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Five Photography Assignments That Invite You to Look Closely at the World

Students, try one of these exercises inspired by the visual series The Take. What can you learn about the world by looking at it through a particular lens?

By Natalie Proulx

How often do you look — really look — at the world around you? Below, we offer five photography assignments that challenge students to do just that, all inspired by The New York Times visual series The Take .

In this series, The Times asks photographers to explore different cultural themes through images — for example, to document what they see when they look up, to capture the sounds they hear in New York City or to find dance in everyday movements.

What can you learn about the world by looking at it through a particular lens? Choose one (or more) of the five assignments below to try out. For each, we’ll guide you through a warm-up activity, a reading of the Take article that inspired the exercise and your own photo shoot. When you’re done, you can create your own visual article by putting together a gallery of your images and writing a short commentary on what they mean to you.

These exercises are meant to be accessible to anyone with a camera or smartphone, whether you’re an experienced photographer or you’re just looking for a fun visual challenge. If you’d like to experiment with some composition and editing techniques, see our related photography lesson plan .

And if none of these projects inspires you, look through The Take’s archives for more ideas.

Assignment No. 1

Most of us spend our days looking down: at our phones, computers, homework, meals. What would you see if you looked up instead? For this assignment, we invite you to photograph what you see when you turn your gaze to the sky.

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12 Exciting Photography Assignments to Challenge and Inspire

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Everyone likes a good photo challenge. But photography assignments can also be very discouraging if they’re approached the wrong way. A good photography challenge will strengthen your photo skills and inspire you in multiple ways. A bad one will leave you wondering why you even tried photography in the first place.

12 Exciting Photography Assignments

Here are 12 exciting photography assignments to help you find the right one.

1. Shoot With a Limited Amount of Equipment

2. Take a Photo Every Day for a Year

3. Limit Yourself to X Photos a Day

4. Take Photos With Your Smartphone Camera Only

5. Experiment With a Completely Different Genre

There’s a wide variety of photography genres out there. There’s underwater, glamour , smartphone , landscape , and portrait , to name a few. Trying something new can help you fall in love with photography all over again. So take a temporary break from your main photo genre. If you’re a portrait photographer , take panoramic photos of your neighborhood. If you spend lots of time photographing animals, improve your self-portrait photography skills. When you expose yourself to different genres, you’ll learn many valuable lessons. And they will be useful long after the photography assignments end.

6. Photograph the Same Person or Object Every Day

7. Quit Social Media Temporarily

8. Create a Stop-Motion Video Using Photos

9. Take Creative Self-Portraits With a Friend

10. Crop or Rotate All Your Photos in a Specific Way

11. Include the Same Object in Every Photo

12. Invest in a Photo Book and Complete Every Assignment in It

Conclusion: Exciting Photography Assignments

You don’t need to travel the world or break the bank to improve as a photographer. A single assignment that lasts at least a week can teach you many lessons. And it’ll help you become a better photographer. All you have to do is find photography assignments that work for you. Then, dedicate some time to it, and watch your photo skills strengthen!

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Photographers Field

Exploring the photographic field, 27 engaging photography exercises for beginners to learn from {free pdf}.

Many times we start our photography journey with just noticing things around us. What we should also do is to start learning different ways to communicate through our images. If you didn’t yet hop on the 52 week photography challenge , we have added these 30 engaging photography exercises for you to develop your skills during the next few months.

Table of Contents

Why Should You Do These Exercises ?

The question actually is, why shouldn’t you?

Have you been monitoring your journey as a photographer, and what kind of changes have you been seeing?

When you decide to start moving to the direction of intentional practice, the development will follow.

27 Engaging Photography Exercises

Every exercise will force you to inspect your images from a different perspective, so try to focus on only one exercise at a time.

These exercises vary from photographic ones to ones that will have you inspecting your work as an artist. Each of them is essential in learning new ways of creating images.

1. Photograph something you love

This can be anything you decide. It can be an event, a place or an object. You can also choose to photograph people, but since it might require more effort than choosing to photograph other elements, we recommend you get back to it once you’re mastered to be comfortable with your camera.

2. Photograph something round

This is pretty self-explanatory. We have alot of organic and non-organic round shapes around us, so the framing will ultimately determine what round objects you let into the image.

3. Photograph someone close to you

Family members, other relatives or friends. People you already feel comfortable being with. See how directing them and having the access to be close to them might affect your way of photographing.

4. Photograph an object / subject that is moving

Running people, passing by cars or other vehicles. Can you use your cameras setting so that you stop their movement – or on the other hand – set them so that the movement is visible and can be seen in the final image?

5. Learn to use negative space

Negative space is an important element when creating your image; it gives more stillness and room for other elements to pop up in your work. How you decide to compose it, is up to you. In landscape negative space is a natural way of creating imagery, but how can you add it to let say, portraiture?

6. Focus on an object in the frame

Once depth of field is nothing new to you, start implementing the focus point only on the subject you want to emphasize. You will be able to truly bring the focus point to the elements that you want to show. This is a highly effective way of photographing, especially if there is surrounding noice in your frame.

7. Play with shadows

In this one try to focus not on the object itself, but on the shadows that the objects / subjects have. What kind of shapes can you find, and are they even more interesting that the objects itself? Can you frame them in a way that creates an abstract image?

8. Shoot analog

Many photographers say that photographing with a digital camera might feel convenient, but also steals the image of it’s moment. Since there is no rush in taking the image or no surprise whether you’ve had the shot you were looking for, you will approach it differently. At least at some point, try to photograph with an analog camera, and see how your approach changes. The best film cameras to start out as a beginner, are listed here.

9. Create a self-portrait

We are quick to photograph others, but what if you turn the camera to yourself? You can better practice lighting, but self-portraiture is a great way to start accepting ourselves as we are, without judgement. You can also practice as long as you feel like it, since theres not pressure in succeeding.

10. Play with reflections

Take a walk and look around; notice any mirrors, ponds or glass windows? They can be a great tool for seeing the world differently. Using them as self-portrait elements or just reflecting two different surfaces into one image.

11. Analyze your images

If you can, print out your favorite image you’ve made and look at them critically; what are the main themes you like to work with? Do you have a specific way of composing the elements in your images (ie. always horizontal / vertical) ? Are you great at photographing people, or are you more intrigued by moments or small details in your life? Looking deeper into what you’re good at and what you like to focus on, can determine better who you are as a photographer.

12. Use objects to frame your image

It’s called ‘frame-within-a-frame’ – look for elements which you can use as a frame within your image: branches of trees, window panes or doors can all work when framing your main object / subject in the image. But you can get creative and use a cut out fabric or a cardboard to create this frame.

13. Look at things through shapes and lines

Once you manage this one, it will support your photographic journey in every image you’ll ever take. When looking at great photography locations, noticing how the surrounding elements will play out in your images will determine whether they will work or not. Seeing lines immediately or noticing if the place already has an organic shape which you can use in your images, will help you to better build impressive images.

14. Create a photo essay

Creating a photo essay is another great way to find your visual language. How do you form a story through images, what kind of different images are you combining to tell an intriguing story? Try to shoot 5 images alternating between different angle of views and practicing composition.

15. Use less light in your images

When starting out photography, we often think the image is created around the light. Which it essentially is, but tweaking the amount of light you let in, is what can drastically change the mood the image. Shed only a beam of light on your subject or or let the light be reflected from an illuminating surface like screens, will give just enough light to build interest.

16. Learn to read the light in the space

Eventually this will be essential if you don’t want to always guess what settings you’re going to adjust when you’re about to shoot. Being able to look around you to verify; what is the main light source in the room and how or if you’re going to fill it with any additional light. And if not, how are you going to set your camera to support the lighting circumstances that are present.

17. Try to shoot black and white

For the aesthetic purposes and the feel of film, it’s quite nice and is definitely worth a try. Black and white film will also let you understand the importance of color, once it’s absent, you will notice how the viewer focus will move once the colors are not colliding with each other. Will they focus more on the narrative in the image instead of reading the colors ?

18. Create a theme before you start photographing

One way of shooting is this intuitive way of noticing details and thins you want to take a picture of. Another way is to plan ahead; what elements are you looking for to photography, and why? This is also much needed if you’re planning on doing a photoessay, or possibly even small commission job – staying ahead with knowing how you create the storyline.

19. Create a new photo by cropping

Some days you’ll notice later how you could’ve created an amazing image if you you’d go closer to your subject or object you were shooting. Instead of starting to crop the images and not moving an inch closer, try to crop it the way you’d like the image to be. Then next time, use this image as a guideline to go closer and create the actual image.

20. Recreate a photo you like

Maybe don’t choose the most ambitious one as your first picture, but do choose one that for some reason you feel is well created or -lighted or just sparks your interest in some way.

21. Learn to create a moodboard

If you want to plan more on what you photograph, creating a moodboard will bring you more focused view on what it is the photos are going to look as whole. We often just want to photograph without much thought, but it brings another level of reward once you see the end result of multiple ideas come into one.

22. Use a disposable camera in one day

This has a similar effect then photographing with an analog camera, except that you cannot do fancy settings or think much about the images. Disposable cameras will not give you the best quality in images but it will give its own feel to them. Photograph one full roll in your disposable camera and see what comes out. To find the best disposable cameras, I’ve made an extensive list for them here . For additional challenge; create small photo essays of the images you make.

23. Photograph something abstract

We are prone to trying to find meaning in our images, but what if you decide that there isn’t any and just look for things that you find aesthetically pleasing? It can be texture, color collision or just something you turn into nothing specific.

24. Choose a spot to photograph from

Trying to find new ways of looking at the same things; choose one spot you create 3 images for 3 days in a row. You can direct your camera upwards or downwards, or however you see fit. But do not change the spot you’re photographing from. Think about the time you shoot the images at and if they differentiate from each other.

25. Photograph a person without any faces

If you feel you’re not familiar with photographing people just yet, start by photographing them without showing their face. This will let them be at ease but you will also find it easier to access their space when you do not have to think too much about identifying them in a specific way.

26. Create a fictional journalistic image

Having even the slightest interest for journalism and the visual aspect of it, this will work as a stepping stone in understanding how journalistic images are created. Usually, of course these events are actual, but how a photographer decides to portray the event is always a responsibility and it can change the viewpoint of how the viewer will see it. Create a fictional happening and build an image that could easily be published in your local paper.

27. Go closer

This was almost covered in one of the earlier exercises, but is such an important aspect of photography overall that it needs to be underlined. As much as changing your viewpoint changes the content of your images, so does the distance you have between you and your subject. As Robert Capa once said: “If your photographs aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough”.

These photography exercises can be found in the free PDF below . Follow your development and how you perform these exercises.

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Five Self Assignments That Teach You To See

A Post By: Rick Berk

In my 20 years in photography, I’ve seen a lot of different assignments teachers have given their students.  Most I have heard, or been given myself from time to time, have centered around learning to use the camera.  Things like “Use Only One Exposure Mode”, “Use Only One Lens”, or “Use One Aperture Setting”.  The most interesting to me, from a photographic standpoint, involved learning to see.  The reason I say this is that simple camera use can be easily learned. It’s basic math when you boil it down.  But learning to see creatively, learning to compose a shot, takes much more than learning buttons, dials, and controls.  These self assignments force you to look around you, to really see what you’re shooting and try to make interesting images.

1. Pick A Color

Pick up your camera and choose a color for the day. Go out and make images with that color as a dominant element in the image. Find as many different ways as possible to do this.

This image I went in search of things red. 1/320, f/7.1, ISO 1000. EOS 5D Mark II, EF 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro.

2. Pick A Shape

Choose a shape and create images which use that shape in an interesting way. It could be features in architecture, artwork, or juxtaposition of multiple structures. Squares are relatively easy. Start there, and then search out triangles, circles, or combinations of shape.  Again, look for the most interesting composition you can to highlight that shape in your image.

I ventured into Central Park in New York City without a real game plan in mind. I found a sundial and started shooting that, and then went in search of more circles. Found this ironwork and used it to frame a pair of lovers in a rowboat. 1/160. f/2.8, ISO 100. EOS 5D Mark III, EF 24-70 f/2.8L II at 24mm.

3. Shoot Something Different

If you’re like me, you probably have one type of subject you gravitate to more than any other.  But it’s easy to get too comfortable, and miss opportunities to make great images, when you’re only looking for one thing.  Once in a while it’s a good idea to change things up and shoot something different.  If you’re a sports shooter, try shooting a still life.  If you’re a landscape artist, try shooting macro.  These types of exercises forces you out of your comfort zone and helps you learn to see in a new way.

Normally I’m a landscape guy first. But I decided I wanted to try a still life of one of the tools of my trade. I used some black plexi as the table, and black matte board for the background. I used a single speedlite in a softbox above and behind the subject. EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-70 f/2.8L II. 1/200, f/8, ISO 100.

