icp curriculum part 4

7/27/2019 ICP Curriculum Part 4

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This page is an excerpt from Focus on Photography: A Curriculum Guide

Written by Cynthia Way for the International Center of Photography

2006 International Center of Photography

All rights reserved.

Published by the International Center of Photography, New York.

Printed in the United States of America.

Please credit the International Center of Photography on all reproductions.

This project has been made possible with generous support from Andrew and Marina Lewin,

the GE Fund, and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Cultural

Challenge Program.

FOCUS ON PHOTOGRAPHY: A CURRICULUM GUIDE


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Focus on PhotograPhy: a curriculum guide

Part IV

resouces


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This section is an excerpt from Focus on Photography: A Curriculum Guide









Challenge Program.



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FFOCUS ON PHOTOGRAPHY: A CURRICULUM GUIDE

Focus Lesson Plansand Actvities

INDEX TO FOCUS LINKS

Focus Links Lesson Plans

Focus Link 1 LESSON1:IntroductoryPolaroidExercises

Focus Link 2 LESSON2:CameraasaTool

Focus Link 3 LESSON3:PhotographicFieldTrip

Focus Link 4 LESSON4:DiscussingImages/DevelopingaProjectTheme

Focus Link 5 LESSON5:CreatingImages/Point-o-ViewActivity

Focus Link 6 LESSON6:EditingImages/ReectionActivity

Focus Link 7 LESSON7:IntegratingtheGalleryVisit

Focus Link 8 LESSON8:LightingTechniques

Focus Link 9 LESSON9:IntegratingtheGuestArtistVisit

Focus Link 10 LESSON10:AssemblingtheFinalProject

Focus Links Focus Discussion Questions and Worksheets

Focus Link 11 BuildingVisualLiteracy:DiscussionQuestions

Focus Link 12 LookingatPhotographs/WhatDoYouSeeinthePictureFrame?

Focus Link 13 LookingatPhotographs/LearningPhotographicTerms

Focus Link 14 TheChoicesThatPhotographersMake

Focus Link 15 WhatIsthePhotographSaying?


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FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

Focus Links Focus Writing Activities

Focus Link 16 Point-o-ViewWritingExercise

Focus Link 17 Story-WritingWorksheet

Focus Link 18 Poetry-WritingWorksheet

Focus Link 19 WordPictureFocus Link 20 WritingCaptions

Focus Link 21 WritingaReviewoanExhibition

Focus Link 22 WritinganArtistsStatement

Focus Links Focus Hands-on Activities

Focus Link 23 PolaroidActivities

Focus Link 24 PhotographicAssignmentList

Focus Link 25 BirdsandWormsTreasureHunt

Focus Link 26 PolapanSlidePresentation

Focus Link 27 PolaroidTransers

Focus Link 28 HandColoringPrints

Focus Link 29 SunPrints

Focus Link 30 Photograms

Focus Link 31 WritingWithLightonFilmorPaper

Focus Link 32 LiquidLightandOtherAlternativeProcesses

Focus Link 33 PinholePhotography

Focus Links Focus Refection Activities

Focus Link 34 CritiqueYourImage

Focus Link 35 Storytelling

Focus Link 36 Speechwriting

Focus Link 37 ArtProjects

Focus Link 38 ResearchProjects

Focus Link 39 ImageBox

Focus Link 40 VisualDiary

Focus Link 41 PicturesandInterviews

Focus Link 42 CreateYourOwnExhibition

Focus Link 43 WhatMakesaGoodPhotograph?

Focus Link 44 SeeingActivity


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FocusLessonPlans

FOCUS LESSON PLANS

TheollowinglessonplansarethebuildingblocksotheFocussamplecurricula

andthecasestudies.Inthissection,thelessonsollowasequenceora10-session

curriculum.Considerotherpossiblesequencesandadaptationsotheselessonsor

yourcurriculum.

Focus Link 1

Lesson PLan: Introductory PoLaroId exercIses

GOAL

Tointroducestudentstophotographyandtotheclassprojectusingslideso

photographicworkandhands-onPolaroidmaterials

MATERIALS

Polaroidcameras(sharedinpairs)

Polaroidflm(use10packs,5shotsperstudent)

Sharpies

Slideprojectorandslides

PREPARATION

Selectslidesohistoricalandcontemporaryartworkthatconnectstotheprojecttheme

andaudienceinterest

DURATION

2hours

ACTIvITIES

Discussing pictures [30 min.]

Beginwithintroductoryquestions:Whatisphotography?Wheredoyousee

photographs?Whataresomeotheusesophotography?

Presentslidesandaskquestionsabouttheartworktobuildvisualliteracyskills

(SeePart 1andFocus Link 11.)

Discussthetopicbyprojectingrelatedslidesandasking:Whatdoyousee?


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FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

Discussthephotographyprojectanditstheme

Repeatwithseveralslides

Makesuretocoverexamplesotechniquessuchaslighting,pointoview,

composition,andraming

Creating images [60 min.]

DemonstratehowtouseaPolaroidcamera(Note:Youcanpre-loadtheflm.)

1 Chooseapointoview

Presstheshutterrelease

Letthepicturedevelop

Givethemtheassignment:

Workinginpairs,eachstudenttakesfveportraitsotheotherpersonrom

dierentpointsoview:

1 Abirds-eyeview

Aworms-eyeview

Mysteryview:Pretendyoureadierentanimalandtakeapictureromthat

pointoview

Youreyeview

5 Surpriseme

WRAP-UP [0 MIN.]

Putallthepicturesontablesordiscussion

Discusscomposition,technique,surprisingaccidents,successes,and

bloopers

FOLLOW-UP/HOMEWORK

Journal-writingexercise:

Havestudentswriteanswerstothesequestionsintheirjournal:Howdo

youseeyourselinthepictures?Describetheexperienceocreatingthe

pictures.Whatdidyoueel?Whatwasenjoyableoruncomortable?


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FocusLessonPlans 5

Focus Link 2

Lesson PLan: camera as a tooL

GOAL

Tointroducestudentstothetoolsandtechniquesoa35mmcamera

MATERIALS

35mmcameras,traditionalordigital(canbesharedinpairs)

Sampleexposedrolloflm

Samplecontactsheet

Sampleblack-and-whiteprints

PREPARATION

Createandmakecopiesoacamera-handlinghandoutromthecamera

instructionbookoraphotographymanual

Testequipmentanduseyourtestflm,contactsheet,andprintsassamples

DURATION

2hours

ACTIvITIES [ HRS.]

Demonstratehowtousethe35mmcamera(Note:Besuretoholdthecamera

soeveryonecanseeit.)

Explainwhatacameraisandhowitworks

Illustrateontheboardorwithahandouthowlighttravelsthroughthelens

Showthesampleflm,contactsheet,andprintsasyoudescribetheprocesso

makingthefnalprint

Passoutthecamerasandahandoutexplainingbasiccameraparts

Showhowtoholdthecamera,usethestrap,andbecareulnottoknockthelens

Gothroughthehandouttoshowthepartsothecameraandhowtheywork

together


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FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

Reviewthestepstocreateanimage,lettingstudentstakeblankpictures

1 Chooseyourpointoview

Checktheexposure:depthofeldandshutterspeed

Focus

Frametheimage5 Presstheshutterrelease

Advancetheflm

Discusscomplicatedtechnicalelementssuchasshutterspeedandaperture

Letstudentsplaywiththecontrols

Showsampleimagesthatdemonstratetheuseoastandslowshutterspeed

andshallowanddeepdepthofeld

Reviewthecontrolsagain

WRAP-UP

Addressanyquestions

Trytodemystiythecameraandmakestudentscomortablewithusingitasa

tool

ALTERNATIvES

Ipossible,bringinanddemonstrateothertypesocamerasromlarge

ormattodigitaltopinhole

Showthatthecameraissimplyabox(SeeFocus Link 33orpinhole

photography.) Turntheclassroomintoacamerabycoveringwindowswithdarkpaperand

allowingasmallholeinonepapertoprojectlightontoanoppositewall

Showanearlydrawingmaderomacameraobscura(SeeAppendix 2: A Brief

History of Photography.)

Showslidesoimagesmaderomarangeocamerastoillustratethe

dierences

(Note:Technicalphotographyhandbooksusuallydescribeexamplesodierenttypes

ocameras.Seethebibliography.)

FOLLOW-UP/HOMEWORK

Passoutemptyslidemounts

Askstudentstopracticelookingthroughtheslidemounttodevelopasenseo

raming


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FocusLessonPlans

Focus Link 3

Lesson PLan: PhotograPhIc FIeLd trIP

GOAL

Topracticecamerahandlingandphotographictechniques,preerablyinanoutdoor

setting

MATERIALS


35mmflm(1rollpercamera)

PREPARATION Selectasitethatconnectstotheprojectthemeandisaccessibleinthetime

allotted

Obtainanynecessarypermissions

DURATION

2hours

ACTIvITIES [ HRS.]

Reviewgroundrulesofeldtrip

Discussassignment:

1 Focuson(topicshouldconnecttoclasstheme)

Practicetechniques,suchasshutterspeed,stopmotion,andblur

Reviewhowtousethecameraandgettherightexposure

Handoutcameras

Loadflm(Note:Ishortontime,pre-loadthecameras.)

Proceedtosite

Repeatassignmentguidelines

Letstudentscreateimagesallowthemtoexplorereelywhileassistingwith

questionsandhelpingthemocusontheirassignment


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FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

WRAP-UP

Returntoschool

Rewindflm

Collectflmandlabelorprocessing

FOLLOW-UP/HOMEWORK

Bringinimagesromnewspapersandmagazinesthatcatchyourattentionand

connecttotheprojecttheme


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FocusLessonPlans

Focus Link 4

Lesson PLan: dIscussIng Images/deveLoPIng a Project

theme

GOAL

Todevelopanunderstandingohowpicturescommunicateandclariytheproject

theme

MATERIALS


Journals

TapePens

PREPARATION

Assignpriorhomeworkaskingstudentstobringinimagesromnewspapersor

magazinethatconnecttotheprojecttheme

Selectslidesohistoricalandcontemporaryartworkthatconnectstothe

projectthemeandaudienceinterest

Processflmromthelastshootandmake4x6prints

Selectstudentworkasexamplesandpaste4x6printsontoposterboard(oranothersuracethatiseasyorstudentstosee)toshowsuccessesand

bloopers

DURATION

2hours

ACTIvITIES

Critiquing images: [45 min.]

