Conceptual photography is a type of fine art photography. It is about work that starts with a concept or an idea and usually challenges the artist’s creativity and imagination. For this project, students draw topics then create two ideas for a conceptual image. For a preparatory activity, students create two sketches with a plan. Next, students execute their plan to create the conceptual challenge image and edit in post production. Students write about their process in a blog post with original and edited images. Finally, students print and mount an 8x12 image and present it in class. Conceptual projects are judged by several groups and awards are announced at the final reception.
Google it: Conceptual Photography
You may want to check Erik Johansson’s work: http://www.erikjohanssonphoto.com/
Equipment
DLSR Camera; Tripod; Auxilary light
Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom
Instructions
1. INCLASS
Student will draw from a hat a few random words provided by the course instructor. The task is to create a conceptual image that involves all of the words drawn from the hat
2. SKETCH YOUR IDEA
Sketching is an important step of the design process. The best photographers always plan ahead their photoshoots and many of them use the sketching process to do so. Erik Johansson is a great example of a professional conceptual photographer that plans ahead and sketches his ideas before going out to shoot.
Here is an example of how he sketched and idea, planned the composition, the highlights, and the shadows of his picture before shooting.
You will add 2 more words to the word list you picked from class to make 5 words total. Then you will incorporate those 5 words to sketch two ideas and submit them to the discussion board. Then you will comment and critique at least 3 of your classmates’ ideas and sketches.
3. EXECUTE YOUR CONCEPT
Execute your idea and create one final conceptual photograph. Then make a blog post that includes your sketches, original images, your final edited image, and your process.
4. SOCIAL MEDIA SHARING: Instagram
Post at least one of your perspective images on Instagram. – Use the #comm300 hashtag and tag @visualcomm.photos on the image not in the caption. – Search the #comm300 hashtag and view 6+ classmates’ Conceptual image posts. – Leave comments on at least three classmates Insta – Perspective image posts.
5. SUBMISSION:
– Follow the Submission Process
– List how many classmates’ Insta OS-ES Insta posts you viewed and who you commented on.
– Example: I viewed 6+ classmates OS-ES; Commented on Lindsey, Ben, and Doug.
CAUTION: Your assignment is not complete until you submit it here. However, you are allowed a one-time extension, if you choose to use your mulligan. (See syllabus). We check your blog post for completion right at the deadline, so please do not add things after submitting your link, until it has been graded. In accordance with Comm Dept. policy, late work will not be accepted.
Rubric
NOTE: Meeting the minimum requirements is “average” and constitutes an 80% or B- grade, according to the University Grading Guide. To receive a higher grade, students should excel. However, quality and/or difficulty is more important than quantity.
√ SIZING: Photos sized to 1024 pixels on the long side. First part of jpeg filename is student’s name. Example: JakeSpencer-Tetons.jpg. Photos displayed at “Large” size in blog post, per instructions in Week 1 > Photo Blog Instructions. Photos are clickable.
√ PROCESS: Detailed paragraph (3-5 sentences) about the process; Detailed Labels : Title, DTP, Focal Length, Fstop, SS, Camera.
√ INSTRUCTIONS: 1+ final conceptual image from given words; original images;
√ PHOTO QUALITY: Light – Focus – Composition – Creativity
√ APPROPRIATE EDITS for professional display
√ SUBMISSION: Link submitted was a true hyperlink and linked directly to the completed blog post.
CAUTION: YOUR ASSIGNMENT IS NOT COMPLETE UNTIL YOU SUBMIT A LINK TO IT HERE. However, you are allowed a one-time extension, if you choose to use your mulligan. Please read about it in the syllabus. We check your blog post for completion right at the deadline, so please do not add things later. Everything needs to be complete when you post the link.