4. Shoot Reflections

Reflections are a powerful element in photography, but I’m almost embarrassed to admit how long it took me to actually start SEEING them.  I had a “lightbulb moment” one day when shooting with a friend of mine, and since then, I am constantly looking for reflections as an element in my work, whether it be portraits, landscapes, or still lifes.

This is probably the most photographed puddle in New England, but it’s great for producing a reflection of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse. Reflections add interest to images so always be on the lookout. EOS-1D Mark IV, EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II. ISO 100, 1/20, f/16.

5. The 15 Foot Circle

Stand in the center of a room, or wherever you happen to be.  Make photographs only of subjects that happen to be within 15 feet (or 10, or 5) of where you’re standing.  Give yourself a time limit. Exhaust all possibilities. Get as many images as you can using only that area before moving on.  This kind of exercise forces you to really look at things and work to compose interesting images.

I was standing in a dining room at the holidays last year and decided to try the 15 foot circle. This was a line of candles on a fireplace mantle. EOS-1D X with EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS II. ISO 400, 1/250, f/2.8.

For beginners, these assignments are great for learning to see. For more experienced photographers, these are great ways to stay fresh, to restart the creative eye when you’re feeling blocked, or to just do something different.  What other self assignments have you tried to refresh your photographic vision?

Read more from our Tips & Tutorials category

is a photographer based in Freeport, Maine, shooting a variety of subjects including landscapes, sports, weddings, and portraits. Rick leads photo tours for World Wide Photo Tours and his work can be seen at RickBerk.com and you can follow him on his Facebook page and on Instagram at @rickberkphoto.

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How to Make an Absolutely Awesome High School Photography Curriculum

Do you teach photo classes? Do you need a curriculum map for this year? You’ve come to the right place! Teaching photography is a lot of fun! But if you don’t have a plan to help you keep track of where you’re going, it is very possible that you’ll get a little lost in the middle of the semester.

In the last post, I spoke at length about  graphic design curriculum examples , in this post, we’re tackling high school photography! Just like in the last post, I’ve got a free curriculum map overview for one full semester of intro to photography and it lays out which standards go with each unit according to the National Arts Standards. There are few more units in this curriculum because they tend to be a bit shorter than the graphic design ones. Enjoy! 

NOTE: This curriculum uses DSLR cameras, but many of the units may be completed without them.

NOTE: I have given you links to each of the units I’ve created below. The units themselves are available for sale, but if there are videos associated with the units, they will be free for you to view.

Famous Photographer Presentation : This is an ongoing unit. Students choose from a list of famous photographers and research their life work. Students will present their research toward the end of the semester. I use this unit as a “work on this if you have everything else done” project.

Photo Assignments : This is also an ongoing unit. Introduce a new photo assignment weekly and give them a full week to complete it (don’t forget to give them reminders! They’ll need them!)

Legal Issues in Photography : This unit gives students a basic knowledge about the rights of photographers. They will explore some real life photography court cases.

Camera History : What is a camera? Where did it come from? These and other origin questions about photography will be explored in this unit.

Exposure : After a week or two of background information, it is finally time to explore the camera. In this unit, students will explore the manual camera parts.

Digital Camera Basics : This unit explores the different types of cameras. Everything from the phone camera, to the point and shoot, to the high quality DSLRs.

Photo Composition : This unit shows students how to take quality photos (no matter what kind of camera they have).

Introduction to Photoshop : So they know how to take pictures, now they need to know how to edit them! This unit explores the basics of Photoshop.

Colorize a Black and White Photo : Students will learn how to use selection and color tools in Photoshop.

Restore Damaged Photo : Applying previous knowledge, students will bring in a damaged photo from home and learn how to restore them (I also provide images if they don’t have any).

Cut Out Background : Students will learn how to cut the background out of one image and place the subject into another picture. This unit explores the use of selection tools and masks.

Still Life Photography : This unit shows students how to control light through still life photography.

Time Lapse : This unit gives students the chance to practice their masking skills as they combine several photos together into one.

Magazine Cover : This unit will allow students to apply their knowledge of Photoshop and photography.

Historical You (paired with Famous Photographer project) : This is a short, fun assignment where students use images from their famous photographers and mask their faces onto the bodies of those in the images.

Final Exam : Students will apply previous knowledge to show you what they’ve learned through a couple of short application projects.

And that completes one semester of digital photography! If you ALSO would like to see an example of a photo syllabus,  click here !

As promised, below is a sample curriculum map for you, click the button and enter your email!

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STORE > 100 CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY ASSIGNMENTS

(all prices in USD)

100 Creative Photography Assignments is like a photography workshop in your pocket. It’s filled with over a year’s worth of creative ideas, briefs, assignments and projects that will help you grow as a photographer.

It’s also an inspirational guide that puts the creativity back into your photography. Each brief is designed to get you looking at familiar things in new ways. Most of the assignments can be done close to home, so there’s no need to travel to exotic places.

The book is structured into twenty broad themes, with five assignments for each theme. There’s enough ideas here to keep you busy for a long time to come!

100 Creative Photography Assignments is written for you:

• The assignments encourage you to explore the world and find interesting subjects in ordinary places.
• With 100 assignment ideas there are plenty that will appeal to you.
• It’s easy to read. The book comes in three formats – PDF, ePub and Mobi for Kindle so you can choose the one that is best for your device.

What you will learn

The aim of  100 Creative Photography Assignments is to help you grow as a creative photographer.

As you work your way through the assignments you’ll start to see connections and themes. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of what creative photography means to you, and how you can develop your ideas and interests with long term projects.

You’ll discover how to look back at photos you’ve made in the past and see how they can fit creative briefs, and how they can guide you to new ideas and projects.

You’ll also learn what to do when you feel stuck or at a creative crossroads. With 100 assignments to choose from you’ll never run out of ideas again.

The story behind the book

A few years ago I got stuck as a photographer. I didn’t know what to photograph, how to find an interesting subject or how to move forward. Finally, I decided to set myself a project photographing craftspeople – people who make things with their hands. I started by contacting a local artist and potter to see if I could photograph them at work. Both said yes, the project got started, and I found my way forward.

Now, I realize the breakthrough was giving myself an assignment with a clear brief. And I wish I had given myself more briefs, and seen how I was surrounded by interesting subjects. I just had to look at familiar subjects differently, and make an effort to photograph them.

So I put together a set of 50 black and white assignments in a book that was published last year. It was so popular that I decided to write another book, with even more assignments. The aim is to give you the same spark of inspiration that I gave myself all those years ago.

I wrote this book imagining that I could go back in time and give it to myself ten or twenty years ago. I would have been a more purposeful photographer and built a much better portfolio of work. Now you can benefit from the lessons I’ve learned.

Creative Photography Assignments: Themes & Projects (bonus ebook)

Your purchase includes Creative Photography Assignments: Themes & Projects , a PDF that shows you how to develop the assignments into long term themes and mini projects that are easy to tackle. There are several examples from my own photography, showing how the assignments benefit experienced photographers as well as less experienced ones.

Download your copy today

Click the Buy Now button to make your purchase and start reading your copy of 100 Creative Photography Assignments right away. Payment is by PayPal or credit card.

What others are saying

“I purchased your new ebook; brilliant.” – Paul

“I love your ebooks and have become a much better photographer thanks to you.” – Hugh

The Guarantee

I’m so confident that my ebooks will help improve your photography that I give you an unconditional guarantee. If, for any reason, you’re not satisfied with your purchase just let me know within two months and I’ll refund the purchase price in full, no questions asked.

The Assignments bundle

Save money with the following bundle:

Buy 100 Creative Photography Assignments and  The Magic of Black & White: 50 Assignments together for just $20 .

Buy 100 Composition Assignments and 100 Creative Photography Assignments   together for just $20 .

Or buy 100 Composition Assignments , 100 Creative Photography Assignments and  The Magic of Black & White: 50 Assignments together for just $29 .

Sample pages

Here are some sample pages from the book.

100 Creative Photography Assignments ebook

Title: 100 Creative Photography Assignments

Length: 126 double page spreads (plus 18 page bonus ebook)

Words: approx 16,600 (plus bonus ebook)

Format: PDF, Epub and Kindle Mobi 8. You can view the PDF of 100 Creative Photography Assignments using the free Adobe reader software on any PC or tablet. You can also read it on the iPad using iBooks – it has been optimized for iPad viewing. You can read the epub or mobi versions on tablets and smart phones.

Introduction How to use this book

Trees Ruins Seasonal color Urban trees In the forest Lone tree in the landscape

Sea (or lake) Sunset Architecture and the sea People and the sea Landscapes and the sea Blue hour

Color Color contrast Single dominant color Subtle color Man-made color Cram color in

Frames Bowls and plates Frames and people Windows and doors Hands Framed by color

Texture Antiques & vintage items Portraits Explore your neighborhood Weathered surfaces Metal

Flowers Keep it simple Flowers in context Botanical gardens Fading beauty Indoor flowers

Buildings On the outside Interiors Street art People Reflections

Your local neighborhood In the area Ruins and abandoned buildings Historic buildings Urban decay Sheds, greenhouses, garages and home offices

Sky Cloud patterns Active skies Stormy skies Moon Silhouette

Vintage Markets, museums and stores Chance finds Vintage cars At home Modern vintage

Black & White Tonal contrast In the street Unusual subjects Capture character (place) Capture character (portrait)

Urban skylines Shoot at night The big city Small towns and cities A famous view People

Light and shadow Last light Embrace hard light Indoor shadows Bright subject, dark background Shadow as a frame

Gardens Wide view Pots and planters Details Greenhouses People and gardens

Everyday objects Signs Abandoned furniture Through the window Laying around Numbers

Composition Minimal composition Pairs Groups of three Selective focus Limited color palettes

Mood A sense of place (twilight) Warm light Cool colors Bad weather A sense of place (gritty reality)

Portraits Hobbies Color driven Colorful characters Low light portraits At work

Landscape Road signs The intimate landscape The nondescript landscape People in the landscape Fading horizons

Cultural life Relationships and connection Cultural celebrations or activities The magic of childhood Local life Subcultures

2 Engaging Projects for Beginning Photography Students

Photography is one of the most popular electives in my school. I think a big reason for this is because students think it’s so easy to take pictures. These days, students can snap selfies and photos anytime, with little planning or thought. However, when they try to translate their social media skills to photography class, many of them realize their skills aren’t quite as sharp as they thought.

It’s important to show students taking a good photo involves more than a click of a button. In addition, we must help students discover a new way of looking and learn to see all of the details they’ve been missing. Starting off with projects to build these skills is crucial!

Here are 2 engaging projects I use with my beginning middle school photography students.

1. Photo Scavenger Hunts

Being able to leave the confines of the classroom is a big draw of photography classes, especially for middle schoolers. Scavenger hunts are a great way to help them focus during these periods of newfound freedom. Below are two ideas to try.

The Digital “Photo-bet”

The very first project we do in my middle school photography class involves locating the twenty-six letters of the alphabet in our surroundings. This Digital Photo-bet project takes time and hones students’ patience along with their observational and organizational skills. For this project, I typically have students use iPads to take the photos. This way, they stay focused on looking for the letters instead of playing with the camera.

The parameters of the project are simple:

• Students must look for objects and shapes that resemble letters. They may not take photos of actual letters.
• Students cannot stage their photos or retouch their findings. They must capture the “letters” as-is.
• The letters do not have to be captured in order. However, students should keep track of which letters they’ve captured as they go along.
• When finished, students must create a sentence or series of phrases that use all of the letters in a single composition. Students love to discuss these pieces and discuss the “letters” they see.

During the project, students quickly begin collaborating to find images and compare their letters with each other. There are usually a few students who insist the sticks they discovered had fallen exactly in the shape of an “N.” I trust them unless proven otherwise.

After the project is complete, I often notice students talking with each other about how they see their surroundings differently. They’re paying more attention, which is the goal.

Elements and Principles

Another early project involves photographing the elements and principles of art . It’s a good way to assess students’ background knowledge and introduce them to the capabilities of a Digital SLR camera.

For lots of students, this is one of their first exposures to a Digital SLR camera, and the features and capabilities of the camera are a bit overwhelming. Therefore, it’s a good idea to present and demonstrate a few basic concepts and techniques.

Here are 3 I like to focus on with my students:

• Focus Taking pictures in focus is a continual struggle because middle school students always seem to be in a rush to get things done quickly. They also have a tough time remembering their cameras might be set to Manual Focus instead of Auto. The main idea here is encouraging them to slow down and check the focus instead of snapping the picture and moving on.
• Composition and Lighting I encourage my students to try and shoot with the goal of as little post-production editing as possible. Therefore, we talk a lot about using the viewfinder to compose a good image to start with. I teach them to look for distracting backgrounds or poor lighting from the get-go. Thinking in this way will save time in the long run.
• Digital means you can take lots of photos! I often have students go out to shoot only to return with a handful of images. They haven’t grasped the idea that they can take a large number of photo and choose the best shot from the group afterward. Many of them believe one shot is all they’ll need. Inevitably, students end up wishing they could have taken more images to capture a specific subject or moment.

