Throughout the course you will be expected to:

• consistently use appropriate vocabulary when discussing media artworks and associated materials, technologies, and processes.
• use a variety of materials, media arts technologies, and processes to create images.
• apply appropriate materials, media arts technologies, and processes to achieve their intent in media artwork.
• use and maintain materials, equipment, and work space in a safe and environmentally sensitive manner.
• create media arts images using a variety of design strategies and image sources to reach a specific audience or achieve a specific purpose.
• compare the effect of images developed using two or more media arts technologies.

Assignment 1 - Why Photography?

Why Photography

Assignment 2 - Career

Goals

• demonstrate an understanding of various career options in the media arts.

Task

Complete the following lesson by reading the article and visiting the recommended site to calculate the costs of the business. Also provide you own view on the following portions:

"I want to serve the people that can't afford those costs.the answer to question 2) is: Other peoples' budgets are not your job, you have to cover you're costs. When you establish a profitable photo business, you can give a portion of your profits toward projects in which you believe. Until then, your job is to build a sustainable business that provides a valuable service. The people that value what you do will find a way to pay for it. The ones that don't are not your clients."

The Costs of A Photography Business

Assignment 3 - Diazo Prints

Goals

• use media arts technology to create images that demonstrate particular visual elements and principles of art and design.
• compare the effect of images developed using two or more media arts technologies.

Task

Visit Prepared Photography Course Resources to see examples of this technique and read the instructions for how to create your own. You will need to submit at least 2 Diazo prints of your own for this project. Also, be sure to record the exposure time so that improvements in clarity or shape could be made. Keep track of your process (just like performing a scientific experiment) so that it could be repeated by you or others.

Assignment 4 - Shutter Speed

Goals

• use media arts technology to create images that demonstrate particular visual elements and principles of art and design.

Task

Read the following link and take a series of photos experimenting with Shutter Speed. You will need to make sure you use the same subject matter for every picture (pictures are all of the same "thing"). Note your shutter speed for each photo and if you are outside, also note any changes in cloud cover or lighting. Select your favourite shot and describe why you chose it. You might choose two favourites: one that is the clearest focus and one that is the most "artistic".

Shutter Speed

Assignment 5 - Low Light

Goals

• use media arts technology to create images that demonstrate particular visual elements and principles of art and design.
• compare the effect of images developed using two or more media arts technologies.

Experimenting with Low Light

or

Exposure Basics

Assignment 6 - Exposure High Key

Goals

• use media arts technology to create images that demonstrate particular visual elements and principles of art and design.
• compare the effect of images developed using two or more media arts technologies.

Exposure High key

Assignment 8 - Negative Space

Goals

• use media arts technology to create images that demonstrate particular visual elements and principles of art and design.

Negative Space

Assignment 9 - Posing Basics

Goals

• use a variety of media arts technologies and design strategies to create a series of images focusing on one subject or theme.
• use media arts technology to create images that demonstrate particular visual elements and principles of art and design.

For this assignment try to arrange some individual and group shots (with friends or family) to practice the tips. Choose a few of your favourites and submit them. You will need to include why you think they are your best shots reflecting you knowledge of the article.

Posing

Assignment 10 - Art Critic Intro

Goals

• .
• use a variety of media arts technologies and design strategies to create a series of images focusing on one subject or theme.
• compare the application of particular visual elements and principles of art and design in selected media artworks

Task

Download the pdf titled "Intro to Art Critic" and answer the questions in point form. This lesson sets you up for Assignment 7. You will also need to download the photo titled "Immigrant Woman" by Dorothea Lange.

Prepared Photography Course Resources - this page has both the instructions for the assignment as well as the photo. You will need Photo Gallery 1 (click on the bar to show the gallery).

