Self portrait photography
Self portrait photography
How to Take a Self Portrait
It shouldn't be difficult to take a good self portrait, but it can be a trial if you're self conscious. With a few tips and photography tricks, you can capture the inner you just as you capture that inner quality in others. Don't be too critical of the subject; rather, focus on the story of yourself that you would like the portrait to tell. You'll find it's easier than you anticipated.
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Step 01 Relax. No one is going to be as critical of your self portrait as you are, just as no one is as critical about your hair or make up as you are. Pictures of everyone are important, so make sure you're not hiding behind the camera. Step out in front of the camera and shine.
Step 02 Find a location to take your self portrait that is comfortable for you to be in. Your surroundings have a great deal to do with how you feel, so find a place that you like to be in as that will be reflected in your self portrait.
Step 07 Ask a friend or family member's advice on which self portrait to choose, if you find you're undecided. If they know you well, chances are they'll zero in on one photograph pretty quickly.
Here are the (unofficial) rules:
1. the portrait can be of any part of yourself; therefore, it does not have to show your true identity! Like an ear or a hand could be a self portrait.
2. the photo must be taken by you!
3. The portrait can be rendered in whatever way you choose, ie. photoshop filters.
4. Please keep the photos to a reasonable size for those of us who have the archaic dial up (read s-l-o-w) modem.
Art Concept Peer Lesson
As you are learning about art concepts such as art vocabulary, elements of art, principles of design, color theory, composition and framing, you will become an expert on one art concept and teach your peers about it in an oral and written report (including bibliography).
Masters of Photography Peer Lesson
As you are learning about photographic history and the Masters of Photography, you will become an expert on one Master of Photography and teach your peers about him or her in an oral and written report (including bibliography).
Photography Techniques Project
You will demonstrate your understanding of proper exposure, metering, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focus, focal length, depth of field, viewpoint, lighting, and how a camera works by shooting a series of photographs based on specific technical instructions. You will need to experiment and test out a bunch of theories before you get each one right. All final images should be properly exposed and have as aesthetically pleasing a composition as possible. On this particular project, demonstrating that you know the techniques is more important than demonstrating art skill, but at least one of your final images should be worthy of the title of "fine art." These images will be graded based on how they come out of the camera directly; no digital manipulation is allowed. Shoot in JPEG (not RAW) mode and make sure to only use the "Creative Modes" on the camera (P, Tv, Av, and M).
Abstract Photograph Project
Using the abstract photographs of masters such as Imogen Cunningham, Tina Modotti, Paul Outerbridge, Karl Blossfeldt, Paul Strand, Edward Weston, and Minor White as inspiration, you will produce an abstract photograph of your own. You will concentrate on the elements of art, principles of design, color theory, composition and framing to produce an aesthetically-pleasing abstract photograph. The goal is only to use the camera on this assignment and not do any digital manipulation, but if need be, MINIMAL digital manipulation is allowed, such as cropping and slight exposure correction.
Time and Motion Study
You will demonstrate an understanding of how to artistically display time and motion with photography (using ambient light/low light conditions to record motion, Muybridge's idea of sequential photographs to study motion, or Cartier-Bresson’s idea of the “decisive moment”). You will study the work of photographers such as Eadweard Muybridge, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Jacques-Henri Lartigue and Lothar Wolleh for inspiration. The goal is only to use the camera on this assignment and not do any digital manipulation, but if need be, MINIMAL digital manipulation is allowed, such as cropping and slight exposure correction.
Photographing Adjectives
You will demonstrate your ability to photograph ideas and concepts with three photographs that embody three different adjectives: bright, robust, and peaceful (one photograph for each word). Your final photograph for each word should communicate the concept without being too literal. You will study the work of photographers such as William Eggleston, Jacques-Henri Lartigue, Clarence John Laughlin, Joel Meyerowitz, W. Eugene Smith, and Garry Winogrand as inspiration. The goal is only to use the camera on this assignment and not do any digital manipulation, but if need be, MINIMAL digital manipulation is allowed, such as cropping and slight exposure correction.
Photoshop Studio Assignments
You will demonstrate your ability to fine-tune photographs in Photoshop by enhancing a set of “problem” photographs according to specific directions.
Surrealist Photographic Image Project
You will demonstrate your understanding of the history of Surrealism as an art form and its impact on photography by creating a photographic image that “reunites the conscious and unconscious realms of experience so completely that the world of dream and fantasy are joined to the everyday rational world” (André Breton, publisher of “The Surrealist Manifesto” in 1924). You will study the work of photographers such as Robert ParkeHarrison, Man Ray, Bill Brandt, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Clarence John Laughlin, Frederick Sommer and Jerry Uelsmann for inspiration. Digital manipulation is allowed and even encouraged on this project, but all the photographs that you use must be your own original work!
Non-Literal SELF Portrait
You will demonstrate your ability to create a self portrait that goes beyond the literal “this is a picture of me” and into the realm of self portrait as signature, projection, self-study, or fantasy. Self portrait as signature would be a recognizable image of you (or a part of you) as you really are, but photographed in a way that gives the audience some insight into the deeper parts of you (who you really are). Self portrait as projection gives you the opportunity to place yourself in whatever context you desire. It could be an idealization of who you are or an opportunity for you to be someone else. Self portrait as self-study is a physical and/or mental probe into who you are. It could be a letting-go of pent-up emotions and is often abstract. Self portrait as fantasy is the creation of another place, whether you appear in it at all, it is still a self portrait. It is an insight into your mind... into what is fantastic to you as an artist.