Once students have gotten to know their cameras a bit and have reviewed the elements and principles, they head out to photograph them around our school. They really try to outdo each other with their images. I’ve had students look for textures no one can guess or use their peers to represent motion.

2. Light Painting

I usually do light painting with my students toward the end of the semester. It’s a fun way for them to learn how to manipulate images through the science of photography and light rather than software.

At this point, they’ve learned how time and light are the most important factors in creating a strong photograph. Now, they get to play with the concepts.

To do light painting, you’ll need: 

• A flashlight
• A dark space

Setting up in a dark or virtually pitch black space is best, though not a necessity. Have students set up the camera and tripod and adjust the shutter speed to a setting upward of a second. On most cameras, you do this with the TV (Time Variable) setting on the dial. Students may have to play with the actual shutter speed setting to find the ideal shutter speed length for their image, so encourage them to try out multiple variations.

After the shutter is opened, students move the flashlight around in either a shape or letter and the light is captured in trails until the shutter closes. They can write messages, create effects, and just generally play with light. I often end up with students spending multiple class periods trying to capture the perfect photo.

These engaging projects are a surefire way to get your students comfortable with their cameras and the basics of photography. As your students gain skills and confidence, you can let them explore and play a little more.

What are your favorite introductory photography projects?

With which camera features do your students encounter the most challenges when they begin working with photography?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Raymond Yang

Ray Yang is the Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion of NAEA and a former AOEU Writer. They believe the arts can change the world.

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May 16, 2018 2 Comments

Beyond Selfies: Unshuttering High School Photography Fundamentals

Inside: An examination of the teen-oriented social platform Getty Unshuttered and how its challenges can be used for high school photography lessons.  This post is brought to you by WeAreTeachers and Getty Unshuttered.

Our lives were inundated with images long before the internet or smartphones came along. We’re a visual species and we’ve been creating images for as long as we’ve been human, but never before have our lives been so dominated by photographs.

A World of Images

One estimate says we’ve gone from seeing about 500 ads a day back in the 1970’s to as many as 5,000 a day now. And that’s just ads! Spend a few minutes scrolling through Twitter or Facebook and you’ll be above 500 images in no time. Our students spend a significant amount of time looking at screens and every day there are more photo-based apps clamoring for their attention.

The popularity of apps like Instagram and Snapchat have passively educated our students to how photos communicate messages about the world and about themselves. They know that a single photo can make or break a reputation. They’ve seen it happen. The ability to take 20 selfies in 2.5 seconds has awakened them to the storytelling power of photographs. They know how their expression and setting can change the mood and emotion of a photo. They know that others will judge them based on what they show. Our students speak the language of photography, but a lot still gets lost in translation.

Advertisements and memes regularly rely on editing to change the meaning of a photograph. The internet is littered with arguments about the veracity of images because it is getting harder to determine the authenticity of the media we see. In this confusing and often dishonest landscape, I think we art teachers have a responsibility to help our students navigate the world of photography.

Getty Unshuttered

That’s where Getty Unshuttered comes in. Getty Unshuttered is a new social platform built specifically for teens. Each week, they introduce a new photography challenge that includes a video of a teenager sharing their own photographs and personal story. The concept introduced in the challenge video is explored further with written tips and explanations.

Teens are encouraged to post their own work in the free Getty Unshuttered app . I love that the photographs in the app can be favorited but not commented upon. We all know how cruel comment sections can be. Eliminating that aspect allows students to share their work free from unnecessary negativity.

High School Photography Lessons

Getty Unshuttered is the perfect tool for high school photography lessons because it pairs a medium that our students are hyper-familiar with and educates them on how it can be shaped and manipulated. By teaching the fundamentals of composition, light, and color, students will better understand why a photograph is good and what makes a photo memorable. Looking at and critiquing artworks inspired by the challenge and created by peers will make it easier for them to dissect the choices the artist made and how those choices impact the final photograph.

Getty Unshuttered can easily be used as the basis for a complete high school photography unit. The lessons will be a hit because they’re hands-on, fun, and incredibly relevant. Each week, you can choose a challenge to share with your classes. After watching the video and going over the written concepts, you can show students photographs that other teens have shared for inspiration and to critique in a controlled setting. Then, you can give students a homework assignment to complete the challenge using their own cameras or smartphones.

Once they’ve paired their knowledge and stories with the fundamental skills lessons available on Getty Unshuttered , students will be more discerning and observant of the images around them and become better artists themselves.

Light Challenge

There are several challenges already available on the Getty Unshuttered website, including features on skills like perspective, color, and composition. One of my favorites so far is the Light Challenge.

Getty Unshuttered makes it easy to empower students with the knowledge they need to take great photographs, tell their stories, appreciate the work of their peers, test their skills, and understand the increasingly visual world around them.

This post is brought to you by WeAreTeachers and Getty Unshuttered. While I was compensated for this post, all reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.

I’d love to hear about how you’ll use Getty Unshuttered in your classroom in the comments below!

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May 18, 2018 at 4:34 pm

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These Cross-Curricular Photography Lessons Inspire High School Students to Do Social Good

Because creativity is at the heart of activism.

Explore the Getty Unshuttered Teacher Portal , a cross-curricular resource for high school teachers filled with lessons that inspire students to raise their voices for social good through photography.  

“Who am I? What do I care about? How can I make a difference?”

Teens continually attempt to figure out their place in the world. As teachers, we can make a profound impact as our students learn and develop. We can guide those in our classrooms to use their passion, creativity, and energy to make a difference in the world. And now there’s a new resource, created by the Getty Museum, to help teachers do just that. The Getty Unshuttered Teacher Portal is a cross-curricular resource that provides high school teachers with free lessons that inspire students to raise their voices for social good through photography .

Featured Image Photo Credit: Melissa Barales-Lopez, Mia Bella Chavez, Grecia Carey Ortega, and Norma Vidal, [untitled], 2018

Cross-curricular lessons.

Originally developed as a free, photo-sharing app , Getty Unshuttered encourages teens to inspire others with their creativity. The app also teaches photography skills and posts photo challenges. The Getty Unshuttered Teacher Portal is a new resource that provides high school teachers with lessons that incorporate photography and enhance curriculums across a variety of subject areas, such as ELA, history, politics, art, photography , and more. 

Social Justice Themes

The carefully developed lessons tackle social justice themes that resonate with high school students. For example, Exploring Your Background is a lesson that shows students how to use self-portraiture to express their identity. In the accompanying activity, students use their smartphones to capture selfies that reveal their cultural background, family history, and place in society. The lesson also incorporates photography skills videos from the Getty Unshuttered app , and resources such as portraits from the Getty Collection and an “identity map” graphic organizer. 

Other cross-curricular, high school photography lessons from the Getty Teacher Portal delve into impactful, social justice topics, such as:

• Exploring Communities
• The Role of Photography in Social Justice Advocacy
• Identifying Types of Service 

Useful Tools and Resources

Currently, there are eight social justice lessons available on the Getty Unshuttered Teacher Portal. Over the next school year, there are plans to add lessons on photography skills and visual narrative. All  lesson plans include a variety of tools and resources. Examples include relevant activities, photos, videos, discussion guides, graphic organizers, and assessments.

Explore the Getty Unshuttered Teacher Portal

Tap into your high school students’ creative expression through photography that helps them develop a deeper understanding of art, history, literature, politics, and more. Inspire them to raise their voices for social good through Getty Unshuttered’s cross-curricular, high school lessons.

Note: The aim of the portal is to be a tool for educators, and the Getty wants to hear feedback from you directly ([email protected]) in order to be responsive and ensure resources work for you. Going forward, you will see updates to lesson plans as feedback is incorporated.

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Select country, photography practice exercises, practice photography at home.

Photography is a skill that requires constant practice and experimentation, so if you want to improve you need to constantly work on it. Here are some DIY mini-project ideas that you can do anytime.

Know Your Camera The longer you hold the camera in your hand, the more you memorize the location of the buttons and their configurations using muscle memory. For photographers working outside the studio, this skill is really important. You should always know where each button is without thinking about it. You can achieve this by holding and using the camera as much as possible.

So use your home camera and try to change as many settings as you can during this practice period to get used to the feel, position, and button configuration. You should be able to change all camera settings without looking at it. This will help you use and set up your camera faster and take more photos in less time.

Don't forget to read the instructions too. There are many options that you will learn and find very useful if you read the manual. If necessary, watch Youtube videos related to your camera to see what it can do that you thought was impossible before.

Create better composition You can practice composition with almost anything you have at home. Keep in mind, though, that most subjects you find will be stationary, and you won't get much better at shooting the same thing over and over again.

Try practicing composition on non-stationary subjects such as your spouse, children, parents, pets - anything that breathes and moves in the house. You might annoy them a bit, but they'll get used to it eventually. Since they'll be unpredictable and moving all the time, you'll have to constantly readjust yourself to compose correctly, which will allow you to hone your composing skills.

You can almost do the same with stationary objects, but try to compose the shot as quickly as possible this time around. And, of course, after each shot you can switch between multiple objects so you don't get too used to the angle and position.

Try macro techniques Chances are there are at least ten small items on hand right now as you sit at your desk and read this article. There are plenty of opportunities to improve your macro skills using these items while you're sitting at your desk wasting time on the internet.

Take a few of these objects and create a cool scene to photograph (which also allows you to practice conceptual photography). Practice handheld focusing and high magnification handheld shots. You can even practice macro lighting using flashes on table stands. The possibilities are endless in this area, all you have to do is practice.

You don't even need a macro lens. Start by using macro filters or close-up filters or try reverse lens macro. You can even use lamps and other lights in your home to illuminate your subjects. Use the reflective surfaces for creative shots and if you head out to your garden you're sure to find more insects, flowers and leaves that can make good macro subjects. Also, this is the best time to try to learn focus stacking.

Improve editing To get good at editing, you can research new ways to edit something, new processes, and maybe even different workflows. This way you will gain experience in this area and possibly improve the quality of your images and post-processing techniques. Also, it will help you optimize your workflow by getting used to it and eliminating any bottlenecks you might have.

If you're not used to editing your black and white photos, you can give it a try. It can help you develop a creative eye and help you learn to see particular details in black and white. You can also learn to focus more on lines, patterns, textures, tones, shadows, etc. of a scene and create powerful images that will captivate viewers for longer.

Maintenance of your equipment Your camera and equipment should be maintained and cleaned from time to time. It's pretty easy when you're at home and have the luxury of time and a clean workspace. You won't have that luxury on the pitch, so it's essential to know what you're doing and how.

When cleaning your equipment at home, be sure to become proficient. Make sure you can clean your camera, lens, and other accessories as quickly and thoroughly as possible. If you can properly clean your camera (even using the wet process on your sensor), you'll end up saving time and money by avoiding service center visits and being without your camera when it's needed.

Apart from your camera and lenses, you will also need to clean your tripod as most of the time it gets dragged through mud, dirt sand and also salt water if you are shooting near or at the beach. Over time, the parts and the material itself wear out and render your accessories unusable. So be sure to clean and lubricate the tripod and monopod. Also take the time to frequently attend to your other tripod-like accessories.

You will learn something new every time, gain experience and improve. All you need is the will to do it. You will notice the differences and improvements in just a few days.

How to teach photography to beginners

All successful photos have three things in common. Do you know what they are? It’s not the correct aperture, exposure and focus distance. Neither is it a suitable camera, lens and tripod. What about the successful use of hyperfocal distance, ISO invariance and ETTR? No! The three variables that matter most in photography are simple: light, subject and composition.

Light Photography is light. Without it, you couldn't take any photos, let alone good photos. The quality of light varies from photo to photo, but in all cases it is what gives your images their underlying structure. You can't get more fundamental than that. You've probably seen photos with beautiful light - photos that would otherwise have been rather ordinary. What makes light so important to the final quality of your photos? The character. In its simplest form, light is an emotion. The feel of your photo will be very different depending on the lighting conditions: hard light, soft light, warm light, cold light, and everything in between. Each type of lighting conveys a different emotional message, changing the character of your final image. While there are other ways to convey emotion in your photo, light is one of the most powerful.

If you've never thought about light, go out and take some pictures. At some point, you'll find yourself capturing a scene with spectacular lighting conditions, and you'll realize that taking great photos is almost easy. But what is exceptional lighting? There are so many possible conditions that you can encounter. Which are the best? While I think there are some really spectacular and particularly special lighting conditions - which I'll get to in a moment - the truth is that any type of light can be ideal. Indeed, in itself, "good light" means nothing. On the contrary, "good light" is light that makes your photos look the way you want.

