Project 2: Using the Human form for Art

© 2012 Heather Orlando

Dates:

Proposal: Monday, 10/28

Prelim: Monday, 11/4

Final: Wednesday, 11/13

Create a body of work that explores the human form in some way. These can be portraits, abstractions of the body, nudes, theatrical, conceptual, or other. Worked toward a cohesive group of images that are aesthetically and conceptually related. Plan to submit between 5-7 final images, in print form as well as digital (jpegs 1200).

Create most appropriate studio lighting design to support your images. 

Proposals should be 1 page, referencing the work of two established artists as inspiration

Work will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Original, inspiring, and creative idea/vision/approach
• Quality of lighting design
• Quality of photographic design
• Technical (camera, lighting, file management, etc.)
• Deliverables (prints, files, etc.)
• Growth of the project over the course of the assignment

Proposals, prelim and final critiques will be graded.

Portrait Exercise 3: Multiple Light Low Key, Multiple Light High Key

Due: Wednesday 10/30

Based on the demo and reading (pages 206-223) create both a low key portrait and high key portrait. Develop images to a portfolio level. Images can be related, in some way, to your figure project, but should be distinct from them. For instance, perhaps you might use the same subject, but for this exercise, images should be more in the realm of a formal portrait.

Portrait exercise 2 (group): Key/Fill ratios

Portrait 1: Key Light quality and placement

Due: 10/21

The first portrait project explores how size, quality and placement of the key light can affect the rendering of the face. This is one of the most important concepts of portrait lighting design. Please read pages 193-206 for further discussion and visual examples.

Take your time with it. Correct exposure, appropriate f-stop, focus are all important.

Create portfolio worthy portraits that explore the following:

• Fairly tight framing that features head and shoulders, without cutting them off.
• Black background. Hint: create adequate distance between subject and background material
• Thoughtful styling...put some planning in and go for it. Move beyond silly mug shots. 
• Use of single light source, no fill light. Reflector okay.

For each of the following, create both high and low contrast examples, positioning the key light as necessary.

1. Explore 45/45 lighting, sometimes known as Rembrandt, achieving what is referred to in the book as the "key triangle."
2. Side lighting
3. Front lighting
4. Short Lighting
5. Broad Lighting

Black Line and White Line Glass

Hi Key, Metallic, Family of Angles

Due: Monday 10/7

This week we explore how to optimize the surface appearance of metallic and/or highly glossy surfaces. This applies to opaque ceramics as well, but not for glass, as glass is transparent. For this assignment, create two portfolio worthy images that explore the following two lighting designs and arrangements.

Above: Nice Lighting

Below: yucky lighting

1) Vertically-oriented, standing metallic object(s) appropriately lit in front of correctly lit high key background. Remember, set the background light to be 2-3 stops overexposed. Keep the background at least 3-6 feet away from the subject platform to maintain separation. 

With the class example above, a grid spot was used for the background. This created a nice fall-off/vignette effect on the edges of the image, almost like it was burned-it (it wasn't).

Use a large/broad light source for the subject, and reflectors as required. A reflective table surface can also be nice...as you can see in the example, the effect is interesting. We used a piece of clear plexi on the sheet metal. The color accents can be created with long strip of color construction paper or similar. A dark cloth under the plexi will enhance the reflections further. Generally, the camera angle will be straight on and from the front.

2) Family of Angles exploration. Set metallic object(s) in interesting table-top design with complementary surface treatment. It can help if the surface is non-reflective, or less so than your objects. The camera should be positioned to be looking down on the subject. Place the large light source (generally soft box) within the family of angles so that surface reflections are maximized. The class example looked much better in B&W...you can do the same, of course, if it serves you.

The images will be evaluated on:

1. Lighting design, especially handling of reflections
2. Quality of still life / background arrangement
3. Correct exposure/light intensities
4. Camera craft (focus, etc.)