Discusstheselectionosuccessesandbloopers

Reviewexamplesodierenttechniquesandwhatmakesasuccessora

blooperorahappyaccident

Passouttherestotheirprints

Havestudentsselecttheirtwobestsuccesses,pastethemintheirjournal,and

writereections(Focus Link 34)


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10 FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

Assignment:

Whatdoesthisimageshow?

Whatqualitiesdoyoulikethebest?Considerraming,lighting,composition,

andcontent.

Whatdidyouhavetroublewith?Whatwouldyoudodierentlynexttime?

Describetheexperienceocreatingthisimage.Whatdidyoueel?Whatwas

enjoyableorchallenging?

Brainstorming the class project: [30 min.]

Reviewtheimagesthatstudentsselectedrommagazines

Havestudentscreatecollagesintheirjournalandwriteabouthowtheimages

connecttotheclassproject

Discussthecollagesandimages

Putkeywordsromthediscussionontheboardtoclariytheprojecttheme

Developing aesthetics: [30 min.]

Presentslidesshowingrelevanthistoricalandcontemporarywork,techniquestowork

on,andoptionsortheclassproject

WRAP-UP [15 MIN.]

Prepareorthenextshoot

FOLLOW-UP/HOMEWORK

Suggestreadingrelatedtoclassproject(couldbejournalism,Internetresearch,poetry,

fction,historicalreport)


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FocusLessonPlans 11

Focus Link 5

Lesson PLan: creatIng Images/PoInt-oF-vIew actIvIty

GOAL

Toteachtheconceptopointoview,encouragingstudentstomovearoundthe

subjectmatterandcreateimagesthatexpresstheirperspective

MATERIALS


35mmflm(1rollpercamera)

PREPARATION Selectasitethatconnectstotheprojectthemeandisaccessibleinthetime

allotted

Getanynecessarypermissions

DURATION

2hours

ACTIvITIES: [ HRS.]

Reviewgroundrulesofeldtrip

Discussassignment:

1 Focuson(topicshouldconnecttoclasstheme)

Practiceramingandpointoview

Takefveimagesoeachchosensubjectromdierentpointsoview:

Fromabove,abirds-eyeview

Frombelow,aworms-eyeview

Fromoneside

Fromtheotherside

Repeatyouravoriteataslightlydierentangle

Reviewhowtousethecameraandgettherightexposure

Handoutcameras

Loadflm(Note:Ishortontime,preloadthecameras.)


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1 FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

Proceedtosite

Repeatdirectionsortheassignment

Letstudentscreateimagesassistwithquestionsandremindthemotheir

assignment

WRAP-UP

Returntoschool

Rewindflm

Labelorprocessing

FOLLOW-UP/HOMEWORK

Findaphotographthatyoulike

Writeinyourjournalromthepointoviewothephotographer(Focus Link 16)


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FocusLessonPlans 1

Focus Link 6

Lesson PLan: edItIng Images/reFLectIon actIvIty

GOAL

Tousediscussionandwritingtoexpandstudentsknowledgeophotographyandto

ocusontheprojecttheme

MATERIALS


Loupes

Greasepencilsorsharpies

Journals

Handoutsorthewritingactivity

PREPARATION

Selectslidesohistoricalandcontemporaryartworkthatconnectstothe

projectthemeandaudienceinterest

Processflmandmakecontactsheets

DURATION

2hours

ACTIvITIES

Editing: [1 hr.]

Showslidesanddiscussimagesintermsoeditingcriteria:design(ormaland

technicalqualities)andcontent(subjectandmeaning)(SeeFocus Link 43)

Askquestionsaboutthesubject,thetechniques,andtheormalqualities

Passoutcontactsheetsandloupes

Writeeditingcriteriaontheboard:designandcontent

Haveeachstudentreviewacontactsheetandselectatleastthreeimagesthat

showgooddesignandcontent.Outlinetheseselectionswiththegreasepencil.


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1 FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

Writing exercise: [1 hr.]

Projectaslide

Passoutthestory-writingactivity(Focus Link 16)

Havestudentswriteacreativestoryromtheperspectiveosomeoneinthe

picture

WRAP-UP

Prepareorthenextclass

FOLLOW-UP/HOMEWORK

Createadiaryorthecharacterinthecreativewritingexercise(Note:Useother

illustrativematerialslikeclippings,tickets,drawings,etc.)


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FocusLessonPlans 15

Focus Link 7

Lesson PLan: IntegratIng the gaLLery vIsIt

GOAL

Tobroadenstudentsawarenessotheaestheticsophotographybyshowingoriginal

artworkinagalleryormuseum

MATERIALS

Handoutstouseinthegallery

Camerasandflmtodocumentthetrip

PREPARATION Selectexhibitionsinamuseumorgalleriesthatconnecttotheprojecttheme

andaudienceinterest

Makeareservationwiththemuseumorgallery,notiyingitothenumbero

students,classproject,andgoalsoryourvisit

Arrangeoraguideipossible

Arrangeortransportationandpermissions

Reviewconfrmationmaterials(Note:Ithereareanyprogramchanges,besure

toletthemuseumknowaheadotime.)

Integrating the gallery visit in lessons beore the trip:

Preparestudentsbeorehandbypreviewingthematerialprovidedbythe

museumandbydoingpre-visitactivities(Forexample,showslidesbytheartist

onvieworotherartistsworkrelatingtothecontextotheexhibition.)

Practicediscussingphotographstobuildvisualliteracyskills

Readmaterialrelatingtothecontextotheshow

Askstudentswhattheyexpecttosee

Assignresearchtopicsrelatingtotheartworkonview

DURATION

2hours


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1 FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

ACTIvITIES [ HRS.]

Tour the galleries [1 1/2hrs.]

Workwiththetourguidestocreateaneducationalexperiencethatconnectsto

theclassprojectandaudienceinterest.Speakwiththeguidesbeorehand.Ask

questionsduringthetour,inecessary,toshapetheexperience.

Attheendothetour,reinorcetheideasyoudlikestudentstocomeawaywith

Igoingonasel-guidedvisit,previewtheexhibitionyourselandselectimages

todiscuss.Frameyourvisitwithathemeorquestion.Whenguidingstudents

throughthegalleries,useFocusDiscussionQuestionsorgivetheman

assignmentothreethingstolookorandhavethemwriteintheirjournal.

Document the trip [30 min.]

Askstudentstophotographwhattheyseeinthenewsetting/neighborhood

thatconnectstotheprojecttheme

Documenttheexperienceotakingafeldtripasithepicturesweretoappear

inaschoolnewspaper

Includepicturesshowingtheexperiencesotravelingandviewingthe

exhibition,classmatesexpressions,orteachersinanewcontext

FOLLOW-UP/HOMEWORK

Write a review o the exhibition (Focus Link 21)

Integrating the gallery visit in sessions ater the trip:

Doahands-onactivityrelatingtoatechniqueusedbytheartistsuchas

lighting,Polaroid,orprintingtechniques

Discusstheexhibitionreviews

Havestudentsposeaquestionthattheyhaveabouttheexhibitionoranissueit

raised


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FocusLessonPlans 1

Focus Link 8

Lesson PLan: LIghtIng technIques

GOAL

Tourtherstudentsunderstandingoandabilitytouselightingtechniquesthe

essentialelementinphotography

MATERIALS:

Hotlights(notstrobes)

Lightstands

Reector

Extensioncord

Film

Cameras

TeachingcamerawithPolaroidbackandflm,ipossible

Sampleimages

PREPARATION

Testequipment

Preparesampleimagestoillustratelightingeects(Note:Haveanextralight

bulbonhand.)

DURATION

2hours

ACTIvITIES

Pinupsamplesodierentlightingtechniquesthattheclasswillcover

Havestudentsdiscusswhichdirectionthelightiscomingromanddescribe

thedierenteectsandmoodscreatedbylighting

Setuphotlightsinaspaciousareaintheclassroom.Movechairsanddesks,i

necessary.

Askorastudentvolunteertomodel.Movethelightstodierentlocationsand

heightstodemonstratelightingeects.Addonslowly.Haveanotherstudent

volunteertopracticelightingthesubject.CreateaPolaroidothatscene.

Showtheresult.Repeatuntilyouvecovereddierenttechniqueswithdierent

volunteers.


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1 FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

Reviewandusevolunteerstodemonstratedierentroles:photographer,

model,stylist,props,lightingtechnician,andphotoassistant(whocanholdthe

reectorandhandleothertasks)

Havestudentscalculatetheexposurewiththeircameras

Dividetheclassintoteamsosixsothatstudentscanworktogether

Havethemcreatedierentlightingscenariosorindividualandgroupportraits

Assignroles:photographer,model,stylist,props,lightingtechnician,andphoto

assistant

Thosenotinthepictureorphotographyteamcandocumenttheshootor

reviewhandouts.Or,iyouhaveateachingassistantandequipment,youcan

runtwolightingset-ups.

WRAP-UP

Addressquestionsandreviewtechniques

Prepareornextshoot

ALTERNATIvES

Bringinaguestartisttoassistyouwithtechniquesthatarenotinyourtraining

FOLLOW-UP/HOMEWORK

Reviewmagazinesorsamplesodierenttypesolightingeectsstudiedinclass


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FocusLessonPlans 1

Focus Link 9

Lesson PLan: IntegratIng the guest artIst vIsIt

GOAL

Tobuildanunderstandingoaestheticsandtoexposestudentstotheworkoother

proessionalartistswhoserveasgoodrolemodels

MATERIALS

Slideprojector(Note:Bringanextralightbulb)

PREPARATION

Selectanartistwhoseworkconnectstotheprojecttheme

Callandplanaheadotimewiththeguestartist.Describetheclassproject,the

studentsinterestsandskills,andthegoalortheartistsvisit.Asktheartistwhatheor

shewouldliketodo.Oersuggestionsandguidance.

Iappropriate,preparestudentworkortheartisttorevieworpreparematerialsneeded

orahands-onactivity

Confrmthemeetingplaceandtime.Provideanaccessiblephonenumberoranylast

minutechanges.

Integrating the guest artist visit beore the class:

Reviewtheguestartistsworkandcareer

Askstudentstopreparequestionsortheguestartist

Showworkbytheartistorotherartistsworkinginasimilarmannertosetthe

context

DURATION

2hours

ACTIvITIES [ HRS.]