A few types of light are special enough to be researched as often as possible, as they are particularly good for a wide range of subjects. The most important, at least for outdoor photos, is the golden hour - the times of sunset and sunrise when the sky is filled with stunning colors and the atmosphere filters the light into a soft glow.

Similarly, foggy conditions often make for interesting photos, simplifying the scene in front of you and bathing the world in soft, cool light. The same goes for thunderstorms, which make the sky intense and the world dark. Additionally, clear moonlit nights, which can make a landscape look mysterious and eerie, and for "blue hour" - the time of night close to golden hour, but where the sun is well below the horizon, and where everything has deep blue and purple tones.

The quality of light depends on the conditions you encounter, and it's not always something you have the power to change. However, for particularly important photos, you always have the option to wait and capture something amazing when the lighting conditions improve. The best lighting conditions in the world - even in an ordinary field - are far better than the bland lighting of Yosemite Valley. Every photo needs light; every good photo needs good light.

Subject When most of us take a picture, we do it because something caught our eye. This "something" is, unsurprisingly, your subject. If you're describing a photo to someone else, the subject is probably the first thing you'll say. "It's a picture of a mountain with snow blowing through the air." "This is a picture of a whale I saw last year." "It's a photo of my friend." As humans, we think of the world in terms of subjects. A powerful documentary touches us by what it shows us and how it shows it, but most people don't notice the "how". Indeed, a good subject can captivate your viewers, and other parts of an image - including crucial elements, even light - can take a back seat. This is also where the technical aspect of photography comes in. How do you represent your subject? Do you want to isolate it with a shallow depth of field or do you want everything from the foreground to the background in focus? Will your photography be sharp and detailed, or impressionistic and blurry? Every technical decision is really just a creative decision on how to represent your subject in the best possible way.

So when choosing the right subject for a photograph, you have to think about the future. What would the ideal photo of this subject look like, and how can you achieve it? Visualize the end result and do whatever you can to make it happen.

Composition Finally, the third crucial element of any photography is your composition. Composition is, quite simply, the arrangement of the elements of your photograph. It encompasses the position of the camera, the relationships between the elements of a photo, and the subjects you emphasize, downplay, or completely exclude. Composition is how you tell your story. A "good" composition is one that effectively tells your story, without distraction or confusion. Your viewers don't have to get lost in a convoluted mess to figure out why you took this photo. Composition is the stage of the game where you ask yourself "how". How can you convey the beauty, excitement, darkness, intensity, sweetness or any other emotion of a scene as perfectly as possible? How can you arrange the elements of your photo so that the image is successful? A good composition emphasizes the most important parts of a photo, while minimizing what detracts from the image.

As you can imagine, composing is a very personal subject, with many different elements, way more than I could cover in a single article. For the sake of simplicity, I will only touch on them briefly:

Simplicity Your photo should convey exactly what you want, and as few elements as possible should distract from your emotional message. If there are distracting elements in your photo, or elements with different moods and emotions, find what you can do to improve them.

Eliminate anything that can harm the quality of your photo; change your position or framing to lessen the effect. Even if your goal is to take a chaotic and distracting photo, you should do so as clearly and unambiguously as possible, without "non-chaotic" elements that tell a different story. The best way to fix most photos is to exclude as many unnecessary (or harmful) details as possible.

It doesn't just mean deleting them in Photoshop. Although post-processing can play a role here, it is far from the most important. If you haven't mastered the art of simplifying photos in-camera, it's a stretch to believe that the Spot Correction Brush can save the day. Some unwanted elements can slip into your frame, and that's okay. You rarely come across a "perfect" scene without distractions or problems. But if you're aware of these issues in the field, you've come a long way to fixing them as much as possible.

Balance Every part of a photograph attracts some degree of attention - some parts more than others. Bright, saturated colors and high contrast tend to catch the eye of your viewers, for example. The same goes for engrossing subjects or unusual things in a photo, just like in the real world. It's a matter of balance. When taking a photo, be careful where you place the elements that attract a lot of attention. If the left and right halves of your photo have the same visual weight, the composition is said to be balanced; otherwise, it is an unbalanced image.

Neither is good or bad. You can take good photos that are balanced and good photos that are unbalanced. Either way, this decision has a major impact on the underlying sentiment of the photo, i.e. its moods and emotions. A balanced composition looks calm and peaceful. An unbalanced composition, on the other hand, draws more attention to one side of the photo, resulting in a more tense and dynamic result.

Breathing Room When taking photos, each subject should have their own breathing space, or personal space, in the composition, unless you have a specific reason not to. When two subjects are close together, or against the edge of your photo, the result can be disconcerting. This advice is pretty self-explanatory, but you'd be surprised how often I see shots fail because they overlooked something so minor. An otherwise fantastic mountain photo can look completely contrived if placed too close to the top of the frame or, even worse, cut off completely.

Interconnectedness Good photos work because the elements of your composition work together rather than fighting each other. In some cases, it goes even further, achieving what is called interconnection. Sometimes different parts of the same photo have deeper similarities than they appear at first glance. For example, you can photograph a tree shaped like a distant mountain, or your subject wearing a shirt that matches the color of their eyes. Perhaps the simplest example is that of a landscape perfectly reflected in a pool of water. Such patterns give the picture a purpose, even if not all viewers consciously notice this connection. The idea is to make your image feel like a singular, unified whole, where the reason you took the photo is clear. This level of interconnectedness won't always happen, but when it does, the results can be very powerful.

If you master these three variables - light, subject and composition - you will have mastered what is perhaps the most important part of photography: figuring out how to convey your emotional message. Good photos touch us because they impact our emotions and resonate with us on a deeper level. The light creates a strong atmosphere; a subject gives your viewer something to relate to; the composition structures a photo to complete your story. In this article, I have of course only scratched the surface. In fact, no matter how hard you study these subjects, photography is an endless ocean. There is no "end point" to fully understand the creative aspect of photography. It is always possible to learn more. This is what makes photography so rewarding. Light, subject and composition are things you can only really learn by going out there and taking pictures, then critically reviewing your work and seeing how you can improve. So when trying to take the best photos possible, focus on creativity. Yes, the technical aspect of photography is always important; as I mentioned a moment ago, every technical decision is also a creative decision. But you have to back up a "technically good" photo with something more powerful. Ultimately, it's your emotional message, born out of the decisions you make every time you click the shutter.

Practice photography book

A source of ideas and knowledge is a good book. But it can be difficult to choose from the many popular photography books. We've created this list of great books to help beginners and enthusiasts get to grips with photography. Take a look for yourself and see which book suits you best.

The Photography Ideas Book by Lorna Yabsley Published by ILEX in partnership with the Tate group of museums, this dynamic book dissects and reimagines the art of photography, ultimately offering lessons in how to look with fresh eyes. Each page is devoted to a mini description of an artwork and an explanation of a specific concept used to create it, including perspective, multiple exposures, glitching, collage, and scanning. All of these pages explore brilliant photographic processes while shedding light on dozens of exciting photographers working today.

BetterPhoto Basics by Jim Miotke This is an excellent technical book that seeks to demystify the often overwhelming world of photography. Perfect for beginners, it covers common camera controls, explains the basic concepts of aperture, shutter speed and focal length, and provides tips on focusing, lighting and composition. It also contains practical exercises as well as sections with more advanced instructions, making it an ideal book to develop your skills as you progress through your photography journey. Many inspiring photographs will help you understand how all these techniques can be combined, not only during shooting but also in post-processing.

Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson Veteran photographer Bryan Peterson explains the fundamentals of light, aperture, and shutter speed, and how they interact and influence each other. With a focus on finding the right exposure, even in tricky situations, Understanding Exposure shows you how to get (or lose) image sharpness and contrast, freeze the action, and get the best meter results, while also exploring filters, flash and light.

Authentic Portraits by Chris Orwig Taking a portrait is not an easy task. In fact, it is an art form in its own right. Chris Orwig is a past master in this art and shares his wealth of knowledge with you. The techniques are refreshingly simple and quickly build confidence. Whether it's finding subjects, preparing yourself, or encouraging your subject, this 400+ page book of portrait photography tips and information has it all. If you want to take soulful and meaningful photos, and not just snapshots, this book is for you.

Extraordinary Everyday Photography by Jed Manwaring and Brenda Tharp The driving force behind this book is the concept that beauty can be found all around us, and that you don't have to travel across the world to get "the picture". Authors Brenda Tharp and Jed Manwaring offer captivating lessons with titles such as "Practicing to See Everyday" and "Photographing at Dusk" to inspire readers to see the familiar in new ways. In plain language, they describe how one can find unexpected pleasures by getting up close, focusing on details, and creating abstract views. They also provide exercises to help you apply what you've learned to your own environment.

Photographers on Photography: How the Masters See, Think, and Shoot by Henry Carroll If you like to learn from the best, consider reading this guide, which highlights approaches from the pros. It is packed with interviews, images and quotes from photographers such as Dorothea Lange, Saul Leiter and Wendy Red Star, which explore their ideas, concerns, motives and methods. Whether you're interested in commercial work, photojournalism, or concept art, you'll come away with a greater appreciation for the artistic process — and some inspiration for your own practice.

The Art of Photography: A Personal Approach to Artistic Expression by Bruce Barnbaum It can be difficult to master the technical aspect of photography, but it is even more difficult to develop your own artistic voice. In this rhapsodic text, photographer Bruce Barnbaum explores approaches to image-making, explaining why large photos work, how color and composition contribute to emotion, and how a single moment can be interpreted in limitless ways. There are some handy tips, like shooting the film and presenting the image, but it's mostly a guide to help you harness your technical skills for maximum creativity.

The Photographers Eye by Michael Freeman Design is the most important factor in creating a successful photograph. The ability to see the potential of a strong image and then organize graphic elements into an effective and compelling composition has always been one of the key skills in photography. In this book, photographer Michael Freeman explains how digital photography has brought a new and exciting aspect to design, with instant feedback from a digital camera enabling immediate evaluation and improvement. This has had a profound effect on the way digital photographers take pictures.

Advancing your Photography by Marc Silber Marc Silber interviewed some of the best photographers in the world and learned their secrets for amazing composition. Today, he brings their wisdom to you in an easy-to-understand manual. Too many photographers reach a certain level and struggle to progress. We are bombarded with so many videos, books and people telling us what to do that it can be overwhelming. Marc wrote Advancing Your Photography so you can have an easy to read manual to take with you. All of his advice is based on decades of photography and the deep wisdom of the fantastic photographers he's interviewed.

Good Pictures by Kim Beil This book takes a fascinating look at how we got to where we are today in photography and why we use the tools we use. You've probably never thought about why we have thumbnails and where they come from. But you will feel much closer to photography after reading Good Pictures.

Picture Perfect Practice by Roberto Valenzuela If you're frustrated and overwhelmed by the challenges of real-life locations and executing a big picture, or just want to become a better shooter but don't know where to start, Roberto Valenzuela's Picture Perfect Practice gives you the tools and information you need to finally become the kind of photographer you've always wanted to be: the kind who can confidently enter any location, in any lighting condition, with any any subject, and knowing that you can create stunning photographs that have timeless impact.

The Photographers Guide to Posing by Lindsay Adler When you're shooting people, you can have great composition, perfect light, and the right camera settings, but if your subject doesn't look good, if the pose is bad, the shot won't make it. Posing is truly a crucial skill that photographers need to possess in order to create great shots. If you're looking to improve your ability to pose your subjects, whether men, women, couples or groups, The Photographer's Guide to Posing by best-selling author and photographer Lindsay Adler: Techniques to Flatter Everyone is the perfect resource for you.

Fast Track Photographer by Dane Sanders Competition in the photography industry has never been fiercer. In this guide, renowned photographer Dane Sanders reveals that the key to success is to stop worrying about what other people are doing and focus on your most powerful resource: you.

How I Make Photographs by Joel Meyerowitz With nearly 60 years of photography experience, Joel Meyerowitz knows a thing or two about cameras and shares some of his top tips for creating engaging and beautiful images in this book, How I Make Photographs. Joel Meyerowitz is considered one of the most respected street photographers of all time. In this book, he lays out four key concepts that will help you better capture your world.

• How to use a camera to own the streets.
• Why you should always look at the world with a sense of possibility.
• How to put your subjects at ease
• The importance of being playful and finding a goal that suits your personality.

Magnum Contact Sheets by Kristen Lubben This groundbreaking book features a remarkable selection of contact sheets, revealing how Magnum's most celebrated photographers capture and edit the best shots. Addressing key questions in photographic practice, the book sheds light on the creative methods, strategies and editing processes behind some of the world's most iconic images. This book is less action oriented than others on this list and focuses more on the stories of the photographers who took the photos. It is a must-read book.

