PHOTOGRAPHY 101 THE ELEMENTS OF ART: VALUE COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of commercial photography in relation to seeing photographically, operating cameras, use of light, image capture, and processing digital images. Students will also learn the history of photography, legal and ethical issues related to the industry. Career exploration is also a part of this course. CVH - MS. COPELAND

ELEMENTS OF ART REVIEW WHAT ARE THEY? The Elements of Art are fundamental ideas about the practice of good visual design. An element of art is simply a component, like a tool, that the artist uses to accomplish what he/she sets out to create. The parts that provide structure to a piece include: Line Shape Form Value Space Perspective Texture Color

ELEMENTS OF ART CONCEPT REVIEW Line Describes a shape or outline. Tells the eye where to look. Groups related objects and divides unrelated objects. Line may suggest moods and rhythm. The three basic functions of line use are pattern, direction and structure. Shape An enclosed space with defined boundaries. Shape implies two-dimensions: length and width. Types of Shape: Geometric and Organic. Form Form has depth, length, and width and is perceived as three-dimensional.

ELEMENTS OF ART: VALUE

ELEMENTS OF ART: VALUE Value The relative degree of light and dark in a design, contrast between black and white. Value is created by a light source that shines on an object creating highlights (value inside an object) and shadows (value outside an object).  It creates depth within a picture.

How is Value being used in these pictures? ELEMENTS OF ART: VALUE How is Value being used in these pictures?

ASSIGNMENT PART ONE: OBJECT AND SHADOW ASSIGNMENT PART TWO: PHOTOSHOP OBJECTIVE: Explore how an object's shadow can add visual interest to a photograph. In addition, learn to place both an object (or part of an object) and its shadow effectively into a rectangular frame. CONSIDERATIONS: If shooting off-campus, you'll get the best results early or late in the day (from dawn to mid- morning or mid-afternoon till sunset), when shadows will be nice and long. Look for shooting angles where the shadow cast is interesting. BE ARTISTIC IN YOUR SHOOT! It's best if the shadow is cast on a fairly simple surface —a complicated surface tends to reduce a shadow's impact. Pay particular attention to negative space – the area around the subject matter or focal point. This is the area where the shadow will be. Avoid unnecessary clutter or objects. Try to achieve visual tension between the object and the shadow. One way this can be done is by placing the object over to one side of the frame and letting the shadow stretch to the far side. A corner to corner shadow stretch can be especially effective. Use the Rule of Thirds!

ASSIGNMENT PART ONE: OBJECT AND SHADOW Plan your shoot BEFORE actually shooting! What do you want to communicate? What do you want the viewer to focus on? What do you want them to be impressed by? Photograph an object (or part of it) along with its shadow. MAKE SURE YOUR PHOTOS ARE IN FOCUS! Take multiple photos and review them BEFORE returning to class.

THINGS TO FOCUS ON DURING SHOOT OBJECT AND SHADOW Use the Rule of Thirds! Shoot your subject from different angles. What happened to the shadows when you changed angles? Shoot from different heights and / or using different focal lengths. What changes in your photograph did you observe when you used different heights or focal lengths?

ASSIGNMENT PART TWO: PHOTOSHOP Select one photo that you find to be your most creative. Do a non-destructive conversion of your color photo to black and white: BLACK AND WHITE CONVERSION USING THE HUE / SATURATION TOOL (non-destructive): Select Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation. Click OK. Move the saturation slider all the way to the left (-100) and press OK. You will have no control over the conversion but you may not need any. Try this method and the next to see which you like better. BLACK AND WHITE CONVERSION USING A WHITE ADJUSTMENT LAYER (non-destructive): Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Black And White. Click OK. The black and white toolbox appears. Move the six color sliders right or left to brighten or darken the respective tones in the photo. You can also choose from the presets in the drop down menu at the top. Click OK when done. This method gives you more control over the conversion.

PRESENTATION OBJECT AND SHADOW Create a slide with your original photo and your black and white conversion. QUESTIONS: How many different angles did you shoot from? What happened to the shadows when you changed angles? What happened to the photo visually when you shot from different heights or used different focal lengths? How did you incorporate the Rule of Thirds in your framing of the photograph? Which photo has the most impact on the viewer, the color version or the black and white? What were you trying to convey to the viewer? Does the color or the black and white photo communicate your objective better?

ELEMENTS OF ART: VALUE REVIEW The relative degree of light and dark in a design, contrast between black and white. Value is created by a light source that shines on an object creating highlights (value inside an object) and shadows (value outside an object).  It creates depth within a picture.