The Final - How to Size

Assignment 35 - Catch lights - How to make your portraits spectacular!

Catch light (or catchlight) is a photography term used to describe either the specular (the bright spot of light that appears on shiny objects when illuminated) highlight in a subject’s eye from a light source, or the light source itself.  Below are listed ideas, not hard and fast rules.  They are guidelines you might find helpful.

1. Specularity

By their vary nature, catch lights are specular highlights that will often “blow out,” meaning they will be pure white.  There are many highlight purists who think there should never be any area of a photograph that is overexposed.  Think about your image and in the case of catch lights, experiment with your highlights and their value and density.

2. Shape

Many photographers prefer round catch lights to square or rectangular but that’s not always possible to achieve.  Square and rectangular softboxes exist and often you have to improvise.  The reason is simple - the Sun is round so your light source should more closely mirror what nature has to offer.  You are trying and mimic the most natural lighting – the sun. 

3. Position and Balance

Pay close attention to the position of catch light in the eyes of your subject BEFORE you shoot.  While there is no perfect or “correct” position, there are less flattering ones.  Catch lights are more flattering if they look natural, so try to place them  at 10 o’clock or 2 o’clock.  Is there a wrong catch light position?  Below 9 o’clock or 3 o’clock can be unnatural, so watch your light sources before you make the final lighting decision.

And remember, catch lights need to balance.  If the catch light in the left eye is positioned at 10 o’ clock, be sure to balance that out by placing the catch light in the right eye at 10 o’clock, too.  Subjects appear cross-eyed if the catch lights otherwise.

4. Number of catch lights

Depending on the lighting, It can be distracting to see more than one catch light.  So while it’s often unavoidable to have more than one, it’s not difficult to either add or remove catch lights using Photoshop.  You can decide which catch lights are most flattering and natural looking and remove the rest.

Experimenting with and paying attention to catch lights will make you a more observant photographer.

The triangular catch lights here are at 7 o'clock, not ideal but not unnatural-
the light source was bouncing off the floor but only hit the eye to the left.

Uneven catch lights.

Duplicating the catch lights from the right eye to brighten the left eye.

Due end of class April 18

"I am..." Final Assignment

How do you view yourself here, at Notre Dame High School?  How do others view you?  As families, parents, and prospective students come into the building and see images of you on the wall, how do you want them perceived?

And that's your assignment.

You will be taking on a final assignment that is "real".  You have a client, and that client is Admissions for Notre Dame Belmont.  They have requested we create ten canvases for the hall outside of their office and the entrance to Notre Dame.  Your job is to select from the list below two "I am" themes, create your final concepts to exact specifications, set up your photo shoot using your "professional" knowledge of lighting, location, composition, and Photoshop/Lightroom.

Quite a challenge, and a real-world assignment.  Your final images have the opportunity to be selected to hang in the front hall for all to see, as a canvas.

Timing:  

Select from the list and final approval of two themes - April 20

Give the dates, locations, and concepts of the sessions to Mrs. Kuntz - April 27

Complete photo shoots - May 9

Final production of images - May 19

"I am" List - 2018

I am an athlete
I am a scholar
I am a writer
I am an artist
I am a leader
I am a dancer
I am a musician
I am an ambassador
I am a scientist
I am a volunteer
I am a friend
I am inspired
I am empowered
I am prepared
I am ready for the world
I am spirited
I am enlightened
I am a teacher
I am an alum
I am a mentor

Assignment #34 - Little Planets!

What would your world look like if you could create your own planet?

Let's see...

Due April 12

Assignment 33 - A Triptych that Tells a Story

What is this?

What is the story of this triptych?

A triptych is three of something - usually "like" things put together that tell a story.  Your assignment is to make a photographic story with three images only.  Think of what your concept is first, what are you going to try to say with visuals only?  You might think of an actual story you know and try to recreate it in three frames:  What would Little Red Riding Hood look like in three frames?  The Three Little Pigs?

1.  On your blog, post your story concept in approximately one paragraph.  

2.  Shoot as many images as you think you need, then pare down to three you will use.

3.  If it helps, write the story line under each of your images for clarity.

4.  Use Photoshop, Lightroom, whatever you need.

5.  Shoot in manual and post the technical information for each image.

Due date:  March 28

Assignment 32 - Text and the Self Portrait

Self portraits are the norm these days – as a matter of fact, I’m guessing you’ve already taken at least one “selfie” today already.  Now let’s see what you can do by adding in those oh-so-important things like composition, lighting, color, depth of field.  Your assignment: using your self timer and a tripod or other stable surface, capture an image of yourself.  Edit in Lightroom.  Be clear about your composition – you will need to consider space for adding text that conveys something about yourself.  This time I'd like the text to be created in Adobe Illustrator using the Type on a Path tool.  Instructions to be show in class...

Critique: Write 5 sentences about your final piece and its meaning.

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Due Date:  March 16/19

Assignment 31 - More MAD Photography!

Get MAD again.

Time to play again.  Choose one tutorial from the MAD link above and create a final image to post. Post the before and after if there is one and below the image write an explanation of what you did, what the outcome was (expected? unexpected?) and what advice you have for how the tutorial could be used.

Due March 12/13 - end of class.