First Year Critique - Speed

The first year students are now half way through their first semester.  Their third critique assignment was on the topic of "Speed".  Speed may prove to be one of the most difficult of topics to excel at.  Below are the top 3 images created for this assignment.  They capture speed in 3 different ways.  

The first image is from Christophe Benard.  This image captures the speed of a bird from a trailing bird's perspective.

The second image is from Josie Baerg and I felt it chronicled the hustle and bustle of a daily commute quite well.  

And the third Image by Taylor Mah is another featuring Public transport.  I liked the contrast of the speeding train with passengers reading the newspaper and staring out the window.

The first year students are improving with each and every critique, and each assignment showcases their unique perspectives.

Spiderman tests out "Portable Flash"

Technology advances have changed the face of photography as we knew it 20 to 25 years ago. Our cameras now have the ability to capture images at high ISO’s with unbelievable results. “Golf Ball” grain is no longer a creative option. The camera’s ability to capture at these high ISO’s means that our little portable flashes now are a realistic lighting option in the studio or on-location. They are an inexpensive form of lighting that can be modified, turned up or down like a power pack and guess what – you don’t have to bring your 600lb capacity cart to lug them to shoots.

In class we discussed the dreaded Guide Number and how it mathematically relates to distance and aperture. Using their mathematical skills they can now place their portable flashes at any distance and know what the flash output will be. Conversely, they can chose their depth of field and now calculate how far away their flash has to be from their subject – enough math already! Let’s just look at some of the favoured results of their “Portable Flash” assignment using two flashes. Even "Spiderman" agrees Portable Flash "rocks"

Outdoor Portraits with Mother Nature

Every year Mother Nature shows her true colors and we all rush outside to take our clients outdoor portraits. Using tools of the trade the second years learned the fundamentals of outdoor portraiture. We studied how to “look” for light and make use of it to provide shape and form on our subjects. We also explored methods used to modify it to our liking or add some supplemental light to compliment what’s existing. As usual with every module of content there is an assignment created encouraging them to put into practice what has been taught. Assignment parameters required that they go out and shoot an “Outdoor Portrait” and capture two images of their subject enjoying the environment and then a second closer. These two images were then to be put together as a collective for review by their “Client” the old commercial guy for marking. Here are a set of Outdoor portraits that I would consider worthy of selling to the market.

Bathrooms or Garages

“Formal and casual criticisms of a work often use the term 'critique' to refer to any somewhat loosely-applied argument about the quality of the work, typically when used in reference to popular expectations, or conventionality of a genre or class."

"Critique is based upon an informed opinion, and never upon personal opinion. Informed opinion is accepted as being technical knowledge, personal or professional experience, or specified training.”…

Ya, ya…in the simplest terms and most accurate description:

The following photographs submitted by our first year students for “Bathrooms or Garages” are the ones that I found to be the most successful and overall pretty darn cool!

                                                                  Christophe Benard

                                                                  Charissa Kennedy

                                                                                    Sara Tetz

The second Critique theme was "Shadows". Which opened a debate about whether or not silhouettes constituted  shadows. Which led some students to observe that it didn't pay to be subtle in the photographs submitted. Which led to muttering and the disgruntled kicking of objects lying on the floor within range. Which led to vociferousness. Which led to the expansion of vocabulary, especially of the blue variety. Which led some to ask, "How do you spell that?" Which fulfilled the mandate of Critique - to make students more articulate in discussing visual material.

Below are two of the more appreciated submissions.

Janine Esplin

 Sara Watson

2nd Year Classical 4 Light Portraits

So my second years have started their trek towards the finish line. I have the pleasure of teaching them Portraiture I this term. For those of you that do not know I introduce 7 different aspects of portraiture that applies both in the studio and on-location.  This year I have also added new content where we discuss some business basics to consider in running your own studio. The first area we discussed was the 4 Light Review - this is a chance for them to revisit some of the fundamentals of lighting that were introduced last spring giving  them a base from which we will build on as the term progresses. Their assignment called for them to create a head and shoulders portrait and a 3/4 or full-lenght portrait using two different lighting patterns. As usual the submissions were very individual in concept and execution. Below is some of their work that we would like to feature for our readers to review and enjoy.

First Years have arrived

Our first years have had a taste of the long standing traditional "Critique" or "Free Choice" as it was known in my day. This is a course that allows each student to conceptually come up with an idea, capture it and present it for review. The ideas however have to fit a previously subscribed theme. Their first taste of this was marked and critiqued this week with the theme "Curves and or Angles". How would you capture an image that speaks to the Curves and or Angles theme? As usual the images submitted were as varied as the maker's. Below is a taste of a few interpretations of Curves and or Angles". You be the judge!