The Art of Photography: A Personal Approach to Artistic Expression by Bruce Barnbaum It can be difficult to master the technical aspect of photography, but it is even more difficult to develop your own artistic voice. In this rhapsodic text, photographer Bruce Barnbaum explores approaches to image making, explaining why large photos work, how color and composition contribute to emotion, and how a single moment can be interpreted in limitless ways. There are some handy tips, like shooting the film and presenting the image, but it's mostly a guide to help you harness your technical skills for maximum creativity.

Photography Life

PL provides various digital photography news, reviews, articles, tips, tutorials and guides to photographers of all levels

Photography Basics: The Complete Beginner’s Guide

By Spencer Cox

Photography isn’t the only way to capture the world, but it certainly is one of the most effective. Look no further than the nearest social media feed, news station, magazine article, or book cover to see it – photographs have power . If you want to harness that power and learn how to take the best possible photos, welcome to “Photography Basics: The Beginner’s Guide.” This comprehensive tutorial explains the fundamental concepts you should know about photography from start to finish.

Why We Wrote “Photography Basics”

Where would you go if you wanted to learn the most important basics of photography , starting from scratch?

Today, many people today like learning about photography online, which is a great way to search through large amounts of information (and carry a reference in your pocket). But as good as the internet is for answering questions, it’s not always geared toward studying a large topic from start to finish.

After operating Photography Life for more than a decade, we decided it was time to fill this gap for beginning photographers. As we see it, people should be able to start learning photography with little to no prior knowledge, dig down for a bit, and emerge with a solid understanding of the most important concepts. So, Photography Basics – a completely free, online guide to photography – was born.

Where to Begin

Photography Basics is like a book, and it reads from front to back. Each chapter of the guide builds on prior chapters . If you start at the very beginning and work your way through, the information will flow naturally and in the right order. However, if you want to learn something more specific, you’re welcome to skip ahead to a later chapter. Here is the overall organization of the guide:

Photography Basics Organization

• Photography Basics Introduction (You are here)
• What is Photography?
• Shutter Speed
• Composition
• Camera Modes
• Camera Settings
• How to Take Sharp Pictures
• Photography Tips for Beginners
• Photography Ideas
• Beginner Photography
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• Photo Spots
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Photography for Kids: Fun Activities, Latest Lesson Plans & Tips

It's never too early to pick up a camera. Learn how to get your kids or students motivated and excited to start photography with these top tips and lessons.

Learn | By Jeff Collier

Shotkit may earn a commission on affiliate links. Learn more.

Photography is a fun and creative activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, including kids.

It allows children to express themselves, explore their surroundings, and develop their artistic skills.

I’m a photographer and want my grandkids to learn how to take pictures on cameras (as opposed to just my iPhone!) – maybe you’re in the same boat?

In this article, I’ll show you how you can teach your child to take pictures, whatever their age.

You’ll even find some fun photography activities and lesson plans that can be tailored to kids and students.

(You may also be interested in our article on how to photograph children .)

Let’s dive in!

The Kidamento digital camera is cute, easy to use and packed full of fun features. Available as a sloth, cat or a koala.

Table of Contents

Photography for Kids: How Do I Teach My Child to Take Pictures?

Raíssa de Paula

Photography for kids is an exciting topic, especially if you’re a parent and want to pass on your passion for digital photography.

Teaching your child to take pictures is a great way to help them develop their creativity and technical skills.

Here are a few tips on how teach photography to children:

• Start with a simple camera: Unlike regular photography, kids’ photography should be as simple as pointing and shooting. Children may not have the patience or coordination to use a complicated camera, so it’s best to start with a simple point-and-shoot camera or even a smartphone. You may also want to invest in one of these kids’ cameras which are a fun design.
• Explain the basics : Photography lessons for kids should emphasize fundamentals. Show your child how to turn the camera on and off, how to focus, and how to take a picture. Teaching photography needn’t be dry or boring – keep it simple to start with.
• Encourage creativity: Encourage your child to take pictures of whatever interests them, whether it’s a tree in the park or their favorite toy. Take a step back and forget about all the usual photography tips and any photography skills you’ve picked up along the way – just let them take a few photos of whatever they want, however they want.
• Offer guidance: Offer guidance and suggestions, but also give your child the freedom to experiment and make their own decisions. Remember – these aren’t structured photography lessons, per see – think of it more as playtime with a camera.
• Review and discuss the pictures: After your child has taken some pictures, sit down with them and review the pictures together. Ask them what they like about each picture and what they might do differently next time.

It may be interesting for kids to learn that digital photography is a relatively new ‘invention’, and that back in your day, everything had to be printed.

At What Age Can Kids Start Photography?

There is no specific age at which kids can start photography, as it depends on the child’s maturity and ability to handle a camera.

Some children may be ready to start taking pictures at a young age, while others may need to wait until they are older.

Here are a few factors to consider when teaching photography to younger kids:

• Physical ability: Children should be able to hold and handle the camera securely and press the button to take a picture. Obviously, this will depend on the size and shape of the camera – Kidamento makes this one that’s easy to grip for smaller hands.
• Attention span : If the child able to focus on taking pictures and not get easily distracted?
• Understanding of instructions: The child should be able to understand and follow basic instructions, such as how to turn the camera on and off and how to focus.
• Interest: Is the kid showing an interest in taking pictures, and are they motivated to learn? Do they want to have their own camera? Are they asking for photography lessons?

If your child meets these criteria and is interested in basic photography, they are likely ready to start taking pictures.

Is Photography a Good Hobby for Kids?

Photography can be a great hobby for kids because it allows them to express themselves creatively and develop their artistic skills.

It can also help children learn to see the world in a different way as they start to notice details and compositions that they might have otherwise overlooked.

Remember the saying, “see the world in the way a child sees it”? This applies to photography for kids – they’ll take pictures of things you never even considered before.

Photography can also be a great way for children to document their experiences and memories.

In addition, photography can help children develop important life skills, such as problem-solving and communication.

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They may need to think creatively to capture a unique shot or communicate with members of their family or their friends when taking pictures of people.

Overall, photography can be a rewarding and enjoyable hobby for kids as long as they are interested and motivated to learn.

14 Photography Activities for Kids and Students in 2023

Ryunosuke Kikuno

Here are seven fun photography activities that kids can try:

• Self-portraits : Here’s an easy photography activity for students. Encourage the child to take self-portraits using your smartphone or a digital camera. They can experiment with different angles, lighting, and expressions to create unique self-portraits. Give them a few basic photography tips (like using a tripod and the self-timer), but then leave them to figure the rest out themselves.
• Nature photography : Take a walk with the child and encourage them to take pictures of plants, flowers, and animals. They can also try taking close-up shots of flowers or other small objects to focus on details. Young photographers will always love getting out in nature with a camera.
• Black and white photography : Try taking pictures in black and white to create a different look and feel. This can also help kids learn about how color affects an image.
• Action shots: Encourage your child to take action shots of people or animals in motion. This can be challenging, but it’s also a great way to practice capturing movement and freezing it in a photograph.
• Still life photography : Set up a still life scene using household objects and encourage your child to take pictures of it. This can be a great way for kids to practice composition and lighting.
• Street photography : Take a walk with your child and encourage them to take pictures of people and scenes from everyday life. This can be a great way for kids to practice candid photography and capture candid moments.
• Night photography : Try taking pictures at night to capture the beauty of the stars or the city lights. This can be a fun and challenging activity that allows kids to experiment with low-light photography.
• Photo editing: Photography for kids needn’t just be about taking photos. Show them how you can change the look of digital photography using a simple editing app like the one found on your smartphone. See what effects the child likes applying to their photos.

If you’re looking for photography activities for students , here’s a list of seven more:

• Landscape photography : Encourage students to go outside and take pictures of landscapes, including mountains, forests, and beaches. This can be a great way for students to practice composition and lighting.
• Portrait photography : Students should practice taking portraits of their classmates or friends. Encourage them to experiment with different angles and lighting to create unique and interesting portraits. Experiment with different lenses to see how they affect the look of their friends’ faces.
• Architecture photography : Encourage students to take pictures of interesting buildings or structures in their community. This can be a great way for students to practice composition and capturing the details of a scene.
• Food photography : Have students practice taking pictures of food. This can be a fun and creative activity that allows students to experiment with lighting and composition. See if they can guess how these food photos were taken.
• Product photography : Encourage students to take pictures of products, such as their own toys or electronics. This can be a great way for students to practice capturing detail and showcasing the features of a product.
• Street photography: Have students take candid pictures of people and scenes from everyday life. This can be a fun way for students to practice candid photography and capture candid moments. You may also need to teach them the local laws about taking photos of strangers.
• Night photography: Encourage students to try taking pictures at night to capture the beauty of the stars or the city lights. This can be a fun and challenging activity that allows students to experiment with low-light photography , and blurring lights with slow shutter speeds.

Teaching photography to students is immensely rewarding.

Just remember to keep your photography lessons light on the technical details initially to ensure that the students’ creativity can flourish – you don’t want to make them bored too early on!

10 Digital Photography Lesson Plans for Elementary Schools

Here are ten photography lesson plans that can be used in an elementary school setting:

• Introduction to Photography: This lesson introduces students to the basic concepts of photography, such as the camera, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Students can learn about the different parts of a camera and how they work together to capture an image.
• Composition Basics : Students can learn about the basic principles of composition, such as the rule of thirds, leading lines, and symmetry. They can practice applying these principles by taking pictures and analyzing their compositions for discussions with their classmates.
• Portrait Photography: Students should learn how to take portraits and experiment with different angles, lighting, and backgrounds. They can practice taking portraits of their classmates and friends and learn how to capture natural expressions and emotions in their photos.
• Landscape Photography: Teach how to take landscape photos and experiment with different perspectives, angles, and lighting. They can practice taking photos of the natural environment or urban landscapes and learn about the importance of composition in landscape photography.
• Black and White Photography: In this lesson, students learn how to take black and white photos and how to use contrast and lighting to create dramatic and impactful images. They can practice taking photos in black and white and learn about the history and aesthetics of black and white photography.
• Action Photography: In this lesson, students learn how to capture movement and freeze it in a photograph. They can practice taking action photos of sports, dance, or other fast-moving subjects and learn about the techniques and equipment needed for action photography.
• Night Photography: Students will learn how to take photos at night and experiment with different lighting techniques. They can practice taking photos of the stars, the moon, or cityscapes at night and learn about the challenges and rewards of night photography.
• Still-Life Photography: In this lesson, students learn how to set up and photograph a still-life scene. They can practice using lighting, composition, and props to create an interesting and visually appealing still-life photo.
• Street Photography: Teach students how to take candid photos of people and scenes from everyday life. They can practice capturing candid moments like laughing or talking and learn about the ethics and considerations of street photography, including local laws that affect taking photos.
• Food Photography: Teach how to take appetizing and visually appealing photos of food. They can practice using lighting, composition, and props to create a mouth-watering food photo.

You can find the best photography schools here.

The History of Photography for Kids: A Simplified Summary

Martin Bekerman

The history of photography is a fascinating and colorful one that dates back over two thousand years.

If you’d like to talk about how it all originated in your photography lessons, here is a brief overview of the history of photography for kids aged 10+.

• The earliest known photograph was taken in the early 19th century by a French inventor named Joseph Nicéphore Niépce . He used a camera obscura (a small, dark room with a hole in the wall) to capture an image of the view from his window. This photograph is called the “View from the Window at Le Gras” and is considered the first photograph ever taken.
• In the 1830s, a British scientist named William Henry Fox Talbot developed a process called “calotype” which allowed people to make multiple copies of a photograph. This process used paper coated with silver chloride, which turned black when exposed to light.
• In the 1850s, a French photographer named Louis Daguerre developed the daguerreotype process, which used a polished silver plate to capture an image. The daguerreotype process produced very detailed and high-quality photographs, but it was expensive and time-consuming.
• In the late 19th century, the wet plate collodion process was developed, which allowed people to take photographs more quickly and inexpensively. This process used a glass plate coated with a chemical mixture that became light-sensitive when wet.
• In the early 20th century, the first color photographs were developed. One of the most popular color photography processes was called “autochrome,” which used microscopic grains of starch dyed in three primary colors (red, green, and blue) to create a color image.
• In the 1950s, the first modern digital cameras were developed, which used electronic sensors to capture images. Today, digital cameras are the most widely used type of camera, and people can take and share photos instantly using their smartphones.

Throughout its history, photography has transformed the way we see and understand the world.

It has also allowed us to capture and preserve memories, document important events, and share our experiences with others.

Photography for kids isn’t just about creativity and camera settings – it’s also important to show them how digital photography came to be, and some of the ‘old story’ of the days of the darkroom too.

See also: when were cameras invented?

Tips for Encouraging Children to Take Photos

Kelly Sikkema

How do I encourage my child to turn the camera on?

