Week 10 Wrap-Up

Mike Brodie, from the series A Period of Juvenile Prosperity

Hi Everybody,

Wow, it's hard to believe that we're almost done!

Thanks for a fantastic second crit and for all the hard work you put in this semester. It's been a strange one and you all rose to the challenge.

Next week will be our final class. We'll be meeting at the usual time in our Zoom Classroom.

We'll have a final critique, looking at your complete series and discussing next steps for the future. We will also discuss details about the Virtual Open Studios coming up soon

On to this week's homework!:

1- You should be shooting to wrap up any loose ends with your series. Take into account the feedback that you got from your classmates. If you want any feedback about your photos before Saturday, reach out and let me know. I'm happy to help with editing, sequencing, or anything else.

2- Submit your revised Artist Statement to me by Thursday at the latest. The statement is a requirement for the final and I want to make sure we have a chance to revise the first draft.

3-Upload all of your final work to the class Google Drive folder before next class. 
*If you don't turn it in before next class, you won't receive credit for the semester.*

Check your email for the link to the Google Drive

You will be uploading the following:
-1 folder containing your final series photographs (20 minimum)
-1 folder containing all of the homework assignments
-1 folder with your self portrait
-1 folder with your 3 best photos from the fashion collaboration.
I've organized the folders for you already--you just need to add your photos to the right place.

I want the highest quality files that you have. This means that I want PSDs or TIFs with the layers intact if you worked in Photoshop. If you worked only in Camera Raw or Lightroom, I want the XMP or DNG files as well. If you aren't sure what I mean by this, please contact me.

That's all for now! Please be in touch with ANY questions you have ASAP--next class is it!

Week 9 Wrap-Up

Luca Locatelli

Hi Everybody,

I was really glad to see everyone today and to know that you're all holding up despite the extraordinariness of our current situation.

To recap some of what we discussed:

•  For most of you, your photo series topics will have changed. For some of you, this means adapting your topic to the objects or people in your home. For others, you may now be doing a Before/After series, using your original series a s a starting point to show how life has changed since social distancing. Some of you might be starting something entirely new.
• Use this week to keep shooting and to work through what your new series will look like. Shoot everyday. If you are staying indoors, I recommend getting up before everyone else in your household, at a time of day you normally aren't awake. This can help you see your surroundings with fresh eyes and may help give you some new ideas.
• We will be meeting (via Zoom) during our regular class time next week to look at what you shot and to give you some suggestions and direction for how to continue and complete your series over the next two weeks.
• Before next Saturday: Upload your photos to the Google Drive 2nd Critique folder (I'll send the link to you in an email). 20+ Photos. This should be a combination of your new photos along with any Pre-Quarantine series photos we haven't seen 
• Start working on a self-portrait. There are a lot of ways to approach this, and not every portrait is a portrait of a face. 

That's it for classwork--I'm here if you have any questions or if you want to touch base about how to proceed with your series. Just drop me an email.

In the meantime, National Geographic posted an essay about what some of their photographers who are stuck in quarantine are working on. Take a look here:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/2020/03/these-photos-capture-a-world-paused-by-coronavirus/#close

See you next week!

Class Update - Please Read

Gary He

Hi Everybody,

I've been sharing information and updates with you about class via email. If you haven't received anything from me, please reach out to me via email at dyerj at newschool dot edu.

Class is resuming (in a virtual setting) on Saturday, March 28th and I will be sharing a link for access via email later this week.

Please be in touch ASAP if you haven't received anything from me. In the meantime, please check out this photo essay by Gary He documenting the effects of the pandemic on the restaurant scene in NYC:
https://ny.eater.com/2020/3/20/21187881/coronavirus-nyc-restaurant-bars-photos

"See" you all soon.

Trying to Write an Artist Statement...

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

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.

