Photo Notes

Lori Waselchuk: Grace Before Dying

2012-02-04T09:30:00.001-06:00

Lori Waselchuk: Grace Before Dying from Daylight Multimedia on Vimeo.

A life sentence in Louisiana means life. More than 85% of the 5,100 inmates imprisoned at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola are expected to die there. Until the hospice program was created in 1998, prisoners died mostly alone in the prison hospital. Their bodies were buried in shoddy boxes in numbered graves at the prison cemetery. Grace Before Dying charts the extraordinary breakthrough in humanity that has helped transform one of the most dangerous maximum security prisons in the United States, Louisiana's notorious Angola prison, into one of the least violent.

In this mutlimedia piece created by Daylight Magazine photographer Lori Waselchuk discusses this revelatory work.

You can learn more on the project website: www.gracebeforedying.org and purchase the recently published book here.

Save the Date: HomeSpace!

2012-01-22T07:06:00.002-06:00

We have been invited to exhibit in HomeSpace Gallery's "blue room" this May. The public reception will take place on May 12, and we will plan a special McGehee reception on Friday, May 11th. More details to follow~

To get an idea of the space we'll be hanging work in, please see images from a previous students' cyanotype exhibition here.

You can join the HomeSpace Facebook Group here.

Advice to Aspiring Photographers

2012-01-22T06:37:00.000-06:00

35 Magnum photographers offer advice to the next generation:

"Don’t stop questioning yourself (it’ll make you less arrogant). Push. Push, scratch, dig… Push further… And stop when you don’t enjoy it anymore… But most of all respect those you photograph…" - John Vink

Read the rest here - including images by each photographer.

Originally compiled by Alec Soth and shared on Magnum's blog.

Photo II Multimedia Projects

2012-01-19T10:53:00.000-06:00

1128 St. Roch by Daisy McNairy

Paris, Thanksgiving 2010 by Elizabeth Kukla

Save the date!

2012-01-19T10:46:00.002-06:00

The Student Center photo exhibition will take place from April 23-27 this year. Please keep this time line in mind as you work towards your final presentations.

Arts Funding for High School Seniors

2011-10-05T12:11:00.000-05:00

YoungArts, a national foundation for advancement in the arts, is offering up to $500,000 in total awards to high school seniors in nine different arts disciplines. To apply, you must be a U.S. citizen and a high school senior in the year 2011-2012 or a recent graduate aged 17 or 18 on December 1, 2011. Applicants may also apply to more than one discipline including cinematic arts, dance, jazz, music, photography, visual arts, writing, theater, and voice.

Deadline October 14, 2011

http://www.youngarts.org/blog/2012-youngarts-national-program-application-now-open

Still Life: Paul Biddle

2011-09-20T20:36:00.000-05:00

The Wrapped Still-Life, 1993

Paul Biddle is a fine art photographer based in Devon, England, who creates surrealistic and playful work - primarily shot and composed "within camera". Here are some examples of his still lifes, which clearly draw from art history and often have a droll edge of humor.

The Vain Pomegranate [The Paranoia of Fruit and Vegetables] 2006

Artist Statement:
My inspiration and influences range from Renaissance art to Dadaism and Surrealism, from Picasso to the flotsam and jetsam that I pick up on my walks by the sea near my home. Having experimented with a wide variety of media during my time at art school, I found that photography was the thing that most excited me. Its' immediacy and the rather hazy line that can be created between reality and the feeling of not being quite sure what's happening is what I find appealing.

The Book of Quills, 2011

Some pictures are simple and complete inside my head from the beginning, but most of my images start with the inspiration of the objects themselves. It may be something found in a junk shop, washed up on the beach near my home or something from my past, such as wooden letters from a childhood game or my palette from art school days.

The Hanging Cabbage, 2006

I often assemble a collection of such items and then experiment to find the perfect juxtaposition of composition, form and colours - what I think of as playtime. Sometimes a meaning will evolve that was not intended, but I mostly prefer people to read what they like into the pictures and hopefully enjoy them for their visual stimulation. - Paul Biddle

Mr and Mrs Jack Daw-Haws 2009

Master Jack and the Hips, 2009

See more of Mr. Biddle's work on his website www.paulbiddle.com and on Luminous Lint.

Still Life: Andrzej Maciejewski

2011-09-20T17:55:00.006-05:00

Andrzej Maciejewski's “Garden of Eden” is a series of still-life photographs which were inspired by the paintings of old masters, including Luis Melendez, Caravaggio and some of the Dutch Masters. However he adds a contemporary twist to classic compositions by incorporating the supermarket packaging. His carefully arranged sets, based on the extensive research into art history, are not meant to be mere reproductions of the originals. Maciejewski's intention was to emulate their spirit and style, but leave the label stickers or plastic wrappings on to comment on the unnatural nature of the contemporary produce industry.

Still Life with 4062(USA), 4758(Mexico), 4769(Mexico), 4572(USA) and 4689(Mexico).

Still Life with 4030(New Zealand), 4927(Italy), 4940(USA), 3127(Mexico), 4433(Panama) and 4958(Mexico).

Still Life with 4329(Guatemala), 4958(Mexico), 4133(USA), 4928(USA) and 4936(USA).

In his own words: "Their presence on my table no longer depends on where I live, on weather graciousness or on my long-year effort. They are mass-produced in manufactures, often in the other end of the world, with the use of machines and chemicals. They are half-artificial."

Also note his use, in titling the images, of label numbers and countries of origin for each fruit or vegetable depicted, and consider how that information affects viewers' interpretations of the image.

Read Mr. Maciejewski's artist statement and see the rest of the 24 images in the series on his website. You can also read a review of his exhibition at The Camerawork Gallery in Portland Oregon, through September 23rd, 2011.

For further study:
See some fine examples of still life paintings by Dutch Masters here.

Foam, Amsterdam's noted photography museum, is now showing Still/Life, a group exhibition featuring modern interpretations of the classic still lifes that the Netherlands has long been known for.

Assignment: Photo II

2011-09-16T13:17:00.000-05:00

Painting Scavenger Hunt!

In preparation for our next shooting assignment please research paintings, looking for work that inspires you, amazes you or piques your curiosity. You are encouraged to peruse the art room library and the internet. Bring print outs or photocopies of three paintings to our next class meeting, one from each of the following periods/genres:

Gothic 1150-1500
Renaissance 1400-1600
Modern 1860-1970

Due: Monday, Sept.19, 2011

Image:"The Garden of Earthly Delights" by Hieronymus Bosch (c. 1450–1516) Read about this historically significant painting here. See more of Bosch's work here.

Self Portraits: Cheng Chang Wu

2011-09-09T09:28:00.000-05:00

See more of Cheng Chang Wu's Visions of Taiwan series here.

You can find his artist statement and additional images here.

Watch the video interview below to learn more about Wu's process and see one of the photo shoots in action.

Cheng-Chang Wu of Nan-Tou, Taiwan from William Etundi Jr. on Vimeo.

Wecome Back!

2011-09-07T09:29:00.000-05:00

Welcome back to school, ladies! I'm thrilled to have some familiar faces for our brand new Photo II class this year and to get to know some new students in Photo 1. It's going to be a great year.

