Assignment #1

1) Self-portrait: Multiple angles, expressions, poses (profile, 3/4, full face), different lighting situations (chiaroscuro, silhouette, backlit), backgrounds (make sure that some backgrounds are simple, uncluttered, consistent value, etc. to make extracting your image easier). You may need the assistance of a friend or the use of a tripod. Think about cropping – close up, head and shoulders, full figure…

Scenes and Objects: Ditto as far as the range of shots you should explore. Focus on places and things that have meaning to you, either literally or metaphorically. Move around the scene, come in close, move away. Shoot down on the subject, shoot upward. For the objects, keep backgrounds simple to make extraction easier.

~ 10 images

2) Give it a try: We covered a number of techniques for composition in class, such as:

Backlight, Balance (symmetrical & asymmetrical), Contrast, Curves, Depth of Field, Diagonals, Framing, Pattern, Reflection, and Texture. Explore a few subjects to see if you can really make the subject pop.

5-10 images

3) Trompe L’oeil (“Fool the eye”): Try your hand at creating an illusion. Use scale, juxtaposition, shadow, reflection, pattern, positive/negative space, etc. 

~ 5 images