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:

Week 7 Wrap-Up

Aida Muluneh, Strength in Honor, 2016

Hi Everyone,

Today, we dug deeper into the Photoshop workflow, looking at basic adjustments and simple retouching. Please click on the "How-To" tab to find more information and options for retouching your photos outside of class.

Next week is our second critique. You will be showing 20 new images related to your series. We will have a little bit of time at the start of class to organize images and to revisit Photoshop. Please be sure to bring all of your files (as well as a hard drive or USB drive).

On to this week's homework:

• Firstly (and most importantly), concentrate on shooting for your project and next week's critique.
• Secondly, use this week to complete and post any homework assignments you may have missed. I will be getting in touch before next class with a short midterm review. If you have any questions about the homework, or aren't sure of how to complete an assignment related to a class you may have missed, email me and we'll sort it out. Not sure if you missed an assignment? Click on the homework tab to see all of the weekly assignments or click on your label to se everything you've posted.
• Finally, email me a preliminary artist Statement, roughly 1 paragraph. Keep in mind this is a first draft and isn't expected to be perfect or anywhere near resolved.

That's all for this week. Please let me know if you have any questions, and see you next Saturday!

Photo x Styling Processed Selects

Found here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/anxarbqy98z7o0t/AAAGDXTaLgg8aSyfx_HdcV6xa?dl=0

Week 6 Wrap-Up

Tim Walker, from the W Magazine Editiorial Stranger Than Paradise

Hello everyone!

Today, we worked collaboratively with the Fashion Styling class, with each of you partnering with a stylist and a model to produce a look and a series of photographs.

You all did a fantastic job--working collaboratively can be a real challenge (never mind with incredibly tight time and location constraints), but you all nailed it.

We'll debrief a bit about this assignment next class, but in the meantime your homework is to post your favorite and best images from the shoot and to complete any past work you may have missed. Over the next two weeks I will be sending out mid-term reviews, so now is your last chance to get caught up.

That's all for the moment--see you next week!

Fashion Photography: An Intro

David LaChappelle, This is My House, 1997

Hi Everybody!

In preparation for this coming weekend's collaborative shoot with the Fashion Styling class, I wanted to share some resources with you. These are all fairly quick reads, so please take a look before Saturday so that you come to class ready to go!

The History of Fashion Photography (this is a longer read, but will give you a great overview of the history of fashion photography, along with some inspiring images)

5 Quick Tips (this really sums up the key parts of what you'll be doing on Saturday-- collaborating with a stylist, developing the look, scouting a location and shooting

Everything You Need to know for a Successful Fashion Shoot This has great ideas for how to take the next step after Saturday's class. There is also a helpful list that I'll include at the end of this post.

10 Composition Tips This covers most of the same compositional techniques that we've discussed, but puts them into a specifically fashion context.

7 Lessons Learned on My First Fashion Shoot This has some great insights from a photographer after his first fashion job.

From the "Everything You Need to Know..." article, here is a list of things that you'll want to discuss with your partner stylist before shooting:

subject matter

location

mood

lighting

aesthetic

styling

hair

make-up

any references for theme or time period, if applicable

This should get you started! If you have any questions or want to share some of your favorite fashion photos or inspirations, please feel free to post them to the blog.

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 20 images from your series to the blog before next week so that we can give you some feedback before next class.

Next week we will be working with the Fashion Design class on a collaborative project. Bring your cameras, cards, and fully-charged batteries and don't be late!

On to this week's homework:

1. Post 5 images from the crit that you feel are your best or most successful
2. If you weren't in class, post the 20 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.
3. Post one new image from your series that responds to the feedback you received in class.
4. If you weren't in class, keep working on your images and be sure to leave comments on your classmate's work.
5. Look at the How-To section of the blog to find a couple articles about fashion photography. please read these before next class.

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

Week 4 Wrap-Up

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 at the Oculus in lower Manhattan.

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:

— Complete and post any homework you may have missed.
--We revisited our manual exposure assignments from last week. Please post three stranger portraits from this weekend.