In honor of the centennial, and the beginning of our 2011-12 school year, here's a vintage photograph of an open air classroom from the Gilman School in Ohio, 1911.

How Film Is Made

2011-05-18T08:42:00.000-05:00

I hope you'll enjoy the Kodak instructional film made in 1958.

Multimedia Poetry Projects 2011

2011-05-17T14:47:00.007-05:00

Isabel Lanaux: "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost

Elizabth Kukla: "To See a World in a Grain of Sand" by William Blake

Photo Exhibition

2011-05-17T08:58:00.000-05:00

Hanging the show: Elizabeth Kukla, Stella Kramer and Amelie Christman's work

Hanging the show: Isabel Lanaux, Miranda Matherne and Daisy McNairy's work

Hanging the show: Photograms by Daisy McNairy

Hanging the show: photograms, cyanotypes and pinhole photographs

Photograms by Elizabeth Kukla

Opening Reception: Miranda Matherne with guest

A Quote from Emese Benko

2011-03-31T10:09:00.002-05:00

"Whenever you take a picture, you make a statement - not only about what you see but also about yourself. You are what you see."
- Emese Benko

Final Project Guidelines & Timeline

2011-03-28T10:58:00.003-05:00

Assignment: Final Project

Final Project – DUE APRIL 29, 2011

The final project is your chance to explore one topic in depth.

This project will result in six exhibition quality prints, which we will mat and hang in the Student Center for the photo show on April 19th.

The theme you choose to investigate is entirely up to you. I suggest you pick a subject that you are interested in and really want to visually explore, as the passion will come through in the work.

Your image selection should be a well-considered series - a thoughtful edit that that tells the story or evokes the theme. The final photographs should all work together and inform each other; be clearly related yet not too similar. Of course, I will expect to see technical competence in the exposures and prints, as this assignment represents the culmination of everything you’ve learned this year.

If you choose to shoot something new for this final assignment I would suggest you take at least three rolls of film on your chosen subject. More film = more choices in the editing process = stronger final outcome.

If you choose instead to cull from existing images you’ve already shot throughout this year I expect them to be intelligently edited with a unifying theme. Please note that I am not offering this option as a short cut!!

You may also choose to elaborate on an earlier assignment that you wanted to further explore by shooting more images in that vein, then choosing your six final images from both old and new negatives.

If you’d like to go back to some of the alternative processes we started the year with you may, but again, whichever techniques you choose to employ, the finished project must read as a coherent series and exhibit a unifying theme.

Your project and prints should be well under way BEFORE spring break, (Apr 15) as the week we return we will need to mat them in class in preparation to hang on May 2.

Once the prints are done, I will expect you to write an artists statement explaining your work. (The initial proposals you craft should give you a good start to this end.)

Recap:
Six top quality matted prints + a supporting artist statement will be due on Friday, April 29. This is THE final deadline and no excuses will be accepted.

+++++++++

Project Proposal - DUE NEXT CLASS (March 30 or 31)

Write two paragraphs about what you want to explore with your final photography project and why. Please discuss the project in both technical and conceptual terms – the ideas you hope to explore/ convey and the techniques and approach that you will use to achieve that goal.

Proposals will be due at our next class meeting, and we will sit down for individual consultations regarding your chosen theme and approach.

Here are some questions to consider in thinking about your proposal:

Why are you drawn to your chosen subject?
What perspective will you be approaching it from?
Are there any photographers you plan to look at for inspiration?
Any special lighting or framing techniques you’ll be utilizing?
Any toning or printing techniques that you plan to use when finishing the prints?

I will be happy to review proposals by email before the class meeting, to give extra time and thought to my recommendations to you. - jen@jennifershaw.net

++++++++++++++

Project Timeline

Proposals due/ consultations – Mar 30 + 31
Studio Days to work on prints –
Section 1 – Apr 4, 8 & 13
Section 2 – Apr 5, 11 & Apr 14
Spring Break – April 16-24
Prints Completed – April 14 or15
Matting Demo – April 27 or 28
6 Matted Prints & Statement Due – Friday, April 29
Hang Show – Monday, May 2, 1st Period
Reception – Monday May 2, 5-7pm (tentative)

As you can see from this timeline this will require you to put in darkroom time outside of class meetings in order to meet the deadlines. I know this is a busy time for you so please plan ahead in order to complete a project you will be proud of. It will be almost impossible to execute if you procrastinate and put everything off till the last minute.

Questions? Please email me at jen@jennifershaw.net

Photo Essay Slideshows: Links for Inspiration

2011-03-28T10:24:00.000-05:00

Media Storm:
Undesired
Airsick
Finding The Way Home

Slideluck Potshow:
Tony Greaves' "Radical Love"
Alec Soth's "Niagra"

New York Times:
A New Wave of Protests in Tunisia
Middle-Aged Campers, Rock n’ Roll Dreams

A Quote from Irving Penn

2011-03-28T09:30:00.000-05:00

A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective.
- Irving Penn

Kyle Herrity: Where The Sidewalk Ends

2011-03-18T09:27:00.002-05:00

This is Kyle Herrity's interpretation of Shel Silverstein's classic poem, "Where The Sidewalk Ends". It is a student project - probably for an assignment much like ours - that I came across on YouTube.

Dwayne Morgan: The Sum of Her Parts

2011-03-18T09:18:00.001-05:00

This slide show was created by Canadian poet Dwayne Morgan, using his own photographs, which were inspired by one of his most popular poems. Please note the use of music in this work.

Animated Videos from The Poetry Foundation

2011-03-18T08:55:00.009-05:00

Poetry Everywhere

These animated poems, created by student filmmakers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's docUWM media center, use the authors' voices with a variety of visual illustrations.

The Catch
BY A.E. Stallings

Shiver & You Have Weather
BY Matthea Harvey

Hedgehog
BY Paul Muldoon

Please note the use of text in each of these works. These are only three examples but there are many others to look at on their website. plus a wealth of video footage of poets reading.

Stanley Greene: Black Passport Book Trailer

2011-03-18T08:47:00.003-05:00

This is a trailer that was created to to promote documentary photographer Stanley Greene's photo book: Black Passport.

Helen Kohnke: Cut

2011-02-17T10:05:00.005-06:00

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Helen Kohnke created this project in spring 2010, inspired by the Sylvia Plath poem, "Cut." See a larger version of the slide show here.

Irving Penn: Archaelogy

2011-01-11T09:52:00.004-06:00

Edifice

Construction Leftover

Truck Part

Collapse

Bones

20 Metal Pieces

You can read about Irving Penn's life (1917-2009) and career, and see a portfolio of more of his influential images here.

Eggs!

2011-01-11T06:20:00.009-06:00

For your enjoyment and inspiration...

Ion Zupcu: February 22, 2003

Helen Konkhe

Emeila Jane: Tomorrow's Hope

Sas/Daily Colours: Eggs II

Jerry Uelsmann: Journey Into Night, 2006

Alicia Bock

Jessica Somers: Motherhood

Laura Calfee: Two Blue Goose Eggs


Charles Grogg: Cracked

John Cage's Rules for Teachers and Students

2010-11-11T13:54:00.002-06:00

john cage:

some rules for students and teachers

RULE ONE: Find a place you trust, and then try trusting it for awhile.

