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 to you, but put all you got into this one, eh? After the brutal “make a bad pic” shoot, you all should be ready to make something, well, hot. Right?

Please think about it before posting a cliche… a girl in a swimsuit “Hot” is not the kind of hot we are looking for – we are looking for temperature… heat, summer, broiling… you got it.

Our Flickr Page for this assignment discussion.

Last years critique:

Last years assignment:

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 content for an article we are doing on food recycling.” Looking at my empty dance card I paused, “Let me check real quick. Hmmmm. I may be available on Tuesday. What are the parameters?” I received a brief description on what I’ve already included above. So we discussed price (Budget), agreed on terms and the wheels were set in motion.

I was sent a few different pieces of vital information. The contracts came which outlined terms and scope of usage and compensation. But also as important were tear sheets from previous covers. It gave me a chance to see how they wanted themselves represented. They seemed to be very straightforward and conservative. Not a lot of photoshopping and pretty simple lighting schemes.

The “Heroes” of the shoot would be subject “A”, subject “B” and the infamous “Green trashcan”.

Here is the actual assignment sheet that was sent to me. I wanted as much information as I could get so I could get images that would fit the bill. This gave me the overview of the article content and who would be shot and some logistics. The directions that meant the most to me were in the box “Pictures needed”

I was briefed over and over in phone conversations and emails that the “Green trashcan” was the centerpiece of this story. It was to be conspicuously featured as it was the vehicle from which all things worked through.

I showed up on location a little early and scoped out the different locales. I found a couple places in the prep room that would show the food getting processed and then being swept into the “Green trashcan” to be whisked away into recycling lore. I found a place to set up an impromptu studio in the dish processing area (It was flippin’ huge. A virtual studio in itself).

Then I was introduced to the “Green trashcan”, which, at about 29″ tall cut a less than imposing profile. I pictured a trashcan about four feet tall with a girth of maybe two feet, something “industrial”. Instead I was standing, *ahem* maybe should have been kneeling, in front of my knee-high behemoth. It was rather underwhelming and insignificant. Easily classified as “petite”. Oh well, the show must go on.

I snapped a few I phone pics and messaged them to the art director and the locations were fine. She hadn’t seen the can yet, which I thought in my mind she had after talking so much about it. So after the shoot at the first location I was off to the second. Everything pretty much went off without a hitch, save for my SB800 failure. Seeing that I always carry extra light with me, it wasn’t a setback, but merely a hiccup.

So now the shoot is finished and I’m home to work my files and cull through the images to provide them with roughly fifteen files. I get everything in a bundle and send them off, via secure transfer, to Anna the AD. Then I get a frantic call. The trashcan!

Evidently Anna was not aware of our “Knee-high” nemesis. It wasn’t big enough on the cover shot and there wasn’t an angle to MAKE IT “big enough”. I had to *gasp* photoshop it. So I injected some digital steroids into that bad boy and came up with a more presentable, maybe even stately, trash can. If anybody asks to see the improved can, I’ll say it was the little guys big brother. He’s enlisted and overseas. That’s plausible.

So now we have the cover and the content pics done and sent. They select the ones they will use and the article is in print and everyone’s happy.

Here are some more of the images that were included in the mix.

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 book into a tool that represents your vision. Are you a good cook, seamstress, mechanic? Those are assets.

Audio Introduction Discussion on Assignment 18:

Flickr Discussion Here (last years)

Wednesday, May 18, at NOON PST, Robin and I discussed “Brand and the Photographer” from the studio. This is the audio from that program.

List them out…

Oh, and do a photograph for us… self assigned.

And tell us what you did. Anything is good with the photograph, just take what you have learned, assign yourself a shot and share with us what the assignment was and how you satisfied it.

Specifics:

An asset list of tangible and intangibles. Share with us (names can be left out) but make this list reflect what you have that is positively affecting your photography.

Self Assigned Image:

State Assignment: Show Image, tell us what you did.

As always, set up shots are appreciated.

2012 Assignment Flickr Post Page is HERE.

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 frame. So bring your thinking caps and do something very cool – in the area that YOU love to shoot.

