Final Project

Our final class project will consist of... Drumroll please...

A COLORING Assignment!

Yup, that's right, it's gonna be sweet. The reason I asked you guys to download photoshop and take pictures of your classmates is because we're going to be creating coloring pages today in class based on those images. Here's what I want for you when coloring though.

1. Explore new methods for coloring. Are you going to melt colors together and brush it on? Cut chunks off a coloring stick and rub it in? There are TONS of different methods out there that go far beyond simply coloring in the outlines of an image. Explore and have fun!

2. You are going to choose two images to color. Both pages should be 8.5x11, black and white.

3. Before you start coloring your images and after exploring methods, write out what you're going to attempt and your process and post it to your blog.

3. Upon completion, take pictures of your images and post them onto your blog. With the images provide a 2-3 paragraph summary of how the process went. Was it harder and or more complicated than you thought? What methods would you have liked to try that you didn't?


Here's how we're going to turn your photographs into coloring pages:

1. Open Photograph
2. Duplicate the layer
3. Go to Image - Adjustments - Desaturate
4. Duplicate that layer
5. Go to Image - Adjustments - Invert
6. Go to Blending Options for that layer and choose linear dodge
7. For that layer go to: Filter - Blur - Guassian Blur (Find the best combination of black and white colors using the slider).

Fun Work | April 25

Hello my friends!
Here's what I'd like for you to do on Wednesday. Very very short and sweet.

1. If you haven't finished downloading Photoshop, PLEASE make sure that it is on your computer and opens properly before class begins on Wednesday.

2. Take 10 photographs of any of your classmates (need to be different people) and post to blog. Pictures need to have clean, non-distracting backgrounds. For example, solid colored walls, brick backgrounds, etc.

On Wednesday I'll tell you what we're going to be doing with those images for the next week, working in Photoshop. Let me know if you have any questions!

Download Photoshop CS6

Students: Click on this link and navigate towards the bottom of the post where it says you can download a trial copy of Photoshop CS6.

Now await further instruction :)

Fun Work | April 17

See UPDATED post from APRIL 11 for your assignment for this week.

Fun Work | April 11

Here's the mini-version of the self portrait assignment we did over break. I'd like you to spend the next week doing the assignment and have pictures ready for me at the beginning of class, next wednesday, April 11.

1. Shoot a total of 7 images, starting today and going through until next Tuesday, April 10.

2. Need to be self portraits that include some portion of you in the photograph.

3. The picture MUST be properly exposed and in focus.

4. The photographs need to be taken with an actual camera.

5. After editing the image at the end of each day, open it in Pixelmator and make sure the image size is a minimum of 4x6 with a resolution (dpi) of 240.

6. Put your images inside a folder with your full, ex. "Jonny Long".

7. Each of your images should be named as follows, "Jonny 01, Jonny 02, Jonny 03," etc.

8. Turn that folder into me at the beginning of class on Wednesday.

Fun Work | April 11 *UPDATE" Due APRIL 17

Hello all. Hope you had a terrific Spring Break and are ready to hit the ground running here today. Okay, so a couple of things to touch on.

First of all, I love you all. I'd be lying if I said I'm not a little disappointed, however, with how our last assignment has turned out. Two of you got me the images by the assigned due date of March 28 with the correct format for printing. Also, the number one requirement I had for capturing the photographs was to make sure that above everything else, you took photographs that were in FOCUS. There are some good images, but there are also quite a few that are entirely out of focus, as in not any one portion of the photograph is in focus. We've had the conversation in class before about the importance of following instructions/directions and I feel as though maybe I have been a little bit too willing to let things fly. Because of this we're going to have some changes for how we conduct completing assignments. This will be to help hold you as well as me accountable with following through with assignments. Stay tuned as I need to have a discussion with Kevin as to how to proceed exactly.

As far as today, we're not able to work on mounting our self portraits on poster board as I didn't get all of your images in time to print, which I spoke to some of you personally about last night and asked to get from you. With that said, we'll do this part of the assignment next week in class. Here's what I'd like for today:

1. Please open all of your images and make sure that they are saved with a resolution of 240dpi. We are printing 4x6 images so the picture dimensions need to be at least 4x6 inches. Make sure in Pixelmator that they are in fact at least 4x6 inches. NOTE: Not sure if any of you did this, I hope not, but you cannot use your computer to get a picture to print as the computer only captures a photograph for the web at 72dpi.