RULE TWO: General duties of a student - pull everything out of your teacher; pull everything out of your fellow students.

RULE THREE: General duties of a teacher - pull everything out of your students.

RULE FOUR: Consider everything an experiment.

RULE FIVE: be self-disciplined - this means finding someone wise or smart and choosing to follow them. To be disciplined is to follow in a good way. To be self-disciplined is to follow in a better way.

RULE SIX: Nothing is a mistake. There's no win and no fail, there's only make.

RULE SEVEN: The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It's the people who do all of the work all of the time who eventually catch on to things.

RULE EIGHT: Don't try to create and analyze at the same time. They're different processes.

RULE NINE: Be happy whenever you can manage it. Enjoy yourself. It's lighter than you think.

RULE TEN: "We're breaking all the rules. Even our own rules. And how do we do that? By leaving plenty of room for X quantities." (John Cage)

HINTS: Always be around. Come or go to everything. Always go to classes. Read anything you can get your hands on. Look at movies carefully, often. Save everything - it might come in handy later.

Furture in Flux for Photography Careers

2010-05-25T22:39:00.000-05:00

"For Photographers, the Image of a Shrinking Path" - a mildly depressing article from the New York Times about the state of flux that professional photography is currently in:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/business/media/30photogs.html

Final Exhibition 2010

2010-05-05T21:43:00.000-05:00

Photo Exhibition: Thursday April 22

2010-04-21T09:33:00.002-05:00

Please join us for the artists reception for the 2010 McGehee Photo Exhibition.
Featuring final projects, photo essays and cyanotypes by: Helen Kohnke, Courtney Kotler, Dominique LeJeune, Eugenie McLellan, Sarah Miller, Allison Slatten and Mary-Margaret Wilbert.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

5:00 - 7:00pm
McGehee's Student Center

Louise S. McGehee School
2343 Prytania Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-561-1224

Self Portrait: Helen Kohnke

2010-04-21T09:26:00.028-05:00

Self Portrait: Mary-Margaret Wilbert

2010-04-20T11:27:00.007-05:00

Self Portrait: Dominique LeJeune

2010-04-20T11:20:00.003-05:00

Self Portrait: Allison Slatten

2010-04-20T11:15:00.001-05:00

Self Portrait: Sarah Miller

2010-04-20T11:12:00.000-05:00

Self Portrait: Eugenie McLellan

2010-04-20T10:59:00.004-05:00

Still Life: Dominique LeJeune

2010-04-20T10:42:00.002-05:00

Still Life: Mary Margaret Wilbert

2010-03-29T09:26:00.008-05:00

Still Life with Lobster and Fruit, 1650s
Abraham van Beyeren (Dutch, 1620/21–1690)

Still Life: Courtney Kotler

2010-03-29T09:26:00.006-05:00

Still Life: Sarah Miller

2010-03-16T14:07:00.002-05:00

Still Life: Allison Slatten

2010-03-16T14:07:00.001-05:00

Still Life: Eugenie McLellan

2010-03-16T14:07:00.000-05:00

Poetry: Helen Kohnke

2010-03-16T14:04:00.007-05:00

Cut
by Sylvia Plath

What a thrill ----
My thumb instead of an onion.
The top quite gone
Except for a sort of hinge

Of skin,
A flap like a hat,
Dead white.
Then that red plush.

Little pilgrim,
The Indian's axed your scalp.
Your turkey wattle
Carpet rolls

Straight from the heart.
I step on it,
Clutching my bottle
Of pink fizz. A celebration, this is.
Out of a gap
A million soldiers run,
Redcoats, every one.

Whose side are they one?
O my
Homunculus, I am ill.
I have taken a pill to kill

The thin
Papery feeling.
Saboteur,
Kamikaze man ----

The stain on your
Gauze Ku Klux Klan
Babushka
Darkens and tarnishes and when
The balled
Pulp of your heart
Confronts its small
Mill of silence

How you jump ----
Trepanned veteran,
Dirty girl,
Thumb stump.

Poetry: Eugenie McLellan

2010-03-16T14:03:00.005-05:00

The Humming-bird

by Emily Dickinson

A Route of Evanescence
With a revolving Wheel --
A Resonance of Emerald --
A Rush of Cochineal --
And every Blossom on the Bush
Adjusts its tumbled Head --
The mail from Tunis, probably,
An easy Morning's Ride --

Poetry: Dominique LeJeune

2010-03-16T14:03:00.000-05:00

Poetry: Allison Slatten

2010-03-16T13:59:00.002-05:00

I cannot dance upon my Toes
by Emily Dickinson

I cannot dance upon my Toes --
No Man instructed me --
But oftentimes, among my mind,
A Glee possesseth me,

That had I Ballet knowledge --
Would put itself abroad
In Pirouette to blanch a Troupe --
Or lay a Prima, mad,

And though I had no Gown of Gauze --
No Ringlet, to my Hair,
Nor hopped to Audiences -- like Birds,
One Claw upon the Air,

Nor tossed my shape in Eider Balls,
Nor rolled on wheels of snow
Till I was out of sight, in sound,
The House encore me so --

Nor any know I know the Art
I mention -- easy -- Here --
Nor any Placard boast me --
It's full as Opera --

Poetry: Courtney Kotler

2010-03-16T12:54:00.005-05:00

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Poetry: Sarah Miller

2010-03-15T09:13:00.002-05:00

Once I Pass'd Through a Populous City
by Walt Whitman

Once I pass'd through a populous city imprinting my brain for future
use with its shows, architecture, customs, traditions,
Yet now of all that city I remember only a woman I casually met
there who detain'd me for love of me,
Day by day and night by night we were together--all else has long
been forgotten by me,
I remember I say only that woman who passionately clung to me,
Again we wander, we love, we separate again,
Again she holds me by the hand, I must not go,
I see her close beside me with silent lips sad and tremulous.

Poetry: Mary Margaret Wilbert

2010-03-10T10:23:00.001-06:00

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Dreams in Chalk by Laura Burlton

2010-02-25T22:25:00.004-06:00

Bunny, Laura Burlton

Texas photographer Laura Burlton will be showing her evocative new series "Dreams in Chalk" during FotoFest in Houston this spring. See more images and read about her project on Lenscratch.

As if that weren't worth the trip in itself, the exhibition is an exceptional pairing with fellow plastic camera maestro, Warren Harold, who will showcase images of his son from his "Alternating Weekends" portfolio.

Each artist brings a unique voice to the photographic examination of their immediate families, with compelling portraits that push beyond documentation to enter the realm of myth and memory.

Weekends, Dreams and Other Plastic Memories
Toy Camera Photography by Laura Burlton and Warren Harold

March 19 - April 11, 2010
The Havens Center
1827 W. Alabama

Houston, TX

The Ride Home, Warren Harold

Danny Lyon's Bikeriders at Southeast Museum of Photography

2010-02-25T15:47:00.000-06:00

The Southeast Museum of Photography in Florida is about to open an exhibition of Danny Lyon's groundbreaking series from the 1960's,"Bikeriders". If anyone is interested in a road trip to Daytona, here are some driving directions. Or, you could take a much shorter trip to The Darkroom, to page through the wonderful monograph instead. I highly recommend it!