Introducetheguestartistwhowillpresenthisorherworkandcareer

Encouragestudentstoaskquestionsorconductaninterview

Ipossible,arrangeortheartisttoreviewaselectionothestudentswork


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0 FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

Makesurethattheartistrespondswithbothpositiveandconstructivecritique

Bevigilantaboutthevocabularyusedanddefneanyunamiliarterms

Conductanyactivityplannedwiththeartist

(Note:Arrangingtwoormoresessionswithanartistacilitatesin-depth,activity-based

interaction.)

WRAP-UP

Sumupwhatyoudlikestudentstocomeawaywithromthevisit

Allowtimeorstudentstoapproachtheartistindividually

Integrating the guest artist visit ater the class

Conductanactivitythatconnectstotheartiststechniquesorapproach

FOLLOW-UP/HOMEWORK

Researchtheworkoaphotographer


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FocusLessonPlans 1

Focus Link 10

Lesson PLan: assembLIng the FInaL Project

GOALS

Todrawtogethertheideas,techniques,andaestheticscoveredinthecourse

Toassembleafnalprojectthatcelebratesandsharesthestudentsaccomplishments

withthepublic

MATERIALS

Pinstopostimagesintheroomorbroadtablestoorganizeandviewimages

Foodandrereshmentsortheclasspartyduringthegroupcritique

PREPARATION

Makesurestudentshavecollectedtheirimagesintoajournalorportolio

DURATION

2hours

ACTIvITIES [ HRS.]

Describethefnalproject.Showasampleapublicationorinvitationorevenslidesoaninstallation.Reertowhattheclasshascoveredandthepurpose.

Acknowledgethatstudentshavedonewellandthisisachancetosharetheir

imageswithothers.

Reviewthecriteriaoreditingthefnalproduct:designandcontentrelatingto

theprojecttheme

Havestudentsreviewtheirjournalsandportoliosandpickoutthebest

work(Note:Thisreviewprocesscanalsotakeplaceoutsideoclasstimein

individualmeetings.)

Havestudentsarrangetheirbestselectionsonatableorpinthemuponthe

wall

Thestudentsthencritiqueeachothersimagesandassemblesagroupedit

owhatshouldbeinthefnalproject.Remindthemothecriteriaorthe

fnalprojectsomeworkisbetterorexhibition,someorpublication,and

sometimesagroupshowisstrengthenedbymakingcertainselections.Tryto

ensurethateachindividualreceivesacknowledgementohisorherwork.

Revieweachstudentsselectionsandacknowledgehisorherprogress.Talk

aboutwhichimagesworkbestandwhy.


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FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

WRAP-UP

Announcewhentheinstallationorproductionotheprojectwilltakeplace

Ipossiblewithinyourdeadline,encouragestudentstosignuporjobsproducingthe

fnalproject


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FocusLessonPlans

FOCUS ACTIvITIES

Focus dIscussIon questIons and worksheets

Theollowingdiscussionquestionsandworksheetsaredesignedtoadvancevisual

literacyskills.Discussionscantakeplaceduringaclassroomslidepresentationor

galleryvisit.Worksheetsandactivitiescanreinorceelementsdiscussed.


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FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

Focus Link 11

buILdIng vIsuaL LIteracy: dIscussIon questIons

Tostartadiscussiononaphotograph,beginwiththebasic,introductoryquestionsromLevel1A.Thenchoosequestionsromotherlevelsdependingonhowyour

studentsrespond.Inaddition,youmayfndsomequestionsbettersuitedtothecontent

orsalienteaturesoaparticularimage.

Rememberthatanydialogueowsinunpredictableways,andstudentsmayhave

avarietyoresponsesonmanylevels.Youmayenduprepeatingeachserieso

questionsuntiltheaudienceisreadytomoveon.Thesequestionsoerguidanceto

elicitadiscussionandbuildinterpretativeskills;theyareonlyasamplingothemany

waysthateducatorscandiscussvisualart.

(SeePart I, Chapter 3orwaystoworkwithvariouslevelsovisualliteracyandPart I,

Chapter 2oradescriptionotheelementsophotography.)

Goal:Advancevisualliteracyskillsbasedonthestudentsresponsesandlevel

(Note:AlwaysbeginyourdiscussionwiththesequenceinLevel1A,thenaddonas

appropriate.)

Level 1A: Building observation skills

Whatdoyouseeinthispicture?

Canyoudescribeitmore?

Whatelsedoyousee?

Whatisgoingoninthispicture?

Whatinormationinthepicturemakesyousaythat?

Level 1B: Building vocabulary

Canyouguesswherethephotographerwasstandingwhenheorshetookthe

picture?Abovethesubject,lookingdown?Orbelowthesubject,lookingup?

Thisiscalledpointoview.

Whatisincludedinthepicturerame?Whatisnotincluded?Thisiscalledraming.

Describethecomposition.Whatshapesdoyousee?Whatotherpatternsdo

younotice?


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FocusLessonPlans 5

Level 2A: Building technical knowledge

Whattechniquesdidthephotographeruse?

Whatisthepointoview?

Howisthepictureramed?

Describethequalityothelighting.Whatdirectionisitcomingrom?Doesit

createapatternolightandshadow?

Level 2B: Building an understanding o the choices photographers make

Whatchoicesdidthephotographermake?

Whydidthephotographerchoosetousethattechnique?

Whydidthephotographerchoosetocomposethepicturethisway?

Whatisthephotographerspointoview?Whateectdoesithave?

Whydidthephotographerchoosetoramethepicturethisway?

Whatdoesthecompositionemphasize?

Whatdoesthelightingdrawyourattentionto?

Level 3A: Understanding the context and intended use o the picture

Whatwasthephotographerspurposeortheintendeduseorthisimage(e.g.,

magazineassignment,photoessay,fneartexhibition)?

Canyoutellwhatgenreophotographythisis?

Whatdoyouknowaboutthetimeperiodinwhichthisphotographwasmade? Whatdoesthephotographcommunicateaboutthistimeperiod?

Canyoumakecomparisonstootherphotographersorartistsworkinginthis

timeperiod?

Level 3B: Relating context to subject and meaning

Whatchoicesdidthephotographermake?Canyouguesswhy?

Whatisthephotographerdrawingyourattentionto?Howisthisaccomplished?

Whatisthephotographerspointoview?Whateectdoesithave?

Whatdoyounoticeaboutthesubject?Orthepeopleinthepicture?

Doyouhaveanyquestionsaboutthesubject?Orthestyleothepicture?

Whatisthephotographsaying?Doesanyonehaveadierentinterpretation?


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FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

Level 4A: Finding meaning

Whatchoicesdidthephotographermake?

Doesthiselementcontributetothephotographsmeaning,orisitdistracting?

Whatwasthephotographerspurposeincreatingthisimage?Whatwasthe

intendeduseotheimage?Howwelldoesitworkinthiscontext? Whatisthephotographsaying?

Level 4B: Relating meaning to creative choices and larger issues

Whatistheimpactothisimage?

Whataresomeissuesitraises?

Howmightyouapproachthistopicmatter?

Level 5: Discussing what the image communicates

Whichtechnicalorormalelementsworkwellinthisphotograph?

Whatdotheseelementsdrawyourattentionto?

Whatisthephotographsaying?

Whatistheimpactothisphotograph?

Howdoesthepicturemakeyoueel?

Whatdoesitmakeyouthinko?

Doesitinspireyoutoworkcreativelyinanyway?


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FocusLessonPlans

Focus Link 12

LookIng at PhotograPhs: what do you see In the PIcture

Frame?

GOAL

Tousedrawingtointroducethebasicelementsoramingandcomposition

WORKSHEET

Studythephotograph.Lookatthelinesandshapesintheimage.

First,drawabox,orrame.

Second,inthebox,drawtheoutlinesoormsthatyouseeinthephotograph.

Third,outsidethebox,drawwhatyouimagineisoutsideotherame.


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FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

Focus Link 13

LookIng at PhotograPhs: LearnIng PhotograPhIc terms

GOAL

Todevelopanunderstandingothephotographictermswhilelookingatandanalyzing

apicture

WORKSHEET

Subject(Who/Whatisinthepicture?)

Setting(Wherewasthepicturetaken?)

background(Whatisbehindthesubject?)

Foreground(Whatisinrontothesubject?)

FocuS(Isanypartothepictureclearorblurry?)

VantagePoint/PointoF View(Wherewasthephotographerwhenheorshetookthepicture?Belowthesubject?Abovethesubject?Veryclose?Faraway?)

comPoSition(Describethelines,shapes,patterns,andcolorsintheimage.)

Lighting(Quality:Isthelightingsotanddiusedorhardandcontrasty?Direction:

Whereisthelightcomingrominthepicture?)

mood(Howdoesthepicturemakeyoueel?)

meaning (Whatdoesthispicturesaytoyou?)


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Focus Link 14

the choIces that PhotograPhers make

GOAL

Tolearnthatphotographersmakechoicestocreatetheirimageandcommunicatea

message

WORKSHEET

comPoSition:Describetheshapes,lines,andpatternsinthepicture.

FocuS:Whatinormationisclearinthepicture?Whatisblurry?

Framing:Whatisincludedintherameandwhatisnt?Isanythingcropped?

background:Whatinormationisinbackothesubject?

Foreground:Whatinormationisinrontothesubject?

Subject:Whatdoyouknowaboutthesubjectbasedontheinormationthatyouseeinthepicture?

PeoPLe:Clothing:Whataretheywearing?Whatdoestheirclothingtellabouttheir

interests,identity,orsocialgroup?

PoSe:Aretheystandingorsitting?Whatkindobodylanguageandattitudedothey

have?

exPreSSion:Describetheirexpression.Whatmighttheybeeelingorthinking?

action:Whataretheydoing?Canyouguesswhy?


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Lighting:Isthelightingbrightordark?Arethereanyshadows?Isthelightingcoming

romabove,below,ortheside?Whatdoesthelightingdrawyourattentionto?

techniqueS:Whatphotographictechniqueswereused?Whateectsdotheyhave?

(Colororblack-and-whiteflm?A35mmorlarge-ormatcamera?)

