Homeschool Zoo Annex: Photography Unit Study

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

Photography Unit Study

Photography Unit

Objectives: To learn how to take a variety of digital photographs; using photography as an art form; creating animated gifs from digital photos; using photographs to document events; the history of photography; mechanics of conventional photography.

Weeks 1 and 2: Using the encyclopedia and other resources, study the history of cameras and photography. Find when photography was invented, the tools used, who invented it, what it was used for.

Web resources:

· http://www.rleggat.com/photohistory/

· http://www.rleggat.com/photohistory/history/daguerr.htm

· http://www.rleggat.com/photohistory/history/bayard.htm

· http://www.spress.de/foto/history/

· http://www.rleggat.com/photohistory/history/stereosc.htm

· http://www.midleykent.fsnet.co.uk/

1. Make a timeline showing the beginnings of photography, advances, and people involved.

2. Write a one page biography of an early inventor involved in photography.

Weeks 3 and 4: Using the encyclopedia and other resources, including the web, study the mechanics of photography. Learn the papers, chemicals, lenses, camera types.

1. Using instructions supplied in your packet, make a pinhole camera and produce 3 pictures using a pinhole camera.

2. Study the handouts in the packet. Be prepared to tell in writing what the various F-stops represent.

Web resources:

· http://www.fotoinfo.com/

· http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~tkemp/

Weeks 5 and 6: Learn tips about what makes a photograph good or bad. Learn how to arrange subjects, lighting, proper equipment, digital photography.

Web resources:

· http://home.netcom.com/~nikonman/phototips1.html

· http://www.fotoinfo.com/

· http://www.channel1.com/workingphotos/wp.html

· http://www.internetbrothers.com/phototips.htm

· http://members.home.net/jonespm/PJDigPhot.htm

Weeks 7 and 8: Picture taking project - using a digital camera, take enough pictures of one object to create an animated gif.

· Locate a plant or group of trees that will be changing over time. Even a seedling will work.

· Find a spot for your camera that you can return to at each visit

· Making sure your camera rests in the same location each time, take one photo of the object at different times. If observing a flower, take your pictures at 30 minute intervals throughout the day. If observing the trees changing colors, take your pictures at the same time each day for at least two weeks.

· When all the needed pictures are taken, load them into the computer. Find them in the files and save them to a separate file to acquire them from.

Open the gif animator program of your computer and load the pictures in to create an animation which will display the changes in a time lapsed style.

Weeks 9 and 10: Portrait project - using a digital camera take portraits of a family member.

· Use different lighting, backgrounds, and settings on the camera.

· Load these into the computer and move them into a new file.

· Using the photo programs in your computer, adjust or enhance one portrait. Each time you make enhancements, save it under a new file name.

Weeks 11 and 12: Interview a photographer.

· Find out where he/she learned photography.

· How have they used their skill?

· Do they have any tips for better photos?

· Do they use photography as an art form?

· Can they make a living using their photography?