Professional Documents
Culture Documents
HANDBOOK
Unit
DPHOT
2013/14
HAND-IN Friday 25th April by 3pm
This handbook provides essential information on the tutorial tasks, blog, tips and helpful guides for the Digital Imaging
Unit Blog
http://dphot.tumblr.com/
The unit blog will provide you with handouts and links and keep you informed of practical knowledge in getting to know your camera, software and also taking photographs. Please make sure you visit the blog as much as possible. As part of the unit you will have to provide a working journal of your visual ideas and photography. You have a choice of what to use - blog, sketchbook or both perhaps. Each of you will be used to working in a particular way and as long as you keep your blog or sketchbook up to date on a weekly basis then the choice is yours. We will need to see your progress every week.
The unit Flickr group is a great way for you to share your photographs with other students on the unit. I encourage you to seek comments and also look for inspiration. Perhaps join some other groups?
GETTING STARTED
With any new unit you will need to start thinking about managing your time and work from the start. You will be handed a series of tasks that will get you using your camera from week 1. Please prepare your les, camera/s and decide on how you will present your work at the sessions. You will be asked to discuss your work each week. Please BE PREPARED. PROJECT MANAGEMENT - digital cameras enable you to upload your images to a computer with cables and some now have wireless capabilities. FOLDERS - Prepare folders on your student drive (5gb storage). COLLATING / EDITING - Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Apple Aperture and Apples iPhoto all have image browsers to view your work, edit and collate. EXTERNAL STORAGE - A good way to have easy access and carry around your master les/images from home and uni. Try and buy 500gb+ CrashPlan - http://www.crashplan.com/ online data back-up WEBSITES Flickr Free Account - 1 terabyte upload free. Flickr Pro Account - Unlimited uploads and ad free for 16 per year. Also Google Picasa which is free
CAMERA - you will be required to have your own camera for this unit. It needs to be digital and have if possible, manual controls. Students in the past have used mobile phone cameras and borrowed high end digital cameras from the photography department. If you are planning on buying a camera then talk to Gary or myself for advice. Get to know your camera inside out. Experiment with the settings, visit the cameras website and also look at the Flickr group for your cameras make/model as there are some great discussions forums with hints and tips about use and experimentation. SOFTWARE - In class we have access to Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop and iPhoto. You can get 30 day free trial of Adobe products from their website at www.adobe.com and iPhoto is free on Macs. Other solutions are the online version of Photoshop - http://www.photoshop.com/tools and they also have an iPhone app. Open Source - Photoshop Gimp a free clone of Adobes software http://www.gimp.org/ Look around as there are plenty of other similar products http://www.apple.com/aperture/ (Mac and used by professional photographers), Camera Bag 2 - http://www.nevercenter.com/ -http://www.pixelmator.com/, http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/index.php , and if you are an iPhone user then see the next page.
Mobilography / iPhoneography
Apps for photography via mobile phones have become very popular since Apples iPhone and a quick scan on the app store will give you thousands of choices. Some of the best free apps are: Photoshop Express Retro Camera Plus Mill Colour Camera Plus instagram EyeEm Best Paid Apps: Camera Bag Hipstamatic Quad Camera Toy Camera Tilt Shift Gen Pro HDR Loads on the Android too . . apparently. Flickr Groups: http://www.ickr.com/groups/mobilography/ http://www.ickr.com/groups/iphoneography-portsmouth/ http://www.ickr.com/groups/iphoneography/ There are hundreds . .
also keep your blog up to date with Tumblr app for mobile
What Camera?