Point-oF-View:Fromwheredidthephotographertaketheshot?(Fromabove,below,

theside,oranangle?)Thisisalsocalledthevantagepoint.Howdoesthevantage

pointaectthewayyoureadthepicture?

meaning:Whydidthephotographermakethesechoices?Whatwasthephotographer

tryingtosay?


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Focus Link 15

what Is the PhotograPh sayIng?

GOAL

Toexaminethephotographorinormationandtheninterpretitsmeaning

WORKSHEET

Whatisthesubjectothispicture?

Whatinormationdoyouseeinthepicturethatmakesyousaythat?

Whatdoyouseebehindthesubject?(Thisiscalledthebackground.)

Whatdoyouseeinrontothesubject?(Thisiscalledtheoreground.)

Whatinormationisclearinthepicture?Whatisblurry?(Thisiscalledocus.)

Whydothinksomeinormationisinocusandsomeisnt?Whatdoestheocusdraw

yourattentionto?

Wherewasthispicturetaken?(Thisiscalledthesetting.)

Describesomeothedetailsthatyouseeinthesetting.Whatdoesthesettingtellyou

aboutthesubject?

Howisthesubjectlit?Isitnaturalorartifciallighting?Howwouldyoudescribethe

qualityolight:sharp,dark,bright,orsot?

Describethemoodcreatedbythelighting.


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Whichdirectionisthelightcomingrom?

Doesthelightingdrawyourattentiontoanythinginthepicture?

Whatisincludedinthepicturerame?Whatisexcluded?

Wherewasthephotographerstandingwhenheorshetookthispicture?(Thisiscalled

thepointovieworthevantagepoint.)

Circleone:

Abovetheperson Belowtheperson

Totherightside Totheletside

Howdoesthevantagepointaectthewayyoulookatthepicture?

Itherearepeopleinthephotograph,answerthesequestions:

Howwouldyoudescribetheirexpressions?

Whataretheywearing?

Whataretheydoing?

Whatmighttheybeeelingorthinking?Whatinthephotographsuggeststhat?

Everything in the picturethe details, composition, technical choices like focus, subject

and setting, lighting, point of view, and the way the photographer sees the subjectall

work together to communicate a message to the viewer.

Whatisthisphotographsayingtoyou?


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FOCUS WRITING ACTIvITIES

Focus Link 16

PoInt-oF-vIew wrItIng exercIse

GOAL

Fostertheunderstandingthatartists(includingstudents)cancommunicate

theirviewpointthroughphotography

Developempathy,anabilitytounderstandothersbyputtingyourselintheir

position

Developwritingskills

WORKSHEET

1Writeastoryromthepointoviewosomeoneinthepicture.

Togetstarted,listanddescribesomeothedetailsyouseeinthepicture.

Thinkaboutwherethepersonisandhowheorshemighteel.(Forexample,isheisoutdoors,isthesunhotonherback?Lookatherexpression.Whatis

sheeeling?)

Whatisthepersondoing?

Whatmighthappennext?

Nowtrytomakeyourstoryasvividasthephotographbyusinglotsospecifc

details.


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Writeastoryromthepointoviewothephotographer.

Imaginewhatthephotographerwasthinkingwhenheorshetookthepicture.

Whydidheorshewanttotakethispicture?


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Focus Link 17

story-wrItIng worksheet

GOAL

Touseapictureasthebasisorastorybyfrstfndingvisualinormation,then

imaginingthebeoreandater

PREPARATION

Selectapicture(inagallery,romtheInternet,aprojectedslideinaclassroom)

WORKSHEET

Listfvethingsyouseeinthepicture:

1

5

Describethesetting:

Action:Whatishappeninginthepicture?


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Whatdoyouthinkhappenedbeorethepicturewastaken?

Whatdoyouthinkwillhappennext?

Character:Describethepeopleinthepicture:theirexpression,clothing,andmood.

Whatarethepeopledoing?Why?

Theme:Thispicturetellsastoryabout

Youhaveeverythingyouneedtowriteyourstory:setting,action,character,andtheme.

Now,writeacreativestorybasedonthispicture.Includelotsodetails.


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Focus Link 18

Poetry-wrItIng worksheet

GOAL

Tousethephotographasasourceorconcretedetailstowritevividpoems

PREPARATION

Providephotographicsourcematerialintheormoslides,books,magazines,Internet,

postcards,orgalleryexhibitionvisits

WORKSHEET

List10detailsthatyouseeinthephotograph.

1

5

10

Circleoneadjectiveandonenounthatbestdescribethecolorothe

photograph.

Adjectives: gray blue red gold black-and-white

Nouns: smoke rain mud sunshine eathers

Createyourowndescriptivenounsandadjectives:


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Iyoucouldtouchsomethinginthephotograph,whatwoulditeellike?

Describetheobjectandthetexture.

Thinkotwoadjectivestodescribethemoodcreatedbythephotograph.

Describeyourimpressionsothisphotograph.Whatdoesthephotograph

makeyouthinko?Dreamo?

Writeapoembasedonwhatyouseeinthispicture.

Use10wordsromanyoyouraboveanswerssomewhereinthepoem.


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FocusLessonPlans

Focus Link 19

word PIcture

GOAL

Tobuilddescriptivewritingskills

PREPARATION

Projectslidesintheclassroomoruseagoodqualityphotocopyromabook

WORKSHEET

1 Wherewasthepicturetaken?Describethedetailsthatyouseeinthesetting.

Whenwasthepicturetaken?Isthereanyinormationinthepicturethat

indicatestimeoday?Inot,canyouguessbasedonthelighting?

Describewhatthepeopleinthepicturelooklike.Describetheirexpression.

Whatarethepeopleinthepicturedoing?

5 Whatdoyouseeinthecenterotheimage?Onthelet?Theright?Inthe

corners?

Whatisthemoststrikingeatureothisimage?Describeit.

Nowthatyouhavetakennotesonwhatyouseeintheimage,writeaparagraph

describingtheimage.Yourwritingshouldbespecifcandclearsothatyourwords

createapictureinthereadersmind.


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Focus Link 20

wrItIng caPtIons

GOAL

Tobuildlanguageskillsandtodiscoverthethemeoaphotographbywritinganew

captionorthepicture

PREPARATION

Providephotographicsourcematerialthatstudentscanstudycloseup

WORKSHEET

Pretendyouareacuratorandneedtowriteacaptionthattellstheviewerstheessentialinormationaboutthepicture.

Writeanewcaptionorthepicture.

Startbywritingwhatyouseeintheimage.

Isee

Expandtowhatyouthinkthephotographissaying(thetheme).

Thisphotographyissayingthat

Reviseyourwritingtocreateonesentencethattellsthethemeothepicture.

Nowrevisethatsentencetomakesureyourcaptionisconciseandusesclearandspecifclanguage.


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Focus Link 21

wrItIng a revIew oF an exhIbItIon

GOAL

Toevaluateacollectionophotographsandtowriteareviewoanexhibition

WORKSHEET

Agoodreviewoersreadersasenseotheexhibitionandwhattheywillgetouto

viewingtheexhibition.

Whatdidyouseeinthegallery?

Describetheartworkspecifcally.Includeartistsnames,techniquesused,and

intention,idocumented.

Whichwerethestrongestandweakestimages?Why?Whatwasthehighlight

oryou?

Whatwastheexperienceotheexhibitionlike?

Evaluatethecuratorialwork.Howdidyouliketheinstallationthesequenceopictures,walltext,graphics,andtheatmosphere?Didtheinstallationcontribute

totheoveralleectordetract?

Wastheexhibitiongood?

Evaluatewhatyousaw.Howwelldidtheexhibitionexpandyourunderstanding

othesubject?

Wastheexhibitionworthseeing?

Whyshouldviewerscometotheexhibition?Whatwilltheygetoutoit?How

doesitconnecttootherexhibitionsorissuesinart?


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Note:Readreviewsoexhibitions.Noticehowwritersdevelopaleadsomethingto

catchthereadersattention.Sometimesthisisadescriptionoanartworkonview,

aquestionorissuepresentedbytheexhibition,orananalysisohowtheexhibition

comparestoaparticularbodyoworkoraddressesanissueinart.Reviewyour

answerstotheabovequestionsanddiscoveragoodlead.Makesurethereviewis

clearlywrittenandbasedonaccurateinormation.Trytoanswerthequestion:Why

shouldviewersvisittheexhibition?


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Focus Link 22

wrItIng an artIsts statement

GOAL

Tousewritingtohelpstudentsclariywhattheirprojectsare,whytheyareinterestedin

them,andhowtheyaccomplishthem

WORKSHEET

Anartistsstatementdescribestheartistsintentions,workingmethod,andideas.It

helpsreadersandviewersunderstandwhattheartistthinksandeelsabouthisorher

artworkandthereasonsorcreatingit.

Name:

Describeyourphotographyproject.Whatkindsoimagesarethey?

Whatareyoutryingtoshowandsayinyourimages?

Whydoyoulikephotography?

Whatinuencedyoutocreatetheseimages?Arethereanyotherphotographers,artwork,ortopicsthatyouthoughtaboutwhenyouwerecreatingtheseimages?


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FOCUS HANDS-ON ACTIvITIES

Focus Link 23

PoLaroId actIvItIes

GOAL

TousetheimmediacyoPolaroidmaterialstoteachbasicelementsoimagemaking:

pointoview,raming,lighting,andcomposition

MATERIALS

Polaroid600PlusorSpectracameras(sharedinpairs)

Polaroid,color,orblack-and-whiteflm(5shotsperstudent)

Sharpies

PROCEDURE

Showexamplesotechniquessuchaslighting,pointoview,composition,and

raming.

DemonstratethestepstouseaPolaroidcamera(Youcanpre-loadtheflm.)

1 Chooseapointoview

Presstheshutterrelease

Letthepicturedevelop

Givethemtheirassignment:Takefvepictures

Possibleprojects:

Pointoviewbirds-andworms-eye,tiltedrame,eye-level,surprise

Lightingromtheside,top,bottom,Rembrandt,silhouette

Makeatreasurehunt

Photographcluestoamystery

Thingsthatbeginwiththeletter

Passitontakeapictureinresponsetothepicturetakenbypersonnextto

you(theresponsecanbevisual,ormal,technical,thematic;keepitimmediate),

thenpassthecameraon


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Focus Link 24

PhotograPhIc assIgnment LIst

TECHNIqUES

Stopmotion

Blur

Panning

Focus

Shallowanddeepdepthofeld

Pointoview(birds-eyeandworms-eye,etc.)