If you want to encourage your child to turn the camera on, you can try the following strategies:

• Make it easy to use: Consider using a camera that is easy for your child to turn on and off, such as a point-and-shoot camera or a smartphone camera. This one from Kidamento is a great choice.
• Show them how: Demonstrate how to turn the camera on and off, and encourage your child to practice doing it themselves.
• Make it fun: Encourage your child to take pictures of things that interest them, such as their favorite toys, pets, or places. This can make taking pictures more enjoyable and motivating. Give the child a camera in the morning and ask them to take 10 photos before lunchtime, for example.
• Offer guidance and support: Offer guidance and support as needed, but also give your child the freedom to explore and experiment on their own. Review the photos the child has taken at the end of the day.
• Be patient: Children may need more time and practice to learn how to turn the camera on and off, so it’s important to be patient and encouraging.
• Reward their efforts: If your child is making an effort to turn the camera on and take pictures, be sure to praise and reward their efforts. This can help them feel more confident and motivated to continue learning.
• Show them your photos: Show some of the first photos you ever took or more recent example photos.

How can I get my 4-year-old to take pictures?

Here are a few tips for encouraging your 4-year-old to take pictures:

• Start with a simple camera: Children at this age may not have the patience or coordination to use a complicated camera, so it’s best to start with a simple point-and-shoot camera or a smartphone camera.
• Explain the basics: Show your child how to turn the camera on and off, how to focus, and how to take a picture. Use simple language and demonstrate the steps using hands-on examples.
• Encourage creativity: Encourage your child to take pictures of whatever interests them, whether it’s a tree in the park or their favorite toy. This can help them feel more motivated and engaged.
• Offer guidance: Offer guidance and suggestions as needed, but also give your child the freedom to experiment and make their own decisions.
• Be patient: Children at this age may need more time and practice to learn how to take pictures, so it’s important to be patient and encouraging.

By following these tips, you can help your 4-year-old learn to take pictures and have fun with photography.

Download Free Photography Cheat Sheets for Kids

Tons of great free content available to download.

Photzy is a great place to learn photography, with tons of ebooks packed full of photography lessons on everything from basic tips and camera handling skills to taking exhibition-worthy photos.

While much of their content is geared toward students and ‘older’ people, there are also a handful of excellent free photography cheat sheets you can download for kids.

Their e-books are well-designed and informative and provide tons of useful tips to help your photographers improve and get inspired.

You can download three free photography cheat sheets here >>

Final Words on Teaching Photography to Kids

I hope you got some good information about photography for kids from my article.

Most schools offer photography lessons for young students, but I haven’t come across any for younger kids.

That’s why it’s important to encourage younger children to pick up a camera earlier and start experimenting.

A child’s photos are a wonderful thing. Make sure you’re part of the learning process to encourage these new skills.

Check out these 8 essential tools to help you succeed as a professional photographer.

Includes limited-time discounts.

Jeff Collier is an experienced film photographer who enjoys experimenting with modern digital photography equipment, software and apps. He’s also an ex-world champion triathlete and avid cyclist, clocking hundreds of km each week in the beautiful Tweed Valley of northern NSW, Australia.

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DIGITAL PHOTO MENTOR

Photography tips, tutorials and guides for Beginner and Intermediate Photographers.

10 Creative Photography Assignments to Inspire You Into Action

by Andrew S Gibson | Last Updated: November 8, 2022

Finding interesting things to photograph can be one of the most difficult things for a photographer to do.

You’re surrounded by potentially interesting subjects, but you might not realize it if you’re stuck for inspiration. I have been stuck, so I know what that feels like.

The good news is that the world is full of interesting ideas and subjects. All you have to do is find the good ones and develop them into personal photography projects that work for you.

Of course, wouldn’t be easier if you could find lots of ideas in one place?

That’s why I wrote an ebook called 100 Creative Photography Assignments . It gives you lots of ideas for projects that you can do close to home, without traveling to exotic locations.

The book is structured into 20 broad themes, with five assignments for each theme.

To give you a taste of what’s in the book, and to help you get inspired into action here are 10 of my favorite assignments. (The theme for each is shown in brackets after the assignment number and name)

Assignment 3: Urban trees (trees)

Humans have planted trees in formal gardens for centuries to bring nature into towns and cities. Photographing trees in urban environments gives you something that is different than traditional landscapes.

How can you explore the juxtaposition of man-made and natural items?

In the photo below, the tree, which is obviously well-cared for fits in perfectly with the historic home. The two go together, as intended.

But in other situations, you might find a jarring contrast between the natural and urban environments. That is called juxtaposition and it can make for some really striking images.

Assignment 8: People and the sea (or a lake)

How do people interact with the sea?

The sea has strong links to leisure, sport, and industry, all of which have plenty of potential photographically. Think beyond simple photos of people on summer holidays. How can you explore the relationship between people and water in more depth?

Another approach is to show scale and photograph people in a way that shows the vast size and scope of the ocean. Yet another is to show people battling the weather, perhaps fishermen at sea.

Assignment 20: Framed by color (frames)

Some frames are visual rather than literal. One way to make a visual frame is to look for compositions where the main subject is surrounded by a solid block of color, as in the photo below.

This is another assignment that tests your observational skills. It also has the potential to make an interesting series. What happens when you group a set of photos that use color as a frame together?

Assignment 24: Weathered surfaces (texture)

Old buildings of all descriptions are made of materials with interesting textures. The definition of old is relative, your chosen building might be hundreds of years old or just a few.

The important thing is that it looks old. That means visible signs of weathering, like the metal wall and wooden door frame in the photo below. Some texture surfaces, like rust, also have interesting colors that you can use to your advantage.

Assignment 31: On the outside (buildings)

One approach to photographing buildings is to include as much of the building as possible in the frame. But what happens if you take another approach?

Have you ever stopped to notice the interesting things that people put outside buildings?

In Italy, I found a shrine on the outside of a colorful red building in Venice (below). In the United States window boxes and mailboxes are commonplace. Nearly everywhere you go you’ll see plants in pots outside people’s homes.

All these items make potentially interesting subjects and have the potential to be turned into an interesting series.

This assignment gets more interesting when you do it in different places, and compare the things you find outside buildings in one place with those in another location.

Assignment 39: Urban decay (your local neighborhood)

Some buildings can look good for centuries if they’re well maintained. But others soon fall into decay, especially if they’re not kept up. Look for the beauty in decayed or run-down buildings.

You expect older buildings to be in a state of disrepair, especially if you live in a country that has plenty of ruins. But more modern, urban decay can be just as interesting.

Why do modern buildings fall into disrepair? What stories do they tell about their neighborhoods, towns, and cities?

Another approach to this idea is to photograph urban decay in other countries, and then compare the results with what you capture in your local area.

Assignment 54: Capture the character of a place (b/w)

The absence of color gives you another way of capturing the character of a place. Yes, it’s true that in some areas color is an essential part of the essence of the place. But in others, it’s less important.

Working in black and white gives you a chance to see through the colors and get to the essence of a place. Visually speaking that’s texture, contrast, and tone.

But in another way, black and white images seem to help you see further and deeper. They’re moody, atmospheric, and timeless. Use these characteristics to create a set of photos that capture the character of a place.

It’s also an assignment you can do when you travel. It’s easier because you get to see everything with fresh eyes. But for a real challenge try it in your local neighborhood, where familiarity can prevent you from seeing things that might be obvious to newcomers.

Assignment 62: Embrace hard light (light and shadow)

In this assignment, your brief is to photograph a scene on a sunny day when shadows are falling across the subject in an interesting way.

Look at the way the sun casts shadows across the scene during the day. How do the shadows move as the sun moves across the sky? Do the shadows make interesting shapes?

For example, in the photo below the shadow falling across the building comes from a neighboring house and you can clearly see the chimney.

Assignment 71: Signs (everyday objects)

We’re surrounded by signs – signs that tell us which way to go, what to do, that advertise to us, state the name of a business, or tell us about roadworks.

Signs are designed to be informative, but they can also tell a story. Signs in the American mid-west look different from signs in New York City. Signs here in the UK look different from the ones in rural France. Old signs have character and tell you something about the place.

What interesting photos can you make using signs?

Assignment 94: People in the landscape (landscape)

Some landscapes are empty or void of visitors. But others are closer to large population centers and therefore you’re more likely to see other people there in the scene. The idea of a pristine landscape untouched by man is appealing, but it’s also interesting to see how people interact with the scene.

One way to approach this assignment is to use people for scale. A human figure can anchor a composition and show the width and breadth of the landscape. A small figure in the frame emphasizes the size of the landscape, and the idea of people being small compared to the beauty of nature.

The photo below juxtaposes two elements of human interaction. The stone pillar is part of a Neolithic settlement, and the people on the right are modern visitors who came to see it.

Taking it further – traveling and exploring your archives

You’ll get the most from these assignments if you make new photos for them. They’ll get you thinking about your local neighborhood – and areas a little further afield – in a new way.

The beauty of these assignments is that most of them are repeatable. You can select your favorites and use them as themes to follow when you’re traveling away from home.

You might also find that you can go through your archives and find photos that match a particular assignment. It’s an interesting exercise because you’ll start to see themes and connections that you didn’t realize were there.

For example, I have photos that fit Assignment 39: Urban decay from Alaska, Chile, and my hometown (see above). And I can continue to explore this theme when I travel to new places as well.

These ideas are explored further in Creative Photography Assignments: Themes & Projects, a bonus ebook that comes with 100 Creative Photography Assignments.

100 Creative Photography Assignments

Buy 100 Creative Photography Assignments now for just $14 USD.

Buy it now and get out there taking photos!

Note from Darlene: This is perfect if you want to get out there doing some photography. But maybe due to covid, finances, or other circumstances you can’t currently travel. Look no further than your front door to get started! To really challenge yourself do the 100 assignments one a day for the next 100 days!

About Andrew S Gibson

Andrew S. Gibson is a writer based in England’s southwest. His interest in photography began when his parents bought him a Ricoh KR-10m camera more than 20 years ago. Since then, he’s taken photos in over 60 countries, studied for a degree in photography, and worked as Technical Editor for EOS magazine. Today, he makes a living helping people make better photos through ebooks and photography courses.

Learn Photography Basics

Yes, you can learn to take better photos! It’s my passion to help you learn the photography basics and take better pictures. It’s also the same reason I teach workshops, do photo travel tours, and have online photography courses available.

Enroll in our free photography basics for beginners course, or 12-part portrait photography course , also free.

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21 Portrait Photography Lessons from 21 Great Photographers

1. Attempting to copy great photographers like Albert Watson and Richard Avedon.

2. Failing miserably, but learning something in the process.

And in this article, I’m going to give you 21 tips, techniques, tricks, and hacks I took from 21 of them — men and women whom I consider the greatest portrait photographers of all-time.

I illustrated these points through a mix of videos, Instagram posts, and my own photos.

Got it? Good?

Let’s jump in:

#1. Richard Avedon: All Portraits Tell the Truth… And Lie

The great Richard Avedon once said this:

A portrait is not a likeness. The moment an emotion or fact is transformed into a photograph it is no longer a fact but an opinion. There is no such thing as inaccuracy in a photograph. All photographs are accurate. None of them is the truth.

That may be the truest statement ever made about portrait photography.

We’d like to think that a portrait really says the truth about the subject. But at best, we can only expect one side of a person.

You can’t capture a person’s entire essence in 1/250th of a second — especially because people are always performing for the camera.

Avedon himself said:

We all perform. It’s what we do for each other all the time, deliberately or unintentionally. It’s a way of telling about ourselves in the hope of being recognized as what we’d like to be.

Just think about Instagram. How many people are genuinely happy and joyful? And how many are just performing for you?

#2. Irving Penn: Don’t Make a ‘Good’ Portrait, Make an ‘Effective’ Portrait

I hate using words like good or bad to describe portraits.

I prefer the word “effective” — as I explain in this video:

Irving Penn once said:

A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective.

I measure the quality of a portrait by how I feel when I look at it. Do I want to know more about the person in the picture? If so, it’s an effective portrait to me.

#3. Joe McNally: Your Camera Is a Passport

I once heard Joe speak live and he said something along the lines of “your camera is a passport to adventure.” And that really stuck with me.

Now, Joe’s adventures involved shooting big assignments all over the world for National Geographic and LIFE . Mine were a little more tame.

I shot martial arts events (the picture above is from the backstage area at a kickboxing event) and practices. I would put ads on Craigslist and invite people over to my house for portraits. And I turned all my vacations into photo adventures.

#4. Martin Schoeller: Consistency Leads to Attention

Martin Schoeller is a top editorial and commercial portrait photographer.

And while he has a diverse body of work, he’s known for his tight, intense headshots:

I once attended a lecture with Martin and learned that his headshot photos are actually inspired by the German photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher. Interestingly, the Bechers photographed water towers in the same consistent way.