Basically, a self portrait can be you, a part of you, an abstraction of you, a metaphor for you, something you see yourself as, something you identify with, but always, something you (and those who know you well) look at as a finished product and say, "That's definitely __________!"
You will be using the self-portraits of photographers such as Lee Friedlander, Cindy Sherman, Man Ray, Martin Fuchs, and Eileen Brady Nelson as inspiration. Digital manipulation is allowed on this project, but all the photographs that you use must be your own original work! Remember that this is a SELF portrait; you must set up and take all your own photographs (a tripod and your camera's timer can be very helpful!)
Portrait Photography
Assignment #1 – The Self-Portrait
Please hand in this sheet in a protective plastic sleeve together with your proof sheet(s) taped to the back of your mounted fiber-base print. Otherwise, slide your unmounted print into a polyethylene or polypropylene storage bag together with a piece of conservation board, proof sheet(s) and this sheet.
Assignment Description:
Take a photograph of yourself. Endeavor to share something private about yourself with the viewer. This public disclosure of the self can range from a highly refined mask, to an indefinite stare, a cathartic expression, a dramatic ecstasy, a comic exultation, or a rare and raw openness.
Related Reading Assignment:
Self-Portrait by Herve Guibert
After You, Dearest Photography: Reflections on the Work of Francesca Woodman by David Levi-Strauss
Assignment Objective:
You begin to respect others by showing respect to yourself. By putting ourselves in front of the lens we can more clearly understand issues regarding the self-conscious pose, and the feeling of a living and breathing subject becoming a fixed object.
Suggestions:
Employ either a self-timer, long cable release, or work with an assistant. Alternatively, photograph your own shadow, a reflection in a window or mirror, or wear a mask. Be mindful of the background and the environment that surrounds you in the picture.
Evaluation Criteria:
Craftsmanship - Sharpness
Exposure (full shadow and highlight detail)
Contrast (a solid black, a bright white, and a full range of gray values)
Value (appropriate lightness / darkness)
Needs dodging and/or burning
Cleanness (no dust, water spots, scratches)
Print damage
Aesthetic / Conceptual refinement (accomplishes assignment description and meets objective)
Grade ___________
Student Name_______________________________
Teacher Comments:
Non-Literal Portrait
You will demonstrate your ability to create a portrait of another person that goes beyond the literal “this is a picture of…” and into the more conceptual portrait that reveals something human about your subject and captures the “essence” or soul of the person. Much like the Non-Literal SELF Portrait, the final photographic image could be your subject, an abstraction of your subject, a metaphor for your subject, something you see your subject as, something you identify with your subject... Your subject will naturally want to have some input into what the photograph should look like, but ultimately, you, the photographer, should make the creative decisions. This is what makes a portrait different from a self portrait: in a portrait we are seeing the photographer's insight into the soul of his/her subject.
You will study famous portraits by photographers such as Diane Arbus, Lee Friedlander, Emmet Gowin, Margaret Bourke-White, Steve McCurry, Yousuf Karsh, Dorothea Lange, Lisette Model, Arnold Newman, and Lothar Wolleh for inspiration. Digital manipulation is allowed on this project, but all the photographs that you use must be your own original work!
Triptych
You will demonstrate your ability to tell a story or make a compelling artistic statement with a series of photographs. A series of three photographs is common (hence the name triptych), but you can use any number of photographs in your series as long as the grouping is aeshetically pleasing and helps to tell your story/make your statement. Some ideas for stories/statements to explore with your triptych are: re-thinking how space is perceived, deconstructing a subject, exploring design elements, exploring perspective, exploring conceptual relationships, exploring a sequence of actions, etc. As inspiration, you will be studying triptychs by photographers such as Elliott Erwitt, Graham Flint, Nigel Poor, Trefor Ball, Mark Klett, Laurent Pinsard, Steve Kahn, and Janica Yoder.
Each of your photographs should be aeshetically-pleasing, but more importantly, the entire group of photographs should be aesthetically-pleasing and tell an interesting story or make a compelling statement.
Each photograph in your triptych should only be minimally digitally manipulated (slight levels adjustments and cropping are acceptable) and, of course, all the photographs that you use must be your own original work! You will use Photoshop to assemble your grouping of photographs with an optional border of any color (if you believe a border enhances your triptych). Be careful with your file size on this project!
Word and Image
You will demonstrate your ability to convey a powerful emotional and/or conceptual message with your photograph and original words (anything from a single phrase to a full poetic work). You will be guided along the way with free write exercises designed to help you make a conceptual connection between photographs and the written word. You will study the work of photographers such as Jim Goldberg and Jeff Wolin for inspiration.
For this project you are going to turn in a PRINT of your photograph with original, hand-written word(s) that are somehow incorporated/attached. You can write directly on the print, you can attach the print to a backing and write on the backing, you can put a clear material over your print and write on that, you can attach a scrap of paper with your word(s) on it to your print, etc., etc., etc.
If you want to take advantage of getting a free print (one per student) from the school, you must save your digital file to the share folder by the end of class on Wednesday, January 10. If you do not do so, you will be responsible for getting your own print made of your digital file and incorporating your word(s) by the beginning of class on Friday, January 12.
Digital image file due by the end of class on Wednesday, January 10 .
Word and Image Project (print and words) due date: beginning of class on Friday, January 12.
Final Project
You will demonstrate your ability to assimilate all the knowledge gained in the class and use your own creative voice to create an original aesthetically-pleasing and meaningful final project that is uniquely yours.
