Photography

Reimagining the Master Works of Art

Self Portrait by Mary Cassatt
Recrated by Caitlin Connors

Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo De Vinci
Recrated by Josie O’Hare

Edwin Denby by Peter Hujar
Recrated by Colby Klob

Each student found a work of art from any time period, by any artist, and in any medium that they found interesting. Once they selected a work of art, they learned that they would have to recreate it in a photo. This is always a bit shocking and students try to change their image to something else they feel is "easier". They are disappointed instantly to hear that they cannot change the image but they become excited when they begin to plan how they can recreate the image.

The process of the project pushes students to think creatively and work together to problem solve. Often they take a photo and then compare it to the original work of art and see what they need to do to impove. The final results are always rewarding.

Students also complete a research presentation on their artist and artwork. Sharing what they learned with their classmates and showing off their creative interpretations of the original image.

Father and Son in Kitchen by Paul Outerbridge
Recated by Trey Smith

Muti Layer Photo

By Josi O'Hare

Once students started to get the hang of the camera settings, how to make an interesting composition and the basics of photoshop, they were ready to get creative. With the multi-layer project, students needed to create three different images. Each image needed to be made up of three different photos. Using photoshop, students needed to select portions of each photo to layer together and create unique images. Take a close look and see if you can see each of the different photos the students have selected.

The Clark Art Museum

The Greenville art students traveled to Massachusetts to visit the Clark Art Institute to study and experience art in real life. The group began their visit with a tour led by the Clark's docent. The docent focused on a variety of works from different time periods. The students then had an opportunity to explore the gallery on their own and find artworks that they found inspirational. They had a great time and gained a greater appreciation for art.

The photo class was tasked with finding interesting spaces, works of art and details in the museum and capturing them on camera. Chek out what they found.

Slice and Dice Photo

Once students started to get the hang of the camera settings, how to make an interesting compostion and the basics of photoshop, they were ready to get creative. With the multi-layer project, students needed to create three different images. Each image needed to be made up of three different photos. Using photoshop, students needed to select portions of each photo to layer together and create unique images. Take a close look and see if you can see each of the different photos the students have selected.

Capturing Motion

Caitlin Connors

Cameras are able to capture motions from a fragment of a second to many seconds, this inevitably changes the image. The class learned how to change the shutter speed and aperture on their cameras and document how a moving object would look with different settings. Each student needed to slect one moving subject matter and take mutiple photos with different shutter speeds. The longer shutter speed the more blury the images became. Students then compiled their images to create a visual display that they could reference to as they experimented and took more advanced and conceptual images.

Karle Blossfeldt Inspiration

Karle Blossfeldt was a self-taught in photography who lived from 1865-1932. He was working with photography when it was a relitvily new tencnoligy and artfrom, His work fouces on plant life, his images are so close up and detailed they become abstract. His documention acted like a portraits of plants celebrating their complex structures.
After learing about Blossfeldt the photo class whent exploring outside to find plants that they could creat images ispired by Blossfeldt styl and astedick. This asminet also alowed studesn to play with the settings on thire cameras, they needed to figure out what would give them the best resutl for a close up image.

Karl Blossfeldt
Plate 91- Centaurea odorata, 1932

Compostional Techniques

The first project of the year can take us all out of our comfort zone, this is especially true when you have never used a camera before. As a class, we all look at the cameras and learn what most of the functions do. Then we start to talk about what makes an intresting photo, starting with the basics such as rule of thirds, angle of view and framing. Students then explored the world they live in through the camera lens looking for interesting examples of these compositional techniques to create works of art.

Photo by Colby Klob

Capturing Motion

Karle Blossfeldt Inspiration

Elements of Art

The class reviewed the elements of art for their first photo project. They were challenged to find examples of line, shape. space, texture and value. We also discussed photo techniques such as rule of thirds, angle of view and framing. Students then explored the world they live in through the camera lens looking for interesting examples of the elements of art.

2017-2018...

Reimagining the Master Works of Art

Portraits

The class looked at several different photographers throughout history that took portrait photos such as Cindy Sherman, Richard Avedon, Tanja Alexia Hollander,and Man Ray. Each artist has a different style and philosophy of capturing a portrait. The class discussed the differences and similarities of each as well as photo techniques that can be used to create a diverse looking image. Students then needed to create or capture ten portraits from the folowing options: Texture, Overexposure, Underexposure, Back-light, Posing, Reflections, Shadows, Self Portraits, Specific Setting, Get Close, Capture the Moment, Color, Get Serious, Props and Self Portrait. Can you match the images below with the categories students worked from?

Muti Layer Photo

Photo by Courtney Baeckmann

Depth of Field

Depth of field is the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a photo that appear sharp in an image. Students experimented with different f-stops to capture photos with everything in focus and photos with only one important part of the image in focus.

Shutter Speed and Capturing Motion

To better understand how to use all the functions of a camera, the photography class was challenged to capture motion. To do this, they needed to adjust the shutter speed and understand that the longer the shutter is open, the more movement (blur) the camera would capture. The shorter the shutter speed, the more crisp the photos would be.
Students then tried to create interesting images using shutter speed, their knowledge of the elements of art, and compositional techniques.

Elements of Art

2015-2016 School Year...

Reimagining the Master Works of Art

Students each found a work of art from any time period, by any artist and in any medium that they found interesting. Once they selected a work of art, they learned that they would have to recreate it in a photo. This is always a bit shocking and students try to change their image to something else they feel is "easier". They are disappointed instantly to hear that they cannot change the image but they become excited when they begin to plan how they can recreate the image.

The process of the project pushes students to think creatively and work together to problem solve. Often they take a photo and then compare it to the original work of art and see what they need to do to impove. The final results are always rewarding.

Students also complete a research presentation on their artist and artwork. Sharing what they learned with their classmates and showing off their creative interpretations of the original image.

Photograph by Grace Statham

Portraits

Muti Layer Photo

Once students started to get the hang of the camera settings, how to make an interesting compostion and basic photoshop they are ready to get creative. With the muti layer project, students needed to create three different images, each image needs to be made up of three different photos. Using photoshop students need to select portions of each photo to layer together and create unqiue images. Take a close look and see if you can see each of the different photos the student have selected.

Depth of Field

Shutter Speed and Capturing Motion

Line, Shadow and Texture

2014-2015 School Year...

Multi Layer Photo

Depth of Field

Motion

Texture

Line and Shadow

2014-2015 School Year...

Portraits

Students are challenged with capturing a wide range of portraits. Each student needed to photograph a candid, movement, serious, reflection, back lit, close-up, awkward, environmental portrait. Each student had their own take on the category and all especially liked taking candid portraits. Here is a selection from their work. Students also have a great joy in photographing their teachers. A special thank you to all the teachers who allowed them to take multiple portraits!

Light Painting

Students learn how to control the shutter speed and aperture of their cameras to capture images of light and light in the darkness.

Capturing Motion

Students used settings on the camera to capture motion. Students could capture freeze frames of movement or could set cameras to capture motion with a longer exposure and reveal the blur of objects moving.

Storm King Sculpture Park

The photo class took a field trip to Storm King Sculpture Park, allowing them to experience the Modern and Contemporary sculpture in the natural world. They documented the trip with their photos.

Depth of Field

Adjusting the aperture allows a photographer to focus on a specific area in a photo, or keep everything in focus. Students practiced working with aperture creating photos with deep depth of field (everything in focus) or shallow depth of field (only one section in focus).
Selective coloring was introduced using layers in Photoshop, allowing students to highlight parts of their photos.