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by Marci Cooke
I was in
junior high when my parents bought me my first camera- a
plain old manual Nikon. My dad gave me a lesson about apertures and shutter speeds and
loading film. During the next several months, I took pictures of my friends, my house, and
my family. The problem was that I knew how to use the camera, but I didn’t know how to
take a picture. There was no artistry to my photos. I was stuck with hundreds of boring
snapshots. Years passed before I discovered how to make a photograph speak. In fact,
I’m still learning, even now as a professional. Here is a challenging assignment to
help you become a creative photographer. If you're up for the challenge, give it a
go!
THE ASSIGNMENT
Take six pieces of paper and write one of the following words down on each:
"death," "life," "joy," "peace," "love," and
"new." Place each piece of paper in a bag and choose one each month. Your
assignment is to spend the month documenting your chosen word. Let’s take
"death," for example. It’s easy to go out and photograph a cemetery.
That’s too obvious and the first thing most people would do.
So don’t do it.
Take your time and think about a new way to interpret the word "death." You don’t have to take "death" literally. Try documenting what happens to nature as winter approaches. How about photographing old buildings that are falling apart? Or you could document the death of a friendship and combine it with original poetry. Consider the goal of documentary photography- it tells a story.
Choose your own personal interpretation of "death," "life," "joy," "peace," "love," and "new." Once you've selected a subject, stick with it for the entire roll. Don’t take three pictures of nature and then some pictures of dilapidated barns. Choose either barns or nature. Think of each word as an emotion to be expressed through photography. Don’t worry if nothing comes to mind right away. It may take days or weeks before you get an idea. That’s okay.
COMPOSITION
You don’t always need to show the entire object. If your subject is a classic car,
for example, people will still know it’s a classic car even if you include only
the front grill or a
headlight. Try to look for interesting details about your subject and focus in tight.
ANGLES
Don’t be afraid to get down on the ground or above it. Climb a ladder or a step ladder to photograph something. Choose a variety of
angles and focal lengths. Try some close-ups, some medium shots, and some
farther away.
PUTTING TOGETHER AN EXHIBITION
When you get the film back, choose the best ten pictures and enlarge them. Now
you have an exhibit
- a group of photos with a common theme which can be worked into a school project.
Your
school may even want to hang your photos in the art department or another
display area.
Maybe your parents can find a place in the house. You can certainly hang them in your
room. An inexpensive way to prepare photos for exhibition is to mount, instead of frame
them. Most craft stores sell foam board that you can easily cut to size with an exacto
knife. (Be careful!)
Once you complete all five assignments, take a look at your work and study it. Which is your favorite interpretation? Do other people understand what you were trying to say? Are you satisfied with the project? There are no mistakes-only opportunities from which to learn. This is a lesson in creative thinking. Knowing how to think creatively will enhance your grades, your relationships with others, your test-taking abilities, your performance on your summer job, and the new challenges you'll face in school and beyond. Look around your world for new interpretations of the same old, same old.
ABOUT THE PHOTOS IN THIS ARTICLE
These
photos are my personal interpretation of the word "old." I decided to
give these portraits a vintage look by shooting them on black-and-white film and
then sepia toning them. Remember, though, sepia toning will not automatically
give a photo a vintage look. You must also take care to avoid modern
clothing, settings, and poses.
If you study old photographs, you'll notice a few things. Since lenses were not as sharp years ago as they are today, old photos are slightly grainy and fuzzy. I did my best to copy this effect by using an older lens of poor quality just for this reason. If you'd like to try re-creating this interpretation, it would be a good idea for you to study old photographs first. Do you think my personal interpretation of "old" was successful?
Fig. 1. The model for this photo wore vintage clothing from my collection. Her pose and long hair make a classic-looking photo. This photo is also a vignette, which makes her fade into the background.
Fig.
2. Women often posed with their shoulders or backs to the camera in the
early days of photography.
Fig. 3. This mother-to-be wanted to appear classic and old-fashioned. She may seem to have a modern haircut, but women living in the 1920's cut their hair the same way. She's wearing a linen nightgown I found at a flea market. I often buy unusual clothing or props at thrift shops and flea markets to use in my photos.
Fig. 4. This baby posed for me dressed only in a diaper and a hat found in a vintage store. The lack of contrast and the fact that the picture is printed on fiber-based paper with a matte finish makes the final product look old and faded. This picture would look nice in an antique picture frame.
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