When you have a consistent body of work, it’s easier to build a name for yourself and let people know what you do. That consistency gives you a great platform from which to build. And it’s one reason why I’m populating my Instagram feed with sepia-toned portraits.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michael Comeau – Photographer (@michaelcomeau) on Dec 10, 2019 at 3:59am PST

#5. Kurt Markus: Use a Slow Shutter Speed for a Dreamy Look

I generally like my portraits to be sharp. But sometimes, I like something a bit softer and dreamier. So I’ll take my shutter speed way down to 1/10th of a second or even slower.

This is something I took from several photographers including Sante D’Orazio, Paolo Roversi, but mostly, Montana native Kurt Markus. Kurt is famous for his ethereal black and white portraits of both cowboys and supermodels.

In researching Kurt’s work, I came across a great interview with A Photo Editor in which he said this:

I don’t retouch. I don’t try and manipulate the image into something I like afterward. 6×7 is a very forgiving medium. Black and white film, these lenses, a slow shutter speed. I’ll photograph women and a lot of time they look flawless, but real.

And while I’d experimented with slow shutter speeds in the past, I now make it a regular practice. It’s a nice departure from my typical focus on realness and clarity.

#6. Zack Arias: Put the Head In a Clean Spot

Zack Arias’ CreativeLive class “ Foundations of a Working Photographer ” had a huge impact on me when I was getting started. Zack taught me countless important concepts about lighting, subject interaction, and business.

But the most important thing I learned was “head in a clean spot.” As in, try to compose your photos in a way so that the head is unobstructed. I use this idea on every shoot.

#7. Albert Watson: Don’t Fear Hard Light!

When I was a beginning portrait photographer, I had a childish attitude towards light. I thought soft light was good and hard light was bad. Why? Because that’s what every blogger and instructor I followed said.

Everything had to be lit with a big umbrella or softbox. But when I discovered Albert Watson’s groundbreaking book Cyclops , my point of view flip-flopped. I saw that hard light could be harsh and beautiful at the same time.

So I started experimenting with bare flashes, grids, snoots, and good old fashioned direct sunlight. And now I use a mix of soft and hard light on almost all of my shoots.

Most importantly, Albert taught me to question all the advice I was given about portrait photography . And my attitude is to listen to what people tell me, but test for myself to see what I really like.

#8. Gregory Heisler: There Are Basically Two Kinds of Light

When I think about types of light, I normally think of hard and soft light.

In this video breaking down his portrait of swimmer Michael Phelps, Gregory Heisler breaks down lighting in a different way:

There’s one kind of lighting that you do to simulate ambient lighting situation so it looks like light coming from a lamp or light coming from a pool. And there’s another kind lighting that you do because it looks cool and who cares?

That idea turned my approach to lighting on its head. I realized you can use artificial light to emulate any type of natural light condition — from the setting sun to the light bouncing off pool water.

#9. Herb Ritts: Natural light Can Be Perfect, but Your Timing Matters

One common mistake beginners make is assuming all natural light is the same. However, the light at 9 am is way different than the light at 12 pm because of the angle of the sun. As the sun gets lower, the light becomes warmer and more flattering. So your timing matters big time.

Herb Ritts is best known for his use of golden hour light . However, Herb didn’t just shoot in golden hour. He could make even harsh midday light beautiful by carefully angling his subject’s faces.

You can do this by observing the shadow cast by your subject’s nose. When the shadow off the nose is short, you’re generally in pretty good light!

#10. Steve McCurry: Open Shade Lighting Just Works

I’ve admired Steve McCurry’s portrait work since I was a little kid reading National Geographic in the library.

Now, you can’t copy Steve’s work. But you can copy his natural light technique. Most of Steve McCurry’s portraits — including the iconic ‘Afghan Girl’ portrait — were created using open shade lighting.

Open shade is a natural light technique where you position the subject in a way so:

1. Sunlight from straight above is blocked, and

2. Bounced sunlight fills in the subject’s face

Here is my open shade lighting diagram:

Open shade eliminates unflattering shadows created by top light, so the face is illuminated with soft, even light. And best of all, you can use it for just about everyone.

#11. Dean Collins: Lighting Is All About the Basics (Even The Advanced Stuff!)

Dean Collins was perhaps the most effective lighting educator in history. I’ve spent about $250 on his DVDs. And it was the best damn money I ever spent on my photography education. He was a technical wizard that could speak in plain English. And, he made damn good pictures.

Dean showed me that mastering just a few basic concepts (like controlling the size of the light source) would allow me to create the pictures I saw in my head — even if I didn’t have the latest and greatest gear.

And in his instructional videos, Dean didn’t use any fancy light modifiers. He literally clamped fabric to a PVC pipe and made all kinds of light with it with a strobe.

That was my inspiration for using a diffusion cloth on my location shoots instead of umbrellas and softboxes. It’s not as sexy, but it works.

#12. Greg Gorman: Shadow and Mystery Are Important

Greg once said, “for me, a photograph is most successful when it doesn’t answer all the questions, and it leaves something to be desired.”

As I noted before, beginning portrait photographers are often taught to avoid hard light, and as a result, shadow.

Shadows are more powerful than you might imagine. They add mystery, 3-dimensionality, and a sense of time and place to your portraits. All these factors invite curiosity, which is a key factor in making your pictures come alive.

And one reason I love Greg Gorman’s portraits is his beautiful use of deep shadows, most notably in his groundbreaking advertising campaigns for l.a. Eyeworks.

​In fact, his portraits from the ’80s and ’90s still feel fresh, because he bucked the trend of using boring, flat light.

I think it’s because the shadows pull you in and make you think more about what’s going on in the picture.

#13. Annie Leibovitz: Photograph Your Family (or Any Family You Come Across!)

I was disappointed with Annie Leibovitz’ MasterClass , but one thing stuck with me: how passionate she is about family photography. And if you read her incredible book At Work , you see that some of her very best portraits are those of her family members.

In fact, Annie’s portrait of her daughter Sarah Cameron Leibovitz is one of the most beautiful pictures of a child I’ve ever seen.

As you gain more experience as a portrait photographer, you’ll find that you value family pictures more than anything else — even if they’re of someone else’s family.

The single most rewarding experience of my own portrait photography journey was photographing a newborn baby on his first day home.

Try it — you’ll love it.

#14. David Bailey: Off With Their Heads! (Well, Part of Them)

David Bailey is among the greatest portrait and fashion photographers to have come out of the U.K. I always regarded him to be an almost punk rock Avedon.

And Bailey taught me a simple lesson about composition: don’t be afraid to cut off someone’s head.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by David Bailey (@bailey_studio) on Mar 14, 2019 at 8:46am PDT

If you study David’s work, particularly his tight headshots and beauty pictures, you’ll see that he sometimes cuts off the top of his subject’s head.

It’s an effective composition technique for two simple reasons. First, it’s unusual. Few photographers do it.

And second, it adds a feeling of closeness and intimacy. If you are standing so close to someone that you can’t see over their heads, you are in their personal space.

Interestingly, David once said “I don’t care about composition or anything like that. I just want the emotion of the person in the picture to come across.”

So it’s funny that he gets the emotions he seeks through this simple compositional technique!

#15. Mary Ellen Mark: A Soft Touch Can Be the Most Powerful One

I’m just interested in people on the edges. I feel an affinity for people who haven’t had the best breaks in society. What I want to do more than anything is acknowledge their existence.

I’ve long admired the late Mary Ellen Mark’s documentary portraits. Mary stands apart because of her gentle yet intense touch. Most portrait photographers can’t ride such a delicate line, yet she did it consistently.

You get the sense that her subjects, even total strangers, had complete trust in her. And while I can’t know for sure, that’s probably the result of her kind, friendly nature, as well as her eye for subject selection. It seems like she deliberate people that had an aura of vulnerability. And importantly, she photographed them with respect and dignity.

Tragedy makes for interesting photographs. Just keep in mind that the tragedy you photography is someone else’s reality — something I’ve forgotten before .

#16. Frank W. Ockenfels III: Don’t Forget to Play!

Frank Ockenfels is one of the top editorial commercial photographers in the world. He’s perhaps best known these days for his iconic movie and TV posters. He’s created images for everything from Breaking Bad to Mad Men to Daredevil to Thor to Men in Black 3 to… you get the point.

But what’s really incredible about Frank is his sense of play. Scroll through his Instagram , and you’ll see a mad scientist at work, playing with all kinds of film, cameras, color, lighting techniques, and even collages and mixed media. And I’ve never seen such a wide range of experimental photography still feel like it’s part of a cohesive body.

He taught me to try new things for the most important reason of all — to see what happens.

#17. Matthew Rolson: Add Some Color to Your Black & White

Along with Herb Ritts and Greg Gorman, covered earlier in this article, Matthew Rolston is one of the 3 Kings of California Portrait Photography.

I love Matthew’s classic 1980’s and 1990’s black & white celebrity portraits, which he often toned warm or cool.

A toned black and white makes you stop and stare just a little longer, mostly because they’re so out of style.

However, if there’s one thing I love to do, it’s to do the opposite of popular portrait photography trends !

#18. Diane Arbus: Be Brave When Choosing Your Portrait Subjects

I’m not really influenced by Diane Arbus (at least not directly — she was a big influence on Richard Avedon though, who is my #1 inspiration). But I loved her boldness as a photographer, especially when it came to her street portraits. Diane was very much attracted to the downtrodden, and her work has a sad, sympathetic feel.

My street portraits have always been on the safe side, unfortunately. I wish I were more like Diane Arbus, and a little braver in choosing my subjects.

#19. Max Vadukul: Get Your Subject’s Imagination Going

I love Max Vaduku’s portrait and fashion work so much that I named a Jedi Mind Trick after him: “ The Vadukul .”

In this classic video from MTV’s House of Style show, Max taught me that it’s vital to get your subject’s imagination by asking interesting (and sometimes ridiculous) questions.

Don’t expect people to slap on facial expressions like masks. Make them feel something. After all, the best way to make someone smile is to make them laugh.

When your subject’s imagination is running wild, they’ll come alive in a natural way that just can’t be faked.

#20. Arnold Newman: Be Graphic… with Your Background!

Arnold Newman had many gifts as a portrait photographer. But what stands out to me was his ability to place his subjects in complex, graphical backgrounds, without making it feel forced.

Newman was heavily influenced by Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, who had an offbeat, almost mathematical way of composing abstract paintings. They almost looked like carefully crafted puzzles. Newman’s portraits had the same effect. They felt a bit offbeat, yet somehow perfectly logical

#21. Phil Borges: Your Studio Can Be Anywhere on Planet Earth

Phil Borges is a documentary portrait photographer specializing in indigenous and tribal cultures. But Phil’s not your average photographer.

He actually carried a full lighting setup so he could create studio-style lighting anywhere in the world, most notably Tibet.

By going through the trouble of carrying lighting equipment in the field, he was able to capture truly one-of-a-kind portraits. And Phil is one of the main inspirations behind a portrait project I’m working on, where I’ll be creating studios on the streets of New York City.

About the author : Michael Comeau is the Editor of OnPortraits.com , an all-new online community dedicated to simple, classic portrait photography. Click here for more information. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. This article was also published here .

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Beginner Photography Projects

 photo by shopformoose via iStock 

While you’re stuck at home self-isolating, it may be the perfect time to start some beginner photography projects.

There are a ton of benefits to photography projects, like learning how to develop your artistic eye or figuring out how to use your photography equipment. 

Plus, being forced to complete simple photography projects at home will teach you how to get especially creative with limited space and resources. 

Here are some of our favorite beginner photography projects for you while you’re stuck indoors.  

Photograph a Rubik’s Cube

This may seem like an odd project to start this list out with but here us out.  

Rubik’s Cubes are cheap. They’re probably readily available to you and they will help you to learn how to use leading lines in your photos.

Leading lines are a wonderful compositional tool that help direct the viewer’s eye deeper into the shot. They’re often used in landscape photography, but can be used to bring attention to any kind of subject.

Recommended Photography Reading

• National Geographic Photo Basics: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Great Photography
• Photography: The Definitive Visual History
• Read This if You Want to Take Great Photographs

Master a Still Life 

You should definitely include learning how to shoot a still life in your beginner photography projects checklist. 

You can create a classic still life with fruit and wine, or get more creative with random objects lying around your house. 

Still lifes will help you learn how to compose your images, allow you to work on lighting, and hone your other photography skills too. 

Get some great tips on how to shoot still life photos in the video above by Karl Taylor . 

Take a Self-Portrait

 photo by SolStock via iStock 

Not everyone is comfortable in front of the camera, but taking on a self-portrait project can be hugely beneficial for your photography.

Not only does taking a good self-portrait require you to think about posing, lighting, camera settings, and so forth, but you also have to think about styling, colors, the background , and any props you might want to use. 

