Unit 3: Rules of Composition | Photography I

Big Idea that drives Lesson/Unit:

Throughout this curriculum students learn that photography is more than just a click of a button. In the
past few units’ students have researched and discovered what a photograph is, where it all began, how
their cameras work, and the different genres of photography. In this unit students get the opportunity to
explore their cameras by experimenting with the elements, principles, and compositional techniques of
design to deepen their understanding of how to compose a high quality photograph. Students will be able
to build their knowledge on how to successfully capture the images that they desire and provide them with
the vocabulary to better analyse and reflect on their own photographic works as well as their peers. This
unit is a crucial step to help prepare students to plan and conceptualize their upcoming individual studies
of portraiture-, landscape-, and photo journalistic photography.

Contemporary/Historical/Multicultural exemplars

Ansel Adams | Elliott Erwitt | Luigi Ghirri | Larry Kanfer | Dorothea Lange

The artists listed above are used throughout each of the lessons within this unit. Exemplary artists were
chosen based off of the styles, interests, and photographic qualities that the students have expressed in the
prior units. While artists chosen are to cater to the preferences of the students, the breadth of artists show
the various genres of photography. Using the same artists throughout each of the lessons in this unit
students will be able to see how one artist can utilize and exemplify the multiple elements, principles, and
compositional techniques throughout their artistic portfolio as opposed to only showing mastery in one.

Photography I - Lesson 1
Title: Rules of Composition

Grade Level: 10 - 12
Date Taught: 01.24.2020

Objectives
● Students will…
○ Learn how to intentionally compose an image utilizing the artistic vocabulary of the
photographic rules of composition.
○ Understand how to identify and describe the rules of composition in photographs
○ Be able to justify how the compositional techniques emphasize the meaning of a
photograph
Fine Arts Goals Met by the Objectives
 ● Cr1.2.IIa - ​Students who meet this standard understand how artists and designers shape artistic
investigations, following or breaking with traditions in pursuit of creative art making goals.
○ Choose from a range of materials and methods of traditional and contemporary artistic
practices to plan works of art and design.
Key Artistic Concepts
● Photographic Compositional Techniques
Essential Questions
● How do you compose a good photograph?
● How are rules of composition utilized in photography?
● How do the rules of composition aid in emphasizing a concept or meaning portrayed in a
photograph?
Vocabulary Acquisition
● Compositional Techniques - ​Angles, Framing, Rule of Thirds, Leading Lines
Student Materials
● Camera
● Computer
● Sketchbook / Notebook
● Writing Utensil
Teacher Materials
● Camera
● Powerpoint of vocab and corresponding examples
Procedures
● DISCUSSION: (15-17 minutes)
○ Schedule: today we are going to start working toward our next project. We will be
discussing the different elements, principles, and compositional techniques and creating
our own visual vocabulary books.
○ Show powerpoint/examples of the different compositional techniques
■ Discuss the different ways to capture your subject in the image
● Angles: ​The angle of the image refers to where your camera is when you
take the picture.
○ High- you are higher than your subject, with the camera pointed
down.
○ Low- you are below your subject, with the camera pointed up.
○ Birds Eye- you are directly above your subject, with the camera
pointed directly down.
○ Eye Level- you are looking at your subject straight on
● Framing
○ Man Made- objects that frame around your subject/focal point
○ Nature Made- objects that frame around your subject/focal point
● Rule of thirds-​ your subject is taking up only ⅓ of the image area
● Leading Lines- the attention of the photograph is drawn to a line that
leads up to the main subject/focal point
 ■ Practice identifying the different compositional techniques within the example
photographs
● DEMONSTRATION:
● DESIGN/WORK SESSION: (17-20 minutes)
○ The remainder of class time will be used to practice taking photos
○ Take a minimum of 15 photos utilizing the compositional techniques
■ Try to get a minimum of one image for each technique
● CLEAN UP: (5-7 minutes)
○ Upload all images to your computers
○ Create a new folder titled “Compositional Techniques”
■ Place a minimum of 15 photos that you took during this class period into it
● CLOSURE: (3 minutes)
○ How was shooting the rules of composition?
■ Were there any specific techniques that were more difficult than others?
○ Make sure you continue to bring your sketchbook / notebooks with you tomorrow. We
will be adding more vocabulary and techniques tomorrow.