"Shift" Exhibition at Loyola

2010-02-10T19:44:00.004-06:00

Eugenie McLellan, Self Portrait 2009

Eugenie McLellan and Helen Kohnke both have work on display in Shift. The curated invitational exhibition features work by local high school seniors. It is on view at Loyola's Danna Center, a gallery located in the basement of the Student Union, right in the middle of campus. The show will be up through February 22, 2010.

Congratulations to Helen, who's toned silver gelatin photograph was recognized as "Outstanding," earning her one of four cash awards!

Helen Kohnke, Grace 2009

Photo Essay: Jessica Dimmock/ The Ninth Floor

2010-02-10T19:14:00.003-06:00

Jessica Dimmock's Joey and the wall of his bedroom, 2005

In 2004, anywhere from 20 to 30 young addicts lived on the ninth floor of an elegant narrow building overlooking Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The squatters had turned the sprawling apartment into a dark, desperate and chaotic place.

People hustled, scored, shot and smoked wherever they could. Friends conned each other for their next hit. They slept on piles of clothes on the floor. The power was shut off; the bathroom unusable; the kitchen filled with garbage. Anything of value was sold off.

For nearly three years, Jessica Dimmock followed this crew documenting what happened to them after eviction, how they fought to get clean, sank deeper into addiction, went to jail, started families and struggled to survive.

See the 43 images from the series here: http://www.jessicadimmockphotography.com/projects/the-ninth-floor/

See a multi-media slideshow presentation of the project here:
http://www.mediastorm.org/0021.htm

A Quote to Ponder

2010-02-10T14:48:00.001-06:00

Of what use are lens and light to those who lack in mind and sight?

-Anonymous

Assignment: Photo Essay

2010-02-10T11:34:00.004-06:00

Choose a theme or story to cover, and shoot 3 rolls of film documenting that subject.

Trolley - New Orleans, 1955 by Robert Frank, from his landmark project, "The Americans"

The idea behind this extended film assignment is to create a photo essay, wherein a series of images is used to convey a story. A photo essay is a set or series of photographs that are intended to tell a story or evoke a series of emotions in the viewer. Photo essays range from purely photographic works to photographs with captions to full text essays with a few or many accompanying photographs. Photo essays often address a certain issue or attempt to capture the character of places and events.

You might want to focus on Mardi Gras, or narrow in on a more specific event or aspect of Mardi Gras (ie: a ball, parades, marching bands, a family gathering, costumes, etc). Or you might choose to document something else entirely – a community you know or are interested in knowing about, a political or social issue you care about, a day in the life of a family member, etc... I suggest you pick a subject that holds special interest to you. Be certain it is one that you will be able to complete during our week of vacation.

It would be helpful to study the works of some of the great photojournalists as you think about how you want to approach this assignment. People who have created powerful photo essays include Robert Frank, Bruce Davidson, W. Eugene Smith, Walker Evans. Mary Ellen Mark, Sebastio Salgado, Lauren Greenfield and Dorthea Lange. Contemporary photographer Lance Rosenfield has excellent documentary work on Texas rodeo titled "Thirst for Grit" here.

Assignment Timeline

Feb 11 & 12 - Choose Subject. Submit one paragraph proposal describing your project by Feb 12.

Feb 11 – 21 - Shoot 3 rolls of film

Feb 22 – Exposed film is due by 11:30 am. Your 3 finished rolls are due on our return from carnival break. Please leave exposed rolls of film - clearly marked with your names - on my desk on the morning of MONDAY Feb 22. I will pick them up at 11:30 am, and will get the film processed and proofed at Walgreens before our next class.

Feb 24 & 25 - Look over the proofs and begin the editing process, aiming to select 12 – 20 images to tell your story.

March 1 & 2 - Work on sequencing and display together, and start a caption list.

You will need to finalize your captions, title page and introductory text and the bring printed pages (on card stock!) to our next class.

March 5 & 8 - complete the photo essay projects by assembling booklets in class.

Eric Bookhardt Reviews REVIVAL for Gambit Weekly

2010-02-10T10:24:00.004-06:00

Congratulations to the talented McGehee photo students whose work garnered a mention in this review of the REVIVAL exhibition at Homespace Gallery during PhotoNOLA.
http://www.insidenola.org/2010/01/revival-at-homespace-mendes-at-hnoc.html

Image: "Fantasma" by junior Sarah Miller

Inspired by Painting: Joel Peter Witkin

2010-01-19T16:16:00.000-06:00

Joel-Peter Witkin (born 1939) is an American photographer who lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His work explores spirituality, mortality and the grotesque. Witkin's carefully staged photographs sometimes employ corpses (or portions thereof), and various "outsiders" including dwarfs, hermaphrodites and physically deformed people. Witkin's complex tableaux often recall religious episodes or famous classical paintings. Here are a few images which reference classical still lifes.

Witkin's photographic techniques draw on early Daguerreotypes and the work of New Orleans photographer E.J. Bellocq. They include scratching the negatives and bleaching or toning the prints.

Some of his images featuring corpses had to be created in Mexico in order to get around restrictive US laws. Because of the transgressive nature of the contents of his pictures his works and are often controversial and are considered by some to be exploitative.

Read more about the artist and his work here.

Assignment: PAINTING AS MUSE: THE STILL LIFE

2010-01-19T10:06:00.000-06:00

Artists often draw inspiration from earlier works of art. In preparation for your next assignment, the Still Life, I would like you research still life paintings and the allegorical meanings of fruits and flowers. Please bring a print of one still life painting you find compelling to our next class meeting, and be prepared to discuss it both formally and symbolically.

An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life, by Harmen Steenwyck (1612-1656)
Read a formal analysis of the painting here.

Assignment: POETRY AS MUSE

2010-01-19T09:30:00.001-06:00

Throughout history artists have drawn from literature for inspiration. Find a poem that moves you and shoot one roll of film inspired by it's language and meaning. You can choose to illustrate some of it's visual references, or create an image that evokes the overall content or sentiment of the poem.

Please bring the poem to our next class for discussion.
Exposed film will be due Jan 12 & 13.

We will process film then, and make contact sheets at our next class meeting.

The end goal for this assignment will be at least one print, though narrative interpretations using a series of images are also welcome. It is up to each of you to decide the best way to visually interpret your chosen poem.

Examples of photographs insired by poems and literature can be found here.

REVIVAL at Homespace Gallery

2010-01-12T13:42:00.002-06:00

Photographs in bottles by Kevin Kline

Read about the exhibition on the PhotoNOLA site here.

Pinholes Cameras!

2010-01-12T13:40:00.000-06:00

These are images of the pinhole cameras created by Helen Kohnke (film canisters) and Sarah Miller (cardboard box).

PhotoNOLA Weekend 1 Highlights

2009-12-04T11:38:00.000-06:00

Please take part in the first fabulous weekend of PhotoNOLA!

Friday Events
Jackson Hill Opening at Southern Food & Beverage Museum 5-7pm

Slideluck Potshow at Trumpet, 2803 St. Phillip St., 7-11pm
(Bring food or beverage to share and chairs or blankets to sit on. Live music & potluck dinner start at 7, followed by slideshow at 8:30.)

