Summer Shooting Assignments

photo by Evan La Londe

Even though you've worked very hard this school year, there are many opportunities to keep shooting pictures throughout the summer. Often times when students take pictures of things without over-thinking them, they have fantastic results.

Below is a list of summer shooting assignments and ideas. You are required to return to school this fall having shot at least six rolls of film, or its equivalent in digital exposures, (about 150 pictures). At least three rolls need to be black and white film, the rest are up to you. Consider digital cameras, polaroids, pinholes, etc.

Also, use Flickr as a resource for getting inspired this summer. There are hundred of groups that both professional and novice photographers join, ranging from different alternative processes, to polaroids, to specific subject matter. Join a group and connect with some amazing photographers.

Have fun this summer, but make sure to take your camera everywhere you go!

Summer Shooting Assignments

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Also, there are many competitions and scholarships that happen right away when you will return in the fall. If you plan for them now, you will be ahead of the game when you return! Visit the RHS art department home page and click "links," and then "competitions and scholarships" for a complete list of all them. Or, click here

All Photo 3 students are required to take the AP Exam for Studio Art. The exam requires a minimum of 24 exceptional, portfolio quality works, each of which must showcase your mastery of design and composition in photography. Click here to get more information about the exam, look at example portfolios, etc. Also look at the Photo 3 students from this past year to get a good idea of strong AP portfolios. Carolyn, Kyria, Krisy, and Passion each took the AP this year with exclusively photo portfolios.

Often, students in Photo 3 spend the majority of the year developing a concentration, or a thematic series of works. Click here for a list of concentration ideas and inspiring artists. Begin thinking about a concentration idea this summer.

Extending & Refining your Independent Series

I was really pleased and impressed with the independent series presentations last week, it seems like each of you are really excited about the direction of your work, and have ideas for new ones. Here's our plan for the rest of the school year:

Friday, June 12th: Final critique on two new independent works for your series. You will share these new works along with the ones you presented last week. These will be the last works for the year, and will count as a 100 point classwork grade.

Friday, June 5th: Independent in-progress critiques with me, (15 pt. critique grade). All contact sheets should be presented, and 2 final works should be at least 50% complete.

Thursday, May 28th: Proposal presentations to class. You may decide to complete the below assignment in your sketchbook, or create a presentation to be shared on the computer. This will count as a 30 point homework grade.

Independent Series Refinement)

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Final Exam presentations

Alright everyone, your last day of photo class is almost here! All of you have grown and developed a huge amount as photographers this year, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone's independent series.

Below you will find the list of presenters, along with your times. Next to each time, you will see two more names. The following names will be students who will need to critique that presenter, offering a comment of praise, a question, and a suggestion to help improve the work. If you look at the students work before the presentation, It will give you more time to think about what you'd like to say. Otherwise, you will need to respond on the spot.

At the end of the period you will need to make sure you've completed and submitted the following:

1) Reflective comments on your independent series work on Flickr. (see "verbal presentation" questions on handout or on the discussion page on Flickr)
2) Written evaluation on all parts of your independent series, (you will hand this to me before you present)
3) Cleaned out portfolio, binders, and sketchbooks from classroom.
4) Donated unwanted photo paper.

Presentation Schedule:
Each presenter is expected to present for about 6-7 minutes, use your reflection as a way to prepare your presentation!

1) Leslie B. (John & Lauren)
2) Megan C. (Gunter & Bianca)
3) John K. (Chris & Marian)
4) Tracy L. (Kate Y. & Michaela)
5) Jennifer L. (Jemini & Celene)
6) Katie L. (Tracy & Megan)
7) Bianca M. (Raissa & Amina)
8) Celene M. (Katie L. & Leslie)
9) Amina M. (Lauren & Marian)
10) Gunter O. (Jemini & Megan)
11) Jemini P. (Kate Y. & Jennifer)
12) Chris R. (Raissa & Bianca)
13) Kate Y. (Tracy & Katie L.)

If time, we'll have juniors present in the following order:

14) Marian
15) Lauren
16) Michaela
17) Raissa

Gum Bichromate Printing

gum bichromate prints

For our last alternative process, we will learn the technique of gum bichromate printing, or "gum" printing as it's often known. Gum printing is one the earliest color photographic process, invented by efforts of William Fox Talbot and Mongo Ponton. Essentially, when a metallic dichromate (such as potassium) is combined with a colloid (a large moleculed gel or emulsion) like gum arabic, it becomes UV light sensitive and hardens proportionally to the amount of light striking it.

Unlike any of the other alternative processes, gum printing can be any color, because the gum arabic that's mixed with the dichromate can be tinted with watercolor. Layering multiple hues of color can create an illusion of a full-color image.

While you are shooting your independent series, we will experiment with gum printing in class. To begin, create 2 new 5x7 ortho-litho negatives with which you can contact print with. You will need more than one to be able to layer imagery. Then, you can size and tone your paper with the dichromate solution to print with.

Here are two fantastic websites that explain the process and history of gum bichromate printing far better than I can:

Gum Bichromate Photography
Alternative Photography

Be sure to check out the Flickr group "Gum Bichromate" here to see a ton of examples of this printing process. You can also check out the simple slideshow below:

Independent Series & Final Performance Assessment

Photos by Aubrey Hopkins

Below is the evaluation that will be used to grade your independent series, and will also double as the remainder of your final exam. The evaluation questions must be finished prior to exam day on Monday, 5/18. You will not have class time to finish them during class.

It is highly encouraged that you download and print out this document before Monday!

Final Exam

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Guest Presenter: Gabriel DeLoach

Photos by Steve Winter and Gabe DeLoach




Gabriel DeLoach is an artist, photographer, film-maker, and traveler extraordinaire who has devoted both his artistic and professional practice to documenting the world he experiences, in both rural America to the wild jungles of Brazil. DeLoach will present his work as both an independent photographer and film-maker, as well as an assistant to Steve Winter, a renowned photographer for National Geographic magazine, in class this Thursday. DeLoach currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, but has recently traveled to Brazil and India to photograph wild cats, namely jaguars and tigers in an effort to help the organization Panthera protect and research these cats in the wild. Experts predict that there may only be 4,000 wild cats left in existence, making DeLoach's work critical for their survival.

Here are a couple of links to help you get a sense of his work. Take a look at his work, read about the stories on the blog, and come to class Thursday with questions!

Gabriel DeLoach's website
Steve Winter's blog

Cliché-Verre!

Cliché-Verre is a unique photograph that is made by using a printmaking process of "etching" into the surface of a dried emulsion upon a transparent material like glass or mylar. Using a variety of "printing-plates," normal black and white photographs can be transformed into fascinating abstract, textural shapes and patterns.

This week and next, while you are busily shooting your documentary film, we will be experimenting with cliché-verre prints in class. Bring your old photo binders, these prints can be made with old negatives. No new shooting is necessary! Check out the slideshow below for inspiring new ideas!