Lightandshadow

Framestorameapictureandtofndnaturalramesinwindows,doors,angles

Shapesandtones

Details

Silhouettes

TOPICS

Home

Anotherneighborhood

Peopleyouknow;peopleyoudontknow

Fashion,trends

Tracesohistory

Somethingthatneedstochange

Somethingthatisbeautiul

Anissue

Aquestion

Anidea

Awish

Amystery

Amomentintime

Apeaceulplace

Risk/danger

Dreams

Thefvesenses

Naturalelements:earth,wind,fre,water

Nature/animals

Otherartorms

Pleasure

Humor

Fear

Asecret

Love

Asurprise!


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Focus Link 25

bIrds and worms treasure hunt

GOAL

Tobuildanunderstandingopointoviewandtoencouragestudentstolookata

amiliarsettinginnewwayswiththeeyesophotographers

WORKSHEET

Point o View:Abirds-eyeviewpointisromabovelookingdown,andaworms-eye

viewpointisrombelow,lookingup.

Whatotherpointsoviewcanyoufndandphotograph?

FIND: PHOTOGRAPH:

AStatue FromaWorms-EyeView

AReection FromaBirds-EyeView

ACircle,Triangle,Square FromaWorms-EyeVieworRectangle

ATreeBranch FromaWorms-EyeView

AShadow FromaBirds-EyeView

AFlower FromaWorms-EyeView

AnInsect FromaBirds-EyeView

APerson FromCloseup

AnAnimal FromFarAway

SurpriseMe! FromYourUniquePointoView


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Focus Link 26

PoLaPan sLIde PresentatIon

GOAL

TogivestudentsasenseoprocessusingPolapanflmandaprocessorthat

createsblack-and-whiteorcolorslides

MATERIALS

Polapanprocessor(Note:Itsgoodtohavetwosotheclasscanworkingroups.)

Polapan35mmflm

Slidemounts

Scissors

Lighttable,iavailable(Note:Youcanpurchaseasmallonethatftsonadesk.)

PROCEDURE

CreateimagesusingPolapanflm

ProcessflmusingthePolapanprocessor(Note:Itsdirectionsareeasytoollow

puttheflmandprocessingpackintheprocessor,closethelid,turnthe

switchtothenumberoexposures,andprocess.Ittakesjustaewminutes.)

Removetheflmandcutintoindividualimages Iyoucan,viewonalighttabletoedittheimages

Mounttheimagesbysnappingthemintotheslidemount

Projectyourslideshow

TIPS

Polapanblack-and-whiteflmhasagorgeoustonalrangeusethisprojectto

studypatternsolightandshadow

Selectmusicappropriatetotheclassprojectortheslideshow


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Focus Link 27

PoLaroId transFers

GOAL

TocreateimageswithapainterlyeectusingPolaroidtransersapplyingwet

photographicemulsiontopaper

MATERIALS

Watercolorpaper

Rollers

Polaroidlarge-ormatflmeitherexposedinadarkroomoruseaPolaroidprocessor

tocreateatranserromcolorslidesontoPolaroidlarge-ormatflm

PROCEDURE

Dampenthesheetopaper

CreatethePolaroidimage,eitherusingalarge-ormatcamerathathasa

Polaroidback,orbyusingthePolaroidprocessortogeneratethePolaroid

imageromanexistingslide

PeelapartthelayersothePolaroidflmsheet

Immediatelysettheimageemulsion-sidedownonthepaper

Usingtheroller,applytheimagetothepaper Letdry

TIPS

Demonstratefrst

Organizeseparateworkareasoralargeclass

ItsgoodtohavetwoPolaroidprocessorssotheclasscanbedividedinto

groups

Letallimagesdrydown.Sometimesaccidentslookevenmorepainterly.

RESOURCES

Craword,William.Keepers of Light.NewYork:Morgan&Morgan,1979.

Arnow,Jan.Handbook of Alternative Photographic Processes.NewYork:Van

NostrandReinholtCo.,1982.


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Focus Link 28

hand coLorIng PrInts

Thisactivityharkensbacktothedayswhenhandcoloringwastheonlywaytocolorizeanimage.

GOAL

Toteachprinciplesocolorandthecolorpalettebyaddingcolortoablack-and-white

print

MATERIALS

Black-and-whiteprintsMarshallsoilsornon-toxicpaintsorexperimentation

Handcoloringpencils

PROCEDURE

Createaworkarea

Applypencils,oils,orpaintstotheimages,ollowingtheproductsinstructions

TIPS

Mattefnishphotographicpaperworksbestorpencils

Usephotocopiesiprintsareunavailable

Mounttheresultingworkonmatboardandhavestudentscontinuetodrawon

thatsurace,pullingoutmoreelementsothedesignandcolor

RESOURCES





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FocusLessonPlans 51

Focus Link 29

sun PrInts

Byarrangingobjectsonlight-sensitivesunprintpaperandusingthesunasyourlight

source,youcancreateanimagewithluminouswhiteshapes,ribbons,andstreaks

againstacobaltbackground.Theormsresultbecausethelightdoesnotexposethose

areasothepaperwheretheobjectshavebeenplaced.Thisoutdooractivityrecallsthe

inventionophotographywiththesunprintprocess,whichJosephNicephoreNiepce

inventedin1826,andthepapernegativeorcalotypeprocess,whichHenryFoxTalbot

inventedinthe1839.(SeeAppendix 2: A Brief History of Photography.)

GOAL

Toteachthebasicprincipleophotography,theinteractionbetweenlightandlight-

sensitivepaper

MATERIALS

Sunprintpaper(alsocalledprint-outpaper)

Twowatertrays

Objects(necklaces,toys,fgurines,leaves,owers)

Acetate

Large-ormatnegativesiyouhavethem

PROCEDURE

Placeobjectstobeprintedonthephotosensitivepaper

Exposethepaperwithobjectsonittodirectsunlightoranultravioletsunlamp

Watchthepaperchangetoadarkcolorin3to6minutes

Removetheobjectsandplacethepaperinthewaterbathor5minutes

Drainexcesswaterromtheprintsandplaceonabsorbentpapertowelstodry

Nowthatyouhaveapapernegative,youcanshowthepositiveprocess.

Placetheprintontoanotherpieceophoto-sensitivepaperandputapieceo

glassoverit

Continuetheprocessollowingtheprocedureabove


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TIPS

Handlethepapercareullyandonlyattheedgesduringthewetprocess.The

suraceisragile.

Itheprintscurlwhiledrying,placeheavybooksontoptoattenthem;oriron

them,aterplacingadampclothbetweentheprint(emulsion-sidedown)and

theiron.

FOLLOW-UP ACTIvITIES

Handcolortheprintsusingcoloredpencils,watercolorpaints,andmarkers.

Addstickers.

Createcollageswiththesunprints.Thesunprintscanbecutupandglued

togethertocreatenewimages.Recreatethepositiveandnegativeshapesin

coloredpaperandcollagethemtogetherwiththecut-upsunprints.

Makepencilrubbingsotheobjectsusedtomakethesunprints.Lookatthe

dierencebetweenthetextureotherubbingsandtheormsothesunprints.

Makedecorativeramesoutocardboard.Decoratethemwithsomeotheobjectsusedintheprints.

Makeprintsovaryingsizesevenbodyprintsbypurchasingrollsopaper

oroversizedpaperandcuttingittothedesiredsizesinadarkroom


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FocusLessonPlans 5

Focus Link 30

Photograms

Photogramsareimagescreatedbyplacingobjectsonphotographicpaperand

exposingthepapertolight.Opaqueobjectscreatewhitesilhouettesagainstablack

background.Theormsotranslucentobjectsappearinshadesogray.

GOAL

Tocreateprintswithoutnegativesinthedarkroomandtoillustratewhathappenstoflm

whenitisexposedandprocessedintonegatives

MATERIALS

Enlargingpaper(PolycontrastRC)

Lightsource(enlarger,ipossible)

Darkroomwithsaelight

Chemicals:1traydeveloper,1traystop,1trayfxer,1traywater

Objectsorsubjectmatter

PROCEDURE

Explaintoyourstudentsthattheywillbeusingthefveingredientsnecessary

ortakingaphotograph:(1)camera(inthiscase,thedarkroom),(2)light(the

enlarger),(3)flm/photographicpaper,(4)subject(objectsochoice),and(5)photographer(thestudentsthemselves)

Presettheenlargerstimerto5secondsandthelensapertureto8(Note:You

canalsouseanyotherkindolightsourceandtimer.)

Demonstratetheprocedure

Positionpaperunderareaolightsource

Placeobjectsonpaper

Exposethepapertolight

Processpaperinthedeveloper,stop,andfxer

Washor10minutes

Dry,eitherhangingonaclotheslineorace-uponametalscreen


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Part IV: Resources

vARIATIONS

Experimentwithexposuretimesanddierentobjects

Movethelightsourcetodierentanglessothatitcastsshadows

Createmultipleexposuresbyusingseveralshortexposuretimesononepiece

opaper,movingtheobjectsaroundeachtime

Drawonacetateanduseitasanegativeoverthepaper

ColorthedriedPhotogramwithcoloredpencilsorMarshallsphotooils

Exposeanentiresheetopapertolight;drawanimagewithabrushdippedin

developer;processthroughthefxerandwash

ToneReversal:Putfnished(dry)Photogramacedownincontactwithapiece

ophotographicpaperandexposeor30seconds.Process.

Solarizetheimagebyturningonthedarkroomlightbriey,reversingthetones


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FocusLessonPlans 55

Focus Link 31

wrItIng wIth LIght on FILm or PaPer

Thisactivitycallsupontheliteraldefnitionophotography,writingwithlight.

GOAL

Toillustratethephysicsolightandtoexperimentwithcreatingimageswithouta

camera

MATERIALS

Flashlightorpenlight

Roomthatyoucandarkencompletely(darkroom,closet,bathroom)

Photographicpaper(resincoated),8x10or11x14

Threetrays

Paperdeveloper(Dektol)

Stopbath

Fixer

Tongs

Clotheslineandclothespins

Optional:

Camera

Film

Tripod

INSTRUCTIONS (WITHOUT CAMERA):

Onthewall,markoanareathesizeothepapertobeyourrame

Turnoutthelights,removethephotographicpaperromthebox,andputa

pieceotapeonthebackothepaper

Tapeitsecurelytotherameonthewall

Drawwithlightonthepaper.Experiment!Youcancreatedotsbyturningthe

lightsourceonandoquickly.Or,createstreamsandstreaksbyswingingthe

lightsourceintheair.