Saturday Events
Curator's Talk with Richard McCabe 1pm, Homespace Gallery
Wet Plate Demo w/ Bruce Schultz 2-4pm, Homespace Gallery

Book Signings, NOPA Gallery & The Darkroom, 4-6pm
Photography openings all over the place, 6-9pm

PhotoNOLA Kickoff Party with D.J. Brice Nice, The Big Top 9pm-12am

Sunday Events
Linda Troeller Lecture 1pm, NOPA Gallery

Casey Kelbaugh Lecture 2pm, NOPA Gallery

Artists Talk w/ Shannon Brinkman, Bryce Lankard and Jonathan Traviesa, 5:30pm, The Big Top

Please see PhotoNOLA site links for addresses, maps & more information.

Student Work: Eugenie McLellan

2009-11-29T23:54:00.000-06:00

Student Work: Mary-Margaret Wilbert

2009-11-29T23:26:00.000-06:00

Student Work: Helen Kohnke

2009-11-29T23:22:00.000-06:00

Student Work: Courtney Kotler

2009-11-29T23:13:00.002-06:00

Student Work: Dominique LeJeune

2009-11-29T23:10:00.000-06:00

Assignment: SELF PORTRAITS

2009-11-29T22:19:00.018-06:00

1 roll minimum

The objective of the self-portrait is to reveal something about yourself, to share aspects of your personality with viewers and define and communicate something about yourself through the photographic image. Self-portraits can be funny, sad, angst ridden, beautiful, scary and more, but they are most compelling when they are honest.

There are several approaches you can take to this assignment. If your camera has a self-timer function you can set the camera on a tripod or stationary surface such as a table top, focus on the spot where you plan to be, then hit the exposure button and jump into place. If your camera does not have a self-timer you can ask a friend to help by shooting the images under your direction. You can also work with reflective surfaces and shadows, or items that are significant representations of your “self.”

Examples posted here are by Diane Arbus, Jen Davis, Arnold Newman, Richard Avedon, S.Gayle Stevens and Kevin Brannaman.

Assignment: PORTRAITS

2009-11-19T09:41:00.019-06:00

1 roll minimum

The objective of the portrait is to tell viewers something about the subject, to capture aspects of that person’s personality in your photograph. There are several approaches you can take, from environmental portraiture, where surroundings are included, to studio portraiture, where the subject is posed in front of a simple backdrop to focus attention on the person alone, with or without the use of artificial light. You can also use more than one person as the subject – sometime portraits capture relationships between two or more people are very compelling.

Pay attention to lighting and composition as always, but also pay close attention to your subject’s body language and facial expressions. If you want a more controlled approach you can direct the shoot, telling your subject(s) how to pose. If you prefer a more documentary approach you can wait for the moment to reveal itself to you and be ready to snap when you see what you’re after from behind the viewfinder.

Here are a few examples for inspiration.

Herb Ritts

Marilyn Monroe by Arnold Newman

Richard Avedon

David Halliday

Diane Arbus

PhotoNOLA 2009

2009-10-26T10:16:00.000-05:00

There will be many great photo-related offerings here in December, and the large majority are free to attend.
PhotoNOLA is an annual celebration of photography in New Orleans, coordinated by the New Orleans Photo Alliance in partnership with galleries, museums and photographers citywide. December 2009 marks the fourth annual festival. Scheduled events will take place from Dec 1-13, with broad ranging photography exhibitions on display throughout the month of December. Please check out www.photonola.org and choose a few events/ exhibitions/ lectures to take in.

In the coming weeks I will highlight and post a few here that I think would be fun and relevant for you all.

Making Your Own Pinhole Camera

2009-09-29T20:48:00.005-05:00

This illustrated online tutorial is a great place to start for direction, instruction and inspiration: http://www.alternativephotography.com/articles/art091.html

And there is another sweet and simple version from Kodak available here.

Pinhole Artist: Christopher Bucklow

2009-09-29T15:31:00.017-05:00

Christopher Bucklow is best known for his Guest series. It establishes a cast of characters drawn from his circle of acquaintances. Unlike conventional photography, each image is unique and unrepeatable. The process Bucklow uses creates an unusually intense quality of light, and the images are formed using sunlight with a technique similar to the pinhole photography developed in the late nineteenth century.

He begins by making a life-sized silhouette drawing from the sitter's shadow on a sheet of aluminium foil, which is then penetrated with thousands of pinholes within the outline of the shape. These pinholes act as the camera's lenses. Using a large homemade camera, he then places the foil on top and loads colour photographic paper at the back. Sunlight is then allowed to shine through, recording many images of the sun and sky simultaneously, thus forming the shape of the figure on the paper behind. Bucklow achieves variation in the different works depending on the intensity of the sunlight, the time of day, and the duration the pinholes are exposed to the light.
This work was begun in the 1990s, beginning with the series The Beauty of the World which is made up of images using the same technique, but including different patterns and designs instead of silhouettes of people. These works are ongoing, along with the series Tetrarchs made using the same photographic process. More of these works can be seen on Bucklow's website- http://www.chrisbucklow.com/guests.html.

Pinhole Artist: Walter Crump

2009-09-29T13:53:00.008-05:00

Excerpts from an Interview with Walter Crump by Fern Nesson
(read entire article here)

...one day, all my photography equipment was stolen from my car. Since I knew I would not get my cameras back right away, I decided to make pinhole cameras.(which may have caused Ansel to turnover in his grave). At first, I used large cylinders which I cut in half, These were cardboard Sona tubes, that they use to make cement pillars. This appealed to my basic male- kid-thing of model airplane making. I liked constructing the cameras in a very sort of low-tech way, without any drawings or plans though sometimes I stuck on little shaky eyes and crusted paint and things like that.

The early cameras were very basic, a cylinder with a cap on it, taped together either with masking tape or silver aluminum tape. They were a kind of aesthetic trash. I didn't think too much about how they looked merely how they worked. I put a handle on them so I could carry them. When people saw them, they didn’t know what to make of them.
I remember once, I was carrying a bunch of cameras around. And some guys who were just starting on the Big Dig walked by. "What are those? The plans for the Big Dig?" I said, "No." I said, "They're pinhole cameras." And one guy said, "I remember making one in high school, in physics class." And we had this wonderful conversation about pinhole cameras. This kind of underground experience in art, often prompts really interesting connections on the street.

And after a while, I began to find a kind of a pinhole camera that worked for me. Recently I have been treating pinhole cameras as assemblages, collaging on fragments of old photographs, kitschy ribbons and almost anything else I can find...

The tradition and concept of the camera obscura or pinhole camera dates back to China 5,000 years ago. A Chinese philosopher/writer/poet had a room that had a hole in it, and no windows. One day he saw the city projected upside down on the opposite wall and was dumbfounded. And so he wrote these wonderful, probing kind of poetic reminiscences about how this happened, and a kind of scientific treatise about what happens with the light. Later on another Chinese philosopher picked up on this, and did some experiments
with it.

From then on the camera obscura concept winds through art history. Da Vinci talks about it a bit. In the Renaissance, pinholes were used by artists, to organize three-dimensional imagery onto a two-dimensional surface.

