Scholastic Art & Writing Awards 2019

Hey everyone!

Just a quick head's up--the deadline to submit to the NYC Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is coming up soon on December 4th.

It's a fantastic opportunity, and I encourage you all to submit! Here is a little more information:

How are the New York City Scholastic Awards and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards connected?

The NYC Scholastic Awards is a regional affiliate of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.  There more than 100 regional affiliates serving their communities across the country.  The NYC Scholastic Awards serves Kings, Queens, Manhattan, Bronx and Richmond counties.  Last year we received over 9,000 submissions.  The top works receive either a Gold Key, Silver Key, or an Honorable Mention.  The Gold Key works are automatically sent to National Judging which is run by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.  National Medalists are invited to NYC to take part in National Events, which include exhibitions in NYC as well as a ceremony in Carnegie Hall.  There are numerous scholarships available at the National level.  Please click here to learn more.

Who can participate in the Awards?

Participation in The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is open to students:

• in grades 7-12 for the 2017/2018 school year
• enrolled in public, private, parochial, home school or participating in other educational programs;
• in the United States, U.S. territories, Canada & American Schools abroad.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards DO NOT have academic and disciplinary standing requirements. Work created in the spring semester of 2017 is eligible for submission, so long as the student hasn’t already graduated. Students should submit in their current grade level. Seniors who will graduate mid-term in December 2017 may participate.

When do submissions open?

Submissions opened on December 14th, 2017 for the 2018 Awards season. 

How do I submit my work?

Go to www.artandwriting.org and click “LOGIN” to access the Scholastic Awards Online Registration System. Here you’ll be prompted to create a new account if this is your first time participating in the Awards or login if you participated in the Scholastic Awards last year.

Once you’ve created an account you’ll have access to information about the categories of art and writing, how to prepare your work and your regional guidelines and deadlines. You’ll have to know your school’s ZIP code to connect with the NYC region.

Make sure you look at the official microsites for NYC Scholastic Art & Writing Awards:

NYC Scholastic Art Awards

NYC Scholastic Writing Awards

Can I submit multiple pieces in one category?  Can I submit to both Art & Writing?

Yes! and Yes!  You are welcome and encouraged to submit as many pieces you would like in as many categories as you would like, but repeat submissions are not permitted.

I am still creating my submission.  Should I wait to register until I have finished?

We highly recommend that you create an account as soon as possible. This will allow your regional affiliate to notify you with updates about the program as well as provide deadline reminders.

After you’ve created your account you can log back into the system at www.artandwriting.org/ors/registration.

If you have any questions regarding submission please take a look at the Alliance’s FAQ page located HERE.  You may also email NYC Affiliate Tendo Mutanda at tendo@artandwriting.org.  

Fees & Payment:

Individual submissions: $5 per submission

Portfolio Submissions (available for Seniors): $20 per portfolio

Payment: You can pay online through the Online Registration System (through PayPal) when submitting artwork, or you can pay by check to the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.  Please mail checks to: Tendo Mutanda, NYC Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, 557 Broadway, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10012.

Fee Waiver: Any student for whom fees would prohibit from entering the Scholastic Awards may submit a Fee Waiver found HERE.

Final Exhibition & Portfolio Details

Mike Brodie, from the series A Period of Juvenile Prosperity

Here is a break down of what is due over the next two weeks and how to turn it in:

Due 12/1 (this coming Saturday!):

• 10 new images from your series for in-class critique (our final!)
• 2nd draft of your artist statement
• Your 10 best images for the exhibition:
• Can be any 10 images from this semester, as long as they are part of your series.
• Should be highest-quality versions of these images, ideally saved as processed TIFs.
• Will turn in at start of class. I will save them to my hard drive.

If I don't have these by the end of next class, you will not be included in the exhibition.

Please note that there will not be time during class to work on putting everything together.

Due by 12/8 (last day of class!):

• A USB drive or DVD labelled with your first and last name, containing the following:
• A folder containing the 20+ final images of your series. 
• Should be highest-quality versions of these images, ideally saved as processed TIFs
• A folder containing all of your homework assignments, separated by week. 
• These should be your original files or processed TIFs, and not images you copied off the blog.

If I don't have these by the end of class you will not receive credit for the semester.

The final USB can be turned in next class if you have everything ready early.

