“Photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them” — Elliott Erwitt, 1928-Present
(Top: NYC, USA, Elliot Erwitt, 1950; Bottom: California, USA, Elliot Erwitt, 1956; Right: Elliot Erwitt photographed in his NYC Studio, Brian Smith, 2011)
When my high school students complete their exit surveys at the end of each trimester, Photography has been one of the top listed mediums for their favorite unit of study. Learning the art of photography is important because it helps students to conceptualize composition and artistic intent in their artwork which can be applied to other projects in drawing and painting. What do they find interesting enough to photograph in their daily lives and what are they presenting for the viewer? With digital photography technology and editing tools more readily available then ever, it takes a deeper level of critical thinking to analyze and reflect on what is being photographed as works of art.
(Above: Students thinking about their school environment creatively)
By studying the masters of photography and researching contemporary artists who approach the medium in a new way, my students have visual examples of fine art photography from multiple perspectives. In visual art, there is more than one correct way to achieve a successful artwork and each person brings the wealth of their experiences and ideas to the process when they look through the camera and compose a photograph.
(Above: Layered image photographed and edited by Alex in the Performing Arts Center during the Photo Scavenger Hunt)
My high school art classes demonstrated their knowledge of the Elements of Photography through a scavenger hunt to practice slowing down and noticing their everyday surroundings. We walked the campus in small groups with a checklist, looking closely for interesting compositions captured in the moment.
I welcome working outdoors as much as possible when we have good weather and the students enjoyed being in nature on the scavenger hunt.
Photography encompasses such a diverse range of genres that I wanted the students to have exposure to the possibilities of photo manipulation by putting their own individual stamp of self-expression on their photos as works of fine art. When given open-ended options and autonomy in their artistic choices, the final photographs become evidence of just how unique each person is and how we all see things differently.
Through guided class instruction in Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom tutorials, the students learned how to edit their images and manipulate them as layered double exposures, reflected images, and triptychs.
We looked at the work of fine art photographers who use digital processing as tools to recreate their photographs as well as deconstruct the physical print in paint, oil pastel, and collage.
(Featured Artist: Nichole Washington)
(Featured Artist: Erik Johansson)
To incorporate a hands-on element to the digital photography project, each student chose one of their photos to print off and deconstruct as a photo collage. They could draw, paint, cut, tear, or reassemble the image in any way they chose. To get past the fear of ruining their work, the students experimented first on a black and white copy of their photograph before completing the final collage.
As visual imagery floods our screens, we must consider as artists if our photographs will capture and hold the attention of our audience. I wanted to give my students independence on how to express themselves through their images in this unit and expose them to just how diverse the medium truly is. In their artist statements, the students reflected on their final images and what they learned throughout the process.
"With some of my images, I thought they weren't worth taking but after editing them, I was able to enhance the composition and turn them into something better." (9th Grade Student)
"I learned that photography can portray a feeling of something without having to explain it." (12th Grade Student)
"There is so much that goes into composing a photograph because you have to think about what type of image you are trying to take and what the viewer will see through your eyes. You also have to think about how you are going to edit to the photo so that it makes your message clear." (10th Grade Student)
"Before this class, I had attempted to use Photoshop on my own, but struggled all the way through. Now however, I know how to create layer masks, rotate images, and alter the colors." (10th Grade Student)
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