Assignment Nineteen: HOT!
Assignment Nineteen: HOT: Describe that word with a photograph: Make it iconic! Assignment Number Nineteen Specifics: HOT. How would you describe that without words… just a photograph as your medium of communication. This image should be as fun as you can make it. Think way outside the box. Babes in bikinis and a struck match… meh. It’s been done. Think farther out – think farther in. Go read your personal manifesto again. Do it YOUR way with YOUR style over the top of the image. HOT. HOT HOT HOT. Orientation is up...
read moreNick’s notes-Progression of a magazine assignment
Okay thrill seekers and adventure hounds. I will try to expeditiously get through a recent magazine assignment, soup-to-nuts, in this post. I received a call from Anna, the art director for the magazine “Public Works”. It is a National trade magazine that caters to construction and manufacturing and life around most production facilities in general. The phone call went something like this, “Hello, Nick? I was looking through your website and was wondering if you would be available next week to shoot the cover and...
read moreAssignment Eighteen: An Asset List
Assignment Number Eighteen The list will of course cover the gear, but don’t get too granular. Cameras, lenses, lights, modifiers. Not necessary how many stands and widgets. However – include people who support your efforts, and the unique environment where you live. How about including your knowledge in stuff that most others don’t have (everyone has something). Add anything that is an asset - a ballet school where your daughter dances, the car club you belong to… these are assets that can be used to pull your...
read moreGardening: A Collection of P52 Work
This was the assignment: Specific Assignment: Spring is coming soon. This is a ‘welcome to spring’ Gardening shot. This is a sort of ‘free’ shoot. Do what you want, but let’s focus on gardening. If you are a portrait shooter, do a portrait. If you are loving still life, do one of those. This is a chance to bring your skills and aesthetics to a creative assignment with fewer parameters. These are the kinds of shots where you and your imaginary AD get together to discuss the treatment based on all kinds of stuff. Weather, budget, time...
read moreAssignment Seventeen: Make an Awful Photograph.
Assignment Seventeen: Take (Make) the most terrible photograph you possibly can Discussion Points: Is it art because we say it is? Discussion at PBS. Interesting stuff in the comments. Is it good because we say it is art? A bunch of interesting points. How can one discern ‘bad’ art from ‘good’ art? And how does that affect the artist? Heh. Apparently it is difficult even for some folks who are LOOKING for bad art. Not sure that this post nails it, but good stuff to think about. Yuck… OK, these are bad, can...
read moreAssignment Sixteen: Sports Image for a Magazine.
A fun and exciting shot for you all. Sports of all kinds have their moments. From skating to baseball to cricket to polo… they all have that magic of win/lose, the paraphernalia of the game, the textures, visuals, icons… this is YOUR sport, and you want to present it in the most incredible fashion possible. Show us what it is all about! Specifics: This shot would run on the left side of a double page spread. So that makes it vertical. Just take all of what you have learned, your inherent talent for excellence, and make a killer...
read moreAssignment Fifteen: Welcome to Spring: A Gardening Shot
Specific Assignment: Spring is coming soon. This is a ‘welcome to spring’ Gardening shot. This is a sort of ‘free’ shoot. Do what you want, but let’s focus on gardening. If you are a portrait shooter, do a portrait. If you are loving still life, do one of those. This is a chance to bring your skills and aesthetics to a creative assignment with fewer parameters. These are the kinds of shots where you and your imaginary AD get together to discuss the treatment based on all kinds of stuff. Weather, budget, time...
read moreAssignment Fourteen: Lifestyle Lunch
(NOTE: We are going to be adding more content to the assignment pages to help you get ideas and make planning more efficient.) EDITED IN: NOTE: WE ARE GOING TO TRY SOMETHING A BIT NEW – suggested by Rob. BEFORE YOU SHOOT… let’s discuss your ideas, plans, challenges and other foreseen issues that you may be struggling with… so this week – til Friday – do NOT shoot. Just discuss your plans, lay out your ideas, and seek some guidance. More experienced shooters will undoubtedly help those with less and I will be...
read moreAssignment Thirteen: Let’s Pour a Beer
Let’s Pour a Beer! Specifics: Pour Shots are Fun. We are going to pour a beer and catch the ‘head’ coming up. For those who do not drink or enjoy beer, how about a Ginger Ale! Bubbly Wine or Sparkling Ciders are fine. Seven Up is fine as is Sprite… look, you get it – right? Keep in mind that in order to see through the liquid, backlight is what we want to use. In almost all cases. Whether you side light the liquid or backlight it, the point is to make sure that the light is reflected from the liquid pouring...
read moreAssignment Twelve: Simple One Light Portrait for an Arts Magazine
Specifics: This is a simple one light portrait of an artist. You can of course use someone other than a real artist, but they should “represent” an artist. Background should be plain. Not a location shoot, but of course it can be done anywhere. (No, my ultra cropped photo that accompanies this assignment is NOT what we are looking for.) Subject should be holding something that represents their art: camera, brush, pottery, manuscript. Portrait should not be lower than a half shot. No type on top, the text will be laid down the side....
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