2. Rename all of your image so they read as follows: "Your name01" Ex. "Jonny01", "Jonny02", etc. and place them in a folder with your full name. Ex. "Jonny Long"

3. Copy the above folder onto the hard drive provided to you and give back to me.

4. For the rest of class and this next week, I'd like you to research and write a paper on the history of Photography. How did it begin? What was it like for those that first took photographs? Who invented it? What were some of the challenges? Talk about technological progression, the difference between editing in a dark room vs. a computer, etc. Lots of things to discuss. Here's the requirements:

- 2-3 Pages in length (Double Spaced). 12 pt font.

- 4-6 Sentences per paragraph (Count the sentences if you need to! There shouldn't be 3 or 10sentences for any one paragraph).

- Top left of the page needs to be a header with your name, the date, and class.

- Paper needs to have a Title

- Print paper, staple together, and hand in to me at the beginning of class next Wednesday. That doesn't mean print it after we meet in class next week. It needs to be printed before you get to school Wednesday and ready to hand in to me by the start of class!

Wednesday, March 7 - In class Assignment

Thanks to my brother, Joseph for writing this project up. It's a good one!

Some of you have seen the KONY 2012 documentary. Most of you have probably seen links or references to it on Facebook. Today, we will be watching it on our computers. If you have already seen it, then you may either watch it again or respond in depth to the questions below. If you are watching it for the first time in class today, you will probably not have time to finish your post. Your post will be due by Wednesday, March 14 at 2.30 pm (before class begins). Come to class tomorrow prepared to discuss.

Post: KONY 2012
Labels: documentary, Question of the Day, critical thinking, mass media

1. Summarize the documentary KONY 2012 in one paragraph. What is it about? (one paragraph)
2. Why did the filmmaker choose to make this film? What does he hope to achieve? What is his specific goal and what is his strategy for making it happen? (1-2 paragraphs)
3. What is your personal opinion on the strategy he is using to raise awareness? Is it effective? At some point, people get tired of seeing "the same old posts" about an issue. Some of you have already asked the question "what's the point of this video?" What is the point? Even if you're personally tired of seeing links and posts about it, do you think there is value in saturating the media like the film proposes? What would you do different? (1-2 paragraphs)
4. What do you think about about the idea of making a "bad person a celebrity?" Are there any negatives to this approach? (one paragraph)
5. What is the difference between raising awareness and between a call to action?
6. What is an issue you feel strongly about - strongly enough that you would want to not only raise awareness, but call people to action? Be specific - in other words, don't just choose a topic like 'eliminate world hunger.' It doesn't have to be a global issue, but it should be a specific, definable one where you are proposing a specific solution. What is a specific way to focus on that topic? Ask yourself the following questions:
   What is the issue?
   Where is it?
   Who are the people affected?
   Why should people care about this issue?
   What can people like you do to solve the problem; to help? What specifically can people do?
   How could you use the media to call attention to the issue? How can you get people's attention?

Fun Work | March 14

Hello my friends.

In case you missed me saying it the last few times, I'm seriously proud of you all for how tremendous you were in planning/preparing for last weeks church service at Bridgecity. Thanks for being thoughtful in your thinking and speaking candidly in front of so many people!

We've had a bit of a hiatus with our regular class coursework and assignments so we're going to pick things back up here over the next couple of weeks. I'm going to be in Hollywood, CA from March 15-26 for work and to visit family so unfortunately I won't be with you Wednesday, March 21. With that said, we are going to spend some time on a multi-week long project that I'd like for you to work on.

Here's what we're doing until we meet again on March 28.

1. Self Portraits. Take one self-portrait every day that shows your emotions and happenings of that day. This doesn't mean that you simply take one photo and call it good. Plan it out, what are you going to wear? How might your environment juxtapose whatever type of mood you are in/how you're feeling? Take several photos and only after viewing them on your computer should you choose your best photograph. EVERY image absolutely must be in focus and properly exposed at bear minimum.

Let me repeat that, every image HAS to be in focus and properly exposed. You guys are far enough along now that this shouldn't be a problem. I'll be able to tell if you put time and thought into your photographs, please don't let me down!

When we come to class on March 28, you should have a total of 21 photographs. That means that starting today and through Tuesday, March 27 you will have completed and edited image that you've chosen for each day. I will gather all of your images for print on March 28 and the following week (April 4), you will all organize and place your images onto a white or black foamcore background for display.

So in summary, here's what you need:

March 28: 21 complete and edited photographs by the beginning of class to hand off to Jonny.