WWW.LOMOGRAPHY.COM
SCANNER AS CAMERA
DIGPIM Basics Ideas, help and resources Now you have a camera.... Start to open your eyes to all around you. Look for shadows, forms, lines, colours, perspectives, reections, angles, textures etc Be a collector - letters, numbers, doors, hands, grafti, found objects etc
e camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera. Dorothea Lange
Digital Photography
DPHOT HEMIS Code U20192
ABSTRACT This course introduces the underlying principles of digital photography. Students will learn how digital cameras work and how to create digital images, appreciate experimental, abstract and traditional photographic techniques and learn how to display, compress and store photographs on a variety of platforms. AIM 1. To enable students to appreciate the fundamental principles, the technical resources and the creative potential of digital photography. LEARNING OUTCOMES On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to: 1. Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the application of Digital Photography as an integral element within design 2. Understand the physical technology and methods responsible for creating digital images 3. Identify how digital photography benefits the industry and aids the print process Hand In Date: April 25th by 3pm ASSESSMENT PATTERN Coursework (100%) The students will produce an evaluative, working journal and a presentation of photographs. The work will be unsupervised and tutor assessed. You must choose and present your work with close attention to the relationship/theme. There will be a series of assignments which all relate to the unit aims and generate content for your final body of work. Students MUST select core subjects from the 18 listed in the handbookt. Students will then produce photographs from their selected core subject areas. (a max of 30 photographs) Delivery 1. 2. A working journal (blog or sketchbook) A presentation of final images either printed, exhibition or online.
Students are expected to produce a portfolio of photographic work and associated journal of process experiments, image plans, drawings, written and visual material, demonstrating both thematic and technical research and experimentation in technique, format and media. This needs to be completed either in a blog or a sketchbook format. Completed photographic prints and online showcases should be executed with high regard to presentation and photographic convention and wherever appropriate work should be fully edited and presented in a professional manner.
BLOG EXAMPLES
http://sd-digialphotography.tumblr.com/
http://jack-daly.tumblr.com/
http://katana1.tumblr.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCw9Ff-1Q6k&feature=player_embedded
Your rst 10,000 photographs are your worst. Henri Cartier-Bresson Which of the photographs is my favorite? going to take tomorrow. Imogen Cunningham e one Im
To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about nding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them. Elliott Erwitt If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up. Richard Avedon Youve got to push yourself harder. Youve got to start looking for pictures nobody else could take. Youve got to take the tools you have and probe deeper. William Albert Allard
http://katana1.tumblr.com/
http://robertstocktondigitalphotography.tumblr.com/
http://blog.getdesigns.co.uk/
http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/basics-illus tration-03-text-and-image-978294037350 5/
http://www.selfpublishbehappy.com/
http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/basics-desi gn-06-print-and-nish-9782940373420/
http://www.designersandbooks.com/book/b asics-design-02-layout-second-edition
CORE SUBJECTS
SUBJECT
Urban
EXAMPLE
city, decay, street, industrial, bridges, city people, Blur, panning, freezing. Motion can also be implied in a picture by the use of dynamic composition - for example using powerful diagonal elements in the frame, or showing people or objects leaving from an edge of the frame, perhaps even cut off by it. Sense of movement, passion, singer and mic, capture energy and mix of lights, crowd shots, instruments. Backstage.
TIPS
Always carry your camera, shoot from the hip, turn off sounds - be quiet, get dirty The technical aspects of shooting motion are easy: a fast shutter speed (or the action or sports setting) will freeze motion, a slow one will introduce motion blur. Dont be afraid to experiment with extreme cropping or split into 3 sections.
Motion
Music/Gig
The low lighting environment of a live gig presents several problems to be overcome, the most troublesome being exposure and focus. Film speed 400 and f2.8 will give you a good overall shot. Unless you are familiar with the band then you cannot determine what the lighting will do. Take a spare battery and shoot as much as possible. Also take a small torch to check settings etc. Experient with slow shutter speeds to make the lighting streak. Remember to save your work as a photoshop le (psd). Be subtle and dont be afraid to use as many layers, colours and styles as possible. www.computerarts.co.uk is great for ideas.
