I have had the privilege and blessing to be hired as the teacher for the photography class in one of the schools in Riverdale, UT.
As part of my responsibilities I had created a syllabus that meets the basic needs of learning photography for students from 12 to 18 years of age (and older).
You, as parent and/or student, will have questions in regards of assignments and other information for the class... those questions are most welcome to be addressed at any time, but most likely, they will be answered regardless during the school year.
Basic
Photography Class 2013-2014
About
the Teacher
I
enjoy the practice of professional photography as much as teaching
photography skills to energetic, enthusiastic students of every and
any age.
I
finished a minor in photography in the “Saint Mark University”
while I was studying Veterinary Medicine in South America in 1997.
Decided to follow the career of photography and opened my company in
1998, working as a full time photographer since then until, so far,
today.
I
did several internships for 1 year long each, in: Portrait studio
photography (1999), Wedding photography (2000) and Printing and
Laboratory processes (2005).
I've
done studio work as well as on-location, including, but not limited,
to: family portraits, children and high school seniors, wedding
photography, traveling and landscape photography, fine art,
commercial portraiture and products, etc.
I
enjoy spending time with my family and experiencing outdoor sports
like mountain biking, road cycling, hiking, kayaking, camping, etc.
Course
Description and Objectives
“Hands-on”
and practicing Photography in every lesson.
Students
will, generally, receive basic instruction, demonstration, and see
samples of the desired outcomes, at the beginning of each class.
They will shoot assignments, based on what they are learning.
Perhaps the most useful part of classroom instruction will be the
reviews of photos students have shot during the assignments.
Introduction
to the Business of Photography including but not limited to
portraits and weddings.
We
will talk about an “Introduction to Video work flow”.
This
course also includes some investigation, reading, writing, and
presentations.
Course
Requirements and Materials
A
digital camera per student (DSLR is preferred), with enough battery
power and memory card space, placed in camera (the school does not
provide cameras, so students are expected to bring one themselves).
A
notebook and writing utensils.
A
Flash Drive (8Gb or grater) or an SD Card (8Gb or grater) to
transfer photos, assignments images, etc. for class analysis
Enthusiastic
participation.
Demonstration
of knowledge through quizzes and/or class presentations.
Respectful
conduct to peers and teachers at all times during class and good
behavior.
Daily
Procedures and Conduct
Each
student will use their own camera. Failing to bring camera will
decrease class participation.
The
class will be given and the principles taught.
Questions
and concerns are always answered. A proper student/teacher etiquette
of conduct is expected and enforced (like raising their hand before
asking questions, referring to the teacher as “Teacher” or
“Mister”, or if use with respect, I will allow students to call
me “AL”).
Some
assignments will be given to work as small groups; other assignments
will be given to work individually during class. Some assignments
will be demonstrated by the students in front of the class; other
assignments will be presented to the teacher to be graded.
Near
the end of the lesson I will try to resolve any question or
confusion still remaining.
The
students will remain in their seats until the teacher dismisses them
and not when the bell rings.
No
electronics other than their own digital camera, will be allowed to
be used during class, like cell phones, iPods, mp3 players unless is
used directly for the benefit of the entire class. Needless to say
texting will be prohibited at any time unless is expressly permitted
by the teacher only in case of an emergency. First warning will
allow the student to put the device away without any further
consequence other than losing participation points for that day.
Second warning, the teacher will confiscate the device plus the lose
of participation points for that day. Third warning, the student
will lose participation points and the teacher will confiscate the
device and will not returned it until student bring at least one of
their parents, to whom it will be given back, regardless the
potential importance and/or cost of the device in their personal
life.
Grading
To
be successful in this course each student must demonstrate the
skills required to complete each project during class, have a
passing grade on the quizzes and to have a positive attitude.
Additionally,
each student will be able to increase grading points when present
assignments, which are optional, and at the end of the school year
they present a portfolio of
“one-representative-photograph-per-each-assignment” for the
final review and grading.
Grading
will be using the official scale for grades (ex. 93
– 100 A, 90 – 92 A-, 87 – 89 B+, 83 – 86 B, 80 – 82 B-, 77
– 79 C+, 73 – 76 C, 70 – 72 C-, 67 – 69 D+, 63 – 66 D, 60
– 62 D-, 59 and below F Grades are NOT rounded. For example, 89.9%
is B+).
Students
will have all aid possible from the teacher:
During
class time they can ask all their questions related to the subject
being taught.
Right
after class students can stay to resolve personal/class related
questions or issues.
During
the week students can communicate with the teacher via email,
stating their concerns and questions. The teacher will answer them
in the same fashion.
