The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
[Photo Assignment / Exercise] #14 - Heat
erisian pope
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
This is my first attempt at a photo-assignment thread. I think we'll see slow enough movement that I will add new assignments into this same thread and change the thread title rather than make new threads for each assignment. This is not an attempt to compete with or replace the photo thread. This is for people to post pics on a common theme - all non-related photos should be posted in the Photo thread, and heck, these can be cross-posted there for all I care. I expect some of the Photo thread regulars may not venture into this thread, and might not see your submissions. So if it's good and you want everyone to see it, post it there, too!
I am not sure how awesome I am at coming up with assignments or exercises, so I welcome suggestions (pm, please, so they don't get lost in the shuffle). I think I'll change up the format from one assignment/exercise to the next. This first one is open-ended, but others might have more rigid parameters. Also timelines: For this first one let's do a month. For others? Maybe 1 week, or 2 weeks, or whatever.
Note: You are not restricted to a single entry, and this is not a competition. My goal here is to get those of us who are interested in doing so to stretch ourselves a little, creatively speaking.
Photo Exercise #1 - Color!
Duration: Month of April
Spring is here (at least as per the calendar - results may differ in your particular region) and one thing we all associate with spring is color. So let's all spend the month of April pondering color, what it means to us, and let's see what we can come up with to communicate or demonstrate color. NOTE: There are no rules. If you want to try to convey color somehow while shooting B&W then I want to see it!
Photo Exercise #2 - Reflections!
Duration: Month of May
May is here, and with it comes a new assignment/exercise. Like April, this is going to be totally open to interpretation. The new topic is reflection*. I don't care if you think of mirrors, a placid lake, or merely someone thinking back over their past. Just take the pictures and post 'em! Have fun!
* Special thanks to Rakenphile for the topic suggestion!
Photo Exercise #3 - Tell a Story!
Duration: Month of June
Alright, for June we're taking things a slightly different direction. For June the assignment/exercise is to take more than one picture (minimum limit is 2, maximum limit is 4) where the pictures, when viewed together, tell a story. This doesn't have to mean a deep narrative with character development and all that jazz. But the pictures should related and should communicate more when viewed together than any of them would by themselves. Please post the series in a single post. And stretch that grey matter! See what you can come up with!
And have fun!
Photo Exercise #4 - Black and White
Duration: Month of July
Just like in the color assignment, you don't have to take the assignment title literally. I anticipate that most of us will play with monochrome images and that's sorta the intent here. But if you can illustrate the the phrase in a color picture then do it! Still, whatever "black and white" means to you, let's see what you can do with it!
Photo Exercise #5 - Inside
Duration: Month of August
I think for September I might do a longer assignment, but here's one more 1-month assignment for August. Have fun getting creative with your interpretations of the word inside. There's a lot of potential here, and I am looking forward to seeing what we can come up with! Happy shooting!
Photo Exercise #6 - Focus!
Duration: Month of September
This month I want you to focus on what you're doing, and use focus as the main theme in your submissions. You could go for extreme shallow DOF, you could try selective focus to isolate the subject, you could try emulating Ansel Adams' tendency to have EVERYTHING in the frame in the crispest possible focus, or you could go out in left field and surprise us all with your interpretation. Wherever inspiration takes you, let's see it!
Photo Exercise #7 - Once Per Week!
Duration: Month of October
Ok, folks, this time it's going to be a real assignment. Our assignment (you can still call it an exercise if that makes you feel better ;-)) is to post 4 pictures here, one per week. Here's the challenge: make them good. Make them real good. Don't just find yourself on friday posting some crap you happen to have (not saying anyone has done this, but this is definitely not the month to just toss something up here). Each week I want us to find an object, or a scene, or whatever, and shoot it multiple times. Shoot it at different times of day, or with different lenses, or by changing the lighting. Each week really spend some time shooting, altering, reshooting, revisiting, and re-reshooting your picture until you have it looking really good. Then post that. Next week you can pick the same or a different subject/scene, whatever floats your boat, but repeat the process of multiple different attempts on the same subject/scene and really changing up how you approach the shot. The idea here is that if we make ourselves rethink what we're shooting we may discover that our initial viewpoint was inferior to what we can build up to by really working at it.
This is my most involved assignment yet, and I understand it may seem daunting. I encourage us all to rise to the challenge. I want more participation this month, not less! And if you want to post multiple versions of a week's shot to demonstrate how you changed it over time, do it! It could be fun for us to discuss process and not just a single static piece.
Photo Exercise #8 - Family
Duration: Month of November
I guess I should scale this one back, since not even I was able to participate in last month's assignment. Mad props to Prosp and Slug for posting. But let's move on to new pastures. It's November, the time of Indians and Pilgrims and Turkeys and fat feasts. So, in keeping with the theme of Thanksgiving, this month's assignment is family. Feel free to be as creative with this as you want - you don't need to be literal unless you wish. And as always, use this theme as a first step to get out there and push yourself to take the best picture you can!
Photo Exercise #9 - Sleep
Duration: Month of December
Winter will officially be upon us this month, and the world is shutting down. It seems a good time to for us to shake off our seasonal lethargy and try to catch some sleep. As always, I encourage you to shake it up a little and see how you can illustrate this simple word in a way that challenges your creativity. Try to not merely sleepwalk thorugh it. ;-)
Photo Exercise #10 - Brand New
Duration: Month of January
It's a new month, in a new year - so let's all shoot something new!!
Photo Exercise #11 - Composition "Rules" #1 - Lines
Duration: Month of February
For the next few months, let's practice the basic 'rules' of composition. I put the word rules in quotes because we all know that (1) following these practices does not guarantee a good picture and (2) failing to follow them does not guarantee a bad picture. But it's better to be familiar with how to use these guidelines before deciding to ditch them, so why not practice them?
For the duration of these assignments, I'll be following this site (http://asp.photo.free.fr/Composition/photoProgramCompMainClass.shtml) as it has a good list of the basic rules of composition as well as some good descriptions and info. Check it out!!
For the first in this series, let's skip Simplicity and go straight to Lines. <--(that's a link there, by the way)
Photo Exercise #12 - Composition "Rules" #2 - Rule of Thirds
Duration: Month of March
For the next few months, let's practice the basic 'rules' of composition. I put the word rules in quotes because we all know that (1) following these practices does not guarantee a good picture and (2) failing to follow them does not guarantee a bad picture. But it's better to be familiar with how to use these guidelines before deciding to ditch them, so why not practice them?
For the duration of these assignments, I'll be following this site (http://asp.photo.free.fr/Composition/photoProgramCompMainClass.shtml) as it has a good list of the basic rules of composition as well as some good descriptions and info. Check it out!!
For the next installment of this series, try the Rule of Thirds. <--(that's a link there, by the way)." Yes the rule of thirds has been hammered into everyone since time immemorial, and yes everyone's sick of it, and no adherence to it does not guarantee a good shot nor does ignoring it make a bad shot. But let's all get over our own personal grudges and see if we can look at the rule with new eyes, and make a masterful shot using its simple guidelines.
Photo Exercise #13 - Composition "Rules" #3 - Balance
Duration: Month of April
For the next few months, let's practice the basic 'rules' of composition. I put the word rules in quotes because we all know that (1) following these practices does not guarantee a good picture and (2) failing to follow them does not guarantee a bad picture. But it's better to be familiar with how to use these guidelines before deciding to ditch them, so why not practice them?
For the duration of these assignments, I'll be following this site (http://asp.photo.free.fr/Composition/photoProgramCompMainClass.shtml) as it has a good list of the basic rules of composition as well as some good descriptions and info. Check it out!!
For the next installment of this series, try the Balance. <--(that's a link there, by the way)." Read it, practice it, live it, LOVE IT!
Photo Exercise #14 - Heat
Duration: Month of June
Ok, a couple people seemed interested, so let's try another assignment. It's getting close to summer, folks, so let's try to heat it up a little! Interpret the word however you want to, but flex those photography muscles and really try to convey heat to us through your picture(s).
I am not sure how awesome I am at coming up with assignments or exercises, so I welcome suggestions (pm, please, so they don't get lost in the shuffle). I think I'll change up the format from one assignment/exercise to the next. This first one is open-ended, but others might have more rigid parameters. Also timelines: For this first one let's do a month. For others? Maybe 1 week, or 2 weeks, or whatever.
Note: You are not restricted to a single entry, and this is not a competition. My goal here is to get those of us who are interested in doing so to stretch ourselves a little, creatively speaking.
Photo Exercise #1 - Color!
Duration: Month of April
Spring is here (at least as per the calendar - results may differ in your particular region) and one thing we all associate with spring is color. So let's all spend the month of April pondering color, what it means to us, and let's see what we can come up with to communicate or demonstrate color. NOTE: There are no rules. If you want to try to convey color somehow while shooting B&W then I want to see it!
Photo Exercise #2 - Reflections!
Duration: Month of May
May is here, and with it comes a new assignment/exercise. Like April, this is going to be totally open to interpretation. The new topic is reflection*. I don't care if you think of mirrors, a placid lake, or merely someone thinking back over their past. Just take the pictures and post 'em! Have fun!
* Special thanks to Rakenphile for the topic suggestion!
Photo Exercise #3 - Tell a Story!
Duration: Month of June
Alright, for June we're taking things a slightly different direction. For June the assignment/exercise is to take more than one picture (minimum limit is 2, maximum limit is 4) where the pictures, when viewed together, tell a story. This doesn't have to mean a deep narrative with character development and all that jazz. But the pictures should related and should communicate more when viewed together than any of them would by themselves. Please post the series in a single post. And stretch that grey matter! See what you can come up with!
And have fun!
Photo Exercise #4 - Black and White
Duration: Month of July
Just like in the color assignment, you don't have to take the assignment title literally. I anticipate that most of us will play with monochrome images and that's sorta the intent here. But if you can illustrate the the phrase in a color picture then do it! Still, whatever "black and white" means to you, let's see what you can do with it!
Photo Exercise #5 - Inside
Duration: Month of August
I think for September I might do a longer assignment, but here's one more 1-month assignment for August. Have fun getting creative with your interpretations of the word inside. There's a lot of potential here, and I am looking forward to seeing what we can come up with! Happy shooting!
Photo Exercise #6 - Focus!
Duration: Month of September
This month I want you to focus on what you're doing, and use focus as the main theme in your submissions. You could go for extreme shallow DOF, you could try selective focus to isolate the subject, you could try emulating Ansel Adams' tendency to have EVERYTHING in the frame in the crispest possible focus, or you could go out in left field and surprise us all with your interpretation. Wherever inspiration takes you, let's see it!
Photo Exercise #7 - Once Per Week!
Duration: Month of October
Ok, folks, this time it's going to be a real assignment. Our assignment (you can still call it an exercise if that makes you feel better ;-)) is to post 4 pictures here, one per week. Here's the challenge: make them good. Make them real good. Don't just find yourself on friday posting some crap you happen to have (not saying anyone has done this, but this is definitely not the month to just toss something up here). Each week I want us to find an object, or a scene, or whatever, and shoot it multiple times. Shoot it at different times of day, or with different lenses, or by changing the lighting. Each week really spend some time shooting, altering, reshooting, revisiting, and re-reshooting your picture until you have it looking really good. Then post that. Next week you can pick the same or a different subject/scene, whatever floats your boat, but repeat the process of multiple different attempts on the same subject/scene and really changing up how you approach the shot. The idea here is that if we make ourselves rethink what we're shooting we may discover that our initial viewpoint was inferior to what we can build up to by really working at it.
This is my most involved assignment yet, and I understand it may seem daunting. I encourage us all to rise to the challenge. I want more participation this month, not less! And if you want to post multiple versions of a week's shot to demonstrate how you changed it over time, do it! It could be fun for us to discuss process and not just a single static piece.