You can also download the assignment as a pdf here

Photo Immigrant Woman - this is the photo that shows the woman holding her baby and the boy peeking over her shoulder

Assignment 11 - Critical Analysis

Goals

• critique the use of the visual elements and principles of art and design in a variety of media artworks.
• identify symbolic and cultural associations of particular visual elements and principles of art and design in media arts.
• compare the application of particular visual elements and principles of art and design in selected media artworks
• analyze how context and purpose influence the content and form of media artworks.
• explain personal interpretation of and preferences for selected media artworks.
• relate the design of media arts images to content and function.
• analyze how materials, media arts technologies, and processes are used to affect the meaning of images.

Task

Download the pdf titled "Critical Analysis of a Photograph" and complete the instructions for your critical Analysis Essay. You will also need to download the picture titled "Social Security" by Dorothea Lange.

Prepared Photography Course Resources - this page has both the instructions for the assignment as well as the photo. You will need Photo Gallery 1 (click on the bar to show the gallery).

You can also download the assignment as a pdf here

Photo Social Security - this is the photo that shows the man sitting and the woman in the background.

If you would prefer to work with a different photo you may do so but it must be a photo taken by a master photographer. Here is a site that you can search through with parental supervision. http://www.masters-of-photography.com

Assignment 12 - Long Exposures with movement

Goals

• create images using sound and movement.
• solve a design problem using one or more media arts technologies.
• compare the effect of images developed using two or more media arts technologies.
• use media arts technology to manipulate selected visual elements and principles of art and design in order to:
  • alter the meaning or effect of images
  • reflect stylistic influences

Task

Movement 1

Movement 2

Notice how the photos in the links above and the Gallery 3 all depict movement. Answer in point form:

• What are the common traits of the photos?
• What equipment would you need to produce photos like these? 
• What camera settings would you need to adjust to create them?

Experiment with taking some of your own photos mimicking the ideas shown here. If you do not live in a big city, that's ok, you do not need to make your shots about the city at night. Just experiment with long exposures and movement and submit the results. You'll need to record the following information about each shot:

• aperture setting
• shutter speed
• time of day (relative to sunset/sunrise)

Assignment 13 - Legalities

Goals

• analyze ethical, moral, and legal considerations associated with using media arts technology for image development.

Task

Read the following story and create a response which shows you understanding of the legalities of reproducing images or re-using them for personal or publication uses.

Emma has been hired to create some posters for her local recreation center which will advertise their summer programs. She searched the internet and found various images that would suite her needs. She saved the images from the artists sites and proceeded to create a few versions of the poster for the rec-center. When she submitted the posters for approval someone on the planning committee objected to the use of one photo saying that his friend had taken it and he knew for sure the friend had no idea Emma was using it for her commissioned job. In the end, Emma was let go from the project with no reimbursement for her work.

• Why was Emma not paid for her work on the posters?
• How could she have avoided this scenario?
• Why was it a problem for her to use other artists' work?
• When is it ok to use other artists work?

Assignment 15 - Evolution of Technology

Goals

• demonstrate an understanding of the evolution of media arts technology used to make images.
• identify the impact of traditional and modern technologies on image development and design.

Task

Create a report which details the evolution of the camera from 1900 to the present. This can be either a formal essay, power point, poster, flow chart, or format of your choice. If you are integrating your English requirements with other courses you might ask you teacher or check in your English tab as to what format would best meet some of your remaining requirements. No matter what format you use the report should address the following points:

• Changes in size of cameras
• Changes in film and digital formats of photography
• How has digital photography changed the world of sharing photos?
• How has digital photography and photo editing programs changed advertising and media?
• Changes in types of flashes available for cameras
• Changes in professional photography - What do clients receive in a typical package now compared to say 1950, 1970 & 1990? 
• Has commissioning a professional photographer become more common for the average citizen? Why or why not?