You can see the entire assignment here.
And the complete Flickr page here.

These are a few of the more outstanding shots we critiqued. The levels of photographer are quite wide, and yet the imagery is all very professionally concieved and shot.

And that is what Project52 is all about.

Clicking on the image will take you to the photographer’s Flickr page. If you like the shots, visit and leave a comment.

Em Thomas

Rasmus Hald

More after the jump:

Logista

Irene Liebler

Irene Liebler

Bonzersquad

Dan Fenwick

David Travis

Macfelipe

Lola Takes Pictures

Texan Mama

Irene Lucier

Jorge R

abendig

leaders

shutternutter

Shelly Sobol

Megpol2011

VintageDesignSmith

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 you tell why?

Does an image have to be fit within certain parameters to be considered ‘art’? (In other words, does an image have to be sharp, clear, well exposed to be considered good art?)

I don’t think so. I do not believe that any technical skill MUST be involved.

I also do not think that technical skill on its own will win the day.

Gere.
Focus and motion blur used to enhance the ‘feeling’ of the BW images.

Mahurin.
Dark, out of focus, grainy… masterpieces.

Frank.
(Work was totally panned when first shown. Terrible reviews. Now – classic.

Winogrand.
Many considered him a ‘snapshot’ photographer. Now he is revered.

Michals.
Had nearly no technique… all in the art of the story and from the heart.

Assignment Number Seventeen

The photograph you make this week should suck. It should suck more than suck sucks. It should be the worst most awesomely awful photograph you can possibly make. Off the chart suckiness is our goal… heh.

Specifics:

Just what we say here: Make a Terrible Photograph. Break rules, look for awful compositions and with light that makes no sense. I want you to deliberately and distinctly MAKE a terrible photograph.

Rules? Do we have Rules? Can there actually be rules to making a sucky image?

Well, yeah, actually we do.

Simply out of focus doesn’t count.

Flash not firing doesn’t count.

Four stops under doesn’t count.

Obvious technical mistakes are not counted – like camera shake and bad exposure.

This is an assignment to deliberately make a bad photo, not a technically weak photo. So plan it out, make the sketches and get to work.

There will be much rending of cloth and tearing of hair. It is NOT easy to be creatively terrible. It is NOT easy to make a bad photograph… not a technical fail, but a well lit, composed bad photograph.

You will learn more than you think.

Here we go!

Flickr Page Here.

I was recently on creativeLIVE and have received some rave reviews of the workshop. If you are interested in taking a look at the workshop, you can find it on creativeLIVE’s web site here. I think it is a tremendous value and if you are unable to attend any of my workshops, this may give you a ton of information you will want to have to push your photography to the next level.

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 shot of  ’sports’ within the genre you love. If you are a people shooter, do something with people. If you are lovin’ still life, there ya go.

This is a very relaxed shot, but make it totally awesome. Grit, shine, pain, strength, winning, losing, attitude…

Sports… whatever you love.

Here we go!

This year’s Flickr Page.

This will get your brain going!
Sports Equipment can be cool too!
And swimming, hiking, and spelunking are all considered sports.

From still life to product to architecture to people to glamour sports figures… the genre has it all!

Make it your way.

Last Year’s Flickr Page
Last Year’s Audio Critique:

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 frame. So bring your thinking caps and do something very cool – in the area that YOU love to shoot.

The client is simply looking for something to use to catch the eye. They are a small hardware store and the image is for their “Get Ready for Spring” store promotion.

Ideas:

Seed packets for a still life.
Gardening implements.
Child with seeds or planting stuff.
Garden in the sun/snow.
Planting / Getting a garden ready.
Planning a garden.
One Light portrait of a person and a gardening tool.
Hands with seeds.
Portrait of kids with flowers
Vase with flowers
Veggies with garden tools
All kinds of portrait ideas.

I can see people shots, tools, kids, and flowers. (Just make sure that the flower shots look like a garden flower, not some sort of African exotic lilly or something.) Fruits and vegetables and chopping blocks and all kinds of stuff. Think about it well before you shoot it. This is the kind of shot you can stretch out on and make something very cool. Tossing a carrot on a white seamless ain’t gonna cut it.