April 4: Bring to class one foamcore background. Size should be roughly 24x36. Also bring supplies for mounting and labeling such as a glue stick and permanent markers.

I'm looking forward to seeing what your creative minds produce!

Fun Work | February 15

Hey guys!

Here's what I'd like for this wednesday. Now that you've completed your brief paper for the upcoming sermon here in a couple of weeks. I'd like to start planning and shooting the images that you'd like to accompany your talk(s). We're going to spend Wednesday brainstorming and helping each other come up with ideas for your short talk and each of you will be giving a very informal pre-talk so we can give you feedback. No need to be worried, but please come prepared with what you have so we can walk through them together.

Also:

1. Shoot ten images that you think you might like to accompany your talk and post them to your blog. These will not be your final images but will talk about them as well and give ideas for other types of shots and ways to shoot the existing shot's

In Class | Article

This is an extremely powerful article that we'll be reading in class. Check it out HERE.

Fun Work | February 1

Aloha my friends. Here's what we've got brewing for next week:

1. Read this and write a one paragraph response regarding whether or not you agree with the article. Did you over apply some of these same things to your project last week?! Maybe time to re-examine your work?

2. Go through and watch each of the basic tutorials here and write a two sentence summary of what the basic components of each tool accomplishes on your blog.

3. Stay tuned!

Fun Work | January 25

Here's what's in store for next week:

1. Read through and watch the video at this link.

2. Write a 1-2 paragraph summary of what you learned in the tutorial as it relates to editing portraits and more specifically how to accomplish certain things while editing an image in Pixelmator.

3. Take the below image and go step by step through the video tutorial to edit it. Some of the colors may differ but you will accomplish each step by utilizing the same tools in Pixelmator.

4. Upload a before and after image to your blog.

5. You're done!

My little Mac Class!

January 18 | Fun Work

I hope you guys enjoyed last weeks assignment with doing basic editing to the pictures you took on our field trip. We're going to continue to explore the world of Photography and Design this next week. Here's what's in store!

Since we've been studying portraiture, we're going to keep at it.

1. Read this article.

2. On your blog write a two paragraph response summary to the article and what you learned about taking portraits and techniques.

3. Using the article as your guide, choose four of the sixteen mentioned techniques to emulate.

4. PLAN! Don't just shoot without giving any thought to what you're going to shoot. I want you to plan / shoot / edit / upload four separate images. Each image should coincide with the particular technique that you've chosen.

If you're choosing "Posing" as one of your techniques, how are you going to pose your subject? What environment do you want your subject to be in? Is it an establishing shot or a close up? Is it a light and happy mood or are you trying to portray drama and intensity?

5. REALLY IMPORTANT! Each of your images MUST be in focus. You'll find that it's easiest to get an image in focus if you have plenty of natural light. In other words, it's harder to accurately shoot photographs in focus inside with a point and shoot camera. Not impossible, but harder.

6. Once you've shot your images, make basic edits to each image you choose and upload the four finished images to your blog.

7. Under each photograph write one paragraph stating what your vision(s) were for the image when you were planning and how you think the finished product turned out.

January 11 | Fun Work

Hello my lovely class. Here's what I'd like to see for next week with the images you took on our field trip.

1. After looking through all of the photographs you took, select your top 5 favorites (1 needs to be one of your city scape shots).

2. Edit those 5 images, keeping in mind that it's not about completely changing the image as it is about preserving the original photograph and enhancing it's attributes.

Things to edit (If you don't know how to, look it up!):

a. Exposure

b. Color temperature / white balance / tonal adjustments

c. Levels (shadows, midtones, highlights)

d. Curves

e. Sharpening

f. Vignette (What is a vignette? Maybe you want a subtle vignette on a couple of your photographs?) This is optional, you don't have to do this if you'd rather not, but I want you to know what it is and how to do it.

3. Once you've edited those five photographs, make a new document in Pixelmator with the following dimensions: 15x15 in, 240 dpi, background - white.

4. In this new document, place your original image on the left side and the edited image directly to the right of that image. You'll need to resize the photographs to make them fit accordingly in the document. Write "Before" and "After" on the respected images. Make sure to save out as a .jpg in order to upload to your blogs

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the remaining four photographs.

6. Post all 5 before/after images to your blogs.

7. Write a one paragraph statement about what you learned with the editing process.

I'll choose the image that I believe features the best editing job and subsequently Kevin will buy that person some sort of beverage, if I'm not mistaken :)

As always, let me know if you have any questions!

6. Post all