Category: Class Topics (Page 3 of 3)

Light Quality

Direct light or hard light – the rays of light are nearly parallel and strike the subject from one direction creating hard edged dark shadows with little detail.
Examples: a spotlight, sun on a clear day, or a bare flash

Diffused light or soft light– the rays of light are scattered and coming from many directions. It appears even and produces indistinct shadows. Examples: overcast daylight, a light covered with tracing paper or other translucent material.

Direct Light and Direction

Front light comes from in front of subject from the camera position and the shadows fall behind the subject not concealing any details.

Side Light comes from 90 degrees to the camera. it adds dimension and texture to the subject.

Backlight comes from behind the subject towards the camera.

Inspiration

Labs

Lab 4: Continuous lights in the Studio

Homework

HW 4: Something Near and Something Far

Class Schedule

Feb 27th: Field Trip to the Oculus and Brookfield Place

March 5: Quiz 1, Lightroom: Global Corrections, Midterm support

March 12: Midterm Presentations

Online

Today’s class will take place via Zoom. Check blackboard or your City Tech email for the invitation.

Lighting Quality

Diffused– light hits the subject from all directions and the shadows are soft as in an overcast or snowy day

Direct– light hits the subject from one angle and the shadows are crisp with sharp edges as in sunlight

Lighting Direction

Front light – light comes from near the camera position.

Side light – light comes from 90 degrees to the camera position.

Back light – light comes from behind the subject and aims towards the camera.

Contrast

Contrast: The measure of difference between bright areas (highlights) and dark areas (shadows) in a photo

High contrast : Large difference between highlights and shadows. Mostly lights and darks without many mid tones

Low contrast :  Little difference between lights and darks. Mostly mid tones.              

Inspiration

View:

http://filippodrudi.com/project-thefork.html

Lab 3: Light

Stuffed Animals

HW 3: The Powers of Ten

Homework 3

Check your email or go to blackboard for the link to tomorrow’s class.

See you on Zoom!

The Frame

Cropping: how much information is in the frame

• a long shot
  

Toktogul Reservoir, Kyrgyzstan. 2021. Photographer: Anush Babajanyan

• a medium shot

Photographer: Ralph Pace

• a close up

Fashion Week, New York. 2023. Photographer: Dina Livitsky

• an extreme close up

Photographer: Aaron Siskind

Angle of View:  describes the camera position in relationship to the subject. The angle of view may be:

• a worm’s-eye view

Photographer: Lindsey Perez

• a low-angle

• eye-level

Photo by Mel D. Cole

• a high-angle

• a bird’s-eye or aerial or overhead view

• oblique angle

Angle of View Examples By Alexander Rodchenko

Lab: Week 2 – Composition

HW 2: Hula Hoops

For Next Week

Bring a shoe to photograph. it can be anything from an old flip flop to the latest Jordans.

Compositional Principals

1. Rule of Thirds – Instead of placing the main subject in the center of the frame, divide the frame into thirds horizontally and vertically and place the main subject at one of these intersections.
   
   

Dehli, India. Photographer: Rohit Vohra

2. Leading Lines – lines in the photograph that lead the eye to the main subject

Whitnel Cotton Mfg. Co. N.C. December 1908. Photographer: Lewis Hine

3. Diagonals – Sloping lines

Thailand, Bangkok. 2005. Photographer: Steve McCurry

4. Frame within a frame

Photographer: Eugene Smith

5. Figure to Ground -the relationship between the subject and the background sometimes described as negative and positive space.

Delhi, India. Photographer: Rohit Vohra

6. Fill the Frame – get closer. Never plan to crop later.

7. Patterns – repeated elements. Break the pattern for visual interest

Bed-Stuy. Photographer: George Steinmetz

8. Symmetry – If you fold the image in half the two haves are very similar and have equal visual weight.

From “A House is not a Home”, Photographer: Laila Annmarie Stevens

Resource

In-class Lab Exercise

Lab 1 – Composition

Homework

HW1 – Composition