Digital Darkroom
Pushing the limits using photoshop etc, change the entire look of an image, extreme cropping, masking and montage. Stitching various images together to make one nal shot. Taking layers from several images to make one. Car headlights, architecture lighting, ash outdoors/portrait, action shots with ash, the moon, cityscape,long exposure, lasers, copper
Night Light
A tripod and slow shutter speed to capture headlights. Or you could rest the camera on a wall for the long exposure. Experiment with your camera ash settings and take shots of portraits with car headlights in the background. Painting with light - use a torch and slow shutter speed to capture the effects. Technical equipment successfully employed for candid photography is typically lightweight, small and unobtrusive rather than big and intimidating. Timing is so important with Candid photography so always be on the look out for an opportunity and carry a small camera with you. Be sensitive to your subject. In some countries people will shy away from the camera as they feel you are taking their soul away by capturing their image. Dont use ash!
Candid
SUBJECT
Portrait
EXAMPLE
Close-up, portray character in environment, lines on face/ abstract, movement, candid, head and shoulders
TIPS
The3 general types of portrait photography are: close-ups or facial shots, upper body shots, or environmental portraits (where you focus on the subject and the surrounding environment that gives the subject character). Some of the best portraits are where the subjects look completely comfortable like their not looking at a camera. When people try to smile or make a certain kind of face for the camera it usually doesn't seem very genuine. The trick is to capture the image when the subject(s) aren't necessarily focused on the camera. The main purpose of portrait photography is to capture the essence of the subject(s). Many people take shots looking out to sea so why not turn around at the seashore and look for interesting opportunities. One common problem with landscape beach photographs is that while they might capture a beautiful scene they actually have no point of interest and can as a result be rather empty and boring. When taking a shot look for a point of interest or focal point that will give those looking at your photo a place for their eye to rest. Perhaps its a pattern in the sand, a set of footprints, the crashing of waves over a rock, a pier etc. Also look for the little things that tell the story of going to the beach like shoes at the waters edge, sand castles, sunglasses, etc. Lastly protect your camera against the salt..it will kill it!
Seaside
Sand, sea, close-up, landscapes, splashes, waves, bucket and spade, amusements,
Weather
Snow, wind, rain, sun, storms, sunsets/sunrises, the effects of weather on a building, erosion, melting ice-cream, water on a window, puddles and reections, sun rays after a storm and through trees. Skies, mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests. A landscape is a section or portion of scenery as seen from a single viewpoint. Scenery is the subject of a landscape image. Typically, people and animals are not shown in a landscape, unless they are relatively small in the image and have been included in the composition to show scale. Normally 3 styles of Landscape representational, impressionistic and abstract. Cityscape is the same as landscape but includes all the features of an urban setting.
Try to capture the atmosphere as much as possible. A forest early morning - mist - could work better as black and white to capture the atmosphere. A close up of a wave and splashes of sea water could convey a storm? When it rains you will probably have to use either a longer shutter speed or a wider aperture because the clouds tend to also block out direct sunlight. Experiment with having something in the foreground and use this as your basis to frame the shot. Doing this adds scale to the overall image. Timing and opportunity play an important part.
Landscape/ Cityscape
SUBJECT
Commercial
EXAMPLE
Photography made or licensed for the purpose of selling a product, service or idea where ne-art photography is created as an end in itself. Product pack shots, high street photography - weddings, portraits, fashion, travel etc Taken outdoors and devoted to displaying natural elements such as landscapes, wildlife, plants, and close-ups of natural scenes and textures.
TIPS
Work to the client brief and understand the audience that you are pitching to. For this unit you could look at images of the city (postcard task or tourism department of the council). It is important to always make sure that the product that you are selling is visible and of the highest quality.
