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Period 1 |
2015 |
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FINAL Assignment - Photo Essay Due : January 22, 2016 Mr. Martin
Our learning assignment this month takes us into the realm of storytelling. This assignment we will be exploring photo essays. A photo essay, or picture story, is a photographer’s way of showing a more complete story than is possible with one image. It is a collection of images that work together to tell a story.
Photo Essay Expectations
Criteria:
A photo essay, or picture story, Generally, there are between 5 and 15 images, although more or less images
are sometimes appropriate. Sometimes these images have captions, other times they do not. While there are no
concrete rules for how photo essays must be created, there are several common ways that a photo essay can
be developed.
Time Sequence: Time sequence is the very beginning of a photo essay. Photo essays began as photographers
began showing a sequence of photos to chronicle an event. This is often like looking at a series of still images
from a movie. This type of photo essay is best used where there is an obvious path of time. Illustrations of linear
events in compact areas such as cliff diving, fire fighting, and a bird hatching are all examples of this type of
photo essay. Time sequence photo essays can also be expanded to cover longer amounts of time in less compact
areas. These essays have much larger gaps of time between images than do basic time sequence essays.
Concepts such as police chases from crime to capture or a life from birth to death can be covered in this type of essay.
Location: Location photo essays seek to capture the feel of a location through glimpses of people and places
within a set location. Locations can be compact such as a school or garden, or vast such as a country. This type
of photo essay is often non-linear from a chronological standpoint but does not have to be non-linear. Location
essays often start at one physical point and travel outward, much like a tour of the area in question would progress.
Idea: Idea essays often feature very diverse images that all have a common thread of one theme or idea. Topics
such as hope, love, and work can be covered under idea essays. Because idea essays do often feature diverse
subjects it is a good idea to have a common thread travel through the images. Using a common prop or following
a color scheme can help to visually bond the images together. For example, a photo essay on breast cancer might
use the familiar pink ribbon symbol in the form of a pink headscarf worn by a subject in each image to tie the set
together. Or an essay on work might tie images together by flowing commonality. That means the first image might
be a ditch digger with a restaurant in the background. The second image would then be a cook. From there the
third image might continue the food service theme and show a waiter serving the meal to a man in a nice suit.
The fourth image could then pick up on the customer in the previous image and move to a lawyer in a courtroom.
Each image suggests the next.
Event ; Event essays tend to incorporate ideas from the other categories. Event essays cover a specific happening
(such as a building fire or a wedding) but are not bound to a specific method of image sequence. Many event
essays follow a time sequence outline but some are more fluid in their presentation. Event essays should at
least show the major parts critical to the event. For example, a wedding essay without a bride or groom would
not be complete.
Like any art, photo essays have basic guidelines but some very successful pieces deviate drastically from the
“normal” rules. A photo essay basically puts a photographer in a director’s chair. The story is there,
the photographer must creatively decide how to best convey the story to others.
Our learning assignment this month takes us into the realm of storytelling. This assignment we will be exploring photo essays. A photo essay, or picture story, is a photographer’s way of showing a more complete story than is possible with one image. It is a collection of images that work together to tell a story.
Photo Essay Expectations
Criteria:
- Minimum of 12 photos
- Single theme or "story" for the essay
- Consider the following in composing your photographs:
- Color or B&W
- Composition
- Lighting
- Angle and distance to subject
- Candid or posed photos?
- Consider the need for text to accompany each photograph.
A photo essay, or picture story, Generally, there are between 5 and 15 images, although more or less images
are sometimes appropriate. Sometimes these images have captions, other times they do not. While there are no
concrete rules for how photo essays must be created, there are several common ways that a photo essay can
be developed.
Time Sequence: Time sequence is the very beginning of a photo essay. Photo essays began as photographers
began showing a sequence of photos to chronicle an event. This is often like looking at a series of still images
from a movie. This type of photo essay is best used where there is an obvious path of time. Illustrations of linear
events in compact areas such as cliff diving, fire fighting, and a bird hatching are all examples of this type of
photo essay. Time sequence photo essays can also be expanded to cover longer amounts of time in less compact
areas. These essays have much larger gaps of time between images than do basic time sequence essays.
Concepts such as police chases from crime to capture or a life from birth to death can be covered in this type of essay.
Location: Location photo essays seek to capture the feel of a location through glimpses of people and places
within a set location. Locations can be compact such as a school or garden, or vast such as a country. This type
of photo essay is often non-linear from a chronological standpoint but does not have to be non-linear. Location
essays often start at one physical point and travel outward, much like a tour of the area in question would progress.
Idea: Idea essays often feature very diverse images that all have a common thread of one theme or idea. Topics
such as hope, love, and work can be covered under idea essays. Because idea essays do often feature diverse
subjects it is a good idea to have a common thread travel through the images. Using a common prop or following
a color scheme can help to visually bond the images together. For example, a photo essay on breast cancer might
use the familiar pink ribbon symbol in the form of a pink headscarf worn by a subject in each image to tie the set
together. Or an essay on work might tie images together by flowing commonality. That means the first image might
be a ditch digger with a restaurant in the background. The second image would then be a cook. From there the
third image might continue the food service theme and show a waiter serving the meal to a man in a nice suit.
The fourth image could then pick up on the customer in the previous image and move to a lawyer in a courtroom.
Each image suggests the next.
Event ; Event essays tend to incorporate ideas from the other categories. Event essays cover a specific happening
(such as a building fire or a wedding) but are not bound to a specific method of image sequence. Many event
essays follow a time sequence outline but some are more fluid in their presentation. Event essays should at
least show the major parts critical to the event. For example, a wedding essay without a bride or groom would
not be complete.
Like any art, photo essays have basic guidelines but some very successful pieces deviate drastically from the
“normal” rules. A photo essay basically puts a photographer in a director’s chair. The story is there,
the photographer must creatively decide how to best convey the story to others.
Assignment 18. Light and Shadow January 8- January 15
Assignment 17. Water: December 18- January 8 12 Assignment 16. Christmas/ Night Lights: Time exposures and Natural lighting: Through January 4, 2016 Digital Assignment 15: Reflections: Mirrors and shiny/reflective surfaces December 11- 18 Digital Assignment 14. Glass/ window/ drinking: December 4- December 11 Digital Assignment 13: Food November 24-December 4 Black and White film developing and printing November 24- December 4 Digital Assignment 12. Architecture/Buildings/ Architectural Details/elements. November 20-November 24 Digital Assignment 11. Animals/pets November 13-20 Assignment 10. The 11th Hour of the 11th day of the 11th month! The meaning of Veterans Day! November 6 - November 13 Assignment 9. Spooky (Halloween) October 30- November 6 Black and White film developing and printing October 17-30 Assignment 8. Trees/Leaves/Fall Foliage: NOW until October 30: Due October 30 (Depending on peak foliage based on location) Assignment 7. Signs: October 16-23 Assignment 6. Tools: October 9-16 Assignment 5. Doors: October 2-9 Assignment 4. Stairs: September 25-October 2 Assignment 3. Chairs: September 18-25 Assignment 2. Shoes: September 11-18 Assignment 1. Cars: September 4-11 |
$10,000 in CASH GRANTS Awarded!
All Finalists Published! Winning Images Will Be Exhibited! WINNING PHOTOS will be published in the May 2016 issue of Photographer’s Forum magazine and exhibited at Brooks Institute. Entry Fee is $4.95 per photo EARLY DEADLINE: October 14, 2015 Entry fee is $4.95 per photo entered (uploaded or postmarked on or before October 14, 2015). SECOND DEADLINE: November 2, 2015 Entry fee is $5.95 per photo entered (uploaded or postmarked on or before November 2, 2015). FINAL DEADLINE: December 4, 2015 Entry fee is $6.95 per photo entered (uploaded or postmarked on or before December 4, 2015). |
Drexel High school Photography Contest
The contest is open to all high school students and will culminate in an exhibition at the photography program gallery in February 2016. High school students may enter all types of photographic processes (black/white, color, silver prints, digital prints, and historical processes). All submissions for the 2015 Drexel University High School Photography Contest must be submitted online to https://drexelphoto.slideroom.com and all submissions must be received by December 4, 2015. RULES OF ENTRY Applicants must submit their portfolio online at: https://drexelphoto.slideroom.com Deadline for entry is December 4, 2015. Artists must be a high school student in the United States. Applicants may upload 1-3 images (jpg). For good quality and fast uploads, image files should be sized no larger than 1280 px @ 72dpi. The slide room portal offers additional instructions for submitting work and helping new applicants get started. For technical assistance, access the help desk at slideroom.zendesk.com. There is a non-refundable processing fee of $10.00 payable online. |