Self-portraits are also a great way for you to understand what it’s like being in front of a camera, which will help you as you grow your skills and start to take portraits of other people.

Force Your Kids to Sit for a Session

Photo by  Caroline Hernandez  on Unsplash 

Okay, you don’t have to force them to sit. In fact, my kids love most of my beginner photography projects because I’ll have them pull out all of their toys and have them go crazy for 15 minutes while I take their photos. 

Letting kids be kids in front of the camera can get you some truly authentic and heartwarming environmental portraits. Besides, everyone likes a good candid portrait now and then too, right? 

Plus, if your little one is like mine and loves to mimic you, then you can pick up this adorable camera for toddlers and let them take photos of you too. 

Photograph Your Pets

Photo by  T.R Photography  on Unsplash 

Most photography projects for beginners include photographing things you already love and simply trying to find a new way to look at those things. So, why not photograph your adorable pets?

You already post about them on social media enough, so you may as well have some excellent photos of them for your next post.

If you need some help getting your pet to stand still, you can purchase this gadget that attaches a ball to your phone . My dog has never sat more calmly before. 

Again, when you’re trying to learn the fundamentals of portraiture, your pets are a great subject. Cats, in particular, will often sit or lay there as you work your portrait magic!

Get some awesome pet photography tips in the video above by Westcott Lighting .  

Learn More:

• 4 Photography Mistakes You Need to Quit Making
• How to Carry A Lot of Camera Gear  

Find Cobwebs

Photo by  Jill Dimond  on Unsplash 

Whenever I recommend beginner photography projects to people, I try and make them as practical as possible (especially now). 

Which is why many of my photography project ideas for beginners include the chance to clean up their space.  

Go in search of some cobwebs in your house. You can photograph them and play with lighting before cleaning them up.  

Here’s some cobweb photography ideas to get you started:

• Photograph through the web toward the rising or setting sun so the light filters through the web
• Head out to your yard in the early morning to photograph the web covered in dew
• Use a flashlight to illuminate a cobweb at night for a shot with a bright, white cobweb and a dark background

Shoot the Sunrise From Your Window

Photo by  Tarik Haiga  on Unsplash 

There is no better time for finding natural lighting in your home than at sunrise and sunset. 

To shoot romantic photos from inside your home, try and capture the sunrise or sunset from your window. 

You can focus on the scene outside your window and how the morning or evening light interacts with it. 

You can also put a subject - your spouse, a child, your pet - in front of the window to take a beautiful natural light portrait . There might even be opportunities for creating a silhouette.

Just be sure you clean the window beforehand. Nothing ruins an otherwise beautiful indoor photo like nose smudges on the glass!

Look for Reflections

Photo by  Maddy Baker  on Unsplash 

Most of these beginner photography projects are all about training your eye for photography, which essentially means seeing your surroundings in a new light.

Go search your house for reflections you can find. This may be in your morning coffee, or it may be your windows. You might find something interesting reflected in the hallway mirror. Chances are there is beauty hiding right around the corner. You just need to find it! 

Practice Sun Stars

 photo by Suntammy via iStock 

I’m sure you’ve seen sun star photos before… 

You can create sun stars pretty easily, believe it or not. Don’t believe me? Check out my video tutorial below!

As with many of these photography project ideas for beginners, you’ll find it’s easiest to capture starbursts when you’re using a tripod with your camera (even a cheap one for your iPhone will work). 

Begin a Year-Long Project

Photo by  Dan Smedley  on Unsplash 

For those of you who have been participating in beginner photography projects for a while, you’ve probably heard of Project 52. 

It’s when you take a photo every single week for a whole year. Usually, all of these photos will pertain to a specific theme you love.  

If you need some inspiration for your Project 52, the 52 Week Photography Challenge is filled with ideas. 

Try New Angles

Photo by  Shitota Yuri  on Unsplash 

Whether you’re shooting from the comfort of your home or are working with a client for the first time, you’ll want to know how to explore different angles. Why not try it now?

Get a step ladder and shoot objects around your house from above. Then, crawl around on the ground to figure out what those objects look like from below.

Doing so will help you appreciate how different perspectives can totally change how a subject looks. 

Explore Negative Space

Photo by  Fabrice Villard  on Unsplash 

Negative space is one of the most intriguing concepts to explore in photography and it is especially difficult to explore in your home, which makes it one of my favorite beginner photography projects.

Negative space is simply blank space around your subject. It helps make the subject stronger in the frame, and is often used to create minimalist compositions.

Get some practical tips for using negative space in photography in the video above by Peter Forsgård .

Capture One Thing, 10 Ways

Photo by  Koen Emmers  on Unsplash 

If some of these beginner photography projects are too easy for you, I promise this one won’t be.

Find one object in your home. Then, try and photograph it in 10 different ways. You’ll definitely want to clear your schedule for this one and have YouTube at the ready! 

Master Silhouettes

If you’re one of the lucky ones that have a yard you can escape to during these times, you can practice capturing silhouettes of your kids, your pets, or strangers on the street.  

If you aren’t one of the lucky ones, you can still work on capturing silhouettes, you’ll just need to do it with your windows or artificial light. 

Happy shooting!  

• How to Carry A Lot of Camera Gear

Not sure what to photograph next?

Go through our 30-Day Creative Eye Challenge and discover the long last secrets to finding awesome shots, anywhere, anytime (with any camera).

We Recommend

• Maternity Photography
• Portrait Photography Master Course

5 Photography Courses and Guides to Learn to Take Better Pictures

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Food Delivery Apps Are Using AI Images: This Is How You Spot Them

4 free methods to remove watermarks from pdfs, avoiding the news 5 alternative ways to keep up with current affairs.

Since we're all carrying a camera with us all the time, it would be a shame not to know how to use it well. The internet offers excellent free photography courses and guides for all skill levels to learn anything you need to take a great picture.

Some are interactive, giving you assignments and feedback. Some are self-paced that take you through photography step by step. And some offer a way to learn more about any one subject in photography. The information is out there; it's up to you to use it.

1. Photocritic (Web): Free Email Photography Course With Feedback

Photocritic is one of the best free online photography courses for beginners. Delivered as one email every ten days, it handholds you from the absolute basics to becoming a shutterbug. The best part? You don't need a professional camera; you can even do the course with a smartphone.

The whole tutorial is made up of 21 lessons. When you get an email, you'll have ten days to learn the lesson, do an assignment, and send it to Photocritic to get feedback. Haje Jan Kamps and Daniela Bowker handle all the lessons and feedback. Both have taught photography for over a decade and written books about it too.

That's also the main reason we would recommend signing up for it only if you're interested. After all, Photocritic is handled by two people who offer feedback on assignments and yet entirely free. Given what they're offering, it's only fair to respect their time and effort.

2. It's Just Light (Web): Written Photography Guide for Beginners

Photographer Nic Zantop has been writing on his site It's Just Light since 2013. Through a series of articles, he has put together a beginner's course for an introduction to photography that takes you through all the basics of skills, knowledge, and composition.

Through the course, you'll learn about camera and lenses, image resolution, focal length and aperture , exposure, cropping, shutter speed, white balance, how to use the histogram, metering, and other essential aspects of photography. Zantop also spends an entire article devoted to learning how to develop your creativity as a photographer.

The photography course on It's Just Light isn't regimented like other online courses, but you can still do it as a self-paced tutorial. Once you're done, the website has several other tips and tricks for photography that can serve you well in taking great pictures.

3. Learn With Jared (Web): Ditch Auto Mode and Start Shooting in Manual

The first thing you need to learn to improve your photography is to stop using Auto Mode and switch to Manual Mode. That means learning shutter speed, aperture, focus, and other settings. Wedding photographer Jerad Hill has a free 4-hour video course to take you through that.

The course is divided into short videos across sections like introduction, basics, getting to know your camera, understanding light, understanding settings, knowing your subjects, and other tips. It's a self-paced online course, available for free for two weeks. If you want to access it after two weeks, it's a $5 lifetime subscription.

Go through Hill's website, and you'll see tutorials on various topics apart from photography. This is actually what makes the course unique. Hill is a natural teacher and great at taking what he has learned and explaining it to someone else to improve their skills. It's why the photography course has been done by over 250,000 people, and is often recommended on photography forums and blogs.

4. Photography 101 by SLR Lounge (YouTube): Free Photography Tutorials in Short Videos

SLR Lounge has a well-earned reputation as a great online resource to learn photography as well as a photography discussion board . It sells several tutorials for different skill levels, but what many don't know is its playlist of free YouTube videos for beginners.

In Photography 101: Master Manual Mode, the experts from SLR Lounge touch upon various aspects of what you can do with a DSLR. It's a total of 19 videos, varying vastly in length. For example, there's a 24-minute video on understanding white balance and color temperature, as well as a 3-minute video on how to take the perfect sunset photograph.

Each video is by a domain expert and is a self-contained tutorial about the subject at hand. In our opinion, you don't need to watch them in the order of the playlist. So if you only want to learn a certain topic and skip something else, feel free to.

5. PhotographyCourse.net (Web): Free Photography Courses for All Skill Levels and Types

Photography Course is one of the oldest websites on the internet offering free photography courses. You'll need to register to access the material, but that's about it. There are also a few premium courses, but for most people, the free material is enough as it includes:

• Beginner: Understand the absolute basics of how a camera functions and the settings.
• Intermediate: Lighting, silhouettes, white balance, and other photography skills.
• Advanced: What you need to know for professional photography.
• Composition: Radial balance, asymmetrical balance, leading lines, and more.
• Flash: The differences and usage of the pop-up flash, fill-flash, diffusers, and sync flash.
• Portrait: Lenses, lighting, and headshots.
• Landscape: Sunrise, sunset, aerial, and other tips for capturing nature.

The Photography Course has plenty of other material worth reading, including guides on improving iPhone photography and in-depth tutorials on how to use Adobe Lightroom to edit your shots.

Look for Online Photography Assignments to Keep Practicing

You need to practice, practice, and practice no matter which photography course or tutorial you learn from above. That's the best way to truly improve your skills. But it isn't easy to keep figuring out what to practice.

If you're struggling for inspiration, a popular tip among online photography forums is to join a 52-week challenge or look for photography assignments on the internet. A quick Google search will give you many results, and several pages on social media will provide you with a new assignment every day or every week.

• Cool Web Apps

Photography & Journalism 

Sunset high school, assignment 5: aperture, depth of field & bokeh.

Target: Learn to manipulate the depth of field in your images by choosing the appropriate lens and adjusting the aperture settings on a digital camera.  Creatively choose your focus point, not necessarily the center or closest object.

Directions:  Take images which demonstrate your understanding of aperture settings and depth of field. 

Turn in 4 examples of shallow depth of field with thoughtfully considered bokeh. 

set your shooting mode to Av or M

use a prime lens or zoom lens in full zoom

use the wheel on the camera to  decrease your aperture settings (f-stop)

consider your composition, making thoughtful decisions   about the arrangement of subject matter, balance, lack  distractions, and general feeling of the image

place yourself and your subject with light in the background some distance away from the subject.

     (city lights, sunset through trees, reflected light, Christmas lights, etc.)

Tips: 

portraits and macros make great subject matter for a shallow depth of field

focus on creativity (try unusual combinations, tell a story, solve problems, create something unique)

the more actual depth you have in your view the more you will be able to manipulate it

lights, backlight, reflected light - makes for lovely bokeh

Aperture   is the opening between the lens and the shutter that controls the amount of light falling on the CCD sensor.  It is also referred to as f-stops. 

Depth of Field   is the zone between the nearest and furthest points at which the camera can obtain a sharp focus.

Shallow Depth of Field=   large aperture, small f-stop (daylight will require a fast shutter speed so that it won't be washed out)                

Maximum Depth of Field=   small aperture, large f-stop (will require a slower shutter speed so it won't be too dark)

Macro Photography   is extreme close-up photography, usually of small subjects, in which the size of the subject in the photograph is greater than live size. 

                      Use the Macro function to achieve a shallow depth of field by choosing aperture priority and macro on your camera.  Make sure that you are in good 

                      lighting and get very close to your subject.

Bokeh   is defined as “the effect of a soft out-of-focus background that you get when shooting a subject, using a fast lens, at the widest aperture, such as f/2.8 or wider.” Simply put, bokeh is the pleasing or aesthetic quality of out-of-focus blur in a photograph.

lightroom skills

For every image remember to use LR to:

Adjust the color tones, brightness, contrast, shadows, highlights, saturation & luminance

Crop and straighten images

Set the resolution to 300 dpi & limit file size to 15000 k for export

Define your personal editing voice with:

Use the brush tool to make adjustments to select areas of the image​

Use the HSL (Hue, Saturation, Luminance) panel to make individualized color adjustments​

Use the split toning panel to adjust shadows and highlights independently​

Use the brush tool to do selective edits

Student Examples