Placeexposedpaperinalight-tightbox


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Setuptrayswithdeveloper,stop,fx,andwater

Developor1minute

Stopor30seconds

Fixor3minutes

Washor10minutes Hangprintsbytheiredgestodry

INSTRUCTIONS (FOR CAMERA):

Loadtheflmintothecameraandsetthecameraonatripod

Lookingthroughtheviewfnder,determinetheareaonthewallthatwillbethe

rame

SetcameraonB

Turnoutthelights,thenpresstheshutterrelease

Drawwiththeashlightorpenlightonthemarked-oarea,therame

Processflm


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FocusLessonPlans 5

Focus Link 32

LIquId LIght and other aLternatIve Processes

GOAL

Tocreateimagesonanyatsurace,experimentingjustliketheinventorso

photography

MATERIALS

Liquidlightorcyanotypemixture(store-boughtlight-sensitivemixturethatcanbe

appliedtoanyatsuracetocreateanimage)

Watercolororabsorbentpaper

Objectswithatsuraces(lea,abric,Plexiglas,metalcan)

PROCEDURE

Inadarkroom,applyliquidlighttotheobjectssurace

Letdry

Useanenlargertoprojecttheimageontothesurace

Processintraysandletdry

TIPS

Experimentwithexposuretimesonthetreatedmaterialsthatmakegoodtests,saving

yourbestmaterialsorlast

RESOURCES




Coe,BrianandHaworth-Booth,Mark.A Guide to Early Photographic

Processes.London:Victoria&AlbertMuseum,1983.


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Focus Link 33

PInhoLe PhotograPhy

Thisactivitycallsupontheliteraldefnitionocamera,adarkbox.

GOAL

Tocreateyourowncameraandlearnaboutthephysicsolight

MATERIALS

Anybox:emptyoatmealboxes,photographicpaperboxes,shoeboxes,etc.

Aluminumoil

Sharppin

Blackgaertape

Blackspraypaint(tomaketheinsideotheboxblack)

Roomthatyoucandarkencompletely(darkroom,closet,bathroom)

Photographicpaper(resincoated),5x7,8x10

Fourtrays:paperdeveloper(Dektol),stopbath,fxer,water

Tongs

Clotheslineandclothespins,orablotterbook

PROCEDURE FOR MAKING THE CAMERA

1 Firstpainttheinsideotheboxblack(Blackabsorbslightrays.)

Cutasmall,squareholeintoonesideothebox,whereyouwouldlikethe

lenstobe.Considerthatyourpaperwillbeoppositethislens.Keepthispiece

ocardboardtomakeyourlenscover.

Securelytapetheoilovertheholeontheinsideothebox

Pricktheoilwithaverysmallhole.Considerthatthesizeotheholeaects

theamountolightcomingin,andthereoreyourocus,imagequality,andexposuretime.

5 Takethesquarepieceocardboardromstep2.Tapeitovertheoilonthe

outsideotheboxwithblacktape.Thiscreatesaap,approximatingashutter.


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FocusLessonPlans 5

PROCEDURE FOR CREATING THE IMAGES

Workinginadarkroom(orachangingbox),placephotographicpaperinthe

backothepinholecamera(oppositethelens).Closethebox.

Securetapearoundtheedgesothecameraboxandkeeptheapdownas

youtakethecameraintolight

Gotoyourlocationandsetupthecamera

Exposethepaperbylitinguptheap.Recordyourexposuretime.(Ittakesa

lototestingtodeterminetherightexposure.)

Setuptrayswithdeveloper,stop,fx,andwater

Developthepaperor1minute

Stopor30seconds

Fixor3minutes

Washor10minutes

Hangprintsupbytheiredgestodry,orplacethemintheblotterbook


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FOCUS REFLECTION ACTIvITIES

Theseactivitiesencouragereectionontheimagesthatstudentshavecreatedor

ound.Thisprocesshelpsstudentsunderstandphotographicskills,techniques,and

aestheticsandhowimagescommunicate.

Focus Link 34

crItIque your Image

GOAL

Toposequestionsthathelpstudentsanalyzethequalitiesotheirownimagesin

discussionorwritingactivities

ACTIvITY

Whatdoesthisimageshow?

Whydoyoulikethisimage?

Howdidyoucreatethisimage?

Whatqualitiesdoyoulikethebest?Considerraming,lighting,composition,

content,andsoorth.

Whatdidyouhavetroublewith?Whatwouldyoudodierentlynexttime?

Describetheexperiencesocreatingthisimage.Whatdidyoueel?Whatwasenjoyableorchallenging?


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Focus Link 35

storyteLLIng

GOAL

Todiscoverhowvisualimagestellstoriesandwriteastoryotheirown

SAMPLE ACTIvITIES

Creativestories:

Whatstorydoesthevisualimagetell?Lookingatanimage,discussthe

character,setting,action,pointoview,andtheme.

Writestoriesinresponsetoanimage.Usespecifcdetailsromtheimagein

yourstory.(Focus Link 17)

Alternatives(SeeChapter 14.)

Image-and-text artwork:

Howisthestoryenhancedanddirectedbyatitleorwordswrittenonthe

image?

Howdoestheimageenhanceordirectyourreadingothetext?

Combineimagesandtextinvariousarrangements,somewheretheimage

leadsandotherswherethetextleads

Picture stories:

Sequenceaseriesoimages

Howdoesthestorychangeiyouputtwoormoreimagestogetherina

sequence?

Whathappensinthespacebetweenimages?

Oral stories:

Whatisoralstorytelling?Theoldestormostorytelling,oralstoriestellaboutaperson,

place,oreventusingclearandvividlanguage.Thesestoriesaretoldaloudoverand

overagainuntiltheirormtakesshape.Oten,oralstoriessoundpoeticbecause

storytellerspayattentiontorhythmandrhyme.Asinfction,storytellersusedescriptive

wordstocreateimagestoleadthelisteneralongandhighlightimportantideasto

remember.Also,asindrama,thestoriesaremeanttobeperormedandtotakeshape

astheyarepracticed.

Useamilyphotographsasinspirationoranoralstoryandinterview

Showaamilyphotographtoaamilymemberandask:Whatdoesthe

photographremindyouo?

Askorspecifcsaboutthesituation,people,andtimeperiod


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Part IV: Resources

Begintomapouttheoralstorybymakinganoutlineokeypointsintheorder

youwouldliketopresentthem

Identiykeyimagesthatyoucandescribetohighlightyourmainpoints

Thinkaboutafrstsentencethatintroducesyourstory(considerusingthe

imageasastartingpoint)

Withataperecorderon,begintellingyourstory

Trytousesimple,clearsentences

Whenyoulistentoyourtape,trytoidentiyanypatternsospeech,rhythm,or

rhymethatnaturallyemerged.Bringouttheseelementswhenyoupracticeit

again.


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Focus Link 36

sPeechwrItIng

GOAL

Todevelopspeechwritingskillsandtospeakaboutpicturestootherstudents

ACTIvITY

Chooseapicturethatyoulikeromaamilyphotoalbum,magazine,history

bookoryourownphotographicwork

Writeaspeechaboutwhatthephotographmeanstoyou

Somehintsonspeechwriting:

Introduction:Trytograbtheaudiencesattentionwithagoodopeninganimage,aninterestinganecdote,themainidea

Body:Includelotsoinormationaboutthephotographandthestorybehindit

Conclusion:Repeatyourmainpoint

Note:Thiscouldalsobeaclassproject.Dividetheclassintopairsandletthem

intervieweachotheraboutthemeaningothephotograph.Eachstudentcouldwritea

speechabouttheotherpersonsphotograph.


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Part IV: Resources

Focus Link 37

art Projects

GOAL

Torespondtoaphotographwithartprojectsandtobuildanunderstandingodierent

media

SAMPLE PROjECTS

Takeaphotographinresponsetothegeometry,color,andsubjectmattero

anotherphotograph(Onestudentcancreateanimage,andthenpassthe

cameraon.)

Createanimageandtextjournalwithphotographsandpersonalstories

Draw,paint,andwritearoundoronaphotographoronacetateplacedontop

othephotograph

Createacollagebycuttingupdierentimages(copiesooriginals).Tapeor

gluethemtoaposterboard.Addpaint,text,anddrawing.

Combinephotographyandwritingpoetry,fction,andjournalism

Combinesoundandvideowithimageprojections


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Focus Link 38

research Projects

GOAL

Tousephotographstolearnabouttopicsinthecurriculum

SAMPLE PROjECTS

Researchtopicsandpeoplewhoareeaturedintheexhibition

Researchcertaintimeperiodsandevents,collectillustrativeimages,andcreate

avisualhistoryoranillustratedtimeline

Investigatethephotographichistoryotopicsstudiedinschool.Forexample,i

youarestudyingscience,youcouldresearchhowphotographerslikeEdward

Muybridge,HaroldEdgarton,andBerniceAbbotappliedphotographyto

studyscience.Or,iyouareocusingontheachievementsowomen,you

couldstudywomenphotographerswhohaveinuencedthemediumsinceits

inceptionin1839.

Createanexhibitioncaption,usingtheworksheet.(SeeChapter 14ormore

inormation.)

Exhibition Caption Worksheet

ResearchaphotographandtheartistbysearchingtheInternet,visitinga

library,inquiringinthemuseumorgallery,orreadingaphotographybook.

Createanexhibitioncaptionincluding:

thetitle

dateocreation

photographersname

photographersbiographicalinormation

techniquesused

photographersintention,iknown

theculturalsignifcanceothephotograph

Makesuretheinormationonthecaptionanswersthequestion:Whyisthisphotographonexhibition?


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Part IV: Resources

Focus Link 39

Image box

GOAL

Tocreateareceptacleorimagesandideasabouthowpicturescommunicateour

history,culture,sel-perceptions,andperceptionsoothers

MATERIALS

Cardboardboxes

Collectionoimagesromvarioussourcesincludingmagazines,newspapers,amily

albums,andpersonalartwork

ACTIvITY

Createcategoriescorrespondingtothemesoraspectsothecurriculum

Decoratetheoutsideothecardboardboxes

Labelboxesaccordingtorelevantcategories

Contributeimagestotheboxesonanongoingbasis

Eachboxwillserveasavaluablevisualresourceormanycurriculartopicsranging

romhistoricaleventstocurrentissues.Studentscanusetheimageboxtobringup

issuesandquestionstheymayhaveonvarioustopics.