Don't forget to include your exposure (ISO, shutter speed, aperture) for each. 

--Next week is our first crit. For next class, bring 20 images from your series. During class, we will have a little time to separate the 20 images into a folder with your name. 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.

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

Also, for those that need it, my email address is dyerj at gmail dot com.

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

Ethics & Model Releases

Gideon Mendel, Florence Abraham, Igbogene, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, November 2012

...in response to today's conversation about ethics and model releases:

Firstly, here is a link to a simple, easily modified Model Release:

• Pocket Model Release

...and here is another template, along with a helpful article about copyright and privacy:

• Model Release Form Template

Finally, here is a general guideline for Ethical Behavior for Image-makers (borrowed from Amy Finkel, with thanks!). It's geared towards filmmakers in particular, but is just as applicable to still photographers and time-based media artists:

ETHICS / RECORDING HUMAN BEHAVIOR

• A filmmaker is representative of the social, political and economic interests of others
• Should represent others with sensitivity to their own ideas of identity
• There should be informed consent, consider how much your subjects know about your project
• How much input and control do they have over their own representation
• What does it take to record human behavior in a way that most successfully reveals the truth?
• Prepare carefully, select the crew and the equipment that will do the best job
  careful prep should lead you to a location where you have a high probability of shooting the behavior you're seeking
• Trust & credibility (with subjects & audience)
• The ability to discard preconceptions & plan for the unexpected
• An understanding of how what is being shot relates to the edited film that will be made
• The ability to be inconspicuous, non-interfering
• To allow people to act differently in different situations (this is more naturalistic, their behavior will remain consistent with their beliefs about themselves and their place in the world)
• Don't worry about behavior that happens off camera, shrug off a missed shot
• Be active in the process of selection and decision making
• What you point the camera at
• How you shoot the subject matter (angle, framing, lighting)
• When you turn the camera off and on

...and as an industry-specific counterpoint, take a look at the National Press Photographers Association Code of Ethics, found here.

It's an important conversation and I appreciate your openness to having it. 

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!

We covered a lot this week--thanks for being up for the challenge!

This week we concentrated on manual exposure and refining our metering skills. 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.

We will revisit manual exposure throughout the semester, so don't worry if it feels a little unclear right 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. Formal Portrait of a stranger

6. Candid Portrait of a stranger

7. Long Exposure at Night

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,

It was great to meet you all finally! This is going to be a great semester.

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

Now,  on to this week's homework:

1- Shoot and post a photograph of something "invisible". How you interpret this is entirely open and up to you. 

2- Shoot an example of each of the compositional rules we discussed. The pictures can be 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.

3- If you haven't already, please bring your lab fee with you next week. Scholars, this has already been taken care of.

4- Start shooting for your semester series. Be sure to pick up your camera and shoot something--anything--every day. 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.

5- Complete the survey, found here.

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

Tips for Organizing Your Files

Hi everybody!

For the sake of ease and organization, I recommend organizing your hard drives / USB drives like this:

The workflow is as follows:
1. Download your cards to the "All Photos" folder
2. Copy or separate out any photos from your series to the "Series Photos" folder
3. Save your homework post images to the "Homework" folder

This is just a suggestion. Organize your files however is the most clear for your, and don't forget to back everything up!

Week 1 Wrap-Up

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

Hey Everybody!

I hope you all had a great first class! I'm looking forward to meeting everyone in person next week.

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 images, let me know.

On to this week's homework. I know it may sound like a lot, but please give it your best effort:

1- Choose a photograph that has meaning for you--it could be a photograph that you like or something that you've shot yourself in the past. Please write a quick paragraph to tell us why you chose this image and to introduce yourself.

2- Complete the survey, found here.

3- Begin shooting as much as possible over the coming week. I recommend taking some time ever day to "wander" someplace new or unfamiliar. Pay attention to the things and moments that interest you and photograph them with intention.

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

5- 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

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!