Assignments
1.
Appropriate Subject Matter
Photographs
must be in compliance with school rules and policies. If the students
are not assigned to a subject is the student responsibility to select
a subject that is appropriate and double check with the teacher in
case of not being certain (i.e., no drugs, paraphernalia, gang
activity, violence, sexual conducts, sexually explicit or implicit
conduct and dressing, etc.). Assignments will get a failing grade if
the subject chosen is inappropriate, regardless the quality of
presentation.
If
you are unsure whether or not something is appropriate, please ask
before starting the assignment. You might be surprise how much
misunderstanding happens for only supposing or assuming things.
Outside-the-Classroom
Photo Assignments
When
students are outside the classroom on photo assignments during class
time, they are expected to observe classroom and campus rules at all
times. Additionally:
-
A photo pass must accompany students at all times on campus.
-
Stay on task. Students engaging in any activity other than the
assigned task, including loitering, will be escorted back to the
classroom (consequences will apply including loss of privileges
which could cause grade to be affected).
- Students will not
enter or disturb other classes while taking photos or walking to
location.
-Students will stay in the approved shooting
location. Leaving the campus during school hours is strictly
prohibited and will be penalized if happens.
Home
Assignments
When
students are assigned to do home work, they have an entire week to
complete it, by themselves, before the next weekly class. Failing
to do this, the students will receive a failing grade for that
particular assignment.
End
of Year Presentation
Out
of each assignment, the student must select one best representative
photograph, which at the end of the school year, each student will
present as a portfolio (a group of photos) including a written brief
explanation of the chosen subject, exposure used, lighting used,
rule of compositions achieved, and other important information for
each individual photograph.
It will be graded and pondered
averaged with the final test.
The portfolio, in order to have
maximum scoring, can be presented in either of 2 different ways:
a)
Digital Presentation: the student must create a Power Point
Presentation as elaborate as possible, showing the different
photographs taken during the school year including some technical
information as described above.
or
b) Printed
Presentation: each photograph should be printed on a photo paper or
art paper, in an 8x10 size or larger and presented in a nice
professional folio. Each photograph should include some technical
information as described above.
Both
presentations will have the same grades if are done to the best
of the student's abilities and are suitable to the teacher's
criteria. The portfolio will be scored for:
- exposure (up to
15 points) - overall presentation (up to 10 points)
-
lighting (up to 10 points) - personal effort (up to 15 points)
-
subject (up to 10 points) - creativity (up to 10 points)
-
composition (up to 15 points) - complexity in the elaboration.
(up to 15 points)
Things that will decrease your score
are:
- Your home work was done by someone else.
- Poor
overall presentation.
- Lack of personal effort.
- Poor
photography quality in exposure, lighting and composition.
-
Wrong choice of subject.
Disclaimer
Each
student will be solely responsible to her/his equipment. The school
will not be responsible to compensate, restitute or replace
equipment even if the damage had happened during class time and/or
on school property.
If
the teacher is responsible for the direct damage, the teacher will
replace the equipment damaged, not the school.
Damage
to school property by students will be penalized and it will require
Damage
to personal property by the owner-student or other students due to
accidents, miss-use or neglect will not excuse the student for not
begin able to give assignments in time.
Parents
Please
take a moment to read, fill out and sign the attached acknowledgment
and agreement form. If you have any questions concerning the syllabus
please feel free to contact me by phone or email.
Thank
you!
Alvaro
Aguayo (AL)
801-603-9837
I,
_________________________________ (Print student's name), commit to
following school and classroom rules. I understand that not doing so
could cause me to lose classroom privileges and thus affect my grade.
I am aware that when I check out equipment I am responsible for it. I
will be held financially responsible for any lost, damaged or stolen
equipment.
Student
Printed Name_____________________________
Student
Signature________________________________
Parents,
please print your name and sign acknowledging the above. In addition,
by signing this form you are giving permission for your child's
picture to be taken, if needed for class purposes, during any given
class time, without notification, and to be use for class purposes
both in class and online (the address of the class blog will be given
during the first day of class).
Parent
Printed Name______________________________
Parent
Signature_________________________________
Phone
Number__________________________________
Best
time to reach you ____________________________
Thank
you!
_________________________________________________________________
Photography
Lessons
(still under review and possible modifications)
1.-
First Lesson – Aug 19th 2013
Getting
to know each other
Basic
Class Rules
Introduction
to photography
Questions
and Answers
Main
Interests to learn from students
2.-
Key Camera Controls I – finding them and knowing how to use them. -
Aug 26th 3013
3.-
Key Camera Controls II – Getting familiar with them. - Sept 09th
2013
4.-
Exposure Controls and Settings – Playing with camera Exposure
Controls – Sept 16th 2013
Under
exposure
Over
exposure
Perfect
Exposure – Main purpose and subject.
