Rule Of Thirds Field Mission

Hello Students,

Your new assignment is a field mission utilizing the rule of thirds. Details are below.

Rule Of Thirds Field Mission:

Create 10 Photographs using the rule of thirds. You must properly compose, expose and capture pictures of the following subjects:

Subject Specifications:

1. A person facing the camera, portrait closeup
2. 2 people framed in the camera
3. A group of 3 or more people
4. A closeup image of someones hand/hands doing something (drawing, digging, making)
5. A still life of found objects
6. A landscape view
7. A tree, flower or other natural element
8. An architectural element
9. Something shiny and new
10. Something old and decayed

Assignment Specifications:

• Shoot at least 10 images of each subject to obtain the best composition, exposure and quality. Post the best version of each.
• You may shoot with any mode as long as your image is exposed correctly.
• Using Photoshop, crop your photos appropriately if you need to.
• Choose 3 of your best images and overlay a rule of thirds grid on top. Use the line tool or pencil tool to draw the simple grid. Screenshot and add your EXIF data of each final image to confirm manual mode.

To See A Rule Of Thirds Grid in Photoshop:

1. View > Show > Grid
2. Go to Photoshop > Preferences > Guides, Grids and Slices
3. Set: Gridline to 33.3333 Percent
4. Set: Subdivisions to 1
5. This will show the grid, you will need to "draw" the grid on your image is with the line/pencil/brush tool and use as color that will show up against your image with good contrast.
6. Save an alternate version of your file so you have 3 examples with and without the R.O.T. grid.

Student Work Examples:

Have fun! - Mr.W

New Assignment: Photography and the Law

Hello Students,

In our modern era, photographers and their rights are constantly being challenged, abused and misled. It is important to know your rights and what means are available to protect you, your intellectual property, equipment and ownership of the images you create and to protect your individual rights under the law.

What are your rights as a photographer?

These are general guidelines regarding the right to make photos and should not be interpreted as legal advice. If you need legal help, please contact a lawyer.

1. You can make a photograph of anything and anyone on any public property, except where a specific law prohibits it. e.g. streets, sidewalks, town squares, parks, government buildings open to the public, and public libraries. 
2. You may shoot on private property if it is open to the public, but you are obligated to stop if the owner requests it. e.g. malls, retail stores, restaurants, banks, and office building lobbies. 
3. Private property owners can prevent photography ON their property, but not photography OF their property from a public location. 
4. Anyone can be photographed without consent when they are in a public place unless there is a reasonable expectation of privacy. e.g. private homes, restrooms, dressing rooms, medical facilities, and phone booths. Despite common misconceptions, the following subjects are almost always permissible: accidents, fire scenes, criminal activities, children, celebrities, law enforcement officers, bridges, infrastructure, transportation facilities, residential, commercial, and industrial buildings 
5. Security is rarely an acceptable reason for restricting photography. Photographing from a public place cannot infringe on trade secrets, nor is it terrorist activity. 
6. Private parties cannot detain you against your will unless a serious crime was committed in their presence. Those that do so may be subject to criminal and civil charges. 
7. It is a crime for someone to threaten injury, detention, confiscation, or arrest because you are making photographs. 
8. You are not obligated to provide your identity or reason for photographing unless questioned by a law enforcement officer and state law requires it. 
9. Private parties have no right to confiscate your equipment without a court order. Even law enforcement officers must obtain one unless making an arrest. No one can force you to delete photos you have made. 

Case Study: Obama Image Copyright Case

Mannie Garcia, Associated Press, Shephard Fairy

Mannie Garcia is a photographer that worked for Associated Press (AP) and took this iconic photo of President Barack Obama, which was then converted into a digital artwork by the artist Shephard Fairy. AP claims that Shephard Fairy violated their copyright of the image. Mr. Fairy claims that by altering the photograph he had created an original artwork. Mannie Garcia even joined in claiming that he owned the original rights to the photograph and it became a 3-way legal battle. All parties eventually conceded and came to an out of court settlement and agreement, with no parties admitting to copyright having been infringed. What do you think? Did Mr.Fairy violate the copy rights of the original photo? Who owns the rights in the first place? AP or Mr. Garcia?

Case Study: Colorado University Independent vs Photographer Andy Duann

Photo by: Andy Duann

When student photographer Andy Duann heard there was a bear stuck in tree on the CU campus he did what any crack photographer would do, he got to the scene just in time to take this photo. The image quickly went viral and was used in print by the universities student paper, the Colorado University  Independent newspaper. CUI then sold the image to major newspapers. When the photographer argued that he owned the original image the case seemed ready to be argued in court. Fortunately CUI recanted, AP pulled the image from its publications and Andy Duann's rights to the image were restored. This was a relatively quick copyright skirmish, but garnered national attention because of the viral nature to the image. What do you think? Was Andy Duann working as a photographer for CUI? Who do you think owns the rights?