In a traditional camera, the lens converges light to a very minute point on the film plane and only that point is in focus. And as you move further out from the film plane, backwards and forwards, that point becomes more of a circle of light than it does a point and the focus blurs. This is how we get depth of field. It is the way our eyes work, as well although we’re not aware that we're looking at most of the world out of focus because our brains put everything back in focus. But if I stare at one thing, peripherally everything will be soft and out-of-focus.

A pinhole camera works differently. The image it creates is in focus from very, very close up to very, very distant (infinity). The trade off is that a pinhole image is softer than that of a lens camera. A pinhole sends a little cylinder or a wire of light through a pinhole. It doesn't converge at all and doesn't reach the point of focus of refinement that a lens does. A very small cylinder of light touches the film plane which gives a softer image than a traditional camera . The pinhole is made by using a needle to drill a hole through a piece of very fine brass or aluminum. And you can get different sized needles, or have different sized pinholes, depending on the distance of your pinhole to the film plane.

Another pinhole quality is that it compresses time. Using a traditional camera, the shot is instantaneous and you catch just a minute slice of life. Exposures from a pinhole camera occur over time, it is a film on a two dimensional surface so that it melds concepts we often separate into one category or another.

To me, Pinhole is attractive because it is intuitive, beyond the mathematics and physics of lens-making. Some pinhole photographers love the science of pinhole, they seek to get the exact quality of a lens camera, but I am impressionistic.

If I make a small camera, I use a small needle. If I make a big camera, I use a bigger needle. I like experimenting, and not knowing quite how it will come out?
Everything I do is a controlled accident. I don't want to be in perfect control. I am an artist not a scientist. I find adventure in the discovery that happens along the way. The art is allowing for accidents and making use of them.

I'm always looking at things that don't quite work wondering how to make use of them. It’s like John Cage who said that “If he heard something that didn’t sound beautiful, he’d wait a while listen to it again, and it would sound beautiful."
I question the idea of right and wrong in art. I'm not against all traditions that can be kind of a dogma in itself. But I think when one is open-ended, seeking the unexpected, it's not a mistake; it's a door to something new.

This is why I love pinhole. First of all, you don't have a viewfinder. You don't have a light meter. You have nothing that tells you what's happening. And when you use a cylinder you don't know exactly what needle size to use, because some of the negative is really close to the pinhole and part of it is far away. The light comes in through a little hole into the tube and it exposes differentially around the cylinder.
This doesn’t happen with a regular camera, because it has to have a film plane to focus on. A pinhole is in focus all along the line. Something can be close on the film plane, and something else could be far away, but you'd get pretty much the same exposure time, same focus.

Another esoteric thing about a pinhole cylinder (camera) is that when the light goes through the pinhole (lens), it hits the back pretty much as a circle. As it moves around to the side, that circle becomes an ellipse. So you get imagery that is warped and bent. A pinhole changes imagery into something unexpected. It mythologizes an image or puts it in another realm. When you look at it there's a familiarity to it, but also a newness, or unexpected quality.

See more of Walter's images here.
See more of Walter's handmade pinhole cameras here.

Cyanotypes in Action: Sarah Miller

2009-09-29T13:51:00.000-05:00

Sarah Miller creates a cyanotype diptych using her hands, September 2009.

The first step is exposing the fabric to 10 minutes of sunshine.

Then we bring the exposed fabric back inside to develop the images.

To develop the fabric is rinsed under running water for 2-3 minutes. Areas exposed to the sun turn a deep rich blue (cyan), while unexposed areas rinse out to white.

Once the water runs clear we hang the work up to dry.

Cyanotypes in Action: Helen Kohnke

2009-09-28T12:53:00.009-05:00

2009 Photography Exhibiton

2009-04-29T21:34:00.005-05:00

Please join us to celebrate the work of the 2008-09 photo classes. McGehee will host a reception on Tuesday, May 5, from 5-7pm.

Final projects, plus selections from earlier assignments - including cyanotypes, photograms, and photo essays - will be on display in the Student Center from April 27 - May 7, 2009.

Featured artists are:
Chloe Hubbard
Kelsey Zeitzer
Mary-Margaret Wilbert
Dominique LeJeune
Megan Kendrick
Olivia Joseph
Eugenie McLellan
Alexandra Drumm
Helen Kohnke
Carly Diecidue
Anne Kock

Toning

2009-04-29T21:03:00.001-05:00

In photography, toning is a photographic process carried out on silver-based black-and-white photographic prints to change their color.

Most toners work by replacing the metallic silver in the emulsion with a silver compound, such as silver sulfide (Ag2S) in the case of sepia toning. The compound may be more stable than metallic silver and may also have a different color or tone. Different toning processes give different colors to the final print. In some cases, the printer may choose to tone some parts of a print more than others, an effect that is called split toning.

Toner also can increase the tonality of a print. This increases the range of lights to darks without reducing contrast. Selenium toning is especially strong in this regard, deepening the shadows. Sepia toner tends to pop the highlights.

Some toning processes can improve the chemical stability of the print and allow it to last longer. Other toning processes can make the print less stable. Many early prints that exist today were toned with sepia toner.

We will explore, sepia, blue and copper toning.

Please come to our next class with several prints that are ready to tone.

Still Life: Olivia

2009-04-28T09:42:00.003-05:00

Still Life: Mary Margaret

2009-04-20T14:58:00.002-05:00

Still Life: Megan

2009-04-20T12:42:00.001-05:00

Still Life: Lexie

2009-04-20T12:33:00.002-05:00

Still Life: Eugenie

2009-03-22T23:03:00.004-05:00

Still Life: Dominique

2009-03-22T22:43:00.001-05:00

Still Life: Carly

2009-03-22T22:19:00.003-05:00

Still Life: Helen

2009-03-22T22:10:00.003-05:00

Still Life: Anne

2009-03-22T22:00:00.002-05:00

Still Life: Kelsey

2009-03-22T21:57:00.002-05:00

Assignment: Final Project

2009-03-19T12:41:00.001-05:00

Final Project – DUE APRIL 24

The final project is your chance to explore one topic in depth.

This project will result in six exhibition quality prints, which we will mat and hang in the Student Center for the photo show on April 27th.

The theme you choose to investigate is entirely up to you. I suggest you pick a subject that you are interested in and really want to visually explore, as the passion will come through in the work.

Your image selection should be a well-considered series - a thoughtful edit that that tells the story or evokes the theme. The final photographs should all work together and inform each other; be clearly related yet not too similar. Of course, I will expect to see technical competence in the exposures and prints, as this assignment represents the culmination of everything you’ve learned this year.

If you choose to shoot something new for this final assignment I would suggest you take at least three rolls of film on your chosen subject. More film = more choices in the editing process = stronger final outcome.

If you choose instead to cull from existing images you’ve already shot throughout this year I expect them to be intelligently edited with a unifying theme. Please note that I am not offering this option as a short cut!!

You may also choose to elaborate on an earlier assignment that you wanted to further explore by shooting more images in that vein, then choosing your six final images from both old and new negatives.

If you’d like to go back to some of the alternative processes we started the year with you may, but again, whichever techniques you choose to employ, the finished project must read as a coherent series and exhibit a unifying theme.