ASSESSMENT:
Students will be assessed formatively based on the following:
___ Participation in class discussion
___ Completion of the 15 practice images of the compositional techniques

Time Alloted for Lesson:​ 40 - 47 minutes

Activity Time

Discussion 15-17 minutes

Demonstration -

Design/Work Session 17-20 minutes

Clean-up 5-7 minutes

Closure 3 minutes

Photography I - Lesson 2
Title: Elements of Design

Grade Level: 10 - 12
Date Taught: 01.27.2020

Objectives:
● Students will…
 ○ Learn how to intentionally compose a photographic image utilizing the elements of
design .
○ Understand how to identify and describe the elements of design in photographs
○ Be able to justify how the elements of design emphasize the meaning of a photograph
Fine Arts Goals Met by the Objectives:
● Cr1.2.IIa - ​Students who meet this standard understand how artists and designers shape artistic
investigations, following or breaking with traditions in pursuit of creative art making goals.
○ Choose from a range of materials and methods of traditional and contemporary artistic
practices to plan works of art and design.
Key Artistic Concepts:
● Elements of design
Essential Questions:
● How are the elements of design utilized in photography?
● How do the elements of design aid in emphasizing a concept or meaning portrayed in a
photograph?
Vocabulary Acquisition:
● Elements of design- ​the basic components or building block of a work of art; Line, Color, Value,
Texture, Shape, Form, and Space
Student Materials:
● Camera
● Computer
● Sketchbook / Notebook
● Writing Utensil
Teacher Materials:
● Camera
● Powerpoint of vocab and corresponding examples
Procedures:
● DISCUSSION: (20-23 minutes)
○ Choose your top five photos from this weeks challenge to discuss with the class
■ What elements and principles can we see in these photos?
■ How do these images relate to this week’s prompt?
■ Critique: strength, improvement, strength
○ Show powerpoint/examples of the different ​elements of design
■ Discuss the different ways we see the elements of design in photography
● Value- ​The lightness or darkness of a surface; the amount of light
transmitted or reflected from a surface
● Line- ​implied or actual connection between two points
● Shape- ​a flat (2-dimensional) enclosed area created when a line connects
to enclose an area; an area of color or texture is defined by a clear
boundary; an area is surrounded by other shapes
● Texture- ​the way things feel or look as if they might feel if touched; real
or implied surface quality
● Space- ​the area between, around, above, below, or within things
 ○ Actual - real space that is visible
○ Illusion - the look of three dimensions on a 2-D surface
● Color - ​Has three qualities
○ Hue- ​the actual color itself, the name of a color assigns it a
position in the visual spectrum and on the color wheel
○ Value- ​the lightness or darkness of a hue (How much black or
white is added) or the amount of light reflected or transmitted by
a colored object.
○ Intensity- ​The degree of purity, strength, saturation or chroma of
a color
○ Practice identifying the different elements of design within the example photographs
● DEMONSTRATION: (minutes)
● DESIGN/WORK SESSION: (13-15 minutes)
○ Allow the remaining class time for students to take pictures using the elements of design
■ Try to get a minimum of one image for each element
● CLEAN UP: (5-7 minutes)
○ Create a new folder in your google portfolio titled “Elements of Design”
■ Title each image the element that you are intending it to be
● CLOSURE: (3 minutes)
○ Are there certain elements that were harder to shoot for?
○ Which ones were the easiest to shoot for?