Nature
Photographing Nature Requires Attention Whether youre photographing wildlife, plants or a wondrous sunset, be aware of your surroundings. Follow these tips to capture the best opportunities for nature photos: Be aware of all of your senses: your ear may hear something that your eyes have missed. Maintain perspective: when changing locations, check out where you have just been so you know where to travel next to get another amazing shot. Pay attention to your surroundings: look up and down, as well as side to side. Study your subjects habits: know how to anticipate an upcoming photo opportunity or when to ee. Be careful of your angles. Look at the shadows at every angle - this can help with the mood/texture and also add depth. Slow lm speed, large depth of eld, slow shutter = tripod essential or nd a sturdy and straight wall. Look at abstract, BOLD shapes that pop out. Use a mirror to reect light and also add a new perspective. Look at unique settings to showcase the model and the clothes etc. Dont confuse this with Glamour Photography. From the early days to the present Fashion Photographers were/are always the risk-takers and experiment constantly with light, subject and colour. Use colours/non and patterns to create an images. Let the viewer be intrigued as to the subject. Use your imagination
Architecture
In and outside a building structure or environment. Old and new, modern and traditional, small or large scale. Bridges, doors, windows. Industrial, Ruins.
Fashion
Trends, culture, clothes - think in the broadest sense. What is considered fashionable?
Abstract
Real subjects, sharp focused and un-manipulated except for normal darkroom adjustments such as contrast, exposure and dodging and burning. Angles, texture, macro, reections, shadows, mirrors, glass. Has no rules. Photographer Greg Gorman specialises in Human form. I dissected each persons face individually with different techniques, such as lighting, camera angle, the focal range of various lenses. You can always hang a light over someones head and get an image that looks like the person. To me, the more interesting images are ones that leave something to the imagination.
Human Form
Get in close and look at obscure angels. Use a macro setting to photograph the texture of the skin and highlight skin tones. Play with shadows on the skin.
Self Initiated
Open
Open
What Makes A Good Picture? This is the eternal question every photographer asks and is indeed asked perhaps every week. The answer, well beauty is in the eye of the beholder but there are certain elements within photography that when in place will certainly produce a better image than when not. When you are a photographer I believe that you really do start to see and notice things differently. You begin to notice form, shape, colour and light, which when used together will create a strong photograph. The following photographic techniques and elements are all part of the photographic creative eye and together are what help to make a good picture. 1. Which Format Vertical or horizontal? It is a common mistake made by the amateur photographer to use the camera always in the horizontal position. This is mainly due to the fact that cameras are made to t in the hand more comfortably this way. However if your subject matter is essentially vertical by nature, like a tall building or the composition of your subject warrants the vertical format, don't be shy in turning your camera around and using this format to explore the photographic possibilities. 2. Filling The Frame How many times has a great shot been ruined by an ugly distracting background? To give your photography more impact, ll the entire frame with your subject matter. This can be done by either moving in closer or by using a zoom lens. 3. Where to Place the Subject Where your subject is placed within your shot will determine its dominance and importance within the image. Compositionally it is also a good idea not to place your main subject bang centre of the shot. Instead use the rule of thirds where you place the subject to one side of your frame. Some cameras have this facility built in, where you can superimpose a grid onto your viewnder to use as a guide. If not it is easy to imagine the grid for yourself. Remember you may have to use auto lock focus to make sure your subject is completely sharp. Simply have click your camera shutter on your subject then while holding the shutter still, reposition your shot using the rule of thirds and take the shot. 4. Using the Foreground Often including foreground detail will help to give your image a sense of depth and distance. Raising your viewpoint and angling your camera downwards can emphasize the foreground. 5. Moving around your subject Never be satised with one viewpoint of your subject. Take your time and walk around it to see if the composition can be improved. Take several different shots from different angles and positions. This will ensure that you will not have missed perhaps a better shot than you would have rst taken.
