COM 215 PHOTO ARRAY

COM 215 (Niman) PHOTO ARRAY # 1

Assignment Description

Students will create a collection of 13 photos affixed to paper. Photos must be shot by student during this semester (a friend may shoot the photo if the student is appearing in it and has directed it). Photos should be stapled or taped to 8.5"x11". Do Not Use photo albums or plastic pages – I need a space to write comments. And lots of thick photo albums add up to a large awkward pile for me to carry. Arrays will not be accepted electronically under any conditions.

Please be prepared to provide original negative or digital photo file (including other photos in sequence with digital numerical markings from camera) if questions of plagiarism arise. Photos you did not shoot, including copies or full frame photos of pictures you did not shoot, constitutes plagiarism and will result in automatic course failure and college disciplinary action.

Number and briefly label each photo. Affix photos in proper order. Students will be graded on their comprehension of theories presented in class and readings as demonstrated by the photos. Grades will be based upon how clearly and creatively photos demonstrate principles. Text may accompany photos, but the photos should clearly demonstrate the theory without depending on the text. The theory demonstrated by the photo should be clearly evident (for example, almost any photo demonstrates occlusion -- your photo should use a minimum of objects). Do not use examples from class or readings (e.g. footprints in snow, handicap or stairs symbol, etc.).

Photo # 1 should clearly demonstrate the principle of Occlusion with a minimal number of objects in the photo. Arrange a photo or choose a subject where the third dimension is otherwise not clearly visible without occlusion.

Photo # 2 should show an Iconic Sign. The picture itself cannot be your iconic sign. It must be a picture of another iconic sign. Do Not Use photos that also include indexical or symbolic signs in the image (how do I know what to grade when you include both in one photo?). You may use scissors or markers to remove non-iconic signs from your photo if your photo contains a variety of sign types.

Photo # 3 should show an Indexical Sign. Do not use photos that also include iconic or symbolic signs in the image. Circle your indexical sign if it is not clearly evident as the subject of your photo.

Photo # 4 should show a Symbolic Sign. Do not use photos that also include iconic or indexical signs in the image. Circle your symbolic sign if it is not clearly evident as the subject of your photo.

Photo # 5 should be a photo with subjects composed in a way as to direct the viewer’s attention off to the right of the actual photo (as in, not on the right side of the photo, but to the right of the actual photo as in off the photo). Left is not right.

Photos # 6 and #7 should be a pair of photos of one locale that together show the passage of time with # 6 clearly preceding #7. Time passage should reflect a period of at least two minutes. Longer is fine. (In other words, two photos of someone walking or driving, a few seconds apart, do not work). Time passage and the direction of time passage should be clear (night follows day, which follows night, so how do I know if a night photo precedes or follows a daytime photo?).

Photos # 8 and #9 should be a pair of photos that show human thought or emotion by juxtaposing a facial close-up portrait shot (#8) with an appropriate contextual clue (#9). The clue is usually someting they are looking at. Identify the emotion in writing next to the pictures. The emotion, however, should be clear without the caption. Your grade will be based on this self-evident clarity.

Photo # 10 should show a texture gradient change.

Photo # 11 should demonstrate the principle of Common Fate.

Photos # 12 and 13 should demonstrate Point of View (P.O. V.). Photo # 12 should show the face of a person, complete with background environment visible. Photo # 13 should be shot from that person's point of view. It should be clear that the point of view in photo #13 belongs to the person in photo #12 -- your contextual clues should make this evident.

WARNING

Wal Mart photo processing workers have violated customer privacy and reviewed student photos, inappropriately calling in law enforcement officers when they didn't understand the context of the photos they were processing. Read more here. At this time I am unaware of any similar instances in the Buffalo area.