PROJECT #8: PHOTO ESSAY #1

WHAT IS A PHOTO ESSAY?

There are two types of photo essays: the narrative and the thematic. 

Narrative photo essays focus on a story you’re telling the viewer.

Thematic photo essays speak to a specific subject.

DIRECTIONS.

1. Choose a NARRATIVE or THEME to photograph: an event/subject matter/theme that has a story that can be told. Choosing something specific may help you to zero-in on the what and why you are telling this story. 

3. Who will you be photographing for the essay? A person or people must be involved in your topic or theme. 50% (give or take a bit) of your final images must include a human presence.

4. Once you have decided on a narrative/theme, plan the images you will make from the list below.

5. 24 photos minimum.

RESOURCE LINK #1:  https://digital-photography-school.com/8-tips-storytelling-images/

RESOURCE LINK #2:  https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-photo-essay#6EsHN8CLerMhkrkow4XpRw

RESOURCE LINK #3: https://www.photocontestinsider.com/photo-essay-examples/

RESOURCE LINK #4: https://expertphotography.com/17-photo-essay-examples-ideas/

RESOURCE LINK #5: https://www.format.com/magazine/resources/photography/how-to-make-photo-essay-examples#:~:text=There%20are%20two%20types%20of,speak%20to%20a%20specific%20subject.

RESOURCE LINK #6: https://www.cameraworld.co.uk/news/2021/07/how-to-tell-a-story-with-photography/

STORY LINK #1:  https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/02/09/style/first-car-young-americans.html

STORY LINK #2:  https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/02/16/style/mexican-family-restaurant-connecticut.html

CONSIDER.
Put your emotions aside. Open your eyes. Take interesting angles. Include interesting light.
Make thoughtful compositions. What is the humanity in your subject...and capture it. 

PROJECT #7: SAKURA

 sa·ku·ra

/səˈko͝orə/

Learn to pronounce

noun

1. (especially in Japan) a flowering cherry tree.

   "many schools plant sakura on their grounds"

   • cherry blossoms collectively.

     plural noun: sakura

     "when the sakura is at its peak, businesses vary their trading hours to give staff the time to enjoy hanami"
   • 
     

DIRECTIONS:  Make 10+ images 

If you are working with a SLR or other advanced camera, be mindful of the APERTURE & ISO controls. The wider the aperture, the more out of focus the background will be. Explore your camera settings.

Possible Ideas...
-overexpose the image (high key lighting. CLICK HERE)
-underexpose the image (low key lighting. CLICK HERE).
-flash at night

-revisit macro

-juxtapose the sky and blossoms

-a friend's hand & blossom in focus, while the rest of the background is out of focus (depth of field).
-more...

Nakamura's site. CLICK HERE.

PROJECT #6: CHIAROSCURO & REMBRANDT Portraits

 

chi·a·ro·scu·ro

/kyärəˈsk(y)o͝orō/

noun

1. • an effect of contrasted light and shadow created by light falling unevenly or from a particular direction on something.
   • ************************************************************

DIRECTIONS.

1. PERSON 1: Make 3-5 exposures of a person (or multiple people) using the Rembrandt lighting technique - with the small triangle of highlight on the shadowed side of the face.

Move the light source and/or your subject's head tilt/angle, even slightly, for each photograph to achieve slightly different shapes of the Rembrandt triangle of light.

It is normal to have many photos that look similar, but because you will slightly change angle of light/head during 

2. PERSON 2: Make 10 exposures of a person (or multiple people) using the Rembrandt lighting technique - with the small triangle of highlight on the shadowed side of the face.

= A total of  13-15 images.

RATIONALE.

To explore intentional light, and exert a bit of control in the way the light illuminates the subject.

NOTE

All 10+ Rembrandt images must be portraits of people.

The chiaroscuro images can be any subject matter that is illuminated in a high contrast manner. 

Chiaroscuro (Italian for light-dark) is a style of art that is characterized by strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. More HERE.

Rembrandt lighting is a lighting technique that is sometimes used in studio portrait photography. It can be achieved using one light and a reflector, or two lights, and is popular because it is capable of producing images which appear both natural and compelling with a minimum of equipment. Rembrandt lighting is characterised by an illuminated triangle under the eye of the subject, on the less illuminated side of the face. It is named for the Dutch painter Rembrandt, known for his use of light. More HERE.

In order to achieve the beautiful contrast between light and dark, known as chiaroscuro, there is a method employed by photographers - Rembrandt Lighting.

 

Decoding Chiaroscuro. CLICK HERE.
Click HERE to see and read how it is done.
An Aper(cul)ture article on Rembrandt lighting technique HERE.
Click HERE to see a few more lighting techniques (as well as more on Rembrandt lighting)
Examples. (CLICK HERE).

How to Create Rembrandt Lighting