Photography and the Law - Assignment Details:

• Use the internet to research issues pertaining to photographers rights and/or copyright infringement issues and cases
• Find one issue or case to write about that you find interesting
• Write a 1 page paper outlining the issues in question, evidence, arguements, examples, images and outcomes. Was the issue/case settled? If so, how? Do you agree or disagree with the outcome? Why?
• When complete, be prepared to present your issue, information and arguements to the class. Please provide examples of the photographs in question if possible.

Have fun!

  - Mr.W

Final: Creating A Photo Series Essay

Hello Students,

Creating a photo series/essay is an exercise that can happen spontaneously or deliberately. It is a process that can take days, weeks, years. Your newest assignment is to create a photo series as a final project and present it in photo essay format to the class during finals week.

What is a Photo Essay?

The goal with a photo essay is to use a series of images to invoke an emotional response in the viewer. This is achieved through using photography to tell a story and present them with captions or full written text, such as an article that may appear in a website or print publication. Images can be presented sequentially or non-sequentially, the goal is to connect your images with a story and draw out an emotion from the viewer... such as anger, joy, fear, empathy, etc. For your final project you will create a photo essay about a social cause or issue of your choice, with a script to be read during presentation (although format for presentation is open to interpretation). The number of social issues that could be covered are numerous, find one that resonates with you to create a deeper connection with the story.

What is a Photo Series?

Most photo series will have a continual theme that is pre-defined and all images in the series will revolve around that theme. Some series are created deliberately, some are collections of works that take years or decades to develop and are pulled from a photographers body of work as a definitive series collection. Check out the examples and links below:

Example: Photo Series from a body of work:

Take for instance Philip Halsman, famous portrait photographer who shot everyone from Albert Einstein to Marilyn Monroe. After a photo session with the Ford family he asked one subject to jump for his camera, soon he began to ask other subjects to jump for his camera at the end of their photo sessions, and so began the creation of an important photo series of celebrities jumping. Halsman released a book entitled "Jump" in 1959. Halsman believed that even the most stoic photo subject might be able to hide behind a stern facade, but that their true face is revealed when they are jumping.

Then Future president Richard M. Nixon. (Copyright Philippe Halsman Estate)

Example: Photo Series as Visual Cultural Anthropology:

As another example of a photo series consider the work of Photographer Ari Versluis and profiler Ellie Uyttenbroek. They have been working to document the distinct styles in their hometown of Rotterdamn and elsewhere. Often shooting subjects they find on the streets, this pair find individuals that follow a distinct dress/lifestyle and shoot them in consistent poses and arrangements in order to show the similarities among these unique individuals. They call their body of work "exactitudes", a mix of exact and attitude. Their work is so exacting it is essentially a display of visual cultural anthropology, a documentation of the styles that are heralded as unique, but how unique are we really? Their work brings into question the very idea of that value that we hold so high... individuality.

French Touch - Bordeaux 2006
By Ari Versluis and profiler Ellie Uyttenbroek

Miss Shapes - London 2008

By Ari Versluis and profiler Ellie Uyttenbroek

Other Photo Series to Explore for Inspiration:

Gallery- Children of Russian Oligarchs

Gallery- Where children sleep

Gallery- People with Passions

Gallery - Halsman's "Jumpology"

Gallery - Sophie Gamand's Wet Dog Series

Photo Series Assignment:

• Create a photo series that follows a theme
• Shoot as many examples that you can as long as they fit into the theme, there is no maximum limit
• Create enough images to have a strong series, 3 or 4 examples will not suffice, the final result should be impressive and follow a central or underlying theme. Strive for 10 strong examples of your theme
• Images must be properly exposed, composed and show creativity
• Post processing is allowed, however most of the work done to the image should be done before the shutter is clicked...dial in your exposures first, post process to enhance, not fix errors in exposure
• Series concept must be approved before work begins
• Create a powerpoint or keynote presentation for your project to display your images during presentation to the class. During the presentation be prepared to discuss your work, concept and how you achieved your results. Be prepared to discuss the themes involved in your work and how you translated your concept into imagery, what is the deeper meaning behind your work if there is one? Is your work a commentary or observation, what does it mean to you?

"Meme yourself" Photo series by Seth Wilson 2013

All work is due June 8th,

Have fun! - Mr.W