6. High or low viewpoint? If you are unable to move around your subject matter, it is still possible to get different view points by either crouching down and taking your shot pointing upwards. This may allow you to catch a beautiful sky for your background. Alternatively if you can stand higher than your subject and point downwards you will be able to ll the frame entirely with your subject, avoid distracting skies etc. 7. Using Frames Within Frames It is possible to create well-balanced and striking images by using natural frames. For instance, doorways and windows can act as natural frames for your main subject. Look for these natural frames, they occur more than you may rst realise. Even trees, archways and even the brim of someone's hat can be used to create a frame around your main subject. 8. Emphasizing your subject By focusing completely on your subject and having a narrow aperture will emphasize the importance of the composition and remove any distracting and unnecessary aspects within the image. 9. Introducing a Sense Of Scale. Often when photographing large-scale subjects it can be difficult to really portray its size within the photograph without something for comparison. If possible try to include something close to the main subject that will be able to allow the view to see the actual size of the subject. Placing a person within shot is particularly good for this. 10. How To Use Line Use linear perspective to give images a strong sense of depth. For instance a winding road going off into the distance. Or subjects that are placed one behind another will appear to get smaller and again give the illusion of depth. For instance a line of street bollards one behind the other will give this illusion. 11. Colour For Emphasis Colour can be used to dictate the main areas of interest within a composition. For instance a small area of colour contrasting signicantly within its surroundings can dramatically become the dominant feature of the image. 12. Colour & Mood Colour can be used to inuence the mood of an image. For instance, bright bold colours will indicate a happy up beat feel whereas pastel or light colours will induce a sense of clam and tranquillity. Also colours such as red and orange will portray a sense of heat and so will help to create a feeling of summer and holidays. Whereas, blues and greens are colder and will enforce the feeling of winter and dawn.
RESEARCH
The weekend Guardian newspaper, Sunday Times, magazines like Local Quarterly, Refueled, Huck Magazine Photographers - Todd Selby, Jason Travis
http://www.huckmagazine.com/ http://www.refueledmagazine.com/current-issue.html http://localmag.us/ http://blog.noplasticsleeves.com/?tag=self-promo http://www.selfpublishbehappy.com/ http://arkitip.com/magazines/ http://www.japancamerahunter.com/2013/06/photography-zines-andbooks/ http://www.stackmagazines.com/featured/we-are-here/ http://www.itsnicethat.com/publications http://www.coolhunting.com/culture/open-book-tbw-books.php http://issuu.com/ http://www.blurb.co.uk/ http://www.magcloud.com/ http://www.newspaperclub.com/ http://www.jasontravisphoto.com/ http://theselby.com/
OUTCOME - PDF (Printed or Online) TOOLS & SKILLS - Camera, lenses, editing packages like photoshop, gimp, lightroom, design editing - indesign for layout and illustrator - text and vector graphics (logo creation)
Remember to document your role, progress and add this to your blog or sketchbook.
Note : These Assignments are designed to help you during this module. They will help you gain confidence and start to build up a library of photographs to work with for your final hand-in.
RESEARCH LINKS
Large list here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_photographers Annie Leibovitz - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Leibovitz Robert Mapplethorpe - http://www.mapplethorpe.org/ Rankin - http://rankin.co.uk/ Steven Klein - http://kleinstudio.us/ Diane Arbus - http://diane-arbus-photography.com/ Bill Brandt - http://www.billbrandt.com/ Lee Friedlander - http://www.atgetphotography.com/The-Photographers/Lee-Friedlander.html Herb Ritts - http://www.herbritts.com/
www.day19.com/v6/polaroidproject.html www.christophehuet.com/ www.janvonholleben.com/dof_extra.html www.andrewzuckerman.com/ www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Pop-up-Photograph www.learn.adobe.com/wiki/display/lr/home www.shamptonian.org/2008.02.13/the-worlds-rst-ihole/ www.afcook.co.uk/index.html www.jpgmag.com/ www.lomography.com/ www.rankin.co.uk/ www.mattstuart.com/ www.estevanoriol.com/ www.books.google.com/books?client=safari www.simonhoegsberg.com/ www.andreagalvani.com/ www.zwartekoffie.com/ www.creativebits.org/cool_business_card_designs http://www.mattsills.co.uk/#/ http://www.perou.co.uk/