SAMPLE PROjECTS

Createillustratedtimelines

Highlighttopicscoveredinclass

Usetheimagesasabasisorbuildingvocabulary,languagedevelopment,and

writingskills

Usetheimageboxasastartingpointorartprojects.Studentsreachinthe

boxandthencreateartinresponsetowhattheyseeinthephotograph.


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Focus Link 40

vIsuaL dIary

GOAL

Tohelptodefnetheimpactovisualimagesonstudentslives

MATERIALS

Notebook,eitherpurchasedorhandmade

ACTIvITY

Introducethetheme

Everyday,weseemanyimagesthroughadvertisements,televisionshows,snapshots,andart.Whatdotheseimagesmeantous?Wheredo

weseethem?Whatdoweseeinthem?

CreateaVisualDiary

Makealistowhereyouseeimagesinoneday,romthetimeyougetupto

whenyougotobed

Pastesomeotheimagesinthediary,ordrawthem

Inthediary,describetheimagesyousawandtheireectonyou

Discusstheimageandtheimpactusingthesequestionsasguidelines

The picture:

Whatdoyousee?

Whenandwherewasthepicturetaken?

Whatisgoingoninthepicture?

Whatstorydoesthepicturetell?

The impact:

Whatdoesthepicturemakeyouthinko?

Howdoesitmakeyoueel?

Whatdoesitmakeyouwanttohaveordo?

Doesitremindyouoanything?

Doesitrightenyou?Doesitinspireyou?

Whatotherresponsesdoyouhave?


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Focus Link 41

PIctures and IntervIews

GOAL

Tocreateimagesandtextthattogethertellthestoryothepersonwhowasinterviewed

Todevelopinterviewing,writing,andphotographyskills

WORKSHEET

PART I: As a reporter, you will need a pad, a pencil, and a tape recorder, i

possible.

Identiypeopleinyouramily,neighborhood,school,orworkplacewhowillcollaboratewithyou.

Askthemtochooseapicturethatchangedtheirlie,inspired,amused,or

rightenedthem.

Interviewthem.Usingataperecorder,askthem,Whatdoesthispicturemean

toyou?Keepaskingthemmorespecifcquestions.Listencareullytothestory

theytell.

PART II: As a curator o your exhibition, you will need a copy o their picture, a

rame or it, and a matching rame or the transcript o their interview.

Putthepictureinarame.(Tocopyit,considerre-photographingit,makinga

photocopy,orscanningandprintingitdigitally.)

Transcribetheinterview.Selectthemosttellingpart.Editittoftononepage.

Createyourexhibition.


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Focus Link 42

create your own exhIbItIon

GOAL

Tocreateopportunitiestopresentstudentworktothepublic

ACTIvITY

Therearemanyoptionsorthefnalpresentationoworkorexhibition.Iyou

cantcutyourownmats,buypre-cutmats,orchoosearamethatdoesnt

requireamat.(Tips:UseNielsenrames,glasscliprames,orboxrames.)

Iyoudonthaverames,youcanalsomountitemsoncardboard.Iyouuse

cardboard,considerusingthesamecolor,butkeepthecolorandthemargins

aboveandbelowthepictureconsistent.Considerusingthickoamcoreandmountingthepicturetotheedgeothesuracesothereisnoborder.Cover

theseimageswithplexiglass.

Createcaptions:Includethepicturetitle,thestudentsname,andipossible

theirage.Printcaptionsonheavycardstockoroamcore.Usingdouble-sided

tapeoruntack,mountthemonthewallnexttotheramedpicture.

Mountthepicturesonawalloyourschool,library,orcommunitycenter.

Considertheaverageheightoyouraudience;keepthemiddleothepictureat

theaverageeyelevelothestudentsinyourclass.

Tips:Whenyoucuratetheshow,lookcareullyathowonepicturelooksnext

toanother.Keepinmindhowtheserelationshipscreatemeaningandhow

thearrangementcreatesmovementthroughthespace;youarecreatingan

experienceortheviewer!Trytogroupthepicturestoaddressaparticular

topic.Arrangethepicturessuchthattheshapesandanglesdrawtheviewers

attentionintothespace,notoutoit.

Createwalltextthatexplainsthepurposeotheproject,liststheartistsnames,

andthankthepeoplewhohelpedtomaketheprojecthappen.Arrangeor

oodandrereshmentsortheopening.


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0 FocusLessonPlans

Part IV: Resources

Focus Link 43

what makes a good PhotograPh?

Photographers make choices from among the elements of photography in orderto get their message across. When creating and editing photographs, focus on

technique and effect. A good photograph is one that works well, communi-

cating a clear, interesting message.

thIngs to thInk about when makIng a PhotograPh

SUbjECT

Whatareyoutryingtosayaboutthesubjectinthisphotograph?

TECHNIqUE

Whattechniquescanyouusetodirectattentiontothesubject?

Howdoyouwanttocomposethephotograph?

Lighting:Whatdirectionisthelightcomingrom?

Point o view:Wherecanyoupositionyourselwhentakingthephotograph?

Framing:Howcanyouholdthecamera?(Vertical,horizontal,paralleltohorizon,or

tilted?)

Timing:Whenshouldyoutakethephotograph?

Motion:Shouldanythingbemovinginthephotograph?Shoulditlookblurryorrozen

inspace?

Focus:Whatshouldbeseenclearlyinthephotograph?

Materials:Whatcamera,flm,andequipmentdoyouneedorthisphotograph?

Tips:Createmorethanonephotograph.Approachthesubjectromdierentpoints

oviewandvaryhowyouholdthecameraandramephotographs.Capturedierent

momentsintime,especiallywhenphotographingpeopleormotion.


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FocusLessonPlans 1

thIngs to thInk about when edItIng PhotograPhs

DESIGN

Technique:Describetheeectsthatthetechniqueshaveontheresultingphotograph.

Composition:Whereisyoureyedrawn?Studyhowthecompositionkeepsyour

eyebusywithitsangles,orms,shapes,andlines.Thinkabouthowthecomposition

createsbalanceandstructure.Doesthecompositionwork,eectivelycontributingto

themeaning?

Framing:Whatisincludedintherameandwhatisexcluded?Isanythingcropped

inthephotograph?Doesthecroppinghelpdrawattentiontowhatthephotographis

saying?Orisitdistracting?

Lighting:Whateectdoesthelightinghave?Doesthelightinghighlightimportant

inormation?Doesitcreateapatternolightandshadowthataddstowhatthe

photographissaying?

Focus:Howdoesocusdirectyourattention?Ithereisblur,isiteective?

CONTENT

Subject:Whatisthesubjectothephotograph?

Concrete Subject:Whatisthephotographo?Thisiswhatyouseeinthephotograph.

Abstract Subject:Whatisthephotographabout?Thisishowyouinterpretwhatyou

seeinthephotograph.

Background:Whatshapes,tones,anddetailsdoyouseeinthebackground?How

doesthebackgroundconnecttothesubject?

Foreground:Describewhatyouseeinrontothesubject.Whateectdoesthe

oregroundhaveonhowyouseethesubject?

People:Fromtheirexpression,pose,andclothing,whatinormationdoyouhaveabout

whotheyareandwhattheyaredoing?

Mood/Feeling:Howdoesthisphotographmakeyoueel?Whatelements(lighting,

colors,shapes,textures,thesubject)makeyoueelthatway?


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Symbol/Metaphor: Canyouseeanysymbolsinthisphotograph?Wouldtheybe

amiliartoothercultures?Isthereanythinginthephotographthatcouldbereadasa

metaphor?

Style & Genre:Whatistheintendedpurposeorthephotograph(e.g.,magazine,fne

artexhibition)?Canyouplacethephotographinagenre:portraiture,stilllie,ashion,

documentary,photojournalism,conceptual,narrative,etc.?

Meaning:Whatisthephotographsaying?

Describehowtheelementsophotographycomposition,photographic

attributes,technique,style&genrecommunicatethismeaning.

Whatquestionsorideasdoesthephotographmakeyouwonderabout?


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Focus Link 44

seeIng actIvIty

Selectaphotograph.Lookatitcloselyandthoughtullyor30seconds.(Timeyoursel;itwilleelmuchlongerthanyoumayexpect.)Thenusetheollowingquestionstoguide

yourseeing,andwriteyourresponsesquicklyandreely.Skipquestionsthataretoo

hardandcomebacktothemlater.Thisactivityshouldtakeabout20minutes.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Listtendetailsthatyouseeinthephotograph.

Whatelsedoyousee?

COMPOSITION

Whereisyoureyedrawn?

Describethepattern,shapes,andcolors.

Lookawayandthenlookatthephotographagain.Whatcaughtyoureyefrst?

Whydoesthatstandout?

PHOTOGRAPHIC ATTRIbUTES

Findthepatternolightandshadow.Whatdoesthelightingdrawyourattentionto?

Describewhatisinocus.

Whatotherphotographictechniquesdoyounotice?

Whatisthephotographerspointoview?

CONTENT

Whatisthesubjectothephotograph?

Whatquestionsdoyouhaveaboutthesubject?


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STYLE & GENRE

Useanadjectivetodescribethestyleothephotograph.

Canyouguesswhatgenrethisphotographrepresents?Whatmakesyousaythat?

MEANING

Howdoesthephotographmakeyoueel?Whatdoesthephotographmakeyouthink

o?

Whydoyouthinkthephotographermadetheseartisticchoices?

Whatdoyouthinkthephotographissaying?

LAST IMPRESSIONS

Lookoncemoreatthephotographandfndsomethingyouhaventdescribedyet.

Whatisyourreactiontothisexercise?Didanythingsurpriseyou?

SELF-ASSESSMENT

Whatareasweredifculttoanswer?Photographicattributesandtechnique?

Composition?Content?Styleorgenre?Meaning?


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This section is an excerpt from Focus on Photography: A Curriculum Guide









Challenge Program.



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A


Appendix 1:Basics of Photography

What Is Photography?

Ever since photographys invention in 1839, people have been using

photography to describe the world around them. The word photography is derived

rom the Greek words: photo, which means light, and graph, which means

writing. Photography is writing with light.

