Unit 1:

Shooting Assignment
The Principles of Photographic Composition

You will create a series of 8 photographs that explore the principles of photographic
composition. Your series of 8 photographs will clearly illustrate each prompt and will utilize
each matching Principle of Composition. This project includes a peer critique component and
your photo journal.

SHOOTING ASSIGNMENT:
Light: You Light Up My Life
Line: The Road to Nowhere/Somewhere
Rule of Thirds: You choose
Frame Within A Frame: Something I Value
Using the Edges of A Frame: Opposites Attract (or) Polar Opposites
Cropping/Filling the Frame: Zoom (or) Abstractions
Point of View: I Am A Worm (or) I Am Floating
Texture/Pattern: Clothing as Self Portrait

JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT:
In your sketchbook create a thumbnail sketch for each of the principles of photographic
composition that we discussed in class. You can also refer to the PowerPoint posted on the
class blog. Your sketches should show ways you plan to explore each principle and the
theme accompanying each principle.

For example:

LIGHT: make a thumbnail sketch of a person with their hair surrounded by a halo of light:
 Photo Journal
Visual and Written Reflection:
The Principles of Photographic Composition

Choose one or two of the prompts from your list for the first shooting assignment (You Light
Up My Life, I Am A Worm, etc) and reflect visually and verbally on two facing pages(2-page
spread) in your sketchbook. Your reflection should address the following things:

1. Your initial brainstorming for this assignment.

ƒ Why did you choose this particular subject for the prompt?
ƒ What were you trying to capture with the photograph you took?
ƒ What did you do to try to capture this in the photograph you took?

2. Your actual photo shoot.

ƒ Is there anything else you wish you could have/would have done for this prompt to
make it more effective or special?

This sketchbook reflection should be both verbal and visual, and could even be in the form of
a collage. You will need to leave room on a page near this page for further reflection on your
prints, so you may want to continue your design onto the adjacent pages.

Need inspiration for journal ideas? Check out these links:

David Eldon
Teesha Moore

Commentary: Choose three photographs from Shooting Assignment 1 and answer the
questions below. You will also discuss these questions when presenting your photographs to
the class during the Gallery Walk.

1. Why did you choose each of these photographs? Which of the three is the most
meaningful to you? Why?

2. Which image do you think is the most successful in terms of the principles of photographic
composition you were exploring? What makes it successful? What do you think are the most
important characteristics of a successful photograph?

3. What are three goals you have for your next shooting assignment? What can you
improve upon that you learned through this assignment?
Principles of Photographic Composition: Three Best Photos
10 photos: Light, Line, Frame in Frame, Edges, Cropping, POV, Texture & Pattern, Rule of Thirds plus two paired
photos for “My Hometown”

Objective Design Studio Skills Presentation

The three selected Each image exhibits Images are sharp, The digital print is evident of
prints were each strong composition deliberate and clearly quality time, thought, and
clearly inspired by one with a clear sense of illustrate camera care. It is free of stains,
of the provided visual movement. functions. Functions are scratches and folds. The
prompts and utilize the Images have good appropriately matched to borders are evenly cropped
matching Principle of variety, focal points, image and purpose. and the work is neatly
Composition. angles, placement mounted on black paper.
and background is Additionally, the work is
considered. properly labeled and put in
Hand-In and your Flickr site.

____/30 ____/30 ____/30 ____/30

Principles of Photographic Composition: Three Best Photos

10 photos: Light, Line, Frame in Frame, Edges, Cropping, POV, Texture & Pattern, Rule of Thirds plus two paired
photos for “My Hometown”

Objective Design Studio Skills Presentation

The three selected Each image exhibits Images are sharp, The digital print is evident of
prints were each strong composition deliberate and clearly quality time, thought, and
clearly inspired by one with a clear sense of illustrate camera care. It is free of stains,
of the provided visual movement. functions. Functions are scratches and folds. The
prompts and utilize the Images have good appropriately matched to borders are evenly cropped
matching Principle of variety, focal points, image and purpose. and the work is neatly
Composition. angles, placement mounted on black paper.
and background is Additionally, the work is
considered. properly labeled and put in
Hand-In and your Flickr site.

____/30 ____/30 ____/30 ____/30

Sketchbook Page
Assignment: ________________________________________
Why do you like it? Why did you choose it?

First impressions (too light/too dark, etc.)

Print a small thumbnail How can it be made better? (crop out areas, change exposure, etc)
of your photo.

Why do you like it? Why did you choose it?

What in this photograph works particularly well? Why?

How can it be made better? (crop out areas, change exposure, etc)
Print a small thumbnail
of your photo.

Why do you like it? Why did you choose it?

First impressions (too light/too dark, etc.)

How can it be made better? (crop out areas, change exposure, etc)
Print a small thumbnail
of your photo.

Why do you like it? Why did you choose it?

First impressions (too light/too dark, etc.)

How can it be made better? (crop out areas, change exposure, etc)
Print a small thumbnail
of your photo.

Why do you like it? Why did you choose it?

First impressions (too light/too dark, etc.)

Print a small thumbnail

of your photo. How can it be made better? (crop out areas, change exposure, etc)