The Last Hurrah!

I am home with pneumonia-may not return until Thursday!  Get your images uploaded and your prints matted.   I will try to get the sub to give out the final exemption forms tomorrow.
Megan and other zombies need to check out this link with the opportunity to appear as zombie extras in a movie being made this week:http://qctimes.com/entertainment/28d3816e-ebb5-11df-afcf-001cc4c002e0.html

Panic Notice

Some of you have slowed down or quit and now is the time to ramp up your work.  There are no digital color prints turned in from Adv Draw or AP as of today and that needs to be done ASAP.  We have matting to do the next two weeks, some of you may be going to the Portfolio Day in Des Moines on November 6, and you need to be ready to present your final portfolio of trimester work by November 10, 11, or 12.  Select two of the assignments listed below and complete by Friday, November 5th.  GET OUT THERE AND SHOOT!   This is the best looking fall I can remember in ten years. 

You should be uploading your work on photoshop and altering contrast, color, and texture to enhance the photos you have taken.  Get busy!  Read over your assignment lists for ideas.

Some new ideas are to shoot any of the following assignments:
1.  The essence of Clinton- what is the image that gives you the story of Clinton, Iowa
2.  Silhouettes- the blackened out version of any person or object with the background as the story
3.  Portraiture- look for interesting faces with unusual angles, (not a snapshot of your friends), does a portrait have to be only of a face?
4.  Selective color- scan any photo and take away all the color except for one specific area of emphasis
5.  Landscape-set a mood, document a location, create a new world
6.  Illustrate a song, book, or poem with your photography
7.  Low aperture close up works-do close up work with low aperture to reduce background distractions
8.  Commercial work-think about product photography and creative lighting to inspire new works

Check out CLASS JUMP!

I have posted your assignment handout, an alternative darkroom technique handout and a power point refreshing your memory on photo compositions to Class Jump.

Dance Studio

Carousel School of Dance will be open to photography and drawing students tonight from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. You do not have to stay the entire time; but I would suggest you arrive early and enter the dance studio on time. Be respectful and quiet and shoot away. You could work with either an analog or digital camera.

National Portfolio Day

National Portfolio Day is an opportunity to have your artwork reviewed by admission counselors from many schools of art. The schools represented come from small to large art schools from all over the United States. The representatives look over your work and make suggestions for improvement as well as talking to you about your future plans.

I would suggest you car pool and try to visit one of the regional portfolio review days to have your work looked at, look at other student work, and generally try to find some inspiration. You do not have to go to an art school, but you may want an opinion from an art school professional about making your work stronger.

Regional dates are:

Sat, Oct 23: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
10:00am - 2:00pm

Sun, Oct 24: Chicago, Illinois, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
10:00am - 2:00pm

Sat, Nov 6: Des Moines, Iowa, Sheraton West Des Moines
Hosted by: Minneapolis College of Art and Design
12:00pm - 4:00pm

Photoshop Tricks

Here is an assignment using a self portrait that has been scaled down and added by photoshop to create some trick photography. This was found under special projects on the White River High School link: http://www.whiteriverphotoart.org/specialprojects/SPf08/specialprojectsPStrixf08.html

Advanced Placement Requirements

We are now in week seven of the trimester and you need to have 24 college level works done by the end of April. Remember there will be 12 works in the breadth (a variety of works demonstrating your understanding of the PRINCIPLES of design) and 12 different works in your concentration (a group of related works investigating a particular design or visual idea). From these 24 pieces, the best five that show your accomoplishment will form the quality section of the portfolio. For sample works that show the scoring level of the work go to apcentral.collegeboard.com and look under the AP 2D Design or AP Drawing exams.

Photography of Dancers

Tonight is open studio for you to photograph dancers. Think about angles, repetition, capturing movement. You can move around the studio, you can sit along the sides, but remember the dancers are there to learn and practice. Some of the girls may be on pointe and some may not. I have tried to find some sample images to share with you. Check out the work on this website:
http://clarkstreeter.net/bwphotos.html