Photo Exercise #8 - Family
Duration: Month of November
I guess I should scale this one back, since not even I was able to participate in last month's assignment. Mad props to Prosp and Slug for posting. But let's move on to new pastures. It's November, the time of Indians and Pilgrims and Turkeys and fat feasts. So, in keeping with the theme of Thanksgiving, this month's assignment is family. Feel free to be as creative with this as you want - you don't need to be literal unless you wish. And as always, use this theme as a first step to get out there and push yourself to take the best picture you can!
Photo Exercise #9 - Sleep
Duration: Month of December
Winter will officially be upon us this month, and the world is shutting down. It seems a good time to for us to shake off our seasonal lethargy and try to catch some sleep. As always, I encourage you to shake it up a little and see how you can illustrate this simple word in a way that challenges your creativity. Try to not merely sleepwalk thorugh it. ;-)
Photo Exercise #10 - Brand New
Duration: Month of January
It's a new month, in a new year - so let's all shoot something new!!
Photo Exercise #11 - Composition "Rules" #1 - Lines
Duration: Month of February
For the next few months, let's practice the basic 'rules' of composition. I put the word rules in quotes because we all know that (1) following these practices does not guarantee a good picture and (2) failing to follow them does not guarantee a bad picture. But it's better to be familiar with how to use these guidelines before deciding to ditch them, so why not practice them?
For the duration of these assignments, I'll be following this site (http://asp.photo.free.fr/Composition/photoProgramCompMainClass.shtml) as it has a good list of the basic rules of composition as well as some good descriptions and info. Check it out!!
For the first in this series, let's skip Simplicity and go straight to Lines. <--(that's a link there, by the way)
Photo Exercise #12 - Composition "Rules" #2 - Rule of Thirds
Duration: Month of March
For the next few months, let's practice the basic 'rules' of composition. I put the word rules in quotes because we all know that (1) following these practices does not guarantee a good picture and (2) failing to follow them does not guarantee a bad picture. But it's better to be familiar with how to use these guidelines before deciding to ditch them, so why not practice them?
For the duration of these assignments, I'll be following this site (http://asp.photo.free.fr/Composition/photoProgramCompMainClass.shtml) as it has a good list of the basic rules of composition as well as some good descriptions and info. Check it out!!
For the next installment of this series, try the Rule of Thirds. <--(that's a link there, by the way)." Yes the rule of thirds has been hammered into everyone since time immemorial, and yes everyone's sick of it, and no adherence to it does not guarantee a good shot nor does ignoring it make a bad shot. But let's all get over our own personal grudges and see if we can look at the rule with new eyes, and make a masterful shot using its simple guidelines.
Photo Exercise #13 - Composition "Rules" #3 - Balance
Duration: Month of April
For the next few months, let's practice the basic 'rules' of composition. I put the word rules in quotes because we all know that (1) following these practices does not guarantee a good picture and (2) failing to follow them does not guarantee a bad picture. But it's better to be familiar with how to use these guidelines before deciding to ditch them, so why not practice them?
For the duration of these assignments, I'll be following this site (http://asp.photo.free.fr/Composition/photoProgramCompMainClass.shtml) as it has a good list of the basic rules of composition as well as some good descriptions and info. Check it out!!
For the next installment of this series, try the Balance. <--(that's a link there, by the way)." Read it, practice it, live it, LOVE IT!
Photo Exercise #14 - Heat
Duration: Month of June
Ok, a couple people seemed interested, so let's try another assignment. It's getting close to summer, folks, so let's try to heat it up a little! Interpret the word however you want to, but flex those photography muscles and really try to convey heat to us through your picture(s).
erisian pope on
0
Posts
Maybe I'll do multiple assignments per roll.... yeah...
I'll start shooting!
But I've already taken that picture, so nevermind!
I've never pretended to be a photographer, but I found this pile of mowers when I was out scouting locations for a photo shoot for a cover of my company's catalog (I usually just do the planning and hire a photographer to shoot the cover itself), and was really surprised at how it came out. Neat interplay of color.
My Website | My "photo-a-day" 2010
However, it's not April yet, you stinking cheaters.
Sheri Baldwin Photography | Facebook | Twitter | Etsy Shop | BUY ME STUFF (updated for 2014!)