Your project and prints should be well under way BEFORE spring break, (Apr 9) as the week we return we will need to mat them in class in preparation to hang on the 27th.

Once the prints are done, I will expect you to write an artists statements explaining your work. (The initial proposals you craft should give you a good start to this end.)

Recap: 6 top quality matted prints + a supporting artist statement will be due on Friday, April 24. This is THE final deadline and no excuses will be accepted.

Project Proposal - DUE NEXT CLASS

Write two paragraphs about what you want to explore with your final photography project and why. Please discuss the project in both technical and conceptual terms – the ideas you hope to explore/ convey and the techniques and approach that you will use to achieve that goal.

Proposals will be due at our next class meeting, and we will sit down for individual consultations regarding your chosen theme and approach.

Here are some questions to consider in thinking about your proposal:

Why are you drawn to your chosen subject?

What perspective will you be approaching it from?

Are there any photographers you plan to look at for inspiration?

Any special lighting or framing techniques you’ll be utilizing?

Any toning or printing techniques that you plan to use when finishing the prints?

I will be happy to review proposals by email before the class meeting, to give extra time and thought to my recommendations to you. - jen@jennifershaw.net

Project Timeline

Proposals due/ consultations – Mar 23 + 24
Film & Contacts due – April 1+ 3
Toning Demo – April 6 + 9
Spring Break – April 10-19
Prints Completed – April 21
Matting Demo – April 22 + 23
6 Matted Prints & Statement Due – April 24
Hang Show – April 27, AM

As you can see from this timeline this will require you to put in darkroom time outside of class meetings in order to meet the deadlines. I know this is a busy time for you so please plan ahead in order to complete a project you will be proud of. It will be almost impossible to execute if you procrastinate and put everything off till the last minute.

A Quote for Rumination

2009-03-18T09:32:00.001-05:00

What use is having a great depth of field, if there is not an adequate depth of feeling?

- W. Eugene Smith

Form

2009-02-20T15:55:00.006-06:00

Eugenie McLellan
Olivia Joseph
Olivia Joseph
Eugenie McLellan
Megan Kendrick
Dominique LeJeune
Lexie Drumm
Dominique LeJeune
Anne Kock
Carly Decidue

Mary Ellen Mark: Streetwise

2009-02-18T13:39:00.007-06:00

In the early 80's Mary Ellen Mark spent time with a community of street kids in Seattle, resulting in a book of her photographs and a documentary film, directed by her husband Martin Bell, both titled Streetwise. Here are a selection of images from the book, with the text that goes with them. You can see all the images from that series here.

Tiny, Halloween, 1983

"When we'd get real low on money, I'd take Mike's .45, because I'd sold my .38, and I'd go roll a queer." RAT

"There's this abandoned hotel...

Tiny, Seattle, 1983

Pike Street Area

Assignment: PHOTO ESSAY

2009-02-18T12:53:00.004-06:00

Assignment: Photo Essay

Choose a theme or story to cover, and spend 3 rolls of film documenting that subject.
The idea behind this extended film assignment is to create a photo essay, wherein a series of images is used to convey a story. A photo essay is a set or series of photographs that are intended to tell a story or evoke a series of emotions in the viewer. Photo essays range from purely photographic works to photographs with captions to full text essays with a few or many accompanying photographs. Photo essays often address a certain issue or attempt to capture the character of places and events.

You might want to focus on Mardi Gras, or narrow in on a more specific event or aspect of Mardi Gras (ie: a ball, parades, marching bands, a family gathering, costumes, etc). Or you might choose to document something else entirely – a community you know or are interested in knowing about, a political or social issue you care about, a day in the life of a family member, etc... I suggest you pick a subject that holds special interest to you. Be certain it is one that you will be able to complete during our week of vacation.

It would be helpful to study the works of some of the great photojournalists as you think about how you want to approach this assignment. People who have created powerful photo essays include Robert Frank, Bruce Davidson, W. Eugene Smith, Walker Evans. Mary Ellen Mark, Sebastio Salgado, Lauren Greenfield and Dorthea Lange. Contemporary Texas photographer Lance Rosenfield has an excellent photo essay on rodeo here.

Assignment Timeline

Choose Subject (Feb 19 & 20)

Shoot 3 rolls of film (Between Feb 19 – Mar 2)

Your 3 finished rolls are due on our return from break. (March 3 & 4)

We will process the film in class. (March 3 & 4)

You will be responsible for making contact sheets by Fri., March 6.

On March 9 & 10 we will edit the contacts together to select 12 images to tell your story.

I will then get 4x6 proofs made of the images.

On March 12 & 13 we will work on sequencing and display together, and complete the projects in class.

“Finding the right subject is the hardest part.” - Mary Ellen Mark

“Pick a theme and work it to exhaustion...the subject must be something you truly love or truly hate.” - Dorothea Lange

Assignment: DEPTH OF FIELD

2009-02-05T09:55:00.004-06:00

Hiroshi Watanbe

Depth of field (DOF) is the amount of distance between the nearest and farthest objects that appear in sharp focus in a photograph.

In simpler terms, we define depth of field as the zone of sharpest focus in front of, behind, and around the subject on which the lens is focused

Three factors have a direct relationship with depth of field:
1) the Aperture (f-stop),
2) the focal length of the lens in use, and
3) the distance from the subject.

A bigger lens opening (aperture, such as f/2.8, f/2, f/1.4 etc., will yield a narrower depth of field - meaning the band of sharpest focus is limited, so elements in front and behind the area of focus will appear soft. This result is amplified when you are shooting close to the subject. Critical focusing will be required in this kind of situation because when you use a large aperture the zone of sharpness (DOF) can be very small. On the other hand, if greater depth of field is desired, you can set your aperture on a smaller lens opening like f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22 to extend the zone of sharpness, so everything will be rendered in sharper focus.

Wider angle lenses such as 18mm, 28mm and 35mm offer greater depth of field. Close up lenses such as 105mm or macro lenses produce a narrower depth of field.

Depth of field increases with distance. The farther you place the camera from your subject, the more depth of field you can obtain. Landscapes have great depth of field, while macro photographs tend to have very little depth of field because the subject is so close to the lens.

Another characteristic of depth of field is that it is generally deeper in the background than in the foreground.

With most SLR (single lens reflex) cameras, DOF can be previewed in the viewfinder of a camera. The preview is very handy for critical type of work, and can be accessed by pressing the depth of field button on your camera and peering through the lens to check the focus. Generally, the closer the subject to the camera, the more evenly the distribution of depth of field will appear in front and behind the subject. As distance of focus extends, DOF usually will range further behind than in front of the focused area.

The selection of Depth of Field in an image can be quite subjective, and depends on the results you hope to achieve. A photographer’s selection of DOF for one situation may be unacceptable to another photographer. It is all a matter of personal preference when trying to determine the appropriate use of DOF to enhance an effect in a photograph.