The camera is like a mirror with a memory. Every detail o what you see through

the camera rame is reected and recorded onto the flm. When a photographer

takes a picture, the shutter opens and closes like a door, letting light into the

camera. When the shutter is slow, anything that is moving will leave blurry traces on

the flm. When the shutter is ast, motion is rozen in time and space.

Light traces the image onto the flm. Silver salts in the flm change when they

are exposed to dierent amounts o light. Where there is a lot o light, the silver salts

disappear and the image is white. Where there is less light, the silver salts hardly

change, and the image is dark and dense. With the right exposure, the silver salts

will transorm in various degrees, creating an image rich with detail. In this way,

you can see everything rom the shadows to the highlights, almost as the scene

appears beore your eyes.

Photography seems like magic. But, photographs are possible because o

scientifc processes. Light causes chemical reactions in the flm and the paper usedto make prints. When the flm is taken out o the camera, the image is latentits

there but you cant see it yet. Photographers roll the flm into a light-tight canister

and pour in chemicals, which turn the invisible image into a visible image.


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APPENDIX 1: Basics o Photography

To make prints, photographers must work in a darkroom. The room is lit

only by reddish sae lights, which do not cause chemical reactions on the paper.

Photographers place the negative in an enlarger and shine light through it, projecting

the image onto photographic paper. Then, photographers put the paper into a tray o

chemicals to develop the print. This is when you can watch the image appear beore

your eyes. Photographers put the paper into the stop bath, to stop the developing, and

into a fxer, to make the image last. Now, they are ready to look at the image outside o

the darkroom.

Digital Imaging

Digital imaging still relies on the essential ingredient o photography, light. With

computer technology, we can scan in images or create images with a digital camera,

translating inormation cast by light into digital signals. Pixels on a computer screen are

analogous to the grain on a photograph, or the silver salts. We can manipulate images

using photo-imaging sotware and print out or post the resulting images on the web.

The computer becomes your darkroom!


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A


Appendix 2:A Brief History of Photography

Mid-Sixteenth CenturyCamera Obscura

Hundreds o years ago, artists discovered the camera obscura. They noticed

that light coming through a keyhole into a dark room cast an inverted image on the

wall. They built a camera obscura by setting a lens into a two-oot square box and

placing a sheet o glass opposite the opening.

With the camera obscura in hand, the artist could set up the equipment in the

eld. Through the camera rame, the artist saw the view that he or she wished to

draw. Then the artist traced the image refected on the glass rame with a high

degree o detail. In this way, artists used an early orm o a camera picture to give

their drawings realistic perspective and detail.

1826Early Experimentation: Heliographs

Joseph Nicephore Niepce o France invented heliographs, or sun prints. This

was the rst experiment that created a prototype o the photograph, removing

the artists hand rom the creation o the image and letting light draw the picture.

Niepce placed an engraving onto a metal plate coated in bitumen, and then

exposed it to light. The shadowy areas o the engraving blocked light, but the

whiter areas permitted light to react with the chemicals on the plate. When

Niepce placed the metal plate in a solvent, gradually an image, until then invisible,

appeared.


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2 APPENDIX 2: A Brie History o Photography

1839The Invention of Photography

On a trip to Paris, Niepce visited the painter and theatrical set designer, Louis

Jacques Mande Daguerre, and showed him the heliographs. Daguerre was intrigued

by the invention, and the two men became partners in photographic experimentation.

Unortunately, ater our years o creating images and testing chemical processes,Niepce passed away.

In 1839, Daguerre invented a process that xed the images onto a sheet o silver-

plated copper. He polished the silver and coated it in iodine, creating a surace that was

sensitive to light. Then, he put the plate in a camera and exposed it or a ew minutes.

Ater the image was painted by light, Daguerre bathed the plate in a solution o silver

chloride. This process created a lasting image, one that would not change i exposed

to light. When set next to a black velvety surace, the metal plate refected the shadowy

areas o the picture and the light areas seemed illuminated. The Daguerrotype rendered

details with such accuracy it was called a mirror with a memory.

At the same time, William Henry Fox Talbot, an English botanist and mathematician,

made a similar invention. He sensitized paper to light with a silver salt solution. Talbot

placed objects such as a lea or lace onto the paper and then exposed it to sunlight.

The background became black, and the subject was rendered in gradations o gray.

This was a negative image, and rom the negative, photographers could now duplicate

the image as many times as they wanted. Talbot made contact prints o this image,

reversing the light and shadows to create a detailed picture. In 1841, he perected this

paper-negative process and called it a calotype, rom the Greek, meaning beautiul

picture.

News o Daguerres and Talbots discoveries sparked the curiosity o the scientist

and astronomer, Sir John F.W. Herschel. In 1839 he perected the process o xing,or making permanent, the negative image. Herschel bathed the negative in sodium

thiosulte to dissolve the silver salts, so that they would not react with light any longer,

and the image became permanent. He also coined the name we use today or these

processesphotography, or writing with light.

Soon, photographers around the world used Daguerrotypes and calotypes to

record architecture and nature with nite detail, to document historic events, and to

create portraits o literary and social gures, riends, and amily members.

1851The Glass Negative

In 1851, Frederick Scott Archer, an English sculptor, invented the wet plate. Using a

viscous solution o collodion, he coated glass with light-sensitive silver salts. Because

it was glass and not paper, this wet plate created a more stable and detailed negative.


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APPENDIX 2: A Brie History o Photography 3

However, the wet plate needed to be developed and xed beore it dried. In order to

process the pictures quickly, the photographer had to carry a portable darkroomwith

cumbersome black boxes, trays and tongs, bottles o chemistry and ragile glass

plateseverywhere he or she went.

1850sTintypes, Cartes de visites, and

Stereo Views

Throughout the 1850s, there were various technological improvements in paper,

lenses, and cameras. These advancements made it easier or the general public to

become involved in photography. Tintypes were pictures made on thin sheets o metal.

Cartes de visites were small albumen prints on paper cards. A popular pastime was

viewing pictures with a stereoscope that created a 3D eect. Because these pictures

were inexpensive to make, they became common ways to carry pictures o scenic

views, amilies, and individuals.

1860sRealism and Fantasy

Newsworthy events were communicated with the aid o photography. In the 1860s,

many photographers, such as Matthew Brady, William Fenton, and Timothy OSullivan,

became interested in documenting war. These photographs were seen in exhibitions,

mounted in books, and used as sources or engravings or newspapers. They provided

the most realistic and compelling records o the cruelties o war available at the time.

Many photographers explored the natural landscape with cumbersome camera

equipment in tow. William Henry Jackson traveled or miles over backbreaking terrain to

document the crystal mountain peaks and black lakes o hitherto unknown reaches o

the American landscape. He was the rst person to photograph the Old Faithul Geyser

in Yellowstone Park, and his work helped to preserve some o Americas wilderness.

Photography enabled artists to create a representation o the physical world that

was aithul to reality, but it was also seen as another medium or rendering allegories

and works o art that ollowed the traditions o painting. Julia Margaret Cameron

purposely blurred the image, using radiant lighting and sot ocus to evoke the spiritual

quality o the subject. She employed this method whether photographing social guressuch as Lord Alred Tennyson and Charles Darwin or portraying allegories with models

who were oten amily members. Lewis Carrol photographed Alice Grace Weld, his

riend and the inspiration orAlice in Wonderland, dressed up as Little Red Riding

Hood. Henry Peach Robinson combined several negatives to re-enact dramatic scenes

in myths and stories.


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APPENDIX 2: A Brie History o Photography

1870sCapturing Motion

In 1869, Edward Muybridge invented a way to reeze motion. He created a shutter

inside the camera: two boards slipping past each other at the touch o spring. The

lm recorded the actions that took place during the split-second when the shutter

was open. Muybridge conducted a series o studies on motion, photographing menvaulting over poles and horses galloping on a track. His work not only assisted artists in

studying anatomical orm in motion, but it was also a precursor to motion pictures.

1880sTechnological Advancements:

The Dry Plate and the Hand-Held Camera

In 1879, experiments resulted in the dry plate, a glass negative plate with a dried

gelatin emulsion. Dry plates could be stored or a period o time. Photographers no

longer needed the cumbersome and time-consuming portable darkroom. In act,

photographers began hiring technicians to develop their photographs, and the art o

photo nishing was born. In addition, dry processes absorbed light quicklyso rapidly

in act that the tripod could be stored in the closet and the camera held in the hand.

With the speed o the lm and the infux o hand-held cameras, action shots became

more easible.

In 1888, George Eastman, a dry plate manuacturer in Rochester, NY, invented the

Kodak camera. For $22.00 an amateur could purchase a camera with enough lm or

100 shots. Ater use, it was sent back to the company, which then processed it. The ad

slogan read, You press the button, we do the rest. A year later, the delicate paper lm

was changed to a plastic base, so that photographers could do their own processing.(Now we have a resurgence o this company-processed invention with the disposable

camera.)

The Turn of the CenturyPictorialism &

Straight Photography

Many photographers were interested solely in the aesthetic possibilities o the

medium. Pictorialists, such as Gertrude Kasebier and Alvin Langdon Coburn, tookphotographs that imitated the style o paintings. Using symbols, shimmering light, and

sot ocus to create impressionistic dots and streaks, pictorialists depicted a world that

was one step removed rom reality.


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APPENDIX 2: A Brie History o Photography 5

Alred Steiglitz, a New York-based photographer, was actively involved in writing,

editing, lecturing, photographing, and organizing gallery shows to establish the

reputation o photography as a ne art, rom Pictorialism to avant-garde methods.

Finally in 1924, the Museum o Fine Arts in Boston collected Steiglitzs photographs; it

was the rst time that photographs were collected in a museum in the United States.

At the same time, many photographers became interested in photography as

a tool to record customs and manners, the acets o their culture that they elt were

disappearing at the turn o the century. With Kodak hand-held cameras and rolls o

gelatin lms, photojournalists burst onto the scene. They elt compelled to record lie as

it unolded beore their eyes, to bear witness to the world and their place in it.

1920s and 1930sExperimentation

In 1925, the invention o the Leica camera liberated photographers. Because the

Leica was small, light, and quick, they were now able to capture the activity o street liewith greater accuracy and imagination. In responding to the momentous changes in the

world around them, photographers experimented with dierent m

icp curriculum part 4

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