A Formal Concern: Design in Presentation

For our third print assignment, we will focus on how the final presentation of a photographic artwork can help communicate an idea. Your final presentation of "A Formal Concern" will need to demonstrate your chosen principle of design, and avoid simply printing two prints and matting them next to one another.

Problem: Create a photographic work that illustrates a principle of design through your choice of subject matter and presentation. Your final work must include imagery from at least two different negatives from "a formal concern" shooting assignment, although you may use more.

We will critique your final presentation (not matted necessarily, but taped together or hung in the style of your choosing) on Thurs. Nov. 6th.

Below I've included a slideshow of photographers who use alternative ways of presenting their work to help communicate an idea or concept. Take a look to help you gather ideas for how you will present yours...

Idea Through Presentation

Cyanotypes!

Welcome to the amazing alternative processes of photography! To begin experimenting with different techniques that can be used to make photographic images, we will be creating cyanotypes, a unique prussian blue print created by the sun!

In order to make cyanotypes, you will first need a variety of imagery to use. This imagery can be combined together to form unique compositions. You will need to create several ortho-litho prints in the darkroom first to be used as contact imagery for your cyanotypes. You may use imagery from any of your negatives from Photo 1 or Photo 2, or you can experiment with photograms or other forms of contact printing.

Take a look at the slideshow below, and consider the different possibilities.



You should create 3-4 ortho-litho prints to begin with. One print should demonstrate darkroom mastery, (wide-range of value, sharp detail, etc.), and the others can be experimental, (consider cropping or using both negative & positive imagery together).

3-4 ortho-litho prints DUE: Wed. 10/22

A Formal Concern: Shooting Assignment

Imogen Cunningham

Now that you have looked at how the principles of design can be interpreted both formally (composition) and conceptually (idea), it's time to approach subject matter that you're interested in and put these design principles to use.

Shoot one roll of 24 black and white exposures that clearly explore one of the two principles of design you chose to study in your sketchbook. You must demonstrate ways of illustrating this principle of design both formally and conceptually. Apply the photographic principles of composition, (fill the frame, edges of the frame, rule of thirds, leading lines, etc.) to guide your compositions. Consider technical aspects as well, such as lighting, bracketing (when necessary), and depth of field/shutter speed. Choose a subject that's interesting and unique to you, (portraiture, landscape, interiors, etc.)

One roll of film and contact sheet DUE: Tuesday, 10/21

A Formal Concern: Sketchbook brainstorming

work by: Bernd & Hilla Becher
James Welling
Minor White

For our next shooting assignment, we will redirect our attention to a formal concern, namely, the use of principles of design and composition within photography. We will revisit the principles of design throughout the year, but to start I would like you to choose two of the following design principles to focus on for your next shooting assignment:

Balance
Repetition
Pattern
Emphasis
Contrast
Movement
Unity

After you have chosen two, create a one page homage to each principle of design in your sketchbook. You may use more than one page if you'd like. Each homage must include the following:

1) Definitions-write out at least two ways this design principle could be defined. One definition should pertain to how this principle might appear in the composition of an artwork, and the other definition should be how this principle may be illustrated as a concept, metaphor, or what it means to you personally. Use a dictionary to look up different definitions!

2) 3 Master Photographer examples. Use the links below to do a little research. Find three different master photographs that somehow illustrate both definitions for each design principle. Include the photographer's name, the title of the work, and the date.

Photography NOW
Masters of Photography
ProFotos-Photography Masters
Photokaboom

3) Brainstorm and illustrate at least three different ways you could illustrate this design principle with your own photography, using subject matter and concepts you're interested in. Don't worry about what's possible or impossible at the moment, just come up with different approaches.

SKETCHBOOK DUE: Fri, Oct. 10th.