ASSESSMENT:
Students will be assessed formatively based on the following:
___ Participation in class discussion
___ Completion of the 15 practice images of the elements of design

Time Alloted for Lesson: ​41 - 48 minutes

Activity Time

Discussion 20-23 minutes

Demonstration -

Design/Work Session 13-15 minutes

Clean-up 5-7 minutes

Closure 3 minutes

Photography I - Lesson 3
Title: Principles of Design
Grade Level: 10 - 12
Date Taught: 01.28.2020

Objectives:
● Students will…
○ Learn how to intentionally compose a photographic image utilizing the principles of
design
○ Understand how to identify and describe the principles of design in photographs
○ Be able to justify how the principles of design emphasize the meaning of a photograph
Fine Arts Goals Met by the Objectives:
● Cr1.2.IIa - ​Students who meet this standard understand how artists and designers shape artistic
investigations, following or breaking with traditions in pursuit of creative art making goals.
○ Choose from a range of materials and methods of traditional and contemporary artistic
practices to plan works of art and design.
Key Artistic Concepts:
● Principles of design
Essential Questions:
● How are the principles of design utilized in photography?
● How do the principles of design aid in emphasizing a concept or meaning portrayed in a
photograph?
Vocabulary Acquisition:
● Principles of design​- used to organize the elements of design in a work of art; Unity, Balance,
Harmony, Contrast, Emphasis, Variety, Gradation, Movement, Rhythm, and Proportion
Student Materials:
● Camera
● Computer
● SD Card Reader
● Sketchbook / Notebook
● Writing Utensil
Teacher Materials:
● Camera
● Powerpoint of vocab and corresponding examples
Procedures:
● DISCUSSION: (15 - 17 minutes)
○ Show powerpoint/examples of the different principles of design
■ Discuss the different ways to capture different ​principles of design - how the
elements of design are organized
● Unity- the result of brining the elements of art into the appropriate ration
between harmony and variety to achieve a sense of oneness
● Balance- ​the equilibrium among interacting and/or opposing forces in a
visual composition
○ Symmetrical
○ Asymmetrical
 ○ Radial
● Harmony- ​combining and repeating the elements to accentuate their
similarities and create a pleasing relationship among them.
● Contrast- ​the degree of difference between compositional parts or
between one element and another
● Emphasis- ​special attention focused on some aspects of a composition
which gives them prominence
● Variety- ​combining many elements to create intricate or complicated
relationships or using variations of an element
● Gradation- ​any gradual change in an element of design such as a
gradual transition from one color to another or one shape or volume to
another
● Movement- ​creating the look and feeling of movement leading the eye
throughout the work of art
● Rhythm- ​the repetition of multiple parts in a composition to create a
visual tempo or beat
● Proportion- ​the size relationship of certain elements to the whole and to
each other
■ Practice identifying the different principles of design within the example
photographs
● DEMONSTRATION: ( minutes)
● DESIGN/WORK SESSION: (20 minutes)
○ Allow the remaining class time for students to take pictures using the principles of design
■ Try to get a minimum of one image for each principle
● CLEAN UP: (7 minutes)
○ Create a new folder in your google portfolio titled “Principles of Design”
● CLOSURE: (3 minutes)
○
ASSESSMENT:
Students will be assessed formatively based on the following:
___ Participation in class discussion
___ Completion of the 15 practice images of the principles of design

Time Alloted for Lesson:​ 45 - 47 minutes

Activity Time

Discussion 15-17 minutes

Demonstration -

Design/Work Session 20 minutes

Clean-up 7 minutes
 Closure 3 minutes

Photography I - Lesson 4
Title: Basic Usage of Photo Editing Software

Grade Level: 10 - 12
Date Taught: 01.29.2020 - 02.03..2020

Objectives:
● Students will…
○ Learn how photo editing software and processes are utilized to create a more realistic
representation of images
○ Learn how to critique, analyse, and select artwork for presentation
○ Understand how the presentation of an artwork changes the viewers perception and
interpretation of the art piece.
Fine Arts Goals Met by the Objectives:
● Cr3.1.IIa - ​Students who meet this standard understand how to refine and complete artistic work
○ Engage in constructive critique with peers, then reflect on, re-engage, revise, and refine
works of art and design in response to personal artistic vision.
● Pr4.1.IIa - ​Students who meet this standard understand how to select, analyze, and interpret
artistic work for presentation.