Assignment 16 - Photo Journalism

Goals

• evaluate audience response to a presentation of media artworks.
• identify roles that media arts have in reflecting, sustaining, and challenging beliefs and traditions.
• use media arts technology to manipulate selected visual elements and principles of art and design in order to:
  • reflect stylistic or cultural influences

Task

Part one of this assignment can be approached in one of two ways:

A. Compile a range of photos from newspapers and/or the internet (news sites and pop-media) that center around a theme (politics, children, school, weddings, celebrities, music etc). *Be sure to check your theme with your parents to make sure they are comfortable with you collecting photos for it.* If your photos are not digital, it would be helpful to either scan them or capture them through a digital camera so that you can incorporate them in the write-up below.

B. Create you own series of shots that detail a cultural event. This event can be a part of your own culture/belief system/traditions or you can venture beyond the familiar and document a different people group.

Part two

After you have completed either option A or B above you will need to analyze each of the photos and answer the following questions. This can be done photo by photo or as a general write-up which refers to specific photographs through-out.

• What message is being conveyed about the particular theme through the photos?
• What traditions are being upheld?
• Are there any beliefs or traditions being challenged in the photos?
• Could the event in the photo be mis-construed if the right caption were added? What effect could this have on the message of the photo?
• What do you think the intent of the photographer was in taking the photo?
• How do the photos help to document values of this theme?
• Are the photos you've taken/collected for your chosen theme of a traditional or modern nature in their composition?
• Interview two other people with these questions while looking at the photos with them and record their responses. Include their reflections in your write-up.

Final Project:

Goals

• create images using media arts technology that:
  • defend values and traditions
  • reflect the characteristics of other artists, movements, and periods
  • reflect historical and contemporary themes
• create a media artwork for a specific audience.
• create media arts images using a variety of design strategies and image sources to reach a specific audience or achieve a specific purpose.

Task

Note: this is not meant to be an expensive project - you can adapt it for you own wishes, the main point is provide a portfolio showcasing your work.

 Create a studio show of your coursework. Select 8-10 photos you are proud of and have them blown-up. You might choose to simply create an album with a short write-up of the process, date and task you completed when the shot was taken or frame some of them. Invite family and friends over to celebrate your work and completion of your course. Consider this your debut as a photographer!! Congratulations!!

Image Development and Design Strategies

• compare the effect of images developed using two or more media arts technologies.
• relate the design of media arts images to content and function.
• identify the impact of traditional and modern technologies on image development and design.
• analyze ethical, moral, and legal considerations associated with using media arts technology for image development.
• create media arts images using a variety of design strategies and image sources to reach a specific audience or achieve a specific purpose.
• solve a design problem using one or more media arts technologies.
• use a variety of media arts technologies and design strategies to create a series of images focusing on one subject or theme.
• create images using sound and movement.

Context

• identify roles that media arts have in reflecting, sustaining, and challenging beliefs and traditions.
• analyze how context and purpose influence the content and form of media artworks.
• explain personal interpretation of and preferences for selected media artworks.
• demonstrate an understanding of various career options in the media arts.
• create images using media arts technology that:
  • defend values and traditions
  • reflect the characteristics of other artists, movements, and periods
  • reflect historical and contemporary themes
• create a media artwork for a specific audience.
• evaluate audience response to a presentation of media artworks.

Visual Elements and Principles of Art and Design

• critique the use of the visual elements and principles of art and design in a variety of media artworks.
• identify symbolic and cultural associations of particular visual elements and principles of art and design in media arts.
• compare the application of particular visual elements and principles of art and design in selected media artworks
• use media arts technology to create images that demonstrate particular visual elements and principles of art and design.
• use media arts technology to manipulate selected visual elements and principles of art and design in order to:
  • alter the meaning or effect of images
  • reflect stylistic or cultural influences

Materials, Technologies, and Processes

• analyze how materials, media arts technologies, and processes are used to affect the meaning of images.
• demonstrate an understanding of the evolution of media arts technology used to make images.
• consistently use appropriate vocabulary when discussing media artworks and associated materials, technologies, and processes.
• use a variety of materials, media arts technologies, and processes to create images.
• apply appropriate materials, media arts technologies, and processes.
• to achieve their intent in media artwork.
• use and maintain materials, equipment, and work space in a safe and environmentally sensitive manner.