PHOT O GR A P H Y

PHOTOGRAPHY
• THE WORD "PHOTOGRAPHY" COMES FROM THE GREEK
(PHOS) "LIGHT" + (GRAPHIS) "STYLUS", "PAINTBRUSH"
OR (GRAPHÊ) "REPRESENTATION BY MEANS OF LINES"
OR "DRAWING", "DRAWING WITH LIGHT."
TRADITIONALLY, THE PRODUCTS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
HAVE BEEN CALLED NEGATIVES AND PHOTOGRAPHS,
COMMONLY SHORTENED TO PHOTOS.
-IT IS THE ART OR PROCESS OF PRODUCING
IMAGES THROUGH THE USE OF A LIGHT
SENSITIVE CHEMICAL OR FILM.
-A PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ACTUAL LIKENESS,
THAT PRODUCTION OF WHICH MAY NOT
ACTUALLY INVOLVE ARTISTS CREATIVITY.
-ONE ONLY
HAS TO PRESS A BUTTON ON A CAMERA TO
PRODUCE THIS ACTUAL LIKENESS.
•PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ART FORM LIKE
DRAWING AND PAINTING.
PHOTOGRAPHERS USE THEIR CAMERA
TO MAKE US SEE LIFE IN A DIFFERENT
WAY, FEEL EMOTIONS, AND RECORD
STORIES AND EVENTS.
 How a Camera works… Notice the
inverted
(upside-down)
tree.

When the shutter of a camera is opened, light passes through the lens
and onto the film. The film is covered with chemicals that create a
pattern of light on the film. This becomes the negative.

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THERE ARE THREE BASIC STYLES OF
PHOTOGRAPHY.

Landscape Portrait Documentary

LANDSCAPE
LANDSCAPE IS A
PHOTOGRAPH OF THE
ENVIRONMENT. IT COULD
BE THE FOREST,
MOUNTAINS, OCEANS, OR
YOUR BACKYARD. ANSEL
ADAMS IS A FAMOUS
LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHER. HERE IS
ONE OF HIS IMAGES.
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PORTRAIT
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY IS A
PHOTO OF A PERSON OR ANIMAL.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO SHOW AN
EMOTION.
What is the emotion shown in
this photo?

Scared
Angry

Other…
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Holding Virgina - Sally Mann
DIFFERENT PORTRAIT STYLES

Lukasz Holma, Poland - Lauren Bacall Rubenesque - Keith Carter

Can you compare and contrast these photographs?

WHAT IS PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY?

A portrait photograph is a picture of a

person or animal that shows an
emotional connection.

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DOCUMENTARY DOCUMENTARY
PHOTOGRAPHY PRESENTS
FACTS WITHOUT CHANGING
ANYTHING.

GOOD DOCUMENTARY
PHOTOGRAPHS MAKE YOU
WONDER WHAT THE STORY IS
Migrant Mother - Dorthea Lange
BEHIND THE PHOTOGRAPH.

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INTERPRET THE PHOTOGRAPHY

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 WHAT IS DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY?

Documentary Photography tells a story without changing

the facts.

It can be a portrait or landscape.

Remember that a good documentary photograph

makes you
wonder what the story is behind the picture!
RULE OF THIRDS
A photo is more interesting if the subject is NOT directly in the
center. Try placing your subject 1/3 to the left or right, or 1/3
from top or bottom.

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One photograph uses rule of thirds and the other uses central focus.

Central Focus Rule of Thirds

Which photograph do you find more interesting?

WHY?
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POINT OF VIEW
Try selecting and unusual point of view.

Above
Eye Level Below
Where was the photographer standing for each
picture?
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PROXIMITY
Don’t be shy! Get close to your subject.

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 CONTRAST
CONTRAST REFERS TO
THE BRIGHTNESS
BETWEEN THE LIGHT AND
SHADOW AREAS OF A
PICTURE.
Does this photograph have contrast?

Mapplethorpe, Orchid and Leaf in White Vase 1982

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Contrast, Rule of Thirds,
Point of View, and Proximity