Week 9 Wrap-Up

Irving Haberman, [Kenneth White and Flora Percudani, both 5, of the Childrens Aid Society’s West Side Center, carving the Thanksgiving turkey, New York], 1946

Hi everybody!

Thanks for a great second critique!

Don't forget that, in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, we do not have class next Saturday.
Class will resume December 1st, which will be our final critique, so be sure to come ready.

You will also be turning in the 10 images that you want to include in the exhibition. If I do not receive them by the end of next class, you will not be in the show.

On to this week's homework:

• Post your 10 images for the 2nd critique (even especially if you weren't in class)
• Submit the first draft of your artist statement this weekend. I have posted some resources to the blog (found by clicking the How-To tab along the top) that will help get you started. Keep in mind this is a first draft and isn;t expected to be perfect or anywhere near resolved.
• Create a mini-documentary or photo essay about someone in your household and post it to the blog. It should be a minimum of 5 images, maximum of 10. Keep in mind that you are trying to tell the story of a person's life as clearly as you can without using words.

Please be in touch with any questions at all—we are getting down to the wire!

That's all for now. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

Lee Sievan, Turkey Dinner 40¢, 1940s

Artist Statements: Helpful Resources

Pierre Louis Pierson, Portrait of Comtesse de Castiglone, c. 1863/66

Feeling stumped about how to write your artist statement? Here are some helpful resources:

• How to Write the Perfect Artists Statement
• On Statements
• How to Write About Your Photographs

Trying to Write an Artist Statement...

Photoshop and Camera Raw Tutorials

Hi Everyone!

Here are a couple of basic Photoshop tutorials for your. Don't worry if you don't fully understand them--we will go over the material again in the coming weeks. Please write down any questions you have or if there is anything especially unclear.

Camera Raw Workflow:




Photoshop CC Interface:

Photoshop, GIMP, and Photo Editing at Home

Steven Klein

If you are interested in doing more advanced photo editing at home or after the end of semester, there are a number of great options open to you:

Photoshop is now on available as a subscription-based photo bundle for $10 per month here.
There is a 30-day free trial, so if you are considering this route, be sure to do the trial first.

There is also an extremely simplified version of Photoshop with just the most basic tools called Photoshop Elements. It generally comes bundled with the software that comes with Wacom Tablets or some printers and scanners.

Another great alternative to Photoshop that many photographers prefer is Lightroom. It is made by the same company as Photoshop, but is designed for photographers who may not need all of the advanced retouching and compositing functions available in photoshop. It's also a lot less expensive.
The student-priced version can be found here.

If you aren't interested in buying software, a popular option is GIMP, which is available for free download here: http://www.gimp.org. There are free tutorials here: http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/

There are a lot of Photoshop and basic photo editing tutorials online. By far, the best are found on Lynda.com. It's a pay-membership site, but they've made quite a bit of their content available for free on their Youtube channel, found here.

This should get you started! If you have any suggestions or recommendations, please leave a comment.

Week 8 Wrap-Up

Jon Henry, Nefertit from the series “Stranger Fruit.”

Hi everybody!

Thanks for a great second critique!

For those of you who were't in class this week, please post your 10 images before the end of the weekend. Next week, be sure to bring your 2nd critique images so we can share feedback with you formally. Come prepared since we will jump right in at the start of class.

For those who were in class, post the 10 images you showed during class and be sure to leave comments on your classmate's posts.

On to this week's homework:

• Post your 10 images for the 2nd critique (even especially if you weren't in class)
• Submit the first draft of your artist statement. I will post some resources to the blog (found by clicking the How-To tab along the top) that will help get you started. Keep in mind this is a first draft and isn;t expected to be perfect or anywhere near resolved. If you weren't in class this week, we will talk more about this next class.
• Post an image to the blog responding to the feedback you received during the crit.

Our next class will be an open session to prepare your files for the exhibition and for turning in the final. Please bring ALL of your files with you. For those of you who were absent, we will complete the 2nd crit and go over image processing with Camera Raw and introductory Photoshop.

Please be in touch with any questions at all—we are getting down to the wire!

That's all for now.

Week 7 Wrap-Up

Kamal Badhey

Hi Everybody!


This week our guest was Kamal Badhey (http://www.kamalbadhey.com). If you have any questions for her about documentary, family photography, or her work please reach out.

Next week is our second critique. You will be showing 10 new images related to your series. Come prepared as we will not have much time at the start of class. Please be sure to bring all of your files (as well as a hard drive or USB drive).

On to this week's homework:

• Post the project that you worked on during class this week.
• Continue shooting for your series, keeping this week's critique in mind.
• If you have missed posting any homework assignments so far, this will be the final week to post them and still get credit.

That's it for now! As always, please be in touch with any questions, and see you next week!

Week 6 Wrap-Up

EUGENE RICHARDS, WONDER BREAD, DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, 1975. 

Hi Everyone!

Today we visited the International Center of Photography and discussed photojournalism, documentary work and contemporary photography while looking at the work of photographer Eugene Richards. 

On to this week's homework:

• Continue working on your series. Our next critique is only two weeks away!
• Create and post a photograph inspired by the exhibition we saw today. Look at Richard's use of light and shadow, and pay close attention to how he arranges and poses people and objects in the frame. The image doesn't have to be in black & white, but I encourage you to try it out.
• Complete and post any missed homework ASAP.

Next week we will have a visit from guest artist Kamal Badhey.

That's all for today--see you soon!

Week 5 Wrap-Up

Hi Everybody!

Our first crit went great! You all did great job and I can't wait to see what you do next.

Next week those who weren't in class may have a chance to share their work--please come prepared.

For those who weren't here, post 10 images from your series to the blog before next week.

Next week, we will be taking a trip to see an exhibition at the International Center for Photography. Be sure to come with a Metro Card with two rides on it.

On to this week's homework:

1. Post the images that you showed in class to the blog. If you weren't in class, post the 10 images you would have shown and please bring them with you to class next week--we'll take a look at them as a group then.
2. Post one new image from your series that responds to the feedback you received in class.
3. If you weren't in class, keep working on your images and be sure to leave comments on your classmate's work.
4. Please leave feedback for Miles and Lily on the work hey weren't able to show in class.

Over the course of the weekend, i will be posting links to other artists that I mentioned during class. Please take a look!

That's it for now! As always, please be in touch with any questions, and see you next week!

Week 4 Homework

Olivia Bee, Untitled

Hi Everybody!

I hope you are having fantastic weekend!

This week we continued to work with manual exposure and refining our metering skills while shooting on the High Line.

Keep track of any questions or difficulties that come up while working this way and bring them with you to class or feel free to email me.

Now on to this week's homework:

-Please complete the manual exposure worksheet that we worked on in class and post the following:

• Best portrait of a stranger from today's class
• Long exposure at night
• 1 subject (your choice), 3 photos—correctly exposed, 1 stop overexposed, 1 stop underexposed:

Don't forget to include your exposure (ISO, shutter speed, aperture) for each. If you aren't sure how to find this info, I will show you in more detail next week--we can always add this info to your post later.

-Next week is our first crit.  For next class, bring 10 images from your series. Before class, separate the ten images into a folder with your name. Please use jpg or tifs, not the raw files (they take a long time to open). We will have a very little bit of time at the start of class if you need a little help getting your images sorted, but please come as prepared as possible.
I will be in the classroom early, so you are welcome to come early if it's helpful to you.

-If you won't be in class next week, post your ten images to the class blog by FRIDAY night at the latest.

That's it for now! Contact me if you have any questions about your series or next week's class.

More Info about Exposure

Stuart Palley, Terra Flama I

Hi Everyone!

Today, we began looking at (and working with) Manual Exposure. If you missed class (or would just like a refresher), here are a couple of helpful articles about exposure for your reference:

• The Ultimate Beginner's Introduction to Exposure
• A Comprehensive Beginner's Guide to Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO
• Perfect Exposure Every Time: A Guide to Metering in the Viewfinder

Please be in touch if you have any additional questions!

Week 3 Wrap-Up

Hiroshi Sugimoto, Union City Drive-In, 1993

Hi Everybody!

I hope you are having fantastic weekend!

This week we concentrated on manual exposure and refining our metering skills while shooting in Union Square. If you aren't already, please shoot in full manual mode for the rest of the semester. It may feel clunky now, but I promise that it will get much faster and feel more intuitive very quickly, as long as you put in the time now.

Keep track of any questions or difficulties that come up while working this way and bring them with you to class.

Now on to this week's homework:

-If you haven't already, post last week's assignment to the blog.

-Please shoot and post the following images, shot entirely in manual mode:

1. Maximum depth of field (as much in focus as possible)

2. Minimum depth of field (as little in focus, besides your subject, as possible)

3. Blurred Motion

4. Frozen Motion

5. Portrait of a stranger

If possible, please include your exposure (ISO, shutter speed, aperture) for each. If you aren't sure how to find this info, I will show you in more detail next week--we can always add this info to your post later.

That's it for now! Contact me if you have any questions.

Rules of Composition

In case you'd like a refresher, here is a short overview of the 10 "rules" of composition:
http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/10-top-photography-composition-rules

Week 2 Wrap-Up

W. Eugene Smith, Dance of the Flaming Coke, 1955

Hi Everybody,

I hope you are having a great weekend!

We covered a lot today--thanks for your attention and patience.

Now,  on to this week's homework:

1- Before the end of the day, post a photo you shot during today's class. Be sure to label which compositional technique(s) you utilized. 

2- Shoot and post a photograph depicting something "invisible" (how you choose to interpret this is entirely open to you). Be sure to include the word "invisible" in your post title.

3- Shoot an example of each of the compositional rules we discussed. The pictures can be from ouor something you shoot at home. It can be multiple subjects or as simple as one set up ( a still life on your desk, for example) shot 10 different ways utilizing each rule of composition (one photograph for each rule). Post it to the blog, with the rule labeled beneath.

Here is the breakdown:

• 1. Rule of Thirds
• 2. Balancing Elements
• 3. Leading Lines
• 4. Viewpoint
• 5. Background
• 6. Symmetry & Pattern
• 7. Depth
• 8. Framing
• 9. Cropping/Get Closer
• 10. Experiment. 

Be sure to caption each photo so we know which technique you are using. Please post these images as a single blog post.

4- If you haven't already, please bring your lab fee with you next week.

5- Start shooting for your semester series. If you aren't sure what your theme may be or where to start, just start shooting and pay attention to what catches your eye or gets you excited.

Get used to taking your camera with you everyday. Don’t self-edit right now—just shoot as much as possible.

That's it for now--as always, please be sure to email me if you have any questions or if anything is unclear.

How to Post to the Blog

Hi everybody!

Welcome!

Here is a short video about how to make a blog post:

Here is another on how to upload a photo to the blog:

You cannot upload a raw file, so you will need to upload using the .jpg file from your camera. If you post your images to the web already using Flickr or another online service, you can link that image directly.

Just a reminder that your first post must be made before our next class this coming Saturday, so if you are running into any trouble, let me know right away!

Week 1 Wrap-Up

Eliott Erwitt. 'Felix, Gladys and Rover' New York City, 1974

Hey Everybody!

Thanks for a great first class! I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone does this semester. 

You should be all set to post to the blog. I've posted a tutorial on the blog to show you how to make a post and upload videos, just in case you run in to trouble. If you have any problems logging in or uploading videos, let me know ASAP so I can help you sort it out.

On to this week’s homework:

1-Post the portrait you shot in class of your classmate. be sure to label the post with their name.

2- Before our next class, post a photo to the class blog. This can be anything—one of your own pictures, a photo you like. Introduce yourself to use in this post.

3-Get used to taking your camera with you everyday. Don’t self-edit right now—just shoot as much as possible. 

4-Read through your camera's manual. If you don't have your manual, you may be able to find it online here:

http://camera.manualsonline.com/manuals/device/digital_camera.html

5- Take a photograph of something invisible. How you interpret this is entirely up to you.

That’s it! If you have any difficulty accessing the blog, or if you just have any questions about the supply list or anything that we covered in the syllabus today (or if there is anything in particular you'd like to make sure we cover), please let me know.

I’m looking forward to next week!

Welcome to Parsons Digital Photography Fall 2018!

Francesca Woodman, Polka Dots, 1975-76

Welcome to Parsons Digital Photography Fall 2018!

This is the class blog which will serve as the central information hub for homework assignments, helpful tutorials, weekly class outlines, reading materials/downloads, and more. You will be referencing the site daily and will post your homework and all final projects here.

Looking forward to a great Fall session!

P.S. - If you'd like to learn more about Francesca Woodman, the photographer behind the photo above (and the photo in our syllabus), take a look here.