Edouardo Pasero

Quick Reference Guide: Depth of field is governed by three factors: aperture, lens focal length and shooting distance. Remember the following relationships:

1. The smaller the aperture, the deeper the depth of field (the other two factors remaining the same). For example, if the lens focal length and the shooting distance stay the same, the depth of field is much deeper at f/16 than at f/1.4.
2. The shorter the lens focal length, the deeper the depth of field (the other two factors remaining the same). For example, comparing a 28mm lens with a 50mm lens at the same aperture and shooting distance, depth of field is deeper with the 28mm lens.
3. The greater the shooting distance, the deeper the depth of field. i.e. other two factors remaining the same). For example, if the subject is photographed from three and then from seven meters away, the zone of sharpness in the foreground and background is greater at seven meters.

Beth Moon

Assignment: Shoot one roll of film exploring the use of Depth of Field. Shoot a subject on several apertures to make different areas come in and out of focus. Try some close up shots with a narrow Depth of Field, and some distance shots with a deep Depth of Field. Don’t forget to check your light meter and adjust the shutter speed for adequate exposures!

Also please refer to pages 49-54 in the Henry Horenstein manual for more instruction on Depth of Field and some useful image examples

A Quote for Inspiration

2009-02-02T16:37:00.001-06:00

"Simply look with perceptive eyes at the world about you, and trust to your own reactions and convictions. Ask yourself: “Do these subjects move me to feel, think and dream? Can I visualize a print - my own personal statement of what I feel and want to convey - from the subject before me?" - Ansel Adams

Assignment: MOTION!

2009-02-02T15:29:00.008-06:00

Robert Capa

Experiment with motion in your next roll of film. Read the handout and study the examples therein, then load your camera up with a fresh roll of film. Shoot moving subjects at slow shutter speeds (30 or below) to capture the feeling of motion. Shoot stationary subjects on slow shutter speeds to create motion via camera shake. "Pan" your camera by following the motion of a moving subject in order to freeze the motion but create a blur of movement in the background. Freeze motion by photographing something moving at a fast shutter speed (250 or above), thus stopping the action.
Duane Michaels, As Aparições", 1971

You can also read more about the aforementioned techniques here.

More examples of images that employ motion are posted here.

Assignment: POINT of VIEW

2009-01-16T11:57:00.008-06:00

Archeology by Cig Harvey

The "point of view" is the position from which you are looking at something. Different points of view can radically alter both the composition and the meaning of a photograph. For instance, portraits taken from below the subject can make the person look imposing or powerful. Portraits taken from above make the sitter appear more docile or vulnerable, as it allows the viewer to literally "look down" on the subject. (See examples below.) When pictures are taken from unusual angles the effect can be dramatic, and a picture of a mundane object seen from an atypical point of view can make for an intersting image.

Arch and Light by Dave Anderson

Assignment: Choose 3 different subjects to photograph from various points of view. Explore each subject from several angles. Stalk your object - see what it looks like from the left,the right, above, below, behind. Experiment with a very low "bugs eye view." Shoot from overhead for a "birds eye view." Pay close attention to how each new perspective effects the overall composition within the frame. Push yourself to find the most interesting angle you can in order to portray each of the 3 subjects in a new light. Play and have fun!

Spotted Apple by Keith Carter

Untitled (Mother and Child) by Bruce Davidson

Friends at Lake Stamberger by Herbert List, 1946

Bathtub by Cig Harvey

Assignment: STILL LIFE

2009-01-06T21:29:00.013-06:00

Zeke Berman, Fruit Basket, 1984

A still life (plural still lifes [1]) is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural (food, flowers, plants, rocks, or shells) or man-made (drinking glasses, books, vases, jewelry, coins, pipes, and so on) in an artificial setting. With origins in ancient times and most popular in Western art since the 17th century, still life paintings give the artist more leeway in the arrangement of design elements within a composition than do paintings of other types of subjects such as landscape or portraiture. Still life paintings, particularly before 1700, often contained religious and allegorical symbolism relating to the objects depicted.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Still_life

Tom Baril, Pears

Still life photography is the depiction of inanimate subject matter, most typically a small grouping of objects that are either human-made or "natural." Still life photography is a demanding art, one in which the photographers are expected to be able to form their work with a refined sense of lighting, coupled with deliberate compositional skills. The still life photographer makes pictures rather than takes them. Knowing where to look for propping and surfaces also is a required skill.

Edward Weston, Pepper, 1930

Assignment: Please study the images posted here for ideas and inspiration, then create and photograph your own still lives using fruit. You may include other elements in your arrangements if you wish. Pay close attention to the lighting and composition while you shoot.

Feel free to also investigate traditional painted still lifes for additional inspiration, and to research the symbolic meanings of various fruits/ flowers/ objects if you'd like to use this exercise as an opportunity to add a deeper level of meaning to the images you will create.

Joseph Sudek, Still Life with Apple and Pear

Jan Groover, Untitled, 1983

Laura Letinsky, Morning and Melancholia #6, 1997

David Halliday, Frutti di Bosco

David Halliday, Cherries

David Halliday, Cantaloupe and Scissors

David Halliday, Peaches and Blackberries

Assignment: LIGHT

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The latin roots of the word photograph mean "light" and "write." To photograph literally is "to write with light."

We've been exploring light in the technical sense - controlling it through apreture and shutter speed to get a proper exposure. For this roll of film I want you to pay attention to the physical presence of light. Is it soft? Is it harsh? Is it casting deep shadows? Reflecting off surfaces? Making things glow? Carefully consider what the light is doing within each image as you choose your shots.

Look at the examples below and study the way light is working in each.

Joseph Koudelka, Portugal 1976

Ansel Adams, Mount Williamson - the Sierra Nevada,from Manzanar, California, 1945

Dorothea Lange, Migratory Cotton Picker, 1940

Berenice Abbott, Stone and William Streets, c. 1935-39

Sebastião Salgado, Refugees in the Korem camp, Ethiopia, 1984

Assignment: PORTRAIT

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Julia Margaret Cameron, Mrs. Herbert Duckworth, April 1867

Julia Margaret Cameron, My Ewen's Bride (God's Gift to Us), November 18, 1869

Tina Modotti, Woman of Tehauntepec carrying jecapixtle, 1929

Yousuf Karsh, Winston Churchill, 1941

Yousuf Karsh, Humphrey Bogart, 1946

Garry Winogrand, New York, 1963

Garry Winogrand, Untitled, 1950s

Assignment: FORM

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1form
Pronunciation:
\ˈfȯrm\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English forme, from Anglo-French furme, forme, from Latin forma form, beauty
Date:
13th century

1 a: the shape and structure of something as distinguished from its material b: a body (as of a person) especially in its external appearance or as distinguished from the face : figure carchaic : beauty

10 a (1): orderly method of arrangement (as in the presentation of ideas) : manner of coordinating elements (as of an artistic production or course of reasoning) (2): a particular kind or instance of such arrangement b: pattern , schema c: the structural element, plan, or design of a work of art — compare content 2c d: a visible and measurable unit defined by a contour : a bounded surface or volume

Please use an entire roll of film exploring the concept of form using eggs as your subject matter.

For inspiration you can view this online exhibition of egg images on Luminous Lint.

FORM:Assorted Examples

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Margaret Bourke-White, Fort Peck Dam, 1936

Margaret Bourke-White, Diversion Tunnels, Fort Peck Dam, 1936

Sean Perry

Imogen Cunningham, Untitled (Two Sisters), 1928

Michel Varisco