined. 36 exp. for a single subject. Radically vary framing, distance, point-of-view, direction of light. Keep yourself from becoming bored!
2. Shoot continuously for 1 Hour. Dramatically vary subject, approaches, point of view, composition, lighting , etc.
3. Take the dog (er) camera for a walk. Photograph what comes to eye or mind and be as daring and adventurous as possible
4. Focal length exercise: (zoom lens or at least 2 different focal length lenses needed). Shoot single subject at a time. Try to keep size of subject relatively constant within the composition (yes, you’ll have to physically move in or out to match this.) What is the effect of focal length on a sense of space and distance?
5. Blindfold yourself for 1 hour. Take the blindfold off and make pictures of the first things that engage your visual interest. Its best to do this outside or in a place with plenty of light (the mall? Bring a friend to help you)

Sony Mavica, Digital Video Camera (1981) First commercially produced electronic camera (Less than 1/4 megapixel)

This blog is "home base" for this course. Please refer to it for assignments, important links, comments, announcements, etc.

More to come.