ARE TOOLS TO HELP YOU MASTER THE ART

OF PHOTOGRAPHY.
MODES OF PRODUCTION

•AMATEURISM
•COMMERCE
AMATEURISM

•AN AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER IS ONE WHO

PRACTICES PHOTOGRAPHY AS A HOBBY AND
NOT FOR PROFIT. THE QUALITY OF SOME
AMATEUR WORK IS COMPARABLE OR SUPERIOR
TO THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONALS AND MAY BE
HIGHLY SPECIALIZED OR ECLECTIC IN ITS
CHOICE OF SUBJECTS.
 COMMERCE
•COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY IS
PROBABLY BEST DEFINED AS ANY
PHOTOGRAPHY FOR WHICH THE
PHOTOGRAPHER IS PAID FOR IMAGES
RATHER THAN WORKS OF ART. IN THIS
LIGHT MONEY COULD BE PAID FOR THE
SUBJECT OF THE PHOTOGRAPH OR THE
PHOTOGRAPH ITSELF.
• ADVERTISING PHOTOGRAPHY:
PHOTOGRAPHS MADE TO ILLUSTRATE
AND USUALLY SELL A SERVICE OR
PRODUCT. THESE IMAGES, SUCH AS
PACK SHOTS, ARE GENERALLY DONE
WITH AN ADVERTISING AGENCY,
DESIGN FIRM OR WITH AN IN-HOUSE
CORPORATE DESIGN TEAM.
•FASHION AND GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAPHY: THIS
TYPE OF PHOTOGRAPHY USUALLY
INCORPORATES MODELS. FASHION
PHOTOGRAPHY EMPHASIZES THE CLOTHES OR
PRODUCT, GLAMOUR EMPHASIZES THE MODEL.
GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAPHY IS POPULAR IN
ADVERTISING AND IN MEN'S MAGAZINES.
MODELS IN GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAPHY MAY BE
NUDE, BUT THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE
•CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHY: THIS TYPE
OF PHOTOGRAPHY CONSISTS OF
PHOTOGRAPHING SCENES OF CRIME SUCH
AS ROBBERIES AND MURDERS. A BLACK
AND WHITE CAMERA OR AN INFRARED
CAMERA MAY BE USED TO CAPTURE
SPECIFIC DETAILS.
•STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY: IT DEPICTS
INANIMATE SUBJECT MATTER,
TYPICALLY COMMONPLACE OBJECTS
WHICH MAY BE EITHER NATURAL OR
MAN-MADE
•FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY: IT CAN BE USED
FOR EDITORIAL, PACKAGING OR
ADVERTISING USE. FOOD
PHOTOGRAPHY IS SIMILAR TO STILL
LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY, BUT REQUIRES
SOME SPECIAL SKILLS.
•EDITORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY:
PHOTOGRAPHS MADE TO ILLUSTRATE
A STORY OR IDEA WITHIN THE
CONTEXT OF A MAGAZINE. THESE ARE
USUALLY ASSIGNED BY THE MAGAZINE
•PHOTOJOURNALISM: THIS CAN BE
CONSIDERED A SUBSET OF EDITORIAL
PHOTOGRAPHY. PHOTOGRAPHS MADE
IN THIS CONTEXT ARE ACCEPTED AS A
DOCUMENTATION OF A NEWS STORY.
•PORTRAIT AND WEDDING
PHOTOGRAPHY: PHOTOGRAPHS MADE
AND SOLD DIRECTLY TO THE END USER
OF THE IMAGES.
• LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY:
PHOTOGRAPHS OF DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
• WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY: IT
DEMONSTRATES LIFE OF THE ANIMALS.
• PHOTO SHARING: PUBLISHING OR
TRANSFER OF A USER'S DIGITAL
PHOTOS ONLINE.
PICTURE TAKING
•MANY PEOPLE, TAKING PICTURES IS THE BEST
PART OF PHOTOGRAPHY.
•HOW TO MAKE PEOPLE LOOK GOOD, CATCHING
AN ACTION SHOT AT THE RIGHT INSTANT, TELL
STORY AND CAPTURE MEMORIES.
SIMPLE PICTURE

• THE SINGLE SUBJECT PHOTOGRAPH IS THE EASIEST TO MAKE. SOMETIMES

THE SUBJECT IS PERSON, AN EVENT OR EVEN ANIMALS.

• A. SHOOT AS CLOSE TO THE SUBJECT AS POSSIBLE

• B. SHOOT FROM LOW ANGLE
• C. SHOOT FROM HIGH ANGLE
MAKING A PORTRAIT
•TRIPOD
•REFLECTORS
•CAMERA
•LIGHTS
•POSITION OF THE SUBJECT
•LOCATION OF THE LIGHTS
•LOCATION OF CAMERA
CAMERA DISTANCE
• CLOSE UP
• EXTREME CLOSE UP
• LONG SHOT
• MEDIUM SHOT
• EXTREME LONG SHOT
CAMERA ANGLE

•HIGH ANGLE
•LOW ANGLE
•STRAIGHT ANGLE
CAMERA MOVEMENT
•PAN-MOVES ACROSS THE FIELD OF VISION LEFT-
RIGHT
•TILT-CAMERA MOVES UP AND DOWN
•ZOOM IN, ZOOM OUT- MOVE AWAY OR NEAR
•CRANE- MOVES UP AND AWAY