Photo 1 First Shooting Assignment An Object Study Exploring one object using various points of view and your creativity!

VIEWPOINT Is the term used to describe the position of the camera in relation to the subject that is being photographed. *Viewpoint, or camera angle, has a very important effect on picture composition. COMPOSITION Is the way you arrange the subject and the other objects in your photograph. *Remember… don’t just take a picture, COMPOSE A PHOTOGRAPH!

Most of us have a tendency to approach a subject standing and with our camera at eye level. How boring! How do we make our photographs interesting? EASY! Change your viewpoint…

EYE LEVEL Whatever your height is, that is your eye level shot. Anytime your subject is placed at the same height as your camera, the shot is considered “eye level”.

Eye Level

Do not take all of your pictures at your height… THIS IS BORING!!

HIGH ANGLE This is a bird’s eye view. This is when you are looking down on a subject from a very high angle. Climb a tree, or stand in a chair… a high angle can make your image look great!

Looking down on a subject, but not quite bird’s eye.

High angle crops out any unwanted background. In this photo you would need to crop out the stones in the background.

LOW ANGLE This is when you are looking up at a subject. Whether the object is far away or right above you, placing an object higher than the camera can produce great effects! It distorts your subject and makes it seem larger.

Low angle- looking up at a subject

Low Angle- Looking directly up at a subject

GROUND LEVEL A worm’s eye view. This is a low angle, but not looking up at your subject. You are essentially eye level with the subject, but the background will seem large.

You are ground level with the subject

Even though the subject is on a low table, if you lower your body (lowering the camera) to be level with the height of the pencil, you are at ground level.

Ground level… by being the same height as the pool balls, they seem larger.

Realize: Your body moves. Make it move. This will make the camera move. All the different angles add interest to photos.

You will be choosing an object to photograph, and you will have to do two things in every photograph: 1. Your subject has to change physically in each photograph. Even if the position makes it appear different, this is change. 2. Your viewpoint has to change in each photograph. You can change your angle a lot, or a little, but it has to change.

Here is an example of an A+ assignment. *Notice the amount of creativity in each photograph. *Notice how the viewpoint changes. *Notice how the object changes. *Notice how each shot has a strong principle of design.

Her object was…. A Raw Chicken!!!

*Bird’s eye view (High angle) *Repetition

*Eye Level, *Subject fills the viewfinder

*Eye Level *Pose your object to create a narrative

-High angle *Place your object with related objects *Use Principles of Design -Radial Balance

She created a background with a white sheet and threw feathers on her object! *Eye Level *Place your object with other related objects to tell a story *Formal balance

*Move in closer to fill the whole viewfinder. *Add more to fill the background.

*Place your object in an environment *Ground Level Viewpoint

*High angle, looking down *Create a story *Fill the background with something interesting

*High angle *Formal Balance *Prop your subject so it appears to do things- like hold an egg!

*Low angle *Use unrelated props to create a story *Fill the background! (be careful not to get too close) Look at her creative background! Simple and free… just sharpie and paper!

*Low angle-almost ground level *Make props to create a unique background! *Prop up your subject (with a bottle!)

*High angle *Add interest to the foreground *Notice how some photographs are taken vertically, and others are horizontally shot.

*High angle *Use household objects for interest.

*Ground Level *Change your object so it is unrecognizable *Repetition Notice that the object is not a “person in costume” in every photo… this one shows it as a very abstract object!

*High angle- looking down directly on a subject *Formal Balance *Decorate your object

*Low Angle- Ground Level *You do not have to show your entire subject. *You do not even have to recognize your object.

*High angle *Formal Balance (must be her favorite!) *Look at your object as a design

*Eye Level *Movement *Make your subject seem small, or seem large!

*High Angle *Your object has a personality.. Find it!

Your homework tonight… (Write this in your journal) Come up with an ORIGINAL list of 5 objects that you would be able to use and photograph for an entire roll of film. We will only choose ONE of your objects.

Your object…. MUST: be an object bigger than a shoe and small enough that you can bring it outside and move it around and manipulate it MUST: have all photographs outside during DAYLIGHT hours! MUST: be NO CLOER THAN 4 feet away! -so, again, you cannot choose something that is smaller than a shoe. If you write it on your list it WILL NOT COUNT!

Do not put these on your list: No: Animals or pets, People, Stuffed animals, cars, cell phones, ipods.

Do put these kind of objects on your list: -a garden hose, an old broken lamp, a bouquet of flowers, a large dictionary or book, an old vintage suitcase, etc.

Have fun making your list and keep it to yourself! You cannot have the same object as someone else… so make sure this list is secret and VERY original! Oh, and it’s 30 pts due tomorrow!