Using
in-camera exposure meters
Using
an off-camera exposure meter
First
Assignment – To take 5 different subjects. Each subject will have:
One (-2EV)
under-exposed photo (record your settings: Ap,ShSp,Iso,Lens).
One (+2EV)
over-exposed photo (record your settings: Ap,ShSp,Iso,Lens).
One perfect exposed
photo (record your settings: Ap,ShSp,Iso,Lens+Subject purpose).
To present them
digitally in a flash drive (the due date) or send it via email
(before due date).
5.-
Principles of Composition I – To learn How to create interesting
photographs. - Sept 23rd 2013
- Review
of previous lesson
- Review Assignment from previous week.
- Leading
lines
- Angles
- Rule
of Thirds
- Practice
Rules of Composition I
6.-
Principles of Composition II – To learn How to create interesting
photographs – Sept 30th 2013
Review
of previous lesson
Mood
photos vs Happy photos
Golden
Triangle Rule
Practice
all Rules of Composition I & II
Second
Assignment – To photograph a sample of each different composition
reviewed (5 different subjects) and present them digitally in a
flash drive (the due date) or send it via email (before due date).
7.-
Practice of Rules and Principles of Composition – Oct 7th
2013
- Review
Assignment from previous week.
- Review
of previous lesson
- Practice
8.-
Light I – To learn quality of lights and how to control it. - Oct
14th 2013
- Review
of previous lesson
- Review
different light's qualities: harsh, soft, dim, harsh, etc.
- Time
of day for photos (sunny, overcast, harsh light, too high light, too
contrasty, etc.)
- Direction
of light and shadows (back light, front light, side ¾, side split,
accent)
- How
light affects the photograph in portraits, landscapes.
- Using
our creativity (Gobos, Walls, Natural reflectors, etc.)
9.-
Light II – How to use light in our advantage – Oct 21st
2013
- Review
of previous lesson
- Reflectors
- On-camera
flash units
- Off
camera flash units
- Strobes
- Third
Assignment – To create 5 portraits of 2 different subjects (10
photos total) using the 5 different light conditions: sunny,
overcast/covered, back light, incandescent and candle.
10.-
Review of Composition and Lighting – Oct 28th 2013
- Putting
all knowledge together and combined.
- Review
of all previous lessons
11.-
Analysis of classic photographs and Questions and Answers – Nov
04th 2013
12.-
Brief review on How to process a photo in Photo shop – Nov 11th
2013
13.-
Refining Portraits – Nov 18th 2013
14.-
Photo walk around the school – Nov. 25th 2013
15.-
Analysis of photos taken the previous week. - Dec 02nd
2013
16.-
Business of Portraits – Dec 09th 2013
Pricing
a photo session
Pricing
prints
Advertising
17.-
Practice your own business of Portraits – Dec 16th 2013
Create
your business: name, pricing structure, advertising, shooting,
review of samples
18.-
Business of Wedding photography – Jan 06th 2014
Pricing
structures
Pricing
prints
Advertising
19.-
Practice your own Wedding business – Jan 13th 2014
20.-
Questions and Answers, Review of assignment and confusion-solving –
Jan 27th 2014
21.-
Nature photography – Feb 03rd 2014
Principles
for a Landscape photograph
Composition:
Capturing color, lines, isolating subjects, basic rules, etc.
22.-
Wildlife photography – Feb 10th 2014
Principles
Composition.
Assignment.
23.-
Review of photographs and analysis of assignment – Feb 24th
2014
24.-
Using Reflectors, Filters and Tripods – Mar 03rd 2014
25.-
Still-life photography (a review of macro) – Mar 10th
2014
26.-
Create an abstract photograph – Mar 17th 2014
27.-
Review of other types of digital photography – Mar 24th
2014
HDR
(High Dynamic Range)
Night
photography
Macro
photography
Underwater
photography
28.-
The Art of Black & White, sepia and other monochrome photos. -
Mar 31st 2014
29.-
Quick review of Composition Rules – Apr 14th 2014
30.-
Quick review of Lighting and Uses – Apr 21st 2014
31.-
Introduction to Video and Motion pictures – Apr 28th
2015
32.-
Final Questions and Answers – May 05th 2014
If you have any questions about this syllabus, please contact me at : 801-603-9837