The client has a budget of $1100. Flat.

You have to work within that framework, so make sure you ‘cover’ all your costs. Let us know what they were (fictitiously).

You are to deliver one finished image. Vertical. Color.
With the post let us know what your concept was, and how you were able to stick to the budget allowed. You will be surmising, but it is a good exercise to think about how you would do it.

Here are a few links to discover:
Better Homes and Gardens
Phoenix Home and Garden (regional)
Southern Living
NYT Home and Garden
Sunset Magazine
Google Image Search on Spring Gardens (oh my)
Google Image Search on Gardeners
Google Image Search on Gardening (and yeah, that’s one of our P52 guys, David Heusser right there at the top.

THE FLICKR PAGE FOR THIS WEEKS ASSIGNMENT IS HERE. Post ‘em here.

Special Thanks to Rob Davidson for the cover shot.

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 monitoring and kicking in as well.

So let’s get this going… and Rob, a very very good idea and we will see an even higher bar being posted soon. And it can get higher with all of us helping each other over the top!!!

Do this at the Flickr Page… see below.

————————

Assignment Specifics:

Sandwich or similar lunch meal. Think ‘brown bag’ with a fancy bag. The more you style it, the better it will be. There are two shots we need.

What the ad is about:

Old Age. It should be about how a certain pharmaceutical product, or natural herb supplement, can help oldsters have fun again.

“Let’s Do Lunch… the Way We Did Back Then…”

A picnic idea, the AD wants. There IS type. There IS content. There are 2 shots.

Yep. Two. Second one is optional. You will see it on the layout. A shot of a pill bottle (any generic can work) for the drop in. White background. IF you attempt it as well, slip it into the layer marked “product”.

The layout is furnished here. Two formats: PSD file in layers. If you have Photoshop or Photoshop Elemens, please insert your image into the layer named “image” and adjust as necessary. Flatten image and post it. Do NOT move type or otherwise adjust… the type over the image is white and must stay so.

PSD in Layers and Flattened JPEG: lunch-files

People in the shot. Yes. Allowed. Encouraged for those of you who are people shooters.

Inside shot (packing for a picnic).. Yes, allowed.

Studio look (white background) Yes. Allowed.

Stinky, dead waterfowl: No, not allowed.

Lifestyle shots have no specific “style” – but there is an overall ‘meme’ of happy, fun, engaged people. Especially for this kind of shot.

• Usually they are not looking at us but enjoying each other.
• If you are shooting outside, think back or sidelight… it is more inviting and romantic.
• Try filling in with gold or white boards if using natural light (remember that those gold boards can blind your subject. I rarely use it in much closer than 20-25 feet away. As well, I use the “feather” of the Gold reflection – the edge. HINT: If your talent feels uncomfortable or feels heat on his/her eyes it is too close.
• It doesn’t have to be oldsters… think about how the headline reads. We could do an older couple, or a young couple, or a couple of kids.
• Think retro… how about cool props? If you use Lightroom, check out the “retro” presets.

Planning: 
- Look for a location that let’s you get a clean or well defined background.
- Seek out a place where you can get a good ‘bounce’ from into the shade from an adjacent bright building.
- Try to keep the light more “natural” looking – even if you do use strobes – as the overall look of the shot should be a more natural look.
- Wardrobe should be considered… Bright colors work well, and wild prints do not. Just LOOK at the wardrobe and ask if it works together, AND in the context of the background/set.
- Research images in magazines : hit the magazine rack and look for magazines targeted toward the demographics of 40- 60 yrs old.

Lifestyle shooters I like:

Jake Stengel
Nick Onken
Dave Siegel
Google Image Search

Please add YOUR favorites in the comments section. If everyone finds one photographer that they love, we will have a great resource for all who are engaged in Project 52.

Optional Product Shot:

The product shot is on white… only. No patterns, no shadows. A small piece of white paper with a diffuser for the simplest approach. Strobes in softbox for the bigger approach. Keep it simple. Some approaches have a few pills out on the surface and some are just the bottle. Your choice.

Your Flickr page is here.

Here we go!

– don