Photographing Campus: First Assignment
Welcome to your first photo assignment! We’ll be exploring campus through the lens of your camera or mobile device. This exercise will help you get familiar with your equipment, understand exposure, and begin thinking about composition. Let’s get started!
What to Bring:
-Camera or Smartphone: Bring your own camera or smartphone (such as an iPhone). If you’re borrowing a camera, make sure you have an SD card.
-Charged Battery & SD Card: Ensure your camera battery is fully charged and that you have an SD card inserted.
Lightroom & Canvas Access:
Lightroom: Have your Lightroom account set up and know your login/password.
Canvas: Make sure you can access Canvas with your login/password.
Dress for the Weather: We’ll be photographing outside, so wear appropriate clothing.
Preparation Checklist for DSLR/Mirrorless Camera:
Camera Settings:
ISO: 400
White Balance: Auto
Exposure Mode: Manual
Focus: Auto Focus
Check Equipment:
Fully charged battery
SD card inserted
Clean lens and sensor (if necessary)
Exposure Instructions for DSLR/Mirrorless Camera:
-Look through the lens and use your camera’s meter to achieve proper exposure.
-Adjust the aperture and shutter speed until the meter’s heavy line aligns with the center.
-Underexposed: The meter leans left (dark image).
-Overexposed: The meter leans right (bright image).
-Goal: Create an in-focus image with details in both shadows and highlights.
Shutter Speed Guidelines:
Do not shoot below 1/60th of a second (to avoid motion blur).
If using a telephoto or zoom lens, set your shutter speed to be at least as fast as the longest focal length.
Example: For a 70-200mm lens, use a shutter speed of 1/250th of a second or faster.
Mobile Device Instructions:
Lightroom Camera: Use the camera feature within the Lightroom for Mobile App to make images.
-Choose Professional as you camera shooting mode - This gives you options for exploring and playing with settings.
-Let the camera automatically set the ISO.
-Experiment with different settings on the screen and observe their effects. Take notes on what each setting does.
-Aim to capture 50-100 images today.
Composition and Framing Tips:
When photographing, consider the following prompts to guide your image-making process:
Subject & Intent:
What is your subject?
Why are you making this image?
What do you want your viewer to notice?
Lines & Abstraction:
Explore the architectural lines on campus.
Look for shapes and abstract patterns.
People & Storytelling:
Capture candid or posed images of people on campus.
Consider gestures, expressions, and interactions.
Details & Textures:
Zoom in on textures, patterns, or small details that others might overlook.
Layering:
Think about including elements in the foreground, middle ground, and background to create depth.
Additional Ideas for Exploration:
Reflections: Explore reflections in windows, puddles, or shiny surfaces.
Shadows & Light: Notice how light and shadows interact on buildings and walkways.
Color or Monochrome: Focus on capturing vibrant colors or consider converting images to black and white.
Signs of Campus Life: Capture moments that define daily life on campus, such as students studying, walking, or interacting.
Submit:
Submit your 10 strongest images through Canvas as a Lightroom URL.
To submit, create a shared link to your images in Lightroom Mobile. Tap Share & Invite for your album or project. Enable Anyone Can View under sharing options. Adjust link settings to turn on Show Metadata, Show Location, and Allow JPG Downloads. Copy the generated URL and submit it via Canvas.
In the Comments section in Canvas Include a brief reflection (2-3 sentences) on your favorite image: What made you choose it, and what did you learn?
Let’s get out there and start capturing the world around us!
Examples: