"Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative

art."Ansel Adams

Here is the flyer explaining the Save or Delete Photo Challenge that has become a very integral part of the Labrador Creative Arts Festival.

It is not intended that Save or Delete be added to the work load of the school rep., or teacher-director. Rather, this project is meant to include teachers and students who are particularly interested in the art of photography. This will help to actively include more students in the festival.

Submissions from previous years have been outstanding! Last year for the 39th

Communication festival we received some amazing ‘shots’ which were on display in the lobby of the Lawrence O’Brien Arts Centre.

We feel this year’s theme, Coming Home and the supplementary themes of Celebration and The Labrador Creative Arts Festival, will inspire students to get creative with the megapixels!!!! As indicated in the 'Festival Flyer' this theme has the potential to really stir the imaginations of everyone! Arthur Koestler wrote, "The principal mark of genius is not perfection but originality. " Sound advice for the amateur photographer!

If you have a media course offered in your school this would make a great project. it would enhance a creative writing course as well!

Deadline for submissions is October 22, 2015

What do we mean by Save or Delete ...“Now, when I was young…….. pictures used to cost money! We used to be very choosey over what we took a picture of, ‘cause we knew it would cost money to have it developed. But now we have these-here digital cameras. My son! You can take t’ousands of pictures and throw ‘em all away!” Jim Andersen

Memory cards have the potential to store thousands of pictures without the need to ever delete a single one, downloading pictures takes mere minutes and they can be viewed over and over on a computer screen or 46” TV or stored in a 'cloud' for ever!

In essence what we are advocating in Save or Delete is being critical of images captured.

Pictures are about capturing and ‘recording’ an image.

So, what do you keep? And what do you throw away?What do you save and what do you delete?

Pictures are also about expressing.What do pictures say to us? How do they make us feel about what we see?What message or opinion or mood is the photographer offering?

1. This project, Save or Delete: is about taking pictures – many pictures – of people, events and things in your community and environment. Ask students to take pictures that "record their life in today’s world and how they feel about it, or how they want others to feel about it, as it relates to their understanding of the theme…..

And since the themes are

or

or

we want them to photograph different ways that this is evident in their life or community.

Try different compositions in your photos – close-ups, strange angles, interesting shapes. Manipulate images. Interpret them. Be an artist with the camera!

Something to think about:

This is the 40h Labrador Creative Arts Festival. If someone found yourphotos years from now, would they see images representing Coming Home?

2. Your group should choose up to 15 pictures. How do they complement the theme? Think carefully about them. Each one will need:

(1) a title and (2) a short explanation* about why it has been chosen…..why it is

important….. how is the theme being represented? (*Don’t list what we can see for ourselves in the picture; tell us instead about what we see – how do you feel about it? Why is it important to you, your community, your culture? How do you want your viewers to feel about it?) see example in the appendix

3. Send your fifteen selections on a CD or electronically to the Labrador Creative Arts Festival. We will edit, print and exhibit your photo show during the Arts Festival Week, Nov. 18 - 24, 2015.

DEADLINE = OCTOBER 22, 2015Photos will be mounted for exhibition by the LCAF

What do we do?Take photosOut of the many taken select 15 photos that best complement the theme Title your photoAdd a caption that explains or interprets or questions…..that gives the viewer something to think about. what is the picture saying! – what it represents, how it makes you feel, what is the significance of it.. Label the photos (see details below)Save photo files and label files on CDSubmit CD to Creative Arts Festival by deadline date

OR send electronically

Finished Product? ...SEE EXAMPLE IN APPENDIX!

Technical Considerations

Take and save photos in .jpg format – use “highest” or “best” resolution possible with camera.

Send unedited full size uncompressed photos just as they come from the camera.Submit 15 photo files (.jpg’s) with 15 accompanying text label files (.txt’s) on CD.Notes: (1) Printed Photo Size will be 8” x 10” or 5’ x 7’

(2) Photo File Size in Pixels = 300px x 2400px or larger(3) Photo File Size in Megabytes = approx. 4 Mb to 5 Mb or

larger(4) Photo editing will be done by Festival staff before printing

File NamesUse the following file name structure for your submissions:

JCEMS01.jpg for the photo and JCEMS01.txt for the photo label

LabelsKey in the following label information

Title/Caption of photo:Photographer:Location where photo was taken:Subject of photo: Date photo was taken:Photo Number:Label Number:A brief (10-30 word) explanation of how this photo relates to the theme

A Few Points to ConsiderCompositionLightingTonal ContrastChoice of Subject MatterCommunication of Meaning/Expression/Interpretation

Always ask yourself:1. What is the subject of my photograph?2. How can I emphasize that subject?3. What can I do to simplify the picture by eliminating any elements that distract from my subject?

Some Related Photography Resource Websites

Three Guidelines for successful photographs: (New York Institute of Photography)

http://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/A place for kids and teachers to learn about digital photography and to see what others are doing with digital photos. Sponsored by Adobe, makers of Photoshop software.

http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/digitalphotography/A site with articles, information, tips and suggestions about working with digital photos and scanned images. Many advertising links and popups.

http://www.cottagearts.net/home.htmlhttp://www.scrapgirls.com/index.html Two of many commercial websites with projects and tutorials for creating digital layouts with your photos. Many products and software files for sale.

http://www.great-digital-photos.com/http://aperture-priority.blogspot.com/ Two of many sites with tips, suggestions and comments in a blog-format.

http://www.basic-digital-photography-resources.html Links to advertising sites, free and commercial products and services for digital photographers.

http://www.nyip.com/ New York Institute of PhotographyCourses for traditional and digital photographers. Lots of hints, tips and suggestions. Online monthly photography magazine and weekly podcasts.

Appendix: Example of Save or Delete submission for the Transformation Festival 2012

Let there be lightLocation: Northwest River, LabradorSubject: LightDate: October 23rd, 2012Photo Number: 04Water energy is transformed to electricity, electricity is transformed into light. Light has transformed our life.