My Website | My "photo-a-day" 2010
Unfortunately now it's just regular green and brown. I guess I'll have to come up with something else.
Overall, this isn't a good picture, but I figured it fits the requirements, and is a kind of nice way to go from winter to spring.
Sheri Baldwin Photography | Facebook | Twitter | Etsy Shop | BUY ME STUFF (updated for 2014!)
erisian pope: I find that picture extremely jarring. Not because it's a bad photo (far from it, I'd say), but the subject makes me anxious for some reason.
Here's one of mine. Taken in April or March, I think... of last year << but I wanted to participate.
It's from the flowerbed/bench in front of my house's front entrance.
4square - also all about color. Awesome!
Sheri - When you say color, you mean it! (I love it!)
Believe - Do you watch too much anime per chance? ^__^ (I like the flower and the comp, but I wish more of the flower were in focus).
My Website | My "photo-a-day" 2010
Believe, it's a pretty flower but the idea of the assignment thread is that you go out and shoot something with the subject the thread introduced in mind, not just posting up old stuff that happens to fit.
EDIT: Damn you colorspace.
More shots and larger sizes on the flickr.
I'll probably try this again. =/ Practice makes stuff.
The Blog of Shame -- Misadventures in Ruby
flickr
Here are a couple more from me:
My Website | My "photo-a-day" 2010
WetbackMcMoneyfingers. Or a Mexi-Jew. - awesome!
Or posting old photos that were taken before this thread came up?
It's not like I don't look at both threads.
This is to everybody in general.
The purpose of this thread as I conceived it is for taking and posting pics with a a specific theme or assignment in mind (and this same thread will house each successive theme or assignment, rather than cluttering the AC with short-lived photo threads). I supposed that some/many?/most? of the denizens of the main photo thread might choose to not check this thread as well, so I suggested occasional cross posting if one happens to feel that one's picture might benefit from visibility from the main of the photographers here in the AC.
To answer your second question (are the pics taken with the exercise in mind?) - Mine are. I sincerely hope that all pics posted here are taken with that exercise in mind and are not merely pics that happen to suit the topic. The entire point of an exercise is to deliberately pursue and accomplish the idea, not to luck into it.
And yes, you very well might view both threads and I suspect you aren't the only one. But will everyone? Espeically because I enjoy and always hope for critiques I want the largest possible audience in hopes of gathering any/all possible critical feedback.
Do you feel that my base assumption (that this thread, like the 365 thread) will enjoy more limited viewership than the main Photo thread is maybe off-base? What do you other people think? Perhaps we should avoid cross-posting. I am TOTALLY open to input here. This whole thing is all off-the-cuff for me. I did one other assignment thread way back (Sheri might remember, she shot a couple dozen pics of a clarinet or a saxaphone) and we did cross-posting then too. I dunno. What do people think?
My Website | My "photo-a-day" 2010
On an unrelated note: any chance we can do this more than once a month? That seems a bit slow. How about every two weeks?
On the last page Nareg said 1 month per is better due to his(her?) shooting film. I don't suppose we'll ever suit everyone all the time and my original intent was to switch it up. I feel like a broad topic like this can stand some time for us to really dig into it. But I am hoping people will speak up with their ideas and preferences and shit, like you just did. Maybe next one will be 2 weeks. Anyone else wanna chime in?
My Website | My "photo-a-day" 2010
WetbackMcMoneyfingers. Or a Mexi-Jew. - awesome!
I"m going to see if I can't get something non-flower-related for my next one.
The highlights could do with a taller lightsource to get them running all the way up to the top of the glasses, but at least the backlighting's worked ok.
I didn't notice until I'd already packed everything up that the card I was using for the background wasn't quite centred around the glasses, so the darker lines down the edges of the glasses aren't quite even on either side, which is annoying, but not annoying enough to make me set everything back up again.
Are you kidding, I did a clarinet, a bass clarinet, a saxophone, an oboe, a flute, a bassoon, a french horn and a trumpet.
Sheri Baldwin Photography | Facebook | Twitter | Etsy Shop | BUY ME STUFF (updated for 2014!)