Module 14: Website 

For Module 14 we are working on building a webpage and includes our lesson plan.  I am looking at websites but most of the ones I know cost a fee to set up.  I have helped set up our AAU Photo Dept's website at www.aauphoto.com.  I really like the clean and beautiful style of this template.  As you can see here - the main page is very visual - highlighting our student work.  It really serves as a resource website - allowing students to read the biography's of the department directors along with downloading material for our current Spring Show 2015.  We also include content for our alumni along with social media buzz links and student news. 

I also set up the biography page for our full time department directors and family - it includes our online and on-campus. Here is a page that highlights my info and our online team.

Module 13: Lesson Plan and Rubric

For this module, I created a lesson plan for grade level nine students at a public school.  I wanted to use something photo related and thought taking photoshop and turning it into a self portrait assignment would be a fun option for 9th graders.

Below is the basic outline for a 3-day lesson plan incorporating a few Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards. 
 

Lesson 1	Student will be introduced to self-portraiture in the photographic medium.  We will view and talk about the first photographers using themselves as the subject matter as well as view contemporary photographers using self as subject. Homework:  Students bring in a photograph of him/herself to the class the next week.   Students to research other self-portrait photographers who inspire them.  Research will be done online.  Next week students introduce this photographer to the class and share why and what inspires them about this visual artist.             • Visual and Performing Arts: Visual Arts Content Standards: 3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT. 3.3 Identify and describe trends in the visual arts and discuss how the issues of time, place, and cultural influence are reflected in selected works of art. 3.4 Discuss the purposes of art in selected contemporary cultures.
Lesson 2	Students review the photographers they found online.  Students also share the photograph they brought in for the Photoshop assignment. Class Demo will include learning how to use the school’s flatbed scanners, resizing the image and saving it to the desktop.  Students are introduced to Adobe Photoshop and the digital tools.  Students are introduced to digital printing techniques.  Students spend some free lab time exploring and bring questions to the teacher for onsite problem solving. Homework:  Student to scan, modify, and print a new image and print it using the school’s lab.  Students to bring the hard copy print in next week for a group critique.  Students to also post online using one of the free photo social media sites. • Visual and Performing Arts: Visual Arts Content Standards: 3.2 Identify and describe the role and influence of new technologies on contemporary works of art. 2.3 Develop and refine skill in the manipulation of digital imagery (either still or video) 2.4 Review and refine observational digital skills.
Lesson 3	Group Critique Day.  Students share their Photoshop Self Portrait online and showcase the final digital printed image.  Student do a group critique and also share the tools they used and why.  • Visual and Performing Arts: Visual Arts Content Standards: 4.3 Formulate and support a position regarding the aesthetic value of a specific work of art and change or defend that position after considering the views of others.  4.4 Articulate the process and rationale for refining and reworking one of their own works of art.

M12: Shoot, Edit and Upload Video 

This week we learned about shooting, editing and uploading a video to Youtube (or other video supporting web platforms)

I created a short demo on Sunlight Printing using Cyanotypes.  I am including a few screen shots from yesterday's filming and Final Cut Pro nightmare....72hrs later here is what I got!  I am not happy with this video for a number of reasons - weather was not optimal with rain and clouds during exposure sessions... but still got some results. This was a one person production so I was dealing w/ filming and doing the demos at the same time - so the video is a bit awkward & jumpy.  But all in all it was good practice to use a script and try to follow along and edit the film with the dialog. 

You can view my video here! 

A visual example of the cyanotype process - exposing, washing and drying:

Here is a screenshot from Final Cut Pro and some editing I was working on! 

Module 11: Storyboard

I have done some novice video work and took a film editing class at AAU about 6yrs ago... but it has been so many years that it was good to get an intro on what are the best characteristics for successful video production. 

I had forgotten about "The Rule of Thirds"  - so it was good to get more information on that plus using composition and framing to make a more dynamic film.  I also need to be careful about my recording quality and making sure the voice is clear while the images and motion clips are interesting.  It will be important to include focus and zoom action so the viewer can really get a clear picture of what is being taught.

For this blog post, I want to share some screen shots of my Powerpoint "script" for the Sunlight Printing demo.  I would like to film a step by step process showing children around the age of 7-9 how to collect botanical specimens and create their own sunlight prints.  Hopefully the weather will be on my side as we've been having some late spring snow storms here in Colorado.

Module 10 PodCasts

Creating a PodCast was a challenging but satisfying assignment. Revisiting some technical tools & software I haven't used in a long time like Photo Booth and FinalCut Pro was good for me.  I am not fond of my voice, so this assignment was a bit painful.  I had to re-record myself several times because I would just freeze and my voice stumbled... The best plan of action for me was to record each section at a time - so I ended up with over 8 recorded sound bites - focusing on the intro, each photographer and closing thoughts. 

I wanted to stick with a 4 minute PodCast... the less I had to talk the better!  I ended up with a 4 minute and 15 second piece, so I'm happy with this.

Here is a screen shot from FinalCut Pro showing my sound bites/images during my editing process...

My goal would be to use this Podcast in conjunction with a gallery or museum field trip... especially if the class assignment was self-portraiture.  

Below is my PodCast ~ (click link or video image below)

Women Photographers :: Episode One 1: Self Portrait Image Makers

• Ellen Rogers, 2015 (UK)

• Aéla Labbé, 2015 (FRANCE)

• Rebecca Cornwell, 2015 (USA)

• Pilar Martinez, 2015 (SPAIN)

• Chemiko Bleu, 2015 (USA/JAPAN)

• Ingrid van Meggelen, 2015 (NEDERLANDS)

Video seems to play best via the Youtube Link:

http://youtu.be/J44y68OLVDo