○ Analyze, select, and critique personal artwork for a collection or portfolio presentation.
Key Artistic Concepts:
● Photoshop
● Critique
● Artwork Presentation / Curating
Essential Questions:
● How does critiquing artworks help develop artistic practices?
● How can you analyze your artwork and apply corrections to your processes?
● How does altering and editing photos alter the perception of the viewer?
Vocabulary Acquisition:
● Exposure adjustments
● Color Balance
● Saturation
Artmaking Materials Needed:
● Camera
● Computers
● Photoshop ($) or Gimp (free) Installed
Teacher Materials Needed:
● “How To” Photoshop Handout
● Example image to edit with the class
Procedures:
● DISCUSSION: (10 minutes)
○ Ethics of Photo Editing
■ Not to just eliminate / “fix” parts of images that you do not like or want
■ Not to create a false representation of a person, place, or thing
○ Why do we edit photos?
● DEMONSTRATION: (10 - 12 minutes)
○ Photoshop / Gimp
■ Color Correction
● Exposure adjustments
● Color Balance
● Saturation
● DESIGN/WORK SESSION: (20 minutes)
○ On a sheet of paper write 12 vocabulary words that you would want to use in your photo
book. There should be one from each category (Elements, Principles, Composition).
■ 6 of those images can come from the ones you took in class, the other 6 will have
to be images you take outside of school
■ You need to take 24 supplemental images for your photobook (minimum of 4 for
each supplemental vocabulary word)
■ Create a new google folder in your google portfolio labelled ​“Book Images”
● Add your 6 “in class” images to this folder
● Once you shoot your supplemental images, they should be in the folder
● ALL IMAGES SHOULD BE LABELLED WITH THE VOCAB WORD
YOU ARE USING.
○ Over the next three days we are going to begin editing pictures -
■ When you finish editing your photos, make sure you save it to the same folder!
● When we go through your google folder we should be able to see both
the original and the edited versions
■ Day 1 - Start editing your photos! Using the handout and the demo that was
presented. Edit your top 12 photos to be placed into your photo books
■ Day 2 - Process critique! Present your first photo you have completed. Present
the before and after
● Class discuss: formal qualities, what is the strongest technique used?,
editing suggestions?
■ Day 3 - Based off of the process critique suggestions, continue editing your
photos
■ Day 4 - Last work day! By the end of the period you should have all 12 images
edited and turned in on a flash drive to be printed.
● CLEAN UP: (3 minutes)
○ Computers unplugged and put away
○ All images saved to computer, flash drive, and google drive
○ Return all card readers and adapters to bins
● CLOSURE: (3 minutes)
 ○ Any errors or troubleshooting happening with your editing software?
○ Are there any images or vocabulary words you recognize that you don't have ​or ones that
thought you had but through conversation and review realized are not examples of what
you thought?

ASSESSMENT:
Students will be assessed formatively based on the following:
___ Participation in class discussion and process critique
___ Completion of 1 edited image to be analyzed

Time Alloted for Lesson: ​46 - 48 minutes

Activity Time

Discussion 10 minutes

Demonstration 10-12 minutes

Design/Work Session 20 minutes

Clean-up 3 minutes

Closure 3 minutes

Photography I - Lesson 5
Title: Presentation and Critique

Grade Level: 10 - 12
Date Taught: 02.04.2020 - 02.10.2020

Objectives:
● Students will…
○ Be able to hand build their own accordion book
○ Learn how to group critique final works of art
○ Understand how presentation changes how images are interpreted
Fine Arts Goals Met by the Objectives:
● Cr2.1.IIa - ​Students who meet this standard understand how to organize and develop artistic
ideas and work.
○ Through experimentation, practice, and persistence, demonstrate acquisition of skills and
knowledge in a chosen art form.
● Cr3.1.IIa - ​Students who meet this standard understand how to refine and complete artistic work
○ Engage in constructive critique with peers, then reflect on, re-engage, revise, and refine
works of art and design in response to personal artistic vision.
Key Artistic Concepts:
 ● Group Critique
● Presentation of Artwork
● Book Making / Binding
Essential Questions:
● How does giving and receiving critique from peers assist in the artmaking process?
● How does creating an artist book change the way your artwork is perceived?
● How did you utilize the rules of composition, elements, and principles in your photographic
practices?
Artmaking Materials Needed:
● (6) - 6” x 18” black railroad paper strips
● (2) - 8.25” x 6.75” matte board pieces
● Photo corners
● Collage materials (newspaper, scrapbook paper, magazines, etc.)
● Glue (rubber cement and/or pva glue)
● Black masking tape
● Color pencils
● Printed Images
Teacher Materials Needed:
● Example of already made book
● All student materials listed above
Procedures:
● DISCUSSION:
○ Day 1 & 2 (10 minutes) : Artist books - a way for artists to display their works in a book
completely their own.
■ Does having photos in a book change the context of them?
■ How does the presentation of a book alter how the images are viewed (ie.
compared to a gallery setting)?
○ Day 3 (35 minutes) : Critique Day!
■ Lay out your photo books flat across the tables
■ What elements, composition techniques, and principles can we see throughout
these photos?
■ Which of the twelve is the strongest image? Why?
■ What does the image convey? Does the techniques used change the meaning or
mood of the photograph?
● DEMONSTRATION: Day 1 & 2 (10-15 minutes)
○ The more precise you are with your construction, the easier the pages will be to turn.
■ Step 1: ​fold two of the strips of paper in half
■ Step 2: place two pieces of paper end to end. They should not overlap each other,
but just have the sides of the paper lined up with one another.
■ Step 3: ​take a strip of tape and tape the pieces of paper together. There should be
some excess tape to wrap around to the other side of the pages.
● Repeat steps 1 - 3 until all six pages are connected
 ■ Once all the pages have been connected, glue the front and back pages to the
pieces of matte board
● The pieces of paper should be flush against on the short edges of the
board for ease of turning the pages
● You may use either rubber cement or pva glue. Both work well and last
for a longer period of time.
○ Rubber Cement: Highly toxic- do not inhale it or work directly
above it. Glue each piece you are gluing (matte board & paper).
Wait until the glue is dry and then stick both pieces together.
○ PVA Glue: not as toxic as rubber cement. You do not need a lot
of glue to have them stick and it does not need to dry before you
stick them together.
■ After your book is fully constructed, decorate the front and back covers to be
unique to you
● Make sure your name is somewhere visible on either cover
● DESIGN/WORK SESSION: Day 1 & 2 (15 minutes)
○ Finish constructing flip book
○ After flip book is made, decorate the covers using materials provided
■ Make sure your name is somewhere visible on either cover
■ Pencils, markers, magazines, assorted paper scraps
○ The final step when finished constructing and decorating is to insert your photos!
■ Use the photo corners to place one image per page, that way later on you can
remove the photos as desired
● CLEAN UP: Day 1 & 2 (5 minutes)
○ Return all cutting and gluing supplies to the supply table
○ All scraps need to be thrown in the recycle bin
○ Place books (finished or not) into the class drawer
● CLOSURE: Day 1 & 2 (3 minutes)
○ Any issues creating the books?
○ Have you considered how you will place your images in there? Which images should go
next to each other? How do the images change depending on the images they are by?

ASSESSMENT:
Students will be assessed summatively on the creation and completion of their photobook with the use of
a rubric that can be found in assessment.

Time Alloted for Lesson: ​43 - 48 minutes

Activity Time

Discussion 10 minutes

Demonstration 10-15 minutes

Design/Work Session 15 minutes

Clean-up 5 minutes

Closure 3 minutes